IB08_Questions from Industry with Responses_Final.pdf

Questions from Industry – Low Voltage Cable Removal

1. The solicitation notes that a site visit was conducted on 25 June 2026. Our team did not attend that site visit. Given that the Government has stated that cable quantities, abandoned cable footage, IDF/MDF counts, cable inventories, and telecom drawings are not available, would the Government allow an additional site survey for our team prior to quote submission? If permitted, we would like to perform a non-invasive survey using low voltage cable-tracing/scanning equipment to better validate existing conditions, active/inactive cabling, and removal risk.

Response: Additional pre-award site visits will not be scheduled and are not permitted.

2. The PWS states that no system of reconfiguration, cable management, or documentation is required. Please confirm whether the Government requires any final drawings, redlines, marked floor plans, cable trace records, or as-built documentation for active/working cables identified during performance. If documentation is required, please define the expected level of detail and format.

Response: No engineering drawings, redlines, marked floor plans, or as-built documentation of active infrastructure are required. However, the

Contractor is still required to provide the administrative 'Proposed Cable

Removal Log' as specified in PWS paragraph 5.2.4 for Government verification prior to physical cable extraction.

3. Will the Government provide access to telecom closets, server rooms, security/access control panels, ceiling spaces, and controlled areas during normal working hours for tracing and removal? If escort support is required, will escort availability affect the contractor’s schedule or period of performance?

Response: Yes. The Government will provide access to all required work areas and provide escorts where necessary during normal business hours to allow for continuous contractor performance. If contractor progress is delayed due to the Government's failure to provide said access or escorts, the delay will be considered excusable. Please see PWS paragraph 1.6.7.5.1 for more information.

4. Is there any known cabling above hard ceilings or inaccessible ceiling areas that the Government expects to be removed, or is the scope strictly limited to ladder-accessible cabling visible/reachable without demolition?

Response: The scope is limited to cabling accessible through non-destructive means. Demolition of hard ceilings, walls, floors, conduit systems, or building finishes is not permitted. There is no known cabling above hard ceilings that the Government expects to be removed. Should the contractor identify an approved-for-removal cable that is determined to be inaccessible under the ladder-based access constraint, the procedure outlined in PWS paragraph 5.2.5.2 will be followed to designate the cable as

'abandoned in place,' thereby excluding it from the removal scope.

5. Does cable removal require full end-to-end removal back to the source/panel, or only accessible abandoned cable removal?

Response: Yes. Accessible through non-destructive means. Removal back to the source or termination point shall be performed where practical and where doing so does not impact active systems or require demolition."

6. Who will identify and confirm which cables are abandoned versus active before removal begins?

Response: The cable identification and verification process is a collaborative effort with distinct roles, as defined in PWS paragraph 5.2:

1. Contractor Role (Identification): The Contractor will use its technical expertise and tools to identify and apply temporary tags to cables that are potentially inactive or abandoned.

2. Contractor Role (Documentation): The Contractor will document these tagged cables on a 'Proposed Cable Removal Log' and submit it to the

Government's Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for review.

3. Government Role (Verification & Approval): The Government retains ultimate responsibility for verifying the status of all submitted cables. The

COR will review the log, coordinate with all necessary stakeholders (e.g., IT, Security), and return it to the Contractor with each cable explicitly marked as 'APPROVED,' 'DENIED,' or 'HOLD.'

The Contractor is only authorized to remove cables marked 'APPROVED' by the Government, as per PWS paragraph 5.2.5.1.

7. Will the contractor have access to all required rooms, telecom closets, ceiling areas, access-control panels, CCTV head-end areas, and related security spaces needed to complete the work?

Response: Yes. The Government will provide access to all required work areas, including telecom closets, security spaces, and ceiling areas, and will provide escorts where necessary during normal business hours to allow for continuous contractor performance. This access will be provided in accordance with (IAW) the procedures and business hours outlined in the PWS. If contractor progress is delayed due to the Government's failure to provide said access or escorts, the delay will be considered excusable.

8. Are escorts required during the work, and if so, will escort availability limit work hours or crew movement within the facility?

Response: Escorts may be required in certain controlled areas. The

Government will provide necessary escort support during normal business hours. Limits to movement or hours worked will be handled IAW PWS paragraph 1.6.7.6.1.

9. Is the work expected to be performed during normal business hours, or will after-hours/weekend work be required?

Response: All work shall be performed during normal business hours as defined in PWS Paragraph 1.6.4. Specifically, the contractor shall conduct business between the hours of 07:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays or other administrative closures as directed by the Government. No after-hours or weekend work is authorized under this requirement.

