Primary Department: County Engineer
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, ENV-SP, County Engineer
Managing Department: County Engineer
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, ENV-SP, County Engineer
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Final Investment Memo
Project Name: Outfall Repair and Replacement Program
Project ID (if applicable): CE_OUTFALLS
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Incremental Authorization Requested: $11,100,000
Total Estimated Project Cost: $55,500,000 (FY 2027-31)
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Outfall Repair and Replacement Program project for a total authorization of $11,100,000 for FY 2027.
end
Project Description:
Outfalls are drainage infrastructure that connects Right of Ways and County facilities to detention ponds, bayous, lakes, and channels. Approximately 4,000 of these outfalls exceed their 25-year estimated design life, and many have experienced damage or failure during previous major storm events. Most of them are also undersized for current rain events, further contributing to the flooding of roadways and homes.
The Outfall Repair and Replacement Program provides for immediate emergency enhancements and brings failing/dilapidated infrastructure to the desired capacity when possible. The Program has been in operation since 2019 and has provided expedited enhancements and upgrades for over 250 projects throughout Harris County. The program was previously funded through county mobility and engineering discretionary funds. It is recommended that the program continue being funded by CIP with the increasing emergency and failing infrastructure needs.
To date, the Outfall Repair and Replacement program has the fastest turnaround times in relation to infrastructure enhancements within Harris County. Upon request of the Precinct, the site is determined to either be an ‘emergency’ due to life, health, and safety risks or a ‘standard.’
In the case of an emergency repair, OCE staff work with consultants, contractors, and Precinct staff to isolate the damaged site, reroute traffic, and begin immediate temporary remedies. Temporary remedies are usually completed within a few days, returning traffic to safe operation, and the permanent enhancements that follow are completed within three weeks.
A standard process is assessed, designed, and permitted if necessary, and the construction is completed within approximately 1 month, barring any material lead times.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Project Scope Breakdown |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
Construction Costs (80 standard repair projects at ~$126K per project) |
$10,080,000 |
FY2027 |
|
Two PCNs for project manager/professional engineers (PM/PEs) |
356,500 |
FY2027 |
|
FY 2027 Authorization |
10,436,500 |
FY2027 |
|
Contingency |
$663,500 |
|
|
FY 2027 Incremental Authorization |
$11,100,000 |
- |
OMB will transfer $350,000 in Certificates of Obligation, Series 2024 budget to the Harris County Engineering Department for this project and will return to Commissioners Court with subsequent transfers, following standard budget transfer procedure.
Justification & Alternatives:
The program is scoped to maintain the level of responsiveness and service that the residents of Harris County and Precinct staff are accustomed to while increasing resources to meet the needs of the growing infrastructure failures. The program will also assess higher risk areas with aging or flooded infrastructure and homes; then recommend enhancements for review and potential action within the program.
The success of the Program can be measured through the following performance metrics:
- Construction of approximately 80 projects per year (20 in each Precinct) or equivalent level of effort and cost as approved by the Precinct (e.g., a major emergency repair may take funding priority over multiple standard repairs).
- Mitigation and reduction of flooding within the repaired areas during future events.
- Assess, map, and investigate the outfall locations based on current available data, starting with highest risk areas first.
There is no other alternative in place with equivalent scope, delivery, or level of service.
Projects will have to go through a much lengthier resource allocation, consultant negotiation/ procurement, scoping, design, and construction contractor procurement processes prior to starting work.
It may be possible to replicate some of the emergency repair portions of the program with the disaster recovery contracts once they become available later this summer; however, the identification and assessment of existing higher risk infrastructure would be lost or must be included in another program.
Also, the pricing will be significantly higher due to the nature of disaster recovery contracts, and staff involved in the program would no longer be dedicated and efficiencies/expertise lost therein.
