National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div.,100 Bureau Drive Stop 3572, Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3572

Z -- CONTINUATION OF INSTALLATION OF THE NIST SITEWIDE ALARM SYSTEM SOL 50SBNB5C8663 POC Joan M. Smith (301) 975-6458 WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, htpp://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. In August 1995, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland awarded a contract to SP Contracting, Inc., 10545 Guilford Road, Jessup, Maryland, for the installation of a sitewide alarm system. That system replaces the fire, security, and mechanical/electrical alarm systems. The NIST site has approximately 35 buildings on its 232 hectare site (560 acres). Most of the buildings are connected by an existing manhole-duct bank system and the alarm system connections between the buildings are required to be fiber optic cable run in the duct bank system. Some new duct bank was required to be installed under the contract. The building panels are required to be connected in a token ring arrangement and will operate on an equal priority, with no master or controlling panel. When the new system becomes operational, the old system will be removed. Since the site is occupied during construction and the old system is required to be functional until acceptance of the new system. As the contract has progressed, it has become evident that there were numerous design deficiencies. Some of the deficiencies include, but are not limited to, the requirement for many more components/devices than originally anticipated, many more upgrades. To date approximately one-third of the buildings at NIST have been completed and are being tested. It is NIST's intention to continue the procurement with SP Contracting and modify their contract for additional work since they are responsible for the total site installation, and are liable for the operation of the new Simplex alarm. They are intimately familiar with NIST, eliminating the learning curve. The magnitude of construction for this continuation of work is $1M -- $5M. See Numbered Note 22 and 26. Posted 05/20/99 (W-SN333933). (0140)

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