NIHCS Fire Alarm & Suppression Testing   4

Background
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this solicitation for the NIHCS Fire Alarm & Suppression Testing to ensure the safety and compliance of fire alarm and suppression systems at the Northern Indiana Healthcare System (NIHCS). The goal of this contract is to maintain operational efficiency and safety standards across various facilities, including the Fort Wayne and Marion campuses. This procurement will be conducted as a comparative analysis, resulting in a firm fixed price contract.

Work Details
The contractor shall provide labor and materials for testing, diagnosing malfunctions, and repairing fire alarm systems and automatic sprinkler systems across multiple buildings at both the Fort Wayne and Marion campuses. Specific tasks include:

1. **Fire Alarm Systems**: Testing all initiating devices, conducting operational tests, verifying smoke detector sensitivity annually, and ensuring correct operation of all related devices.

2. **Sprinkler Systems**: Inspecting and testing all automatic sprinkler systems semi-annually and annually, including flow switches, tamper devices, fire department connections, post indicator valves, and conducting main drain tests.

3. **Annual Inspections**: All inspections must comply with NFPA standards, with reports submitted within 30 days of completion. Critical deficiencies must be reported immediately to designated personnel.

4. **Fire Extinguishers**: Annual inspection, tagging, and labeling of all fire extinguishers in coordination with Environmental Health and Safety Department.

5. **Kitchen Hood Suppression Systems**: Semi-annual inspections and system testing.

6. **Hydrants**: Annual testing of hydrants starting in Option Year 1 per NFPA 25 requirements.

7. **Preventative Maintenance**: Conduct annual preventative maintenance on all systems as specified.

Period of Performance
The contract will commence on March 1, 2026, with an initial period lasting until February 28, 2027. There are options for additional years extending up to five years total.

Place of Performance
The work will be performed at the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System locations in Marion (1700 E 38th Street) and Fort Wayne (2121 Lake Ave), Indiana.