Saginaw VA Electrical Upgrade QA

W911XK-10-R-0006 Saginaw VA Electrical Upgrade Questions Updated 12 March 2010

Saginaw VA Electrical Upgrade Questions & Answers

Q1. Keynote #6 on EP-001 refers to sheet E1 of project 16898002. Will this page be added to the contract documents for info only?

A1. Yes. Reference drawing will be uploaded to fbo.gov for information only.

Q2. Note #6 on EP-001 states "to room 13 in the basement of building 1". Where is room 13 in building 1?

A2. Room 13 is directly inside the building at the location where the conduits are shown entering the hospital building along the north wall.

Q3. Drawing EP-001: EMH-11P (East of Bldg. 3) does not have an (E) in front of its name. Is this a new man hole?

A3. No. This is not a new manhole, it is an existing manhole.

Q4. In reference to Section 01 -00 00 General Intentions 1.2 Statement of Bid Item (s) C. Item 0003, Option 2 Phase I upgrade data cable: Add the upgrade of data cabling for Balding No.2, Building No 3, and Building No. 4 as shown on drawings 20-EP-101.1 , 20-EP-101.2. These sheets reflect upgrades to Building #20 for upgrades at 8.4kV switchgear.

There is no data shown on this sheet. Please clarify as to which sheets are correct for the Bid Item 0003.

A4. This reference in the specification is incorrect, see Amendment 2 on fbo.gov for an accurate description of Bid Item 0003.

Q5. Per spec section 014504 3.4.1 Personnel Requirements calls for a CQC System Manager.

This individual is to be on site at all times during all construction activities? Is this correct?

Please advise.

A5. See paragraph 3.4.2 of section 01 45 04. CQC System manager shall be on-site full time, and may have duties as the project superintendant.

Q6. Is the General Contractor to supply with our proposal a schedule? If so, which proposal do we submit it with the Technical or Cost Proposal? Please advise.

A6. Schedule shall be submitted with the technical portion of the proposal.

Q7. Will there be a partnering meeting required for this project, these generally cost the general contractor approx $5,000.00 (based on past partnering sessions).

A7. Per Partnering contract clause, partnering is voluntary. The government anticipates partnering on this project; however the contractor may choose not to participate in partnering.

Q8. Are taxes to be included in this proposal?

A8. FAR 52.229-3, Federal, State, and Local Taxes, is included in the solicitation and the resultant contract, and states that “[t]he contract price includes all applicable Federal, State, and local taxes and duties.” Therefore, all applicable taxes should be accounted for in the offerors’ proposals.

Q9. Is the general contractor responsible to pay for the infection control measures as outlined in spec section 010110 IC Infection Control, or will the Army Corp be handling the infection control requirements?

A9. Infection control measures required to meet the standards outlined in section 01 01 10 IC will be the responsibility of the contractor.

Q10. Does on site staff for the GC need to have the USACE CQC certification?

A10. See paragraph 3.4.3 of section 01 45 04. CQC course is required. Course attendance for contractor personnel can be arraigned after award if it has not been completed prior.

Q11. It is my understanding that all trades persons working on site are required to have the OSHA 10 hour training and that the Forman and superintendent are to have the OSHA 30 hour training, is this required?

A11. This is correct, see paragraph 1.1.H of section 01 00 00.

Q12. In Section 00100 Bidding Schedule/Instructions to Bidders, under the Table of Contents, reference is made to Exhibits A, B, C & D. Those forms do not seem to be included in the Solicitation Package.

A12. Exhibits were posted on fbo.gov on 2-23-10.

Q13. The bid is currently due on March 2, 2010. The RFP indicates that the Exhibit C needs to sent to owners and then sent back to the Corp of Engineers by the bid due date. Without the forms, this is not possible. Please provide asap.

A13. Exhibits were posted on fbo.gov on 2-23-10.

Q14. To what extent shall asbestos abatement and lead abatement be included in our proposal?

A14. Lead based paint in the facility has been tested by the VA and found to be below allowable limits, so no lead based paint abatement will be required. Asbestos abatement will be required in closet 5B. Quantity of asbestos to be abated is approximately 33 linear feet of ½” diameter pipe insulation . Glovebag asbestos abatement method can be employed. There are three lines running vertical floor to deck above. The three lines run approximately 1 1/2 inches center to center of each other in a straight line side by side.

Q15. Is there a current Fire Alarm provider for the facilities that we are required to use for this project?

A15. Yes. Carter Brothers; Mr. Allen Joseph Services Manager; phone (248)-446-5840.

Q16. Will the use of an X-Ray machine be required prior to saw cutting or coring existing slabs?

A16. Yes.

Q17. Is pad mount transformer for primary upgrade 300 kva or 750 kva? Sheet EP-600 shows 300 kva, Sheet 21 EP-600 shows 750 kva.

