Notice of Intent-Brand Name or Equal-VA Greater Los Angeles LA

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Los Angeles District (SPL) has an announcement regarding its intent to use a Triple Friction Pendulum (TFP) isolation system in the final design of a new project to construct a New 450,000 GSF Critical Care Center on West Los Angeles VA Campus of the Greater Los Angeles Veteran Affairs Healthcare System (GLAVAHS) in Los Angeles CA. This project is expected to be over $500M.

There are only two types of isolation systems, Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB) and Triple Friction Pendulum (TFP), capable of satisfying the government requirements. Based upon the details contained in the designer’s Structural Basis of Design Narrative and Base Isolation Comparison Narrative, the government intends to further develop its design based on using a TFP System.

Critical Care Center Project Scope This project scope is for a new 450,000 GSF Critical Care Center, new Central Utility Plant, Selective Renovation of Building 500, and the related site utilities, at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.

The new facility will include a mental health ward, surgery suites, pre-operative services, PACU, ICU, Anesthesiology and all support functions for surgery, pharmacy, in-patient intake, radiology, Pathology, Morgue, Central Sterilization, EVS/EVS, and Emergency care service. The facility will have 160 beds of which 44 will be in the mental health ward.

The location of the new Critical Care Center will be just south of the current Hospital, Building 500. This project will be constructed to meet U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver version 4 standards. Submission request to demonstrate capabilities for this project include:

Enclosed with this notice are two documents 1) Structural Basis of Design Narrative and 2) Base Isolation Comparison Narrative, which form the basis of the government’s intent to use the TFP System. The main criteria considered include displacement, accelerations, fire rating, base shear, building periods, and self-centering.

The primary emphasis being the ability of the system to minimize structural and non-structural damage during an earthquake and to maintain full functionality of the building during and after an earthquake to the facility. Interested parties are encouraged to provide information for consideration if another system can achieve better results than those indicated in the enclosed documents. Responses to this notice are due no later than January 31, 2024. Please direct your responses by e-mail to james.m.costantino@usace.army.mil.