Questions and Answers 10July2020.pdf

REPLACE CHILLER AND COOLING TOWER BLDG 2028

Questions & Answers

1) What size valve that need to be replace and how many?

Government Response: there are five 8” butterfly valves, two 8” ball valves, and three 6” ball valves.

2) Where will the drain terminate for the cooling tower?

Government Response: the same as the existing cooling tower.

3) Size of cooling tower ? Tons?

Government Response: Requirement for existing chiller (2010):

4) Who is the controls contract on this project?

Government Response: Base CONS is controlling the contract. If you’re asking who controls the HVAC for the facility that is EMCS. If you’re asking who maintains the HVAC, it’s the base shops.

5) Per 01 33 16.00 10, an Interim and Final Design submission are required prior to issuing final construction documents. We would like to request 45 calendar days for interim design (30 days for work and 14 days for government review and comment) and 14 calendar days for Final Design documents .

Government Response: The original time line will remain in place. The base will not be able to adjust.

6) Please confirm the existing door is large enough to get the old equipment out and the new in, and that we will be able to get new equipment through the existing uneven walkways using skates or similar methods.

Government Response: Existing overhead door is large enough to remove existing chiller. It was also large enough for the previous chiller of the same approximate capacity but with a larger centrifugal compressor to fit through without any modification to structure.

7) There doesn’t appear to be a valve between the temporary connection and the valve to be replaced above the pump. Although an outage can be coordinated, that is a lot of water (and would take a while) to drain in order to replace that valve. Would we be allowed to freeze below the connection and replace the first valve?

Government Response: Contractor will not be allowed to freeze below the connection. Drain as required.

8) Please confirm that all affected electrical panels currently have adequate clearances. If not, will we be required to meet the requirements once new piping is installed?

Government Response: Base cannot confirm clearances. Contractor will be required to meet the requirements.

9) Please clarify site personnel requirements. Parts of the spec indicate that the QC can be the

Super, but can they also be the SSHO? Will a triple-hat position be acceptable?

Government Response: The QC (Quality Control) can be the superintendent. A separate SSHO will be needed. No one will be in a triple-hat position.

10) Please confirm all underground is to remain. It is not clear where our points of connection would be.

Government Response: Point of connection should be in the mechanical room. For information purposes: chiller also provides chilled water for B. 2081.

11) The CAD specifications indicate that units will be U.S. Imperial units, but the As-Built drawings utilize metric units; please confirm the units that will be required for the contract documents.

Government Response: English units please. No metric units.

12) Video shows chemical filter feeder for chilled water system, but no chemical or water treatment system is shown or mentioned for the cooling tower. Chemical treatment and automatic blowdown and controls are typically recommended for cooling towers to reduce fouling of both the tower and the condenser coil of the chiller. If not already provided and to remain, will cooling tower chemical treatment and controls be required for this project?

Government Response: Condenser water sample line, pH and conductivity sensors, controller, feed pumps for acid, biocides and corrosion inhibitor are in mechanical room adjacent to chiller. It could potentially be taken care of under the JBSA water treatment contract. Cooling tower and chemical treatment and controls will not be replaced.

13) Will DOR/Contractor be responsible for verification that 400 ton chiller and associated cooling tower and pumps are adequately sized for building cooling requirements via cooling load calculations and hydraulic modeling (site visits to verify existing conditions will be required), or will it be assumed that the existing equipment sizes are adequate?

Government Response: Contractor will be responsible for replace with like in kind. It is assumed the existing equipment is sized adequately.

14) Section 02 41 00 paragraph 3.1.18 and 3.3.3 state that the contractor is to transport the materials and equipment being replaced to a designated storage area as directed by the Contracting Officer. Will the Government clarify where this location is or whether all demoed materials and equipment shall be disposed of off-site by the Contractor?

Government Response: All demolished equipment become the property of the contractor.

15) Section 01 11 00.10 states in numerous locations to provide a water-cooled chiller. We believe an air-cooled chiller is a better solution and offers the following benefits to the Government: utility rebates from SAWS, less water consumption, less chemical usage, and less maintenance. We also understand JBSA has experienced issues associated with maintenance and short equipment life due to chemical treatment related to water-cooled chillers. Will the Government revise the requirement to replace the existing chiller with an air-cooled chiller?

Government Response: In general water cooled chillers have a significantly lower life cycle cost above 200 tons than air cooled. The contractor will provide a water-cooled chiller.

16) The existing chiller is a magnetic bearing chiller. Is the Contractor required to match this compressor type?

Government Response: Per new mandate, all chillers at JBSA are to be Trane. It does not have to match the Magnet bearing type. We are better off with tried and true centrifugal chiller.