A17. The correct size for the pad mount transformer for primary upgrade is 750 kva as shown correctly on sheet 21EP-600.

Q18. On closet upgrade, is changeover of panels done on off hours?

A18. Yes. Please review specification section 01 00 00 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS, subpart

1.13 OPERATIONS AND STORAGE AREAS, PARAGRAPH G; PHASING; SPECIAL

PHASING REQUIREMENTS; PARAGRAPH D. OUTAGES.

Q19. I heard at the walk-thru that the VA does not want any junction boxes in electrical closet ceilings where we are to extend conduits to new panels. Is it correct we have to find the 1st junction box downstream from the panel and pull new wire from there?

A19. Yes.

Q20. It is my understanding that panels have to be temporarily fed and on at all times when we are changing from existing panel to new panel. Does this mean that you are turning off one branch circuit breaker at a time and re-terminating in new panel?

A20. What the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center means when it says that all panels have to be temporarily fed and on at all times when the contractor is changing out circuits from an existing panel to a new panel. Is that it may be necessary to keep other panels on a particular feeder (on floors above or below the floor on which the contractor is working) on while the contractor is working to transfer circuits from an existing panel to a new panel on a specific floor. Also, it may be necessary to temporarily feed a particular circuit in the existing panel from which the contractor is transferring circuits on by temporarily feeding it from another panel on a different feeder. It is the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center policy that no work is done on a live panel.

The contractor should allow in their proposal for any estimated cost they project to provide temporary feeders where necessary to keep the other panels or circuits on while reworking feeders or transferring circuits. These outages may occur at other than what is considered normal working time for the Medical Center or normal working times for the contractor. Please review specification section 01 00 00 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS, subpart 1.13 OPERATIONS

AND STORAGE AREAS, PARAGRAPH G; PHASING; SPECIAL PHASING

REQUIREMENTS; PARAGRAPH D. OUTAGES.

Q21. It looks almost impossible to get more conduits down the corridor in basement of building 1 outside room 13. Would it be possible to saw cut floor and run conduits under the floor?

A21. No, it would not be possible to run conduits under the floor. There is a good amount of space above the existing conduits and piping in the corridor ceiling that can be used to run new or rerouted conduits through. Also, conduits can be run in the ceiling space over the rooms along each side of the corridor.

Q22. Is the owner responsible to fill the fuel tanks for the generators?

A22. No. This item should be included with the contractors’ proposal.

Q23. Is the General Contractor to pay for the fuel used during the commissioning activities for the generators?

A23. No. This will be an expense borne by the Government.

Q24. Several specification sections appear in two different places in the specs, and are not always the same. Please clarify.

A24. See the table of contents for a description of which spec sections apply to which portions of the project. Only Division 01, 02, and the appendix apply to both Phase 1 (Primary Electrical Upgrade) and Phase 2 (Electrical Closet Upgrade), the remaining spec sections are separated for each phase, as indicated on the table of contents. Some sections will appear twice, once for each phase, and may not be identical, depending on the needs of the phase for which it is written. The technical spec sections (03 thru 33) shall apply only to the phase under which they are shown on the table of contents.

Q25. Does the addendum/s remove the Eyewash, sinks, roof drain and floor drains that were previously specified on this job?

A25. No these requirements have not changed.

Q26. Ref Spec section 21 13 13, 1.1: Should the bid include hydraulic calculations and drawings for each sprinkler head to be relocated?

A26. In reference to specification section 21 13 13, 1.1 for the Upgrade and Expansion of Electrical Closets: No, hydraulic calculations and drawings for each sprinkler head to be relocated are not required. The spacing requirements found in NFPA 13 must be complied with for every sprinkler head relocated.

Q27. Ref Spec Section 21 13 13, 1.2.C: Are calculations required?

A27. In reference to specification section 21 13 13, 1.1 and 1.2 for the Upgrade and Expansion of the Primary Electrical System: Yes, hydraulic calculations and drawings shall be required.

Q28. Ref Spec Section 21 13 13, 3.2: Are we to flush the system? Are we to test the entire system?

A28. In reference to specification section 21 13 13, 3.2 for the Upgrade and Expansion of Electrical Closets: No, flushing shall be required. No further testing of the system will be required beyond a visual testing for observation of leaks as the system is refilled.

In reference to specification section 21 13 13, 3.2 for the Upgrade and Expansion of Primary Electrical System: Yes, flushing shall be required. Pressure testing of the existing system and expansion of the system will be required.

Q29. Ref Drawing 01A5-101, note 10: Indicated ¾” piping. Are we to change ¾” pipe to 1” pipe per NFPA13? Per code we would need to remove all of the ¾” pipe.

A29. Ref Drawing 01A5-101, note 10: There will be NO requirement to change ¾” pipe to 1” pipe.