Disaster Recovery

CW Disaster Recovery Capability Statement

• CW Disaster Recovery Capability Statement download PDF

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FEMA Roles/Technical Services

DISASTER RELIEF WORK EXPERIENCE

1. FEMA Technical Assistance Provided:

• Preliminary Damage Assessments:

• • Both windshield and in-depth initial damage assessments used to generate initial cost estimates for rebuilding after a disaster event.

• Project Worksheet Development:

• • Site inspections
  • Damage descriptions with dimensions
  • Full Scope of Work to repair to pre-disaster condition
  • Full Validation of completed work including all Force Account work
  • Cost Estimates including Large Project CEFs as necessary
  • Repair vs Replacement estimates and calculations
  • Codes and Standards upgrades as required
  • Hazard Mitigation Proposal including cost estimates
  • PAAP 428 Program support

• Post Obligation Support:

• • Contract Review
  • Change Order Review
  • Mitigation
  • Forensic Accounting

• Closeout Support:

• • Work Completion Site inspections
  • Forensic Accounting to verify invoices match and payments are complete
  • Closeout Project Worksheet completion

• Legal Support:

• • Contract Review
  • OIG Audit document review and preparation
  • Appeals documentation review and support
  • Arbitration documentation review and preparation

2. Grantee/Applicant Technical Assistance Provided:

• Assessment Support:

• • Site inspection including photo documentation
  • Cost Estimates for repairs including Codes and Standards upgrades as required
  • Hazard Mitigation assessment

• Repair Support:

• • Pre-bid support and recommendations
  • Contract review
  • Construction management services to oversee full rebuilding
  • Mitigation oversight
  • Forensic Accounting to manage the reconciliation and recovery of FEMA funding

3. OIG and Arbitration Projects

• Develop responses to OIG (Office of Inspector General) audits and arbitration
• Complete forensic estimating
• Create summaries of OIG audit documents for internal use in response development.
• Develop documents including suppositions and draft legal briefs for FEMA arbitrations and attorneys:
  • Examination of all construction documents for use and inclusion in backups for proceedings.
  • Interpretation of plans and specification as to fact, requirements and obligations.
  • All documents selected and placed in correct categories for use by attorneys.
  • Manipulation and enhancement of graphics for clarity and suitability.
  • All graphics created, sized and annotated for use in proceedings.
  • Use of layered graphics for illustration of progression and time context.
  • Volume often exceeds 2,000 files and 10s of thousands of pages per case.
• Develop documents required for OIG response and arbitration proceedings:
  • Examination of all construction documents for use and inclusion in backups for proceedings.
  • All documents selected and placed in correct categories for use by attorneys.
  • Manipulation and enhancement of graphics for clarity and suitability.
  • All graphics created, sized and annotated for use in proceedings.
  • Use of layered graphics for illustration of progression and time context.

