Structured Q&A, versions, and parity.
Most downgrades creep in during Q&A. Here you’ll structure query windows, numbering, and versioned responses so every clarification strengthens—not weakens—your baseline. We show how to reference page codes, enforce evidence for alternates, and document impacts, preserving HVM bollard intent and crash-rated bollard compliance through a clean, auditable addenda trail. Include one-sentence context that naturally links upward to the parent hubs (this section and the chapter hub). Add SIRA context with a link to SIRA Bollards (UAE) when relevant. Link installation pages only if helpful: What to Expect and Installation Guide.
Important: This is a general guide. For live projects we develop a tailored
Method Statement & Risk Assessment (MS/RA) and align with authority approvals (e.g., SIRA) where in scope.
849.1 Query window & format
Set dates and template. Structure keeps HVM bollard Q&A efficient.
Define a clear “query window” in the tender letter: a start date, a cut-off for RFIs, and a final date for addenda. Require a single template (subject, package, drawing ref, page code, question, evidence). Centralize submissions via a shared mailbox to keep timestamps consistent. This discipline avoids last-minute scope drift and ensures parity between bidders.
Publish a weekly Q&A bulletin during the window, even if there are “no questions.” Doing so creates a predictable rhythm, reduces repeat queries, and provides a timestamped audit trail. Remind bidders that verbal answers carry no weight—only published addenda or logged answers apply.
| Aspect | What matters | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Answers never contradict the tested system | Global crash ratings |
| Operations | Duty cycle, fail-state, safety devices & measures | Safety & Interlocks |
849.2 Clarification log
Numbered log with answers (911). Log prevents crash rated bollard drift.
Maintain a consecutively numbered clarification log. Each entry should include the bidder, question, referenced drawing/spec, the authoritative answer, and a status (open, answered, added to addendum). Use the File Index & Naming Rules (911) for consistent IDs so everyone can cite the same line item.
Apply a simple rule: if an answer changes scope, cost, or compliance, mark it “Addendum Required” and carry it into the next addendum pack. This keeps changes visible and prevents accidental downgrades to low-speed solutions where HVM is required.
849.3 Technical clarifications
Reference Page IDs (411–416, 421). Clarity preserves crash rated bollard compliance.
When a technical question touches ratings or system makeup, point to canonical pages using Page-ID references—for example: 411 Standards overview, 412 Terminology, 413 Read the ratings, 414 Equivalency, 415 Families/variants, 416 Simulation, and 421 Dependencies.
Answers should cite the “as-tested configuration”, foundation class, and any rating-critical dependencies. If bidders request substitutions, require an Equivalence Evidence Pack that meets the site’s anti-downgrade clause (435).
849.4 Site info & surveys
Share 241–248 results equally. Equal info avoids HVM bollard claims.
All bidders must receive the same survey deliverables: 241 Utility Search Methods, 242 Underground Detection, 243 Utilities & depth classes, 244 Shallow foundations, 245 Drainage strategy, 246 Ducting & pathways, 247 Trade coordination, and 248 Survey deliverables. Release a single “Survey Pack” to prevent asymmetry and claims.
Flag authority-specific constraints (e.g., SIRA) early. A shared understanding of SIRA approvals, permits, and inspection sequencing reduces later change orders tied to compliance gaps.
849.5 Alternates protocol
Evidence, not brochures (414, 435). Protocol shields crash rated bollard performance.
Accept alternates only via a written protocol. Require: (a) the claimed standard and rating (e.g., ASTM F2656 level), (b) the test lab report number and authenticity note, (c) unedited test footage, and (d) a matrix mapping rating-critical dependencies to site conditions. Tie this to 414 Standards equivalency and 435 Anti-Downgrade / Equivalence Clauses.
Brochures or marketing summaries don’t meet the threshold—insist on an evidence pack and a parity statement that the impact energy, vehicle class, and penetration are equal or better than the specified baseline.
849.6 Addenda control
Versioned updates (115, 537). Control avoids conflicting HVM bollard instructions.
Each addendum gets a sequential Release ID, date, and delta highlights. Use the site’s versioning rules in 115 Versioning & Numbering and enforce 537 Change Control & Versioning so drawings, specs, and Q&A lines move in step. Supersede, don’t delete—retain the superseded file list for traceability.
Publish a one-page index with a “breaking vs editorial change” flag to help bidders assess risk quickly. Keep the addendum PDF lightweight and accessible (meaningful link text, tagged headings, and alt text on figures).
849.7 Programme impacts
Flag any date shifts (134, 855). Impacts keep crash rated bollard bids fair.
When an answer affects dates (permits, surveys, manufacture, shipping, or installations), note the impact explicitly and reference 134 Permit & Inspection Timeline and the tender’s 855 Programme & Phasing. This transparency keeps bids comparable and reduces claims for extension of time.
If authority float is needed, log it and identify any witness or SAP/SAT booking changes so the critical path remains visible to all bidders.
849.8 Final responses
Issue compiled answers (717). Final pack formalizes HVM bollard baseline.
At window close, issue a compiled “Final Responses Pack” that merges the clarification log, all addenda, and any authority letters. Submit via the same channel as 717 Authority Submittals so there’s a single source of truth. Declare that only this pack plus prior addenda form the commercial/technical basis.
Lock the Q&A register (read-only) and publish the self-canonical URL in the tender correspondence. This helps procurement and auditors verify which answers applied on bid day.
849.9 Record & archive
Store with tender pack (938). Archive secures crash rated bollard traceability.
File the final pack under the tender’s document tree and add it to the project’s archive per 939 Final Archive & Retrieval and 938 Submission-Pack Guidance. Keep checksums where feasible and maintain the evidence index.
Assign a records custodian and retention period so future variations, claims, or incidents can be resolved with an auditable trail.
Related
External resources
- NPSA: Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (risk & design)
- ASTM F2656: Crash test standard overview
- ASIS: Security Risk Assessment Standard
849 Tender Queries & Addenda — FAQ
What should our tender query window include?
Publish open/close dates, a single submission channel, and a mandatory RFI template (subject, package, drawing/spec ref, page code, question, evidence). State that only logged answers and addenda are binding, and that out-of-window questions will roll to post-award clarifications.
How do we prevent “performance downgrades” during clarifications?
Anchor every answer to the as-tested configuration and rating-critical dependencies. For alternates, require an Equivalence Evidence Pack mapped to 414/435 and reject brochure-only claims. Mark scope-changing answers “Addendum Required” and reissue via the next addendum.
When do clarifications become an addendum?
Whenever an answer alters compliance, scope, price, programme, or authority posture. In that case, assign a Release ID, update drawings/specs, and list deltas. Keep the clarification log entry and the addendum line item cross-referenced.
What goes into the Final Responses Pack?
The locked clarification log, all addenda with Release IDs, authority letters, and any parity/evidence tables. Publish the pack URL in the closing notice; state that it forms the baseline for pricing and compliance on bid day.