The alternative to hiring full time staff would be to use staff augmentation. This has proven to be 2.5-3 times the cost of hiring staff directly, and often the consultant PMs rotate out within their parent organization or are unable to fully dedicate time to the program.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
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Fund Code |
Description |
Estimated Cost |
Funding Method (Existing or Future Budget Request Required) |
Estimated Date of Needs |
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$- |
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- |
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$- |
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- |
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Total |
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$- |
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- |
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: H: Improve the condition and resilience of County transportation, flood control, and other infrastructure.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): H2: Evaluate the feasibility and potential impacts of substantial, large-scale flood mitigation measures to provide equitable and transformational regional benefits.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Previous Court Action:
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
01/08/2019 |
8 |
Professional On-Call Engineering Services and related services as may be needed in connection with various projects in Harris County - Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. ($150,000). |
|
06/04/2019 |
Purchasing-10g |
Award to Environmental Allies, Inc for Emergency Repairs to Outfalls at Various Locations Throughout Harris County-UPIN 19035MF19V01 (Job No. 19/0115). |
|
01/07/2020 |
27 |
Amendment No. 1: Professional On-Call Engineering Services as may be needed in connection with the various Projects in Harris County, Countywide ($150,000 increase, $300,000 Total). |
|
06/29/2021 |
P1019 |
Recommendation that the County Judge execute an addendum with Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc., in the amount of $75,000. To increase the limit of appropriation available in order that the County Engineer may authorize the Engineer to perform further Professional On-Call Engineering and related Services, as may be needed in connection with various projects, Countywide. |
|
11/09/2021 |
27 |
Request for approval to execute an amendment to an agreement with Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. in the amount of $100,000 for On-Call Professional Engineering Services in connection with various projects, Countywide. |
|
4/27/2021 |
204 |
Request for approval of a renewal option with Environmental Allies for emergency repairs to outfalls at various locations for the Office of the County Engineer for the period of June 4, 2021-June 3, 2022, at a cost of $2,000,000. |
|
6/29/2021 |
89 |
Recommendation for approval of change in contract with Environmental Allies, Inc. On-Call Outfall Repair and Replacement Program, Phase 2, an addition of $310,152.36, Job No. 19/0115. |
|
7/19/2022 |
230 |
Request for approval of an award based on best proposals to D & W Contractors, Inc. and Environmental Allies, Inc. for the budgeted amount of $5,000,000 based on estimated quantities and fixed unit pricing for replacement and repairs to outfalls and related items at various locations. |
|
08/02/2022 |
68 |
Request for approval to execute an amendment with Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. in the amount of $100,000 for Professional On-Call Engineering and related services as may be needed in connection with various projects. |
|
9/13/2022 |
141 |
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Outfall Repair and Replacement (continuous) program for an initial FY 2023 authorization of $8,250,000. |
|
09/19/2023 |
92 |
Request for approval of a final investment memo for the Outfall Repair and Replacement program (continuous) for an additional incremental authorization of $6,663,000 for a total FY24 authorization of $8,250,000.00. |
|
04/23/2024 |
41 |
Request for approval of commercial paper funding for the Office of the County Engineer for the Outfall Repair and Replacement project in the amount of $2,385,000 for a total CP funding of $7,635,000. |
|
10/29/2024 |
141 |
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Outfall Repair and Replacement program (continuous) for an incremental authorization of $9,030,000 for a total FY2025 authorization of $9,530,000 and approval of two new positions (PCNs) to support this project on an ongoing basis. |
|
6/26/2025 |
182 |
Request for approval of a renewal option with D&W Contractors, Inc., and Environmental Allies Road & Bridge, Inc. dba Environmental Allies, Inc. for replacement and repairs to outfalls and related items at various locations for the Office of the County Engineer for the period of August 1, 2025 - July 31, 2026 at a cost of $6,600,000. |
|
12/11/2025 |
68 |
Request for approval to execute an agreement with Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 for Professional Engineering Services as may be needed for various county wide projects and programs, UPIN 26035MF3Z301, Countywide, MWBE Contracted Goal: 19.52%. |
|
05/28/2026 |
19 |
Request for approval of an amendment to an agreement with Cobb, Fendley & Associates, Inc. in the amount of $1,000,000 for Professional Engineering Services as may be needed for various county wide projects and programs, UPIN 26035MF3Z301, Countywide, MWBE Contracted Goal: 19.52%. |
Address:
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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|
Certificate of Obligation |
$356,500 |
$4,643,500 |
$5,000,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$356,500 |
$4,643,500 |
$5,000,000 |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$356,500 |
$4,643,500 |
$5,000,000 |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 9/17/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 10/1/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, First Assistant County Attorney-Legal Operations, 7/22/2025
Department Approval by: Erwin Burden, PE, CFM, Chief of Engineering and Architectural Services, Office of the County Engineer
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 9/2/2026
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: N/A
Project PeopleSoft ID: N/A
CP Series Description: N/A
OMB Financial Management contact: N/A