Engineering Design & Construction Supervision Program Monthly Progress Report – November 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 EKAM 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 revealed design and performance deficiencies, including leaking roofs, missing or sub-specification roof fasteners, sub-specification foundations, and substandard concrete reinforcement in wall construction. In October 2014, USAID contracted Tetra Tech 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 monitoring of DFS's activities. A review of Non Conformance Reports issued and outstanding was undertaken, with a significant number of these being closed as the defects had been corrected. New inspection and reporting processes were implemented to streamline and better control the quality monitoring and reporting processes. At the Caracol EKAM site, a total of 11 workdays were lost due to various reasons, including Haitian holidays, a violent incident within the DFS workforce, and significant rainfall. On-site activities were limited due to the lost time, with DFS performing site cleanup prior to proceeding with productive works. Replacement of a grouted rip rap wall in Channel A, which collapsed during the rainfall event, will be completed in early December. DFS has essentially completed Channels A, B, and D, with only some replacement works on the collapsed portion of Channel A and the Banana Plantation pipe inlet of Channel D remaining. Culvert 4 is essentially completed. Shear wall installation, connection of houses to septic tanks, painting, and roof repairs were ongoing when weather and other lost time causes permitted. In Terrier Rouge, there was no activity on the CEEPCO finalizing their project closeout documentation, which includes as-built drawings, O&M manuals, training, and negotiating credits and debits with USAID. In Ouanaminthe, there was also no activity on the CEEPCO finalizing their project closeout documentation. The program's financial status update indicates that DFS is now 42% complete, having completed 4% this month. At this rate, DFS will not complete on time. The program's quality assurance activities include the implementation of new inspection and reporting processes to streamline and better control the quality monitoring and reporting processes. Activities planned for the next reporting period include the completion of replacement works on the collapsed portion of Channel A and the Banana Plantation pipe inlet of Channel D, as well as the ongoing shear wall installation, connection of houses to septic tanks, painting, and roof repairs. Deliverables for the next reporting period include the completion of the project closeout documentation for the CEEPCO in Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe.