SUN VALLEY WATERSHED FEASIBILITY STUDY EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW - QUALITY CONTROL PLAN The purpose of the Sun

Valley Watershed Feasibility Study, located in the northeast San Fernando Valley within the City of Los Angeles, is to identify environmental restoration sites within the watershed and determine their feasibility for riparian and wetland habitat The ! ! s"uare mile watershed is heavily urbani#ed 1.0 CONTROL AND REVIEW PROCESSES 1.1 Extern ! Peer Re"#e$ %& De'#(#%n D%')*ent( All $ S Army Corps of %ngineers &Corps' feasibility(level decision documents re"uiring authori#ation by the $ S Congress must consider %)ternal *eer +eview in con,unction with the Corps- e)isting review process in order to comply with the Final .nformation /uality 0ulletin for *eer +eview issued by the 1ffice of 2anagement and 0udget &referred to as the 3120 0ulletin4' %)ternal *eer +eview will be conducted in special cases where the ris5 and magnitude of a proposed pro,ect are such that an e)ternal critical e)amination is warranted The decision to conduct an %)ternal *eer +eview will be a collaborative process involving the 6istrict and 6ivision Corps offices and the appropriate *lanning Center&s' of %)pertise This %)ternal *eer +eview should be conducted by appropriate sub,ect matter e)perts who are e)ternal to the Corps and not integrally involved in the production of the technical product under review 6raft peer review plans are currently being developed, coordinated with the appropriate Corps *lanning Center of %)pertise which may be found at http788www usace army mil8cw8cecw(cp8pc)8plan9c) html, and posted for public comment :uidelines for %)ternal *eer +eview are set forth in the South *acific 6ivision 2emorandum for *eer +eview *rocess of 6ecision 6ocuments &C%S*6(*6(C' , ;< 2ay =>>?@ %ngineering Circular &%C' ;;><(=(!>A7 *eer +eview of 6ecision 6ocuments, B; 2ay =>><@ and the Corps of %ngineers 6irectorate of Civil Wor5s *lanning and *olicy &C%CW(*' 2emorandum for *eer +eview *rocess &B> 2arch =>>?' 1.+ Q) !#t, C%ntr%! n- In-e.en-ent Te'/n#' ! Re"#e$ %& De'#(#%n D%')*ent( All Corps feasibility(level decision documents re"uiring authori#ation by the $ S Congress will be sub,ect to /uality Control /uality Control is accomplished through a /uality Control *lan that incorporates .ndependent Technical +eview &.T+', as set forth in the South *acific 6ivision /uality 2anagement *lan &C%S*6' + ;;;>(;(A, B> 6ecember =>>=, and Appendi) C of C%S*6 + ;;;>(;(A, /uality 2anagement of *lanning *roducts, revised => September =>>! The .T+ shall consist of Single 6iscipline Seamless +eview &*eer +eview' and 2ulti(discipline *roduct +eview See C%S*6 +;;;>(;(;A for a full description of the re"uirements for these reviews

/uality Control ob,ectives include confirming that feasibility phase products and analyses7 2eet customer &Federal and non(Federal sponsor' re"uirements@ Comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and sound technical practices of the disciplines involved@ Are of ade"uate scope and level of detail@ Are consistent, logical, accurate, and comprehensive@ Are based on convincing and consistent assumptions, especially those related to the probable8most li5ely with and without(pro,ect future conditions@ Ade"uately describe the problems and opportunities, planning ob,ectives and constraints, e)isting conditions, future without(pro,ect conditions, and future with(pro,ect conditions to support recommendations@ Tell a coherent planning story@ and Address outstanding action items from milestone conferences, issue resolution conferences, and other reviews

