TS Helene Engineering RFQ Final with Greensheet Second Posting.pdf

REPOST

Interested firms please submit SOQ by Monday, February 3, 2025 at 12:00 pm EST. Any questions may be submitted to mhagood@maggievalleync.gov.

TOWN OF MAGGIE VALLEY

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Engineering and/or Architectural Services for

TROPICAL STORM HELENE DISASTER

RECOVERY ENGINEERING AND

MITIGATION SERVICES

The Town of Maggie Valley is seeking the services of qualified engineering consultants to assist in the assessment of damages to public facilities and infrastructure caused by Tropical Storm Helene;

recommend actions for repair, upgrade, or mitigation; prepare exhibits and other documents; develop Construction Plans, Specifications, Surveys, GIS, Permitting, Budgets, Mitigation Actions, Bid and Construction Documents; Construction Management; and perform other related services for various projects that may be funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Public Assistance grant program, Hazard Mitigation grant program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program and/or any other federal or state funded programs that may become available. These consulting services shall be performed in accordance with all local, State, and Federal laws, regulations, and executive orders applicable to these grant programs.

The Town will receive Statements of Qualifications from interested firms until 12:00 pm EST, Friday, January 24, 2025, at the location stated below. Submittals received after this deadline will not be considered.

The complete submittal consisting of three printed copies and one digital PDF must be provided to the Town in a sealed package, clearly marked on the outside RFQ Engineering Services for Tropical Storm Helene and addressed to:

Town of Maggie Valley Attn: Misty Hagood 3987 Soco Road Maggie Valley, NC 28751

If submitting SOQ via UPS, USPS, FedEx or another provider, please keep a copy of the tracking number to ensure the submission is received on time.

The Town of Maggie Valley reserves the rights to negotiate with any or all firms submitting qualifications. small and minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are encouraged to submit qualifications and firms using subcontractors must solicit such firms in the subcontracting process.

The Town of Maggie Valley is an equal opportunity employer without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, persons with disabilities, or limited English proficiency.

General Scope of Work

The Town of Maggie Valley seeks to obtain sealed proposals from qualified engineers to assist in the repair, replacement, reconstruction and mitigation of damages to public facilities and infrastructure caused by Tropical Storm Helene; recommend actions for repair, upgrade, or mitigation; prepare exhibits and other documents; develop Construction Plans, Specifications, Cost Estimates, Mitigation Actions, Bid and Construction Documents; Construction Management; and perform other related services, for various projects that may be funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Public Assistance grant program, Hazard Mitigation grant program, the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program and/or any other federal or state funded programs that may become available. The selected consultant(s) must have knowledge of and provide all services in full compliance with all local, State, and Federal laws, regulations, and executive orders applicable to these grant programs.

This work will include project discovery, project development, when authorized, for any of the Town’s facilities and infrastructure including, but not limited to: fishing piers, boardwalks, bulkheads, breakwaters, water and sewer facilities, roads, bridges, drainage, parks and other recreational facilities, public buildings, and other structures. Project development will also include all permitting, coordination with outside agencies, and any other items necessary to successfully develop the project in compliance with funding source requirements.

The Town of Maggie Valley may use this RFQ to enter into one or more contracts, each comprising one or more partial scopes of work, projects, or stages of work. No work may commence and no cost may be incurred on any scope of work, project, or work stage without prior written authorization to proceed.

The executed contract will meet all rules for Federal grants, as provided for in Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations and 2CFR 200.317 through 200.326 and Appendix II and certain statements required for federal funding intended for damages from this federal disaster declaration.

Technical Expertise It is anticipated that the successful firm(s) will have extensive knowledge and expertise in the technical areas of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, geodetic services, electrical engineering, environmental regulations and permitting, coordination with state and federal resource agencies, contract management, and all phases of construction management services. The SOQ should be specific in describing which areas of expertise your firm is offering to provide.

Selection Process This RFQ provides information necessary to prepare and submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for consideration and ranking by the Town of Maggie Valley using the point system described below. The evaluation committee will rank the firms in order of the most qualified, based on demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the services and then make a determination as to whether or not an informal meeting will be required of the top‐ranking firms. Upon authorization, the highest ranked firm will be asked to submit a fee proposal to begin contract negotiations for a fair and reasonable price.

