Site_Visit_QandAs.docx

Solicitation FA9301-14-R-0015 Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Site Visit Questions & Answers

MAIN BASE QUESTIONS (Class IV)

1. Is there a laptop that can be taken home to monitor the system? No.

2. Do you have this set up on timers and level controls? No.

3. Are the chemical pumps controlled by flow? SCADA?

a. What operates it? Chemical pumps are manually controlled.

4. Does the contractor have to operate the 90-day hazardous waste site? The site is sludge drying and the contractor operates.

5. How many employees are currently at each plant? What are the shifts in a 24 hour period? This information is proprietary to the incumbent.

6. What chemicals are used for dewatering? Polymer? Yes, polymer.

7. Are the pumps manually controlled? Yes.

8. How much Chlorine is used during 1 day? Varies. 4000 to 7000 gallons per month.

9. What are the makes and models of all pumps? Unknown.

10. How long is a typical power outage? Varies. One hour to two days.

11. When were the last OSHA and CalOSHA inspections conducted? Air Force safety conducts annual safety inspections. No inspection by OHSA is known.

12. How often do they “waste”? Varies. Several times per month is typical.

13. Are the piles of dewatered sludge individual months? Yes, windrows of sludge are segregated by month.

14. How often does the sludge test hazardous? Once in December 2009.

15. Who manufactured the belt press? Ashbrook Corp., Houston, TX

16. How often is the belt on the belt press need to be replaced? It is replaced when needed; that said, the first belt lasted 17 years and the current belt is 2 years old.

17. Do the proceeds made on the sale of the sludge go to the contractor? The contractor bills for sludge on a per ton basis on an independent CLIN. After billing actual costs and proceeds are born by the contractor.

18. What is the typical flow from South base at influent? 80k GPD.

19. Where does the flow go? A pond? Yes, effluent flow goes to drying ponds.

20. Is the equalization pond still usable? There is no equalization pond.

21. Does a trash service haul away the bins or does it go in the sludge pile? Trash service hauls grit and bar screen refuse away.

22. Who hauls it off? What does it cost? (In reference to Debris “grit” bins) Benz Inc. is the current refuse contractor. Cost is negotiated by contractor.

23. How often does the grit bin get dumped? Weekly.

24. Before the influent flow, who takes care of attention to the collection system? Civil Engineering maintains the lift stations.

25. Who maintains the lift stations? Civil Engineering maintains the lift stations.

26. Are there many issues with influent and infiltration? No known I&I issues. Influent has always stayed well below plant capacity. Infiltration in the desert with deep water tables is usually considered a remote possibility.

27. Is AFFF fire-fighting foam? Yes, it stands for Aqueous Film Forming Foam.

28. Does the grit in reserves in the ditch need to be removed when the basin is switched? Yes.

a. How often does this occur? Required by contract annually under CLIN 0001.

29. Is the basin sloped so it goes to a dry pit? The basin is level.

30. Do you get problems with hydraulic overloading? No, influent rate is typically less than one-fourth of permitted capacity.

31. Do you have an equalization basin? No.

32. Who is responsible for underground water leaks specific to operation? Contractor is responsible for leaks that are specific to wastewater operation such as process water. Civil Engineering is responsible for water leaks that are not specific to plant operation such as potable water leaks.

33. Does the contractor have to fix infrastructure on plant premises? Civil Engineering is responsible for facility infrastructure as stated in PWS paragraph 1.3.1. See exceptions in answer to question 32.

34. Where does back flush water go? Back flush water goes into the tank located near the sand filters and is then returned to the process water stream.

35. Why is there such a high water line? The high water lines on the sand filters are from past operations before the filter media was replaced. Media was placed in 1995 and 2012.

36. Do the sand filters run together? They can be valved separately.

37. Are most of the plant “upsets” primarily because of something dumped on you? Yes. Influent constituents can vary.

38. Any NOVs in the last 5 years? No.

39. Where is the sludge going to right now? Sludge can be delivered to any facility permitted by CalEPA to receive it.

40. If the water doesn’t go to the golf course does it goes to the evaporation ponds? Yes.

41. Is this plant the only supplier to the golf course? No. The WWTP supplies all or a majority of the water for the golf course.

42. How many pumps are at the effluent pump station? 5.

a. Is this building the only one? No, there is also a golf course pump at B207.

43. Is there specific training for non-permitted confined space? Training is a contractor responsibility.

a. What about training for permitted confined space? Training is a contractor responsibility.

44. Could the execution of confined space rules change? Yes.

a. Who makes those decisions? Base Safety Office.

45. Are all the valves manual? All valves must be operated manually.

46. Are all confined spaces noted with signage? Yes.

47. How many lifting operations occur with a crane? Normal operations do not require a crane.

48. Are there crane inspections before they go to the main waste water treatment facility? Crane rental and inspection status are contractor responsibility.

49. Are pumps and motors shipped out for repair? Yes.

a. Are there repair shops on base? No.

