Attachment_5_Questions_ _Answers_(Final_Round).doc

QUESTION & ANSWERS (FINAL ROUND):

SB1341-14-RP-0017

21. QUESTION: Will the contractor or NIST be responsible for providing temporary power for the welding inverters used by the contractor for this project? If it is the contractor’s responsibility please specify as to what procedure needs to be taken to tie into the NIST electrical system?

ANSWER: As NIST is unaware of every welding inverter or other electric welding equipment in the market place, it is impossible to answer this question. The contract specifications 011000 para 1.5 discusses that each building will have an outage. If the contractor desired to utilize an electric based welder, the government is willing to allow the contractor the ability to install a bus duct switch up to 100 amperes at 480 V in the attic bus duct, to power the inverter.

The contractor would be granted the outage for this bus duct interconnection on the same weekend as the meter outage. The bus duct switch (fused) would have to be removed in the same weekend as the outage.

Please refer to the questions herein to determine the approximate distance from the attic to the service entry room. The distances will vary slightly due to existing bus duct switches.

For buildings 235 & 215 no temporary power is available.

Bus ducts are only available in buildings 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 233. These are the buildings where a temporary power connection can be permitted.

For buildings 101, 202, 203, 206, 230, 231, 236, 237, 245, 301, 302, 303, 304, 312 and 320 NIST may allow the contractor to make a temporary power connection on the outage weekend providing that the building has sufficient capacity based on the size of the proposed equipment. Since NIST is unaware of the offeror’s equipment we are unable to provide distances to the potential connection points. Thus the availability can’t be determined. NIST will not evaluate potential offeror’s equipment during the solicitation phase.

22. QUESTION: Are strap on temperature sensors acceptable? If not are all temperature sensors to be installed in well and signal retransmitted to the GE flow computer and back to the energy management system?

ANSWER: No strap on temperature sensors are allowed. As indicated on drawings temperature sensors are to be installed in thermowells and connected to flow meter for energy calculations performed in flow meter ( i.e GE flow computer as cited in question ). Data then transmitted over network to energy management system

23. QUESTION: Are strap on temperature sensors acceptable for the chilled water meters?

ANSWER: Strap on temperature sensors are not acceptable.

24. QUESTION: Does NIST WANT DRY WELL TEMP on the steam measurement?

ANSWER: NO, the design is based on measuring temperature of steam condensate.

Dry well temperature sensor is specified for both Chilled water (supply and return) and Condensate. Temperature sensors shall be installed as indicated on drawings.

25. QUESTION: Are all temperature sensors to be mounted in thermo wells with transmitters?

ANSWER: Yes all temperature sensors to be mounted in thermo wells with transmitters.

26. QUESTION: Can the Water Detection Ethernet connection be utilized for communication back to the BAS network?

ANSWER: Yes, Water Detection Ethernet connection can be utilized for communication back to the BAS network. This question is not specific to any building. Please refer to each building drawing for location of Water Detection Panels.

26a. QUESTION: Based upon response #17, the wiring shown on the typical “BAS System Architecture Riser Diagram, Detail # 5 “, it illustrates a light gray line from (E) Media Converter Connection Hub. Please confirm that bidders are not required to wire and provide raceway to this (E) Media Converter.

ANSWER: Except for buildings 233, 236, 237, 301/303 and 312, there is no requirement to provide wire and raceway to the existing Media Converter. For buildings 233, 236, 237, 301/303 and 312, allot 200 feet cable and raceway length to tie in to Media Converter.

27.

QUESTION: Dwg 101-957 What is the distance from the new metering panel in A-101 to the network hub? Where is the BAS Ethernet hub.

ANSWER: Dwg 101-957 has identified new metering panel in Mechanical room D01 NOT A-101. A water detection panel is also identified in D01. Per DWG 101-959 metering panel is tied to an existing water detection panel. The location, distance, of the hub is not necessary to prepare an offer.

28. QUESTION: Dwg 101-958 Where is the Ethernet hub.

ANSWER: Dwg 101-957 has identified hub location in A23. Refer to the answer to question 27 for more clarification.

29. QUESTION: Dwg 202-002 Where is the Ethernet hub.

ANSWER: There is no contract drawing DWG 202-002. Refer to 202-348 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram, new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing ACU-5 BAS panel to establish communication to network. The location, distance, of the hub is not necessary to prepare an offer

30. QUESTION: Dwg 215-280 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: DWG 215-280; “BUILDING 215 LEVEL ONE PART PLAN SGINAL ROOM C202” identified Network Media Converter Connecting Hub within 100 feet of existing water detection panel. Per DWG 215-282 “BAS SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE RISER DIAGRAM” (Detail 5) the new BAS metering cabinet shall be connected to existing water detection panel not the hub.

31. QUESTION: Dwg 220-634 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: DWG 220-634 identified hub location in signal vault basement area. Refer to 220-635 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram, new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing water detection panel located in the mechanical room.

The location, distance, of the hub is not necessary to prepare an offer

32. QUESTION: Dwg 221-438 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: DWG 221-438 has not identified any hub location. Refer to 221-439 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5), new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing water detection panel located in service entry room and ACU-8 BAS panel in attic room 400 (refer to DWG 221-438) for attic work.

The location, distance, of the hub is not necessary to prepare an offer

33. QUESTION: Dwg 222-690 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER:

Offeror shall refer to response #17. For Building 222 refer to DWG 222-692 for the BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5). This detail shows riser interconnections between panel/equipment. DWG 222-690 shows the location of interconnected panel/equipment. DWG 222-690 is scalable for offerors to determine distances. For DWG 222-691 panel shown at column “J & 4” offeror shall allot 150 feet to get to service entry room shown on DWG 222-690.

