Statement of Work.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Title: NIST Radio Tower Inspection, Maintenance, Repair, and Modification Requesting Lab: Physical Measurement Laboratory

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) owns sixteen (16) radio antenna towers located at 5701 CO-1, Fort Collins, CO 80524. These towers are used by NIST radio stations WWVB (Reference 1) and WWV (Reference 2). The towers form and/or support antennas that transmit standard time, standard frequencies, and NOAA space-weather information to the public. Regular inspection, maintenance, repairs, and modifications made relative to industry standards are required to keep the towers 1) operating continuously and safely under the range of expected weather conditions experienced in Ft. Collins, Colorado and

2) safe to climb when inspections, maintenance, repairs, or modifications are needed. There is also an urgent requirement to re-sheave the halyard at Tower 4 and replace the halyards on all four towers (Towers 1, 2, 3, and 4) that comprise the southern antenna of WWVB.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

NIST seeks to award a one (1) year contract with four (4) one-year option year contracts to a contractor to provide inspection, maintenance, repair, and modifications necessary to ensure the safety and functionality of sixteen (16) radio antenna towers in Ft. Collins, Colorado used by NIST radio stations WWVB (Reference 1) and WWV (Reference 2) to transmit standard time, standard frequencies, and space-weather information to the public.

The inspections to be held in year one (1) and option year four (4) of the contract shall document the condition of the towers and antenna systems and any maintenance, repairs, and modifications required to bring the tower and antenna systems into compliance with the Motorola R56 standard (Standards and Guidelines for Communication Sites, Reference 3); the ANSI/TIA 222-G standard and its update ANSI/TIA 222-H (Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures, Antennas and Small Wind Turbine Support Structures, Reference 4) for tower safety (including climbing safety), structural integrity, and electrical compliance (including grounding);

and the Colorado Code (including paragraph 43-10-117 on markings) and applicable local codes.

The contractor shall prioritize the necessary tower and antenna maintenance, repairs, and modifications based on the need to ensure the safety of climbers and of employees and visitors to the site. Non-safety related maintenance, repairs, and modifications shall also be prioritized based on their impact on maintaining the functionality of the towers and antenna systems. Price estimates shall be provided for each maintenance, repair, and modification action, and a determination shall be made by NIST on whether 1) the contractor should perform the work while on site performing the initial inspection, 2) the contractor should perform the work at some other time, or 3) the work should be deferred. Tower and antenna maintenance, repairs, and modifications shall be prioritized using the following three categories:

1. Low (No present or future impact on the ability to broadcast from the antenna or to safely climb/operate the tower)

2. Moderate (Not expected to impact the ability to broadcast from the antenna or safely climb/operate the tower in the next 3 years)

3. High (Significant risk that either the ability to broadcast from the antenna or safely climb/operate the tower will be impacted in the next 3 years)

Here, safely climb/operate implies that the towers and antennas meet the safety-related standards discussed in the second paragraph of section II.

The base year shall also include repair of the capacitive top hat, which will require the contractor to re-sheave the halyard, which has jumped off the sheave on tower 4. This will allow the insulator to be lowered to the ground and reattached to the top hat by NIST staff. Also, the halyards on towers 1 - 4 need to be replaced. The replacement halyards will be supplied by

NIST.

Additional maintenance, repairs, and modifications may take place at any time after the initial inspections in the base year of the contract. Option years 2 and 3 will be devoted to maintenance, repairs, and modifications identified in the Year 1 inspection, but not addressed in Year 1.

Option Year 5 will be devoted to maintenance, repairs, and modifications identified in option Year 4 that were not addressed in option Year 4. Unforeseen circumstances that may require emergency inspections and/or repairs may occur at any time during the contract. Additionally, a report shall be provided at the end of option Year 5 summarizing the health status of each tower and antenna system and any applicable outstanding items from the two inspections that have not been addressed.

The inspections and any applicable repairs shall comply with, or exceed the safety practices described in ANSI/ASSP A10.48-2023 Standard – Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures (Reference 5), including the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force safety policy of “100% Tie-off 24/7” and the Communication Tower Best Practices guide (Reference 6) developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Any authorized inspection, maintenance, repair, and modification actions that require the mounting of a gin pole, hoist, and temporary or permanent supports must comply with ANSI/TIA 322 – Standard for Installation, Alteration & Maintenance of Antenna Supporting Structures and Antennas.

