The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, Risk Management Directorate has a requirement for Risk MAP, HMTAP, and TARC production and technical services.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA), Risk Management Directorate (RMD) is a catalyst for a safer nation. RMD implements several programs including the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) Program, the National Dam Safety Program, the Levee Safety Program, the Natural Hazards Risk Assessment Program (NHRAP), the National Mitigation Planning Program, the Building Sciences Program, National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), the Actuarial Sciences Program, and supports a number of mitigation activities. These activities include building science efforts, actuarial and catastrophic modeling efforts, and hazard mitigation planning activities. At a broader FIMA level, FIMA operates the Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program (HMTAP) to provide aid to FEMA headquarters, its regional counterparts, and field offices to meet post-disaster mitigation responsibilities.

RMD has operated the Risk MAP Program since 2009. Risk MAP combines flood hazard mapping, risk assessment tools, and hazard mitigation planning into one program which is comprised of separate contracts that provide five groupings of services:

1. Program Management (PM),
2. Customer & Data Services (CDS),
3. Production and Technical Services (PTS),
4. Letter of Map Amendment (MT-1), and
5. Community Engagement and Risk Communication (CERC).

This integrated program encourages partnerships, and innovative uses of flood hazard and risk assessment data to build more resilient communities. Through collaboration with federal, state, local, tribal, and private entities, Risk MAP delivers quality data to increase public awareness, and promotes actions that reduce risk to life and property. While flooding is the primary focus of Risk MAP, FEMA actively encourages a whole-community approach, and is focused on enhancing the usability and value of natural hazard risk information. The goals of the whole-community approach are to:

• increase the public’s awareness of risk;
• compel communities to take mitigation actions to reduce the risk to life and property; and
• increase resilience so communities may withstand, adapt, and recover from disasters.

The purpose of this acquisition is to procure architect and engineering (A&E) services to support FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The current Performance Work Statement (“PWS”) identifies a total of 22 of 31 subtasks for this procurement which require licensed professional engineer (A&E) approval. As such, approximately 70% of the work is for A&E services. NFIP requires Contractor support to generate and evaluate flood hazard and risk information and support the development and implementation of mitigation, planning, flood mapping and modeling activities. This requirement is collectively entitled Production and Technical Services (PTS).

• FEMA requires architect and engineering services, to include supporting ancillary services, to assist the Risk MAP Program’s Production and Technical Services (PTS) delivery requirement and support engineering services for FIMA through the HMTAP. Under this procurement, PTS services will support the aforementioned mitigation programs and activities by bringing technical field expertise to generate and/or evaluate hazard and risk information and support the development and implementation of the aforementioned mitigation, planning, and modeling activities.
• The PTS requirement includes the National and Regional flood mapping project portfolio which incorporates:
  • discovery activities;
  • Base Level Engineering (BLE);
  • Light Detection and Rating (LiDAR) collection;
  • field surveys;
  • coastal erosion mapping;
  • coastal surge analysis;
  • coastal overland analysis;
  • coastal outreach;
  • levee analyses;
  • levee floodplain mapping;
  • local levee partnership team outreach;
  • hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) analysis;
  • re-delineation; floodplain mapping;
  • preliminary map products; and
  • flood-risk products.
• Contractor Roles in Flood Hazard Mapping Project Communications
  • There is a requirement of provider collaboration and integration as flood hazard mapping projects are initiated and move to completion. This requires clearly defined roles and scope to ensure successful collaboration. This breakdown is solely applicable to flood hazard mapping projects and does not change CERC’s role as the lead communications provider for FEMA for these types of services.
  • At a high level, PTS is the communications lead during Risk MAP projects until the project reaches the issuance of the Letter of Final Determination. CERC provides advice and counsel throughout the process and assumes the communications lead once the Letter of Final Determination is issued.
  • To expand, the CERC provider is the lead provider on ensuring RMD messaging and alignment, to include setting messaging strategies for effectively telling the full story of the role the mapping process plays in helping communities and residents achieve greater resilience.
  • The PTS provider serves as primary provider for flood hazard mapping communication throughout the portions of the process that primarily involve data collection, analysis and initial/preliminary reviews, with five key requirements:
  • At the onset of a mapping project, the PTS and CERC providers collaboratively develop an engagement strategy and plan for the full process, to include a thorough community analysis based on the combined data provided by both providers, audience mapping, messaging, timelines and tactics, metrics, and clearly defined roles.