1.2.1 Single Discipline Seamless Review (Peer Review) Single 6iscipline Seamless +eview &*eer +eview' shall be accomplished prior to the release of study sub(products to other members of the *roduct 6elivery Team or their integration into the overall study *roduct 6elivery Team members shall consult with their .ndependent Technical +eview team counterparts at appropriate points throughout the pro,ect delivery effort to discuss ma,or assumptions and functional decisions, analytical approaches, and ma,or calculations to preclude significant comments from occurring during multi(discipline product review The *roduct 6elivery Team members should initiate these counterpart discussions This type of review does not re"uire a formal comment(response(bac5(chec5 process, as is re"uired during the multi(discipline product review Cowever, the conclusions8agreements reached will be documented, with copies retained by each participant and distributed to the leaders of the .ndependent Technical +eview team and the pro,ect delivery team This documentation will become part of the pro,ect technical review file *roducts sub,ect to Seamless +eview include &but are not limited to' the following7 Topographic 2apping *roducts *reliminary 2apping *reliminary 6esigns :eotechnical 0oring Analyses %conomic Analyses Cabitat %valuation *rocedures &C%*' Analysis results %nvironmental Setting +eports Ca#ardous, To)ic and +adiological Waste &CT+W' Assessment Cistoric *roperties Survey +eport

*reliminary Cost %stimates

1.2.2. Multi-discipline product review 2ulti(discipline product review shall be accomplished prior to the mandatory South *acific 6ivision milestone conferences, the Feasibility Scoping 2eeting &FB' and Alternatives +eview Conference &F!'@ $ S Army Corps of %ngineers Cead"uarters &C/' issue resolution conferences, the Alternative Formulation 0riefing &F!A' and the Feasibility +eview Conference &F?'@ any other .ssue +esolution Conferences &.+Cs' held during the feasibility phase@ and release of the draft and final documents These products shall be essentially completed before review is underta5en and the branch and section chiefs shall be responsible for accuracy of the computations through design chec5s, supervisory review and other internal procedures, prior to .ndependent Technical +eview *roducts sub,ect to multi(discipline review include &but are not limited to' the following7 FB 2ilestone 6ocumentation 2ain FB +eport Without *ro,ect Condition Cydrology and Cydraulics +eport Without *ro,ect Condition :eotechnical +eport Without *ro,ect Condition %conomics +eport F! 2ilestone 6ocumentation 2ain F! +eport *reliminary 6raft %nvironmental .mpact Statement8 .mpact +eport &%.S8%.+' *reliminary 6raft %ngineering Appendi) *reliminary 6raft %conomics Appendi) *reliminary 6raft +eal %state *lan

%nvironmental

AF0 &Alternative Formulation 0riefing' 2ilestone 6ocumentation 2ain AF0 +eport *reliminary 6raft %.S8%.+ *reliminary 6raft %ngineering Appendi) *reliminary 6raft %conomics Appendi) *reliminary 6raft +eal %state *lan 6raft Feasibility +eport and %.S8%.+ 6raft Feasibility +eport 6raft %.S8%.+ 6raft %ngineering Appendi) 6raft %conomics Appendi) 6raft +eal %state *lan 6raft 2icro(Computer Aided %stimating System &2CAC%S'

Feasibility +eview Conference &F+C or F?' 2ilestone 6ocumentation +e"uired documentation depends on the policy review comments to be resolved Final Feasibility +eport and %.S8%.+ Final Feasibility +eport Final %.S8%.+ Final %ngineering Appendi) Final %conomics Appendi) Final +eal %state *lan Final 2CAC%S ontract

