Revised Contractor QA.pdf

Project Name: Update Wing 4B

Project Number: 437-23-103

Solicitation Number: 36C26325B0009

RE: Contractor Questions with Government Responses

Question: 1

Please confirm if we are able to utilize the stairways without going thru the sally Port.

VHA Response: Outside of egress purposes, it is not allowed as it is an elopement risk for patients.

During phases where the existing sally port is under construction, a temporary sally port must be maintained and used to maintain safety standards for our patients.

Will the stairways be locked and inaccessible?

VHA Response: The stairways during normal operations (when the existing sally port is not under construction) are for emergency egress routes only. When the existing sally port is under construction, a temporary sally port must be maintained and used to maintain safety standards for our patients.

Will we be able to provide in and out checkouts at the stairways?

VHA Response: The stairways during normal operations (when the existing sally port is not under construction) are for emergency egress routes only. When the existing sally port is under construction, a temporary sally port must be maintained and used to maintain safety standards for our patients.

Question: 2

Is there any supplied materials by owner that require factory trained technicians?

VHA Response: The VA supplied materials are outlined in drawing A1.00 Floor Plan. These VA provided, Contractor installed (V/C) items include 11-27: Existing Television, 12-01: Bolted Down

Patient Bed, 12-02: Bolted Down Dining Table, and 12-03: Bolted Down Night Stand. These listed items do not require factory trained technicians for installation.

Question: 3

Are we allowed to utilize our Procore system for submittals?

VHA Response: Yes, there is precedent for this. See the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting

Specialist for details; the COR and alternate COR for the project will need to be given access as approvers, as well as the A/E stakeholders/approval authorities. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Are we allowed to utilize our Procore system for management of project RFI’s etc.?

VHA Response: Yes, there is precedent for this. See the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting

Specialist for details; the COR and alternate COR for the project will need to be given access as approvers, as well as the A/E stakeholders/approval authorities. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Question: 4

Can the superintendent perform duel hat responsibility’s functions as superintendent and quality control manager?

VHA Response: No, the superintendent shall not be the quality control manager. Superintendents must be full-time superintendents: superintending solely for this project and no others.

Question: 5

Can the Site Safety Officer also perform the superintendent and quality control functions ie Triple hat

Functions?

VHA Response: The Site Safety Officer may be either the superintendent or the quality control manager or may be a separate individual.

The superintendent shall not be the quality control manager. Superintendents must be full-time superintendents: superintending solely for this project and no others.

Question: 6

If the substrates after flooring removal is completed and does not meet the substrate requirements this would indicate an unforeseen site condition?

VHA Response: If the general contractor had no way of inspecting nor anticipating substrate condition prior to floor removal, and removing the flooring revealed deficient substrates, this may be an unforeseen site condition; determination is up to the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Specialist to authorize a decision. In no other case shall this be assumed nor authorized. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Are we required to provide All of the floors to include a moisture remediation coating?

VHA Response: Yes, this is required.

Question: 7

Has there been an asbestos flooring analysis performed on the flooring being removed?

VHA Response: Yes, in 2022. Analysis report attached in related response below.

Question: 8

Drawing G1.00 Phasing notes 1. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL ACCOMPLISH THE WORK FOR

EACH PHASE WITH MINIMAL INTERRUPTIONS AND AGITATION OF PATIENTS. IF

PATIENTS BECOME AGITATED, WORK WILL BE SUSPENDED AND MAY START AGAIN

WITH APPROVAL OF THE CO,CS, COR OR THE NURSE MANAGER.

Will we be allowed additional contact time for extended shutdowns if we document the shutdown periods?

VHA Response: Consult the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Specialist for details, as they are the authorities for this. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Question: 9

Drawing G1.00 Phasing notes 6. CONTRACTOR'S SCHEDULE HAS TO INCLUDE VA MOVE

TIME.

Can you provide the amount of time to allocate for the VA to move into the spaces?

