What this opportunity is
The Department of Agriculture is seeking a small business to conduct an Arc Flash Hazard Assessment Update for its electrical distribution system across 91 buildings in Ames, Iowa, involving 663 electrical panels. This total small business set-aside opportunity, classified under NAICS 238210, requires the contractor to update a previous study by confirming protective device settings and recalculating incident energy values. Interested vendors should note that this is a combined synopsis/solicitation, meaning they must submit quotations without a separate solicitation being issued, and must acknowledge Amendment 1 at the time of their quote.
Analysis by Mindy, grounded in the SAM.gov notice.
Description
Amendment 1 RFIs and additional information.
Offerors must acknowledge this amendment. See instructions in Box 11 of the SF 30.
The following will be added as attachments to the award:
Attachment 4, Requests for Information
Attachment 5, North Short Circuit Report
Attachment 6, South Short Circuit Report
Attachment 7, App F Sample Labels
Requests for Information:
1) Is there any way you could send over reports / drawings from the previous study, or any
information to better understand electrical density? Answer: Reports attached.
2) Regarding Section 3.0, Task 2 "Field Spot Verification": The scope states that because minimal
system changes have occurred since 2022, only "limited" field spot-verification is required.
Task 2 — Field Spot Verification
a. Confirm select breaker/fuse settings
b. Verify new or modified panels
c. Document findings with photos
While Task 2b requires us to verify new or modified panels, Task 2a separately asks the
contractor to confirm "select" breaker/fuse settings. Could the Government please
clarify approximately how many, or what percentage, of the existing 663 panels should be
opened to satisfy the "select" verification requirement in Task 2a?
Does this essentially mean Field Spot Verification of new equipment added after 2022
study or am I reading too much into the task?
Answer: This is just to verify the new equipment that has been added since 2022.
3) The Statement of Work (Section 1.0) states that the Government will provide the 2022 SKM
PowerTools project file to the winning contractor. Could you please clarify if the SKM library file
(.lib) associated with that 2022 study will also be provided alongside the project file? Answer:
Yes, all files from the 2022 assessment will be given to the awarded contractor.
4) Since the SOW states that minimal system changes have occurred since the 2022 study and
that only limited field spot-verification is required, can the Government confirm the expected
extent of field verification (for example, approximate percentage of panels/equipment to be spot-
checked, or whether verification is limited only to known modified locations)? Answer:
Verification will be limited to new or modified locations. This is a very small percentage of the
total panels. Of the 663 panels, there are approximately 15 to 20 new ones. We have had 1
building that was changed from 13.8kV to a 13.2kV service and one new building that is fed from
building 5. Those panels and feeders will need to be assessed to ensure the breaker settings are
correct for the new services.
5) Please confirm whether the Contractor is expected to open and inspect all 663 panels, or
whether the requirement is to update the study for all 663 panels while performing field
verification only on selected equipment. Answer: Just the new or modified panels.
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6) For new or modified panels, will the Government identify these locations in advance, or is the
Contractor expected to determine them entirely during the site visit/field verification
process? Answer: Yes, the USDA will identify those in advance.
7) Can the Government clarify whether the scope includes verification of upstream protective
device settings only, or whether downstream device settings and feeder/conductor data must
also be revalidated in the field? Answer: Since only some of the panels have changed feeds or
have been added, only those that would be affected by these changes need to have their
protective devices verified. Upstream and down.
8) If discrepancies are identified between the 2022 documentation and field conditions, should the
Contractor update only the affected portions of the model and drawings, or perform broader
validation beyond those discrepancies? Answer: If by discrepancy you mean “mistake” then,
yes, the contractor shall bring that to the attention of the COR. If discrepancy means
“something new has been added” then yes, the contractor shall update this accordingly.
9) The SOW indicates that the Government will provide the 2022 SKM PowerTools project file and
2022 one-line diagrams. Please confirm whether these files will be provided in editable native
format (e.g., SKM working file and CAD source files), in addition to PDF copies if
available. Answer: The SKM files we have are extensive and include “.drw” files. There are
some pdfs with these. I will give all these files to the awarded contractor.
10) Please confirm whether utility short-circuit / fault contribution data will be provided by the
Government, or whether the Contractor is expected to obtain updated utility data
independently. Answer: Utility short circuit/fault data will be expected to be obtained by the
contractor. We are fed by 2 feeders on out site. Alliant Energy and city of Ames. Contractor will
need to contact them for that information.
11) For the required complete panel dataset (all 663 panels), can the Government clarify whether
an existing panel database/schedule will be furnished as a starting point, or whether the
Contractor is expected to build a complete dataset from scratch? Answer: The SKM files should
have all the panel datasets. Contractor can use that and only add what is new or has been
modified.
12) If electrical one-line drawings or panel schedules have been revised since 2022 by others, will
those revised documents be made available to the successful Contractor before field work
begins? Answer: No one lines have been revised since 2022. Contractor will be given the 2022
one lines and then revise them as part of this project.
13) Please confirm whether the Government expects a full coordination study update for the entire
campus, or only coordination revisions as needed, where changed settings or discrepancies
are identified. Answer: Only in the modified areas. If the utility fault data has changed since
2022, then this will need to be addressed during this study. If nothing has changed then nothing
will need to change, other than the areas that have changed or been modified sin…
Source: SAM.gov, as posted. Verify the current solicitation before responding.