17) Is the Condenser Water Pump to be replaced? Please provide existing condenser water pump data nameplate since a site visit could not be conducted to obtain this information.

Government Response: See attached.

18) Please quantify how many chilled water pumps are to be replaced? Please provide name plates for existing chilled water pumps since a site visit could not be conducted to obtain this information.

Government Response: See attached.

19) Are there any specific specifications for the DDC Control systems?

Government Response: The existing Johnson Controls DDC controller will remain and the controls replaced are the unitary controls to be provided with the chiller.

20) Can the existing nameplate of the cooling tower nameplate and the cooling tower fan motor be provided?

Government Response: see attached.

21) Can the existing MCC & Gear Information (Make, Model, Amperage, etc.) & electrical one-line diagrams be provided?

Government Response: The existing MCC & Gear Information (Make, Model, Amperage, etc.) & electrical one-line diagrams cannot be provided.

22) Is the existing breaker serving the existing chiller still 600A/3P/600V? Is it fused?

Government Response: It is a fused disconnect.

23) Can the breaker sizes serving the chilled water pump(s), condenser water pump, & cooling tower be provided?

Government Response: N/A

24) Section 26 24 16.00 40 paragraph 2.2.6 provides guidance for Surge Protection Devices.

Will the Government confirm whether SPDs are required for new equipment?

Government Response: SPDs are required for new equipment.

25) Are any of the existing mechanical equipment on emergency back-up power? If so, which pieces of equipment specifically and will the new equipment be required to be tied to emergency power?

Government Response: None of the equipment listed in the SOW are on an emergency backup system.

26) Section 01 11 00.10 paragraph 1.2.1 states “provide and install electrical wiring and switches.” Will the Contractor be required to provide and install new panelboards for the pumps and cooling tower or can the existing ones be reused?

Government Response: Existing panels may be used if requirement/rating meet new equipment criteria.

27) Can existing electrical conduits & raceways be re-used?

Government Response: Yes, if proper raceway sizing is met

28) What are the dimensions of existing chiller housekeeping pad?

Government Response: Dimensions are on the as-built drawings.

29) What are the dimensions of the roll-up door pointing to the south east and facing the cooling tower?

Government Response: Dimensions are on the as-built drawings.

30) Please advise of who the current water treatment company is.

Government Response: Omni2Max is the prime, Chem Aqua is the water treatment sub, however 2028 is currently not on the contract for obvious reasons. Chem, Aqua POC = Kevin Kennedy, 830-406-1201.

31) Are there any boilers in the same mechanical room? If so, are they separated by a wall and is ASHRAE 15 being followed for ventilation & combustion air? If not, is Contractor required to provide wall separation?

Government Response: There is a small boiler in the mechanical room. Due to the physical constraints in the mechanical room and the size of the boiler the separation wall will not be used and ASHRAE 15 will not be followed.

32) In looking at the video, it appears that the concrete is separating from the steel supporting the existing cooling tower. Do the supports need to be re-designed & re-constructed?

Government Response: SoW and IGE have been revised to include these items.

33) Are there any redundancy requirements that need to be adhered to?

Government Response: IF the equipment is currently on a generator circuit it needs to stay on that circuit.

34) As the building is occupied, what are the normal operating hours? Do system outages need to be done on weekends or after hours?

Government Response: Outages will be coordinated with tenants. There may be instances that outages need to be done on the weekend and after hours.

35) Section 01 50 00 paragraph 3.3.2.a states that meters will be provided and installed by the

Contractor. 01 14 00 paragraph 1.5 states that “a main water meter shall be installed by the Contractor at each building.” Will the Government confirm that a main water meter is already in place and the Contractor is not required to install a new main water meter or any new sub-meters?

Government Response: The contractor is not required to install a new main meter or any sub-meters.

36) Will the Government confirm that the Contractor is not required to provide and install any electrical meters or submeters?

Government Response: The contractor is not required to install a new main meter or any sub-meters.

37) 23 64 10 indicates various coating requirements per the standard boiler plate specification, however the brackets have not been filled in. Will the government please clarify the required equipment coating requirements?

Government Response: As per manufacture’s recommendations.

38) Will the Government provide as-built structural drawings for the existing cooling tower steel structure and foundation?

Government Response: There are record drawings for 2028. Just a matter of digging them up.

Base CONS has a copy, to be forwarded to contractors.

39) While watching the virtual site walk video we observed significant steel corrosion, concrete column spalling and deflection of the existing cooling tower platform structure.