10. Does the scope include only cable removal, or does it also include removal of cameras, access-control devices, panels, power supplies, conduit, raceway, wall plates, racks, or head-end equipment?

Response: The scope is strictly limited to the identification, de-energization, and removal of abandoned, low-voltage cabling from non-

Governmental systems only. The removal of non-cable hardware and infrastructure—including but not limited to cameras, access-control devices, panels, power supplies, raceway, wall plates, racks, or head-end equipment—is not part of this requirement. Cable removal shall be performed through non-destructive means only.

As further specified in PWS paragraph 5.5, the removal of conduit is also explicitly excluded from the scope of work, unless explicitly approved by the COR and KO.

11. For removed wall outlets, is installing blank plates the only restoration required, or are patching, firestopping, ceiling tile replacement, painting, or labeling also required?

Response: Please see the updated PWS paragraph 5.7.1 provided in this amendment. The contractor is required to replace any ceiling tiles displaced during performance back into the grid and must furnish and install standard blank wall plates where cabling/outlets are completely removed. No painting, drywall repair, firestopping modifications, or cosmetic restoration is required unless damage is caused by contractor negligence.

12. Are there any special disposal or security requirements for removed cable/equipment, or can the removed material be handled as standard low-voltage debris/recyclable material?

Response: The contractor is responsible for the disposal or recycling of all removed cabling IAW applicable federal, state, and local regulations, as stated in PWS paragraph 5.4. The Government confirms that the material being removed is abandoned low-voltage cabling and there are no special security-related destruction requirements. However, should the Contractor discover any materials during performance that it suspects may be hazardous (e.g., lead-sheathed cabling, asbestos-containing insulation), it shall immediately stop work in the affected area and notify the Contracting

Officer (KO) in writing as per the Unforeseen Conditions procedure outlined in PWS paragraph 5.8. The Government will then provide direction on how to proceed.

13. Can the contractor use an on-site collection area or bin for removed cable and debris during the project?

Response: Yes. As specified in PWS paragraph 3.6, the Government will designate a mutually agreeable exterior location for placement of a contractor-provided dumpster, bin, or collection container for temporary staging of removed materials. The contractor is responsible for furnishing, managing, and securing the container.

14. Since the exact cable quantity is not currently known, can pricing include stated assumptions and/or a unit-price/change-order process for additional abandoned cable discovered during the work?

Response: Offerors shall submit firm-fixed-price quotations based on the information provided in the solicitation. No unit-price schedule is contemplated.

15. Please confirm whether the deductions listed in the Performance Requirements

Summary are cumulative or subject to an aggregate cap. Specifically, for Cable

Removal, the PWS states a deduction of 2% of equitable payment per percentage point below the 100% threshold.

Response: The original percentage-based deduction schedule has been removed from the solicitation. Contractor performance will be assessed

IAW the revised Technical Exhibit A and applicable contract remedies under

FAR 52.212-4.

16. Please confirm whether the Cable Removal deduction is capped at 100% or less of the applicable contract/payment value. If the cap is less than 100%, please identify the applicable cap. Additionally, please clarify whether deductions are calculated against:

a. The total contract value;

b. A specific CLIN value; or

c. Only the affected portion of the work.

Response: The Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) containing percentage-based deductions has been removed and superseded. Please see the revised Technical Exhibit A in this amendment for the current and controlling PRS. The remedies for non-conforming services are now aligned with FAR 52.212-4 and are detailed in the 'Incentive/Disincentive' column of the revised PRS.

17. For work performed in the J6 area, please clarify whether there are specific times during normal business hours Monday thru Friday when contractor personnel may or may not be present in designated spaces due to contractor personnel having Level 0 clearance and access.

Response: Contractor access to J6-controlled spaces will be coordinated through the COR and designated J6 personnel. At this time, the

Government is not aware of any recurring daily access restrictions that would prohibit contractor performance during normal business hours.

Certain areas may require escort support or advance scheduling. Any

Government-imposed access restriction or delay will be addressed IAW

PWS paragraph 1.6.7.5.1.

18. Please confirm that the Cable Removal performance threshold will be measured against abandoned low-voltage cabling that is:

a. Identified by the contractor; and

b. Accepted by the COR for removal

Response: Yes. Performance will be measured against contractor-identified cabling that has been reviewed and approved for removal by the

Government.

