666-27-102 Lightning Protection Update B71N

GENERAL: Introduction: An inspection for current code compliance of the lightning Protection System on Building 71N has been conducted and found the system needs upgrades and repairs to meet current NFPA 780 and UL96A standards. The Sheridan VA Medical Center needs the services of a qualified contractor to perform the needed lightning protection upgrades to the main hospital building 71N. Located on the Sheridan Wyoming Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) campus, at 1898 Fort Road, Sheridan, Wyoming 82801. Statement of Work: Specifics a. Existing Conditions The existing lightning protection system (LPS) for Building 71N was installed in 1989 during the building s original construction. Overall, the system remains in fair condition, though it requires repair because several air terminals have become detached from their adhesive bonds to the roof surface. Air terminals are present at all high points of the structure, and all roof-mounted equipment and appurtenances are properly grounded. A main grounding bus connects the communication systems and possibly the electrical distribution system to the primary service ground. The specific location where the grounding system bonds together the structural steel, electrical system, lightning protection components, and plumbing to create an equipotential ground could not be identified during the assessment. A continuous grounding loop encircles Buildings 9, 71, and 71N, with all roof air terminals and down conductors tied into this loop. Down conductors descend to the loop at the corners of each of these buildings. Each air terminal has at least two separate grounding paths, satisfying current code requirements. No Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS) devices were observed in the system. The lower 8 feet of the ground down conductors are encased in PVC electrical conduit for protection. New Construction Recent construction has added large equipment and a screen wall to the roof, which now obstructs and interferes with the original positioning of the existing air terminals. This new equipment sits higher than the existing lightning protection system components, rendering the current air terminals ineffective at intercepting and safely directing lightning strikes to ground. Project Requirements To bring the existing lightning protection system (LPS) into compliance the following corrections are needed: Install Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS) devices at the building s main service panel. Establish proper bonding by interconnecting all electrical systems, communication systems, piping, and structural steel at the service entrance to create an equipotential ground. Repair all roof air terminals that have detached or pulled away from their adhesive mounts on the roof surface. Install new air terminals at both ends of each screen wall, with additional terminals spaced at 20-foot intervals along the top of each wall, and at the highest point of the HVAC ductwork. Install an air terminal at each corner of the new HVAC equipment. Connect all newly installed air terminals to the existing LPS using #2 bare copper conductors. After these corrections have been completed, a qualified inspection is required to verify full compliance with NFPA 780 and UL 96A standards. Upon successful inspection, a Master Label Certificate should be issued for the lightning protection system. General: Construction project is to be completed within 120 calendar days from date of Notice to Proceed (NTP). Contractor shall provide all equipment, materials, supplies, tools, software, supervision, and labor required for this project, which may include, but is not limited to, demolition work, providing negative pressure environment for work, and providing all new equipment, utilities, and room finishes as indicated in the plans and this SOW per VA construction standards. Safety submittals shall be completed and approved prior to the commencement of on-site construction work. Material selection submittals shall be completed and approved prior to ordering of materials for the project. The building tenants not in the construction areas will remain at work in the buildings during this construction. Patients will remain on the floor in areas not under construction, so the contractor shall make patient safety, and infection control measures a priority. The contractor shall coordinate work locations and schedules with VA COR to minimize impact to building tenants. All electrical, carpentry, architectural, mechanical work, product design, project management, and other work needed on this project shall be provided by the Contractor. All required electrical work, low, medium, or high voltage, shall be installed and terminated by the Contractor. No wiring or cabling shall be abandoned in place. All piping, cabling, and wiring shall be labeled. All cabling and patch cabling shall match the VAMC’s station-standard colors. The installation must, at a minimum, be in accordance with all applicable codes indicated in the Department of Veterans Affairs Design Manuals and VA .PUBLICATIONS (Master Construction Specifications, Construction Standards, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Underwriters Laboratory (UL), International Building Code IBC 2003, and National Electric Code (NEC) building codes and standards and the VA Information Security Handbook 6500.6, 6550.0 etc.). The Contractor shall read and be familiar with the most current editions of the applicable codes, standards, guides, and manuals. Sources can be accessed at the Office of Construction and Facilities Management’s Technical Information Library (TIL) (http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL). Any penetrations through any floors, ceilings, or walls shall be fire caulked, or otherwise fire sealed, and shall be done in this contract to meet VA standards and NFPA standards. Contractor shall utilize the VAMC’s station-standard fire stop products or approved equal product(s). The station-standard products are SpecSeal fire caulk product is SpecSeal SSS Intumescent Firestop Sealant; and, if needed, the SpecSeal Composite Sheet may be used in areas approved by the COR. The Contractor shall inquire of the COR if any existing equipment, fixtures, hardware, doors, frames, or any other property removed is desired to be retained by the VA for reuse elsewhere within the medical center, at the time of removal. If the VA desires to retain an item, the Contractor shall deliver it to a location designated by the COR. If the VA does not desire to retain an item, the Contractor shall dispose of it properly off-station. The new components installed shall be tested and commissioned, re-certified, and/or tested before VA acceptance. All testing parameters shall be provided by the Contractor with source references to the COR and 3rd-party reviewer before testing begins. Copies of all test reports must be provided to the COR. HVAC systems that have changes made to them as part of this project, beyond diffuser replacement, shall be tested and balanced by the Contractor. Any IT data cables installed or modified as part of this effort shall be tested after installation. Test methods and plans shall be coordinated with the COR. Any Med Gas systems modified as part of this effort shall be re-certified back to the closest shut-off in the system. The Contractor shall arrange for any required re-certification as part of this contract and shall provide plans and results to the COR for approval. Fire alarm devices that are tied into the building fire alarm system, that are replaced or relocated as a result of this work, shall be tested before that phase of the project is complete. The Contractor shall arrange for all required fire alarm testing. If a building s fire alarm system is under warranty, testing must be accomplished by the contractor who holds the warranty. Any fire sprinklers that are relocated as part of this project shall be reviewed and approved by VA Safety prior to installation. All fire sprinkler work shall be coordinated with VA Safety so as to avoid accidentally setting off the system. At the conclusion of the project, the Contractor shall provide the VA and AE with a red-lined set of construction drawings, showing any as-built variations from the plans, as called for in the specifications. The Contractor must repair any damage caused by the Contractor or their subcontractors during this project. Repairs shall be done timely and will be coordinated with the COR. Repairs shall be of equal or better quality and finish than the existing that was damaged. Contractor’s work hours shall be between 7:30am-4:00pm Monday-Friday, unless otherwise coordinated with, and approved in advance by, the COR. Noisy work shall not begin prior to 7:30am. Contractors shall not work on weekends, or federal holidays as specified by U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), unless approved in advance by the COR or CO. For approved weekend or holiday work, Contractor must adjust their workers pay accordingly at no additional cost to the VA. The Contractor shall repair any disturbed earth around and in the construction areas. This shall include: Removing any rocks or clumps that have been brought to the surface. Filling in any ruts or depressions with approved fill material, such that the areas are level or at the required slope. Returning the surface cover to what is was before the project, or as called out in the project drawings. In the case of grass, the contractor shall provide topsoil as necessary to provide a good medium for grass growth. If the area(s) cannot be covered by the VA sprinkler system, then the Contractor shall provide for the watering of the new grass until it is established. Any area that the grass does not take to shall be reseeded under the warranty period. The Contractor shall replace any trees, shrubs, or other plants damaged or destroyed during construction, per the project landscape drawings, at no additional cost to VA. Safety and Security: The Contractor shall follow all safety specifications and shall always have an OSHA-30 certified person on-site, at each work location, overseeing the construction. All other Contractors and subcontractors working on-site shall have at least OSHA-10 certifications. Some work will be in medical areas of the hospital, on floors with patients present, so the contractor shall plan for infection control measures to include dust containment, negative pressure, and cleanup to hospital standards. The Contractor will, with the participation of the COR, complete an Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA), using the VA forms and process, and Contractor shall implement all protection measures called for in the risk assessment. For work on an active mental health unit, the Contractor shall follow strict tool control and access control in construction areas. Any patients found in construction areas shall be immediately reported to ward staff and the COR. The Contractor shall read and follow the current version of the FMS Safety Plan, which outlines expectations for tool control and safety on-station, [as well as stricter requirements for work on the Acute Psychiatric Ward (APU) located on the 2nd floor of Building 8 (e.g., Rule of Two minimum with one person overseeing the work at all times). Work on APU is not in-scope for this project.] General Contractor shall distribute the FMS Safety plan to their workers and subcontractors. General Contractor shall note this training in their daily logs. General station safety requirements: It is vitally important to keep tools and other items that offer a patient the opportunity for self-harm under control at all times. Tools, extension cords, and similar items should not be left out unattended where patients can gain access to them. This includes in the open backs of contractor vehicles, trailers, laydown areas, tool carts, etc.. Tools should be locked in a job box, some other type of toolbox, or within a room that can be secured from unauthorized access as approved by the COR. This means no tools are left in halls, rooms, etc. in which contractors lose sight of the tools. Lock tools up in a locking cart as needed. Checking of area as the day’s work progresses for tools left unattended- examples are, but not exclusively, screwdriver rolling under furniture, razor blade changes left in the grass outside, reels of cords that could hang someone, left unattended around the corner from current work. Large storage containers must be locked if not occupied by a staff member and overnight. Tools and supplies left out in laydown area must be monitored, as patients can walk the entire site. Also, site cleanliness is an OSHA requirement. Badging requirements: All Contractors and subcontractors must obtain a temporary contractor badge from the Engineering Office (Building 5, Room 208) when they first arrive on-site. A valid (i.e., not expired), Government-issued photo ID (such as a Driver’s License) is required to be issued a badge. Contractors who have a valid PIV Badge or CAC Badge will not need to be issued a temporary badge. For Contractors on-site less than 179 calendar days per year, the above will suffice, and Contractor PIV badges are not needed. An exception to this: a contractor PIV badge is needed (regardless of work length) within IT closets and other designated secure areas. (For IT closets specifically, it is permissible for just one Contractor with a PIV badge to supervise the work of their contractors at all times within the IT closets.) For Contractors on-site 180 calendar days or more per year, they are required to obtain Contractor PIV badges, which requires fingerprints and a background check process. Contractor PIV badges are valid for 6 months maximum. It is the Contractors responsibility to ensure their badges stay valid and are renewed timely. Contractor shall check with COR at pre-construction meeting for the most-current badging requirements and for beginning the Contractor PIV badge process, as required. Contractor’s work shall include all items listed herein this SOW and in the drawings, specifications, and details provided, unless items are specifically called out as VA-provided materials or labor. **Contractor shall field verify all quantities, sizes, and dimensions and receive approved submittals before ordering products and supplies for this project. END OF STATEMENT OF WORK