Amendment_0001_to_SB1341-17-RQ-0089.docx

Amendment 0001 to RFQ SB1341-17-RQ-0089 Amendment 0001 to Request for Quotations (RFQ) SB1341-17-RQ-0089 incorporates questions received in response to RFQ SB1341-17-RQ-0089. The questions and answers are as follows:

Industry Question 1: Is there a Piping and Instrumentation drawing available for this system which can be supplied prior to the bid due date?

NIST Response to Industry Question 1: All drawings have been made available within the solicitation. Refer to Section J of SB1341-17-RQ-0089.

Industry Question 2: Will there be any kind of job walk or opportunity to meet with NIST to discuss the project prior to bid due date?

NIST Response to Industry Question 2: NIST will accommodate a site visit. The site visit is hereby scheduled for January 4, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern at the NIST Gaithersburg Campus. The site visit will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. Attendees must be on-site by 9:30 a.m. The site visit shall allow Contractors to view the location of the Helium Refrigerator. Potential Contractors are strongly encouraged to attend the site visit. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award. Attendees shall convene at NIST Building 235 entrance area. Below is the address for the NIST Gaithersburg Campus:

NIST

100 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Site Visit Security Requirements

Because of heightened security, Contractors who are planning to attend the site visit shall e-mail their intention to attend to Cory Worley, at Cory.Worley@nist.gov, not later than 12:00pm on December 30, 2016 with the following information:

1) Company name

2) Names of all individuals attending the site visit

3) Country of Citizenship of all individuals attending the site visit

For non-US Citizens, the following additional information will be required:

1) Title

2) Employer/Sponsor

3) Address

Failure to register will result in individuals being denied access to NIST, and subsequently, the site visit.

It is the sole responsibility of each Contractor to register for the site visit.

Contractors must pick up a Visitor's Badge at the Visitor's Registration Center located at the Main Gate (Gate A, off Bureau Drive). Please ensure all individuals bring photo identification or they will be denied access to the facility.

Effective July 21, 2014, under the REAL ID Act of 2005, federal agencies, including NIST, can only accept a state-issued driver’s license or identification card for access to federal facilities if issued by states that are REAL ID compliant or have an extension. Please visit the DHS web site for the most up-to-date status for each state/territory.

NIST currently accepts other forms of federally issued identification in lieu of a state-issued driver’s license, such as a valid:

Passport; Passport Card; DOD’s Common Access Card (CAC); Veterans ID; Federal Agency HSPD-12 IDs; Military Dependents ID; Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC); TSA Trusted Traveler ID.

Industry Question 3: Will the Contractor be required to supply all materials for the refrigerator in the event that non-described deficiencies are exposed?

Response to Industry Question 3: Refer to Page 3 of the solicitation “Schedule Continued” and Sections IV. and VI. of the Statement of Work. The Government will provide the Turbine Cartilage and spare.

Industry Question 4: Is the Contactor required to supply all leak detectors and vacuum pumps that may be required to prepare the system for operation?

Response to Industry Question 4: The Government will provide the leak detector and vacuum equipment.

Industry Question 5: Will NIST furnish a suitable space for a field office to work out of or should the Contactor procure a temporary office trailer for this purpose, and is there a place there to locate this office trailer?

Response to Industry Question 5: The Government is willing to provide an office space in the engineering section of building 235 if necessary.

Industry Question 6: Is the compressor oil already installed and is it properly processed for use in a helium refrigerator? This is a process over and above the oil manufacturer’s normal process.

Response to Industry Question 6: The Compressors have been completely commissioned. The overall condition of the system is that it will be operable and capable of cooling down using LN2.

Industry Question 7: Were the compressor shafts properly aligned after compressor installation or is this task the responsibility of the Contractor? This data must be made available prior to bidding.

Response to Industry Question 7: The Compressors have been completely commissioned.

Industry Question 8: Has any electrical checkout been performed?

Response to Industry Question 8: The Government will be responsible for the proper electrical configuration.

Industry Question 9: Is there a control program available that Eden had intended to use for the operation of the refrigerator? What types of equipment have been selected for the control system? Can it be controlled remotely?