By submitting its SOQ in response to this RFQ, respondent accepts the evaluation process as outlined in the SOQ Requirements and Evaluation section which follows.

Statement of Qualifications Requirements and Evaluation

Respondents shall carefully read the information in the following evaluation criteria and submit a complete SOQ to all questions in this RFQ as formatted below:

Item 1: General Qualifications and Availability 15 pts

a. Provide the following information:

• Legal name of firm

• Location of Office that will be conducting the work

• Contact Persons

• Date of firm formation

• Legal business description (Individual, Partnership, Corporation, Joint Venture, etc.)

• A list of all current contracts pertaining to the Tropical Storm Helene Disaster Declaration.

• Provide a summary of any litigation, claim(s), or contract disputes filed by or against the firm in the past five (5) years which is related to the services that the firm provides in the regular course of business.

b. Provide a statement on the availability and commitment of the firm, its principal(s) and assigned professionals to undertake the project, reporting responsibilities and how the firm will interface with the Town of Maggie Valley’s staff. Regular weekly, biweekly or monthly project meetings will be required, depending upon the project.

c. Provide a statement of interest for the project including a narrative describing the benefits that the Town will realize in selecting the Respondent’s firm or team, including the firm’s specific expertise and unique qualifications, capabilities, specialized experience, best practices or other factors that distinguish the Respondent from other Respondents.

Item 2: Proposed Staff 25 pts

a. Organizational chart for personnel (including sub‐consultants) who are to work on this project including licensure information.

b. Names and roles of key personnel proposed to work on this project and their office locations.

c. Include resumes for all key personnel and indicate any individuals who have had previous experience on similar projects.

d. Provide staffing size by areas of expertise.

e. Provide current workload of prime firm.

f. Provide staff availability to perform services.

g. Provide the Project Managers experience with similar size/type projects and knowledge of similar Disaster Recovery Grant programs.

h. Provide the sub‐consultants experience with similar size/type projects.

Item 3: Project Experience 40 pts

a. Provide an overview and brief history of the firm and sub‐consultants.

b. Provide verifiable examples of at least five (5) similar projects completed in the last five (5) years by the prime firm and sub‐consultants, including:

• Project name and location

• Services provided

• Date of completion or project status

• Final construction costs

• Client name and contact person

• History of meeting project schedules

• History of accomplishing services within established budget, include planned vs. actual.

• Detail cost savings, scope of work changes or cost increases.

Item 4: Project Approach 20 pts

a. Explain how the team will assess and design the project(s). Include how alternate design options be developed and considered.

b. Explain how the Federal procurement requirements will be met for contracting (Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations and 2CFR 200.317 through 200.326 and Appendix II)

c. Explain how the requirements of the federal environmental compliance “Greensheet” will be met (see Exhibit 1).

d. Provide an example of a typical project schedule.

Responsiveness to Request for Qualifications:

SOQs shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the respondent’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFQ. Emphasis shall be on quality, completeness, clarity of content, responsiveness to the requirements, and understanding of the Town of Maggie Valley’s needs. Three printed copies (limit 20 pages not including resumes) and one digital PDF of the SOQ are required. Digital PDF’s may be sent via email or provided on a thumb drive. The RFQ must be signed by a person having authority to bind the firm in a contract.

Proposals must indicate “Town of Maggie Valley - RFQ Engineering Services for Tropical Storm Helene” on the coversheet.

Small and Minority Businesses, Women’s Business Enterprises and Labor Surplus Area Firms The respondent agrees to take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used for subcontracted work when possible and that all bid documents contain such required language for these affirmative action steps.

Affirmative steps must include:

1. Placing qualified small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises on solicitation lists;

2. Assuring that small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources;

3. Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises;

4. Establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises;

5. Using the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce; and

6. The respondent shall, if subcontracts are to be let, take the affirmative steps listed in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this section.

Good standing with federal and state contract compliance The firm and any subconsultants must be in good standing with the Federal Contract Compliance Program and the State’s debarred vendors listing. A complete list of federally disbarred contractors can be found at www.sam.gov. It is the sole responsibility of the firm to ensure that any subconsultants are in good standing with the OFCCP and not on the debarment list.

