Questions from Site Visit.pdf

RFI B-52 Connect Stands and Stairs

The questions are below; however, the contractors asked for a drawing. As you know, one of the contractors had a drawing from the last time they were built (see attached email with drawing and notes). Can we incorporate this drawing into the statement of work and update the guardrails and anything else that needs to be updated as well as stating that this drawing is only of the left side and the right side is a mirror image?

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Question 1: 2.1 Item Description, a and b, #9 – States, “include removable heavy duty polyurethane casters….total lock”. This is a plate mounted caster. By “removable” are you saying that Tinker will be unbolting the casters? Are the removed casters to be stored on the stand?

Answer 1: Casters are to be bolted to mount plate that themselves are to be bolted to the bottom of the stands. This will allow Tinker mechanics and stand movers to move the stands on the ground, then unfasten the from stands when assembling onto nose stands. Design the mount plate so with minimal fasteners required, so mechanics can readily install/remove them.

Question 2: 2.1 Item Description, a and b, #11 – States, “Stand guardrail shall be alloy; over fuselage guardrails shall be aluminum”. What was observed on both the crown and connect stands was the outboard guardrails were aluminum, the forward and aft guardrail lower sections were steel and the over fuselage guardrails were aluminum. Do you want to match these same design materials or make all guardrails aluminum? Making the outboard guardrails steel would result in very heavy guardrails.

Answer 2: Make all Guardrails aluminum, so long as OSHA and design standards are met.

Question 3: 2.1 Item Description a and b, #20 – States, “provide installation”. In my experience working at Tinker, Tinker has always provided the workers and equipment to install stands for fit and function testing because this takes place inside the building and near an aircraft. It’s a liability issue. The Contractor provides supervision and direction only. Will this practice be maintained?

Answer 3: There are staging areas available outside the building if proximity to aircraft is concerned. Since the contractors will be here for initial fit check validation, would it be more expedient to finish any minor assemblage, such as installing sliders and outboard guardrails? There shouldn’t be any extra on site welding required either, so I don’t anticipate any major post-delivery assemblage.

Question 4: 2.3 Special Qualifications – States, “….Professional Engineer Licensed, with experience in design fall protection systems”. During our discussions with the Tinker Engineer on this topic, he clarified that he was looking for a Contractor that was qualified in the design and manufacture of access stands and that the stands were OSHA and AFOSH fall protection compliant. Is a licensed engineer (not common in small businesses) required if the access stands are OSHA and AFOSH fall protection compliant?

Answer 4: PE not needed as long validated history of stand design and experience shown, along with understanding of industry standards for work platforms

Question 5: During the site visit, we saw the connect stand used by itself. Is the crown stand ever used by itself?

Answer 5: The crown stand is rarely, if ever, used by itself. But it was designed to contour with the Connect Stand.

Question 6: Do the connect and crown stands have both forward and aft over-fuselage guardrails?

Answer 6: Yes, see new sketch, updated and sent to you last week.