50. Are they to bid the project with the current non-permitted confined space rules? Yes.

51. What happens if the confined space procedures change? The Contractor is responsible for abiding by all current confined space procedures and regulations.

52. Is there an inventory stockpile of plant equipment and critical equipment? No.

53. Are there comprehensive O&M manuals for facilities? Main base operation and maintenance manual is on the laboratory wall.

54. Can they (contractors) be provided with the site map photos that are up in the facility? The site map photos are included in the Board Orders, which have been uploaded with the other solicitation documents in FedBizOpps.

55. Where are operation certificates to be posted? Control room or office hallway.

AFRL QUESTIONS (Class III)

56. Is the total flow all from AFRL? Yes.

57. Any confined space issues at AFRL site? No confined space locations.

58. How deep is the lagoon? About 6 foot.

59. Can they get current copies of maintenance logs for the last five years? No.

a. Flow data for the last five years? No.

60. Is there a current CMMS system? No.

a. Is this provided by Edwards or who owns it? N/A

61. Does AFRL flow not go to the main plant? AFRL effluent goes to evaporative ponds.

62. Does the water flow out or get pumped out? Effluent is pumped.

63. How is sludge moved around? Contractor selects the method. Drying and moving by tractor has been successful in the past.

64. Does the incumbent have their own tractor and truck? Contractor has their own options for equipment.

65. What is the air compressor used for? Air lift from the clarifier and sand filters.

66. Are the two ponds just wasting ponds? The two wet ponds are wasting ponds or sludge holding tanks.

67. What is the far pool unit used for? (the one with the sloped sides)? It is not used, but can function as a sludge drying bed.

68. The pond with sludge, is that on the current contract and to be removed before the new contract?

a. Is the sludge amount an amount the incumbent can leave over? The sludge that a contractor starts with is the amount that can be left over at the end of the contract.

69. How long does it take water to evaporate out? One to three months.

70. Request for a detailed GFE list of all equipment to be maintained per plant. The GFP list at Attachment 8 to the solicitation covers both the Main Base plant and the AFRL plant.

71. Is there AFFF in the AFRL area that can get into the plant? No.

72. Are there alarms or call outs for this location? There are notifications at the main plant for plant on generator, lagoon level, influent flow rate, and pumps running.

QUESTIONS DURING THE POST-SITE VISIT MEETING

73. What makes the second aerator turn on at AFRL?

a. Automatic? Timer? Timed operation.

74. Are changes expected when the new NPDS comes out? Unknown.

75. What lab are they currently using for sampling? Contractor may select any approved lab that meets the requirements; the lab currently being used is proprietary information to the incumbent.

76. Is there and inventory stockpile of critical spare parts? No.

QUESTIONS RECEIVED AFTER SITE VISIT MEETING

77. For both plants, what specifically is monitored with the SCADA Software System and what alarms activate? The SCADA alarm considered by Civil Engineering to be reliable is the 'plant on generator' alarm that SCADA autodials preselected operators.

78. What SCADA software is used on the sites? The SCADA system for the plant is Modbus+, the separate Air Force controlled SCADA uses Alerton Controls.

79. How is the contractor notified when an alarm occurs at either plant? Is there a way that the alarms can notify an operator when he or she is off site? Automated phone dial up is utilized for several alarms.

80. Can we have a copy of all permits pertaining to these two facilities, including the WDR permits? Yes, the Board Orders have been posted to FedBizOpps with the solicitation documents. Also, www.waterboards.ca.gov sometimes has individual permits.

81. Can we have copies for the last 12 months of all reports submitted to regulatory agencies that are required by the discharge permits for both of the plants? No. Reports contain information that is a resultant of operator-developed procedures and plant design. There is no way that outside contractors can distinguish between the two. Operator developed procedures are proprietary. Plant design is not proprietary. Specific levels reported can be used by competitors to assault the performance of incumbent contractors. Reports will not be supplied.

82. Can we have a copy of the current Maintenance Plan? If so, electronic or otherwise? No.

83. Which laboratory(ies) currently analyze the samples from these facilities? Contractor may select any approved lab that meets the requirements; the lab currently being used is proprietary information to the incumbent.

84. For the AFRL plant, where does the final effluent go to? To the evaporative ponds.

85. Please provide the name of the locations where biosolids are disposed. Contractors may select any compliant disposal strategy.

86. PPQs – are CPARs acceptable? CPARS will be looked at independently of the PPQs. The contacts on CPARS may be contacted for more information. The Performance Information Form (Attachment 5 to the solicitation) should be filled out for contracts with CPARS information.

87. PPQs – are PPQs from NAVFAC acceptable? Yes, PPQs from any Government or non-Government agency are acceptable. As stated in the solicitation (p. 30), “Higher relevancy will be assessed for contracts that are most similar to the effort, or portion of the effort, for which that Contractor is being proposed (i.e. contracts performed on Federal or State facilities located in the state of California will be given a higher relevancy rating).” Submit PPQs for any contract you feel is similar to the effort in this solicitation.

88. Please provide names and certification levels of all existing employees on the project. This information is proprietary to the incumbent.