Given the poor condition of the existing cooling tower structure, will the Government confirm that a new cooling tower structure and foundation is required to be provided along with signed and sealed structural engineering analysis to accommodate the new equipment?

Government Response: SoW has been updated to include the existing concrete pier/columns and cooling structure.

40) Are Variable Speed Drives required for new pump(s)?

Government Response: No – there is no point in installing VFD pumps; existing system is constant volume with bypass around coils. We do not want to mix pump variable flow with bypass around coils. We certainly do not want to pay for VFD pumpsand controllers only to leave them perpetually in hand. Condenser water flow rate need not be variable. This is an old building with old air side equipment that will not benefit from attemprs to make it a benchmark of high efficiency.

41) Is Fiberglass or Phenolic required for Chilled Water Insulating?

Government Response: Follow UFC guidance.

42) Is Building 2028 equipped with an electrical utility meter on the service entering the building? If so, please provide a 12-month peak demand history to identify the peak

Kilowatt usage of the building. If there is no electrical utility meter, please advise how best to assess the capacity of the electrical service.

Government Response: A 12 month peak demand history will be provided.

43) Can a nameplate be provided for the existing cooling tower?

Government Response: Refer to question 21

44) There is no mention in the SOW about air separator, expansion tank, chemical treatment, etc. Are these items outside the scope of this project, or are they to be included?

Government Response: Replacement is per SOW.

45) What is the existing DDC control system protocol, that our design is to interface with?

Government Response: existing DDC system is Johnson Control

46) Please confirm that the government is responsible for removing the temporary chiller, once the new chiller is installed.

Government Response: Yes that is confirmed.

47) The existing chiller appears to be a ‘magnetic bearing’ type chiller. Are we to replace the chiller with another ‘mag-bearing’ type?

Government Response: See question # 16.

48) It is unclear whether the chilled water pumping system is variable flow or constant flow. Pumps appear to be in series and as-built drawings call one chilled water pump a “Booster Pump”. Can this be confirmed?

Government Response: Chilled water system is constant volume. See question # 40.

49) Section 02 41 00 paragraph 3.1.18 and 3.3.3 state that the contractor is to transport the materials and equipment being replaced to a designated storage area as directed by the Contracting Officer. Will the Government clarify where this location is or whether all demoed materials and equipment shall be disposed of off-site by the Contractor?

Government Response: All demoed equipment shall become the property of the contractor. The contractor will deliver all equipment and material for construction to his yard on site.

50) Does the entire chilled water system need to be cleaned and flushed prior to operation?

Government Response: Only the area associated with new equipment.

51) None of the brackets have been completed/edited in the RFP issued specifications. Will the Government edit these specifications as deemed appropriate and reissue so that requirements are more fully understood?

Government Response: Not at this time. Specifications beyond Division 1 and 2 are for the contractor to develop for their design.

52) Per Section 01 11 00.10 Paragraph 1.2.1, asbestos and lead based paint testing and an associated report will be provided by the contractor. Please confirm that no existing hazardous material survey is available for bidding purposes or if all abatement will be handled via a change order if found since no existing data is available?

Government Response: No existing hazardous material survey is available at this time.

Contractor is only responsible to those areas that affect the project work.

53) Section 01 30 00 paragraph 1.6.2 states that the Superintendent can also serve as the Quality Control Manager on routine projects. Section 01 35 26 paragraph 1.5.1.1.1 states that the Site Safety and Health Officer can also serve as the Quality Control Manager and Superintendent.

Section 01 45 00.10 20 paragraph 1.5.1.1 states that the QC manager may perform the duties of project superintendent. As the scope of this project will be primarily performed by a single contractor in a confined area, is it acceptable for one individual to fulfill all three roles or will two individuals be required onsite at all times to fulfill these roles?

Government Response: Refer to question #9

54) Section 01 33 16.00 10 Paragraph 3.6.1 states to provide the government 14 calendar days for review of the Interim Design submission. Are we to also provide 14 calendar days for the review of the final design submittal and design complete submittal?

Government Response: No the amount of days can be reduced for this final submission.

55) The Solicitation states that the project should be completed within 60 calendar days after receiving Notice to Proceed. As this is a Design Build package with 3 package submissions this Period of Performance is not achievable. Per 01 33 16.00 10 Design After Award, Paragraph 3.2 at a minimum one interim design submittal, at least one final design submittal and one design complete submittal should be provided. The interim design submittal includes a 14 calendar day review period. If 14 days is also required for the final and design complete package this accounts for 42 calendar days of the 60 day period of performance not including the time to put together packages. We believe this Period of Performance is in error. Please advise on the correct Period of Performance for Design and Construction of this project?

Government Response: The Final submission will have a reduction of days.

