Questions_and_Answers_-_3.pdf

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND

N32205-17-R-4400

USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – 3

The following are answers to questions received from potential offerors. The answers provide clarification only and DO NOT constitute an amendment to the solicitation.

1 Specification Item No: 105

Para No: 3.0 Title: Inspection/Repairs of FO and LO Tanks

Question:

Please provide tank numbers for the tanks listed in Paragraph 3.0.

Answer:

Para 7.2 states to clean tanks as per WI 021. WI 021 enclosure 2.2.1 has the same list for “description” of the tanks as 3.0 of WI 105. The second column of the enclosure also provides the corresponding tank TAC Number.

Recommend the Contractor refer to WI 021 and all reference drawings provided for further details.

2 Specification Item No: 103 Para. No: Question 4 of Questions and Answers – 2 Title: Ballast Tank Inspection, Repairs & Cooling

Question:

Answer to question 4 (second set of Q&A’S), second sentence.

Water Blast to SP-3. SP-3 is power tool clean.

Please specify proper surface preparation for the water blast.

Fourth Sentence – Entire tank gets one (1) top coat. To apply an entire top Coat additional surface prep will be required.

This Work Item requires a lot of work for a 75 day availability.

Request additional time for this availability or reduce the scope of work.

Answer:

MSC uses a Commodities Contract for paint and Paint representatives. The MSC contract is with Pittsburgh Paint Group, PPG Protective & Marine Coatings. With PPG guidance;

• SP-3 is listed as: A method of preparing steel surfaces by the use of power assisted hand tools. Power tool cleaning removes all loose mil scale, loose rust loose paint, and other loose detrimental foreign matter. It is not intended that this process remove adherent mill scale, rust and paint. Mill scale, rust and paint are considered adherent if they cannot be removed by lifting with a dull putty knife.

• SP-12/NACE No 5 is listed as: Water jetting: Use of a standard jetting water discharged from a nozzle at pressures of 70 MPa (10,000 psig) or greater to prepare a surface for coating or inspection. Water jetting uses a pressurized stream of water with velocity that is greater than 340 m/s (1,100 ft/s) when exiting the orifice. Water jetting does not produce an etch (pressure) or profile of the magnitude currently recognized by the coatings industry. Rather, it exposes the original abrasive blasted surface profile if one exists.

With that stated: The intent of the Work Item is to preserve and paint the tanks.

To make this more efficient, MSC has allowed with this Work Item to use water jetting for the majority of the tank preparation, however areas that require a profile will require SP-3 Power Tool Cleaning. In addition any new steel will require a profile for paint adhering. MSC will have a “Paint Representative” to explain and guide the Contractor throughout the ROH/DD period.

The allowance of water jetting provides for a “time saving” environment to assist the Contractor in completing the project on time/on target. The use of (fresh water), water jetting has also proven to be very helpful in removing “Chorides” from the surface.

Choride contamination has been identified as a known source of “paint system premature failures”. Again, the “Size” of the tank/tanks was already factored into the original Work Item.

MSC standard ROH/DD periods are 45 days for small vessels and 60 days for large vessels. The USNS COMFORT is afforded 75 days for the 2017 ROH/DD. MSC feels this is plenty of time to complete all Work Items, including said mentioned tanks.

3 Specification Item No: 703 Para. No: 3.0 Title: MTF Office Overhauls

Question:

ADP Office 2-78-1

Operations Department Office 2-79-1

Supply Offices 1-50-0

These three locations are not located on reference 2.2.

Please advise.

Answer:

Spaces listed are additional spaces that were not originally part of the ship. The spaces have false bulkheads and therefor are not full classified separate work spaces.

Based on the ship check of the USNS COMFORT held on 14 November 2016, several shipyard representatives annotated this deviation in the drawings versus the actual work spaces. Also during the ship check, these spaces were “walked” and the work requirements were explained. The disparity between the references/drawings and actual work spaces were annotated by the Primary Port Engineer, Assistant Port Engineer and the MSC Contracting Official.

All Contractors should refer to its designated personnel who attended the ship check to provide additional answers for this Work Item.

4 Specification Item No: 909 Para. No: 7.5.1 Title: Tailshaft Inspection and Shft Seal Replacement

Question:

Per Paragraph 7.5.1 states to furnish an OEM Tech Rep for a period of five days.

Shaft seals removal and re-assembly cannot be completed in five days. Can the specification be changed to a period of 12 days?

Answer:

WI 909 is written with the intent of requirement for an OEM Tech Rep for “at least 5 days” as prior history shows that to be the minimum required time.

However the Contractor is allowed to have the Tech Rep on deck for 12 days, 20 days, or even 75 days if that is what the completion of the Work Item requires. Should a Contractor require additional time to meet the Work Item requirements, the Contractor may submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) demonstrating why additional days are needed for the OEM Tech. Rep. the complete the requirement. It should also be noted, that additional days for a Tech Rep to finish the requirement should be anticipated and included in the Contractor’s original, scheduled timeline. At no time is a Contractor authorized to extend the period of performance for the ROH/DD (75 days).

5 Specification Item No: 0013 Para. No: 7.1.7 Title: Project Planning and Monitoring

On page 70 of the contract; the milestones list includes a “light-off start date”. This was not included in WI 0013 as to when it should occur within the proposed schedule.

Please provide a date for the “light-off start date”.

Answer:

MSC expects Contractors to read through “all” Work Items and then properly plan a schedule which includes milestones.

