Special Announcement - Loma Linda - W912PL23B0007.pdf

Special Notification

Intent to Sole Source-Brand Name Only-Inclusion of the “brand name or equal” descriptions identified in the design for an upcoming solicitation W912PL23B0007, a new firm fixed-price construction contract to renovate medical support and food service areas at the Loma Linda

Veteran Affairs Medical Center (MC/facility). The portion of the acquisition which includes

“brand name” components is the plans and specifications prepared by CA Architects and supplied to USACE SPL by the MC.

The customer, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has established the Andover HVAC

Controls as the required system for installation in the newly renovated spaces. Andover HVAC

Controls is a brand of building automation and control systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.

Description

In support of the VA Loma Linda Medical Center Renovate Medical Support, the scope of project is to convert laundry room to clinical space, renovate spaces for new functions, and to replace existing cart washer. The renovation will improve operations for medical service support and improve efficiency of cart cleaning operations for Nutritional services.

Although the solicitation is an open Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

(SDVOSB) set aside, the successful awardee will be required, pursuant to the specifications, to install the Andover brand HVAC controls. Schneider Electric is the sole distributor of the

Andover system.

The MC is scheduled to award in November of 2023 a construction contract, to redesign, upgrade, and replace the current building automation system to include upgrading the HVAC system throughout the facility. This work involves consolidating and centralizing its control systems to Andover Continuum.

Standardizing the HVAC system at the facility will:

a) Allow for storage of spare parts inventory for one manufacturer rather than multiple systems. The facility has limited storage space. Having to stock additional spare parts inventory would require the purchase of a storage container.

b) Will reduce the total cost of ownership to the MC by eliminating inefficiencies and duplication in cost by eliminating the need for MC facility maintenance to be trained in multiple control systems and for the MC having to contract multiple licensed technicians to maintain multiple systems. The Andover control system allows for the facility maintenance to make more adjustments than comparable control systems on the market that restricts adjustments with proprietary programming. The benefit of this is that it allows for the MC facility maintenance to address low level trouble calls without having to call out a technician to address costing the facility money and delaying repairs. The

MC facility maintenance staff are fully training on the Andover system. Introducing a new control system will not only require the technicians to learn another system but also require coordination between two service technicians to address trouble calls when connected systems are in alarm.

c) The Department of Veterans Affairs Loma Linda Healthcare System has a for preventive maintenance of HVAC, exhaust fans, chillers, cooling towers, The Automated system

(DDC controls), and variable speed drives. One of the provisions of that contract states that: Schneider Electric Andover Terminals and (Schneider Electric) Andover Control

System must be worked and maintained with a Schneider Electric (Andover) authorized representative.

d) If another control other than Andover is permitted to be installed it would be in opposition to the facilities effort to standardize the HVAC controls and improve efficiency of the system per the Energy Reduction Requirements as stated in the VA

HVAC Design Manual (Chapter 1 paragraph 1.2.2). The facility will incur a redundancy in cost by having to replace the non- Andover control with an Andover control.

e) Impacts associated with multiple HVAC controls:

1. Operation & Maintenance issues: With multiple HVAC controls in a building system adds complexity to the building management. The facility maintenance staff will need to be trained in maintaining multiple systems which can lead to confusion, errors, and inefficiencies in system operation and maintenance. The time it takes to get resolution and repair with components from multiple manufactures adds significant risk to the reliability of the HVAC system providing the required rate of air exchange critical to sensitive areas. This increased risk translates to unacceptable delays in providing reliable care to patients in terms of proper temperature, humidity, and air exchange to minimize infections.

2. Compatibility issues: Multiple HVAC controls may not be compatible with each other, which can cause problems with system integration and coordination. This can lead to issues such as inconsistent temperatures, uneven airflow, and inefficient energy usage. While it is the contractor’s responsibility to resolve such issues of compatibility the MC remains at risk of poor performance in the long run impacting the air quality for patients and staff during down time which is unacceptable.

3. Increased maintenance and repair costs: If the controls are not standardized, it is more difficult to stock multiple brand specific replacement parts and an increase in cost having to contract with multiple technicians with the necessary expertise to service the systems. The facility currently has a service contract for the Andover system and would need to procure another service contract to maintain another system which is a redundancy in cost to the facility.

The information identified above is intended to be descriptive of why it is imperative the Brand

Name Only – Andover HVAC Controls.

Responses to this announcement should include company name, address, point of contact, phone number, and point of contact e-mail, UEI Number, Cage Code, size of business pursuant to

North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 236220.

Please answer the following questions: (Please be aware that this procurement will be restricted to Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

1) Provide how the additional inventory of spare parts will not impact the facilities limited storage and need for the purchase of a storage container.

2) Provide how the MC will not experience inefficiencies and duplication in cost resulting from the need for MC facility maintenance to be trained in multiple control systems

3) Provide how the MC will not incur additional costs by having to contract multiple licensed technicians to maintain multiple systems.

4) Provide how incurring a redundancy in cost, by having to replace the non- Andover control with an Andover control, can be avoided.

5) Provide an alternative to using Andover HVAC Controls equipment, with supporting rationale, that would alleviate the Government’s concerns regarding system compatibility.

6) Provide an alternative to using Andover HVAC Controls equipment, with supporting rationale, that would alleviate the Government’s concerns regarding duplication of training costs.

7) Provide rationale as to how a on non-integrated HVAC control system (using other than

Andover HVAC Controls equipment) will result in a more reliable HVAC supply (than an integrated system using only Andover HVAC Controls equipment) to ensure that patient care and safety is not impacted.

This notice does not commit the government to contract for any supplies or services. The government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Special Notice. Information will only be accepted in writing by e-mail to Contract

Specialist at Ashley Ashley.s.powell@usace.army.mil and

James.m.costantino@usace.army.mil.

DISCLAIMER This Special Notification is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this notice that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice mailto:Ashley.s.powell@usace.army.mil are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Special

Notification