Certification Regarding Lobbying Prior to entering into an agreement, the successful firm(s) shall file the required certification stating, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

The respondent shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all sub-awards at all tiers (including subcontracts, sub-grants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

Due Date and Contact

Statement of Qualifications Due: 12:00 pm EST, Friday, January 24, 2025.

Town of Maggie Valley Attn: Misty Hagood 3987 Soco Road Maggie Valley NC 28751

(828) 926-0866 ext. 101

Any questions about this RFQ may be directed to the Finance Officer at the number above or emailed to mhagood@maggievalleync.gov. Any Addenda to this RFQ will be posted on the Town’s website and emailed to those firms which have notified the Finance Officer of their intention to submit a SOQ.

The Town of Maggie Valley will not provide compensation or defray any costs incurred by any firm related to the response to this request; reserves the right to negotiate with any and all persons or firms;

and reserves the right to reject any or all SOQ(s), or to accept any SOQ deemed most advantageous, based on demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the services, or to waive any irregularities or informalities in the SOQ received, and to revise the process schedule as circumstances arise.

http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:mhagood@maggievalleync.gov

DETAILED SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUESTED

Providers will help the locality fulfill State and Federal statutory responsibilities related to disaster recovery for presidentially declared disasters in regard to public facilities. Providers will assist the locality in the completion of qualified projects. Engineering contracts and services must be in compliance with federal regulations at 2 CFR Part 200. Providers will be bound to specific terms and conditions found in the general terms and conditions of their contracts.

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Respondents should show their ability to provide the Engineering or architectural services that are expected to be required for the various projects listed in the General Scope of Work. It is anticipated that multiple contracts will be issued under this RFQ, so it is not required that each respondent have expertise in all the areas listed under Technical Expertise. Please be specific in describing which areas of expertise your firm is offering to provide.

Respondent shall then provide a detailed description of how they meet the requirement, describing their knowledge and experience, as well as providing discrete examples of previous work where applicable. The term “subrecipient” used below refers to the non-federal entity that is soliciting qualifications. The term “respondent” refers to the firm submitting qualifications.

General Requirements

(a) Coordinate, as necessary, between subrecipient and its service providers (i.e., Engineers, Environmental, Contracted Construction Company, FEMA PA program manager, FEMA HMA program manager, HUD CDBG-DR program manager, State Project Managers, etc.) regarding project design and construction management services.

(b) Provide written monthly project status updates.

(c) Funding release will be based on deliverables identified in the contract.

Initial Engineering and Design Support

Respondents will be required to show the ability to provide all the Engineering services described below:

(a) Perform detailed project scopes of work for hurricane-related damage and where appropriate, failures to function related to key infrastructure and facilities.

(b) Provide or review federal and/or state scopes of work and costs to repair, rehabilitate or restore infrastructure and facilities to pre-disaster condition, considering appropriate codes and design standards including hazard-resistant provisions and American Disabilities Act, Section 106 historic preservation, hazard mitigation eligible activities, pre-existing conditions, site conditions, access, tie-ins to existing infrastructure, alternate functions, possible capacity upgrades or improved projects, repair versus replacement analyses and costs, and other relevant factors as required for reimbursement of damage costs.

(c) Assist in the assessment of Hazard Mitigation measures at damaged facilities including completion of Benefit Cost Analysis where required.

(d) Provide all project information necessary to ensure timely execution of the environmental and historic preservation reviews.

(e) Provide preliminary engineering, investigations, and drawings sufficient to achieve the preliminary design milestone, including at a minimum:

i. Cross sections/elevations

ii. Project layout/staging areas

iii. General notes

iv. Special notes

v. Design details

vi. Specifications

vii. Federal or State Environmental and Historic Preservation constraints

viii. Utility relocation designs

ix. Construction limits, including environmentally sensitive areas that should be avoided during construction

x. Required permits

xi. Quantities

xii. Estimate of construction costs to within +/- 25%

xiii. Schedules for design, permitting, acquisition and construction

(d) Surveying, topographic and utility mapping.

(e) Perform subsurface explorations for project sites, as necessary.

