QUESTIONS.docx

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS SITE VISIT #2

QUESTION: Contractor supplied equipment. Does the contractor have to provide explosion proof equipment (Wet Vac’s/Dry Vacs) inside the firing range?

ANSWER: In the Statement of Objective, under Paragraph 9, "Government Furnished Items:", and specifically in paragraph 9.2 it is stated that "the Contractor may choose to provide their own explosion-proof HEPA vacuum(s) with equivalent performance to the government's explosion-proof HEPA vacuum unit, in any amount desired." The Contractor may choose not to provide any additional vacuum equipment, and use just the single government-provided Ruwac unit at no cost. This vacuum meets all the contract-specified requirements. It is not a "wet" vacuum, however, and will not be used as one. Use of a single vacuum may be considered a limiting factor, as we are talking about a large area. Should a Contractor desire to use more than one HEPA vacuum to perform the "dry" portion of this work, it will be of "explosion-proof" construction and equivalent in performance to the Ruwac, and will be inspected by 914 AW environmental personnel to ensure it complies with this requirement. "Wet" vacuums used to collect water/TSP soap solution or rinse water do not have to be explosion-proof, or even be HEPA-filter equipped, the reason being that dry-HEPA vacuuming with an explosion-proof unit(s) has already removed the vast majority of unexpended propellant (along with the leaded dust) that was originally present. Chances of any remaining unexpended propellant being inadvertently ignited when wet is negligible. Likewise, the remaining wet leaded dust or unexpended propellant do not pose the same inhalation hazards dry versions in much larger quantities of the same present.