ATTACHMENT - I - SOW Repair Greenhouses- Ft Pierce FL- EW-rev-6-6-24.pdf

Statement of Work

Repair Greenhouses

U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory 2001 South Rock Road

Fort Pierce, Florida 34945

Prepared by:

Everett Wilson

20APR24

1 ) Project:

Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, and supplies to perform the following Statement of Work for U. S. Department of Agriculture, Horticultural Research Laboratory, 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, Florida 34945

All work shall be completed in accordance with all local, state, and federal codes and regulations. All work shall also meet the requirements of the ARS Facilities and Design Standards (P&P 242.1). The P&P 242.1 document can be found at:

http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/ppweb/PDF/242-01M.pdf.

All work shall be accomplished in a professional manner and in accordance with good workmanship and acceptable practice.

Contractor is responsible for inspecting the site and for determining the exact requirements of the project prior to submitting a bid on the project. Contractor is strongly advised to obtain actual field measurements during the site visit to validate the entire size and project scope before bidding on the project. Failure to properly investigate the size and nature of the project requirements shall not be considered as a reason to modify the contract between ARS and the Contractor to ensure that the contract can be successfully completed and accepted by ARS.

The submitted project bid shall be turnkey and all bids will be evaluated on best value/most technically acceptable.

2) Statement of Work:

The general statement of work shall serve as basic requirements for successful completion of the project subject to ARS Lab personnel acceptance only and shall not limit the Contractor’s responsibility or obligations to conform to all local, state, and federal labor laws necessary to furnish and perform the multi-tasks to renovate greenhouses mostly perform indoor and outdoor.

To successfully complete this project the Contractor shall first assess the stability of the greenhouses in all aspects including, but not limited to, knee walls, greenhouse structure, existing panels, cooling and other greenhouse infrastructure in order to identify the best process to repair, replace and correct to current code and industrial greenhouse standards set by the ARS Facilities all corroded structural components in the greenhouses to include the following identified items:

a. Concrete knee walls Metal columns,

b. Side wall girts,

c. Evaporative cooling pad frames,

d. Supporting brackets,

e. Evaporative cooling pad stringers,

f. Evaporative cooling pad gutters, Installation of new self-contained evaporative cooling systems shall include:

a. Open top PVC evaporative cooling system,

b. PVC pipe with metered outlet holes,

c. Water distribution pipe cover,

d. Built in sump pump water return piping

e. PVC trough Water filters,

f. Automatic float and volume control valves,

g. Evaporative cooling pad water tanks,

h. New float switches,

i. Overflow ports with shut off valves,

j. Removal and disposal of existing water reservoir.

Remove and demolish existing ground water tanks GH101, GH102, and GH127 after complete installation of new cooling pad system. Removals to include plumbing and or any electrical parts involved.

All areas where existing tanks are removed are to be properly filled and compacted with gravel laid at ground level. Level the ground to its proper slope.

Evaporative Cooling Pad System:

All corroded structural components or equipment related to the evaporative cooling system shall be demolished, removed, and replaced with Lab approved materials such as that meets or exceeds the original construction materials, specifications and requirements in a manner so as not to disrupt existing research and provide new, durable, and low maintenance systems. Original structural components are stainless steel and galvanized aluminum depending on application in the greenhouses.

Replace existing evaporative cooling pad systems with approved plastic cooling media in the following greenhouses: GH101, GH102, and GH127.

Contractor shall validate and verify locations of any damage to the frame support beams that require replacement with Lab personnel before progressing with work in order to minimize disruptions to ongoing research efforts in the greenhouses.

Center new evaporative cooling pad system full width nominal size measured at 30 ‘long x 4 ‘high x 6” deep. Pressure wash work area before installation starts.

The new installation shall have an open top PVC evaporative cooling system and a back deflector to direct water flow as specified and approved by Lab personnel.

Adjust final water flow settings to prevent any water from overshooting to the back wall and metal frames that causes corrosion.

PVC cooling wet pad system includes a holding tank and automatic circulating pump. The new cooling pad system construction will include the utilization of a PVC trough, plumbing and water reservoir. Water reservoir must be elevated, have a shut off valve at the bottom of the holding tank and a removable end port to release any accumulated debris or dirt when cleaning the internal wall. The new system design and components shall be submitted to Lab personnel for approval prior to purchasing parts and installing the system.

The holding tank must properly be supported into the concrete wall to protect from any movement. Any PVC pipes associated with the evaporative cooling system must be plumb, straight, and properly secured. Use non-corrosive material such as galvanized aluminum or stainless steel for any metal brackets and straps to secure the holding tank.

Install the new trough to a height approved by Lab personnel. General instruction is that the trough must be lower than the bottom of the air vent so excess water is directed back to the trough and minimize any water hitting the metal structure.

Support system for the PVC troughs must be made of non-corrosive material (stainless steel or approved substitute by Lab personnel) including non-corrosive fasteners and approved by Lab personnel for ease of maintenance and durability.

Water supply feed line must be installed at the middle of the evaporative pad to equalize water pressure distribution. All water lines must be visibly exposed and not installed behind the unit. All water lines shall be solid in design and mounting.

No new installed lines shall be made from flexible material unless specifically approved by Lab personnel.

Water filter casing must be made of a transparent UV stabilized plastic material that will allow Lab personnel to visibly see any debris and to determine when filter is due for change. Location of water filter must be accessible without use of a ladder.

Install pipe bleed valves to drain. Plumb such that bleed flow rate can visually checked by operator. Consult Lab personnel for locations of all bleed valves before installation.

The Contractor shall install a new, properly sized, water pump as specified according to the evaporative cooling pad system manufacturers recommendations and approved by Lab personnel.

Approximately 5 ‘of the greenhouse end wall on each side of the cooling pad system shall be sealed with waterproof material and polycarbonate panels installed so outside corners are glazed solid.

All new greenhouse and knee wall joints must be watertight to prevent any water infiltration into the greenhouse. Use appropriate sealants applied in a professional manner to all exposed areas.

Modify and adjust the existing and new outside vents, ventilators and flashing installed to the proper sizes and tightly seal any gaps or exterior wall openings to accommodate the new evaporative cooling pad system.

Install polypropylene plastic pads (Lubing USA or approved equal by Lab personnel) as the new cooling pad media to the following 25 greenhouses:

GH103 GH105 GH106 GH 107 GH108

GH109 GH110 GH111 GH112 GH113

GH114 GH115 GH116 GH117 GH118

GH119 GH120 GH121 GH122 GH123

GH124 GH125 GH126 GH132 GH133

Special care must apply to the greenhouse screen plenum. Keep all screen plenum intact and have minimum breeching to the enclosures. Any damaged screen shall immediately be replaced by Contractor with equivalent screen material approved by Lab personnel as soon as discovered to prevent any contamination to the greenhouses.

Provide plastic curtains along the center walkway from roof to floor of the greenhouse under repair to protect against any cross contamination of plant material on the opposite side of the greenhouse.

Stencil the date of completion for each greenhouse in a place specified by Lab personnel upon acceptance of the work. Contractor shall use a minimum of 2” high black letters and numbers.

Coordinate with greenhouse manager for scheduling and access procedures to the greenhouses indicating all planned and potential daily activities and duration one week in advance. Advise greenhouse manager or other identified Lab personnel immediately should the schedule change in any manner.

Repair Knee Walls and Structural Metal Posts:

Repair all 21 cracked knee walls, 11 corroded metal posts, 20 corroded evaporative vent supporting brackets, 14 corroded screen metal post and 4 corroded horizontal metal girt in the following locations:

Knee walls (21):

GH101 (2) GH102 (3) GH103 (1) GH104 (1)

GH106 (1) GH107 (3) GH111 (1) GH112 (1)

GH115 (2) GH116 (1) GH117 (1) GH118 (1)

GH127 (1) GH Hallway (2)

Corroded structural metal post (17):

GH101 (5) GH112 (2) GH116 (3) GH125 (6)

GH132/133 (1)

Corroded rack and pinon supporting vent brackets (24):

GH112 (2) GH105/106 (4) GH107 (4) GH108 (4)

GH113 (5) GH119/120 (4) GH125 (1)

Corroded Screen Metal Post:

GH Headhouse Walkway (14)

Corroded Horizontal Metal Girt (4):

GH116 (1) GH127 (3)

The Contractor shall coordinate the schedule for work on each knee wall with the Location Coordinator.

Remove, saw cut, and repair damaged knee walls and metal columns in a manner so that the knee walls meet original build specifications and quality. 4000 psi concrete cured rating is required for all concrete work with test results of concrete samples used in repairs to be provided to COR.

Coordinate with Lab personnel to ensure any vapor barrier, forms, reinforcements, or embedded items are in place and ready before concrete encasement.

All concrete work shall conform to industry standards of composition, installation and finish and be approved by Lab personnel prior to acceptance.

Masonry walls must be carried up level and plumb.

Walls and partitions shall be structurally bonded or anchored to each other and to beams and columns.

Fill and close all voids in interior walls and partitions.

Base plates and bearing plates shall meet all structural requirements of the original design specification of greenhouse structures receiving repairs and updates. Apply a no shrink grout around the base plates to prevent any moisture built up under the metal plates.

Any metal plates placed in contact with concrete during the repair process must be have an approved coating, such as epoxy paint or approved equal, to prevent corrosion at the metal/concrete interface.

All new metal posts must be made of galvanized metal and use washers and machine hex bolts that are of similar material to prevent corrosion.

Replace Polycarbonate Panels:

There are 38 existing greenhouses located in the main building and Insectary building that utilize double walled Lexan side panels. All exterior panels in these 38 greenhouses shall be replaced with new 8mm/5/16” polycarbonate panels.

There are 672 polycarbonate panels to be replaced in the identified greenhouses.

Interior walls and portable greenhouses are not included in this Scope of Work.

There is no asbestos present in the existing material used to seal the existing Lexan panels.

All work shall be completed in accordance with applicable building codes and professional workmanship standards.

All Polycarbonate Lexan panels shall be rated and installed to specifications required to withstand Hurricane Type 4 Winds to comply with published Florida Building Codes for South Florida’s from 131 – 155 MPH Wind Loads.

Contractor will observe all instances where there are screens attached to greenhouses. Contractor will temporarily remove and store any such screens as necessary and then re-install after panels are replaced. All screens shall be re-installed without damage unless otherwise noted in a conference between the Contractor and Lab personnel prior to beginning of work.

All polycarbonate panels will be secured with an approved sealant as specified by the supplier of the Lexan panels and approved by Lab personnel prior to installation. All utilized extrusions shall be aluminum from an approved manufacturer compatible with polycarbonate thickness and procured from a single source supplier.

Any corrosion found to exist in the exterior greenhouse frame during replacement of the polycarbonate panels shall be identified and brought to the attention of the laboratory coordinator.

Replace all defective, damaged, or missing, aluminum strips, aluminum/metal trimmings and venting mechanisms in the greenhouses identified for repair in this SoW.

Temporary remove and reinstall gutters, air vents and exhaust fans. When re-installation is performed, all such materials shall be sealed with a durable, UV stabilized, watertight sealant that can withstand outside temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Contractor shall use corrosion resistant self-tapping screws as specified by the manufacturer for installation purposes, such as galvanized aluminum, with neoprene rubber washers as specified by the manufacturer for installation purposes to secure polycarbonate Lexan panels.

Protect all finished surfaces and landscaping from any type of damage during installation.

All sections of the exterior polycarbonate panels attached to the corner of the roof must be installed as one continuous panel section without any cut or addition of new framing.

Contractor to clean work area including exterior perimeter of all construction related debris. Contractor will ensure all debris, especially screws/fastener, are picked up to ensure the government/employee vehicles are not exposed to potential flat tires due to screws/fastener in parking lots and grass areas.

All materials shall be new, stored in professional manner protected from weather in accordance with manufacturer recommendations at USDA approved location onsite.

Working space and space available for storing materials shall be as determined by the Location Coordinator.

All repair work schedules must be coordinated through the greenhouse manager if any plant samples need to be relocated.