19. Please confirm that the threshold will not be measured against an undefined total quantity of all abandoned cabling that may exist within Building 3400 and as stated above, is incumbent on identification of the contractor

Response: Correct. Performance will not be measured against an undefined total quantity or unknown inventory of abandoned cabling that may exist within the building. As established in the Performance

Requirements Summary (Technical Exhibit A) and clarified in the previous question, performance is measured exclusively against the successful removal of 100% of the cables that are both (a) identified by the contractor on the 'Proposed Cable Removal Log,' and (b) explicitly approved for removal by the Government.

20. Additionally, please confirm that if the contractor follows industry tools, techniques, and standards, cabling classified as active, uncertain, inaccessible, or unsafe to remove will not count against the removal threshold and therefore nullify threshold monetary deductions or other penalties, unless separately accepted by the COR for removal and concurred with by the contractor.

Response: Correct. The performance calculation for cable removal is based solely on the successful removal of cables that are explicitly marked

'APPROVED' on the Government-returned 'Proposed Cable Removal Log.

Cables that fall into the following categories will not be counted against the contractor's performance threshold:

• Active/Uncertain: Cables marked 'DENIED' or 'HOLD' by the Government

(PWS 5.2.5.2).

• Inaccessible/Unsafe: Cables jointly designated as 'abandoned in place' through the joint assessment process with the COR (PWS 5.2.5.2).

• Not Approved: Any cable not explicitly marked 'APPROVED' by the Government on the returned log.

No penalties will be assessed for cables falling into these categories.

21. Please confirm whether the contractor is responsible only for incidental restoration associated with cable removal, such as replacing ceiling tiles moved during access and leaving work areas safe.

Response: The contractor's site restoration responsibilities are limited to the specific tasks outlined in the amended PWS paragraph 5.7.1, 'Basic Site

Restoration.'

This work includes:

1. Replacing any drop-ceiling tiles displaced during performance back into the ceiling grid.

2. Furnishing and installing standard blank wall plates where cabling and original faceplates have been completely removed.

No other restoration work (such as painting, drywall repair, etc.) is required unless damage is caused by contractor negligence.

22. Please also confirm that the contractor is not responsible for repairing pre-existing ceiling, pathway, conduit, drywall, or building deficiencies discovered during performance.

Response: Correct. The contractor is not responsible for repairing pre-existing deficiencies. Per PWS paragraph 5.7, the contractor shall note any pre-existing site damages prior to and bring them to the attention of the

Government prior to commencing work. Failure to do so will result in such damages being considered the fault of the contractor with resultant obligations to repair.

23. If the contractor is responsible for restoration beyond incidental restoration, please clarify whether it is acceptable to cut into drywall to remove cables and then repair the drywall following removal.

Response: Yes. The scope is limited to cabling accessible through non-destructive methods and does not include destructive demolition.

24. If drywall cutting and repair is permitted, please confirm whether the COR will determine which repairs are acceptable based on field conditions and coordination with the contractor. These requirements could significantly increase costs if this level of access, demolition, and repair is assumed to be required and contractor responsibility.

Response: As defined in the PWS, the scope of work explicitly prohibits destructive demolition, including cutting into drywall. Since drywall removal is not permitted under any circumstances, the standards for repair are not relevant to this requirement.

25. Please confirm whether it is acceptable to isolate and leave in place de-energized cables located within wall cavities when those cables cannot be removed without causing damage, whether permanent or repairable.

Response: Yes. As stated in PWS paragraph 5.5, wall demolition is not within the scope of this contract. Therefore, any cable located within a wall cavity that cannot be removed without causing damage to the drywall is considered 'inaccessible.' In such cases, the contractor shall follow the procedure outlined in PWS paragraph 5.2.5.2 to have the cable formally designated as 'abandoned in place' through a joint assessment with the

COR. These cables will then be excluded from the removal performance threshold.

26. For abandoned cabling removed back to source “where practical,” please clarify whether the contractor is required to remove associated endpoint hardware, including faceplates, jacks, patch-panel terminations, labels, or other related components. Alternatively, please confirm whether those components should remain in place unless specifically directed for removal by the COR.

Response: No. The scope of this requirement is limited to low-voltage cabling. Removal of associated endpoint hardware, including faceplates, jacks, patch-panel terminations, racks, power supplies, cameras, access-control devices, and other equipment is not required.

27. Please confirm whether Attachment 0004 - Site Visit Visual Exhibit and J6

Markup is intended to define the removal scope, or whether it is provided as representative information only. Are offerors expected to price removal throughout the entirety of Building 3400, or only the locations/conditions identified in the visual exhibit and J6 markup?

Response: Attachment 0004 is provided for informational purposes only.

Offerors shall price the requirement based upon the solicitation scope for

Building 3400.

28. The J6 markup appears to document only a portion of the facility and includes a handwritten note indicating the review ended before completion. Is the markup a complete Government scope identification, or a partial site observation? If partial, what floors/areas were not reviewed or marked during the site visit?

Response: The J6 markup is provided for informational purposes only. It represents a partial observation and is not a complete inventory or a definitive statement of the Government's requirement. The handwritten notes on the document further confirm their partial and non-binding nature.

As stated in the solicitation and PWS Section 1.4, the scope of the requirement is the identification and removal of all accessible, abandoned low-voltage cabling throughout the entirety of Building 3400. Offerors are responsible for pricing the total requirement for the entire building, not just the areas depicted in any single attachment.

29. Are the numbered cable counts/notes shown on the J6 markup Government-identified abandoned cabling accepted for removal, or must the contractor independently trace, validate, and obtain COR/J6 concurrence before removing each item?

Response: Per paragraph 5.2 of the PWS, the contractor must identify and tag potentially abandoned low voltage cabling before obtaining final verification and approval from the Government.

30. Please clarify the floors and areas included in the contract scope. Prior

Government responses identify three primary occupied floors as the 100-level, 300-level, and 400-level floor plans, while the floor plan attachment also includes a second-floor plan. Is any portion of the second floor included in the removal scope? Response: Yes. The scope includes all accessible areas of Building

3400 encompassed by the solicitation requirements, including accessible second-floor areas. Offerors shall base their quotations on the requirements set forth in the PWS and not solely on site visit photographs, floor plan excerpts, or markup documents.

31. Are the site visit photos representative of typical conditions throughout Building

3400, worst-case conditions, or selected areas only?

Response: The site visit photographs are provided for informational purposes only and depict a sample of conditions observed in selected areas during the site visit. They should be considered representative examples of the types of conditions offerors may encounter.

As stated in the solicitation and confirmed in previous responses, these photos are not a complete inventory of all work. Offerors are responsible for pricing the total requirement for the entire building based on the PWS, all information provided in the solicitation, and their own professional judgment and assessment.

32. For cabling that appears abandoned but is intertwined, bundled, or secured together with active cabling, is the contractor expected to fully remove the abandoned cable, or may it be cut back, secured, tagged, and left in place with

COR approval when full removal creates risk to active systems?

Response: Yes. If the contractor identifies an approved-for-removal cable that is intertwined with active cabling in such a way that its removal would create a risk to active systems, the contractor shall not proceed with removal. Instead, the contractor shall treat this as a safety/accessibility issue and follow the procedure outlined in PWS paragraph 5.2.5.2. The contractor will present its rationale to the COR, and a joint assessment will be conducted. If the COR concurs that removal poses an unacceptable risk, the cable will be officially designated as 'abandoned in place' and excluded from the performance removal threshold

33. Does the scope include removal of abandoned cabling inside telecom rooms, cabinets, racks, patch panels, wall-mounted boxes, or head-end equipment, or is the scope limited to ladder-accessible cabling above ceilings and in accessible pathways?

Response: Yes. The scope includes removal of abandoned cabling associated with non-Government systems throughout Building 3400 and is not limited to ceiling pathways. Contractors shall identify and remove approved abandoned cabling, where practical and accessible, back to its source or termination point. This includes accessible telecommunications rooms, cabinets, racks, patch panels, wall-mounted enclosures, head-end equipment, ceiling spaces, and accessible pathways. Government NIPR network cabling, patch panels, cabinets, racks, switches, and related network infrastructure are excluded from the scope. Removal shall be accomplished using non-destructive access methods and shall not require demolition or disturbance of active systems.

34. The prior response states that abandoned cable should be removed back to the source or termination point where practical. How should the contractor proceed when the source cannot be verified, or when removal back to source would require disturbing active equipment or cabling?

Response: In either of those scenarios, the contractor shall not proceed with removal. Instead, the contractor shall follow the procedure outlined in

PWS Section 5.2.5.2 for designating a cable as 'abandoned in place.'

• If the source cannot be verified, the cable's status is 'uncertain,' and it cannot be approved for removal.

• If removal would create risk to active systems, it is considered 'unsafe to remove.'

In both cases, the contractor shall document the situation, present it to the

COR for a joint assessment, and upon concurrence, the cable will be officially designated 'abandoned in place' and excluded from the performance threshold.

35. Are abandoned low-voltage cables located inside conduit, flexible conduit, J-boxes, wireway, or enclosed pathways required to be removed when accessible by ladder, or is removal limited to exposed/free-air low-voltage cabling?

