B115 RFI Answers v.1~1.pdf

RFI QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

B115 HVAC Design Build

7/1/2026

1. Is a recent Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) report and/or Commissioning report available for the building? 1986 Balance report attached. The only one we have.

2. Is there an existing equipment matrix available identifying nameplate data, unit capacities, maintenance information, and equipment age? See answer to question 1.

3. Are native AutoCAD or Revit files available for the building? No. Drawings sent day of walkthrough is what th4e government has access to.

4. Can the Owner provide a list of “Must Have” / minimum project requirements for the design/project, as well as a list of preferred but not required items? The requirement, as laid out in the scope, is to add cooling to all of the building. Detailed verbally in the pre-bid walkthrough, leaving existing heating equipment is preferred, if possible to add cooling to the current units.

5. Please confirm whether the following equipment is included in the project scope: baseboard heaters, Storage 114 unit heaters, and Fan Coils 1, 2, and 3. YES, the area where these units exist, shall have cooling/heating as part of the finished product.

6. Is there a project goal or requirement to eliminate or reduce the building’s dependency on natural gas as a fuel source? No, that is no longer a requirement for the federal government. Gas equipment/units are preferred for energy savings.

7. Is the humidifier serving AHU-4 still in service, or is there still a need to maintain specific humidity levels in the zone served by AHU-4? No.

8. Are there any specific areas of the building that require specialized or more precise temperature, pressure, or humidity control? No.

9. Are there any known problem areas of the building? I.e. Areas that are known to not maintain heating setpoint in the winter, overly drafty, too much airflow, etc. No, however the entire building must be rebalanced, all controls retro-commissioned

10. Please clarify the HVAC controls system preference. “RLSM or Automated Logic” is listed in the ITB; however, Andover Controls / Schneider Electric systems are currently installed. Robert Lloyd Sheet Metal (RLSM) represents Andover Controls / Schneider Electric, while Automated Logic is supported by Clima-Tech in this area.

Please confirm the required controls platform, approved controls contractor, and whether the new work is required to be native to Automated Logic or may integrate with the existing Andover / Schneider Electric system. Automated Logic is our controls requirement. Full connectivity for the building is part of the scope.

11. Please clarify whether any new HVAC DDC controllers installed under this project must connect to a base-level network under an existing Risk Management Framework / Authority to Operate (RMF/ATO) authorization. If so, please identify the approved controls platform, approved controller models, required controls contractor, required cybersecurity documentation, and expected review/approval process. If the new controllers are provided by the base-approved controls contractor and integrated into the existing approved Energy Management Control System (EMCS), please confirm whether separate RMF/ATO documentation is required for this project. YES.

12. Much of the HVAC control system was concealed during the walkthrough. Have any control devices been replaced recently or is it know which of the following, if any need to be replaced: temperature sensors, control valves, actuators, dampers, end devices, control panels, controllers, or control wiring? Contractors had access to everything they wanted during the walkthrough. Access was not prevented to any part of the building or system. Many contractors stayed and pulled ceiling access panels for further investigation. As far as changes, repairs or replacements are concerned, there is no known to the current CE/maintenance team. We show no records in our files of any changes since original install.

13. The ITB states that Building 115 will remain occupied and operational. Please confirm normal occupied hours, allowable work hours, blackout dates, escort requirements, security/access restrictions, and whether after-hours/weekend work required for outages or disruptive work shall be included at no additional cost. “Normal” work hours are from 7am-4pm. No weekends, evenings or holidays. No escort requirements for this building.

Typical blackout dates will be applied per the 142nd WING schedule. These typically revolve around drill weekends or weeks of unit exercises. Since construction start/end date is too far out to determine a feasible timeline, black out dates shall not and cannot be provided. The contractor shall submit a schedule for approval once the 100% design is complete. 142nd CE will do our best to accommodate the contractor within reason.

However, it should be noted, the 142nd mission shall come first in every case, and it cannot be prevented or disrupted. Install of cooling is not anticipated as preventing the mission work.

