Government job

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AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Florence,Oregon,Lane
Occupation
EC
I got a school I am bidding on Says NO FMC unless for vibration- like transformer-ext, MC is strictly forbidden. I have to use EMT - Would a fixture whip. bypass this if it came with it- Or do I have to hard pipe to every light. Or do light vibrate lol-
 
A fixture whip is used to make the installation of the fixture easier as the fixture does not require a flexible raceway connection after installation. I would see no reason why a fixture that comes with a pre-installed whip cannot be used but since there is no vibration that may answer your question.
 
infinity said:
A fixture whip is used to make the installation of the fixture easier as the fixture does not require a flexible raceway connection after installation. I would see no reason why a fixture that comes with a pre-installed whip cannot be used but since there is no vibration that may answer your question.
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I would say it’s a listed unit it calles out what lights to use as long as it has a whip it’s part of the fixture
 
There is so many things on plans the we, as builders, see and think about that a planner or engineer doesn’t.

Seems like every job I bid I have around 10 items on the RFI
 
AC\DC said:
I got a school I am bidding on Says NO FMC unless for vibration- like transformer-ext, MC is strictly forbidden. I have to use EMT - Would a fixture whip. bypass this if it came with it- Or do I have to hard pipe to every light. Or do light vibrate lol-
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Is this the city of Charleston SC? I know at one time the city prohibited MC for some odd reason. Never found out why.
 
hillbilly1 said:
Is this the city of Charleston SC? I know at one time the city prohibited MC for some odd reason. Never found out why.
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There's a city here in Alabama that doesn't allow MC either. You can wire your house in romex but you have to use EMT for your business.
 
AC\DC said:
This would be my first
-do I save up as much as possible to submit once or just as I see ask.
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I personally try to submit just one RFI. Depends on the time restrictions to submit them though.

I’ve had some that were so messed up I submitted what I could come up with in the hour I had to dig into it, and others submitted more, and then they extended the bid date. 😳

Hate those ones. Usually end up passing on those. Or some jackass who didn’t submit any RFIs and did bother to review all the addenda bids it for cost. 😡😡😡 And I lose it anyway.

Rather stay home and go broke. I’ll be dang if I’ll go to work and go broke all the same.
 
AC\DC said:
I got a school I am bidding on Says NO FMC unless for vibration- like transformer-ext, MC is strictly forbidden. I have to use EMT - Would a fixture whip. bypass this if it came with it- Or do I have to hard pipe to every light. Or do light vibrate lol-
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To be clear did the bid document specifically refer to MC which is an article 330 wiring or just FMC which is 348 wiring? The 2 are not the same.
Another option maybe type AC article 320 wiring. one consideration is that AC has bonded sheath that is not present on MC.

As was suggested potentially get an RFI.

If you are having drop ceilings you are not going to get troughers in without some sort of flexible wiring method.
 
I did many schools in California. I believe you are exclusively referring to troffers. First off, before you even listen to me, check 26 50 00 or close for the fixture specs, make sure it doesn't specifically tell you what fixture whips are. Second look at all the plan details to see if they have one that shows boxes and whips, both of these are common. If neither, then quote and submit your fixture with factory whips. Then they are part of the fixture assembly, not the building wire and they will be 3/8 whips. Problem solved.
 
On specs sheet it specifies wiring methods as ent-ridged or imc for exposed or concealed work in walls and “exposed” ceilings- work-

So I guess drop clings technically not exposed-
But no we’re in the spec does it forbid or allow Mc-
 
AC\DC said:
On specs sheet it specifies wiring methods as ent-ridged or imc for exposed or concealed work in walls and “exposed” ceilings- work-

So I guess drop clings technically not exposed-
But no we’re in the spec does it forbid or allow Mc-
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If it doesn't allow MC then I am betting MC is forbidden. It will say something like Wiring Methods - Interior - concealed - EMT, Interior exposed below 8 feet - GRC That means no MC.
 
AC\DC said:
I got a school I am bidding on Says NO FMC unless for vibration- like transformer-ext, MC is strictly forbidden. I have to use EMT - Would a fixture whip. bypass this if it came with it- Or do I have to hard pipe to every light. Or do light vibrate lol-
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Fixture whips are required, there's no real getting around the fact you need something flexible there if it's in a drop ceiling. I don't believe fire code will permit hard piping drop ceiling fixtures, but maybe that's just my imagination. They want access. Check that.

MC being forbidden is understandable. We always used FMC or PlenFlex (garbage) for fixtures if it was in a plenum space. Note that plenflex is pricey like sealtite, but you can get them prewired at least.
 
It’s probably just a boiler plate that they send out to all the government bids and then I got to do an RFI. I guess to clarify everything.
Reason I think it’s a boiler plate because it mentions things that we’re not even doing on this job in the spec sheets
 
AC\DC said:
It’s probably just a boiler plate that they send out to all the government bids and then I got to do an RFI. I guess to clarify everything.
Reason I think it’s a boiler plate because it mentions things that we’re not even doing on this job in the spec sheets
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That’s very common as well.
 
I was told I’ll probably won’t get my first 10 jobs I bid at just cause of I’ll probably gonna be too high but for you guys that have gotten these government jobs I was just gonna try and use NECA labor units and not cut it anywhere. is that the general practice? I’m bidding against union shops. I may account for the less overhead I have to pay, but then I don’t want to change myself either.
 
AC\DC said:
I was told I’ll probably won’t get my first 10 jobs I bid at just cause of I’ll probably gonna be too high but for you guys that have gotten these government jobs I was just gonna try and use NECA labor units and not cut it anywhere. is that the general practice? I’m bidding against union shops. I may account for the less overhead I have to pay, but then I don’t want to change myself either.
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Any job I bid that was larger than a SFH we used Accubid or actual estimating software with tight LUs, not NECA.

Are you going to be required to bid prevailing wage? Keep that in mind. Otherwise, I don't think a union shop would inherently have more overhead than non-union, as far as office/admin/logistics/supervision.
 
NoahsArc said:
Any job I bid that was larger than a SFH we used Accubid or actual estimating software with tight LUs, not NECA.

Are you going to be required to bid prevailing wage? Keep that in mind. Otherwise, I don't think a union shop would inherently have more overhead than non-union, as far as office/admin/logistics/supervision.
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Yes, it is
A prevailing wage job
 
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