(f) Prepare horizontal alignments/layouts for all proposed project alternatives necessary to fully describe the project scope, anticipated limitations, and potential project impacts.

(g) Recommend value engineering options (alternative design, construction methods, procurement, etc.) that may improve efficiency, expedite the schedule, or reduce project costs for the subrecipient.

(h) Identify, acquire and submit all necessary permits and approvals required for design approval and construction.

(i) Submit all necessary deliverables to the appropriate entity for review and comment. Adjust project and/or design to satisfactorily address any comments, as necessary.

(j) Prepare plans and profiles, including vertical design information for the selected alternative.

(k) Identify and address potential obstacles to project implementation (i.e., pipelines, easements, permitting, environmental, etc.) prior to moving forward with the final design.

(l) Support subrecipient with acquisition or property/servitudes/right-of-way and easements documentation as required by the locality to facilitate the project, preparing right of way surveys and/or property boundary maps and legal descriptions of parcels to be acquired.

(m) If required, indemnify the federal government from activities performed with federal funds.

(n) Provide project schedules from cradle to grave in MS Project format or equal as approved by the subrecipient based on state or federal guidance.

Engineering and Final Design Support Respondents will be required to show the ability to provide all the Engineering services described below as they relate to final design support:

(a) Prepare plans and profiles, including necessary design information for the selected alternative sufficient to achieve all detailed design milestones.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

i. Cross sections/elevations

ii. Project layout/staging areas

iii. General notes

iv. Special notes

v. Design details

vi. Specifications

vii. Utility relocation designs

viii. Construction limits, including environmentally sensitive areas that should be avoided during construction

ix. Required permits

x. Quantities

xi. Estimate of construction costs to within +/- 20%

xii. Schedules for design, permitting, acquisition and construction

(b) Provide information to appropriate individuals for the development of environmental fund release reports and floodplain maps.

(c) Identify, acquire and submit all necessary permits and approvals required for design approval and construction.

(d) Provide hard copy, if necessary, reproducible plan drawings and bid documents, in addition to electronic copies to the subrecipient, upon design completion, and as requested during design. Electronic copies should be in the native format (AutoCAD DWG) along with PDF packages and should contain all corresponding references, databases, or files associated with the completed design documents.

(e) Assist the Town and any service provider related to the project with all necessary documentation to ensure compliance with all Program requirements and regulations.

Bid and Award Support Respondents will be required to show the ability to provide all the engineering services described below as they relate to bid and award support.

(a) Submit appropriate items and support subrecipient in the development of complete bid package.

(b) Prepare and assist subrecipient in the advertisements for bid solicitation in full compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 and other federal and state requirements.

(c) Development and issuance of bid-related documents necessary to complete bid process (e.g., bid proposal form, bid addenda and supporting documentation).

(d) Attend and support subrecipient at pre-bid conference and bid opening.

(e) Support subrecipient with ongoing communication during bid process.

(f) Support subrecipient to complete bid tabulation and evaluation of responses and provide recommendation for award.

(g) Support subrecipient to negotiate and finalize contract documents, including issuance of the Notice to Proceed, in accordance with program and subrecipient requirements.

(h) Support subrecipient in the conducting of a preconstruction conference.

Contract Management and Construction Oversight

Respondents will be required to show the ability to provide all the Engineering services described below as they relate to contract management and construction oversight.

(a) Ensure delivery of subrecipient project in accordance with contract.

(b) Provide ongoing Construction Oversight Reports detailing the status of construction for subrecipient project.

(c) Review all service provider submittals to ensure compliance with construction contract documents and provide recommendations to subrecipient.

(d) Provide periodic and final inspections and tests reports, as required for the project.

(e) Provide on-site supervision and oversight of construction activities at a minimum on a bi-weekly basis or as directed by the locality.

(f) Review Construction Change Orders and provide recommendation to subrecipient as to appropriate action.

(g) Review invoice/draw requests and provide recommendation to subrecipient as to appropriate action, in compliance with the construction contract documents.

(h) Obtain independent cost estimates for validation purposes, as required.

(i) Review and respond to requests for information/clarification.

(j) Support subrecipient with issue identification and claims resolutions.

(k) Enter all requisite information into systems of record in accordance with established policies and procedures.

(l) Develop a final “as built” report of quantities, drawings, and specifications.

(m) Issue to the subrecipient, for execution, a Certificate of Construction Completion within 30 days of final inspection approval.

(n) Deliver “as-built” drawings to the subrecipient within 30 days of project completion.

(o) Host and/or attend project coordination meetings in person, by phone, or by video conference, which may or may not fall during normal business hours.

(p) Perform other contract management and construction oversight duties as required to ensure success of the subrecipient project.

(q) Provide necessary certifications to regulatory agencies of project completion and compliance (ex. NC DEQ; NC

DOT; USACE).

(r) Submit all final invoices within 60 days after contract or work order expiration.

Specialized Services Respondents shall show the ability to provide via in-house or a subconsultant, the Engineering services described below as they relate to specialized services.

(a) Provide Geotechnical Investigations as may be required for a project.

(b) Provide underwater structural Investigations as may be required for a project.

(c) Provide Detailed Surveying as may be required for a project.

(d) Provide Site Specific Testing as may be required for a project.

(e) Provide Planning Studies as may be required for a project.

(f) Provide Feasibility Studies as may be required for a project.

Last updated: 06/03/2022

INTRODUCTION

FEMA eligibility review for funding projects require compliance with environmental planning and historic preserva on laws and Execu ve Orders (EOs). Early iden fica on of projects with poten al compliance issues and coordina on with appropriate federal, state, tribal, and local regulatory agencies is needed to an cipate and expedite review, approval, and funding of projects.

FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preserva on (EHP) specialists are available to assist you, the subrecipient, in gathering informa on for informed decision-making during project development and implementa on. EHP provides technical assistance and support through the Public Assistance (PA) Program Delivery Manager (PDMG) or other designated points of contact (POCs). Should you have ques ons regarding your project please direct those ques ons to the designated PDMG and the State Emergency Management Agency’s designated POCs who will in turn advise the assigned EHP specialist.

TIPS TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLIANCE PROCESS

Obtain any necessary permits prior to construc on. FEMA does not obtain permits.

Failure to obtain applicable permits may jeopardize federal funding.

If you have exis ng permits, provide copies to your designated PDMG. FEMA may be able to expedite the EHP compliance review based upon exis ng and applicable permit documenta on.

If you are unsure whether you need permits, use the contact informa on on the last page. Document and keep copies of any correspondence with federal or state agencies regarding permits. A ach those copies to your grant applica on.

Adhere to permit condi ons for implemen ng work and u lize iden fied best management prac ces. Verify condi ons met if work is completed.

EHP compliance reviews may require detailed informa on for assessing poten al impacts. A complete and clear scope of work will minimize any clarifica on requests.

Providing maps or sketches of work details, site plans, area descrip ons, and minimiza on measures (not mi ga on) for proposed or completed work is very informa ve and cuts down on requests for informa on (RFI) from EHP.

ALL PROJECTS REQUIRE EHP COMPLIANCE REVIEW

NOTE: Even if a project repairs a facility back to pre-disaster condi on, federal, state, and local laws s ll apply. The following o en require addi onal documenta on or request for informa on:

Involving improved projects, new construc on, hazard mi ga on, or scope of work (SOW) changes.

Affec ng buildings, structures, sites, objects, or districts that are 45 years or older, historic landmarks of any age and any work resul ng in soil movement or change to the pre-disaster footprint.

Work near or within a special flood hazard area (regulatory floodway or 1% annual chance flood zone [100-year], or cri cal ac ons in the 0.2% annual chance flood zone (500-year).

Work in or near environmentally sensi ve areas such as barrier conserva on easements, fish hatcheries, preserves, state and na onal parks, and wildlife management areas.

Work in or near canals, lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, or other bodies of water including fishing piers.

Staging and disposal / recycling of debris including, but not limited to vegeta ve, construc on/demoli on, and hazardous materials as a result of either the disaster event or the project work.

