Office of Planning, Environment, & Realty (HEP)
Planning • Environment • Real Estate
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Memorandum |
| U.S. Department of Transportation | |
| Federal Highway Administration |
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Subject: |
ACTION: Request for Proposals: Piloting Approaches to Conduct Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Assessments |
Date:
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June 24, 2010 |
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From: |
/S/Original signed by April Marchese Director, Office of Natural Environment /S/Original signed by Butch Wlaschin Director, Office of Asset Management |
Reply to:
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HEPN-1 HIAM-1 |
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To: |
Division Administrators Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers |
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The purpose of this memorandum is to request your assistance in soliciting proposals from the State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to conduct climate change vulnerability and risk assessments of transportation infrastructure. This pilot program is jointly sponsored by the FHWA Office of Environment, Planning and Realty, and the Office of Infrastructure.
In 2009, FHWA initiated a project to create a conceptual model for DOTs and MPOs to use in conducting systems-level vulnerability and risk assessments of infrastructure that will likely be impacted by climate change effects. The conceptual model is appended to this memo. The model is effectively a set of considerations for inventorying and classifying vulnerable assets, and for assessing importance, redundancy and risk. This model is intended to be applied to both existing and planned transportation assets. It is recognized that the model will need to evolve as new science and techniques become available. The pilots are intended to be a first step towards creating a more robust and consistent way of addressing vulnerability and risk to climate change in the decision making of transportation agencies.
The project would fund pilots for DOTs and MPOs to implement the conceptual model. The purpose of the pilots is twofold; 1) to assist State DOTs and MPOs more quickly advance existing adaptation assessment activities and 2) to assist FHWA in "est-driving" the model. Based on the feedback received through the pilots, FHWA will revise and finalize the model for national application.
We would appreciate your assistance in the solicitation process. We are requesting your division staff to contact their respective State DOTs and MPO contacts to encourage submission of proposals. The following process will be followed in the application, review, and award process of the pilot program:
More details and guidelines regarding the solicitation process can be found in the attached document "Solicitation for Adaptation Conceptual Model Pilots.doc." For assistance with the solicitation process, you may contact any of the following FHWA HQ staff:
Faiz Khan, (202) 366-5842 or Faiz.Khan@dot.gov
Mike Culp (202) 366-9229 or Michael.Culp@dot.gov
Robert Kafalenos, (202) 366-2079 or Robert.Kafalenos@dot.gov
We sincerely appreciate whatever assistance you can provide regarding the encouragement of proposals from State DOTs and MPOs for this important initiative.
