RFP 3004 - Consultant for Soil Engineering Data Enhancement

The University of Louisville Research Foundation Inc. being the legal entity for the University of Louisville Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development (CHR) is excited to submit a proposal to Louisville Emergency Management Agency/MetroSafe (LEMA) for the “Request for Proposal (RFP) # 3004”. CHR has a strong relationship with LEMA and Kentucky Emergency Management (KyEM) and has a record of performing multiple mitigation activities. Specifically, CHR has been an active member of the Louisville Metro Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan planning group since its inception. CHR has also been involved in several mitigation related projects with LEMA. These projects include the two creations of the Louisville Metro Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Louisville Local Energy Assurance Plan and a current Mitigation Project “Enhanced Government/Public Building Inventories: Improving Risk Assessment for Local Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan” (See Attachment A: Reference Sheet). In order to accomplish the goals set forth for this particular RFP, CHR will subcontract with their partners the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). KGS is recognized as the geologic hazard experts in the state of Kentucky and have worked with Louisville Metro and CHR on identifying improvements toward capturing enhanced Geologic Hazard data. KGS has developed a process through their Mapping Section to support the outputs of this RFP. In order to use both parties expertise CHR will rely on KGS to integrate and analyze the data into the formats needed. KGS will incorporate USDA-NRCS SSURGO soils data, detailed geologic mapping, water well records, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet geotechnical reports, and a landslide inventory to develop a county-wide hazards-focused engineering soils map. All the input data is currently on file at the KGS; which will create a streamlined process for project success. The Kentucky Geological Survey Geologic Mapping Section has a staff of trained professional geologists qualified to support and execute this project as described in the RFP. The final products of this project will be GIS data layers and supporting documentation showing engineering soils across Louisville Metro, with appropriate attribution for hazard analysis and scoping, compatible with use in the Louisville Hazard Mitigation Plan Risk Assessment section and with the FEMA based HAZUS-MH software. Derivative soil layers expected to be delivered include landslide susceptible materials map, earthquake ground motion amplification and liquefaction potential maps, and earthquake-induced landslide susceptibility maps. These layers will be a critical enhancement for the team to take and create a better Risk Assessment for future Hazard Mitigation Plans. CHR will then work with LEMA to add this data to the Louisville Metro Risk Assessment in order to enhance geologic hazards (Earthquake, Landslide and Karst specifically) Hazard Vulnerability Score and Loss Estimations. As mentioned above this data will be created to be compatible with HAZUS which will create better loss estimations and hazard vulnerability scores in the future. In addition to improving the capture of identifying hazard prone areas this data will significantly improve the Louisville Metro Hazard Mitigation Plan’s Mitigation Strategy section. CHR, KGS and LEMA will use the newly developed geologic hazard area data (Risk Assessment Data) to improve the selection of specific hazard Mitigation Action items based on the needs identified through the new data. The enhanced geologic hazard data will be overlaid onto the current Louisville Metro Exposure Score in order to create a new Hazard Vulnerability Score for Earthquake, Landslide and Karst/Sinkhole. These new scores will begin displaying new areas of concern and where potential new Mitigation Actions might be advantageous for Louisville Metro. Once these Mitigation Action items have been identified they will be added to Louisville Metro Hazard Mitigation Plan’s current strategy and monitored on a quarterly basis.