Q A_2-26-2013.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Date: 2/26/2013

QUESTION: Is parking provided for the O&M Contractor’s staff and if not, what is the charge for parking?

ANSWER: One parking spot is provided and two are paid for by contractor in the amount of $140 a month per space. No other parking is available at this time.

QUESTION: We noticed MERV 14 Tri-Dim filters on the air handlers. These filters cost many thousands of dollars and it looks as though there is roughly $150k of filters present today. Are these types of filters a requirement for this contract and can we get a schedule of when they were last changed and when they will be due again?

ANSWER: The filters that are in the air handlers should be replaced to match existing. All filters shall be changed once a year.

QUESTION: Is there a maintenance hour requirement analysis that is available to assist to determining the staffing level?

ANSWER: No, staffing is performance based. The Contractor can determine staffing, but staffing must be adequate to meet all contract requirements satisfactorily. The current O&M contractor has staffing of approximately 17 FTE for the 300 N. Los Angeles St and Roybal facilities; this count includes a receptionist, account manager and administrative assistant as well as the trades staff.

QUESTION: What is the maximum cooling demand at 300 NLA- Roybal, during the cooling season (in Tons)?

ANSWER: See M&V reports provided

QUESTION: What is the “mean” cooling demand at 300 NLA-Roybal (Tons)?

Answer: See M&V reports provided

QUESTION: What is the “mean”, and maximum, condenser water flow at 300 NLA- Roybal during the cooling season?

ANSWER: See M&V reports provided

QUESTION: Is a “resident” elevator mechanic (Technician) required by contract?

ANSWER: No

QUESTION: Section 001000- 1.3 A Project Objective, states: “operate in the most efficient manner at all times, and overall plant efficiency of .55 kW / ton or better. Please clarify what this means – at part load, at full load, or averaged?

ANSWER: This is a weighted average system performance, which will be evaluated on an annual basis. Assessment of each year’s plant efficiency must be part of the M&V Plan and assessed when the M&V Plan is developed each year.

QUESTION: B.4 Task 4 “Install equipment to monitor ambient refrigerant levels and provide automatic ventilation as required by code.” Also, stated in Task 4 “contractor is responsible for the design and location of exhaust duct either through the existing duct shaft to roof, or other location”. Please make the following clarifications: 1) Which code and section: building, mechanical and fire. 2) Exhaust ducting – please provide a conceptual routing and termination for the exhaust duct for bidding purposes as the one shown on the job walk is not feasible.

ANSWER: Refrigerant exhaust and HVAC performance must comply with ASHRAE standards.

Fire protection is governed by applicable NFPA standards. Mechanical and general construction is governed by International Building Codes (e.g., IBC, IMC). Seismic and structural requires compliance with local Los Angeles codes. This is a design-build project. The design-build contractor must find an appropriate path for exhaust ducting. A possible (but unverified) path was mentioned at an earlier site visit, but use of this path must be validated by the contractor.

We do not know that the path identified at the site visit (job walk) is not feasible; this question is the first indication of that, so we do not know if this is indeed the case.

QUESTION: Can you please clarify; is the savings in the RFP the amount the ESCO will guarantee, or does the ESCO propose the specific savings?

ANSWER: The proposal must indicate predicted and guaranteed savings. Guaranteed savings sufficient to cover installment payments is a requirement by statute; award cannot and will not be made without that. GSA has stated a goal of at least 10% margin between guaranteed savings and installment payments. Failure to accomplish that will not preclude award but may result in a downgraded evaluation. The savings estimates in the various studies are just estimates. We have no reason to believe them inaccurate, but offerors are responsible for validating the degree of savings they believe they can produce and guarantee.

QUESTION: The union Collective Bargaining Agreement that is being used for this contract as the wage determination has its escalation anniversary on October 1 and the new contract anniversary does not look to line up with that. Are we going to be able to submit an FLSA escalation on October 1st?

ANSWER: The incorporate CBA is in lieu of a SCA wage determination; all offerors must pay the wages in accordance. On 10/01/2013, the new O&M contractor must provide a new CBA and be able to submit an FLSA escalation.

QUESTION: Is asbestos abatement or monitoring part of this contract?

ANSWER: No

QUESITON: When does the new contract begin?

ANSWER: Target award date is April 1, 2013, with target start date for O&M services on May 1, 2013.

QUESTION: Is there a specific staffing requirement to provide certain staff positions

(i.e. 3-HVAC Engineers or 3-Intrument Mechanics, 2-Clerks, etc.)?

ANSWER: No, staffing is performance based. The Contractor can determine staffing, but staffing must be adequate to meet all contract requirements satisfactorily.

QUESTION: Do you know if the LA ESPC project is on any “publicly available” lists of projects that may not go forward if / when sequestration kicks in? We’ve looked around, but have not seen anything.

ANSWER: We have no reason to believe the sequester will prevent award of this contract from going forward.

QUESTION: The chiller scope of work seems to favor Optimum Energy as an optimization tool. Is that the case?

ANSWER: No, there is no preference at all for Optimum Energy. We will consider any credible optimization product so long as the Offeror takes responsibility and guarantees the savings.