The distance to the hub for building 222 is not relevant to the scope of this project building.

34. QUESTION: Dwg 222-691 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Refer to answer to question 33.

35. QUESTION: Dwg 222-690 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Refer to answer to question 33.

36. QUESTION: Dwg 225-685 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Refer to answer to question 33.

37. QUESTION: Dwg 227-132 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Offeror shall refer to the answer to question 17.

The distance to the hub for building 227 is not relevant to the scope of this project building.

38. QUESTION: Dwg 230-178 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Offeror shall refer to the answer to question 17. Refer to 230-179 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5), new BAS metering cabinet installed at basement level mechanical room 04 as shown on 230-178, shall be tied in to existing BAS panel for ACU-2 located nearby signal room 02. Cable and raceway length from room 02 at basement level to service entry at basement level room is 200 feet.

The distance to the hub for building 230 is not relevant to the scope of this project building.

39. QUESTION: Dwg 231-484 Where is the BAS network hub?

ANSWER:

Offeror shall refer to the answer to question 17.

The distance to the hub for building 231 is not relevant to the scope of this project building.

40. QUESTION: Dwg 233-115 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: The cable and raceway length is 315 feet.

41. QUESTION: Dwg 235-852 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: Refer to 235-852 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5), new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing BAS Global controller in basement ACU-7. Cable and raceway length is 800 feet from new BAS metering panel to BAS global controller at ACU-7

42. QUESTION: Dwg 236-553 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: The cable and raceway length is 200 feet.

43. QUESTION: Dwg 237-129 Where is the BAS Ethernet connection?

ANSWER: NIST will provide a new data drop in room 109 where existing BAS panel is to be located.

44. QUESTION: Dwg 245-433 Where is the BAS Ethernet connection?

ANSWER: Offeror shall refer to the answer to question 17. Refer to 245-434 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5), new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing water detection panel (refer to building plans for location).

45. QUESTION: Dwg 301-345 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: The cable and raceway length is 350 feet.

46. QUESTION: Dwg 302-488 What is the distance from the new metering panel to the network hub?

ANSWER: The cable and raceway length is 150 feet.

47. QUESTION: Dwg 312-039 Where is the BAS Ethernet connection?

ANSWER: NIST will provide a new data drop in room 100 where new BAS metering panel is to be located.

48. QUESTION: Dwg 320-152 Where is the BAS Ethernet connection?

ANSWER: Refer to the answer to question 17. Refer to 320-153 BAS system Architecture Riser Diagram (detail 5), new BAS metering cabinet shall be tied in to existing BAS Global controller located within mechanical room (lower level).

49. QUESTION: The NIST specification 230519 2.2 Flow Meters section shows General Electric Company for Ultrasonic Thermal Energy Meters and ABB Inc for Vortex or Swirl Flow Meters with no substitutions unless approved by the government. In the interest of competitive pricing we are requesting NIST consider Sitrans FUE101 Ultrasonic Meter and Sitrans FX300 for Vortex meters which meet the specification requirements. Under solicitation SB1341-14-RP-0017, Will NIST allow Sitrans FUE101 Ultrasonic Meter and Sitrans FX300 for Vortex meters be used as a substitution?

ANSWER: NIST engineered a system to meet the requirements. Each meter in the marketplace has unique installation requirements. This is different than the performance of each meter. In order for a complete and usable system, NIST had to select a meter as a basis of design. For example, one of the criteria is installation, vendors require very specific locations where a meter can be installed for it to operate.

NIST is constrained on space and pipe lengths in our existing facilities. Simply replacing the specified meter with another meter has serious operational issues beyond simple performance. Firstly, there is the space issue identified above. Secondly, there is inter-operability with the existing BAS system specified in the contract documents.

Due to these issues and other issues not specifically discussed above, NIST is unable to permit substituting non specified meters at this time.

50. QUESTION: My company is finalizing our proposal in response to RFP SB1341-14-RP-0017 and wanted to confirm that NIST is requesting that the Pricing Worksheet be included in both Volume I, Business Proposal (criteria (A)(2) on page 57 of the solicitation document), AND in Volume II, Technical Proposal (criteria (iii)(F) on page 60.

ANSWER: 1352.215-70 Proposal Preparation of the solicitation has been revised to clarify the submission of the Pricing Worksheet. Attachment 3 Pricing Worksheet for SB1341-14-RP-0017 is part of the Business Proposal (Volume I), however “the offeror shall submit the Attachment 3 Pricing Worksheet for SB1341-14-RP-0017 as a separate Excel document.”

51. QUESTION: We are struggling to complete the proposal for this solicitation given its large number of CLIN’s and the upcoming holiday weekend. We request a 2 week extension to the proposal due date.

ANSWER: The due date and time for receipt of offers is extended by Amendment 002. Refer to block 14 of the SF 30 in Amendment 002.

52. QUESTION: Please confirm steam flow for the 16.0” line, bldg. 302, dwg 302-487 states 1620 #/hr @95 psi. Steam flow looks to be too low for a 16.0” line.

ANSWER: The design steam flow for rate at this pipe is 152,810 #/hr @ 150 psig.

53. QUESTION: Is dedicated electronics required for every Flow Meter point?

ANSWER: A common control panel at each location where meters are being installed is acceptable.

54. QUESTION: Throughout the drawings the “GPL” buildings show a chilled water return flow meter in the basement close to the service entrance and the chilled water supply flow meter in the 3rd floor chase. What is the purpose of having the meters installed in this configuration?

ANSWER: Due to physical space limitations for installation of meters, supply and return flow meters are located at different locations.