Govt Response to RFI from Industry W9115122Q0001 HVAC Chemical Svc.pdf

Government Response to Industry RFI for

W91151‐22‐Q‐0001 HVAC Chemical Water Treatment:

1. PLEASE CLARIFY: CONTRACTOR USE OF CHEMICAL STORAGE IN THE

CONTRACTORS YARD: PAGE 45 OF 102 SECTION 5.9.3 INDICATES STORAGE

OF CHEMICALS MUST BE OFF BASE; WHEREAS PAGE 32 SECTION 3.3

STATES THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE CONTRACTOR WITH A

LOCATION IN THE CONTRACTOR YARD TO STORE CHEMICALS. DO WE

HAVE STORAGE ON CONTRACTORS YARD, OR NOT?

The Gov’t Response: The offeror can utilize the contractor yard to store chemicals, as long as they comply with Fort Hood environmental regulations

2. PLEASE PROVIDE A LIST OF WHAT EQUIPMENT IS OWNED BY FORT HOOD

AND WHICH IS NOT OWNED?

The Gov’t Response: All equipment for this contract is owned by the Government

3. IF EQUIPMENT IS OWNED – HOW MANY UNITS ARE AVAILABLE; AND HOW

MANY CORROSION COUPON RACKS ARE AVAILABLE?

The Gov’t Response: Every cooling tower has a coupon rack. None of the closed loops have coupon racks. . Refer to Attachment 4- HVAC System inventory under cooling tower tab. Corrosion testing will only be done for the cooling towers and Central Energy Point (CEP) closed loops.

4. REGARDING THE COGEN PLANT – WHAT CHEMICALS ARE YOU FEEDING

THE EQUIPMENT?

The Gov’t Response: Please refer to Attachment 6- Green Chemicals and Performance Work Statement (PWS) Part 5 for correct chemicals to be utilized on Fort Hood. It is the contractor responsibility to use industry standard chemicals.

5. DURING THE SITE VISIT TO BUILDING 39043, WE DID NOT GET A CHANCE

TO SEE THE STEAM BOILER – WHAT EQUIPMENT IS THERE?

The Gov’t Response: There are no steam boilers for this requirement.

6. HOW MANY COUPON RACKS ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR?

The Gov’t Response: All of the cooling tower loops have coupon racks. Refer to Attachment 4- HVAC System inventory under cooling tower tab. Corrosion testing will only be done for the cooling towers and CEP closed loops per Fort Hood Operations Maintenance Division recommendation.

7. HOW MANY LOOPS HAVE COUPONS?

The Gov’t Response: All of the cooling tower loops have coupon racks. Refer to Attachment 4- HVAC System inventory under cooling tower tab. Corrosion testing will only be done for the cooling towers and CEP closed loops per Fort Hood Operations Maintenance Division recommendation.

8. PLEASE CLARIFY “TWICE PER WEEK” – DO YOU MEAN TWICE PER MONTH

OR ACTUALLY TESTING TWO TIMES PER WEEK?

The Gov’t Response: Please clarify or be more specific in the question. Please reference revised Attachment 4.

9. REGARDING ATTACHMENT 8 “OTHER COMPONENTS” SOME LINES PER

BUILDING ARE BLANK, HOW SHOULD THESE ITEMS BE CONSIDERED - IS

THERE A MORE RECENT COPY?

The Gov’t Response: Please see revised Attachment 8.

10. HOW MANY POUNDS OF CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN USED PER SYSTEM PER

YEAR SINCE 2016?

The Gov’t Response: This data is not available. Please use industry standards to calculate use of chemicals for each loop.

11. WHAT ARE THE LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS – ARE THERE ANY? THIS

IS MENTIONED ON PAGE 34 SECTION 4.12?

The Gov’t Response: The Offeror shall obtain all required licenses and permits for performance of work, in compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws before the award of the contract.

12. WHAT ARE THE SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CLOSED LOOPS?

The Gov’t Response: Please refer to the PWS Part 5 for specific task.

13. WHAT CHEMICALS ARE BEING USED AT BUILDING #39043 FOR THE

RESPECTIVE SYSTEMS? THIS WAS DESCRIBED AS A TYPICAL BUILDING

REPRESENTING ALL THREE LOCATIONS COVERED BY THE CONTRACT.

