FEMA benefit cost analysis for seismic retrofit

Solicitation #CI025-RFQ1. Issued by Department of Construction and Inspections. The City of Seattle is seeking qualifications for FEMA Benefit Cost Analysis for Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Building Seismic Retrofits. Qualifications are due no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, September 26, 2025. All questions are to be submitted through the e-procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, September 19, 2025.

The City of Seattle is seeking qualifications to conduct FEMA Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) for Unreinforced Masonry (URM) building seismic structural retrofits. This work is funded through FY2023 FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Community (BRIC) funds and supports implementation of City of Seattle Resolution 32033 and future mandatory compliance of Seattle Seismic Regulations pursuant to 2021 SEBC 304.5. Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings require structural improvements to reduce their probability of collapse in an earthquake. Seattle recently adopted the Alternate Method for retrofit, a reduced scope of seismic retrofit, informed by California’s Bolts+, that minimizes collapse probability in addition to construction costs. Prior to mandating compliance with the new seismic regulations, development of additional financial resources are needed to reduce the economic burden of retrofits on building owners and tenants. Following the successful URM retrofit model used in Berkeley, California, the consultant will coordinate with SDCI to develop four cost-effective seismic retrofits of prototype, or "pre-qualified" URM buildings in the Chinatown International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods.