QAs_on_Site_Visit_dtd_25_June_2013_(Final2_July_2013).docx

Questions & Answers from Site Visit on 20 June 2013 Substation Maintenance FA4610-11-R-0037

Question 1: Will VAFB provide a staging area for the winning Contractor?

Answer 1: Yes, there is a staging area provided. However, neither Vandenberg AFB, nor its personnel are responsible for items that go missing from this staging area. The staging area is a concrete slab with no fencing or security.

Question 2: Is the base going to provide de-ionized water? If the answer is no, will VAFB provide a staging area with a water source for the Contractors de-ionizing process?

Answer 2: The Contractor is responsible to provide the de-ionized water. Vandenberg AFB will provide a staging area, located at the FamCamp. 30th CES will coordinate with the environmental personnel for the use of the water tank at FamCamp.

Question 3: How are the restroom facilities provided to Contractors on VAFB?

Answer 3: Contractors are to provide their own portable unit, if needed.

Question 4: What requirements are in place on VAFB for StayClean or Midsun, or similar Volatile Organic Compound (VOC’s)?

Answer 4: Approval from environmental has been obtained, currently waiting on the signed document stating as such. However, the Contractor is required to register ALL barcodes with the Government’s HAZMART (currently operated by Tetratech) on Vandenberg AFB (reference PWS, Appendix 3, Section 1.08 Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Requirements).

Question 5: How many separate scheduled outages are required for each substation and the switching station?

Answer 5: Each substation is unique in the outages we can provide. Outages vary for each substation and cannot be determined until approval from the Launch Group and 30th CES. For example, if we are to perform an outage at K Substation, we can do the outage in thirds, or halves of the entire Substation. But until an approval from the above mentioned happens, we cannot guarantee nor estimate how many separate scheduled outages will be needed for the particular substation (reference PWS, Appendix 1, Vandenberg AFB Substation Historical Data 2011-2012).

Question 6: Regarding the transformer load tap changers, does VAFB want external inspection only or do they want internal inspection or both?

Answer 6: Both external and internal inspections are required for the Transformers load tap changers (LTCs). Please reference PWS, Para 2.2, Substation Transformer Maintenance.

Question 7: Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037; Attachment 1, PWS, Page 13 of 53, Section 5. Operations – 5.1 thru 5.5 inclusive: Item 5 implies Contractor to do all switching and LOTO’d. Is this really correct or is it meant to be only the LOTO items? Please clarify

Answer 7: The VAFB Electric Shop will perform all switching. PWS, para. 5.3, Switching Execution, has been updated to reflect the following language: The Contractor is responsible to ground all equipment to control static discharges while working, as well as lock-out-tag-out (LOTO) requirements. Government personnel will perform actual switching operations.

Question 8: Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037; Attachment 1, page 5 of 53, Section 2.2, Substation Transformer Maintenance, items 6, 19, 20.

a. Is VAFB or the Contractor to supply the nitrogen; replacement transformer oil; filters; and breathers required?

b. Should additional hours be added to the contract for an abstract amount of servicing, or will each event require notification to 30 CES with a cost to perform the service?

Answer 8:

a. The Contractor is responsible for supplying all items.

b. If during the Contractor’s performance of inspection/maintenance tasks, the need for a repair is identified, PWS, Section 4, Repairs, will apply.

Question 9: What frequency of oil analysis is required for the LTC and Transformers?

Answer 9: Generally, this is required once a year for each transformer (reference PWS, Section 2.2, Substation Transformer Maintenance). However, the Contractor will only perform this analysis when a task order is issued that includes CLIN X001.

Question 10: Is waste disposal being provided by VAFB or are the Contractors responsible for hazardous waste? i.e., oil waste from oil sampling of transformers and LTC’s; oil Filters from LTC oil processers; SF6 gas.

Answer 10: The Contractor shall be responsible for all costs and management processes associated with the proper site management, Site-Specific Contingency Plan, Spill Control and Cleanup Equipment/Supplies, profiling, accurate waste characterization, temporary site storage areas, containerization, labeling, obtaining drum numbers, transportation to the Consolidated Collection Accumulation Point (CCAP) facility, and the implementation of source reduction measures prior to the CCAP processing the Contractor's hazardous waste through the CCAP. The Contractor is responsible for their hazardous waste management until their waste is delivered and signed over to the CCAP. Please reference PWS, Appendix 3, Environmental Compliance, para. 1.07, Section D.1, Hazardous Waste Requirements.

