Question_and_Answers.pdf

Question and Answers

Design-Build Contract for the 5th, 14th, and 15th Floor Renovations for the

US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals

1. Has a contractor performed similar work to this for the government in the past?

Answer: Yes.

2. If you are unable to provide a contract number, is it safe to assume this is a new requirement for the government?

3. On page 7 of the solicitation document, section II.D Technical Proposal, Paragraph

(1) Factor 1, #7 – please confirm if the Design Build project past performance magnitude specified, not less than 10M, is the minimum magnitude GSA will accept for this project.

Answer: Revise to not less than $2M?

4. Can key employees of the prime contractor’s firm satisfy this past performance requirement?

Answer: No. The experience should be from the firm.

5. In reviewing the requirements for meet the minimum acceptability standards, the requirements are very restrictive and stringent. Our Team meets all the requisite experience, however, not all of these criteria are met with the same project. Please, confirm we can show similar experience through multiple projects to meet the eight (8) criteria items as listed under factor 1 - experience on similar projects?

Answer: Showing experience spread across multiple project is acceptable but factor 1, #7 still applies.

6. Please also confirm that a teaming partners experience will count towards experience as required under factor 1.

7. Page 7 of 31 of Document DB201A-SB / APR 2015 Factor 1 Experience on Similar projects has eight minimum requirements. Two of the requirements seem irrelevant to this project. Item 4 requires previous experience with the National Register of Historic Places. This building and project does not qualify as such, and this requirement appears irrelevant. We ask GSA to clarify and remove if necessary.

Answer: That requirement was removed.

8. Page 7 of 31 of Document DB201A-SB / APR 2015 Factor 1 Experience on Similar projects has eight minimum requirements. Two of the requirements seem irrelevant to this project. Item 7 requires project experience no less than $10 million. Since this project is a $1-5 million project, will GSA accept Design-Build projects similar in scope and size of $1-5 million as relevant?

Answer: See question #3 above.

9. Is the Multi- Purpose room to be relocated to the 5th floor? Will the room need direct access from the HHS suite or is corridor access acceptable?

Answer: Direct Access from HHS space will be required. Counter space for a small break room area is also needed in this room as mentioned in the OMHA Construction Requirements, Attachment E. The space layout will need to be discussed and finalized with the customer during the design phase.

10. Is the HDFS to be located to the 5th floor? If so, please define the work expected on the 4th floor and the time of day work can be completed on the 4th Floor.

Answer: DB Contractor should assume that the HDFS will be located on the 15th floor directly above other vacant space.

11. Please define the HDFS requirements. Is there an expected capacity or storage requirement? Is the Unit to be electrically powered or hand cranked?

Answer: Refer to the GSA Statement of Work Attachment B Program of Requirements and Attachment L. The HDFS should match the storage requirements shown in the Program or requirements “Docket Team High Density File Storage”. Attachment L (Revised with this amendment) is an example from a current project provided by HHS/ OMHA to further clarify the requirements of this scope of work. The system can be manually operated.

See attached revised Attachment L. Attachment L is an example of what is expected for the Miami office. The Miami office HDFS will consist of two HDFS systems. The Capacity of these HDFS systems will follow the OMHA POR (Attachment B).

Large HDFS system – 4,730 Linear Feet of Filing (LFF) - The large HDFS consists of 2,230 LFF for the Docket team and 2,500 LFF for case file storage.

Small HDFS system – 280 LFF for Admin team

12. Are the Judges’ benches pieces of furniture or built-in Millwork?

Answer: The items shown on the GSA provided Design Intent Drawings are customer provided furniture. Judges furniture will be moved from current leased location by HHS/OMHA.

13. Where floor boxes are required, it is acceptable to reuse the existing walker duct?

Answer: Yes, if the location allows these ducts can be used to power workstations and systems furniture. The DB Contractor will be responsible for coordination of electrical and telecommunication requirements with the OMHA furniture vendor.

14. Please clarify A/V requirements. Who is to provide projectors, Cameras, teleconferencing equipment?

Answer: HHS/OMHA A/V vendor (York) will provide these items. DB Contractor is required to provided infrastructure and cabling only for these items.

