Amendment_3_Q_and_A.pdf

Amendment 1, HSFLBP-14-R-00001 Waste Water Thermal Decontamination System

Plum Island Animal Disease Center Amendment 3

Attachment 1 – Questions and Answers

The following questions have been received as written and the answers are below.

Q. Can Contractor employees eat at the cafeteria?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.3.16.

Q. Can food be brought onto the island/taken off?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.3.16.

Q. Can you work longer days/work around boat schedule?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraphs 1.3.14 and 1.3.15.

Q. Do cell phones work on the island?

A. Cellular phone reception is poor to unavailable, Q. What are the parking requirements for NY/CT? Is there a cost?

A. On the New York side, there is sufficient parking at the PIADC Orient Point ferry terminal at no cost.

On the Connecticut side, the boat leaves from the Harbor 1 Marina in Old Saybrook. There should be sufficient parking in the winter months. Between May 15th and November 15th, Contractors are directed to the south portion of the neighboring Saybrook Point Inn blue-striped parking area. If there will be more than four (4) contractor (including subcontractor) vehicles, the Contractor will be required to make their own parking arrangements. That cost is to be determined by the contractor.

Q. What is the weight limit for material/equipment per load?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.5.1.9.

Q. What are the ferry restrictions for weather and work days?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.5.1.7.

Q. What is the average number of days that the Ferry doesn't run due to weather a year? In what months?

A. The weather cannot be predicted, but generally the Ferry will be shut down for weather 3 to 5 days a year, primarily November through April.

Q. How long does it take to get through containment?

A. An approximate time for entering at the turnstile to leaving the change room for unbadged people would be approximately 20 minutes. To leave containment, the shower out process would be

Plum Island Animal Disease Center approximately 30 minutes. However, the containment process may depend on the number of people, gender, whether escorts are required, time of day, and other factors

Q. How do you get tools into containment?

A. Tools can be carried in or transferred through the airlock.

Q. What is the protocol for tools or material out of containment?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 3.1.1.5.

Q. Is there computer access inside of containment?

A. No.

Q. Can any tools or materials come from CT? What are the limits?

A. Yes, but it is limited to clean tools or materials, and to what a single person can easily carry on board without encumbering passengers in any way, block or restrict access, ingress, egress, passageways, aisles, seating, or compartments. The vessel captain shall be the final authority in determining whether tools or material may be transported may a question arise.

Q. What is the cost of badging?

A. The Contractor’s cost is reflected in the time invested in having an employee go through the badging process. Orientation requirements typically take two (2) hours for a Contractor picture badge for work outside containment and four and a half (4 ½) hours for work inside containment with suitability clearance and select agent training.

Q. Who pays for the cost of the badging?

A. The Contractor’s cost is reflected in the time invested in having an employee go through the badging process. Orientation requirements typically take two (2) hours for a Contractor picture badge for work outside containment and four and a half (4 ½) hours for work inside containment with suitability clearance and select agent training.

Q. How long does it take to get the security clearance for a badge?

A. It takes approximately 30 to 60 days from submittal of all the correct paperwork to get a preliminary clearance for a white badge (general access) to PIADC. It can take four (4) to six (6) months or more, depending on circumstances, to get final suitability for pin access to the laboratory, which includes Select Agent registration, which usually comes through within 60 days from paperwork submittal. Both clearances are required for unescorted Laboratory access.

Plum Island Animal Disease Center

Q. How many people need to be badged for the project? Is there a ratio?

A. A properly badged Select Agent may escort up to 5 persons but must keep them within eye contact at all times.

Q. What is the process for getting a select agent badge in order to be an escort in biocontainment?

A. Working long-term in biocontainment unescorted requires a suitability clearance plus four and a half (4 ½) hours of select agent training.

Q. How long does it take to get the select agent badge?

A. Working long-term in biocontainment unescorted requires a suitability clearance plus four and a half (4 ½) hours of select agent training.

Q. What is the capacity of the ferry for large loads/materials?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.5.1.9.

Q. What are the loading/unloading dock dimensions if you are bringing equipment through a contracted carrier?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.5.2.

Q. Are there any known carriers that can transport equipment onto the island?

A. The Cross Sound Ferry has vessels that are able to transport material and equipment to Plum Island.

Contractor is responsible for coordinating any services needed.

Q. What are the security/coordination requirements to contract out private barging of equipment?

A. Please refer to Specification 01 14 00, paragraph 1.5.2. Barging equipment to Plum Island will require coordination between the contractor, the barge/tug crew, PIADC Marine Operations, and Security in advance of barge arrival. The harbor was dredged 2 years ago, but barge draft needs to be considered and location along the bulkhead.

All proposals are due April 3, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, addressed to Department of Homeland Security, FLETC Bio-Containment Branch, DHS Construction Trailer, 1980 Denison Avenue, Suite 100, Manhattan, Kansas 66502-3316.