Federally funded ac ons require considera ons to avoid dispropor onately high and adverse effects to Low Income and Minority Popula ons per EO 12898.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND HISTORIC PRESERVA-

TION (EHP) GREENSHEET FOR DR-4827-NC

Exhibit 1

QUICK GUIDES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Disaster-wide Public No ce Debris Removal Quick Guide Floodplains, Wetlands Quick Guide and FFRMs Mosquito Abatement Quick Guide

Piers Quick Guide Work-in-Water Quick Guide

Roads and Bridges Quick Guide Demoli on and Debris Removal Best Prac ces

COLLECTION, REMOVAL, AND DISPOSAL OF DEBRIS:

Temporary Debris Staging & Reduc on Sites (TDSRs)

□Type of surface (paved, gravel, crop fields, etc.)

□Method of reduc on (chipping, burning, etc.)

□Provide any permi ng documents (email, le er, or form is acceptable)

Final Disposal or Disposi on of Debris

□Permi ed landfill, recycling or compos ng site ID or Permit Number

□Burn approval from state agency

□Chipping final loca on

□Iden fy any transformers, oil, or other specials or hazardous waste

Collec on, Transport, and Road Clearing

□Provide appropriate documents for cross-state transport

□Method of clearing (cu ng and tossing, scraping)

EMERGENCY AND TEMPORARY WORK:

Sandbagging Opera ons

□Disposal loca on if sandbags were flood impacted

□If storing sandbags for further use, provide GPS coordinates of loca on

Emergency Sand Scraping and Beach Berms

□Provide any US Army Corps of Engineers coordina on documents

□Verifica on that permit condi ons were met

□Document if the project is temporary or permanent (if permanent, was it pre-exis ng?)

□Date of work was completed (month, year)

□For scrapping, report if the sand was cleaned

Vector Control (Mosquito Abatement)

□See available Mosquito Abatement Quick Guide

INFORMATION NEEDED FOR MOST PROJECTS:

GPS Coordinates

□Decimal degrees to five decimal places for all damaged sites

□If over 200 feet in length, the start and end coordinates

□All Temporary Debris Staging & Reduc on Sites

□Final disposal sites

□Source(s) of fill material (soil, gravel, rip-rap, etc.)

Dates of Construc on

□All structures and buildings

□Format: Circa year, or exact built date

□Renova on dates: exterior, interior

Ground Disturbance

□Include the length, width, and depth descrip ons

□Any vegeta on removal and how many cubic yards?

□Within exis ng footprint or right-of-way?

HELPFUL DOCUMENTS/INFO TO PROVIDE:

□Site/Design Plans

□Photos of before and a er damages

□Maps with ground disturbance loca ons iden fied

□Expected start and end dates

□Correspondence with regulatory authori es such as:

□Local floodplain manager

□U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Office(s)

□Other state agencies such as natural resources/ environmental/health departments

□Details on flood risk minimiza on measures and any alterna ves considered

CHECKLIST ITEMS

NOTE: This checklist may not fully apply to your projects and some states, regions, and districts require specific documents. Request addi onal informa on or send ques ons to your FEMA and NCEM designated Point of Contacts.

Unified Federal Review

Unified Federal Review (UFR) is used to develop methods that expedite the environmental and historic preserva on (EHP) review process for disaster recovery projects through strengthening working rela onships among federal agency partners. When more than one federal agency is involved in the same recovery project (s), successful UFR implementa on leads to improved, expedited federal decision making and be er outcomes for communi es and the environment.

Through UFR, federal agencies that conduct EHP reviews as a part of funding ac ons or regulatory reviews for disaster recovery projects may coordinate their EHP reviews with FEMA. Once these ac vi es or overlaps are iden fied, efficiencies and streamlining processes can be implemented to expedite the EHP review process and reduce redundancies. Early interagency coordina on is cri cal. Types of projects that may benefit from UFR include replacement of cri cal infrastructure, large-scale mi ga on, and large- scale debris removal.

If you have any scenario(s) that appear to have an opportunity to implement UFR (par cularly for any poten ally complex projects that other federal agencies are providing funding), please reach out to the Region 4 UFR Coordinator using the contact informa on below.

Kari Elkins, M.S.

kari.elkins@fema.dhs.gov

Unified Federal Review Coordinator Region 4 EHP Office: (256) 343-3570

Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

Execu ve Orders 14030 and Execu ve Order 13690 established the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) which enhanced FEMA’s responsibili es when considering impacts to and from the floodplain. The FFRMS policy applies to those PA projects for both facili es and structures involving new construc on, substan al improvement or repairs to substan al damage situated within the 1% annual chance floodplain and for cri cal facili es situated in the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.

As such, FEMA will be iden fying the applicable design standard for project types incorpora ng the FFRMS- Climate Informed Science Approach (CISA) for ac ons situated along the low-lying areas along the Atlan c coastline; the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) for coastal and riverine areas and the 0.2-Percent-Annual- Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA) for inland riverine areas per FEMA Policy 206-24-005 effec ve for federally declared disasters on or a er September 9, 2024. This policy facilitates implementa on of FEMA’s responsibili es to provide leadership in floodplain management and bolster the resilience of communi es and federal assets against the impacts of flooding, interpre ng and implemen ng the requirements included at 44 Code of Federal Regula ons (CFR) Part 9 and consistent with the agency’s authori es pursuant to the Na onal Flood Insurance Act, the Na onal Environmental Policy Act, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), and other agency statutory and regulatory authori es.

PRINCIPLES

A. Reduce vulnerability to loss of life and property caused by flooding.

B. Avoid, to the extent possible, the long- and short-term adverse impacts associated with occupancy and modifica on of floodplains and avoid direct or indirect support of floodplain development wherever there is a prac cable alterna ve.

C. Improve resilience of FEMA-funded ac ons against current and future flood risk to ensure they serve their purpose for as long as intended.

D. Rely on best available5 informa on to inform agency decision making, including informa on on current and future flood risk and ac onable climate science informa on, where available.

FEMA:

James Fox PA Infrastructure Branch Director james.fox@fema.dhs.gov 202-431-9183

Sco Fletcher Environmental and Historic Preserva on Advisor sco .fletcher@fema.dhs.gov 202-322-3924

Oswaldo Rueda Builes 406 PA Hazard Mi ga on Assistance oswaldo.reudabuiles@fema.dhs.gov 470-294-9718

NCEM:

State Public Assistance Joe Stanton, Assistant Director-Recovery Chief (919)-218-6352 Joe.Stanton@ncdps.gov h p://www.ncdps.gov/our-organiza on/emergency-management

Steve McGugan State Hazard Mi ga on Officer Steve.McGugan@ncdps.gov (919)-873-5843

GRANTS PORTAL: h p://grantee.fema.gov/

FEDERAL AGENCIES:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) John Ellis, Field Biologist 551-F Pylon Drive Raleigh, NC 27606

(919) 856-4520 john_ellis@fws.gov h ps://fws.gov/office/eastern-north-carolina

United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Raleigh Regulatory Field Office

(919) 554-4884 h ps://www.saw.usace.army.mil/missions/regulatory-permit-program/contact/

USDA Forest Service (USFS) North Carolina Office 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260 Raleigh, NC 27609

(919) 873-2000 h ps://www.rd.usda.gov/nc

Natural Resources Conserva on Service (NRCS) Timothy Beard 4407 Bland Rd., Suite 117 Raleigh, NC 27609

(919) 873-2101 h ps://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/nc/ contact/state/

STATE AGENCIES:

State Historic Preserva on Office h ps://www.ncdcr.gov/state-historic-preserva on-office Renee Gledhill-Early Environmental Review Coordinator renee.gledhill-earley@ncdcr.gov (919) 814-6579 John Mintz State Archaeologist John.mintz@ncdcr.gov

(919) 807-6555 or (919) 814-6555 h ps://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/about/

North Carolina Forest Service Raleigh Office (919) 857-4801 Burn Permits: Contact County Ranger or apply online:

h p://www.ncforestservice.gov/burn_permits/ burn_permits_main.htm

STATE AGENCIES:

Division of Waste Management https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management

Drew Hammonds Eastern District Office (910) 433-3349 Deb Aja Western District Office (826) 296-4702

National Flood Insurance Program

Steve Garrett, State NFIP Coordinator Steve.Garrett@ncdps.gov (919)-825-2316

Division of Water Resources https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources

CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

20241011 DR4827 Greensheet NC.pdf