15. The SOW 5.25 Mechanical Requirements alludes to using the “baseline” level of design from the P100 Chart F.1 Mechanical Performance Requirements. Please confirm that this is the GSA requirement.

Answer: Yes. Confirmed.

16. The SOW 5.26 BAS Requirements calls for commissioning. Is a commissioning agent separate from the design professional required?

Answer: Third Party Commissioning is not required.

17. The SOW 5.25 calls for a supplemental, separately zoned HVAC system in the hearing rooms. Is this to be a true supplemental system where the base system will still operate and provide the necessary outside air to the room?

Answer: Yes.

18. If fan terminal VAV boxes are to be used, which type are required (series or parallel)?

Answer: Preference would be a dual to single duct conversion box. Another option would be pressure independent cold deck with pressure dependent hot deck set up.

19. In the HHS OMHA Construction Requirements it states in section IX that “York will install additional video components in multipurpose room”. Is York a Vendor/Sub of

GSA?

Answer: Yes.

20. Will GSA provide as-built drawings?

Answer: Yes. All available as-built drawings are included with this amendment.

21. DB101-SB / APR 15 (The Agreement) III.L. Insurance Requirements (2): states The Design Professional Liability Insurance requirement of $5,000,000 per claim. Given the project budget for $1,000,000 - $5,000,000, will the $5,000,000 coverage be necessary?

Answer: This is typical for this sort of project budget, so the $5,000,000 coverage will remain unchanged.

22. The windows in the work areas have a tented film on the glass, on some of the windows the tint film is coming off. Is part of the scope of work replacing the film on the windows as required?

Answer: No.

23. Will any existing windows in the work areas need to be replaced?

Answer: No.

24. Please provide the latest Fire Pump Test for the Building.

Answer: The latest fire pump test has been requested and will be provided prior to the start of the design phase.

25. Please provide the latest Fire Sprinkler As Built Drawings.

Answer: Not available.

26. Are there as-built (or any) drawings of the mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, sprinkler & plumbing systems for the project floors. If so, please provide as PDF and/or CAD formats.

Answer: All relevant as-built drawings & CAD files are included with this amendment. This amendment includes Mechanical and Electrical as-builts from 1961 and a base CAD file for each floor.

List of Drawings provided with Amendment #1:

1. 5th Floor DWG RCP

2. 14th Floor DWG RCP

3. 15th Floor DWG RCP

4. Electrical – Typical Floor 21-19

5. Electrical Power Diagram – 21-20

6. First Floor Mechanical – 21-21

7. Mechanical Plan – Typical Floor - 21-22

8. Mechanical Plan – 2nd & 3rd – 21-22

9. Mechanical Roof Plan 21-23

10. Mechanical – 5th & 6th Floor – 27-13-4

11. Mechanical – 25th & 26th Floor – 27-13-9

12. Electrical – 5th Floor 27-13-26

13. Electrical – 15th Floor 27-13-35A

14. Electrical – 15th Floor 27-13-36

15. Electrical Riser – 27-13-40

27. Are there as-built (or any) drawings of the mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, sprinkler & plumbing systems for the central building systems. If so, please provide as PDF and/or CAD formats.

Answer: Provided with amendment #1. See list of drawings above.

28. Are there any drawings or documentation for the BMS (building management system)? If so, please provide as PDF and/or CAD formats.

Answer: No.

28. Is the BMS (building management system) a proprietary system?

Answer: The BMS/BAS system is INET Seven onsite, and additionally this entire system is imported by way of a Xenta 527 into a GSA virtual server that runs Schneider Electric's Enterprise Server with SmartStruxure (Workstation). The new lon controllers will need to interface/import into this server, and at the same time be presented on the existing GSA workstation. Absolutely no third-party gateways are permitted as part of the new system.

29. Is the building HVAC system currently operated as originally designed? Have any features been abandoned or substantially altered from the original design?

Answer: Yes. System is designed as hot/cold deck system with open common plenum return. (2) AHUs, one handles floor 9-16, and one 2-8.

30. Will the remaining tenants on the project floors be present during construction? If so, are there any phasing, temporary or special requirements to accommodate their presence?

