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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF JANUARY 29, 2015 FBO #4814
DOCUMENT

C -- A/E Design for New Fire Alarm System - Attachment

Notice Date

1/27/2015
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541330 — Engineering Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office;NCO 19;4100 E. Mississippi Avenue, Suite 900;Glendale CO 80246
 

ZIP Code

80246
 

Solicitation Number

VA25915R0093
 

Response Due

2/3/2015
 

Archive Date

5/4/2015
 

Point of Contact

Concesa Hubbard
 

E-Mail Address

a.Hubbard@va.gov<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
 

Description

Questions and Answers RFP VA259-15-R-0093 (Fire Alarm System) 1. Question: Submission Requirements (1) states that the A/E must include a registered engineer from the State of Wyoming. Please clarify is this is truly required as typical VA and Government contracts simply require the engineer to be registered in any state in the US. Answer: The A/E must include a registered engineer from the State of Wyoming. The Government shall allow an offeror to demonstrate reciprocity through National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). 2. Question: What qualifications do you require of the 3rd party reviewer? (NICET IV, PE, PE in WY, 10+ years' experience) Answer: NICET IV certified with experience shown in SF 330 or a licensed fire protection engineer 3. Question: If the A/E is to provide the 3rd party reviewer, can the reviewer be an employee of the A/E firm provided they meet the qualifications and have no design responsibility? Answer: No, must be 3rd party 4. Question: The scope of work calls for the A/E to perform an inspection above ceilings and in attics. Are there any areas above ceilings or in attics containing asbestos or other materials that would make an inspection hazardous? Answer: The Government has minimal asbestos left on site. The Government will provide the awarded team a copy of the latest asbestos survey after the award. 5. Question: Section I.8 (h) states to schedule 4 trips for the inspection. What is the anticipated duration of each trip? Answer: Allowable trips for this project are 4 trips. Anticipated duration of each trip is dependent on the successful offeror. 6. Question: Section I.2 (b) states the A/E is responsible for testing the existing wire for "defects". Please clarify the anticipated method for this testing. If something similar to megger testing is required, that would mean that all devices would need to be removed from the wire and the wiring temporarily spliced together. Is this level of testing anticipated? If so, it would be extremely time consuming and require a complete functional test of all devices once reinstalled per NFPA 72. Answer: Section 1 part 3 states that devices will not be replaced but must be able to connect to the panels. Since the wiring are 5 to 30 years old, the engineer shall do which ever testing they deem necessary. When upon completion of the design, the system shall fully work. 7. Question: Section I.2 implies only replacing head-end equipment, sub-panels and the associated interconnection but all devices are to remain as existing. Is this correct or is the intent to design to the fullest extent of available funds, including device replacement? Answer: Yes. 8. Question: Can you provide the weighting of each of the criterion used for selection? For example, is Criterion 5 more important than Criterion 6 or are they of equal importance? Answer: The criteria are listed in descending order of importance, as stated in the pre-solicitation. 9. Question: Criterion 1 states to indicate whether or not key personnel hold any security clearance. Is there a requirement for a security clearance for this project? If key personnel do not have any security clearance, will that rank them lower than key personnel who have a security clearance? Answer: Please see revised Evaluation Criteria. Security clearance is no longer part of the evaluation factor. 10. Question: Criterion 1 states to provide "licensed and or certified workforce in ¦fire systems design/installation". Since this project does not include installation work, please clarify why an installation certification is being requested? If an installation certification is being requested, please clarify what is meant by this, i.e. low voltage contractor, NICET certification, etc. Answer: The requirement of the design/installation subject matter expert is for the inspection of the installation during the Construction period services portion of the A/E service. 11. Question: Criterion 7 requires submission of "documentation or certificates as evidence of reputation and standing of its firm". Please clarify or provide an example of what documentation or certificates would meet this criterion. (Same as question #16) Answer: Specific achievements of your firm, such as publications, awards, certificates, or commendations from within the community that show you are a firm in good standing. 12. Question: Submission requirements: Is there a limit on the number of pages that can be included within the pdf? Answer: There is a limit of 40 pages for these (SF 330 Part I, Sections A-H). The page limit does not pertain to the PPQ's. 13. Question: Criterion 2, Submission requirements - I see you are only requesting five projects for Section F, not 10. Is this correct? Answer: Yes 14. Question: Criterion 4, Submission requirements - you are requiring either a CPARS/ACASS evaluation OR a Past Performance Questionnaire to be completed on each one of the five projects we are submitting in Section F. Is this correct? Answer: Yes 15. Question: Criterion 5, Submission requirements - you state - Offerors shall submit evidence of individuals' experience and qualifications in their respective fields. Additionally, documentation must be provided to show these individuals have worked together as a team on previous ¦.. What is the documentation that you are requiring? I am not sure what this is. Answer: Completing Sections E, F, and G on the SF330 will complete the documentation requirement to show these individuals have worked together as a team and their role. 16. Question: Criterion 7, Submission requirements - you state - Offerors shall provide documentation or certificates as evidence of reputation and standing of it firm. What is the documentation or certificates that you are requiring? Again I am not sure what this is. Answer: Specific achievements of your firm, such as publications, awards, certificates, or commendations from within the community that show you are a firm in good standing. 17. Question: The specification says the brand of the system only matters in that they need to be able to get service in a matter of hours and not days. Can manufacturers of different brands be approved to bid the project if the requirements to provide building protection during construction can be met by the fire alarm contractor? Answer: This project is for design only at this point. 18. Question: Is there an existing alarm receiving computer or central monitoring software/computer setup on site at the VA hospital, and if so would it be acceptable to replace or upgrade the monitoring software/computer as needed to work with the new fire alarm system brand? Answer: See Sections 1part2a and section 1 part 4 from the SOW 19. Question: What I am trying to find out is if vendors of various brands of fire alarm system are going to be allowed to bid the project when the engineering design is complete (dependent upon Engineer's approval). If the VA is already tied to one brand, i.e. EST, Notifier, Advanced ¦then the final project will only be bid by a single contractor. However, if it's the intent of the VA to upgrade their buildings to have a single brand in all buildings, but they do not care what brand that is as long as it's approved by the engineer then different fire alarm suppliers will be able to bid it. Answer: In the provided specs/drawings used in procuring construction services, the Government shall state there shall be Brand name or equal that meets the plans and specs. 20. Question: In the PDF, page 5 of 14 - Section VI Part 2 Calculations - it asks for heating and cooling calculations. Calculations for the fire alarm systems are normally provided by the fire alarm contractor (i.e. voltage drop calculations, battery calculations, circuit power calculations, etc.) - these are not normally provided by the engineer as they are manufacturer dependent. Should the fire protection engineer (PE) expect to provide these services under this contract or should we be permitted to allow the contractor to provide these calculations under their Shop Drawing Submission? Answer: Any calculations the engineer performs which will prove in the future (i.e. 5 years down the road if something breaks and the Government need to get it fixed) why the design was performed in a certain manner, will be provided at the time of the design. Any manufacture calculations relevant to the design will be reviewed by the engineer during the construction submittal phase and will be recorded for future use also. 21. Question: How many buildings will have a fire alarm system replacement? Of those buildings, what are the numbers/names and what are the approximate areas and number of floors for each building? Answer: Section 1part2 states 23 buildings. A summary of the campus is an average of 3 floors (including basement) and attic per building, average 1 panel per building a couple have 2 and ranging from 1,500 SF to 12,000 SF per floor. Plans in AutoCAD will be provided as stated in section 10 after award. These buildings are spread out on a 250 acres parcel of land. There are conduits between most of them but it is not direct paths. See map below showing the 23 buildings. 22. Question: The Construction Administration seems very low - I would recommend weekly site visits initially and then taper to bi-weekly or monthly site visits to ensure progress by the contractor and proper installation? Would these services be negotiated after selection? Answer: Construction period services will be negotiated with top offeror after evaluation of SF 330's. During negotiations, the Government shall address the amount of site visits and inspections with offeror.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/VARMCCC/VARMCCC/VA25915R0093/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA259-15-R-0093 VA259-15-R-0093.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1832349&FileName=VA259-15-R-0093-002.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1832349&FileName=VA259-15-R-0093-002.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Veterans Affairs;VA Medical Center in Sheridan, WY;1898 Fort Rd;Sheridan, WY

Zip Code: 82801
 

Record

SN03625899-W 20150129/150127234611-4dbb61f7a61728924fc678d1b031c162 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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