SITE_VISIT_QUESTIONS.pdf

Site Visit Held: 11am on May 28, 2015

Attendees (Sign-in sheet uploaded to solicitation)

1. Faith Enterprises Inc.

2. MCS

3. BW Systems

4. Alarmspecialists, Inc.

5. Systems Group

Questions

1. Besides the escort areas, are there any special precautions that may affect the work scope in an areas of the building? i.e., any labs/work areas where we will need to cover existing surfaces during the work scope. i.e., any special precautions we need to take for work in the seed storage vaults?

Normal care should be taken at all times to prevent damage to the facility. NCGRP staff in areas such as laboratories will apprise workers of specific issues. Contractor will coordinate with Location Monitor of work in these Rooms so areas are protected for normal care procedures.

2. As briefly discussed during the job walk, there may be areas where it cannot be brought completely back on-line during the allowed work hours. We will make every effort to bring as much back up as we can at the end of the workday, but what is the procedure/level of disabled system that the client can live with being out of commission?

The building for the most part is fully sprinkled, so areas would still have sprinkler coverage monitored by the FA System even though some FA devices might be down until the following work day.

If necessary, a longer work day (up to 10 hours) would be acceptable to allow for bringing the loops back up on line. Due to the critical nature of this facility, no overnight outage is acceptable.

3. Are there Method of Procedures (MOP’s) that we as the contractor need to provide to the client as part of our work scope? If so, just areas such as the vaults and other high value areas? When we do work on retrofitting the FA monitored and controlled HVAC Systems? Turing power off to the FA Systems? Any other areas?

Method of Procedure shall include scheduling and coordination with the Location Monitor, the day before a procedure is to occur, for coordination with occupants. Care must be taken in regards to minimize the chance of anything but brief AHU shut downs especially in regards to the laboratory systems. This is due to the fact that NCGRP staff is not allowed to work in the laboratories without ventilation.

4. The work scope calls for one for one device replacement and the replacement system to meet the latest editions of NFPA. The existing device placements would not allow the new system to meet all current NFPA Codes. Please confirm with the AHJ (PFA) as to what extent will the following device placements require upgrade?

Per Joe Jaramillo at Poudre Fire Authority, (AHJ for NCGRP), as this project is a one for one replacement we do not need to relocate the device placements.

a. Manual pull stations are currently located at approximately 56” AFF to the operating handle, which is within the NFPA 72 mounting heights, but do NOT meet the current ADA mounting height of 48”AFF.

Will these manual stations be required to be lowered to meet new Code mounting heights?

No.

b. Horn/strobes are currently mounted at approximately 90-96” AFF to the bottom of the lens, which is not per current NFPA 72 Code. Will these devices be required to be lowered to meet new Code mounting heights?

c. Most of the small labs and workspaces currently do not have audible or visual coverage. For the most part the facility currently has audible and visual coverage in the common corridors and some of the larger work spaces. Will a complete re-work of the audible and visual device coverage be required to meet new Code requirements for all normally occupied spaces?

d. Various areas have smoke detection coverage that is not up to current Code requirements. Among these are the seed chapel (too low on the peak) and the roof mechanical areas (inadequate coverage). Will the smoke coverage be required to be brought up to current code requirements?

5. Assuming we will be performing a complete upgrade (yes to all items described in 4), will the painting and patching be part of the contractors scope? Does the owner have a specific contractor that typically provides these services currently? If so, what is the contact information?

The AHJ is not requiring a complete upgrade as the scope of work only calls for a one for one replacement, so the answer to all items in item 4 is no, therefore this question is not applicable.

6. Does the client know if the existing system is installed with conduit or open wire in the concealed ceiling areas? If open wire, are the areas above the drop ceiling considered “air plenum” spaces or are all HVAC systems ducted back to the units?

All wiring is in conduit.

7. Is it the intent to install new wiring for the retrofit, or if the existing cable is Code acceptable, can any existing wire be re-used?

The intent of this procurement is to reuse existing wiring, because all the existing system points are operational.

8. During the walk, it was described that there is a second oxygen tone, separate from the normal fire alarm tone. In these oxygen areas, a single horn was witnessed with a blue strobe. Are there 2 tones (fire and oxygen) in these areas, or just the single oxygen tone?

The fire alarm horn circuit sounds with an abbreviated tone without activating the strobes on the fire horns for oxygen alarm events. The blue colored strobes located by rooms using Liquid Nitrogen are instead activated to indicate low oxygen alarms.

9. During the walk, one of the bidders (existing service provider) indicated that he would provide a point list of the existing system. Can this be secured and sent out to the bidders as soon as possible, so we can include any devices that may not be shown on the current plans?