Applicable documents and background information are available from the following links:

1. https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb

2. https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv

3. https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.p df

4. https://tiaonline.org/press-release/tia-announces-publication-of-tia-222-h-standard-for-antennas-and-the-supporting-structures-for-antennas-and-small-wind-turbines/

5. https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/asse/ansiasspa10482023

6. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3877.pdf

All work conducted under this Scope of Work shall comply with 29 CFR 1910 and 1926, as applicable.

III. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide all support for project oversight, administration, and technical https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf https://tiaonline.org/press-release/tia-announces-publication-of-tia-222-h-standard-for-antennas-and-the-supporting-structures-for-antennas-and-small-wind-turbines/ https://tiaonline.org/press-release/tia-announces-publication-of-tia-222-h-standard-for-antennas-and-the-supporting-structures-for-antennas-and-small-wind-turbines/ https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/asse/ansiasspa10482023 https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3877.pdf execution of this contract. The Contractor is responsible for maintaining accurate records of project activities. The Contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, materials, supplies, and services. The Contractor is responsible for all travel expenses under this contract.

IV. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The inspection shall comply with the safety practices described in ANSI/ASSP A10.48-2023 Standard – Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures (Reference 5), including the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force safety policy of “100% Tie-off 24/7” and the Communication Tower Best Practices guide (Reference 6) developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Any authorized inspection, maintenance, repair, and modification actions that require the mounting of a gin pole, hoist, permanent or temporary supports, and similar devices/structures must comply with ANSI/TIA 322 – Standard for Installation, Alteration & Maintenance of Antenna Supporting Structures and Antennas.

The inspections shall document the condition of the towers and any maintenance, repairs, and modifications required to bring the towers into compliance with Motorola R56 (Reference 3), ANSI/TIA 222-G, and its update ANSI/TIA 222-H standards (Reference 4) for tower safety (including climbing safety), structural integrity, and electrical compliance (including grounding).

V. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Everything (not limited to: tools, climbing gear, drones (if needed), vehicles, storage, supplies) needed for the work shall be provided by the Contractor. The Government is responsible for enabling gate access to the Ft. Collins, CO site for Contractor staff, as noted in Section XVII.

The Government is responsible for having at least one individual on the site with knowledge of the radio towers when the Contractor is present on the site. Except for Emergency Inspections and Repairs as described in Task 4 below, Contractor personnel are limited to the hours described in Section XVII to be onsite and are required to provide 14-days’ notice of their needs and hours to be onsite as noted in Section X.

VI. TASKS

a. Task 1—Development, documentation, and implementation of a safety and rescue plan for the Contractor’s personnel performing inspection, maintenance, repair, and modification of the radio towers and antenna systems on the NIST Ft. Collins site. The safety and rescue plan can consist of an overarching plan that covers all the towers with an appendix specific to the individual aspects of each of the towers and their antenna systems.

The inspection shall comply with the safety practices described in ANSI/ASSP A10.48-2023 Standard – Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures and the Communication Tower Best Practices guide developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and onsite team members should be familiar with these practices.

The following shall be demonstrated through written documentation and through a copy of the Contractor’s climber safety policies and procedures documentation prior to commencing work on the NIST site:

i. The Contractor shall provide records that demonstrate the tower climbers have met the requirements for designation as Competent Climber/Rescuers as defined by the NATE Climber/Rescuer Training Standard:

(https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/).

ii. That the contractor has implemented a “100% Tie-off 24/7” policy regarding all work being performed on the towers and has zero-tolerance for “free” climbing.

iii. That the Contractor has undertaken a Job Hazard Analysis and Emergency Action Plan/Rescue Plan specific to the site and to each of the towers to be climbed.

iv. That the Contractor will monitor the weather and daylight hours to ensure the climbing is safe and sufficient time is allowed for safe descent prior to inclement weather or dusk.

v. That the Contractor has an equipment inspection program and climbers comply with the requirements of the program.

vi. That the Contractor has a stop-work program for a near miss or more severe event to ensure a proper investigation of the cause and an incident investigation policy and associate procedures.

vii. That the Contractor has a process to check that climbers are mentally and physically able to safely climb prior to initiating a climb.

viii. That the Contractor has policies/procedures for helping to ensure that workers comply with safety policies and requirements.

