The Board of Estimate and Contract opened a request for qualifications for a flood-mitigation engineering study covering the South Third and South Columbus Avenue corridor, an area officials referred to as the "Salvation Army corner." The solicitation is funded by a congressional grant secured through U.S. Rep. Bowman and is intended to identify the causes of repeated flooding and recommend repair options before any construction bidding.

Staff reported two submissions for the RFQ; after initial review, materials appeared to include two envelopes from Woodard & Curran and one envelope transcribed as 'Maglanaro Engineers' (name as submitted in the package). City staff said the RFQ will produce an analysis so the city can determine the proper scope of work before soliciting construction bids.

Curtis Woods, City Engineer, said the study timeline depends on the chosen scope but estimated six to nine months for full work, with some administrative steps possibly completed within 30 days. Council members urged a quicker pace to reduce disruption in a frequently flooded corridor.

Next steps: staff will evaluate qualifications, select a firm or firms for the study, and move toward design recommendations that will inform later construction procurement.