VHA Response: Amount of time necessary for VA patients and staff to move from impacted areas to areas not impacted by a given phase will depend upon the patient census and should be coordinated daily between the COR, general contractor, and 4B nursing staff. At no point shall contractor(s) presume nor be authorized to begin work on-site without clearing status of patients and nurses with the

COR. A minimum of 2 days per phase shall be provided for relocation of patients, staff, and equipment.

Question: 10

Drawing G1.00 Phasing notes 7. THE PROJECT DURATION HAS 90 DAYS INCLUDED IN THE

BEGINNING OF THE JOB FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTORS TO

COORDINATE WITH THE VA FOR ID BADGES. BACKGROUND CHECKS, ETC. WILL NEED

TO BE COMPLETED FOR ID BADGING. NO CONTRACTOR SHALL BE ABLE TO BE ON A

JOB SITE WITHOUT THE OFFICIAL ID BADGE. TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR ALL

CONTRACTORS WHO WISH TO ACCESS THE SITE.

If the badging process takes more than 90 days are we able to extend the contract time?

VHA Response: If the root cause of the badging process delay lies with the VA, the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Specialist may authorize an extension. In no other case shall this be assumed nor authorized. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Question: 11

Drawing G1.00 Phasing notes 8. REMODEL WING 4B – PHASING SCHEDULE STANDARD

WORK HOURS FOR THE FARGO VA MEDICAL CENTER ARE MONDAY–FRIDAY, 8:00 A.M.

TO 4:00 P.M. AFTER HOURS WORK MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACTOR PENDING

NOISE, VIBRATION OR OTHER CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS THAT WOULD LIMIT CARE TO

PATIENTS.

Can you provide the after-work hours start time and end time?

VHA Response: As the mental health ward houses patient sleeping quarters, the expected after-work hours shall be from 1700 (5 PM) until 1900 (7 PM) local time, to not disturb sleeping patients after 7

PM, nor to disrupt group therapy sessions that occur during normal business hours, nor to disrupt the patients’ morning routines.

Question: 12

Drawing G1.00 Pre-Construction Phasing Activities

The department is to remain operational, for work in phase 2 will patients and staff be occupying or using this area?

VHA Response: The patients and staff shall not be inside of active construction areas. Areas not under construction during phase 2 will be considered occupied by patients and staff.

Will patients and staff be occupying or using Phase 1 area?

VHA Response: The patients and staff shall not be inside of active construction areas. Areas not under construction during phase 1 will be considered occupied by patients and staff.

Will patients and staff be occupying or using Phase 3 area?

VHA Response: The patients and staff shall not be inside of active construction areas. Areas not under construction during phase 3 will be considered occupied by patients and staff.

Question: 13

Drawing G2.00 Detail 4 - Are we allowed to provide temporary barriers to underside of ceiling system in lieu of deck?

VHA Response: All changes to allow construction activities must meet NFPA 101, outlined ICRA and

PCRA requirements (Class IV), be represented with ILSMs as applicable and prevent patient elopement to maintain safety requirements for patients and staff.

Question: 14

Drawing G2.00 Detail 4 - Would light containment systems similar to STARC be utilized in lieu of 1-hour partitions?

VHA Response: No, STARC and similar light containment systems are not robust enough to prevent patient elopement and are therefore not acceptable solutions in lieu of 1-hour-rated hard partitions and barriers.

Question: 15

Owner provided equipment

Can you provide product data, delivery times for equipment to incorporated into work which is owner supplied and contractor installed?

VHA Response: Please find attached the product information for the new beds, night stands, tables, and chairs supplied by VA and to be installed by contractor:

Product Data Photo of yellow.pdf

Question: 16

Spec Section 01 33 23 Section 1.10.D states the VA review period is 21 days.

Does that include the VA provided AE review time as well?

VHA Response: The A/E review period is included in the VA’s review period if the RFI/submittal is disbursed simultaneously and in parallel.