Question 11: Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, Page 6 of 53, Section 2.3, 69KV Circuit Breaker (SF6 and Vacuum) Maintenance, number 8. “Test for gas leaks, and repair as necessary IAW manufacturer’s instructions, including replenishment of SF6 gas. Contractor shall be responsible to provide 30CES reports on a monthly and annual basis of amounts of SF6 gas refilled.”

c. Is VAFB requiring a complete monthly inspection of all the substations or only an inspection of the SF6 breakers in all the substations?

Answer 11:

a. The Contractor is responsible to supply SF6 gas and a gas cart.

b. PWS, Section 2.3, Item 8 has been changed to reflect that the Contractor shall test for gas leaks and replenish SF6 as needed. A notification to 30 CES with a cost to perform service would only be required for an identified repair, and would be handled IAW PWS, Section 4, Repairs.

c. No monthly inspections are required. Contractor will perform inspections / maintenance only when a task order is issued and only for those items included in the task order.

Question 12: Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, page 9 of 53, Section 2.6 Grounding and Lightning Protection Maintenance, Lines 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9.

a. The implication of the above items is they are considered a part of the contract and not require a recommendation of repairs. Please confirm

b. Who is to supply the parts VAFB or the Contractor?

c. Should additional hours be added to the contract for an abstract amount for said repairs, or will each event require notification to 30CES with a cost to perform the service?

Answer 12:

a. For Section 2.6, items 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 12, the sentence “repair / replace, as necessary” has been deleted as repair and/or replacement falls under PWS, Section 4, Repairs. For item 5, it is anticipated that the relocation of connections would involve too little effort to be considered a repair and should, therefore, be considered regular maintenance.

b. Supplying of parts for repairs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Generally, repair parts will be handled as outlined in Section 4, Repairs. However, in some cases the Government may opt to supply repair parts and the Contractor would only be asked to propose labor costs IAW the procedures in Section 4. On RFP Attachment 3, Price Breakdown Sheet, there is a Government-provided estimated amount to cover Contractor-provided materials/parts when repairs and Contractor-provided parts are approved by the Government.

c. If during the Contractor’s performance of inspection/maintenance tasks, the need for a repair is identified, PWS, Section 4, Repairs, will apply.

Question 13: Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, page 10 of 53, Section 2.7 Substation Structures and Fencing Maintenance, items 6, 7, 8:

c. Should additional hours be added to the contract for an abstract amount for said repairs, or will each event require notification to 30 CES with a cost to perform the service?

Answer 13:

a. Section 2.7, item 6 (weed abatement) is considered a maintenance task. For item 8, the PWS has been changed to include only replacement of burned out bulbs which is considered a maintenance task, not repairs subject to Section 4. For item 7, the sentence “repair/replace, as necessary” has been deleted.

b. See answer to 12.b. above.

c. If during the Contractor’s performance of inspection/maintenance tasks, the need for a repair is identified, PWS, Section 4, Repairs, will apply.

Question 14: Regarding spray coating of the insulators and bushings in the substations please clarify, reference the following example:

Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, Page 25 of 53

Substation D

a. Item 4. Does the number of insulators above include the bushings on the other devices listed above, or only the insulators? Is the number in item 4 above, the sum of items 1, 2, 3,and 4; or only the count of item 4?

b. Item 3 Air Disconnect switches the above count is 48. There are 15 switches in the yard and 6 fuse disconnects for the yard potential transformers (PTs).

c. How do you come up with the switch count?

d. Are you counting each pole of a switch as a separate item? If so the count still is not correct?

Answer 14:

a. The number of insulators in Item 4 above also includes the bushings on the other devices.

b. The number of switches (48) was determined by a previous inventory for hook stick switches. The switches have since been replaced with the gang operated switches, except for one set of PTs.

c. Each hook stick switch in the previous inventory was counted as a single switch.

d. Please see answer c above.