56) Is the contractor required to provide test and balance of the new systems?

Government Response: The contractor is not required to test and balance the new system, however the new equipment must be in working order.

57) Is the contractor required to provide 3rd party commissioning of the new systems?

Government Response: Compliance with HPSB Guiding Principles and UFC 1-200-02 will not be required. Commissioning will not be required. Equipment must be tested and be in full working order.

58) Please confirm that any maintenance of the existing temporary chiller to be left onsite during construction is to be conducted by the government.

Government Response: Yes, it is belong to the Government and maintenance of the existing temporary chiller is to be conducted by the government.

59) During the virtual site visit an existing controls panel is shown and referred to as the electrical panel. Can a photo inside of the electrical panel that the equipment ties into be provided as well as a nameplate since a site visit is not being conducted?

Government Response: Not able to at this time.

60) Is the contractor required to install a temporary fence around the work area or is it permitted to remain open?

Government Response: The work area will remain open. The contractor will be allowed to have an onsite fenced area that they control for the storage of materials.

61) Please confirm per the Youtube virtual site visit that the temporary chiller will remain during the duration of our project.

Government Response: The temp chiller that is there now will be there while this work is being accomplished. Removal of the temp chiller will be the bases responsibility.

62) Are there any specific extended warranties that need to be provided for new equipment?

Government Response: Extended warranties will not be necessary. However, the contractor will be responsible for providing an installation warranty and manufacturer’s warranties.

63) Are we to follow the latest addition of the IECC and IMC code authority or a previous edition?

Government Response: The contractor is to follow the latest edition.

64) Since this is a Design Build project we are requesting a minimum of 10 business days be provided after responses are received to determine our final design solution prior to submission.

Government Response: Ten (10) additional days is acceptable.

65) No specification for the cooling tower is provided; so will the new cooling tower be required to be cross flow, counter flow, galvanized steel, stainless steel, fiberglass, etc? If the new tower is to match existing, can model number and serial number information for the existing Marley cooling tower be provided?

Government Response: Existing cooling tower is a Marley counter flow. The new unit shall be stainless steel. The new unit will be from TRANE.

66) The CAD specifications indicate that units will be U.S. Imperial units, but the As-Built drawings utilize metric units; please confirm the units that will be required for the contract documents.

Government Response: U.S. Imperial units.

67) The SOW indicates that the DDC controls are to be replaced; please clarify that the existing Johnson Controls DDC controller located within the mechanical room will remain and that the controls to be replaced are the unitary controls to be provided with the chiller.

Government Response: Correct, the existing Johnson Controls DDC controller will remain and the controls replaced are the unitary controls to be provided with the chiller.

68) Assuming that the chiller controller will be interconnected with the existing building DDC system, what is the desired communication protocol for the new chiller controller to communicate with the existing building DDC control system? BACNET MSTP, BACNET IP, LONWORKS, MODBUS, etc.?

Government Response: BACNET MSTP

69) The existing chiller appears to have constructed in 2011, so the chiller is less than 10 years old. Water-cooled chillers typically have an operational life of 20 to 30 years, so can information be provided as to what caused the existing chiller to need replacement at less than 10 years? The cause of the premature failure can possibly be addressed during this project to allow for a longer operational life of the equipment.

Government Response: It is not relevant for this project. This project is to replace the existing chiller.

70) The chilled water pumps appear to be connected in series with the second pump acting as a booster pump for the building. Would it be permitted to replace the two chilled water pumps with a single new chilled water pump that can be sized for the required flow rate and system pressures? This would clean up the chilled water piping within the mechanical room.

Government Response: No, maintain the existing configuration.

71) The existing chilled water pumps appear to be constant volume, but the existing air handling units appear to already have two-way control valves and there appears to be a bypass valve within the chiller mechanical room; would it be desirable to provide a variable speed drive(s) on the new chilled water pump(s)? This would require the additional installation of flow meter if one is not already installed, but this would improve system efficiency, which is one requirement of the SOW.

Government Response: The base wants to remain with constant flow/volume. Do not provide variable speed drive(s).

72) The current chiller is a McQuay magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller; is there a desired manufacturer(s) for a new chiller?

Government Response: Refer to question #16

73) The current cooling tower is appears to be a Marley counter flow tower; is there a desired manufacturer(s) for the new cooling tower?

Government Response: The base has selected TRANE as the base HVAC manufacturer.

74) Is there a desired manufacturer for the new chilled water and condenser water (cooling tower) pumps?

Government Response: The base has selected TRANE as the base HVAC manufacturer. If TRANE manufacturers those items the contractor is directed to use.

