PIPE_REPAIR__QandA.pdf

GS05P15SVC0078

PIPE REPAIR

PVM Federal Building, Detroit, MI

Questions and Answers

Q1. Sheet G 0 01 contains a note stating that any building related shut-offs associated with this project shall be coordinated with LB&B and paid for by the G.C. Is there an estimated cost available to use for each shutdown?

A1. Cost will vary based on contractors’ means and methods.

Q2. Will GSA be providing all waste containers for the contractors use?

A2. No.

Q3. During the pre-bid meeting, it was noticed that most pipe hangers appear to be in good condition. Will these still require replacement?

A3. Replacement of hangers/installation of additional hangers as required per the spec.

Q4. Sheet PP 1 B1 indicates removing and replacing the existing plaza drain system per key note Is this to include replacement of the plaza drain bodies? If so, is there a specification or product selected for the drain bodies?

A4. The intent is to re-use the plaza drain bodies if possible.

Q5. If work is interrupted due to rain, or the presence of running water within the drain piping being replaced, can PVC piping be utilized as a temporary fix and replaced with cast iron once the system has cleared?

A5. Yes.

Q6. Specification Section 01 10 00 – Part 1.9.E indicates that all work on floors 19 through 26 requires a government escort. Who is responsible for the costs associated with the government escort? Will work within these floors require normal working hours?

A6. The government agency providing escorts is responsible for the costs of escort.

It is unlikely work within the shaft will be able to occur during the occupied building hours due to airflow through the shafts.

Q7. Specification Section 01 50 00 – Part 2.2 indicates that both a contractor’s field office and a GSA field office may be required. Are we to include the costs for establishing field office trailers per the specification?

A7. A GSA field office is not required. The contractor shall have discretion if a site field office is necessary for themselves.

Q8. Specification Section 04 20 00 – Part 3.8.A indicates that testing services are required for the masonry work. It appears that only patching will be performed within the building. Is this testing still applicable?

A8. Fire life safety may require "Random" fire penetration destructive testing, but Fire Life Safety has reviewed this design and did not mention this testing.

Q9. Specification Section 22 07 19 – Part 3.10.A requires storm water piping to receive insulation and to be jacketed where exposed. Based upon the pre-bid meeting, it appears that the existing storm piping is not insulated. Is insulation required for all storm water piping being replaced?

A9. It is required where exposed.

Q10. Specification Section 22 66 00 – Chemical Waste Systems for Storm Water:

Where is this piping required? At the plaza drain piping only?

A10. Correct, required at the plaza drains.

Q11. Will there be an area to stage piping during construction? Has there been a determination on the size of storage that will be provided?

A11. We will seek permission of the city to utilize a portion of 1st street. In lieu of approval to use the street, a minimum of 500sf will be allotted, with an additional 200sf of storage for non-flammable materials. The closets impacted by the work will also be available for storage/staging.

Q12. Do the existing strainers at the mop sinks require replacement?

A12. No.

Q13. The specification requires the contractor to "reference the Building Design Standard (BDS)", but it is not published in the solicitation. Please provide.

A13. Determined not applicable to this scope of work.

Q14. Please confirm that work within the vertical shaft is considered by MIOSHA to be CONFINED SPACE and that all workers must possess this specific safety training and corresponding safety procedures as this is not listed in the specification. Very limited access to the shaft and numerous encumbrances within the shaft dictate this condition.

A14. Contractor to verify and perform safety planning for space (as required by space conditions) to ensure the safety of their employees.

Q15. Section 22 07 19 refers to HEAT TRACING, yet none is indicated on the drawings to be installed or replaced? Please clarify what and where this is required.

A15. Selected contractor to verify if heat tracing exists and bring to attention of GSA for direction and pricing.

Q16. Section 01 31 00 1.8 Coordination Drawings. This section seems to require the contractor to provide much more information than provided by the solicitation drawings, " to include reflected ceiling plans, details and sections" and to show clearances for maintenance work...Is the contractor required to provide full-size "as-to be-constructed-drawings" prior to construction? (This is a huge burden on the contractor and normally left to Design/Build contracts). Would you please reiterate that this is a contract requirement? If so, what format is required, and what CAD standards are we to use?

The solicitation also requires the contractor to show existing fire protection, mechanical and electrical piping, ductwork and conduits on the Coordination Drawings that may impact the replacement of the storm,waste and vent piping...but this should be the responsibility of the A/E, not the contractor. Without the as-built drawings, and the time required to ascertain the accurancy of these drawings this is in essence a Design/Build contract and not a Design/Bid/Build contract. Without this information, the contractor cannot determine, nor approximate the extent of this liability. Therefore we should not be forced to assume liability for something that we cannot determine beforehand. Would the GSA please remove this unreasonable requirement from the solicitation?