However, the total review period of both the VA review and the A/E review shall not exceed 21 days if not disbursed simultaneously and in parallel, with a guarantee of 21 days of review provided to the VA for submittals and a guarantee of 14 days of review provided to the VA for RFIs.

Question: 17

Will any of the commissioning for this project require commissioning services for existing systems in the building?

VHA Response: Electrical and HVAC commissioning may be required; onus on general contractor to provide and retain commissioning services as needed.

Question: 18

General Note – Was there an asbestos study performed in the remodeled areas.?

VHA Response: Yes, there was in 2022.

Would you Please provide the asbestos report in the bidding documents.

VHA Response: Yes. Attached here:

4B ACM

Analysis.xlsx

Relevant items: rows 101-177: rooms in wing 4B. ACM consists of nonfriable transite panels and pucks remaining from removal of steam heaters.

Question: 19

Will time be added to the project is the badging period goes beyond the 120-day allotment due to

Government review time & process?

VHA Response: If the root cause of the badging process delay lies with the VA, the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Specialist may authorize an extension. In no other case shall this be assumed nor authorized. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Assuming the GC is moving forward with badging submissions at a reasonable pace?

VHA Response: If the root cause of the badging process delay lies with the VA, the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Specialist may authorize an extension. In no other case shall this be assumed nor authorized. Fair and reasonable requests shall be considered.

Question: 20

If badging requirements change after the award, to a laborious method or requirements, would this be justifiable for additional costs?

Question: 21

Is there any elevation drawings for the window specifically?

VHA Response: Yes, See attached AutoCAD drawing and/or .pdf for more details:

Elevation Schedule

Looking to confirm window sizes for the film SOW and painting take offs if these can be provided, please?

FourFront Design as the CPS engineers Response: From existing drawings the existing window size at the nurse station is roughly 24”x32”; this was verified by VHA staff. See above attached

AutoCAD drawing and/or .pdf for more details.

Question: 22

If days are lost to the necessary and unforeseen patient care, will these be added into the Period of

Performance later to compensate?

Question: 23

Ligature resistant construction partitions and hardware, including handles. Is there a make and model to reference for pricing and procurement?

VHA Response: For temporary construction partitions, no specific ligature resistant hardware manufacturer required. Follow drawings and specifications for temp construction barriers and per Fargo

VA requirements.

Question: 24

Hand Painted signs. Are these to match existing style or be updated/revised?

VHA Response: The project should maintain station standards for signage.

Is there a stencil available or can the General Contractor submit a stencil for approval?

VHA Response: The VHA does not have a stencil for signage. A submitted stencil may be approved in conformance with station standards.

Question: 25

Can the SSHO & Superintendent roles be a dual-hatted individual or must they be two separate people?

VHA Response: The Site Safety Officer may be either the superintendent or the quality control manager or may be a separate individual. The superintendent shall not be the quality control manager.

Superintendents must be full-time superintendents: superintending solely for this project and no others.

Question: 26

Will badging requirements be implemented for testing agency staff who will only be onsite 1 or 2 times throughout the project period of performance?

VHA Response: Testing agency staff and subcontractor staff on-site less than 15 days per calendar year may be provisioned a temporary badge with escort in lieu of full background check and badging process.

Would an escort be acceptable for them?

VHA Response: Testing agency staff and subcontractor staff onsite less than 15 days per calendar year may be provisioned a temporary badge with escort in lieu of full background check and badging process.

Question: 27

I would like to submit the following substitution request for the Acoustical Ceilings (09 51 00):

- Specified: Armstrong Fissured

- Proposed: USG Radar

Data page and substitution form are attached.

USG Radar

Datasheet

Substitution Form

FourFront Design as the CPS engineers Response: The USG Fissured Basic Firecode tiles would be a closer match to our original specification. However, our original specification required hold-down clips as the offices this product will be installed in will be inside an Inpatient Mental Health Unit. Please ask them if the alternate product has hold down clips available like our original specification. If they can provide that their substitute has hold down clips then we can approve the substitute USG Radar.