Floodplain Standards Update and Watershed Modeling and Mapping

Location:	North Carolina
Posted:	Mar 4, 2026
Due:	Apr 1, 2026
Agency:	State Government of North Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	B - Special Studies and Analyses - Not R&D
Solicitation No:	487-FP260401
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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REQUEST FOR STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

For

Floodplain Standards Update and

Watershed Modeling and Mapping

Fiscal Year 2026

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) Projects

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

March 4, 2026

Submittal Deadline:

April 1, 2026 / 2:00 PM

Submittal Location:

Electronic Only

Mathew.Hornack@mecklenburgcountync.gov

NOTE: UPON REQUEST THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN AN ALTERNATIVE

FORMAT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

I. INTRODUCTION

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) intends to award one or more contracts to

qualified professional engineering firm(s) for floodplain mapping services. The first requested task will

finalize updates to the Mecklenburg County floodplain analysis and mapping standards guidance

document that reflect a two-dimensional (2D) modeling and mapping approach and provide technical

direction for the stakeholder feedback and approval process. Following this update, the first phase of

Countywide remapping will be completed in accordance with the new guidance document. The firm(s)

retained under this Request for Statement of Qualifications will be awarded a contract to support

CMSWS’s goal of maintaining accurate and updated floodplain maps.

CMSWS is nationally recognized for our pro-active floodplain management strategies and the use of

current state-of-the-art floodplain mapping technologies. Through cooperation with government

agencies and private firms, CMSWS utilizes new and existing technologies to support our flood mitigation

efforts and more accurately model our watersheds. As a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP), CMSWS

assumes primary ownership and responsibility of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and Flood Insurance

Rate Maps (FIRMs) for the entire County. These responsibilities also include administering floodplain

ordinances for the City of Charlotte, Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill,

Pineville, and the unincorporated areas of Mecklenburg County; acquiring and processing new, detailed,

accurate elevation data; conducting flood hazard analyses; and producing updated regulatory and non-

regulatory flood map products.

II. BACKGROUND & PURPOSE

In 1997, CMSWS began countywide flood hazard data and floodplain mapping studies which became

effective on February 4, 2004. These maps were repaneled by the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping

Program (a.k.a. NCFMP or the State) in 2009 and became effective on March 2, 2009. The 2004 FIRMs

and FIS provided state-of-the-art technical and mapping information in Mecklenburg County at the time

of issuance.

In 2007, CMSWS began the map maintenance process of reviewing and remapping the floodplains

throughout the County. The goal of this process is to ensure that our flood maps are reviewed

periodically and updated appropriately. In pursuit of this objective, CMSWS developed the Mecklenburg

County, North Carolina Floodplain Analysis and Mapping Standards Guidance Document to ensure

consistency among mapping consultants when creating FIRMs and supporting technical data.

In 2023, CMSWS initiated a pilot study to examine 2D Hydrologic and Hydraulic (H&H) methods for

analyzing regulatory flood maps. As part of this project, draft 2D standards were developed to reflect

the pilot study approach. To support the move to 2D modeling and facilitate changes in the mapping and

regulatory products, this project will require a review and update to Mecklenburg County’s existing

guidance document prior to initiation of floodplain analysis. The resulting document shall be the primary

technical guidance document to be used for floodplain mapping efforts associated with this and future

projects. It is imperative that the standards presented in this document are consistent with guidance

specified in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk

Analysis and Mapping Activities (G&S).

Previously, CMSWS has used a watershed-based approach to remapping which divided the county into

three sections – southeastern corner, western corridor, and the northeastern corner. This division of the

county watersheds is shown in Figure 1 and will be used for the planned countywide remapping using

2D H&H methods.

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The purpose for this Request for Statement

of Qualifications is to solicit responses from

professional engineering firms interested in

finalizing Mecklenburg County’s Floodplain

Analysis and Mapping Standards Guidance

document (to reflect 2D methods) and

performing the professional services

required for Phase 1 floodplain mapping.

The Phase 1 mapping area lies in the

southeastern corner of Mecklenburg

County and generally consists of 76 current

FIRM panels covering approximately 153

regulated stream miles. Approximately 38

of those miles were modeled as part of the

2D pilot study that covered the Little Sugar

Creek and Briar Creek basins. These pilot

watersheds will need to be made compliant

with adopted 2D standards, and additional

Phase 1 watersheds will be included based

on available budgets and watershed

prioritization. Selected firm(s) will perform

floodplain mapping Quality Assurance and

Quality Control (QA/QC) professional

services.

The selected firm(s) shall perform under

Figure 1: Floodplain Remapping Phases

the direction of CMSWS and may be

required to coordinate with FEMA and

FEMA’s contractors, the State and the

State’s contractors, along with other Federal, State, and local agencies. To ensure the quality of the

project, the models, reports, map revisions, or other flood hazard mapping information developed by

the selected firm may be independently reviewed for accuracy and integrity by staff and/or separate

QA/QC consultants as determined by CMSWS.