A16. The construction drawings that were provided in your solicitation is what needs to be followed. If you come across a different condition on site than what is shown on the drawings, please red line/make note of it on the drawing. GSA will ask for any red lines that you have at the end of the project. We are not asking the contractor to 're-create' our drawings. However, if there is a condition in the field that you need to explain to us, that is not already shown on the given set of drawings, we ask that you provide some type of drawing with at much detail that is needed in order to convey your point.

Q17. Would you please provide the mechanical as-builts to indicate where the water shut-offs are for the janitor closet risers to determine if the water can be turned off to the entire shaft, or if each individual floor will have to be shut-off daily to prevent usage and spillage?

A17. The contractor is expected to prohibit the use of plumbing as required for their construction means and methods. Alternate sinks and fountains are available, and the contract should use proper notification and prevention methods to prevent accidental use of risers. Contractor to coordinate shutdowns with O&M Contractors. While the sinks and fountains have valves at point of use, the entire riser will likely have to be drained to prevent accidental use as intermittent shutoffs often do not exist.

Q18. Is there a Hazardous Material Survey available for the building? Have the piping insulation joints been tested for ACM?

A18. All joints have not been tested. The info we have is in the attached document.

Q19. As it is impossible to survey the entire building given the nature of the building restrictions and time allowed on-site, can the contractors rely on the accuracy of the solicitation drawings to be reasonably correct and that any Differing Site Conditions will be treated as such if they are discovered?

A19. Additional site visits can be coordinated with property management.

Q20. The solicitation requires "PHASED CONSTRUCTION" to minimize downtime of the janitor closets and facilities. Does this require the contractor to complete on entire shaft before commencing on the second shaft to insure that one janitor closet is always available on each floor? Please elaborate on how the GSA expects the work to be

"PHASED"?

A20. Phasing of construction is needed to ensure that installations of new systems are expedited and existing systems are kept in service until the replacement system is operational. After award and during the pre-construction conference is when phasing is to be discussed between the contractor and GSA.

Q21. The solicitation requires the administration of the project to use the ePM system. Is this similar to the USCOE RMS and QMS systems? Please elaborate if all submittals, correspondence, drawings, draw applications, progress schedules, test reports and inspections are to incorporate this system? Will the GSA provide this system and licensing free of charge?

A21. ePM is GSA's secure, web-based, electronic project management system. GSA can provide you access and the link to the system as long as you have your full security clearance. We typically ask that you limit the access to just the principal and/or project manager on the particular job. How the project team will use the system during the duration of the project will be discussed further at the pre-construction conference.

A22. Will the GSA accept and evaluate alternate proposals for this solicitation?

A22. No.

Q23. Plaza drain piping requires "Corrosion resistant piping", please state specifically what type of piping is required and where it is required. If PVC piping is required, will it also require insulation from fire and heating tracing if exposed to weather as in the exterior shaft?

A23. If pitch allows for the pipe not to be full of water, tracing would not be required. Insulation/protection should be required from heat for generator.

Q24. If new waste and vent stacks are installed while the existing remain in place, this creates numerous space conflicts both within the shaft and janitors closets. Is it the intent to have a new 2" waste and vent stack for the drinking fountain drain installed next to existing (within the closet)? Or is it the intent to replace this section as you proceed vertically up from floor to floor?

A24. Please refer to KEY NOTES #1 on drawing sheets PP 201, PP202 and PP203.

A25. Can the existing waste and vent stacks within the shaft be "abandoned in place" as a cost saving measure?

A25. NO FOR VENTS, not recommended for either.

Q26. Can the new waste and vent stacks be installed within the janitor closets? (This would greatly simplify the installation and reduce the costs of the installations ).

A26. Please refer to what is already stated in the specs and drawings, especially KEY NOTES #1 on drawing sheets PP 201, PP202 and PP203.

Q27. Painting. The specification requires painting of the new pipe, and to match the existing...yet it would be far easier to respray the entire janitor closet than it would be to match and paint just the pipe. Is this an acceptable alternative method to "painting" within the janitor closets?

A27. Refer what is already stated in the Painting specification

Q28. Several of the existing floor and wall pipe penetrations were noticed to be grouted solid and cannot be simply "reused" as a normal fire-rated sleeve would be...are these to be jack-hammered out, or abandoned in place?

A28. These will have to be brought to GSA's attention as you come across them.

Depending on the floor/location, some can be re-used, or if abandoned in place, the pipe will need to be sealed in a fire rated manner.