For work involving maintenance, repair, or modification of a tower or antenna system (Task 3, Task 4, Task 5, and Task 6), the scope of bullets i through viii above shall be expanded to cover the specific work to be done. Moreover, any maintenance, repair, and modification actions that require the mounting of a gin pole, hoist, temporary or permanent supports, and similar devices/structures must comply with ANSI/TIA 322

– Standard for Installation, Alteration & Maintenance of Antenna Supporting Structures and Antennas.

b. Task 2 – Inspection of the sixteen (16) radio towers and their associated antenna systems on the NIST Ft. Collins site.

The inspection shall follow TIA 222-G, TIA 222-H, Motorola R56, 29 CFR 1910 and 1926, and include but is not limited to the following:

i. Confirmation of the heights and GPS locations of each tower.

ii. Examination of the towers and bases to identify/verify manufacturer, model, and installation date of each tower.

iii. Determination under ANSI/TIA-222-H Risk Category II, the maximum safe wind, ice, and earthquake loading for the towers and whether each of the towers meet or exceed these requirements. Provide recommendations for each https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/ https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/ tower about what magnitude of wind, ice, earthquake, or other extreme weather or geologic event or combination of events should lead to the consideration of a reinspection. Confirm that Risk Category II is appropriate for each of the towers.

iv. Determination of whether the guy wire anchor structures and tower bases are correct for the local frost depth level.

v. Determination on whether each of the towers is safe to climb based on the specifications of TIA 222-G, TIA 222-H for towers, and 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 for anchorages. If any tower is not safe to climb determine whether and how the tower can be retrofitted to make it safe to climb or whether it should be replaced. Inspection of towers determined to be unsafe to climb must be performed with UAVs/drones.

vi. Examination of the structural condition of the towers and their foundations to document evidence for damaged, loose, missing, or incorrect hardware/connections/structural components, damaged or deteriorating welds, or deterioration of the concrete bases.

vii. Inspection of each of the tower anchoring systems to check for corrosion of the iron/steel anchor rods as recommended in OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin on Communication Tower Guy Anchor Corrosion.

viii. Examination of painted, galvanized, uncoated, and concrete surfaces to assess level of deterioration, evidence of cracks or weld cracks, and whether corrosion is present.

ix. Inspection of climbing/climber-protection systems, ladders, safety cables, fall-protection anchorages, and other fall protection capabilities to ensure that towers can be safely climbed with 100% tie off always applied.

x. Inspection of guy wires for correct tension, corrosion, and signs of wear, and their ground and tower connections and anchors. Some of the high frequency towers (< 200 ft towers) have Kevlar guy wires.

xi. Examination of the vertical alignment of each of the towers and assessment of whether any adjustments/corrections are needed.

xii. Examination of ground straps, grounding points, and ground bars to ensure correct strap thickness/gauge and proper termination/grounding is in use.

xiii. Verification that aircraft warning lights and their placement and tower markings (painting—fading, peeling, and contrast) on the towers are performing/meeting requirements, including Colorado Code 43-10-117, and that all obscurations of warning lighting are within the maximum allowed limit established in FAA 70/7460

xiv. Examination of cables, installation, and cable-straps to assess their condition and whether any need replacement or repair. This includes the cable harnesses that make up and support the aerial top-hat systems on the WWVB antenna arrays. Detailed descriptions of the antenna systems are published here:

https://tf.nist.gov/general/pdf/1969.pdf.

xv. Inspection of the mechanical hardware and electrical connections on the top of the Helix House where the WWVB downlead is secured. A photo of some of the hardware on the Helix House is available at https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb/wwvb-photo-gallery.

https://tf.nist.gov/general/pdf/1969.pdf https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb/wwvb-photo-gallery https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb/wwvb-photo-gallery https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb/wwvb-photo-gallery

xvi. Verification that protection (markings, warning signs, locations of markings or signs) from radiofrequency radiation exposure and electrical hazards is consistent with industry standards.

c. Task 3 – Documentation and Analysis of Inspection Findings

i. Findings shall be documented in a detailed, written report with photographic evidence, with each photograph having an identification number and dated description.