Response: Yes. Removal is limited to exposed or otherwise accessible cabling that can be safely removed using non-destructive access methods.

Cabling located inside conduit, enclosed wireways, closed junction boxes, or other inaccessible building systems is excluded, unless specifically approved by the COR and KO. The contractor is NOT required to pull or remove abandoned cabling that is enclosed inside hard conduit, flexible conduit, enclosed wireways, or closed J-boxes. Unless explicitly approved otherwise, cabling enclosed in conduit shall be classified as abandoned in place. The COR is not authorized to direct the removal of cabling from enclosed conduit systems.

36. Will J6, facility, or COR-designated personnel be available during each workday to support active/inactive determinations and removal approvals? If not continuously available, what response time should the contractor assume when uncertain cabling is identified?

Response: The contractor will identify and tag potentially abandoned low voltage cables and submit them to the COR on a “Proposed Cable Removal

Log.” The COR will return the log with approval within five business days.

37. Will the COR/J6 provide written approval before removal of identified abandoned cabling, or is verbal field approval acceptable during daily operations?

Response: Approval will be made in writing. Please see Section 5.2 of the

PWS for more information.

38. How will final acceptance be measured given that the Government has not provided an abandoned cable inventory or linear footage? Will acceptance be based on removal of contractor-identified and COR-accepted cabling, or a building-wide Government inspection for remaining abandoned cabling?

Response: Final acceptance will be based upon removal of contractor-identified and Government-approved abandoned cabling IAW the approved

Proposed Cable Removal Log.

39. Will removed cable need to be staged for Government review before disposal or recycling? If yes, where will material be staged, how long must it be retained, and who will approve release for disposal?

Response: No. As per PWS paragraph 5.4, the contractor is fully responsible for the proper disposal or recycling of all removed cabling. The

Government does not require the staging or retention of removed cabling for Government review prior to off-site disposal.

40. Which areas, if any, require escorts or access coordination beyond normal door unlocking? If required escorts are unavailable during approved work hours, will resulting delays be treated as Government caused delays?

Response: Please see our responses to questions 3 and 8 for more information.

41. The PWS identifies normal work hours as 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday. May the contractor request after-hours or weekend work for areas where occupied-building operations, escort availability, or safety considerations make normal-hours work inefficient or disruptive?

Response: Please see our response to question 9 for more information.

42. Will the Government provide panel information, circuit information, facility electrician support, or other assistance for LOTO/de-energization of energized abandoned low-voltage circuits? Who has final authority to approve de-energization in Government spaces?

Response: The Government will provide access to electrical rooms/panels and any available facility information; however, offerors should assume that complete documentation is not available. The de-energization process will be as follows:

1. Contractor Identification: The contractor is responsible for using its technical expertise to trace and identify energized abandoned circuits.

2. Contractor Recommendation & Coordination: The contractor shall present its findings and a proposed LOTO plan to the COR for review.

3. Government Approval: The Government retains final approval authority for the de-energization of any circuit. No LOTO procedures may begin without explicit, written approval from the Government.

4. Contractor Action: Upon receiving Government approval, the contractor is responsible for performing the physical LOTO procedures IAW OSHA standards, as required by PWS Section 5.3.1.3.

The Government will provide available facility information and reasonable coordination assistance; however, complete panel schedules, circuit inventories, and as-built documentation may not be available. The contractor shall coordinate all proposed de-energization activities with the

COR. Final authority for approval of circuit de-energization within

Government-controlled spaces rests with the Government through the COR and designated facility stakeholders. The contractor shall perform all LOTO activities IAW OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 and NFPA 70E.

43. Please confirm that no ceiling demolition, gypsum-board ceiling removal, patching, painting, new access panel installation, or wall/floor demolition is included. Are areas above inaccessible hard ceilings excluded unless existing access panels are available?

Response: Correct. The scope does not include ceiling demolition, gypsum-board ceiling removal, wall or floor demolition, patching, painting, installation of new access panels, or other destructive construction activities. The requirement is limited to low-voltage cabling accessible through existing access points and other non-destructive means. Areas above inaccessible hard ceilings or concealed spaces are excluded unless existing access panels or other non-destructive access methods are available.

44. Other than the IB08 Solicitation Attachment 0004, are there any additional site survey photos available? This only seems to show part of the 3rd floor. If not, are we able to send someone out to complete the site survey before submitting a quote?

Response: There are no additional photos. Pre-award site surveys are not permitted.

45. Is this project subject to prevailing wage?

Response: Yes.