Please respond to: SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399 TO: FROM: RE: Vendors Christie Hutchinson, Purchasing Director INVITATION TO BID NUMBER ITB/PI-12/13-53 INSTALLATION OF A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM This Addendum is to provide all potential bidders with changes to and answers to questions received in reference to Invitation to Bid Number ITB/PI-12/13-53. Deletions are struck through, and additions are highlighted. BID OPENING The bid opening will be on March 21, 2013 March 28, 2013, at 2:00 P.M. Location of bid opening is the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Purchasing Office, 407 S. Calhoun Street, Mayo Building, Room SB-8, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800. Questions and Answers 1. Will you accept FE25 clean agent in lieu of FM200? FE25 does the exact same thing as FM200; it is made by the same company DuPont. It meets all NFPA, EPA codes and regulations. The benefit is that is requires about 20% less agent and cost less per pound. It saves you money on the install and on a refill. Yes, any other system must be clean agent, and the Fire Alarm Control Panel must be a single addressable Fire Alarm Control Panel. 2. I also wanted to ask if you would accept early warming smoke detection in lieu of spot type smoke detectors? The product is known as vesda or fast smoke detection. The benefit is that we can install it faster, and it also provides you with a faster smoke detection than spot type detectors. Release of suppression system cannot be dependent upon early detection/vesda system in place of spot type detectors. 3. The early warning detection is ran with CPVC pipe. Can we install this on the bottom of the ceiling tiles exposed in the room? The benefit is that we will not have toes with the ceiling tiles as much, thus saving you money. Please see response to question #2.
Page 2 4. There was discussion about tank locations in the meeting, and I know some locations that were on the plans would not work. See updated drawing FA-2 (attached) for new tank locations - moved from Hazard #2 to IT closet across the hallway. 5. I made note of a few locations that would suffice and save money by having the tanks close to the rooms, which will miniseries pipe runs. So my question is, are we able to bid this based on different tank locations than shown on the plans? Yes, such that the tank location does not interfere with work/travel space within the individual Hazard areas as noted on the drawings. 6. Will you accept stat-x fire suppression in lieu of FM200? This product is safe for people and the Environment that might be able to save a lot of money and install time for your application. I would be happy to meet with your team to explain more about this option as well. Yes, as long as the product meets or exceeds all fire suppression requirements as specified in the solicitation. 7. Drawing FA-2, Sheet 2 of 3, indicates (for each hazard) protected hazard volume, amount of agent, size of cylinders, number of nozzles, etc. Based on the volumes provided, some of the agent quantities are close to the amount that would be required for FE-227 agent. However, amount indicated for Hazard 2 is approx. 200 lb more than actual required and amount indicated for Hazard 3 is approx. 85 less than actual required. The drawing is not dimensioned and no ceiling heights are provided so that the contractor will have to rely on the hazard volumes provided to determine the amount of agent actually required. See revised drawings (attached). 8. Will dimensioned drawings and ceiling heights be provided to allow contractors to calculate amount of agent required, piping layout and perform flow calculations to confirm cylinder sizes required to achieve acceptable flow calculations? The scale and ceiling heights have been added to the revised drawings (attached). 9. Are the clean agent systems to be designed in accordance with the latest edition of NFPA 2001? This edition changed the minimum design concentration. Yes, use the latest edition of NFPA. 10. Drawing FA-1, sheet 1 of 3, indicates FE-227 agent and Siemens equipment. Will other agents and manufacturers be acceptable? Yes, any other system must be clean agent and the Fire Alarm Control Panel must be a single addressable Fire Alarm Control Panel.
Page 3 11. General Note 2 on Dwg FA-1 indicates that 120 VAC power is to be obtained from a dedicated unswitchable source. Generally, 120 VAC power supply to the suppression system panel is provided by the owner, not the fire protection contractor. Will owner be providing this power? If not, where is the electrical panel located where power may be pulled from? No, this is a turnkey project, the contractor is responsible for getting power from the breaker panel (L3, located in Hazard #1) to the Fire Alarm Control Panel. 12. Tie-ins from the suppression system panel to the building FACP and HVAC units are generally made by the owner s fire alarm contractor and HVAC contractor, respectively. The building FACP will require monitor modules and programming which must be done by the fire alarm contractor due to password protection. HVAC contractor should make tie-ins to shut down units serving the protected hazards to avoid warranty concerns with HVAC equipment. The fire alarm contractor (Simplex Grinnell) would be completing the tie-in. However, the contractor is to provide the contacts and the raceway for the tie-in. 13. What is the FATC shown on drawing FA-3? Fire Alarm Terminal Cabinet. 14. Do any of the rooms have raised access flooring? Yes, the area designated as Hazard #2 does, but there is no access to below the floor. 15. Does owner have a contractor who will be responsible for sealing walls, doors, etc., which may be required for a successful room integrity test? No, a sum of $3,000 should be included in each contractors bid for of sealing of Hazards. 16. Can the new drawing have the area size included on the new drawings so we may do our own calcs? Yes, this has been incorporated on the new drawings (see attached). 17. Would the bidding contractor be responsible for the removal of existing Halon fire suppression system existing in the designated Hazard areas? Yes, the removal of the current Halon based fire suppression system would be conducted by the contractor with the winning bid. 18. Would door closers and hold-backs be installed in house by the Division of Plant Industry personnel, or would this be the responsibility of the contractor? Door closers would be installed in house by the Division of Plant Industry personnel. Hold back installation should be included in the bid. 19. Would the clipping of ceiling tiles be the responsibility of the contractor? Yes, any and all clipping of ceiling tiles would be the responsibility of the contractor.
Page 4 20. What happens if ceiling tiles are damaged? The Division of Plant Industry facilities staff will assist in tile removal and provide replacement tiles that are damaged during removal. However, the amount of replacement tiles on hand are limited, and the contractor should use due diligence when removing ceiling tiles. 21. What type of permits would be required - State or City of Gainesville? It will be the responsibility of the contractor to determine the type of permit required. To the extent this Addendum gives rise to a protest, failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. All other terms, conditions and specifications of this Invitation to Bid will remain the same. If you have any questions regarding this addendum, please feel free to contact this office at (850) 617-7181.