H256--Asbestos AHERA inspection 2022

Questions

Q. Are floor plans available for all buildings?

Yes.

Q. Are floor plans in AutoCAD format or some other format?

Plans were designed in AutoCad and copied to PDF. Architectural AutoCAD plans will be available upon request. This process may take a few days to complete. The Boise VAMC safety department requests that, if AutoCad plans are provided to the vendor, the vendor also provides AutoCad plans that have been updated with the asbestos positive locations, upon completion of the project.

Q. What is the aeration tank in building #68 used for?

The Building 68 Aeration tank is not included in the AHERA asbestos inspection. I apologize that this building was listed on page 6, but not on page 4. I had intended to remove it from both pages. All components of the aeration tank were replaced in 2005.

Q. Has the main building (85) been expanded? If so, when was this building added onto?

Yes. There were three different additions two that expanded the first and second floors and another that expanded the third floor and added a penthouse. The earliest of these additions was completed in 2009.

Q. Is building #85A included as part of this project?

No. Building 85A was built in 1997. The Boise VAMC is not required to have an AHERA inspection on record for this Building.

Q. Is building #68 included as a part of this project? It is listed on page 6 , but not on page 4.

No. See the answer to Question 3.

Q. Will a site map with the location of all buildings in this project be provided?

Yes.

Q. Do roofing materials also need to be sampled?

No. We discussed this and ultimately decided that roofing should not be sampled due to the potential for damage that leads to water intrusion.

Q. Have previous inspections been performed on any of these buildings?

Yes, NESHAP inspections have been conducted on portions of Building 85 that were subject to renovation. An asbestos AHERA inspection was also done for the second floor of Building 85.

Q. Can we get a copy of those prior surveys?

No. We would not like to rely on past surveys because (1) some of the past surveys have been inaccurate and (2) some materials may have been installed more recently than the materials in place during these surveys.

Q. What is the estimated (or allowed) time of completion for this project?

The Boise VAMC Safety Department would prefer to have the inspection be started and completed within a two-week time frame. We request that the selected vendor schedule the work in whole-day increments, except for the final day. The report should be completed within 30 days of the inspection end date.

Q. When is the expected start date for this project?

We are flexible on the start date, but the inspection and resulting report should be completed in calendar year 2022.

Q. Does the contractor need to inspect behind wet walls?

No, the contractor will not be asked to cut into wet walls.

B.3 STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

1. Contract Title

Asbestos AHERA inspection.

2. Background

The contractor will perform an Asbestos AHERA inspection in compliance with all provisions of 40 CFR 763 related to AHERA inspections.

3. Scope

The following buildings will be inspected: 2, 8, 21, 30, 48, 52, 66, 69, 71, 72, 79, and 85 (except for the infill section of Building 85 that was built in the last decade). Most of these buildings are small outbuildings. However, building 85 is a five-story building. (The fifth floor is composed partially of penthouses and partially of roof top.)

A map of the Boise VA Medical Center station and architectural plans will be provided by the Safety department upon request.

The Contractor shall supply all materials and supplies necessary for sampling and shall coordinate the analysis of all samples collected with a laboratory accredited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Voluntary Accreditation Program.

4. Specific Tasks

Inspection Procedures

All inspections will be made exclusively by accredited inspectors. The inspector(s) will visually inspect each building to identify the location of homogenous areas of suspected ACBM. The contractor will collect and submit for analysis bulk samples from each homogenous area, in accordance with sampling guidance from 40 CFR 763. The contractor will determine whether ACBM is friable.

Inspection Report Procedures

The inspection report shall include all the following:

The date of the inspection signed by each accredited person making the inspection, State of accreditation, and if applicable, his or her accreditation number.

A description of the limitations of the AHERA survey and a list of the specific areas and materials that could not be accessed or sampled and were therefore excluded from the AHERA inspection.

A description of the manner used to determine sampling locations, the name and signature of each accredited inspector who collected the samples, State of accreditation, and, if applicable, his or her accreditation number.

An inventory of the locations of all homogeneous areas of suspected ACBM. For example, each type of flooring that is suspect for asbestos shall be considered a different homogeneous area and the locations (corridor numbers, room numbers) where such flooring exists shall inventoried.

A list of whether the homogeneous areas are surfacing material, thermal system insulation (TSI), or miscellaneous material.

The sampling date, sampling results, and the exact locations where each bulk sample is collected, shown on architectural plans. (The Boise VAMC can provide preliminary architectural plans for each building.)

Pictures of each material for which a bulk sample was collected.

An assessment of friable materials, the name and signature of each accredited inspector making the inspection, State of accreditation, and if applicable, his or her accreditation number.

The inspection Report will be provided to the POC within 30 days from the date of inspection.

SITE WORK / CLEAN UP

The Contractor will follow all required hospital COVID policies, including masking and ensuring that employees do not have flu-like symptoms when they perform repairs. The Contractor clean up any debris that is created during sampling.

COORDINATION OF WORK

When surveying patient care areas, the inspector(s) shall coordinate inspection and sampling with clinical department staff. While the majority of sampling can be done during business hours, some survey work (e.g. in OR suites) may need to be performed outside of business hours.

Any unintended consequences of sampling (e.g. damaged equipment or materials) shall be brought to the attention of the POC at the earliest possible date.

5. Performance Monitoring

The Government is required to monitor Contractor performance and certify the Work was done in accordance with the contract. This monitoring is done by the POC.

6. Security Requirements

Inspector(s) will be escorted by a member of the Safety department during the inspection. The vendor will communicate with the POC to select a date when an escort is available.

7. Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE)/Government-Furnished Information (GFI)

The Government shall not furnish any equipment, services, or information to the Contractor not specifically stated in the Project Specifications.

8. Other Pertinent Information or Special Considerations

Due to high patient activity vendor will perform sampling of Building 85 clinical areas on a Saturday. Conversely, sampling of Building 85 non-clinical areas (Mechanical Spaces, Penthouses) and sampling of all other buildings can be done well during business hours.

a. Identification of Potential Conflicts of Interest (COI)

There are no known Potential Conflicts of Interest.

b. Identification of Non-Disclosure Requirements

The Contractor shall not have access to sensitive and/or proprietary information.

9. Risk Control / Documentation

The Contractor will follow all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, including the use of appropriate respiratory protection and personal protective equipment, when warranted, and the proper use of ladders.

10. Place of Performance

Work shall be performed at the Boise VA Medical Center, Boise, ID, physical address 500 W. Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702.

11. Period of Performance N/A

Attachment A: Building Specifications

Building Year Square Feet Roof Area Use

2 1931 440 446 Pump House

8 1932 8,946 5,940 OCCUPIED: Trade Shops Downstairs, Offices Upstairs

21 1890 2,841 4,032 Garage/Storage

30 1886 5,460 6,384 Sonna Reservoir with 450,000 Gallons

48 1909 3,405 3,072 OCCUPIED: Construction Shop

52 1932 882 882 Garage/Storage

66 1932 1,440 2,072 Garage/Storage

68 2005 N/A N/A Aeration Tank with 23,500 Gallons

69 1932 193 393 Unoccupied, not in use

71 1932 1,701 2,050 Garage/Storage

72 1941 204 306 Pump House

79 1957 266 300 Storage

85 1977 87,728 19,625 OCCUPIED: Inpatient and Outpatient Health Care