  • The PTS provider relies on the strategies, processes and products established by CERC to set engagement standards.
  • The CERC provider advises on the messaging and stakeholder identification for each community, helping to ensure that the people and organizations involved reflect what’s important to the community and will set up the community for success in driving action once it is equipped with the data.
  • The CERC provider maintains scope for developing and delivering training that will help communities build their capacity for engagement, planning, and mitigation decision-making.
  • In contentious or challenging communities (including those with large numbers of appeals), the CERC provider gives additional counsel and support to the PTS provider throughout the process
  • In situations where CERC input is valuable to drive conversations or outcomes, the PTS provider may utilize CERC as a support function during meetings. Where meetings deviate from process and engineering, and fit into CERC related work, CERC may be brought in for support
• As the flood hazard mapping process moves toward effective maps and beyond, the CERC provider assumes responsibility for broadening engagement with the community, building and deepening relationships, setting up structures and processes, and providing information and training from across RMD and FIMA that will empower the community to co-create the resilience solutions and actions that make sense for them.
• Operational Environment Applicable to PTS
  • Prior to a disaster, the Risk Management Directorate (RMD) programs and staff are many communities’ first introduction to FEMA. Our sustained engagement with State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) partners during non-disaster times provides a critical venue and opportunity to advance FEMA’s strategic goals, and specifically increase hazard insurance coverage and investments in mitigation. RMD shares responsibility with the Mitigation Directorate in leading the implementation of FEMA Strategic Plan Objective 1.1: Increase Investments in Mitigation, including the implementation of the National Mitigation Investment Strategy (NMIS). In Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19), RMD will advance strategies across all our programs and enabling functions to enhance the understanding of risk, orient cross-programmatic processes and resources to better meet customer needs and change risk reduction decisions and behaviors across the whole community.
  • In FY19 and beyond, FEMA will continue to deliver NFIP flood hazard mapping through Risk MAP to support the nation’s management of flood risks with timely and credible data and information. In FY19, we will advance against our target goal of 80% NVUE (New, Validated, and Updated Engineering) by FY2021, while continuing to also make progress towards reducing the paper map inventory, issuing draft flood hazard information for 100% of the nation’s populated coast, and addressing risks associated with levee systems. Concurrently, we will explore and build approaches for the flood hazard mapping program that better meet community needs, incentivize SLTT and private investments in risk management, and fully support the new risk rating methodology through the development of comprehensive flood risk information. RMD’s portfolio of multi-hazard risk reduction programs are a catalyst for increased mitigation investments and hazard insurance coverage (including non-flood). In FY19, we will deliver the final National Mitigation Investment Strategy (NMIS) and align the risk management activities of Federal, SLTT, private, and non-profit entities under one overarching national framework for mitigation investments. Under this framework, we will assess and realign resources within our own planning, safety, and building science programs to seize untapped opportunities to educate, coordinate resources, and incentivize the whole community to invest in mitigation and insurance. This includes developing a national strategy for the adoption and enforcement of disaster resistant building codes and enhancing the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program’s (NEHRP) role in preparedness, response, and recovery. Hazards Center, National Academies of Science, and the National Association of Counties (NACo).
  • FEMA issued the initial PTS contract to support the vision of delivering quality data that increases public awareness and leads to action that reduces risk to life and property. This next contract will be the third such contract to support this vision and will encompass a number of RMD’s portfolio management activities. This will allow RMD to accomplish the 80% NVUE goal as well as incentivize investments that reduce risk and close the insurance gap, Strategic Objectives 1.1 and 1.2 of FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.
• The Contractor shall provide architect and engineering services and technical expertise to support FEMA’s administration of the National Flood Insurance Program, including mitigation programs, by bringing technical field expertise to generate and/or evaluate flood hazard and risk information and support the development and implementation of mitigation, planning, flood mapping and modeling activities.
• VISION FOR SUCCESSFUL PTS SUPPORT
  • Successful PTS support will primarily support FEMA in producing widely accessible flood hazard information that is easy to understand, available when the NFIP customers as well as state, tribal, and local governments and other partners need it, and served up by trusted partners in the tailored way that will drive and optimize risk-informed decisions and behaviors. Sustained delivery of this information should support the risk management lifecycle to: identify and analyze hazards; assess risks; communicate risk; identify and prioritize mitigation options; and advance mitigation and risk transfer.
