• Consulting and Engineering Firm ›
• About ›
• Our Projects ›
• FEMA Grant Program Integrity Monitoring ...

Hurricane Sandy caused flooding for many wastewater treatment plants in the New Jersey area in 2012. The New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT) selected Tetra Tech to provide program management, construction monitoring, technical and engineering oversight, and integrity monitoring services for multiple projects to help bring flooded plants back online. The work included reviewing designs and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Project Worksheets to help classify construction items that would be funded through NJEIT under various funding sources—FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund and grant funds, State Revolving Fund (SRF), and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

Tetra Tech assisted NJEIT with processing and reviewing projects, establishing the list of permits required for each construction project, and verifying that the permits were procured prior to breaking ground. We ensured compliance with regulations, FEMA’s guidance documents, building codes, and the Stafford Act regulations, which helped ensure only eligible projects proceeded to funding by NJEIT.

Tetra Tech performed program and construction management services for multiple wastewater treatment plant utilities, supporting five local authorities: South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority, Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority, Kearny Municipal Utilities Authority, Middlesex County Utilities Authority, and Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. Our team verified design, construction, and contract documents to ensure that State of New Jersey contracting requirements were met. We also reviewed change orders to ensure that they met state contracting requirements and FEMA’s cost allocation requirements.

Tetra Tech performed Request For Reimbursement and construction pay application reviews and assisted NJEIT with the disbursement of funds. We also established costs pre-determined to be eligible for FEMA funding and ensured that FEMA-disbursed funds were used for items listed in the FEMA Project Worksheets. Tetra Tech also established and divided contracts and construction packages in accordance with funding sources, such as restoration and rebuilding, mitigation, upgrades, and SRF. The team prevented, detected, and remediated waste, fraud, and abuse so that only eligible projects proceed to construction and eligible costs were paid.

Tetra Tech coordinated the design and construction of various wastewater treatment plant repairs and upgrades. Tetra Tech assisted the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and NJEIT with project reviews that included reviewing designs (drawings and specifications), contract documents, contractor procurement methodologies, contractor pay applications, and engineering invoices. Tetra Tech also audited construction sites to assess construction activities. We worked with multiple parties including FEMA, New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, NJEIT, NJDEP, utilities, and construction contractors to ensure the projects proceeded smoothly, construction was performed per agreed upon terms and conditions, and utilities and contractors were paid in a timely manner.

Tetra Tech also coordinated with the engineers and construction contractors to ensure specific federal requirements such as American Iron and Steel provisions and specific Buy American provisions were met during procurement of materials and appurtenances.

Our team developed detailed contract- and project-specific checklists that were used to rapidly check contracting requirements and designs, establish list of permits, verify construction progress, and check schedule of values. Our team has been able to rapidly verify documents, check contractor pay applications, and establish funding categories for all of the facilities included in this project.