1.2.3 Products Developed Under

The contractor shall be responsible for "uality control through .T+ for products developed under contract .T+ of consultant deliverables does not need to be performed by the Corps .T+ team %ach contract scope of wor5 shall include specific provisions re"uiring independent review of contractor wor5 products, including submittal of a "uality control plan and full documentation of issue identification and resolution, along with certifications as set forth in Appendi) C of C%S*6 + ;;;>(;(A /uality assurance of the contractor-s "uality control process shall be the responsibility of the .T+ team +.0 DOCU0ENTATION AND CERTIFICATION Conclusions and agreements reached during the .T+ process shall be documented per the re"uirements set forth in C%S*6 + ;;;>(;(A 6ocumentation shall be prepared for all .ndependent Technical +eview efforts &seamless reviews, multi(discipline product reviews, and contractor reviews' The documentation shall become part of the pro,ect technical review file The use of the comment trac5ing system, 6r Chec5s, is mandatory for decision documents re"uiring Congressional authori#ation .T+ documentation for pre(conference materials for the .+Cs &AF0, F+C, etc ' and the draft and final feasibility reports shall be accompanied by a certification indicating that the .T+ process has been completed and that all issues have been resolved 0oth the 6istrict Commander and the Chief of *lanning 0ranch shall sign the certification for the final feasibility report, following the e)ample included in Appendi) . of C%S*6 + ;;;>(;( A The planning function chief shall certify other submittals and the certification may be included within the transmittal letter for the product and review documentation 6ocumentation and certification of legal review will accompany reports submitted to Corps Cead"uarters for policy compliance review All contractor products shall be accompanied by a certification indicating that an .ndependent Technical +eview process has been completed and that all issues have been resolved The certification format shall follow the e)ample included in Appendi) . of C%S*6 + ;;;>(;(A

The Chief of the Cydrology and Cydraulics 0ranch shall certify the without(pro,ect hydrology prior to the FB milestone This certification shall be included in the review documentation The cover memorandum to the 2CAC%S cost estimate that is submitted with a final feasibility report shall include a certification statement by the Chief of %ngineering 0ranch that the estimate has been prepared in accordance with current guidance, that the estimate has undergone an independent technical review and that all issues that may have been identified in the independent technical review have been resolved 1.0 SUN VALLEY WATERSHED FEASIBILITY STUDY PRODUCTS TO UNDER2O ITR All products identified in the detailed scopes of wor5 shall be sub,ect to .T+ 3.0 DEVIATIONS FRO0 THE APPROVED QUALITY 0ANA2E0ENT PLAN .t is not anticipated that any deviations from the approved /2* will occur 4.0 ITR TEA0 ROSTER The .T+ team will be established early in the Feasibility *hase and be led by a 6istrict other than Los Angeles The composition of the .T+ team may include team members from multiple districts &including districts outside the South *acific 6ivision', centers of speciali#ed planning e)pertise, and from other "ualified sources such as non(Federal sponsors and other Federal and State agencies The Vic5sburg 6istrict, as the Dational Center of %)pertise for ecosystem restoration pro,ects, will be engaged in the .T+ process Similarly, the Walla Walla 6istrict, as the proposed Dational Center of %)pertise in cost estimating, will li5ely be engaged in reviewing the cost estimate portion of the products when appropriate The anticipated disciplines to be included on the .T+ team are shown below7 Re!e" nt Ex.er#en'e 7,r( 8 -e('r#.t#%n9

D#('#.!#ne Water +esources *lanning %nvironmental *lanning8Compliance 0iology8%cology Cultural +esources %conomics Cydrology

N *e

Or5 n#6 t#%n

Cydraulic %ngineering :eotechnical8CT+W Civil %ngineering Cost %ngineering :.S :.0 SCHEDULE Seamless +eview shall occur as needed during the Feasibility *hase of the pro,ect .n general, multi(discipline product review shall be initiated at least eleven wee5s prior to a C%S*6 mandatory milestone conference &at least seven wee5s prior to the F! conference' and at least two wee5s prior to the submission of documentation for a C/ issue resolution conference &such documentation is submitted to C/ at least B> days prior to the conference date' For the 6raft and Final Feasibility +eports, .T+ will be initiated at least seven wee5s prior to the mailing date .T+ comments shall be due within two wee5s of initiating the .T+ efforts +esponses to comments shall generally be due within two wee5s of final comment submittal Final bac5 chec5, documentation, and, if applicable, certification of the .T+ shall be due within one wee5 of the resolution of all comments The feasibility milestone schedule is included in the Sun Valley Watershed Feasibility Study *ro,ect 2anagement *lan ;.0 COST ESTI0ATE Costs for conducting .T+ &including the Value %ngineering Study' and %)ternal *eer +eview are included in the detailed scopes of wor5 and in the cost estimate summary table /uality management activities of Section Chiefs are included in the cost estimate for each tas5 /uality management activities of 0ranch and 6ivision Chiefs are included in the Supervision and Administration cost estimate