The Gov’t Response: Please refer to Attachment 6- Green Chemicals and PWS Part 5 for correct chemicals to be utilized on Fort Hood. It is the offeror’s responsibility to use industry standard chemicals

14. 4.8: During the site visit, we were not allowed to see all buildings to determine what chemical water treatment equipment is currently in use or its condition. So we have no way to ascertain potential costs or needs for this requirement. If there are deficiencies, will necessary equipment be purchased by the government off contract?

The Gov’t Response: Yes, Government will purchase any deficient equipment.

Government owns all equipment.

15. 5.2.1: When and under what conditions are the clean closed hot/chilled water loops required to be flushed and cleaned?

The Gov’t Response: The Government personal (DPW Maintenance) with the contractor will determine when and if a loop has to be clean during joint inspections. Reference PWS Para. 5.8.8

16. 5.2.2- 5.2.4: Descaling: Descales on equipment should not be a common occurrence with a well maintained water treatment program. Does the base have a current understanding of the existing condition of the chillers if another company would be taking them over, including possible acid damage to the copper tubes (ie- current Eddy currents, etc), and possible pre-existing scale conditions (ie - Equipment inspection reports detailing the current condition of equipment based on manufacturer’s operating limits for differential temperature (delta T’s)), so they would not be held liable for pre-existing conditions?

Additionally, will the base be responsible for opening end bells, mechanically brushing chillers, and other routine chiller PMs?

The Gov’t Response: The Government does inspections on every equipment listed in attachment 4 and has a full understanding of the current condition of the equipment. The government has a Preventive Maintenance contract which PMs the equipment and a pre/post joint inspection is completed with the HVAC Chemical contractor, Preventive Maintenance Contractor and DPW. During the joint inspection the key players will determine if descaling is needed.

17. 5.2.5: As a Water Treatment company, we can assist in a boiler clean out, but a mechanical contractor is normally required for physically opening and closing a pressure vessel. Will the government if required, assume responsibility for opening and closing pressure vessels?

The Gov’t Response: This task is not a requirement in the PWS.

18. 5.3: This is asking for the Contractor’s Chemical treatment Plan to identify the amount of chemical to treat each loop which we cannot accurately do without system volumes. Will you supply system volumes for all loops?

The Gov’t Response: Please refer to Attachment 4- HVAC Inventory List to use industry standard formula to calculate for volume.

19. 5.3.3.2: Do these loops have coupon racks already installed to be used? Do they also already have filter/feeders for required filter bags? How many systems required filter bags?

The Gov’t Response: All of the cooling tower loops have coupon racks. Refer to Attachment 4- HVAC System inventory under cooling tower tab. Corrosion testing will only be done for the cooling towers and CEP closed loops per Fort Hood Operations Maintenance Division recommendation. At this time the offeror is not responsible to service filters. In the future if needed then we will communicate for this service.

20. 5.9.3: Are closed loop chemicals allowed to be stored onsite, on appropriate spill pallets, so loops can be dosed as needed?

The Gov’t Response: Closed loop chemicals are not allowed to be stored in the mechanical rooms. Please use contractor yard to store chemicals in accordance with (IAW) Fort Hood Environmental regulations.

21. Attachment 4: Is Column H referring to a service frequency requirement? If so, industry standard Scope of Services is very different as most closed loops are serviced quarterly and cooling towers and steam boilers are serviced Monthly or twice per month. Are we allowed to propose an alternate Service frequency for consideration as part of our submittal if we note we are willing to accept this service requirement if the base would prefer?

The Gov’t Response: No, Fort Hood operations maintenance requirements are specific with the attachment frequency. See revised Attachment 4.

22. Attachment 5: There is a chemical usage tab that lists the number of closed loops and cooling towers but does not appear to list the chemical usage as stated for the prior contract. Will this usage be published?

The Gov’t Response: No

23 Addendum to 52.212-1 – Instructions to Offerors, is broken down into Volumes 1-4.

Based on the statement, “THE OFFERIOR SHALL ENSURE THAT THE QUOTE CONTAINS ALL THE COMPLETED DOCUMENTS BELOW”, we intend to submit our quote in the following format:

a. Section I – Pricing

b. Section II – Technical Approach

c. Section III – Past Performance Please confirm if this format is acceptable, or if Past Performance should be included in Section II, Technical.?

Gov’t Response: You must be in compliance with the terms and condition of the solicitation.

23. 1.32 – Modifications to Technical Exhibits and Attachments, states that changes to Attachment 4 and Attachment 5 should be minimal and that official changes will be made quarterly at no additional cost to the government. What if there is a new construction project that calls for the addition of a new central plant of significant tonnage; will the contractor be required to take over the treatment of this facility with no expected increase in the CLINS?

