Engineering Design & Construction Supervision Program Monthly Progress Report – March 2016

The program was established in response to deficiencies in the housing and civil construction of the EKAM settlement, which was built between October 2011 and October 2013. The Caracol EKAM New Housing Settlement was constructed to provide housing for households impacted by the 2010 earthquake and other critical groups in the Northern Corridor. However, an independent assessment in March 2014 revealed design and performance deficiencies, including leaking roofs, missing or sub-specification roof fasteners, sub-specification foundations, and substandard concrete reinforcement in wall construction. Tetra Tech was contracted in October 2014 to provide independent Architectural and Engineering (A-E) and construction management services to inspect the EKAM site, provide A-E recommendations, manage and supervise remedial works, and provide support to USAID for contractual adjustments. During the reporting period, Tetra Tech continued to provide construction supervision for both DFS and CEEPCO, with DFS substantially completing their current work at Terrier Rouge and CEEPCO finishing up their work on the water towers at Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe. At Caracol EKAM, DFS has some remedial welding remaining at the water tower and needs to repair the ladder safety cage. Tetra Tech has worked with DFS to resolve their confusion on how to install the reinforcing for shear wall condition #3 and has approved all shear wall conditions. Tetra Tech and their in-country consultants have continued inspecting the houses to stay ahead of DFS's need for those inspections. DFS is progressing with their work on the model houses and has started installation of the shear wall foundations at the student housing area. Tetra Tech has provided USAID a capacity analysis for the culvert at route 6, which is off-site but appears to be contributing to the flooding at Caracol. Tetra Tech has also been moving forward with testing at the proposed leach field area to determine if a leach field is a viable alternative to a sand mound system. Four percolation tests were performed at varying depths, with promising results at 18 feet, leading to the decision to drill test wells to determine if the site is suitable for a leach field system. In Terrier Rouge, Tetra Tech continued monitoring of CEEPCO's progress on site, with leach field repairs complete and the water tank installed. CEEPCO is finalizing the repairs to the water tank, and DFS has some final "punch list" work to complete. Tetra Tech submitted a 35% design for improvements to the existing sanitary and storm water system and provided quantity take-offs for Terrier Rouge. In Ouanaminthe, CEEPCO finished installing the water tank and is still working on the water tower repairs. USAID is going to descope DFS's construction work at Ouanaminthe, and Tetra Tech will only be monitoring the work being performed by CEEPCO at this site. The estimated cost through March 31, 2016, is shown in the table below, and a burn-down chart is provided as Attachment 1.