Engineering Design & Construction Supervision Program Monthly Progress Report – October 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 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. The company continues to provide construction supervision for DFS and has completed their construction activities at Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe. At the Caracol EKAM site, DFS has made progress on the shear wall installations, with some remedial welding remaining at the water tower and repairs needed to the ladder safety cage. Once these items are completed, Tetra Tech will provide their substantial completion inspection for the water tower work. DFS has also started work on Phase 3 of the shear wall installations and has completed shear walls at platforms P12, P16, P17, P18, P20, P21, P22, P23, P24, P25, and P26. DFS is working to plaster the shear walls as they complete them and has resolved the majority of issues on the model house roof (P26a). However, they have run out of materials for the roofs, which has impacted their work. DFS has also excavated Channel A, B, D, and the majority of C, with the grouted riprap almost complete in channel A and channel B and about 60% complete in channel D. The program's financial status update indicates that DFS is now 38% complete, having completed 8% of the work this month. At this rate, DFS will not complete on time, and Tetra Tech is engaging in ongoing discussions to increase the work pace to ensure timely completion. The final tasks for CEEPCO at Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe are administrative, including training and negotiating the final payment application with USAID. Tetra Tech has reviewed CEEPCO's final application and forwarded their comments to USAID for review. The program's quality assurance activities include ongoing discussions with DFS to increase the work pace and ensure timely completion. Tetra Tech is also working with USAID to finalize the closeout documentation for CEEPCO's activities at Terrier Rouge and Ouanaminthe. The program's activities planned for the next reporting period include completing the remaining administrative tasks, finalizing the closeout documentation, and ensuring timely completion of the project. The program's deliverables include the completion of the Caracol EKAM New Housing Settlement, the resolution of design and performance deficiencies, and the provision of urgent architecture and engineering (A-E) recommendations and designs and construction supervision. The program's attachments include the monthly progress report, which provides a detailed account of the program's activities and accomplishments during the reporting period.