14. Due to the limited nature of the pre-proposal walkthrough and because as-built drawings were not available until after the walkthrough, not all HVAC elements were able to be observed. A comprehensive site walkthrough was conducted, and all prospective offerors were provided unrestricted access to inspect the facility and existing systems. As-built drawings have since been provided. In accordance with the solicitation's Instructions to Bidders, offerors are responsible for evaluating all provided data and verifying existing site conditions prior to submitting a proposal. Because this is a Not-to-Exceed (NTE) contract, the selected contractor is responsible for verifying all existing conditions during the design phase. If an offeror requires additional technical data or site photos to finalize their proposal, they must submit a formal Request for Information (RFI) detailing the specific components requested no later than 06/07/2026. We can support a site visit on 06/09/2026.

15. Please clarify how the awarded contract price will be administered if scope changes are identified during design.

This is a Not-to-Exceed (NTE) Design-Build contract. The awarded contract price represents a hard ceiling for the complete design and construction of a fully functional HVAC system. The selected contractor is solely responsible for design completion, system coordination, and code compliance within this NTE limit. Standard design development, including the resolution of existing system integration, does not constitute a scope change.

Contract price adjustments will only be considered for material, Owner-directed changes to the established Project Requirements, or for validated 'Differing Site Conditions' as strictly defined in the Contract's General Conditions, and are subject to state procurement and federal funding limitations.

16. Question: If, during the design phase, the contractor discovers that existing structural elements, limited ceiling space, or existing utility routing require a more complex or longer HVAC layout than they originally anticipated, will this be considered a scope change for an increase to the NTE price? Answer: No. Under this Design-Build NTE contract, the Contractor is solely responsible for all field verification, system coordination, clash resolution, and engineering necessary to meet the Owner’s performance requirements. Routing complexities and standard design evolution are intrinsic to the Design-Build process and must be accounted for within the awarded NTE price.

17. Are costs associated with federal funding compliance (e.g., Davis-Bacon prevailing wages, Build America Buy America (BABA) Act requirements for HVAC equipment) considered additional to the NTE price? Answer: No. All mandatory federal flow-down clauses listed in the solicitation are material requirements of this contract.

Offerors must ensure their proposed NTE price fully accounts for the cost of compliance, including sourcing domestic materials, potential lead times, and paying prevailing wages. No cost escalation will be granted post-award for federal compliance.

18. Since this is a Not-to-Exceed (NTE) contract, if the final actual costs of design and construction are less than the awarded NTE amount, does the contractor retain the difference as profit? Answer: No. The NTE amount establishes the absolute maximum allowable contract value. The contractor will be compensated based on actual, verifiable costs incurred (plus the agreed fee/markup, if applicable) up to the NTE ceiling. Any unused funds below the NTE ceiling will be retained by the State/Government.

19. Question: What specific criteria must be met for a site issue to qualify as a "Differing Site Condition" that would warrant an adjustment to the NTE price? Answer: Adjustments will only be considered for concealed or latent physical conditions at the site that materially differ from those indicated in the provided documents, or unknown physical conditions of an unusual nature. Conditions that could have been reasonably anticipated, inferred from provided as-builts, or discovered during a standard site inspection by a competent professional do not qualify for an increase to the NTE price.

20. Question: Since this project is on a federal/military installation, please clarify how building permits, inspections, and code enforcement will be handled, and if modifications required during design review will affect the NTE price. Answer: This project is on a federal enclave; therefore, local municipal permits and local government inspections do not apply. The Base Civil Engineer (BCE) or designated representative is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). The Contractor (acting as the Design-Builder) is solely responsible for ensuring the design fully complies with all applicable Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) (To include but not limited to UFC 3-410-01 (HVAC Systems) , NFPA codes, and installation-specific design standards. All costs associated with incorporating feedback from the Base Civil Engineering (CE) design review phases (e.g., 35%, 65%, 95%, 100% design reviews) to achieve compliance with these standards are included in the base scope and must be accounted for within the awarded NTE price.

21. Question: Will the project schedule be extended, or will additional compensation be provided above the NTE, for delays related to base access processing, background checks, vehicle searches at the gate, or temporary changes in base security levels? Answer: No. This project is located on a secure military installation subject to operational security requirements and varying Force Protection Conditions (FPCON). The Contractor is solely responsible for initiating and managing the badging process (e.g., DBIDS passes) in a timely manner, ensuring personnel pass required background checks, and coordinating daily gate entry. Routine delays such as Visitor Control Center processing, standard vehicle inspections, or rejected worker applications are inherent conditions of working on a military installation. All administrative time, overhead, and logistical costs associated with maintaining base access must be accounted for within the NTE price and the approved project schedule.