Q and A to Solicitation-Consolidated Evidence Long Term Storage 2 APR 2024.pdf

Q&A: Consolidated Evidence Long Term Storage

1. What type of flooring is the system to be installed upon, concreate slap, decking?

A: The flooring of the new building is concrete. The building is a brand new build, blank-mold, specifically designed for the long-term storage of evidence in criminal investigations.

2. Does the building have a loading dock for delivery to the site and/or what is the delivery address destination. If not, then a lift gate will be required in the delivery.

A: There is no loading dock, but there is an area adjacent to the building to off-load and access the building. There are no lift capabilities at the new building.

The contractor will require to bring sufficient labor, machinery, and equipment to off-load, carry-in inside the building, and complete installation. There are no personnel that will be able to assist with the labor and installation of the shelving.

3. Is there a staging area that the system can be unpacked from its crated area for the installers. Is this area covered and securable?

A: There is no covered staging area at the destination. There is an open area in front of the building that equipment can be off-loaded, but it is not securable.

There is a fenced-in area adjacent to the building that items can be off-loaded and secured behind a fence, as necessary. This area is a little further away from the entrance to the building where the shelving will be installed, but it is available if necessary. However, the area that we own for our buildings is not a common thoroughfare and is a law enforcement headquarters with a compound wall to separate view from the main roadway to our area. The area is subject to frequent security checks from the installation Military Police as well as Law Enforcement personnel that both work and visit our headquarters.

4. Are there any obstructions overhead or in the area the system is to be installed in that need to be considered (conduit, pluming or electrical/cable conduit etc… along the walls) A: There are no obstructions to the installation. The new building was built with 12 foot ceilings and with the shelving requested to be 9 feet tall, that leaves 3 feet to account for fire code and indoors heating and air conditioning ducts mounted and dropped down from the ceiling.

5. Confirm that the stationary shelving ranges at each end of the mobile system are to be 25’ long, and not 35’ long like the mobile carriages.

A: Yes, the carriages are to be 35’ long and the shelving at each end of the mobile shelving are to be 25’ long because there are interior structure points that the fixed shelving must be placed inside of, such as structure support beams that are encased in drywall that stick out from the interior walls. These structure points do not impact the installation and operation of the mobile carriages and allows them to be 35’ long.

6. Are the carriages to be dual access?

A: If you are talking about access to each side of the carriage, then yes. The mobile shelving system allows for only one aisle and the carriages are moved on rails to gain access to each row of shelving on either side of all the carriages by creating an aisle wherever you need to gain access to the contents of that particular row of shelving.

7. How far will the delivery staging be from the building?

A: The delivery vehicle can park and off-load directly to the front of the building where the main door is located. This building is designed as a secure vault to store evidence for long-term storage so there is only one access point to the main vault area where the shelving will be installed. That main access point is located at the front of the building and there is adequate parking and off-loading area prior to bringing the materials inside the building for installation.

8. Is this a first-floor installation?

A: Yes, the building is only one story. Ground level. But due to the nature of the building, there is only one controlled access point to gain entry to the installation area.

9. How many shelves/levels per section of shelving?

A: This is dependent on the contractor and ultimately the style of shelving that is finally awarded. The shelving is requested to be 48” long and 24” deep with adjustable shelving to arrange for different heights to accommodate larger boxes.

Typically, there would be several adjustable shelves in each section that would afford a 24” height adjustment, 48” long, 24” deep and 24” tall. Adjustable shelves can be moved and/or removed, as needed. So, basically, for a 9-foot tall shelving system, either the permanent fixed-based or carriages, there would be either four or five adjustable shelves per section. Due to the varying lengths of the shelving and carriages, some sections may be shortened, to 36” or shorter to meet the overall length of the shelving and/or carriages.

10. Do you what full depth shelving 48” or back to back shelving 24” each?

A: The carriages consist of two back to back 24” deep shelving units on each carriage with access to the shelving area from each side of the carriage. There does not need to be a back or closed off between each shelving unit on the carriages.

11. Do you want closed side and backs?

A: No, only the ends need to be closed. Our current system does not have closed sides and backs.

12. Do you require any bin dividers to make cubbies?

A: No.

13. Can you please confirm, this note in the specification below? I don’t believe it is worded correctly. If the shelves truly have to hold this much weight, we cannot accommodate the request as we are nowhere near this.

A: As stated - The Shelves must be able to support 1,000lbs per linear square foot.

14. When are they looking to have something installed by?

A: As soon as possible upon award. We understand that there may be a delay once the award is made for the company to design and/or manufacture the product since it is custom shelving with length and height. A reasonable time for manufacture of the product is expected.

15. Do you need us to provide an installation estimate as well?

A: The installation of the product should be included in the bid for the contract.

This contract is a complete package to purchase the appropriate shelving and have it installed to working order by the contractor. There is no separate payment. Its one and the same.

16. Is a floor covering required over the decking on the mobile aisle system? We can leave this exposed plywood or install a covering such as rubber matting or VCT tile.

A: The Track should be flush with the walking surface after decking or concrete is installed to preclude any possible tripping hazard and to accommodate carts and/or handicap wheelchair access. Some sort of decking, whether it be VCT or some kind of laminated surface to protect it from normal wear of walking and mobile carts being pushed across the decking. I don’t think painted plywood would be appropriate either. I believe our current decking is some sort of laminated decking. I don’t think rubber matting would be appropriate to accommodate carts and/or wheelchair accessibility. It seems to me that rubber matting would compress, and possibly cause instability for carts and possible wheelchairs, as well as cause areas where carts and/or wheelchairs might have trouble navigating across the tracks. Additionally, with the height of the shelving, we may need to acquire some sort of mobile ladder system to be able to access the higher shelving and they may also have difficulty navigating across the tracks that don’t remain solidly level after installation and years of use.

17. Are the carriages required to hold 1,000 lbs per linear foot? I ask this because in on page

42 of the solicitation it states, "with adjustable industrial strength metal shelving and a minimum load carrying capacity of 1000lbs per linear foot." Then in the Q+A question

#13 "A: As stated - The Shelves must be able to support 1,000lbs per linear square foot."

The standard in the industry for a mechanical industrial mobile storage systems is measured in weight per linear foot.

A: There was a mistake in the initial documentation that stated Linear Square Feet. The industry standard is fine. It should be linear feet not linear square feet.

18. Are the 24D x 48W shelves required to hold more than 400 lbs per level?

A: Each individual shelving unit should be able to support 600 pounds totally. Having the ability to support more weight is acceptable.

19. Does the system need a structural analysis and stamped by a PE to be included in the quote or upon being awarded the project.

A: No

20. Is an engineered drawing required with the quote or upon being awarded the project.

A: No

21. Please provide clarification to the below answer of question #9 from the Q&A posted on 27 March. It remains unclear how many shelf levels should be provided per section of shelving. The answer below does not state specifically if they are requesting 4 or 5 shelf levels per section. It is important that each bidder quotes the same number of shelves, rather than some quoting 4 levels, and some quoting 5 levels, depending on their interpretation of this response.

A: Shelving should be adjustable to accommodate for different heights of larger and/or smaller boxes and should come with 5 adjustable shelves per section.