  • Primary objectives include:
  • Producing required flood risk information (including regulatory flood maps) necessary to support the NFIP and for meeting/maintaining the 80% NVUE measure
  • Ensuring technical data can be leveraged in order to translate to mitigation action
  • Providing architectural and engineering services to support other RMD mitigation programs such as Dam Safety, 406, Mitigation Planning, and Building Science
• The performance requirements are separated into three (3) Work Areas that align to the Risk MAP program’s Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Within each Work Area, there are various Tasks identified. The number of Tasks identified in a Work Area is based on the specific support needs of that Work Area.
• WORK AREA 1: Risk MAP Support
  • (The approximate level of effort estimated for this Work Area is 77% based on total estimated value of the requirement. This estimate is for solicitation purposes only.)
  • All Technical References, Guidance, and Standards referenced in Work Area 5.1 shall always refer to the most recent version of those documents as outlined in the following links:
  • Guidance – https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/34953
  • Technical References – https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/34519
  • Standards – https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/34519
  • TASK – RAD.RM.MAP Mapping Program
  • TASK – RAD.RM.MAP.PT – Risk MAP Production and Technical Services
    • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.PT.MS – Mission Support
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.PT.TS – Technical Support
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.PT.TS.CO – Coastal
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.PT.TS.LE – Levee
  • Subtask Levee Inventory Management and Data Integrity
  • Subtask Technical Support and Training Related to Levee Communications and Outreach:
  • Subtask Support of Levee-focused Policy and Guidance Development and Implementation:
  • Subtask Support of Levee Focused Program Planning
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.PT.TS.OT – Other Technical Support
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.PT.QA – Quality Assurance
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.PT.DP – Due Process and Adoption
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.PT.NM – CNMS
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.PT.NR – Non-Regulatory Flood Risk Products
• TASK: RAD.RM.MAP.REG. (01-10) Regional Production
  • Subtask Regional Service Center Support (RSC)
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.REG Regional Support Center Enhancements
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MAP.REG (01-10) – Risk MAP Regional Production
  • Subtask Post Preliminary Processing
  • Subtask Technical PPP tasks include, but are not limited to:
  • Subtask Administrative PPP tasks include, but are not limited to:
  • Subtask Appeal and comment resolution support includes, but is not limited to:
  • Subtask Community Initiated Map Changes (CIMC)
  • Subtask Regional Standard Operations Management
• TASK– Risk MAP Portfolio Management
  • Subtask RAD.RM.PM.PS – Program Support Services
  • Subtask Program Executive Office Services
  • Subtask Program Performance Support
  • Subtask Program Planning and Control
• TASK: RAD.RM.PM.MS – Mission Support Services
  • Subtask Risk and Issue Management Support
  • Subtask Change Control Support
  • Subtask Business Needs, Case, and Requirements Support
  • Subtask RAD.RM.PM.PP – Program Planning
  • Subtask RAD.RM.PM.PA – Policy Analysis
  • Subtask Building Science Project Management Support
• TASK: RAD.RM.IT – Risk MAP Program Information Technology
  • Subtask RAD.RM.IT.DH – Hosting, Systems, and Data Services
  • Subtask RAD.RM.IT.DM – Data Management
• TASK: RAD.RM.MP – Risk MAP Mitigation Action
  • Subtask RAD.RM.MP.OP – Mitigation Planning Operations
• TASK: RAD.RM.CERC – Risk MAP Community Engagement and Risk Communications
  • Subtask RAD.RM.CERC.PT – Partnerships
  • Subtask RAD.RM.CERC.MS – Mission Support
  • Subtask RAD.RM.CERC.PO – Program Outreach
  • Subtask RAD.RM.CERC.RC – Risk Communications
• RAD.RM.CERC.CS – Customer Support
• TASK: RAD.RM.RA – Natural Hazard Risk Assessment Program
  • Subtask RAD.RM.RA.OP – Risk Assessment Ops
• Work Area 5.2: RMD
• (The approximate level of effort estimated for this Task Area is 11% based on total estimated value of the requirement. This estimate is for solicitation purposes only.)