ATTACH0ENT A SUN VALLEY WATERSHED FEASIBILITY STUDY CO0PLETION OF INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL REVIEW The Los Angeles 6istrict has completed the .nterim Feasibility +eport and the accompanying .ndependent Technical +eview for the Sun Valley Watershed Feasibility Study Dotice is hereby given that an .ndependent Technical +eview has been conducted that is appropriate to the level of ris5 and comple)ity inherent in the pro,ect, as defined in the /uality Control *lan 6uring the .ndependent Technical +eview, compliance with established policy, principles and procedures, utili#ing ,ustified and valid assumptions, was verified This included review of assumptions, methods, procedures and material used in analyses@ evaluation of all the alternatives@ appropriateness of the data level obtained and used@ and the reasonableness of the results, including whether the product meets the customer-s needs consistent with law and e)isting Corps policy The .ndependent +eview Team performed the independent review

Technical +eview Team Leader

6ate

ATTACH0ENT B CERTIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL REVIEW Significant concerns and the e)planation of the resolution are provided in the attached documents As noted in the attached documents, all concerns resulting from independent technical review of the pro,ect have been considered The report and associated documents re"uired by the Dational %nvironmental *olicy Act have been fully reviewed

Chief, *lanning 6ivision

6ate

ATTACH0ENT C 0ODEL DISTRICT CO00ANDER<S QUALITY CONTROL CERTIFICATION &*roducts 6eveloped by .n(Couse Staff' CO0PLETION OF QUALITY CONTROL ACTIVITIES The Los Angeles 6istrict has completed the feasibility study of the Sun Valley Watershed Certification is hereby given that all "uality control activities defined in the /uality Control *lan appropriate to the level of ris5 and comple)ity inherent in the product have been completed 6ocumentation of the "uality control process is enclosed 2ENERAL FINDIN2S Compliance with clearly established policy principles and procedures, utili#ing clearly ,ustified and valid assumptions, has been verified This includes assumptions@ methods, procedures and materials used in analyses@ alternatives evaluated@ the appropriateness of data used and level of data used and level of data obtained@ and the reasonableness of the results, including whether the product meets the customer-s needs consistent with law and e)isting Corps policy The undersigned recommends certification of the "uality control progress for this product

Chief, *lanning 6ivision

6ate

QUALITY CONTROL CERTIFICATION As noted above, all issues and concerns resulting from technical review of the product have been resolved This pro,ect may proceed to the &indicate ne)t phase of product development'

6istrict Commander

6ate

ATTACH0ENT D CERTIFICATION OF LE2AL REVIEW The report for the Sun Valley Watershed Feasibility Study, including all associated documents re"uired by the Dational %nvironmental *olicy Act, has been fully reviewed by the 1ffice of Counsel, Los Angeles 6istrict, and is approved as legally sufficient

99999999999 6istrict Counsel 6ate

QUALITY CONTROL=QUALITY ASSURANCE CERTIFICATION FOR THE SUN VALLEY WATERSHED FEASIBILITY STUDY All re"uired Value %ngineering action has been completed as appropriate for the phase of the pro,ect Approved7 Chief, *lanning 6ivision 6ate7

Approved7999999999999999999 Chief, *ro,ect 2anagement 6ivision 6ate7999999999999999999

Approved7 Chief, %ngineering 6ivision 6ate7

Approved7 Chief, Construction(1perations 6ivision 6ate7

Approved7 Chief, +eal %state 6ivision 6ate7