Account Overview

Question 1

What document: lays out funding streams and budget requirements, new start process, describes types of studies and defines PED. Defines Phase Status for Investigations Account?

Answer 1

PDG (Program Development Guidance) Investigation Appendix.

Question 2

What document hosts ERDC, IWR manage accounts, J-Sheets (examples: Planning Assistance to States, Flood Plain Management Services etc)

Answer 2

Annual PDG (Program Development Guidence) REMAINING ITEMS APPENDIX.

Question 3

CHECK ANSWER: What are the Primary Business Lines of USACE CW Investigations Account?

Answer 3

1) Floor Risk Management
2) Navigation
3) Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration

Question 4

What 2 phases exist in Investigations?

Answer 4

Study and PED (PreConstruction, Engineering, Design)

Question 5

What starts a STUDY?

Answer 5

Cost Sharing Agreement OR Allocation of Funds

Question 6

What starts a FEASIBILITY STUDY? What ends a FEASIBILITY STUDY?

Answer 6

START: Signing a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA)
ENDS: Chief’s report.

Question 7

What kicks off PED? What concludes PED?

Answer 7

Start: Initial funding
Concludes: Draft Plans and Specifications for 1st Construction Contract.

Question 8

How do non-federal sponsors ask for a study?

Answer 8

Section 7001 WRRDA 2014

Question 9

What are the types of studies? (7)

Answer 9

1) Feasibility (50/50)
2) Watershed (Section 729) (75/25)
3) Comprehensive (Authority Specific)
4) Spin-Off (50/50)
5) CAP Conversion (50/50)
6) Dam Safety Action Classification (100/0)
7) Post-Authorization
a) General Reevaluation (50/50)
b) Limited reevaluation (50/50)
c) Validation (agreement specific)
d) Beach Renourishment Evaluation

Question 10

Who develops Study Cost Estimate?

Answer 10

Entire PDT AFTER execution of FCSA w non-federal sponsor.

Question 11

How often are Milestones updated?

Answer 11

Annually OR at each Major Milestone.

Question 12

What does Section 1001 of WRRDA 2014 do?

Answer 12

Limits (w/o waiver):
1) Federal cost to $3M Federal
2) time to 36 months

Question 13

What does EP 1105-2-61 do?

Answer 13

Provides guidance on processes and expected durations between milestones.

Question 14

What does Section 1002 of WRRDA 2014 do?

Answer 14

Requires Corps to Transmit the schedule to the non-federal sponsor in writing.

Question 15

What happens after the study authorization and appropriations?

Answer 15

1) execute study
2) recommend Plan feasibile from Economic, engineering, environmental viewpoint –OR– recommend termination if no interest.
3) Chief’s Report.
4) (If recommended) - budget for PED, and await Congressional Authorization for Construction.

Question 16

What is CW330 and why is it important?

Answer 16

Milestone to mark PED Phase end - draft Plans & Specs.

Question 17

What dictates format and content of Study and PED J-Sheets?

Answer 17

Annual Programming Development Guidance (PDG) Investigations Appendix.

Question 18

Who is authorized by congress to study Water Resources problems?

Answer 18

Secretary of the Army.

Question 19

Who provides Authority for Corps to implement a Water Resource Plan (Construction Project) and what is required prior? (INVESTIGATIONS ACCOUNT)

Answer 19

Feasibility Study and Chief’s report is required for requesting Authority for a Construction Project.
Congress provides authority - HOUSE WRE (Water Resources Environment)
SENATE T&I (Transportation & Infrastructure)

Question 20

How are SPECIFIC Study Authorities granted?

Answer 20

1) By ACT - most common is WRDA
2) Resolution - used less frequently HOUSE - T&I (Transportation & Infrastructure)
SENATE - EPW (Environment & Public Works)

Question 21

How are GENERAL Study Authorities granted?

Answer 21

1) review previously completed (Section 216 of 1970 Flood Control Act)
2) Continuing Authorities (Fed $ limited) = CAP??
3) Operational (O&M for existing projects)

Question 22

What are requirements to Section 7001 and who can initiate proposal?

Answer 22

Local Entity initiates Proposal.
Requirements:
- related to missions & authorities of Corps
- specific congressional authorization
- not already authorized (somtimes this is done anyway - politics)
- not already included in the report table of previous annual report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development.
- Able to be carried out by Corps.

Question 23

Study Authorization Process (Section 7001)

Answer 23

1) Sponsor draft proposal - submit to HQ
2) District/Division Review proposal - determine if aligned to “core” mission, or if existing Authority to study exists or not.
3) HQ reviews, evaluates, makes final determination
4) Corps produces Main Report and Appendixes to transmit to Congress
5) on Congress’s menu to choose from for WRDA

Question 24

Why would you pursue a Study Resolution? or why not?

Answer 24

why: good for adding authorized purpose to existing authority - adopted by committee (doesn’t have to go through the entire process)
Why not: limited in what they can accomplish.

Question 25

what is the difference between: Study Authority/PED Authority/Project Authority?

Answer 25

Study Authority : ability to study a project
PED Authority: based on feasibility
Project Authority: implement a solution - requires congressional authorization.

Question 26

Who initiates Study Authority?

Answer 26

non-federal sponsor.

Question 27

what is the 3x3x3 rule?

Answer 27

$3M total
3 years
3 levels of Vertical Teams.

Question 28

Who can extend the timeline to the 3x3x3 rule?

Answer 28

Secretary of the Army (ASA CW??) subject to the notification of non-federal sponsor and congress.

Question 28

Who is the DCG-CEO? and what do they impact on INVESTIGATION ACCOUNT?

Answer 28

DCG-CEO: Deputy Commanding General - Civil & Emergency Operations
Provide a waiver for 1.5M<X<3M Federal cost

Question 29

What are Feasibility Products?

Answer 29

• Report (Cost, economics, Real Estate, Engineering),
• PMP,
• PED Estimate,
• Project First Cost Estimate,
• Fully Funded Construction Estimate

Question 30

Who pays for IEPR? What is IEPR?

Answer 30

Federal pays 100% of IEPR.
IEPR = Independent External Peer Review.

Question 31

What is the Cost Share of the PED Phase?
What is the cost share of the study phase?

Answer 31

PED: Shared same as project purpose, varies by project.
STUDY: 50/50

Question 32

WRDA Section 1003 says what? (investigations account)

Answer 32

PED can start once the secretary [ASAS(CW)] reviews the completed [chief’s report] and determines the project is justified. PED begins with the issuance of PED funds.
PED MUST HAVE - new investment decision and issuance of PED funding.

Question 33

PED Phase is given ____ in the amount of $____ for ___ and _____?

Answer 33

PED Phase is given INITIAL ALLOCATION of $100,000 for: Design Agreement and Review Plan.

Question 33

What are the Construction Business Lines? And how many are there?

Answer 33

4: NAV, FLM, AER, HYD
Navigation, Flood Risk Management, Environment (AER), Hydropower.

Question 34

What are the Investigation Business Lines? And how many are there?

Answer 34

3: NAV, FRM, AER
Navigation, Flood Risk Management, Environment (AER)

Question 35

What phase does a Design Agreement occur in? and for what Account?

Answer 35

Design Agreements are signed in PED phase - for the Investigations Account.

Question 36

What Agreement happens in the Construction Phase?

Answer 36

Project Partnership Agreement (PPA)

Question 37

What Authorization does not require a Design Agreement?

Answer 37

CAP - can go from FCSA to PPA.

Question 38

What is important about “useful increment of work” and what does it dictate?

Answer 38

a Budget Package must be for a “Useful Increment of Work”