4510--Newington Fire Suppression and Steam Leak Repairs

The purpose of this amendment is to answer RFI questions.
36C24126Q0691 - Newington Fire Suppression and Steam Leak Repairs - RFI's
Can a superintendent be a triple hat to cover the requirements of SSHO and QA/QC?
Answer: This will be acceptable for the Newington Fire Suppression and Steam Leak Repairs based on individual s work experience at VA sites and general work involved per SOW (provide submittal on credentials for review and acceptance).
Please confirm if tax should be included in our proposal?
Answer: When you prepare a proposal or quote for the VA, do not include sales tax on the items or services billed to the VA unless explicitly stated in the solicitation.
Please provide the latest wage determination for this project s county.
Answer: Visit the SAM.gov Wage Determinations Search. Enter the county and state and select the contract type (SCA or DBA). The latest wage determinations will be listed. You can download the PDF for the applicable determination. Attached also.
Please confirm if the current prevailing wages will be consistent for the life of the project with no escalation?
Answer: The  prevailing wage determination  in your contract at time of award is usually locked in for the life of the project.
Please confirm the current design documents meet current VA TIL guidelines.
Answer: No design since work is not per Project Develop Process but instead an M&O Repair SOW All government work to comply with Https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/
Please confirm any minority business participation requirements.
Set-aside for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB)
The SOW states that the Government will not furnish restroom facilities and that temporary portable toilets will not be allowed on the grounds. Please identify the restroom arrangements the contractor is expected to use. Answer: The M&O lead staff will authorize the use of existing bathroom facility(s) within reasonable proximity to the work area for use as required by contracted staff when needed.
Has the suspected material been sampled and confirmed to contain asbestos? If testing reports or previous asbestos surveys exist please provide them.
Answer: Facility believe that there is no asbestos associated with work required per the Newington Fire Suppression and Steam Leak Repairs but if the vendor feels that there is suspect material(s), Vendor can be tested and results shared with the facility, etc.  The facility will require that all pipe flange gasket materials be peeled off the flange with care and placed in a clear plastic bag (provided by the M&O staff) for facility testing and proper disposal as required.
Please confirm whether all piping replacement, ACM abatement, inspection/testing, system restoration, and cleanup must be completed within a single Friday-to-Sunday outage?
Answer: Work needs to be scheduled and completed safely and competently by qualified staff in reasonable time per industry practice.  If unforeseen like asbestos is discovered and it interferes with trade work progress, the trade work progress will stop safely and proceed only after required and authorized additional work activities as part of the core work activity is review and accepted as a modification to this repair work.
If unforeseen existing conditions prevent completion during the scheduled weekend outage, please clarify the procedure for extending the outage or scheduling a subsequent outage.
Answer: Unforeseen can and may be handled as a modification to trade work required per this repair, but every effort will be made not to disrupt a utility service and/ or prevent the restoration of a utility service where it can be controlled because of an unforeseen.
Please confirm the existing steam pipe diameter & sprinkler piping, pipe material/schedule, flange class/rating, gasket requirements, and normal operating pressure/temperature. Please also confirm the required material specifications for the replacement piping?
Answer: No drawings or data on file are avaible, all data to have been collected as part of the pre bid walk through process.
Please confirm the intended limits of the six-foot replacement and identify the required termination/connection points. Are bidders to assume exactly six linear feet for pricing, or should final quantity be based upon field verification?
Answer: Intended limit is not more than 6 feet and when cut out, new pipe section will be butt spliced and welded to existing.
Please confirm that existing valves within this section are to be permanently eliminated and replaced with straight pipe rather than replaced with new valves?
Answer: Replaced existing valve (x1) with straight pipe for steam line.
Are new sprinkler piping, steam piping, valves, hangers, or other components required to be primed/painted? If so, please provide the required coating system and identification/color requirements.
Answer: No prime or painting required as part of this repair work.
Are existing mechanical, steam distribution, sprinkler, or as-built drawings available showing Confined Space 1-3 and the affected systems? If available, please provide them?
Answer: No drawings are avaible, all data to have been collected as part of the pre bid walk through process.
One of the sprinkler valves is located over an electrical conduit. Would the VA want us to relocate this valve 5-10' away to a location where they would have better access and be away from the electricity? 
Answer: No, the valve cannot be moved due to the wiring. Fire control wiring is one continuous wire from one point to another. This means that the current position is the only one and that the current valve that is leaking will need to be replaced in the current location.
The sprinkler valve is located far back in the crawl space. It was discussed at the visit that engineering might be able to saw-cut the wall behind the valve to gain access. Can this be confirmed? (Picture is attached).
Answer: The wall that was spoken of cannot be cut and opened due to equipment on their other side of the wall adjacent to the valve position.