Note 1: The “engine room must be turned over” prior to lighting fires in Boilers. The turn-over includes properly cleaned bilges, fuel and oil tanks secured etc. and equipment fully assembled to make the engine rooms safe for operation. The schedule must also reflect proper time line duration for dock and sea trials.

Note 2: As stated from MSC Standard Work Item 0022 Dock and Sea Trials.

Per Para 5.2 The Contractor and subcontractors shall review other Work Items under this contract, to determine their effect on the work required by this item. Based on this review the Contractor shall plan and schedule work to minimize conflicts between Work Items.

Para 7.1.3 Conduct dock trials six 6 days prior to sea trials or 7 days prior to end of contract performance if there is no sea trial scheduled.

6 Specification Item No: 0021 Para. No: 2.2.1 Title: Clean and Gas Free Tank, Voids, and Cofferdams

Question:

The enclosure lists the Anti-Rolling Tank (6-64-0) as a raw sewage tank. Does this tank contain raw sewage, and if so how much? Does the ship have capability to fill and flush this tank so the Contractor can perform chlorination and sanitizing procedures to render the tank safe for entry for tank cleaning?

Answer:

The ABS Trim and Stability Booklet has the anti-roll tank (6-64-0), listed as a separate grouping, under Roll Stabilization, the MSC Cargo-Max program has the anti-roll tank included under a list of tanks for sewage. The list to include the anti-roll tank into the sewage is due to a possible Trans-alt that has not been performed on USNS COMFORT.

***USNS COMFORT anti-roll tank does not and has never contained raw sewage.

The tank only has Ballast/salt water.

USNS COMFORT is an ABS Class vessel. Each and all tanks fuel, oil, fresh water, ballast and sewage tanks require 5 year inspections and pressure test. Yes, hydro/pressure test is required.

The anti-roll tank is filled and drained through the Ballast system piping and valves.

7 Specification Item No: 0503 Para. No: 7.1 and 3.0 Title: Anchor Windlass Repairs

Question:

Please provide source and POC for a recognized OEM technical rep.

Please provide weights of each unit listed in 3.0

Answer:

The references provided in Para 2.0 are very helpful with the answers to the Contractors questions. Such as Anchor Windlass Tech Manual T9581-AF-MMC-010 explains that the equipment is made by Western Gear Corp. Heavy Machinery Division, along with Table 1-1 Anchor Windlass Specifications, which also list weights. As well as the Mooring Winch Tech manual TG313-AT-MMC-010 Appendix B, C, and D which all list “Vendor Data”.

In addition the original “NASSCO” drawings are part of the References. These references are provided to help the Contractor understand the scope of work, it is highly recommended for the Contractor to review the said listed references to properly plan the work load and scope of work.

As Western Gear has been producing and repairs windlass equipment for Navy and Commercial Vessels for many, many years, it is hard to believe the Contractor is having difficulty providing an authorized Tech Rep for the work requirements. MSC tries to limit the number of “Sole Source” requirements and thus make it easier for the Prime Contractors to work within an open and competitive market. However, if OEM oversight cannot be found, MSC suggests the Prime Contractor provide the services of the US Navy’s NAVSEA Hull & Deck Machinery Department Anchoring, Mooring & Towing Expert James L. Fries, Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station, Carderock Division, Code 971, 5001 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19112-1403 Work: (215) 897-7799 Email: James.fries@navy.mil

8 Specification Item No: 0512 and 0905

Para. No:

Title: Amendment 0003

Question:

Amendment 0003 reissued items 0512 and 0905 with no noticeable changes to the requirements. Please clarify.

Answer:

Corrections made to WI’s 0502 and 0905 were made in response to Contractor’s comments (addressed in Q&A – 2).

0512: Correction made to Para. No. 3.2: Changed from “CHT Piping and Fittings” to “CHT Piping and Valves.”

0905: Correction made to Para No. 7.1.4: Changed from “7.2.2” to “7.2.3”.

9 Specification Item No: 0508 Para. No: 2.2.1 (Page 0508-6) Title: Fresh Water and Sewage Tank Inspection and Hydrostatic Test

Question:

The enclosure list the Ant-Rolling Tank (6-64-0) as a raw sewage tank. If the tank is determined not to contain raw sewage and only ballast water, will the requirement to hydrostatic test be required?

Answer:

The ABS Trim and Stability Booklet has the anti-roll tank (6-64-0), listed as a separate grouping, under Roll Stabilization, the MSC Cargo-Max program has the anti-roll tank included under a list of tanks for sewage. The list to include the anti-roll tank into the sewage is due to a possible Trans-alt that has not been performed on USNS COMFORT.

***USNS COMFORT anti-roll tank does not and has never contained raw sewage.

The tank only has Ballast/salt water.

USNS COMFORT is an ABS Class vessel. Each and all tanks fuel, oil, fresh water, ballast and sewage tanks require 5 year inspections and pressure test. Yes, hydro/pressure test is required.

10 Specification Item No: 0501 Para. No: 7.1 and 7.12 Title: MSD Repairs

Please provide source and POC for a recognized OEM Technical Representative.

Answer:

MSC requires a recognized OEM Tech Rep certified by Exceltech International Corp. to conduct a system inspection and groom (7.1). The known manufacturer of the MSD units 1 and 2, per Work Item 501, states the known manufacturer is Exceltech International Corp., 1110 Industrial Blvd Sugar Land TX. (281) 240-6770.

The Contractor should contact Exceltech International Corp. in order to be provided with a list of “authorized/certified” Tech Reps.

**REMINDER**

All Requests for Clarifications (Questions) regarding the Solicitation are due by

22 November 2016 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, Norfolk, Virginia.