Question 15: Regarding cleaning and spraying of the insulators referencing items a, b, c, and d below: Items a and b below clearly state cleaning and spraying. Items c and d below say nothing about cleaning or spraying.

a. Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, page 8 of 53, Section 2.5 Insulator Maintenance and Washing, item 3 states: Clean and spray insulators with StaClean or Midsun 570 high voltage insulator coating, as applicable to prevent flashovers.

With regard to Cleaning and Spraying, does the term Insulators; include the Insulators; Transformer bushings; Breakers bushings and Air Disconnect Switch insulators?

b. Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, Page 6 of 53, Section 2.2 Substation Transformer Maintenance, item 9 states: Inspect transformer bushings for physical defects and perform recommended tests IAW manufacturer’s instructions. Clean and spray bushings with StaClean or Midsun 570 high voltage insulator coating, as applicable to prevent flashovers.

Has Cleaning and Spraying of the SF6 Breaker bushings and the Air Disconnect Switch insulators been omitted by design or through omission?

c. Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, Page 6-8 of 53, Section 2.3, 69KV Circuit Breaker (SF6 and Vacuum ) Maintenance.

d. Solicitation FA4610-11-R-0037, Attachment 1, PWS, Page 8 of 53, Section 2.4, Air Disconnect Switch Maintenance.

Answer 15:

a, b, c & d. The cleaning and spraying requirements are correct as stated in the PWS. StaClean and Midsun Spray Coating are not required for 69KV Circuit Breaker (SF6 and Vacuum ) or Air Disconnect switches (items c & d above).

Question 16: RFP documents for the above referenced solicitation indicates to use Service Contract wages. Due to the nature and type of work being performed, as well as the location of where the work is going to be performed (within high voltage substations), could you please confirm that the Contractors are to base their proposal on service contract wages and not Davis Bacon prevailing wage?

Answer 16: The solicitation is inclusive of Service Contract Act Wage Determination 2005-2063 and Contractors should base their proposal on this. The Davis Bacon wage determination is not included in this contract.

Question 17: At the site visit it was indicated that the insulators could be pressure washed while energized. However, the RFP clearly states that the Contractor shall pressure wash all substation insulators de-energized. Please confirm.

Answer 17: Contractor shall pressure wash all insulators de-energized (reference PWS, para. 2.5, item 5.d., Insulator Maintenance and Washing).

Question 18: It was unclear at the site visit as to the number of insulators to maintain. For instance are all of the insulators on one (1) primary switch counted and included in the quantity indicated on the SF1449 pricing sheet? Please confirm.

Answer 18: Yes, all insulators on a switch are counted and included in the quantities stated.

Question 19: The quantities indicated on the SF1449 CLIN Item pricing sheet (CLIN’s 5001, 5002, 5003, 5004, 5005, 5006, 5007) for the 6-month extension bid option appear to be approximately half of the quantities as indicated in for the base year and all other option years. Please confirm that we are to include maintaining only half the transformers, circuit breakers, etc. (or quantities as specified) for the 6-month extension period as stated on the pricing sheet.

Answer 19: The quantities for the six-month extension period are indeed approximately half those of applicable to the base year and option years. As such, they reflect the Government’s estimate for the maximum quantities that could realistically be tasked in a six-month period due to scheduling constraints. It should also be noted that the six-month extension period may or may not be utilized as it is generally intended to preclude a break in service in case a re-competition for a follow-on contract cannot be awarded on time. Further, since this is an Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) contract, task orders may or may not be issued during the six-month extension period. In any case, collectively, any task orders issued during the six-month extension period will not exceed the stated quantities.

Question 20: The RFP indicates to maintain the substation transformers, circuit breakers, air disconnecting switch, insulators, grounding, LPS, structures, and fencing. What about the routine inspection, testing, and maintenance of the protective relays? Are we to include the protective relays in our pricing? If so, please indicate which CLIN item to include them in.

Answer 20: Inspection, testing and maintenance of the protective relays are not included in this requirement.

Solicitation: FA4610-11-R-0037 Substation Site Visit Q&As