Yes, it has been uploaded to the solicitation in FedBizOpps.

10. Please confirm if the EST fire alarm contractor will need to by an authorized EST dealer?

For bidders submitting quotes using the EST brand, they must be either an EST dealer or be sponsored by an EST dealer. For bidders quoting an “equal” product, they must be either an authorized dealer for that brand or be sponsored by an authorized dealer.

Also, all bidders must be a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

11. Are there any CADD files that exist for the building, if not, the required CADD that will be needed in order to procure engineered fire alarm drawings for (PVA) may take at least 2 weeks. Then it may take an additional 2 weeks for (PVA) to review and release a permit. With such a tight timeline, please inquire with (PVA) if we are able to start on the retrofit prior to the permit being released. This will help with the time frame.

CADD files for the building are not available for the original 1991 construction. We will provide PDF files upon request for the building layout. The 2002 remodel plans are being provided as a PDF for bidding purposes. The 2002 Remodel Floor Plan Drawings (South Wing) will be provided in AutoCAD to the successful bidder to assist in the submittal drawings for JHA.

We understand that a delay to the start of work on site may occur due to preparation of the necessary documents for submittal. After having spoken with the JHA, they did not foresee any delay with the issuance of the permit as it would likely be handled over the counter as long as the documents were in order and the Fire Marshall was available to review the plans.

If delays occur during this process that affect the contractor’s ability to complete the work within the allotted timeframe, we will work with the awardee to extend the period of performance via a contract modification.

12. Can you please identify the Occupancy(s) for all areas of the building as this will need to be known for drawing submittal and to validate that a one for one replacement will meet the current codes/standards as requested in the solicitation?

Occupancy for lab is a B2 per a phone conversation with AHJ. The one for one replacement will meet the AHJ requirements.

13. Can the mechanical drawings be provided for the mechanical systems for the facility?

Mechanical HVAC drawings in PDF format will be provided via email to those who attended the site visit (as they contain sensitive information). For any vendors who did not attend the site visit and need a copy, please email a request to Molly.Jackson@ars.usda.gov.

14. The fireworks terminal being solicited for this project, it was my understanding yesterday not to provide a LCD monitor as the monitor currently on site is set up for three systems via a switch. Is that in deed the request to exclude the LCD monitor?

A UL listed computer and printer shall be provided. No monitor is needed.

15. Generally when government building gets the fire alarm system replaced the building is upgraded to a voice evacuation/mass notification system. It was my understanding that you wanted this question submitted to validate that horn/strobe evacuation is what is being requested.

Yes, a horn/strobe evacuation system is being requested. The scope of the solicitation does not incorporate a voice evacuation/ mass notification system.

16. Can you please provide the drawing changes for rooms 242, 242A, 243A, and 244. As the rooms were indicated during the walk through as being different then the floor plans provided.

The Changes to the 1st and 2nd floor rooms are in the attached files “NCGRP 2002 Remodel 2nd Floor Plan Demo Sheet AD1-2 20150604.pdf, “NCGRP 2002 Remodel 1st Floor Plan Sheet A1-1 20150604.pdf” and “NCGRP 2002 Remodel 2nd Floor Plan Sheet A1-2 20150604.pdf”. We have received CADD drawings from the architect and these will be made available to the successful bidder.

17. Please verify the security interface point to unlock the mag locks throughout the building is located at the IRC-3 fire panel, and if not please provide the location(s).

Location of tie-in for mag locks is unknown. A quick investigation revealed that the low voltage wiring junction box above the doors did not have any direct tie-in to the fire alarm system. The magnet lock low voltage power is de-energized closer to the power supply, which are likely in rooms 146 and 149. Currently when the fire alarm sounds, the hallway fire doors close when the ‘hold opens” de-energize and the magnetic locks are de-energized.

18. Please validate that the PA System interface/shutdown will not be necessary for the facility.

No, a PA system interface/shutdown will not be necessary for the facility.

19. It was my understanding yesterday that the vault standalone panels at each of the vaults are to remain and just be monitored by the new EST-3 monitor modules. The smoke detection currently on the IRC-3 fire panel above the vaults will need to be replaced and not the sensitive smoke detectors on the stand alone fire panels for the vaults.

Is this an accurate assessment from the walk thru? If the vault standalone panels need to be replaced can you please identify what vaults those would be?

The stand-alone HSSD systems serving room 300 (VESDA) and room 238 (Fenwal) are to remain and new addressable devices compatible by the EST-3 panel installed to replace the existing monitor modules. The smoke heads above the vaults are to be upgraded to be compatible with the EST-3 panel.