The Gov’t Response: If there is a significant increase in performance there would be a contract review.

24. 4.5.1 Make-up Chemicals – Technical Exhibit F has a list of chemicals and equipment that may need to be purchased from time to time. Given the verbiage on TE-F, “Make-up Chemicals period of performance 01 January 2022 to 31 December 2026”, do the quantities listed represent what we are to use for the pricing in CLIN’s 0004 thru 4004, or do they represent a 5-year estimate that we are to divide by 5 for the same CLIN’s? Does this total dollar amount represent a NTE (Not to Exceed) for each of CLIN’s 0004 thru 4004?

The Gov’t Response: The attachment quantity is the total for 5 years. Please review the revised Technical Exhibit F.

25. 5.0 Specific Tasks states “The contractor shall track all productive time and material costs on a facility level and will provide detailed reports on a monthly-basis.” If this is a “fixed price” contract, why is this listed as a requirement?

The Gov’t Response: This task is no longer included, please see revised PWS.

26. 5.1.2 Recurring Water Analysis, states “The minimum frequency of water analysis shall be in accordance with Attachment 4. Attachment 4 lists the “minimum treatment cycles” only and nothing for the frequency of analysis/testing; can you please provide the frequency of analysis for each of the systems, i.e. cooling towers, chill water loops and hot water loops.

The Gov’t Response: Please see revised attachment 4 that has the frequency.

27. 5.3 Chemical Treatment, mentions reporting make-up and blowdown meter readings weekly, when 5.8.15 specifies a monthly waste water report with make-up and blowdown readings. Please clarify.

The Gov’t Response: Please see revised PWS. This is a monthly report.

28. 5.3.1 Cooling Water Treatment Products, states that the contractor shall follow cooling tower water specifics listed in Attachment 6 – Green Chemical, and shall present a scale and corrosion inhibitor based on the technology outlined in Attachment 6. How will MICC actually verify and confirm that the cooling tower scale and corrosion inhibitor’s offered are formulated with polyaspartate, and that they have been successfully used at an account in the Central Texas area for no less than 12 months, beyond what is presented on paper? This chemistry is definitely not something used routinely by the water treatment industry.

The Gov’t Response: MICC is the Mission Installation Contracting Command this agency awards contracts and doesn’t actually verify or confirms the formulation of inhibitor’s. The Directorate of Public Works on Fort Hood, is the requiring activity. The COR specifically will perform random sampling to validate correct chemical usage.

29. 5.3.3.5 Freeze Protection, states that the contractor shall provide Propylene Glycol and maintain a 25% concentration in the chilled water systems listed in TE-H. Given the potential volume of these loops and the significant cost of initially treating the 5 systems listed, can you please provide the volumes of each of the systems listed so that we are all on a level playing field? Also, If these systems are not tight and suffer from leakage, what is the estimated leakage in gallons per month for each?

The Gov’t Response: Use Attachment 4- HVAC Inventory List data to calculate formula for the specific buildings. The contractor shall use TE-F Make-up chemical for any leaks after the additional charge. The Government does not have estimated leakage data.

30. 6.2 Quality Control, states that the QCP shall be provided for review and acceptance at the time of bid submission, yet Part 8, Deliverables, states within 30 days of contract award?

The Gov’t Response: Please see revised PWS. The QCP shall be provided 30 days after the start of the contract.

31. Is there an expected amount of hours that the chemical provider is to be onsite per week?

The Gov’t Response: The Offeror shall be onsite to perform all duties listed in accordance with the PWS.

32. Do you know how many hours per week the current provider spends on site?

The Gov’t Response: The Offeror shall be onsite to perform all duties listed in accordance with the PWS.

33. Are there options for alternative chemistries if they provide savings in other areas? For example, alternatives to the green chemistry.

The Gov’t Response: Yes, we can discuss options if the chemistry meets Fort Hood environmental regulations. Reference PWS Para. 1.25

34. Is there a designated Fort Hood representative on site that assists with daily/routine water testing?

The Gov’t Response: No, The contractor is responsible for all performance in the PWS.

There is a Contractor Officer Representative (COR) that will be onsite for questions and concerns.

35. Who owns the current chemical tanks? Fort Hood or chemical provider?

The Gov’t Response: The Government owns the Chemical tanks