• TASK: RMD Portfolio Management
  • Subtask – Program Support Services
  • Subtask Program Executive Office Services
  • Subtask Program Performance Support
  • Subtask Program Planning and Control
• TASK: RMD.BS – Building Sciences
• TASK: RMD.BS.BCS SME Support for Disaster-Resistant Building Codes and Standards
• TASK: RMD.BS.MAT Provide Engineering Services in Support of Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Function
• TASK: RMD.BS.HAZ Support Hazard-Specific and/or Multi-Hazard Problem-Focused Studies
• TASK: RMD.BS.SME Provide Technical Services & Subject Matter Expertise for Building Science and Building Science Support of FEMA Components
• TASK: RMD.BS.MTG Support the Development, Revision, Delivery, and Technology Transfer of Building Science Curriculum, Workshops and Technical Presentations.
• TASK: RMD.BS.COMM Provide Support for Technical Engagement with Regions via Various Communication Methods
• TASK: RMD.LS – Levee Safety Program (non-Risk MAP)
  • Subtask RMD.LS.LSI – Levee Safety Initiative
  • Subtask RMD.LS.PS – Program Support
• TASK: RMD.DS Dam Safety Operations (non-Risk MAP)
  • Subtask RMD.DS.SME Technical SME Support
  • Subtask RMD.DS.DAT Provide Engineering in Support of Recovery to the FIMA Headquarters NDSP’s Dam Assessment Team (DAT) Function
• TASK: RAD.RM.MP.OP.MA – Mitigation Action
• TASK: Innovation
• TASK: Flood Hazard Mapping Future-state Implementation
• TASK: RAD.RM.TM Contract Transition
  • Subtask Transition-in
  • Subtask Transition Out
• TASK: RMD.DIS Disaster Support
• (The approximate level of effort estimated for this Task Area is 12% based on total estimated value of the requirement. This estimate is for solicitation purposes only.)
• The purpose of this Work Area is to provide technical support related to disaster support activities. Disaster-related tasks vary in need based on the disaster and have short request timeframes.
• In support of the stated objective, the Contractor shall:
  • Rapidly deploy site inspection, damage estimation, recovery advisories, structural performance, building codes, mitigation assessment and prioritization Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to in-place and field deployments.
  • Establish and support field-based assessments, documentation and reporting operations.
  • Rapidly develop, in compliance with Post-Flood Hazard Verification Tools guidance: • Advisory data and mapping that engineer’s quality data that can be leveraged by stakeholders for recovery efforts.
  • Analysis that can be leveraged by stakeholders for recovery and mitigation efforts. Analysis could include but is not limited to: SDE, building code adoption and enforcement, 406 project identification and evaluations, temporary housing placement, and damage assessments.
  • Assess and perform structural damage assessments, MAT studies and post-disaster building science services.
  • Identify, and provide to the designated FEMA program official, near-term and/or long-term mitigation, and reconstruction opportunities, and resulting guidance for repairing damaged infrastructure.
  • Provide SME support related to building science and building code aspects of Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (DRRA), Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA), HMA, Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide, Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), Community Development Block Grant, as well as any developed disaster-specific guidance.
  • Perform field-based mitigation assessment research to evaluate building code performance, as well as performance of previously mitigated and/or retrofitted structures.
  • Prepare fact sheets, advisories and brochures, for both internal and external use, to support preferred approaches for recovery.
  • Rapidly deliver disaster-specific building science and building code training, courses and workshops, for internal and external stakeholders that inform recovery and lead to building back safer and stronger.
  • Perform planning assessment research to evaluation mitigation plans. Travel may be required.
  • Leverage best engineering practices and/or the findings of the Flood Apex Rapid Response Modeling Task Order to produce post-event rapid flood inundation modeling. • This information would be used to assist in response efforts but could be referenced and leveraged during recovery efforts as well. The Flood Apex Rapid Response Task Order aims to create engineering quality data in a “rapid response” timeframe (i.e. 24, 48, 72 hours after an event). The response focused data would not have to adhere to FEMA mapping guides and standards for flood hazard mapping projects.
  • Conduct essential/regulatory functions, authorize, and approve the work.
  • Maintain mapping program contact rosters.
  • Develop and maintain a current disaster continuity plan to support FEMA’s essential functions.
  • Develop and maintain a disaster continuity plan for the Mapping Program in accordance with the Continuity Guidance Circular. For use: https://www.fema.gov/continuity-guidance-circular-cgc o Use the Continuity Assessment Tool (CAT) to evaluate their continuity plan and program.
  • Perform project management activities for the Continuity Program Area for disasters and/or high funding years. Upon request from FEMA, the Contractor shall prepare reports received and completed each month, processing time and earned value metrics, and provide input for other Program reporting.