Answer: There are occupied areas on the 5th and 15th floor that will remain occupied during construction. Any work that is disruptive to the tenants on any floor will need to be performed after normal working hours.

31. Existing conditions in numerous electrical closets are not properly enclosed with 2 hour fire ratings. Is correcting this issue within the scope of the current project?

Answer: No.

32. Is the current hot deck/cold deck operational?

Answer: Yes. It is operational.

a. If so are we required to reconnect the existing hot deck or can it be blanked off and only run cold deck air to the VAV boxes.

Answer: The preference is to run the dual duct system to VAV without blanketing off the hot deck. The vavs need to be designed to maintain minimum w.c. static pressure inside duct so new vavs are not over or undersized to deliver required airflow.

b. If hot deck is not operational or not required are there any heat requirements for any of the new VAV boxes.

Answer: If VAV's utilizing both decks are determined not practical due to static pressure and flow rates then electric heaters can be considered.

33. In regards to the supplemental A/C system for the hearing rooms

a. Where would we be allowed to install the outside condensing unit for this system.

Answer: On the upper main room or lower roof.

b. Is there electric available at the allowed location for the outside condensing unit.

Answer: No.

c. Is there a common shaft available to run the refrigerant lines from the allowed location for the outside condensing unit to the VRF indoor controller

Answer: No.

d. If it is possible is it required that this system be tied into the existing BAS system or will it be ok to operate as a stand-alone piece of equipment

Answer: No standalone controls equipment, including gateways, are permitted. See answer to this in other cells. Tie new controls into existing BAS server as answered above and below.

34. For the existing and future BAS controls.

a. Will we be required to tie the new controls into the existing front end and program

Answer: The new lon compatible controllers need to be tied into the existing virtual server running SmartStruxure Enterprise Server with Workstation program. New controls will need to be able to be viewed at the existing BAS computer, which only has INET Seven currently. (may need to install SmartStruxure instead on this workstation also, which is compatible with both INET Seven and Workstation---?)

b. If not will each piece of new equipment have a controller with either BACNET or LON open protocol tied into an open protocol (BACNET/LONworks) controller for each floor

Answer: N/A.

c. If the new controllers are to be stand-alone per floor what type of internet connection will be available at each of the floors that are being worked on?

Answer: The new lon controller(s) on each floor will need to be integrated to the existing virtual SmartStruxure Enterprise Server. However, the server is only available by ethernet of course. Currently the GSA ethernet is only available in the basement. GSA can provide ethernet switches to be installed by DB Contractor at locations (per floor?) if they desire, at distances approved by GSA, to allow the new controllers viewable at from the server. New lon routers will likely need to be installed at each floor, presumably.

d. If the new controllers are tied into the existing BAS system

i. What brand of system is this?

Answer: Schneider Electric

ii. Are there controllers per floor to connect back to?

Answer: There are no non-proprietary controllers on each floor to connect into currently. The only lon device is the Xenta 527 in the basement currently.

iii. Are the controls size capacity capable of adding the new equipment?

Answer: Existing proprietary, legacy TAC controllers are not expandable for new controls.

36. Are Test & Balance reports only for the affected areas we are working in and making changes to?

Answer: Due to the air handler set-up a test and balance is required on both air handlers that supply air to floors 2-19. If any changes to construction floors affect control to other floors it needs to be noted.

37. Please provide building specs for fixtures and exit signs.

Answer: Acoustical Ceiling Tile, Armstrong, Mesa Angled Tegular Window treatment, Graber, Insignia Aluminum, color #205 White Satin Graber

*HHS OMHA standards may override building standard in occupied space.

38. Will an electronic submission be accepted on the due date if a hard copy is sent via mail in 2-3 days following that due date?

Answer: Please refer to DB201A-SB / APR 2015, Section II.B., 1st paragraph.

39. Is GSA requiring a specific vendor for controls?

Answer: All products and services provided to the government are not to be sole sourced or proprietary. However, advanced controls is familiar with the building system and has done a lot of work in the building.

40. Do the galvanized pipe sprinklers need to be replaced to meet code?

Answer: Existing sprinkler pipe can remain. Any new pipe must be black steel pipe.