ii. Findings involving safety shall be prioritized from lowest to highest based on the severity of the hazard they create and the likelihood of occurrence of the hazard (See Exhibit 4). Price estimates shall be provided for mitigating each of the deficiencies/hazards and a determination shall be made on the feasibility of addressing each of the findings while onsite.

iii. Findings potentially impacting the functionality of the antennas shall be prioritized from lowest to highest based on the magnitude of the impact on the ability to broadcast time, frequency, and space weather information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Price estimates shall be provided to mitigate each risk to continuity of radio broadcasts and a determination shall be made on the feasibility of addressing the findings while onsite.

d. Task 4 – Availability for Emergency Inspection or Repair

i. A situation may arise in which an emergency inspection or repair of one or more towers will be required, such as after a severe ice or windstorm, earthquake, warning-light failure, or guy wire or anchoring failure. The Contractor shall anticipate up to 2 emergency inspections per contract year.

ii. In the event that an emergency inspection or site visit may be required, NIST will request that the Contractor provide primary and secondary emergency phone contacts available 24/7 to discuss the situation and options with the expectation that either the primary or secondary emergency contact will be available for discussion within one (1) hour after initial call from NIST is made.

iii. The Contractor after initial site inspection shall provide within 60 calendar days contingency plans with prices for 2 possible response times, arriving on site within 24 hours and arriving on site within 7 calendar days, for the following scenarios.

1. Emergency replacement of a guy wire or failed anchor.

2. Emergency reinspection of the full site following a severe ice storm, windstorm, or earthquake, or similar disaster.

3. Emergency repair/replacement of out-of-service aircraft warning light(s) on a single tower.

4. Emergency inspection of up to two towers following a severe ice storm, windstorm, or earthquake, or similar disaster.

5. Loss or damage to the cables and antenna structures coupling the towers within the WWVB North Antenna or within the WWVB South

Antenna, including to their respective helix houses.

The plan must include the safety requirements in Task 1. NIST may reject plans if the prices are not reasonable based on requirements and alignment with industry pricing practices for emergency responses.

e. Task 5 – Non-Emergency Maintenance, Repair, or Modifications

i. Years 2, 3, and 5 will be used to perform non-emergency maintenance, repair, or modifications of the radio towers identified in the Year 1 and option Year 4 inspections. Work to be performed will be based on the Low, Moderate, and High categories provided above and reproduced below, with order of prioritization being High > Moderate > Low.

Low (No present or future impact on the ability to broadcast from the antenna or to safely climb/operate the tower)

Moderate (Not expected to impact the ability to broadcast from the antenna or safely climb/operate the tower in the next 3 years)

High (Significant risk that either the ability to broadcast from the antenna or safely climb/operate the tower will be impacted in the next 3 years)

ii. Any non-emergency maintenance, repair, or modification work must comply with Task 1 Safety requirements but be specific for the work to be performed.

iii. At the start of years 2, 3, and 5 NIST will identify which if any of the previously determined Low, Moderate, or High category work will be requested. The contractor shall provide price estimates for the requested work.

Based on these price estimates, NIST will approve the work to be done by the Contractor.

iv. Any such work must comply with the Task 1 safety requirements and with TIA 222-G, TIA 222-H, Motorola R56, 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 and the Special Requirements Section IV.

f. Task 6 – Capacitive Top Hat Antenna Repair

To the maximum extent possible, the following tasks required for repair of the capacitive top hat antenna shall be performed in conjunction with the base year inspection under Task 1, while maintaining all safety guidelines required in this Statement of Work, and ensuring completion by the due date listed in Table VIII

DELIVERABLES:

i. Re-sheaving Halyard at the top of Tower 4

1. Climb Tower 4, if safe to climb, to evaluate potential damage to the tower and top sheave.

2. If the tower is deemed safe to climb, reposition the halyard back onto the top sheave.

3. Lower the insulator and halyard, undoing the “double back*” looped section of the halyard to facilitate the insulator’s lowering to ground level. Utilize the winch and cable provided at the tower’s base for this purpose.

4. Replace halyard on Tower 4 by installing a new halyard on Tower 4.

The halyard will be provided by NIST.

*A doubled back section of halyard exists at the bottom end of each halyard. The bottom end is doubled back in the normal operational configuration of the tower. Its purpose is to move the bottom end of the halyard and socket up out of the way of the concrete counterweights. The loop is secured back on itself by saddle bolts. During a top hat lowering operation the counterweights are removed from the halyard and the halyard is then connected to the winch and can be lowered about ¾ of the way to the ground. When it is desired to lower the top hat fully to the ground the loop double back must be taken out and attached to the winch cable to provide the extra length needed.

ii. Undo double backs on Towers 1, 2, and 3

1. Climb towers 1, 2, and 3 if safe to climb.

2. If the towers are deemed safe to climb, take out the double back at that tower and lower insulator to the ground.

iii. Replace halyards and reinstall the looped double back sections at each tower

1. Replace halyards on Towers 1, 2, and 3. The halyards will be provided by NIST.

2. Reinstall the looped double back sections at each tower in coordination to NIST completing replacing insulators and connecting the triatic to tower 2.

VII. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

All data and information provided by the Government in the performance of this task remains the property of the Government and shall be surrendered to the Government upon completion or termination of this requirement. Likewise, all deliverables generated under this requirement remain the property of the Government.

Incidental Property Provided: None.

VIII. DELIVERABLES –

Task Number Description Format Due Date

Quantity

Task 1. Documentation (training certificates, safety documentation specific for the NIST project, company safety related documentation)

The documentation can be submitted electronically by Word, PowerPoint, or PDF or on paper.

28 calendar days prior to the start of any tower climbing.

One sharable electronic copy; three hardcopies if on paper.

Task 2. An informal presentation in a conference room in one of the onsite buildings on the findings for each of the towers and antenna systems.

Verbal discussion or PowerPoint type presentation.

Due prior to full departure from site.

N/A

Task 3. Written report with full description of findings and prioritized list of maintenance, repairs, and modifications that need to be made (with price estimates) to the towers and antenna systems to establish and maintain their safety and functionality and ensure that they comply with present industry standards.

The documentation can be submitted electronically by Word, PowerPoint, or PDF or on paper.

75 calendar days from departure from site after inspection.

One sharable electronic copy; Three copies if on paper.

Task 4 Written emergency repair plans for the (5) five examples described in Task 4 that include the implementation of the safety and reporting requirements of Tasks 1, 2, and 3.

The documentation can be submitted electronically by Word, PowerPoint, or PDF or on paper.

75 calendar days from departure from site after inspection.

One sharable electronic copy; Three copies if on paper.

Task 5 Safety documentation and other requirements specified in Task 1 specific to the non-emergency maintenance, repair, and modifications to be performed. An oral briefing after completion of the work and prior to site departure

The documentation can be submitted electronically by Word, PowerPoint, or PDF or on paper

28 calendar days prior to the start of any tower climbing for safety documentation.

75 calendar days from departure from site after

One sharable electronic copy; three hardcopies if on paper.

summarizing the work performed and whether the issue to be addressed was resolved, followed by written documentation on the work performed that includes detailed drawings and new parts listings if modifications of one or more towers or antennas were made.

inspection for written documentation.

Task 6 Re-sheaving halyard and undo double back and replacing of the halyard on Tower 4; Undo double backs on Towers 1, 2, and 3; Replace halyards on Towers 1, 2, and 3 install the looped double back sections at each of the four towers.

Physical replacement and reinstallation

September 30, N/A

Standards of Acceptance: The NIST Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall review documentation, presentation, and report and respond with an acceptance or request for revision email to the Contractor Point of Contact (POC) within 21 calendar days of receipt of deliverable. This section applies to deliverables which must be reviewed and approved for acceptances (Task 1, Task 3, Task 5, and Task 6)

IX. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY

Task Number

Desired Output Required Service

Performance Standard

Monitoring Method

Task 1 That the Contractor has a safety and rescue plan consistent with industry standards and best practices and that the plan will be followed while work is taking place on the NIST Ft. Collins

Development of a safety and rescue plan specific to the inspection of the NIST radio towers on the Ft.

Collins site.

The safety and rescue plan shall conform to industry standards as described in

ANSI/ASSP

A10.48-2023 Standard – Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, The Contractor is required to provide written documentation on their safety and rescue program, including training records for the climbers and company safety documentation, site. Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures and the

OSHA/FCC

Communication Tower Best Practices and that they have policies and procedures in place to ensure employee compliance.

Task 2 That the 16 radio towers and associated antenna support systems on the NIST Ft.

Collins site are carefully inspected to ensure that they are safe (including for climbing), will continue to be functional, and meet industry standards for ensuring safety and functionality for towers that fall under the

ANSI/TIA-222-H

Risk Category II level

A complete inspection and documentation with photographs of the condition of the towers and antenna systems and prioritization of the maintenance, repairs, and modifications required to bring the towers into compliance with Motorola R56 (Reference 3), ANSI/TIA 222-G, and its update

ANSI/TIA 222-H

standards (Reference 4) for tower safety (including climbing safety), structural integrity, and electrical compliance (including grounding). The contractor should be in the position to complete needed work as determined necessary.

TIA 222-G and TIA 222-H for towers, 29 CFR1910 and

1926, FAA

70/7460 for lighting.

The Contractor will be required to provide a preliminary briefing of their findings for each of the 16 towers before departing the site. The onsite COR will be able to see that each tower has been carefully climbed and inspected (unless climbing was determined to be unsafe for a specific tower) Task 3 requires a more detailed briefing.

Task 3 NIST will have full The completion TIA 222-G and Careful knowledge of any safety, structural integrity, and electrical compliance issues discovered from the inspections and a prioritized list with price estimates of needed and recommended safety and functionality maintenance and repairs for NIST to consider.

of a written report with photographic evidence on all the safety, structural integrity, and electrical compliance issues discovered and a prioritized list with price estimates of maintenance, repairs, and modifications of the towers, guy wires, concrete pads, and antennas required to bring the towers into compliance with industry standards.

TIA 222-H for towers, 29 CFR1910 and

1926, FAA

70/7460 for lighting.

examination of the full report and the photographic evidence to ensure consistency.

Random checks of items found that require climbing will be made using telescopes or binoculars and tower historical records.

Task 4 Plan and pricing in place to submit a task order for an emergency inspection or repair of one or more towers or antenna systems resulting from an unanticipated weather/storm, earthquake, or other event.

Emergency inspection and/or repairs of the towers or antenna systems can be quickly implemented when needed.

Safe and timely reinspection / repairs are made with safety plans compliant with Task 1 and TIA 222-G and TIA 222-H for towers, 29 CFR1910 and

1926, FAA

70/7460 for lighting.

Repairs / inspections if required follow the plans laid out in Task 4 (if applicable). If a new plan is required, because of the type of site incident, the Contractor will have example statements of work to accelerate the development of a response plan.

Task 5, Task 6

That the Contractor has a safety plan specific for the maintenance, repair, and modifications that will be performed, The safe correction / mitigation of a deficiency in one or more towers or antenna systems impacting safety, Safe and timely maintenance, repairs, and modifications are made to ensure continued tower safety, climbing

Maintenance, repair, and modifications made have followed pre-established safety and work plans.

that Contractor personnel comply with the safety plan when performing the work, that NIST has a detailed description of the work to be performed prior to start of work, that the work was safely and successfully completed, and that the outstanding tower deficiency issue impacting safety and/or continued broadcast functionality is resolved.

including climbing safety, and continued tower functionality, i.e., the ability of one or more towers to continue broadcasting.

safety, and tower and antenna functionality. The work is safely performed through compliance with Task 1 and TIA 222-G and TIA 222-H for towers, 29 CFR1910 and

1926, FAA

70/7460 for lighting, and

ANSI/TIA 322.

Safety plans will build upon experience gained from previous performance of Task 1 in Year 1.

X. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE/PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/LEAD TIME

The inspection work is to be performed on 16 antenna guy-wire-stabilized towers located at 5701 CO-1, Ft. Collins, CO 80524. Towers 1 through 8 for WWVB are approximately 122 m (400 ft) in height. A photograph of Towers 1 through 8 is provided in Exhibit 3. WWV also has 8 towers. A list of the broadcast frequencies, heights, locations, and other aspects of the 8 WWV antennas is provided in Exhibit 1. A map showing the towers and their GPS coordinates is provided in Exhibit 2.

The period of performance is for one (1) base year and four (4) option years from date of award.

The towers and associated antenna systems shall be inspected in year 1 and year 4 of the award.

The Year 1 inspection work shall be completed within 120 calendar days of contract award and an electronic copy (PDF document) of the final report detailing the inspection results and maintenance and repair recommendations shall be provided within 180 calendar days of contract award. Task 6 – Capacitive Top Hat Antenna Repair for Year 1 shall be completed by September 30, 2024.