Response to Industry Question 9: The overall condition of the system is that it will be operable and capable of cooling down using LN2. The PLC and HMI supplied by Eden is operational and can run the system remotely.

Industry Question 10: Are there other tasks to perform that are not on Eden’s list of items 48 through 55? Who is responsible for all the tasks that are required but not on this list?

Response to Industry Question 10: The Government is responsible for all tasks not identified in the specification.

Industry Question 11: Is equipment installed to indicate the loading of the test heater’s wattage?

Response to Industry Question 11: The analog out (4-20 mA) signal from the PLC are used to control the heaters and can be used to represent the wattage.

Industry Question 12: Is there a preliminary O&M Manual available for this equipment?

Response to Industry Question 12: No. There is not a preliminary O&M manual.

Industry Question 13: If the Contractor determines that it would be prudent to contact Air Liquide for some of the turbine installation and turbine startup as general assistance and to ensure that all aspects of the turbine are proper, will this cost be the responsibility of the Contractor or would NIST cover the cost of Air Liquide directly?

Response to Industry Question 13: It is the responsibility of the Contractor to work with whomever it may please to have the required work completed accordingly. This shall be a cost included in the Contractor’s quotation.

Industry Question 14: Are there lengthy security forms that must be completed by our personnel, or training that must be done by NIST that included the appropriate amount of time in our bid?

Response to Industry Question 14: The Contractor shall assume it would take at least one (1) workday for personnel to complete security forms and training.

Industry Question 15: Is the helium purity monitoring equipment to be supplied by the Contractor or is this something that NIST will take handle? Has a HazOps been conducted and approved?

Response to Industry Question 15: The Government will provide the equipment required to verify helium purity. The system will be within the required helium purity at the start of the contract.

Industry Question 16: Has the NIST safety department already approved the design and installation of the system in its current state?

Response to Industry Question 16: The NCNR safety department and hazard review committee are aware of the project requirements and it will be the Government’s responsibility to address any issues that appear during the startup.

Industry Question 17: Is there any reason that the Contractor will be required to enter the cold box, such as verify the instruments previously installed?

Response to Industry Question 17: No. There is no reason for the Contractor to enter the cold box.

Industry Question 18: Has Air Liquide provided the program for the turbine controls?

Response to Industry Question 18: The control codes for operation of the turbine are already incorporated in to the PLC. The values of constants, time delays and alarm set points are not included. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to complete the programing.

Industry Question 19: How many NIST cold source team members can be used in the 40-day operational test? How many will be trained in the He Refrigeration operation?

Response to Industry Question 19: Refer to Section C.1 Statement of Work, Section IV.r. of the solicitation.

Industry Question 20: What constitutes a non-satisfactory 40-day operation test? What would be the Contractor’s responsibility for repeating all or some of the test?

Response to Industry Question 20: The refrigerator has to run for 40-days continuous to be functional. Failures that occur during testing will be repaired by the Government. Refrigerator control issues will be the Contractor’s responsibility. It will be the Government’s decision whether the test has to be restarted or can be continued from the last point of failure.

Industry Question 21: Can the Eden Refrigerator Performance Specification BC-02283 be provided to the Contractor prior to the bid due date?

Response to Industry Question 21: Refer to Section J of the solicitation.

Industry Question 22: It is not possible to quote this project as a firm-fixed-price with all the information missing as to what is actually at NIST, what needs to be added or corrected (in our judgement), whether the system’s design can perform (to meet the specified output) in its’ current configuration, etc. Will NIST consider any other types of contract? Currently, without knowing all the above, there is far too much risk to even consider a firm-fixed contract.

Response to Industry Question 22: No. At this time NIST will not consider any other contract type.

Industry Question 23: Would NIST consider a paid study by a He Refrigeration Consultant to answer all the question above and provide a report to NIST on what tasks need to be completed for System Start-up and operation?

Response to Industry Question 23: No. NIST will not consider a paid study by a He Refrigeration Consultant.

Industry Question 24: Would NIST consider prior experience beyond the previous 3 years, as these systems usually only occur every ten years in this country? The Consultant would therefor contract directly with Air Liquide and other who would meet the previous 3 years’ experience requirement.

Response to Industry Question 24: Yes. NIST will consider prior experience beyond the previous three (3) years.