CMA, Estudios Técnicos partner to help Puerto Rico towns prepare recovery plans
Professional consulting firms CMA Architects & Engineers LLC (CMA) and Estudios Técnicos Inc. (ETI) will collaborate with Puerto Rico municipal governments in the development of their recovery plans as part of the efforts of the Municipal Recovery Planning Program, they announced.
The municipal recovery program subsidized with CDBG-DR funds, will not only provide the municipalities and their communities with the tools to overcome the impact of Hurricanes Irma and María, but will also provide them with a development plan that incorporates the mitigation of risks in future disasters.
These plans will prioritize the initiatives that today have funds available under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and CDBG-DR programs and other sources that may be identified during the planning process.
“CMA and ETI were selected to assist and provide support to municipalities in planning viable and executable projects in all areas of infrastructure, economic and social development projects, rehabilitation of public properties, housing, and mitigation of damage from hurricanes, among other activities,” said ETI CEO Graham Castillo.
“CMA, a company with extensive experience in architecture, engineering, and project management, will contribute its experience with the project’s management, as well as in the technical evaluation of infrastructure projects,” he said.
The program calls for developing the plans with the municipalities, which are executable, feasible, and can be carried out with the funds available from FEMA and CDBG-DR, as well as other funds identified during the planning process. These projects must also provide a benefit to the municipality and the community where they will be.
“Typically, this type of effort is led by foreign companies, which then seek local support to assist in the technical part and contribute local knowledge to federally funded projects,” said architect and engineer Yma Doitteau, member of CMA.
“We’re planting a flag with this union, demonstrating the quality of excellence of our local professional talent to improve our island,” Doitteau said.
At present, most of the municipalities are in a pre-qualification stage before starting to work with ETI and CMA. However, more than a dozen municipalities have already started developing their plans with the consulting firms.
To develop the municipal recovery plans, ETI and CMA are recruiting professionals including licensed and unlicensed planners, engineers, architects, economists, data analysts, data collectors, and GIS analysts. Professionals interested in working on these planning projects may apply by e-mailing their resumes.
