Monthly Progress Report – February 2015: Engineering Design & Construction Supervision Program

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 deficiencies in the EKAM settlement were identified in an Independent Assessment conducted in March 2014, which revealed design and performance deficiencies, including leaking roofs, missing or sub-specification roof fasteners, sub-specification foundations, substandard concrete reinforcement in wall construction, extensive material substitutions, poor quality doors and windows, minor cracking in walls, drainage issues, exposed water pipes, poorly designed and installed water tanks, improperly installed and substandard sewer pipes, and non-functioning solar security lights. 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 submitted an updated Emergency Repairs Package with refined architectural drawings and an updated cost estimate on February 6, 2015. During the reporting period, Tetra Tech met with USAID on February 11, 2015, to discuss the future direction of project activities. USAID instructed Tetra Tech to focus on the preparation of two distinct bid packages (EKAM Settlement Upgrades – Housing and EKAM Settlement Upgrades – Civil). Based on this direction, Tetra Tech continued to add design details to the bid packages and advanced work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates. The bid packages include several items, including the installation of a new water distribution system, a spare submersible for the groundwater well, a chemical metering system to automatically chlorinate the water supply, improvements to the community water tank, and structural improvements to the water tower. Additionally, the packages include the reconstruction of several existing drainage swales, replacement of three undersized culverts, and the installation of a new drainage canal. Tetra Tech also continued to advance work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates for the remedial works. The company will evaluate subcontracting scenarios to develop earthquake-resistant structure ideas for the EKAM site. The USAID Engineering Design and Construction Supervision Program aims to provide urgent architecture and engineering recommendations and designs and construction supervision for the Caracol EKAM New Housing Settlement in the Northern Corridor. The program's progress is being monitored and reported on a monthly basis. The next reporting period will focus on the preparation of the bid packages and the advancement of work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates. The program's deliverables include the preparation of the bid packages, the advancement of work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates, and the evaluation of subcontracting scenarios to develop earthquake-resistant structure ideas for the EKAM site. The program's financial status update indicates that the work is progressing as planned, and the company is on track to meet the project's objectives. The program's issues requiring the attention of USAID include the need to focus on the preparation of the bid packages and the advancement of work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates. The program's activities planned for the next reporting period include the preparation of the bid packages, the advancement of work on schedules and refined designs and cost estimates, and the evaluation of subcontracting scenarios to develop earthquake-resistant structure ideas for the EKAM site.