Questions & Answers

20 Oct 2009

Is it necessary to present three copies for the Administrative Qualifications like for the technical and economical proposals or one will be suffice in this case?

In this case one will be suffice.

19 Oct 2009

The clauses 19.3 and 19.4 of General Conditions are rather thought for contracts of construction o civil work but not so for procurement contract.
The acceptance of these clauses supposes, in case of adjudication, the obligation to contract policies according to those clauses even though there is no civil work or construction in the procurement we would make for Grantecan?

If there will be offered only the procurement of the two FC-Sets, in the contract the clauses 19.3 and 19.4 will be cancelled. In case of offering the option of integration of the two FC-Sets on the telescope structure, the mentioned clauses will be applicable and shall be in force before the beginning of the integration until the moment indicated in each of the clauses.

Shall be delivered also the cabinets for the CCD controllers (280x125x140mm) or shall be let free the space for them so that Grantecan can mount them afterwards?

The cabinets for the CCD controllers are out of scope but the space for them shall be respected.

16 Oct 2009

Document "Instruction to Bidder for the request for proposal of the FC-sets", chapter 2; The applicable contract type is a procurement contract?

Yes, the applicable contract type is a procurement contract.

Is the bank guarantee mentioned in the document "Instruction to Bidder" (clause 5.3, 2) the same than that one indicated in the "Contract" (clause 7.6) and in the "General Conditions" (clauses 9.3 and 19.1)?

The guarantee mentioned in clause 5.3-2 of the document "Instruction to Bidder" is the same than that one mentioned in clause 7.6 of the "Contract". The guarantee of 10% of the value of the contract will be presented with the invoice corresponding to the payment of Provisional Acceptance stipulate in clause 7.2.5, and shall remain in force until the Definitive Acceptance after the guarantee period in accordance to section 6.6 of the "Statement of Work".
The guarantee of 10% of the total value of the contract mentioned in clause 19.1 of "General Conditions" is the definitive guarantee of the contract. This guarantee will be presented signing the contract and will remain in force until the cancelation by Grantecan at the Definitive Acceptance.
Clause 9.3 of "General Conditions" is not applicable in this contract and so it will be defined signing the contract.

9 Oct 2009

In relation with requirement 5.1.1.2 in the FC-Set Specifications, the probe arm must have this type of safety devices? Is it necessary equip the secondary rotation movement with an emergency brake apart from that ones in the servomotors?

Using a rotation stage like that one of the preliminary design, an emergency brake is not necessary since this rotation stage is worm driven. The built-in limit switches can be accepted as electro-mechanical limit switches. Mechanical end stops shall be included limiting physically the rotation range. Emergency button and key interlock shall be part of the power electronics being fully functional during tests.
Respect to the turn table rotation, it is not necessary to mount an additional emergency brake apart of that one of the proper servomotors.

Drives. They are mentioned nowhere. They have to be included or not? If they have to be included, please confirm that the mounting place will be the Rittal TS8 cabinet above the rotator (6.1.2 in the document DCI/TELE/0059-R).

Yes, the drives have to be included since they are part of the power electronics (see also figure 4 and paragraph 6.2.1 in the Statement of Work).

Have to be included the communication protocols of the drives? CAN-Open, Profibus, Devicenet…

Yes, the protocols used to communicate with the drivers shall be detailed as they are needed to implement the final control system. Preferred interfaces are based on CAN-Open profiles but other alternatives could be considered.

For the acceptance tests, control electronics (PLC or similar) are required controlling all the drives. This equipment will not be delivered for which reason it should be the most simple possible. Which communication protocols will be accepted for these tests?

The test control system can use any protocol supported for the drives and the final power electronics installed while the same test functionality can be implemented using the final control interface. We prefer that the protocols used to communicate with the drives during the tests are the same used for the final control system at GTC (see also paragraph 6.2.2 in the Statement of Work).

In the document Statement of Work can be found the following about the test bench:
It shall be possible to displace the test bench (with the rotator mounted on it) by hand and fix it in position. The overall high of the test bench carrying the rotator, ready to be displaced, shall be less than 3.65m. To assembly on site the equipment is available a bridge crane with a capacity of 5T and a free high under hook of 5m (TBC). But the Test Bench shall be moved to another room for operation.
“By hand” means that it should be movable by humans? By how many persons? What type of way the test bench has to take to the room where the tests will take place? Has it to be displaceable or has it to be able to turn… Are there other restrictions for the test bench, apart of the maximum high once mounted and ready to be displaced to the test room, such as maximum width? The test bench has to carry the instrument dummy, apart of the rotator? Are there handling tools for mounting the instrument dummy on the rotator ready for testing or shall they be delivered together with the additional support elements?

Yes, “by hand” means that the test bench shall be movable by humans (2-3). The way to take is very short, about 30m, going over a concrete floor. Apart of translation, rotation shall also be possible. The overall width of the test bench with the rotator mounted shall be less than 3,60m. The test bench has to carry the rotator with the instrument dummy during the factory acceptance tests but not during the functional tests on site. The instrument dummy shall be liftable by a normal crane hook.

08 Oct 2009

Doubts about the interface between FC-Set and Telescope Tube Structure – New version for interface drawing i-tl-tl-002_001

There raised doubts about how to anchor the FC-Set to the telescope tube. In the document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set”, NTE/TELE/0463-R, which is a reference document and not an applicable document, can be seen an attachment flange on focal station E in image 1 and also in some versions presented in the same document. This attachment flange does not exist anymore due to space problems. The FC-Set has to be mounted directly to an interface ring inside the through-hole of the elevation ring (see applicable drawing i-tl-tl-002_001).
This interface ring has 30 through-holes of 22mm diameter and between them 30 threaded M16-through-holes, all at a diameter of 800mm. These treaded holes were not represented in the first version of the interface drawing i-tl-tl-002_001. This interface drawing now is actualised.

A possible mounting method can be the following:
Between the interface ring and the FC-Set is foreseen a space of 5mm allowing the correct alignment of the FC-Set. Once aligned the rotator, this gap will be bridged with headless thrust screws with flattened ball occupying the M16-holes of the interface ring. These thrust screws allows at the same time to control the orientation of the FC-Set during the alignment. The final position of the FC-Set will than be fixed with screws sitting in the thought-holes of the interface ring. All that screws will be placed in direction inside-to-outside but can be reached easily by the operator from the outside of the elevation ring (optics box not mounted).

07 Oct 2009

In the Statement of Work there is specified a proposition for the project schedule. The periods indicated in the following cases refer to the concluded phases?

Factory Acceptance Tests, T0 + 15 months. This means that all the acceptance tests have been realised and accepted by GRANTECAN giving green light for the delivery phase?

Delivery, T0 + 17 months. This means that the FC-Sets are already unpackaged on the ORM ready to be mounted on the test bench for provisional acceptance?

T0 + 15 months refers to the moment of the beginning of the factory acceptance tests.
T0 + 17 months refers to the moment of arrival of the two complete FC-Sets in the GTC facilities, together with the test bench.

06 Oct 2009

At which kind of documentation refers to paragraph “5.1 Administrative Qualification, point 1” in the document “Instructions to Bidders”?
(“1. Certificate of enrolment in the professional or trade register under the conditions lay down by the laws of the country in which the Bidder is established”).

For companies based in Spain it will be suffice to present a copy of the certificate of enrolment registered in the trade register (escritura de constitución inscrita en el registro mercantil) and a copy of the tax number of the company (código de identificación fiscal de la empresa).

For companies not based in Spain there is only required a copy of the certificate of enrolment registered in the trade register.

In any case, additionally there has to be presented a copy of the competence of the person which signs the offer.

02 Oct 2009

Movement range of the turn table

Which is the movement range of the turn table of the AG-Mechanics? This requirement does not exist. In the preliminary design it seems to be 250º±10º (page 91) but we did not find this requirement. There would be ±125º (usable), at whose have to be added 2º for the limit switches in each direction (5.3.2.1.4 in document A4), 2º for the end dampers and 3º for compressing completely the end dampers (5.3.2.1.5 in document A4). In total there would be 9º and not the indicated 10º.

That is right, there does not exist an explicit requirement for the movement range of the turn table. The required movement range finally depends on the distance of the probe arm to the focal plane and its own length. The important point is that the pick-off mirror can scan the complete field described in requirement 5.3.3.1.

Another requirement to take into account is 5.3.2.1.14 for the cable chain that must have a safety margin so that it does not suffer damage even if the end dampers are completely compressed.

The rotation angle to compress the end damper (5.3.2.1.5) and the safety margin for the cable chain (5.3.2.1.14) will depend on the final design and must not correspond unconditionally to these values.

Requirement 5.2.2.21.- The indicated value refers to individual components or is it the total value of all the components?

The indicated value of 150W refers to the total heat dissipation of all the instrument rotator components to the air during operation (AG-Mechanics and power electronics mounted on the panel not included).

Requirement 5.2.3.7.- How do you know the real position?

The real position can be measured over the attachment flange of the science instrument with a suitable external measuring equipment. It is also acceptable to justify by calculations that the flexibility and friction of the system does not have appreciable influence on the following error.

Requirement 5.3.2.1.15.- This value refers to individual components or is it the total value for all the components?

The indicated value refers to the total heat dissipation of all active elements of the AG-Mechanics together (AG-Optics not included).

Requirement 5.3.2.1.16.- This value refers to individual components or is it the total dissipation to the air?

The indicated value refers to the total heat dissipation to the air of all active components of the AG-Mechanics together (AG-Optics not included).

Requirement 5.3.2.6.- The position and the number are TBD according to the requirement but at the same time it is indicated that it should be 4.

The positions and number of temperature sensors on the turn table tower are TBD. Already defined is that the probe arm will carry one temperature sensor for which is required a preinstalled 4-wire cable from the power electronics panel up to the connection panel on the turn table.

Is it necessary to provide an authenticated copy before a notary of the competence of the legal representative of the company?

For offering it will be suffice to provide a not authenticated copy of the competence of the legal representative of the company.

01 Oct 2009

In paragraph 19.3. of General Terms and Conditions the contraction of an insurance is required (signing the contract) “… is bound to have a civil liability all risks insurance, being GRANTECAN the beneficiary, that guarantees the loss, breakdowns, damages of all sort, caused to GRANTECAN…”.

Similarly there is indicated that “…The capital to be insured will be the one detailed in the specific contract to account for the construction executed…”.

Could you provide us the particular conditions or indicate us the amount to consider for the policy?

The insurance is only required if the contractor will perform work in the facilities of GRANTECAN (site acceptance, installation, tests…). If so, the contractor shall have an insurance policy with an amount of not less than 600.000€ (six hundred thousand Euros).

We would like to have the documents R3 – “GTC Safety Program”, (RPT/STMA/0129-R) and R4 – “GTC Safety Requirements”, (ESP/STMA/0037-R).

They are available on this web page from now on.

29 Sep 2009

Spec 5.1.1.3.- Is it under the responsibility of the contractor to provide a common mass point for all the supplied electric equipment or will it be GRANTECAN who will assume it in its control system?

It is responsibility of the contractor to provide electric earthing until a common mass point on the panel of the power electronics. Metallic structures shall provide a common mass point, normally a threaded pin, where GRANTECAN can connect an earthing cable.

Spec 5.1.2.4.- There exists a Hardware Standardisation document. Is this document available?

This document is available on our web page from now on.

Spec 5.2.1.2.- Which sense makes it to specify operation modes while the software is out of scope? Until which point the combination drive+encoder is used for control, without to consider the software? The drive must have tracking capabilities?