No open greenhouse panels shall be left open overnight and over the weekend to prevent any cross contamination of other greenhouse plant samples.

Temporary remove and reinstall greenhouse number signs after completion of repairs on each greenhouse.

Aluminum Structures Removal:

Remove all interior aluminum structures inside Greenhouse 101 including interior doors and framing.

Fill/patch all holes where aluminum structures are removed from concrete walls and floor appropriately in a professional manner by use of durable patch materials.

Reroute water pipes feeding plant plastic benches in a manner and means approved by Lab personnel prior to ordering materials and commencing work.

CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

All employees of general contractor and subcontractors shall comply with ARS security management program, obtain permission of the Fort Pierce’s Administrative Officer or her designee, be always identified by project and employer by wearing contractor issued identification badges (if required) on ARS property, and restricted from unauthorized access.

No photography of USHRL premises is allowed without written permission of the Administrative Officer or designee.

During work, contractor shall maintain a safe work area around the site of repair and clearly mark danger areas with cones and safety tape. All unused and demolition materials shall be removed from the site by the contractor and shall not be placed in the owner’s disposal areas.

No uncompleted work shall be left open to the environment or allow unauthorized access.

The Government will assume no responsibility for Contractor materials and equipment which are damaged due to mishandling, misuse, and abuse.

Remove any rubbish and debris from the project site daily. Do not allow accumulations inside and outside the greenhouse.

Take appropriate action to check the spread of dust in the greenhouse that might contaminate nearby greenhouses and avoid creation of any nuisance in the surrounding area.

Do not use water during demolition and construction work without first consulting with Lab personnel. Flooding of the greenhouse or contamination of the plant samples is forbidden, and extreme care must be taken to make certain that there is zero interruption of research or destruction of any research materials (plants, soils, etc.).

Contractor shall protect existing research materials and infrastructure, which is planned to remain in place and accessible by the Lab personnel unless impossible to accomplish the required work in the contract. If that situation exists, consult with Lab personnel in advance and allow the personnel to remove any research material that may be negatively affected before resuming work.

The Contractor shall install all materials to manufactures specifications using accepted, standard commercial practices for greenhouse construction and repair.

All services shall be completed in a commercially acceptable workmanship manner and in accordance with the Florida Dept of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry and accredited by the National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association. Any services which shall not present in an orderly and reasonable neat and or workmanlike appearance shall be reworked when so directed by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) at no cost to the Government.

The Contractor must take appropriate action to check the spread of dust in the greenhouse that might contaminate nearby greenhouses and avoid creation of any nuisance in the surrounding area.

The Contractor shall perform the work in a way to minimize disruption to the normal working operation of building occupants. Upon completion of work, the Contactor is responsible for cleaning and removing from the job site all debris, materials, and equipment associated with the work performed.

Contractor shall be responsible for the disposal/recycling of removed materials and provide portable toilets for their workers.

Contractor shall be responsible for all permits, licenses and inspections required by all local, state, and federal authorities.

Contractor Project Superintendent shall be on the job site during working hours.

SAFETY and ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE:

The contractor will submit a Site Safety Specific Plan/Accident Prevention Plan in industry recognizable format to the Contracting Officer within 14 days of contract award.

All employees of the general contractor or subcontractors shall have the 10- hour OSHA certified Construction Safety course and/or other relevant competency training. Supervisors shall have completed the 30-hour OSHA training.

The contractor is responsible for complying with all local, state and federal safety and environmental codes and laws and all site Covid-19 health, safety, and operating requirements.

WORKING HOURS:

Contractor’s working hours shall be scheduled to coincide with the normal working hours (7am-4pm) at the site. Should it be necessary to schedule working hours other than normal working hours, contractor shall arrange for access to the work area with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) at the site at least three (3) days prior to the need. Contractor shall notify and schedule utility outages at least 24 hours in advance.

WARRANTIES

The Contractor shall provide necessary workmanship in such a manner that does not damage the Government property. In the event damage occurs to the property, or any adjacent property by reason of any repairs or installations performed under this contract, the Contractor shall replace or repair the same at no cost to the Government.

All materials and equipment for this project shall be brand new. Reconditioned materials and equipment are not acceptable and will be rejected.

Panels shall include warranty guaranteed against yellowing and light transmission loss for more than 20 years.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

To provide access to the facility during working hours Monday through Friday 7:00 AM till 4:00 PM, excluding all Government holidays, until work is completed. Work schedule other than working hours must be coordinated with the Government authorized representative for approval.

The Government will furnish utility services (water & electricity) for the completion of the project.

SITE VISIT

Bidders are encouraged to visit the site and be escorted by a government representative to confirm locations, dimensions, and conditions of the project before a bid is submitted.

The site visit shall be for observing firsthand any conditions relevant to the completion of this project and direct discussions with site personnel to determine the exact requirements for the project that must be included and detailed in any proposal for the proposal to be acceptable for consideration. No consideration will be given to claims based on lack of knowledge of existing conditions and systems or based on lack of knowledge of exact requirements necessary to interface with existing systems as detailed in available, direct discussions with site personnel, except where contract documents make definite provisions for adjustment in cost or extension due to existing conditions not readily foreseeable.

Contractor must be registered in System for Award Management, (SAM), prior to submitting a bid. Registration can be obtained through:

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

The Contractor’s firm must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of constructing, assembling, and installing greenhouse systems and structural repairs in a research environment equal to or greater than ongoing ARS research operations at a minimum through detailing of past projects that have been successfully completed and documented.

DETAILED BID

Provide details of all materials, labor, and equipment to fully and successfully complete the Statement of Work described in this document. The detailed bid shall be presented in a MS Excel spreadsheet that is fully functional with formulas intact for ARS analysis of the bid. The proposal shall be submitted in Adobe or MS Word. The proposal documents will not be password projected. Any Bid Proposal will not be accepted for review unless it is highly detailed and broken down to show individual item costs. A bid proposal that has only an overall price quote shall not be accepted for evaluation.

CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY IN SUBMITTING BID

The project shall be evaluated on a best value/most technical acceptable basis. All proposals must be detailed in the plan as well as detailed in the bid to be accepted for evaluation.

MATERIAL / SUBMITTALS

Submittals for approval of all equipment, installation procedures, materials, health & safety plans, and work schedules shall be submitted for approval to the Location Coordinator, COR/Engineering Project Manager and Contracting Officer. Copy of Warranty information to be submitted to Site Work Coordinator and Contracting Officer. Contractor supplies one physical copy of any red line drawings, operating manuals, and maintenance schedule/requirements to Site Work Coordinator. The CO and COR/EPM shall receive one physical and electronic copy of any red line drawings.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

The completion of this project shall not exceed 270 days from date of notice to proceed.

A request for time extension must be submitted to the Contracting Specialist in writing.

Each request must include specific and detailed reasons in support of the schedule alteration.

PHOTOS

A. USDA/USHRL Aerial View

B. Evaporative Cooling System

C. Corroded Metal Structures

D. Cracked Knee Walls

E. Rebar Cage

F. Rebar Cage

G. Rebar Cage Poured Concrete

H. Example of Newly Finished Knee Wall

I. Greenhouse Layout for Identification of Repairs to be Performed

J. Insectary Greenhouse

K. Greenhouse Lexan Panels

L. Greenhouse With Air Conditioner

M. Greenhouse With Exhaust Fan

N. Corroded Screen Metal Post

O. Example of Greenhouse 101 Aluminum Structures Slated for Removal

A: SDA/USHRL Aerial View:

B: Evaporative Cooling System:

C. Corroded Metal Structures:

D. Cracked Knee Walls:

E. Rebar Cage Drawing:

F. Rebar Cage:

G. Rebar Cage Poured Concrete:

H. Example of Newly Finished Knee Wall:

I. Greenhouse Layout for Identification of Repairs to be Performed.:

J. Insectary Greenhouses (A120, A124, A125, A126):

K. Greenhouse Lexan Panels:

L. Greenhouse With Air Conditioner:

M. Greenhouse With Exhaust Fan:

N. Corroded Screen Metal Post:

O. Example of Greenhouse 101 Aluminum Structures Slated for Removal: