A01_W56ZTN-16-R-0005_Specifications_28_October_2015.pdf

SPECIFICATIONS

WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS FOR

BOILER, COOLING TOWER, AND CIRCULATED WATER SYSTEMS

ABERDEEN AND EDGEWOOD AREAS, ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND

28 OCTOBER 2015

C.1 GENERAL INTENTION.

a. The intent of this requirement is to obtain recurring treatment chemicals supplies and associated incidental services for boilers, cooling towers, and circulated hot and chilled water systems at the Aberdeen and Edgewood Areas of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland.

b. The line item quantities listed in Attachment A_Pricing Schedule, are estimations of the quantities the Government may order during the active ordering period. It is not the intent of the Government to order all of the line items at one time. The Government acceptor will maintain a log to track the quantities ordered throughout the ordering period in accordance with the offeror’s proposed price schedule.

C.2 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. The Contractor shall provide all chemicals, tools, materials, equipment, transportation, technical expertise and incidental services necessary to provide water treatment chemicals to heating and cooling systems and associated equipment in accordance with the requirements specified herein. These chemicals shall control scale, corrosion, and organic growth within the treated systems. The work consists of performing continuous, incidental analysis of the water present in these systems. This includes setting up and/or adjusting controls on chemical feed pumps; supplying and dispensing chemicals to meet specified concentration levels; monitoring chemical levels to maintain required concentrations; analyzing raw water, softened makeup water, and feed water; adjusting water softener controls; backwashing water softeners; adding salt and resin to water softeners; adjusting blow-down controllers on boilers and cooling towers, and making recommendations to attain optimum water quality. The contractor shall work with the Government operating staff in order to accomplish all necessary requirements. The contractor shall coordinate deliveries of all chemical containers with the Government acceptor. The chemicals on the contractor's tanker truck(s) (minibulk) shall be delivered directly to individual sites.

These deliveries are not required to go through the receiving warehouse.

a. The Government makes no representation or guarantee as to the condition of equipment on the start date of the contract, and no adjustments will be made in contract price relative to equipment condition after award. The contractor shall make recommendations to the Government operating staff if equipment is found to be defective or missing during the period of this contract.

b. Existing inventory:

(1) The contractor shall examine the existing inventory before initiating the new treatment program and shall notify the Contracting Office if his/her treatment is incompatible with the existing inventory. Based on the notification, the Contracting Office will decide if continued use of the existing inventory is warranted.

c. The contractor shall supply treatment products in disposable containers. All containers shall be labeled at the factory as to its contents. Any container without a label will be rejected by the Government and returned for corrections. The contractor shall remove any container that is missing a label, is damaged or contains a label that cannot be read. The contractor shall not re-label containers on-site. Additionally, the contractor shall certify, in writing to the Government acceptor that he/she has a drum recycling and elimination program established. The contractor shall remove these containers from the installation on a monthly basis.

d. The contractor shall supply treatment products in mini-bulk delivery form when directed by the Government acceptor. Delivery of chemicals by this method will be no less than 20 gallons per site and could be as great as 1,000 gallons per site. The average existing tanks range in size from 30 to 200 gallons. Each delivery shall be metered at the truck and a receipt printed and provided to the Government.

e. All containers, both disposable cans and bulk delivery drums, shall have a secondary containment capable of holding the entire contents of the primary container.

f. The contractor shall submit a certified list of active ingredients for each product he/she intends to supply. This list shall include the percentage by weight or volume of each ingredient per unit of product. If the requested information is proprietary in nature then only those Government employees with a need to know will have access to

it. This information will not be released to the public.

g. The contractor shall respond, on site, within two (2) hours of notification for emergency situation(s).

C.3 EVALUATION FACTORS.

This is a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) award. The following factors will be evaluated to determine offeror’s technical acceptability. The contractor must be found technically acceptable in all factors in order to be considered for award. A furnished copy of all resume(s), certificate(s) and any other pertinent supporting documentation shall be submitted with the proposal as proof of qualification. Failure to submit proof of qualification will result in a rating of Technically Unacceptable.

a. The chemical manufacturer/supplier shall be an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certified company. ISO 9001:2008 is an international standard for quality management and assurance. ISO 9001:2008 certification typically involves quality assurance audits conducted by an independent third-party registrar that scrutinizes aspects of a company's quality system. It requires strict compliance with ISO quality standards as well as the company's own procedures, supported by documentation that must be consistently maintained.

b. The contractor shall have a minimum of ten years’ experience servicing boiler and cooling water systems.

c. The contractor shall provide on-site water treatment support to gather samples, test, dispense, and monitor water chemistry on a continual basis. The on-site water treatment support individual(s) shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience servicing boiler and cooling water systems. Additional support personnel under the supervision of the primary on-site water treatment support individual(s) are authorized to assist completion of this requirement.

These personnel are not required to possess any special qualifications. The on-site water treatment support individual(s) shall remain on site at all times when assisting personnel are working on a system.

No substitutions shall be made to the on-site water treatment support except in accordance with this paragraph. All proposed substitutions shall be submitted, in writing, fourteen (14) calendar days in advance of the proposed substitutions to the Contracting Office. All requests for substitutions shall include a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the Contracting Office as needed in order to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. The Contracting Office will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the contractor of approval or disapproval thereof.

Historical Data: Historically the on-site water treatment support has been performed by one (1) individual on a full time basis.

e. The contractor shall provide the name and certification of a state of Maryland (or equivalent) certified laboratory that will be utilized to perform metallographic analysis, chemical and deposition analysis.

C.4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS. The contractor shall provide all equipment, transportation and materials to perform the requirements of this contract. When disputes arise concerning material such as the type of chemicals provided, the contractor shall, at no cost to the Government, remove and/or replace the material so that compliance with the Government's requirements are satisfied. At any time during this contract, the Government may request samples of each chemical proposed for use by the contractor. It will be the Government's prerogative to have these samples tested for ingredients by its own sources, or to require the contractor to have the samples tested by an independent laboratory. The testing laboratory will determine the required testing size of these samples. The cost for sampling and testing will be the responsibility of the contractor. If testing by the independent laboratory proves that the contractor is not at fault, then the Contracting Officer will issue a modification to pay for the sampling and testing cost.

C.5 CONTRACTOR WORK HOURS. Normal working hours on Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) are 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Eastern Standard time, Mondays through Friday, except for federal holidays. Unless otherwise authorized by the Government acceptor, the contractor shall provide the required supplies and incidental services during the indicated normal hours.

The contractor will not normally be expected to work during federal holidays. Requests to work hours other than those specified shall be submitted no less than 24 hours prior to the time the contractor desires to perform such work. The requests shall include contract number, date of work, anticipated number of personnel and anticipated working hours.

FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Day January 1 Martin Luther King’s Birthday 3rd Monday in January Presidents Day 3rd Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Labor Day 1st Monday in September Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October Veteran’s Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25

C.6 MANAGEMENT VERIFICATION. The contractor shall verify the total work effort associated with incidental services required herein to assure fully adequate and timely completion of these incidental services.

Included in this function are a full range of management duties including, but not limited to, planning, scheduling, cost accounting, report preparation, establishing and maintaining records, and quality control. The contractor shall provide adequate personnel with the necessary management expertise to assure the performance of the work in accordance with sound and efficient management practices. The contractor shall provide an English speaking and writing Project Manager who shall be available for communication with the Contracting Office and other Government representatives during delivery. The individual shall be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the contract and shall act as the central point of contact with the Government. The contractor shall submit the name of the Project Manager to the Contracting Officer prior to commencement of work on the contract.

The contractor shall provide a telephone number(s), at which the Project Manager may be contacted on a seven day-a-week, twenty-four hours, a day basis. The on-site water treatment support individual(s) shall not serve in a dual capacity as the Project Manager.

a. Work Schedule. The contractor shall schedule and arrange work so as to cause the least interference with the normal occurrence of Government business and mission. In those cases where some interference may be essentially unavoidable, the contractor shall be responsible to make every effort to minimize the impact of the interference, inconvenience, equipment downtime, interrupted service, customer discomfort, etc. Any interference shall be coordinated with the Government acceptor.

b. Notice of Equipment Shut-Downs. Prior approval shall be obtained from the Government acceptor, except in emergencies, for work requiring shut-down of equipment in use, for more than thirty minutes, during regular work hours. All such requests must be submitted at least 72 hours in advance. In cases where shut-down is necessary, the contractor shall coordinate the shut-down with the Government acceptor or other designated representative for that affected building.

C.7 CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY. To ensure continuity of essential supply, the contractor shall be prepared to fully supply chemicals on the start date of this contract, and should not assume that Government or previous contractor employees will be available to guide, direct, or specifically orient each new contractor employee.

C.8 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES.

a. Standards. All work shall meet the standards specified herein and shall be accomplished in conformance with approved and accepted standards of the Heating and Air Conditioning trades industry; the equipment manufacturer;

all applicable activity, local, state, and federal standards; and all applicable building and safety codes.

b. Major Repairs. Major repair is not considered to be within the scope of this contract and will be accomplished by a separate contract vehicle or by Government forces. This exclusion does not apply if the repair is required to correct damage caused by the contractor's negligence. Repair of damage caused by the contractor will be completed at the contractor's expense. Disagreements concerning responsibility for repairs will be forwarded to the Contracting Officer for resolution.

c. Replacement, Modernization, Renovation. During the term of the contract, the Government may replace, renovate, or improve equipment, systems, and components at the Government's expense and by means not associated with this contract.

d. Equipment Under Manufacturer's or Installer's Warranty. Equipment, components, and parts, other than those installed under this contract, shall not be removed or replaced or deficiencies corrected while still under warranty of the manufacturer or the installer without prior approval of the Contracting Officer. All defects in material or workmanship, defective parts, or improper installation and adjustments found by the contractor shall be reported to the Government acceptor and Contracting Office so that necessary action may be taken. The contractor shall be knowledgeable of the equipment, parts, and components that are covered by warranty and the duration of such warranties. Available warranty information will be furnished to the contractor by the Government acceptor.

e. Interface With Other Contractors and Government Forces. Attention is invited to the fact that other contractors and/or in-house government forces are engaged in similar and supporting work, requiring close cooperation. The contractor for this contract shall cooperate with all other contractors and avoid conflicts with other contractor's performance and work schedules. In the event of conflicts with other contractors that cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the matter shall be referred to the Contracting Office for decision. Such decisions shall be final, subject to right of appeal in accordance with the terms of the contract.

f. Reporting Equipment Deficiencies. Any equipment deficiencies noted by the contractor during incidental service work, or at any other time shall be reported in writing to the Government acceptor for that building or facility.

(1) Deficiencies discovered which could potentially jeopardize the operation of items of equipment in critical facilities shall be reported by phone immediately, and followed up by written notice within 48 hours.

(2) All non-operational threatening deficiencies shall be reported in writing to the Government acceptor. If discovered during operational checks deficiencies shall be reported not later than 9:00 AM the following workday.

g. Internal Cleaning. Internal cleaning by the contractor to remove scale, fouling, or other water treatment related items from heating or cooling system equipment such as boilers, cooling towers, condensers, chillers, etc. is considered to be within scope of this contract. The contractor shall be responsible for providing labor and chemicals for the cleaning. The contractor shall also provide testing, technical advice, chemical recommendations, cleaning procedures, and follow-up testing. Water in systems that are chemically treated for internal cleaning will be tested prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer system. Discharge water shall be non-toxic and pH neutral (7.0). Drainage to the storm water system is strictly prohibited.

h. Layup of Equipment. Water treatment of heating and cooling systems for this requirement is a year round responsibility. Although the heating season occurs approximately from 1 October through 30 April, there are approximately six (6) boilers that continue to run during the summer. The contractor shall be responsible for providing technical advice, chemical recommendations, procedures, and follow-up testing for wet or dry layup of boilers during idle periods and winterization of cooling systems.

i. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). All contractor, subcontractor, and shipping employees who transport, deliver, dispense, handle, or transfer any chemical shall use the recommended PPE listed on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for that chemical.

j. Delivery Vehicles and Drivers. All contractor, subcontractor, or shipping company vehicles coming on Aberdeen Proving Ground shall comply with Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Parts 100-199.

k. Emergency Response. In the event a hazardous condition arises, the contractor shall immediately notify the Installation “Emergency Operations Center” (dial 911 on post phones or 911 from a commercial phone on or off post) and implement corrective actions to prevent further injuries or damage to the environment. All costs incurred as the result of a contractor caused spill, leak, fire, explosion or other accident are the sole responsibility of the contractor.

C.9 VERIFICATION TESTING. Verification testing is defined as requests for analysis or technical advice which are phoned in to the contractor by the Government acceptor. Verification testings are brief in scope and do not require detailed job planning.

a. Chemical Verification (Testing), Supply and Associated Incidental Service Calls.

(1) Normal Working Hours. The Government acceptor will call requests during normal working hours and classify each call in accordance with the definitions provided below.

(2) After Normal Working Hours. The contractor shall receive all service call requests directly from

Government acceptor after normal working hours, on weekends, and holidays. Calls received after normal working hours will be classified by the Government acceptor as an emergency, and responded to accordingly. Authorized Government representatives may upgrade or downgrade the classification of any service call received by the contractor.

b. Response to Verification/Supply/Associated Service Calls. The contractor shall have adequate procedures for receiving and responding to emergency service calls 24 hours per day, including weekends and during holidays. All telephone calls shall be answered by an individual fully familiar with the contractor's work control procedures and the terms and conditions of this contract. Emergency and routine calls shall be considered received by the contractor at the time and date the telephone call is placed by the Government acceptor or any other authorized Government representative.

(1) Response by Classification.

(a) Emergency Calls. The contractor shall respond immediately and must be on the job site and working within two (2) hours after receipt of an emergency service call. The contractor shall work continuously, without interruption, and shall rectify the emergency condition before departing the job site.

(b) Routine Calls. All routine calls shall be completed within two (2) working days after receipt.

Routine calls shall normally be accomplished during normal work hours, Monday through Friday.

c. Supplies, Materials and Equipment. The contractor shall maintain sufficient commercial, off-the-shelf supplies, materials and equipment on-hand to support service work requirements. Lack of availability of supplies, materials or equipment shall not relieve the contractor from the requirement to complete service call work within the time limits specified above.

C.10 CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF BOILERS.

a. Determine the appropriate chemical feed, surface and/or bottom blow-down rates, and makeup water rates for all designated systems to achieve the Boiler Water Quality Limits specifications. The actual dispensing of chemicals into the boiler systems by the contractor will be at the discretion of the Government acceptor. Additionally, adjustments to other water quality controls such as, automatic surface blow-down systems, bottom blow-down, water softener, etc. will also be at the discretion of the Government acceptor.

b. Weekly Supply and Inspection shall include but is not limited to: visual inspection, water analysis, treatment recommendation, and any additional comments. During these inspections, the equipment will be visually inspected and any mechanical or chemical related problem or potential problem will be reported in writing to the Government acceptor. Any recommendation for changes in equipment or service that will improve the systems efficiency shall also be reported. However, it will be the Government’s responsibility to correct or repair any mechanical and equipment malfunctions.

c. On a monthly basis the contractor shall perform and prepare a written report for the following tests which shall be conducted on a weekly basis:

(1) Hardness of makeup water (after softener), feedwater (makeup plus condensate), and condensate expressed as parts per million (ppm).

(2) Total Alkalinity of makeup, system water and condensate expressed as parts per million (ppm as bicarbonates).

(3) Conductivity of makeup, system water, and condensate expressed as Micromhos/cm.

(4) Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of makeup water, feed water, steam, and condensate expressed as ppm.

(5) pH of makeup water, feed water, steam, and condensate.

(6) Phosphate level for scale control of boiler water expressed in ppm.

(7) Sulfite level for oxygen scavenging of boiler water expressed in ppm.

(8) Hydroxide Alkalinity of boiler water expressed in ppm CaCO3.

(9) Iron and Silica tests will be conducted on the makeup, feed water, and condensate at least initially and then on an as needed basis. Results should be expressed in ppm of soluble or insoluble iron and silica.

(10) Specialty Tests for specific substances when recommended by the contractor or requested by the

Government acceptor will be conducted.

d. The contractor shall monitor the condensate steam lines so that normally corrosive water conditions can be tracked to provide the most effective chemical treatment with the least amount of corrosion exposure and damage.

This will be conducted by the use of the appropriate corrosion coupons as described for cooling towers.

e. On a monthly basis, the contractor shall recommend specific inventory levels of chemicals, reagents, equipment, etc. to maintain a consistent and readily available supply.

f. The contractor shall provide water analysis of the raw domestic water, softened makeup water, boiler feedwater, and system water. The contractor shall determine the effectiveness of water softeners and make recommendations.

Tests for iron and silica will be included in the analysis when requested by the Government acceptor or recommended by the contractor.

g. Whenever a system being treated is to be opened up by the HVAC Shop for inspection, a contractor's representative shall be available at the site for consultation. The contractor will be notified at least 24 hours in advance of this inspection.

h. The contractor shall provide information for the proper wet or dry layup of heating systems during periods of nonuse. The contractor shall provide the proper chemicals for the layup. The contractor shall test wet layup systems upon issuance of contract award and then continue to test on a monthly basis. The contractor shall inspect dry layup systems upon issuance of contract award and then continue to test monthly and report any discrepancies to the Government acceptor. The Government will notify the contractor approximately five (5) calendar days before a heating system is being scheduled for laying up.

i. All chemical additions and treatment methods shall comply with the latest Environmental Protection Agency requirements and recommendations. Boiler blow-down and other discharges shall be maintained in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Chromates, molybdate, chlorine, zinc, and other heavy metal chemical compounds, which are considered potential pollutants, shall not be used. All chemicals shall be acceptable for discharge to the sanitary sewer system. All chemicals shall be submitted to the Government for review and approval prior to use.

C.11 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR COOLING TOWER SYSTEMS. The contractor shall provide treatment of cooling tower circulating water. Treatment shall consist of, but not be limited to, development of a treatment program for each cooling tower; installation of monitoring and treatment equipment; flushing and cleaning of cooling towers; and testing and treatment of circulating water to prevent accumulation by precipitation of scale, corrosion, biological growths, and other foreign materials. The actual dispensing of chemicals into the cooling tower systems, by either the contractor or Government forces, will be at the discretion of the appropriate Government acceptor. Additionally, adjustments to other water quality controls such as, blowdown, water softener, etc. will be at the discretion of the appropriate Government acceptor. The contractor shall provide technical advice, chemical recommendations, procedures, and follow-up testing for the winterization of cooling towers and condenser water systems.

a. Treatment Program. The contractor shall provide a circulating water treatment program for each cooling tower in accordance with the following requirements. After approval, the program will be continuously monitored and modified by the contractor as required to meet the treatment standards required per the equipment recommendations.

All proposed changes to the approved program shall be submitted in advance for the Government acceptor’s approval.

(1) Proposed Treatment Program. An outline of proposed chemical treatment procedures shall be provided for the Government acceptor’s approval at least 15 calendar days prior commencement of work on the contract. The proposed procedures shall comply with the requirements specified in below, and shall include:

(a) The amount, type, and methods of feeding and controlling of chemicals to be used. Where applicable, include chemical active ingredient levels in parts per million (ppm).

(b) The contractor shall specifically address how he/she plans to remove and prevent the formation of Legionella bacteria. The outline shall describe a legionella outbreak protocol.

(c) Shop drawings showing the proposed installation of chemical feed equipment and coupons required for corrosion testing.

(d) Proposed limits for pH, conductivity - total dissolved solids (TDS), corrosion inhibitor, scale inhibitor, and biocide. The concentration ratio to be used as the operating base shall also be provided.

(e) Proposed chemical shipping, handling, and storage procedures. Include specimen label, product registration number, and application instructions for all proposed algaecides.

(f) Proposed record keeping forms and procedures. At a minimum, the contractor shall provide and maintain an onsite Log Book. The Log Book shall be available for inspection at all times.

This shall include the following records:

up to date description of the operating system including all components cooled by the system details of the makeup water to the system all operation and maintenance events and procedures dates of inspections and cleanings water sampling protocol and guidelines water quality test results Legionella outbreak investigations biocide and chlorine levels and recommended residual levels scale and corrosion inhibitors and antifoaming agent levels and optimum range list of manufacturer products being used Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for all chemicals used on site

(g) Proposed circulating water, makeup water, and scale and corrosion testing procedures.

(h) Name, address, background, and other pertinent information on proposed independent testing laboratory.

(2) Treatment and Control Requirements. The contractor's cooling tower water treatment program shall be designed to minimize corrosion, scale, deposition, and microbiological activity, and shall be effective over the entire expected temperature range. All chemicals shall be commercially available for use in the treatment of cooling tower water. All chemical additions and treatment methods shall comply with the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and recommendations, and bleedoff water and other discharges shall be maintained in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Chromates, molybdate, chlorine, zinc, and other heavy metal chemical compounds, which are considered potential pollutants, shall not be used. All chemicals shall be submitted to the Government for review and approval prior to use.

(a) Corrosion Control.

(1) Mild steel corrosion rates shall be maintained below 2.5 mils per year (mpy) at all times.

(2) Copper and cupro nickel corrosion rates shall be below 0.3 mpy at all times.

(b) Scale Control. Sufficient scale inhibitor/polymer shall be applied to prevent any calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate scale. Control limits for pH shall be designed to prevent such scaling. No acid will be used.

(c) Deposit Control. Specific deposit control agents shall be applied to prevent and minimize suspended solids deposition within exchangers.

(d) Microbiological Control.

(1) All cooling towers shall be maintained according to the latest version of the Cooling

Technology Institute’s “Legionellosis Guideline: Best Practices for Control of Legionella”, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) “Guideline 12-2000: Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems” and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) “Technical Manual Section III: Chapter 7, Legionnaries

Disease”.

(2) Bacterial testing and analysis shall be performed monthly to determine bacterial levels in the cooling tower. Test results shall be used to indicate when the biocide treatment should be changed or altered. A historical record of the testing and analysis shall be maintained in the Log Book to determine the most effective treatment.

(3) Algae growth shall be minimized and no heavy accumulations of algae shall exist in the system.

(4) The total lethal dosage rate of biocide used shall never drop below a 25% level.

(5) No deterioration of wood, metal, or composite materials such as fiberglass, plastic, or epoxy components shall occur as a result of the treatment program.

(6) Algaecides used shall be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency under the

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 136 (et seq.)) specifically for use in cooling towers. The algaecide shall be used in strict conformance with label instructions.

(e) Cycles of Concentration. The dissolved solids concentration in the circulating water shall be controlled within the range of accepted chemical treatment practice and such that the treatment program provided will positively prevent scale and corrosion. The contractor shall calculate a concentration ratio as the operating base and shall consistently control the concentration ratio of the circulating water within plus or minus one of the operating base. The operating base shall be calculated with regard to the makeup water quality and the maximum concentrations of mineral solids (silica, hardness, and alkalinity) allowable under the chemical treatment program.

(f) Cleaning, Flushing and Disinfecting. All cooling towers shall be cleaned, flushed, and disinfected of scale, trash, mud, dirt, algae, slime, and other foreign material at least twice a year. This shall occur before start-up (April) and after shutdown (November). This cleaning shall be done prior to implementation of the contractor's approved water treatment program.

Any system out of service for an extended period shall be cleaned, flushed, and disinfected.

All new systems shall be cleaned, flushed, and disinfected. Additional flushing and cleaning shall be performed as necessary throughout the contract period to remove excess accumulations of foreign material as directed by the contracting officer representative.

b. Testing and Reporting Requirements.

(1) Circulating Water Testing. Circulating water from each cooling tower shall be tested and reported weekly for pH; conductivity (TDS); scale and corrosion inhibitor levels; biocide; and bacterial levels. Cycles of concentrations shall be calculated weekly using chlorides. Where applicable, tests shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Test results shall be provided to the Government acceptor within five (5) working days after sampling.

(2) Makeup Water Testing. Makeup water comes from the Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD potable water source. On a monthly basis the contractor shall perform an analysis of this water, at both the Aberdeen and Edgewood Areas, to check constituent variability, and adjust chemical treatment procedures as required with respect to pH, color, turbidity, P alkalinity, MO alkalinity, total hardness, non carbonate hardness, carbonate hardness, total dissolved solids, specific conductance, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, hydroxide, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, chloride, nitrate, iron, manganese, silica, fluoride, and chlorine residual. Tests shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Test results shall be provided to the Government acceptor within 20 working days after sampling.

(3) Scale and Corrosion Tests. The contractor shall provide for accurate measurement of corrosion consistent with ASTM D2688 (Coupon Test Method) or the corrosion test method described by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE). When requested by the Government acceptor, the contractor shall furnish and install mild steel and copper corrosion coupons. These coupons shall be installed in each metal cooling tower system as depicted in the latest edition of ASTM D2688, Method B, "Standard Methods of Test for Corrosivity of Water in the Absence of Heat Transfer, Coupon Test". Coupons shall be installed when requested by the Government acceptor and replaced every 90 days. Coupon holders shall be repaired or replaced as required to maintain in compliance with ASTM or NACE standards. Identifying marks shall be placed on each coupon and complete records shall be kept of installation and removal dates, locations, initial weight, final weight, length, width, thickness, amount of fouling, and exposure time. Scale and corrosion tests shall be conducted by the approved independent testing laboratory in accordance with ASTM D2688. The results shall be provided to the Government acceptor within 20 working days of each coupon's replacement. Reports shall include a scale analysis or corrosion rate in mils per year, and a written description based on ASTM D2688.

C.12 CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF CIRCULATED WATER SYSTEMS. The contractor shall continue the existing treatment program for the first 90 days of the contract term, then, every 90 days thereafter, provide an inspection check and subsequent adjustments in chemicals to maintain pH limits of 7.5 to 9.5, and nitrite levels of 500 to 1,000 ppm as N02. Biological activity shall be less than 100,000 bacteria/ml. There shall be no visible algae growth. Inspection checks and any required adjustments shall be made at 90-day intervals throughout the term of the contract. The contractor shall maintain detailed records of the results of all inspection checks and chemical treatments to include: building number and system, date chemicals were applied, description of chemicals used, quantity of chemicals used per system to maintain standards, chemical level readings (Conductivity (TDS), Cycles of Concentration, Total Chlorine, and Nitrate) in system before and after adjustments, date of inspection check and adjustment, and name of person(s) performing the inspections and/or adjustments. This information shall be provided to the Government acceptor in writing within five (5) working days of each inspection check. The actual dispensing of chemicals into the circulated systems, by either the contractor or Government forces, will be at the discretion of the appropriate Government acceptor. Additionally, adjustments to other water quality controls such as, blowdown, water softener, etc. will also be at the discretion of the appropriate Government acceptor. Cleaning of closed loop circulated water systems will be coordinated with the Government acceptor. The contractor shall sample and test existing systems, make recommendations for water treatment chemicals, monitor cleaning chemical levels, dispose of waste liquids appropriately, and make recommendations for chemical levels to maintain optimum system performance.

C.13 CONTRACTOR LIABILITY. The contractor shall be liable for any physical damage caused by negligence of his/her personnel or improper chemical treatment. The contractor shall reimburse the Government for all costs associated with the repairs directly associated with damage caused by his/her personnel or faulty water treatment.

The following procedure shall determine liability for water treatment problems:

a. Pre-existing Conditions.

(1) During the non-heating season, steam boilers that operate at greater than 15 psig and hot water boilers that operate at greater than 2500F will be opened up for inspection. This normally occurs once a year, during the summer months. However, this may occur during the heating season if there is a severe problem. If the boiler inspection does not reveal any water treatment problem such as scale buildup or corrosion, then the contractor's liability would begin at that point. If a boiler inspection reveals a scale or corrosion problem, then the contractor shall determine the cause of the problem and make recommendations to the operating staff to clean and return the boiler to the proper condition. The contractor shall be liable once the cleaning treatment begins. Boilers that are not opened up shall receive water treatment, however, the contractor will not be held liable for any pre-existing water treatment problems until a visual inspection of the interior is performed.

(2) Cooling systems will be inspected during the non-cooling season. As described above for heating systems, if a cooling system fails inspection, the contractor shall determine the cause of the problem and make recommendations to the operating staff to clean and remedy the condition. The contractor shall be liable once the cleaning treatment begins. Additionally, if a unit is not physically opened up for visual inspection, but runs efficiently during the air conditioning season without high head pressure problems and performs according to design specifications, then the unit can be assumed to be clean and the contractor's liability shall begin with normal treatment. However, if a cooling system is not running efficiently, or has high head pressure problems, the contractor shall begin treatment, but will not be held liable for any pre-existing water treatment problems until a visual inspection of the interior is performed.

(3) Once the contractor's treatment program is begun, on a heating or cooling system, if a piece of equipment is taken out of service due to a water treatment related problem, that can be directly attributed to the contractor's action or inaction, then the contractor shall be liable for the damage. Additionally, the Contracting Office will decide if the cause of the problem should be considered as grounds for termination for default.

b. Operational Problems:

(1) If the Government follows the contractor's recommended dosing, blow-down, etc. and control parameters are not maintained, the contractor shall be responsible. The Government shall maintain a log of actions taken to document compliance with the contractor's plan.

(2) If the Government does not follow the contractor's recommendations, then the contractor will not be held responsible.

(3) If the contractor does the actual dispensing, blow-down, adjustments to controls, etc., and control parameters are not maintained, then he/she will be responsible.

C.14 TRAINING. The contractor shall conduct annual water treatment training session of no more than four (4) hours for the Government staff. This will occur on site at a government provided location. Subject matter, dates, time, and location shall be coordinated with the Government acceptor.

C.15 BUSINESS REVIEW. The contractor shall conduct a business review briefing for the Government on an annual basis. This briefing shall include a report of the amount and cost of each chemical used during the contract period as well as the overall contract cost. It shall address any outstanding issues concerning ordering, delivery, invoicing, or payment. Specific sites where problems are occurring shall be discussed. Energy efficiency and cost savings opportunities shall be addressed. The contractor shall make recommendations for improvements to the water treatment program during the review.

C. 16 REVIEW OF FACILITY PROJECTS. The contractor shall review engineering plans and specifications of new construction or renovation projects on APG. Specifically, the contractor shall make recommendations in writing about the piping, equipment, and controls proposed for water treatment.

C. 17 ORDERING PROCEDURES.

a. The funding of the base year and exercising the option years will initiate the ordering for chemicals of the quantities needed, the delivery destination and the required delivery date. The Government acceptor will be the primary POC for this contract. Deliveries of chemicals will be coordinated between contractor and Government acceptor.

b. The unit prices offered by the contractor for individual chemicals are firm-fixed price. The contractor shall be paid based on actual quantities delivered plus or minus 10% per FAR Clause 52.211-16, Variation in Quantity.

c. The contractor shall not exceed the total value of the contract without a modification signed by the Contracting Officer except as authorized by FAR Clause 52.211-16, Variation in Quantity. No one other than the Contracting Officer has the authority to alter the specified quantities or increase the total value of the contract. The contractor shall keep account of all quantities delivered and shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer if unauthorized Government personnel has requested delivery of quantities in excess of the quantities specified in the contract.

Failure to follow these procedures will result in non-payment of excess quantities delivered.