Project Work:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief (Katrina), Louisiana [2007-2019]. Personnel worked within the Public Assistance (PA) Program in roles including Deputy Team Lead, Public Assistance Crew Leader (PACL), Project Specialist, 406 Hazard Mitigation Specialists Cost Estimator and Technical Specialist.  Worked directly with Applicants to facilitate document collection, inspected damaged sites, completed scope and cost estimates for repairs, reviewed projects for possible mitigation and completed scope and cost estimates for mitigation when appropriate. Leadership roles included overseeing and managing the writing of grants. Additional work included Office of Inspector General (OIG) suppositions and response, reconciliation of Scope of Work (SOW) with actual work performed, close-out and suppositions for Applicant appeals and arbitration, program management services, project management services and construction management service which includes estimating and schedule analysis.  Projects included all categories of work including debris and emergency protective measures, to roads, city buildings, hospitals, school complexes, prison complexes, utilities, and parks.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Flood Disaster Relief, Louisiana [2017-2019]. Personnel worked within the Public Assistance (PA) Program in roles including Public Assistance Crew Leader (PACL), Project Specialist, 406 Hazard Mitigation Specialist, and Cost Estimator.  Worked through all aspects of completing PWs from initial site visits through completion of the PW including mitigation where appropriate.  Completed conversion of multiple regular PWs to capped projects through the Public Assistance Alternative Procedures (PAAP) Pilot Program for Permanent Work. Projects included emergency protective measures, city buildings, residential housing complex, utilities, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and prison complex.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief (Sandy), New York [2013-2016]. Personnel worked within the Public Assistance (PA) Program in roles including Project Specialist and 406 Hazard Mitigation Specialist.  Worked through all aspects of completing PWs from initial site visits through completion of the PW including mitigation where appropriate.  Projects included emergency protective measures, historical buildings, beaches and beachfront structures, utilities, piers and docks, and parks.  Projects included structures in CBRS Zones for beachfront parks.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Disaster Relief, Tennessee [2009-2010].  Personnel worked within the PA Program evaluating damages, completing cost estimates and PWs for vertical and horizontal projects including bridges and roads in multiple counties in Tennessee. Developed PW’s, reviewed design documents for compliance with Federal Standards, and developed action plans and federal funding appropriation proposals.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Snow and Flood Disaster Relief, Washington [2009]. Personnel worked within the PA Program completing PWs and mitigation for flooding and landslide event. Majority of projects included road work including numerous washouts, slumps and two large landslides.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Flood Disaster Relief (Multiple), Oregon [2008].  Personnel worked within PA program to provide site investigation and site evaluation for 90 miles of railroad and steel bridges, wood bridges, native wood bridges and historical bridges from Tillamook on the west coast through mountains to Banks Oregon (near Portland, Oregon). Executed investigation and site evaluation on roads, logging roads, bridges, water treatment facility, wastewater treatment systems, lagoon percolation systems and high voltage trans state power line damages in northwest Oregon. This required multi-mile hikes in rain, snow over difficult mountain terrain and crossing swift water streams and washed out/eroded canyons for the railroad, logging roads and the transmission line in order to develop an evaluation and measurement of damages required for estimating/CEF.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief Hurricanes, Florida [2004, 2005 & 2007-2009]. Personnel worked within PA Program as 406 Hazard Mitigation Specialist and Closeout Specialist for projects written following the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Reviewed PWs written for 2004 and 2005 hurricanes for the possibility of mitigation and completed mitigation proposals where appropriate. Completed closeout review and PWs including validation of all documentation for force account labor, equipment, materials, contracts, permits, invoices, and associated documents.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Flood Disaster Relief, Pennsylvania [2006]. Personnel worked within PA Program as project specialist. Completed site inspections and wrote PWs for flood damage to public roads and structures.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief, Mississippi/Alabama [2005-2006]. Worked within the PA Program evaluating damages, estimating repair costs, and writing PWs for a variety of facilities, including schools and hospitals, in multiple counties in Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina. Developed PWs, design and construction estimates, and FEMA CEF format estimates, reviewed design documents for compliance with Federal Standards, and developed action plans and federal funding appropriation proposals.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief, Alabama [2004] Personnel worked within PA Program in evaluating bridges damaged by flooding after DR-1549 Hurricane Ivan. Provided field inspection and development of repair/replacement estimates for multiple counties, varying from culverts and wood bridges to steel bridges, concrete bridges, and combinations of building methods.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Disaster Relief, Florida [2004-2005]. Personnel worked with both the PA Program and the Individual Assistance (IA) Program following the multiple hurricanes in 2004. Worked within the PA Program developing planning concepts, budgets, FEMA CEF estimates and schedules to rebuild government facilities in multiple counties, including resorts, marinas, arenas, indoor horse arenas, shopping malls, ocean front condos/hotels, and government offices.  Worked within the IA program for Community Relations and Temporary Housing. Developed FEMA trailer sites, site budgets, delivery and setup for numerous sites in multiple counties in Florida.
• USEPA – Region VI, ERRS, Space Shuttle Columbia Recovery, Palestine, Texas [2003]. Personnel worked with the EPA to provide technical skills and shuttle recovery. Technical work involved utilizing E-Team, completing computer database inquiries, and producing daily situation reports. Worked as recovery team specialist performing emergency response and removal services including identification and classification of shuttle material and ensuring safe handling and transport of shuttle material.
• California State at Northridge Post-Earthquake [1994]. Provided construction management services building a fast track temporary campus in nine weeks for 20,000 students.  This included all utilities, classrooms facilities, offices, restrooms, furniture, fixtures and equipment. Developed DSRs (Damage Survey Reports) to include long-term estimates and budgets to rebuild. Developed the procedures to manage the reconciliation and recovery of all funds from FEMA. This campus was at the epicenter of the earthquake and the entire campus was approximately twelve (12) inches higher after the earthquake.  All underground utilities were destroyed in addition to all the campus underground building supports.
• Dade County Public Schools Post-Hurricane Andrew [1992]. Managed $27 million complete rebuild of 125 multiple- building school facilities in 19 days for Dade County Public Schools, and directed loss recovery from insurance companies and FEMA. Managed the rebuild of 125 multi-building school facilities in 19 days for Dade County Public Schools (DCPS).  This included over $27 million dollars roofing alone.  All facilities had major structural damage and water damage exceeding $500 million.  Crews worked 24 hours a day for 19 days on each facility spread over 300 square miles.  The logistics were incredible and required the use of heavy lift helicopters to ferry labor, material, equipment, food and water around the clock to each facility.  During this time, we completed clearing the roads of tremendous amounts of debris to allow access to each site.  CW Construction worked as an extension of DCPS in directing and managing the rebuild and recovery of the school system.  Upon the completion of all work, CW represented DCPS against FEMA to reconcile and close out all of their cost and expenses.

View Disaster Recovery Examples