Questions_and_Responses_-_Cumerland_Fire_Alarm_Panel_Replacement.pdf

FCI CUMBERLAND – FIRE ALARM PANEL REPLACEMENT

PROJECT 1B7U QUESTIONS

SOLICITATION IFBP01071700001

Submitted by Grot, Incorporated

1. Item A – The contractor shall be responsible for…….and certified to meet all federal, state, local or other codes. Our question is – the scope of this project is to replace annunciators and fire alarm panels, are we responsible for any code related issue that may affect existing field device installation (i.e. mounting height, placement too close to AC registers, etc.)

CLARIFICATION: Contractor not responsible for installation of field devices.

2. Remove existing annunciator panels. Our question is – what is the model number of the existing annunciator panels?

CLARIFICATION: Annunciator Panel MDL# CM1.

3. Provide any appurtenances… required to integrate new and old components, ensuring complete compatibility. CLARIFICATION request – we have spoken with the manufacturer of the existing horn/strobes. The existing horn strobes are currently synchronized by using a model #AVS44 Synchronization module for each Notification Appliance Circuit. The AVS44 modules are obsolete and no replacement modules are available. Any existing sync module that is found to be defective or which may be damaged via lightning currently or in the future would require replacement of all notification appliances and sync modules for the entire building to achieve strobe sync. Please confirm that condition is acceptable to the owner.

CLARIFICATION: This is an acceptable condition for the owner.

4. The drawings shall show the location of each initiating device, notification appliance, and all fire alarm panels and annunciators. Our question is – will the owner provide drawings with existing fire alarm field devices shown or will we be required to walk each building and document existing device locations?

CLARIFICATION: Refer to statement of work (section 1.5, paragraph D).

5. Each affidavit shall certify that the fire alarm system was installed and tested in accordance with the……… Our question is – are we only going to certify new Fire Alarm Control Panels and Annunciators are installed per code or does this include all existing field devices that are not included in this scope of work?

CLARIFICATION: Refer to statement of work; section 1.6, D, 7,(D).

6. Section 1.7 Quality Assurance, Item E – 3 Product Installation – Comply with the latest edition of the following codes and standards, at minimum: This section lists all of the fire alarm related code references, which would include field device placement, spacing, mounting height, existing wiring, etc. Our question is – will the installing contractor be held responsible for any fire alarm device or field wiring that is not directly related to the installation of the new FireWorks Command Computer, new Fire Alarm Control Panels and Remote Fire Alarm Annunciators?

CLARIFICATION: Contractor is responsible to field wiring and devices directly related to the fire alarm control panel and installation.

7. Section 1.9 Sequencing and Scheduling, Item A – Existing Fire-Alarm Equipment: This section asks the installing contractor to maintain existing equipment fully operational until the new equipment has been tested and accepted. Our question is – will the new system test consist of only the new fire panel and the associated annunciator and communication to the new FireWorks Command Computer? The field devices will still be connected to the existing Fire Control Panel until such time that we transfer the existing field devices from the existing fire panel to the new fire panel.

CLARIFICATION: Refer to statement of work; section 1.9, paragraph A.

8. Section 1.9 Sequencing and Scheduling, Item B – Equipment removal – remove existing disconnected fire alarm equipment and wiring. Our question is – does the contractor need to make provisions to dispose of the existing fire panels and annunciators?

CLARIFICATION: Owner will maintain ownership of the fire panels and annunciators.

9. Data and communications circuits between network cables shall be fiber optic. Our question is – will the owner provide and install four strands of multi-mode fiber (2 strands incoming and 2 strands outgoing to the next panel)?

CLARIFICATION: Existing copper circuitry will be utilitized.

10. Circuits – 1 Notification-Appliance Circuits, Class A with proper end-of-line devices.

1. We have three questions – first question is – will the installing contractor be responsible for any existing notification appliance circuit wiring that may be required to create a Class A circuit (scope asks for panel only replacement)?

CLARIFICATION: Contractor will not be responsible for notification appliance circuit wiring.

2. Second question is – Class A notification-appliance circuits do not require an end-of-line device – will the installing contractor be required to modify the existing notification appliance circuits?

CLARIFICATION: Class A circuits do not require an end-of-line device.

3. Third question is – if existing strobe appliances are not capable of producing strobe synchronization with the new fire control panels – will the owner approve a modification to the contract for resolution of the strobe sync (if this is an issue)?

CLARIFICATION: Approval of modification will be considered, if required.

12. Section 1.12 Fire Alarm Control Panels, Item H-1, Silencing-switch operation halts alarm operation of audible notification appliances while continuing visual notification appliances. Our question is – will the installing contractor be required to provide strobe operation after the audible appliances are silenced (even if the current fire code does not allow this function)?

CLARIFICATION: Existing panels currently allow this function; therefore, the new panels must allow this function.

13. Section 1.12 Fire Alarm Control Panels, Item M.2 – each system power supply shall be individually supervised. Our question is – does this apply to all of the existing Notification Appliance Power Supplies that are existing and are not replaced within the scope of this project?

CLARIFICATION: Notification appliance power supplies were not included in the statement of work.

14. Section 1.12 Fire Alarm Control Panels, Item M-6 - Size batteries to support operation of the fire alarm system for 60 hours of supervision followed by five minutes of alarm, as minimum. Our question is – will 60 hours of supervision be required if code only requires 24 hours?

CLARIFICATION: Due to security concerns we would require 60 hrs.

15. Section 1.13 Network Interface Module, Item B – new fire alarm panels will interface existing LAN infrastructure via CAT5/Cat6 ethernet cable. Our question is – are we installing the new fire panels on a fiber or copper network configuration? A previous section of the scope indicates the fire alarm network will be fiber optic cable.

CHANGE: Fire control panels and annunciators shall be installed on a copper network configuration.An amendment will follow to the solicitation to implement this change.

16. Section 1.14 Remote Annunciators, Item D – contractor shall furnish and install EST Model 3LCDANN or approved equal. Our question is – if the EST3X panels are approved as acceptable for this project, would you approve the RLCD Style annunciators (data sheet attached) for all buildings that would have the EST3X panels installed? One additional question in reference to this same section is – “utilizing existing PLC circuit” – what does this mean?

a. CLARIFICATION: Owner will approve RLCD style annunciators. A data sheet was not included in the email with the questions received from the contractor.

b. CLARIFICATION: Currently our fire alarm is run through a PLC (programmable logic controllers) system, therefore, the new system will need to utilize the PLC circuit.