Upon award and an approved site/tower specific safety plan, the Government will provide the Contractor with access to the towers and associated antenna systems. The Contractor shall provide a 14-calendar-day notice of their intended date to provide tower/antenna inspection, maintenance, repair, or modification services. The 14-day notice is not applicable to emergency services. Task 1 has requirements that must be met at least 20 calendar days before access is granted and the Experience section below has requirements that must be met by the tower climbers.

All work except for Emergency Inspection and Repairs shall be performed within normal business hours defined in Section XVII.

XI. INSPECTION & ACCEPTANCE

Performance Tests: N/A

For Year 1 and option Year 4, NIST staff familiar with the towers and antenna systems and experienced in climbing and inspecting the towers will assess the completeness and quality of the inspection against the requirements and industry standards. NIST may decide to verify findings using either drones, binoculars/telescopes, or historical records.

If the work performed as a result of the inspection findings in Year 1 or option Year 4 are viewed by NIST as not meeting requirements as provided in the statement of work (SOW) and by industry standards, the Contractor shall do the necessary work to meet the requirements and industry standards. If the Contractor does not agree with the NIST staff inspection, NIST has the right to call in a qualified third-party auditor to assess the completeness and quality of the inspection and work performed against the requirements and industry standards. The third-party inspector will make the assessment based on the photographic evidence and the associated written documentation. The price of the third-party inspector will be paid by NIST if they are challenging the Contractor’s work or by the Contractor if they are challenging the inspection of the work finding by NIST. If the third-party finds that the work complies with the SOW and industry standards than NIST will pay the price of the third-party auditor.

XII. TIME AND MATERIALS

The Government reserves the right to add increments of $10,000 up to ten (10) times in the 12-month period for unexpected maintenance and repair services; not to exceed a total price of $100,000.00 in the 12-month period.

XIII. WARRANTY N/A

XIV. PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Advance payment is not authorized. The Contractor must invoice in arrears. Payment will be made according to the payment schedule for all Time & Materials Line Items.

Firm fixed price line items shall be paid, in accordance with Net 30-calendar-day payment terms, upon receipt and acceptance of a proper invoice, in accordance with the following schedule:

1. 50% after completion of Tasks 1, 2 and 6.

2. Remaining full amount after furnishing the final report.

On-site remedies that were approved by the Contracting Officer following a request from the Contracting Officer Representative will be approved upon:

a. Satisfactory approval of the work

b. Acceptance of “Repair Completion Report”

c. After receipt of a properly submitted invoice, in accordance with the purchase order terms and conditions

NOTE: Partial shipments and partial invoices will not be accepted, unless otherwise requested and accepted by the Contracting Officer prior to award offer. Proposed payment schedules shall be submitted with contractor’s response to the RFQ for consideration.

XV. TRAVEL

All travel expenses are the responsibility of the contractor.

XVI. ATTACHMENTS

Exhibit 1. List of the 8 WWV Antennas

Exhibit 2. Site map for NIST radio towers in Ft. Collins, CO

Exhibit 3. Aerial view of WWVB showing its eight 122 m (400 ft) high towers

Exhibit 4. A likelihood of occurrence vs potential severity of hazard matrix used to determine a Relative Hazard Index for an activity.

XVII. EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Tower climbers must satisfy the requirements for Competent Climber/Rescuers as defined by the NATE Climber/Rescuer Training Standard (https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/). Copies of certifications/certificates shall be provided.

XVIII. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Safety: In addition to the safety requirements listed above, the Contractor employee must be responsible for knowing and complying with all installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security: NIST is a restricted campus. Photo identification is required for access to the site and should be shown to access the site.

Regular Business Hours. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Time, excluding Federal holidays and NIST closures.

Site Access: The gates to the site are operated by keypads. Station staff at the site will provide access.

https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/ https://natehome.com/regulations-standards/standards/nate-tower-climber-fall-protection-training-standard/

Exhibit 1. List of the 8 WWV Antennas

Exhibit 2. Site map for NIST radio towers in Ft. Collins, CO

Exhibit 3. Aerial view of WWVB showing its eight 122 m (400 ft) high towers

Exhibit 4. A likelihood of occurrence vs potential severity of hazard matrix used to determine a Relative Hazard Index for an activity.