It shall be demonstrated with the test software that with the chosen electro-mechanical components the requirements will be met.

Spec 5.2.2.20.- Degrees of freedom for alignment?

The alignment conditions are described in the interface control document DCI/TELE/0056-R, chapter 5.2.

Spec 5.2.3.5.- Which shall be the minimum rotation velocity?

The minimum rotation velocity is 0º/s like described in the requirement 5.2.3.5. In the whole tracking speed range the rotation accuracy and absolute following error shall be fulfilled (see 5.2.3.7).

Spec 5.2.3.7.- What is understood by real position? We understand that it refers to the position turned by the instrument which is different to the position measured by the encoder.

That is right. The real position is referred to the instrument, or better said, to the instrument attachment flange. That means that the compliance of the requirement 5.2.3.7 has to be confirmed with an independent measurement system or with calculations that demostrate that the flexibility and friction of the system does not have appreciable influence on the following error.

Spec 5.3.2.5.2.- Is it necessary to provide adjustment between the Probe Arm and the Probe Arm Drive or refers this requirement to the alignment capability of the Probe Arm mirrors? If it is so, in which degrees of freedom?

The requirement 5.3.2.5.2 refers to the alignment of the rotation axis of the Probe Arm Drive with the optical axis of the Optics Box. This can be realised taking directly alignment references on the Optics Box or indirectly using the same alignment references that are used to align the Optic Box with the turn table tower (see 5.3.2.2.2). Among others, the alignment of the Probe Arm Drive also will have influence in the relative pupil displacement between science instrument and AG-instrument (see 5.1.2.17).

It is not necessary to provide alignment between the Probe Arm and the Probe Arm Drive. We want to point out again that the Probe Arm is out of scope.

28 Sep 2009

Wrong reference code

The document “FC-Set Preliminary Mechanical Design and Calculations”, (RPT/TELE/0322-R) had a wrong reference code for the document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set”, (NTE/TELE/0463-R). The code was corrected.

Is it necessary to receive and mount any type of scientific instrumentation, supplied by GRANTECAN, during the shop tests?

It is not necessary to mount any type of scientific instrumentation during shop tests but it is required to manufacture the dummies defined in the Statement of Work realising the shop tests with them.

22 Sep 2009

In case that the offer is presented by a temporary joint venture, is it necessary that this joint venture is already constituted and registered in the special register for temporary joint ventures or will be suffice a compromise to form a joint venture in case of adjudicated offer?

It is not necessary to form a joint venture for offering. However, the documentation has to include a compromise in form of a single document signed by one person of each of the companies that will constitute the joint venture, if they are adjudicated. The signing persons must have sufficient competence for that purpose. In addition there has to be indicated which companies will form the joint venture, in which proportion and who will be the legal representative of the joint venture.

15 Sep 2009

Reference Document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set”, NTE/OPTI/0463-R

It was shown interest for the document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set”, NTE/OPTI/0463-R, mentioned as reference document in “FC-Set Preliminary Mechanical Design and Calculations”, RPT/TELE/0322-R.

The document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set” is now available on this web-page.

Note: The actual preliminary mechanical design is the result of the development of one of the mechanical alternatives presented in the document “Mechanical Alternatives for the FC-Set”. The remaining versions were rejected due to important disadvantages concerning the mechanics and the performance.

Valid version for the reference document “FC-Set Preliminary Mechanical Design and Calculations”, RPT/TELE/0322-R

The document “FC-Set Preliminary Mechanical Design and Calculations”, RPT/TELE/0322-R, available on this web-page as version 1.A is the valid version. Some references made to this document show erroneously version 1.B (see documents “Instruction to Bidder for the Request for Proposal of the FC-Sets”, NTE/TELE/0489-R, “Statement of Work for the Procurement of the FC-Sets”, ESP/TELE/0182-R and “FC-Set Specifications”, ESP/TELE/0181-R)

Address gtc@gtc.iac.es out of order

The address gtc@gtc.iac.es was out of order, it is active from now on.