75) Will existing chemical filter feeder remain or will it be replaced with new?

Government Response: Existing chemical feed is to remain.

76) Will the existing air separator and expansion tank on the chilled water system remain or will it be replaced with new?

Government Response: The air separator and expansion tank shall be replaced by the contract/contractor.

77) In the site video at 10:00Min, please confirm that the insulated piping shown (brown) is the make-up water for the tower?

Government Response: The uninsulated line from tower basin going to strainer and pump is the condenser water return. It is not a drain.

78) In the site visit video at 10:04 minutes, please confirm that piping that comes up from below grade and connects to the side of the tower basin is the drain line for the tower? The video indicates that the drain for the tower is the strainer for the pump, but assuming the line that connects to the basin is the drain, is this drain still functional and a new drain would be tied in at this same point?

Government Response: The small insulated line perpendicular to the return is the make up water line.

79) Section 01 35 26, paragraph 3.9.3 indicates that an Arc Flash analysis shall be required. Will the Government require the arc flash data to be modeled in specific software to allow for integration into an existing base wide model? If so, which software is desired? Also, will the DOR conduct the integration or will that be done by the Government?

Government Response: Arc Flash anaysis will not be required.

80) Will the new chiller, cooling tower, pumps, and controls need to be commissioned at the conclusion of installation? If so, will it be permitted for the DOR to also provide commissioning services or will a third party CxA be required? Section 01 33 29 indicates that commissioning will be required per 01 91 00.15, but 01 91 00.15 is not included in the SOW documents.

Government Response: Refer to question #53

81) Section 01 33 29 provides requirements for sustainability reporting per the HPSB Guiding Principles, including Third Party verification; however, since the scope or work for this project is replacement of existing equipment with new equipment and not replacement of the HVAC system in its entirety, will compliance with HPSB Guiding Principles still be required? UFC 1- 200-02, Table 1-1, states that tracking HPSB Guiding Principles for compliance and Third Party Certification is required for existing buildings greater than 10,000 S.F. with a renovation cost greater than $3 million and 50% ERC. It does not appear likely this project would meet these requirements.

Government Response: Compliance with HPSB Guiding Principles and UFC 1-200-02 will not be required.

82) Please confirm the horsepower of the condenser water pump by the cooling tower. Is it possible to get a photo of the tag on the head of the pump?

83) The existing Chiller is a magnetic bearing chiller. Are we to replace with another magnetic bearing chiller?

Government Response: Per new mandate, all chillers at JBSA are to be Trane. It does not have to match the Magnet bearing type. We are better off with tried and true centrifugal chiller.

84) Are we to replace backflow preventer and pressure reducing valve for the make-up water?

Government Response: The backflow preventer and the pressure-reducing valve will not be replaced.

85) Can we get a sequence of operation for the existing mechanical system?

Government Response: The government does not have that sequence at this time; if this information becomes available before close of solicitation it will posted as a revision to the Q&A document.

86) The lead time form the new equipment is 16 to 18 weeks; will this time be added to the contract time?

Government Response: The lead time will be added to the contract.

87) Will the make-up water system need to be replaced as part of this project?

Government Response: No, the make-up water system Will not need to be replaced as part of this project.

88) Will the chilled water chemical treatment equipment be required to be replaced as part of this project? No, they will not be part of this project.

89) Will the cooling tower chemical treatment system be required to be replaced as part of this project?

Government Response: No, they will not be part of this project.

90) Will the Contractor be responsible for chemically treating the chilled water and condenser water at the completion of the replacement of the equipment or will the Government perform the chemical treatment?

Government Response: The contractor will be responsible for chemically treating the chilled water and condenser water.

91) Will a meter connected to the DDC system be required for the make-up water?

Government Response: A meter connected to the DDC system will not be required.

92) Will a BTUH meter be required for the Chilled water system? A BTUH meter be required for the Chilled water system will not be required.

93) Is design required for this job or are shop drawings and as-builts sufficient?

Government Response: Shop drawings will be sufficient.

94) Is replacement of the refrigerant leak monitoring and exhaust evacuation system required as part of this project?

Government Response: Replacement of the refrigerant leak monitoring and exhaust evacuation system will not be required.

95) Is this chiller required to be a rapid start / recovery type for a mission critical facility?

Government Response: Yes, this chiller is to be required a rapid start/recovery type for the mission.

96) Is this a primary or back-up chiller?

Government Response: Primary.

97) Is the existing chilled water pump variable flow controlled through a VFD?

Government Response: See Question #41

98) Does the Base EMCS need to be updated with all of the new chiller’s graphics and I/O points?

Government Response: No update is necessary.