VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
VA REGIONAL OFFICE TECHNICAL CRITERIA
DATA AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
1.1
Input required from VA.
2.1
General
The VBA will provide a Telecommunications Requirements Analysis document. Provide and
construct a cable plant system to distribute voice/video/data signals throughout the space as
specified in this document. In addition, provide the required cabling for conveying security, master
antenna television, and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite signals where required
within the VARO.
Voice/Video/Data signals entering or leaving the facility shall do so at the designated demarcation
point where these internal signals interface to the external services brought in by the Local
Exchange Carrier (LEC). The designated demarcation point is traditionally located in the VARO
telephone equipment room or the computer room. Workstations, training and conference rooms,
and other areas will require access to both voice and data signals. Data will be delivered via a local
area network (LAN). Voice will be delivered through point-to-point cable distribution. Training and
conference rooms may also require landline video, master antenna television and/or VSAT satellite
signals. VA shall perform a Telecommunications Needs Assessment through a separate contractor
prior to building design to determine the VARO specific requirements. The resulting cable plant
shall distribute the voice, video and data signals to the desired locations. To avoid problems with its
nationwide maintenance contracts, the VBA will provide LAN electronic equipment as Government
Furnished Equipment (GFE). The cable plant consists of two components:
♦ Voice/Video/Data Spaces and Cable Pathways: This component provides the means to distribute cables
throughout the VARO. This component is a set of architectural features provided with the building
and shall be addressed during the building design and construction stages. The Telephone Equipment
Room, Computer Room, Telephone/Data Closets, conduits, riser sleeves between floors, cable trays and
raised access floors are all elements of this component. For current guidelines, refer to the VBA RO
Telephone/Data Spaces and Cable Pathways Design Guide at
http://vbahinesweb.vba.va.gov/engconse.htm.
♦
Cabling Distribution System: This component consists of cable and connecting hardware and provides
the physical medium, copper wires and fiber optic strands, used to transport the voice, video, and data
signals throughout the VARO. Using the pathways provided, backbone cables and connecting
hardware connect the electronic equipment housed in the telephone equipment room and computer
room to the electronic equipment housed in the distributed telephone/data closets. Again using the
pathways, horizontal cables and connecting hardware are used to connect each telephone/data closet
to its associated work stations, training and conference rooms. For current guidelines, refer to the
Telephone/Data Cabling Design Guide at http://vbahinesweb.vba.va.gov/engconse.htm.
The standard height of the computer room raised floor in a regional office ranges from 12 to 18
inches depending on the facility, IT requirements, and building constraints. The floor should
support a uniform load of 250 lbs per square foot allowing for a concentrated load of 2,000 lbs per
square foot. For detailed specifications and fire and safety requirements, refer to the VBA
Computer Room Design available on the VBA Hines Engineering website at
http://vbahinesweb.vba.va.gov/engconse.htm. The contractor shall certify the complete testing of all
voice/data/video circuits.
DATA AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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