This project is expected to involve the use of FEMA’s Mapping Information Platform (MIP) by CMSWS,

and/or CMSWS’s mapping consultant for uploading all completed activities/deliverables. Changes to this

schedule shall be made through coordination between the responsible Mapping Partners and FEMA in

a timely manner. FEMA will provide download/upload capability for data submittals through the MIP.

Assistance with the MIP may be requested at FEMA-RiskMAP-IT@fema.dhs.gov.

Frequent coordination with the CMSWS, as well as on-site visits at the prime firm’s office is essential to

this project. The prime firm must also be able to respond on short notice to requests to attend meetings,

provide data and other technical materials, and answer questions regarding project status.

III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The selected firm(s) will receive a draft copy of the Mecklenburg County Floodplain Analysis and Mapping

Standards Guidance document for review of 2D modeling and mapping methods. The firm(s) will support

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stakeholder group meetings intended to guide and direct the process of finalizing and updating the

modeling and mapping standards. These meetings will be managed and led through the County with

selected firm(s) providing technical guidance and direction. One key element of the update to the

modeling and mapping standards will be defining the process required to manage map revisions in a way

that maintains seamless floodplain boundaries and up-to-date modeling files. Once CMSWS and the

selected firm(s) have finalized the modeling and mapping standards, the selected firm(s) will lead the

community adoption efforts through stakeholder meetings and public comments and responses.

CMSWS expects the selected firm(s) to develop regulatory and non-regulatory flood hazard data and

flood maps for the streams within the Phase 1 watersheds shown in Figure 1. CMSWS reserves the right

to retain a qualified firm for QA/QC of project deliverables in lieu of a separate solicitation for the same

qualifications. The watersheds which may be completed as part of this Phase 1 study include Briar Creek,

Little Sugar Creek, Caldwell Creek, Crooked Creek, Reedy Creek, McKee Creek, Back Creek, Goose Creek,

Clear Creek, Clems Branch, McMullen Creek, Six Mile Creek, Four Mile Creek, and McAlpine Creek along

with any contributing flooding sources contained within these watersheds.

CMSWS will provide processed lidar data (2025) capable of generating the topographic information

necessary to create the updated flood hazard maps. Additionally, CMSWS will provide local land use data

needed to develop the existing and future conditions land use for H&H modeling. The selected

consultant shall be responsible for creating and labeling flood hazard maps and associated FIRMs,

models, GIS shapefiles, FIS reports, SFHA Change Map and related digital information. The selected

consultant should be familiar with existing methods as well as methods developed during prior

floodplain mapping of the County’s watersheds.

It is anticipated CMSWS will fund (through this contract) all work associated with the Hydraulics,

Hydrology, and digital floodplain data associated database, while the State will incorporate the data into

a larger Yadkin and Catawba Basin digital remapping and post-preliminary processing. The specifics of

this arrangement should be finalized prior to the contracting of the Phase 1 floodplain mapping.

The floodplain mapping in Phase 1 will be required to follow CMSWS, NCFMP, and FEMA protocols. The

mapping consultant will be required to produce 10 sq-ft depth grid raster products for eight profiles (50-

, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent annual chance events as well as the 1-percent annual chance future

conditions event). The 2D depth grids must reflect backwater at confluences and should reflect flooding

produced by the main stem, i.e. depth grids should not reflect local pluvial flooding into the floodplain.

Raster products will be delivered per basin and as a single “stitched” together coverage for the entire

Phase 1 area. The floodplain polygons for each of the eight profiles must be corrected to ensure accuracy

and must match the depth grids delivered.

The consultant is expected to provide internal QA/QC review as part of their work prior to any

deliverables. Third party (external) QA/QC will likely be done on the following deliverables:

• Terrain/Base Data

• Land Use Datasets

• Hydrology

• Hydraulics

• Final regulatory & non-regulatory products (polygons, FIRM database, etc.)

CMSWS expects the selected consultant(s) to complete draft data within 12 months of guidance

document approval. Draft data will consist of digital floodplain polygons for all eight profiles. The draft

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data will also include Risk MAP “changes since last map” products for the 1-percent annual chance and

1-percent annual chance future conditions profiles. These products will also be required to match the

backwater-corrected floodplain polygons and will be required to be delivered for each model extent and

as a single “stitched” together polygon covering the entire Phase 1 area.

Upon delivery of the Draft data, CMSWS will hold meetings and gather public comments. Within 6

months of the delivery of the Draft data, the consultant(s) will complete Preliminary Data and deliver it

to CMSWS and the State. The State is expected to conduct the Post Preliminary processing for this

project. It is anticipated the final deliverable and action under CMSWS’s contract will be the delivery of

a populated database to the State.

Consultants that cannot deliver high quality products within the allotted schedule shown herein should

not submit a Statement of Qualifications.

IV. PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES

CMSWS desires to contract with a North Carolina licensed professional engineering firm that can

demonstrate extensive experience and expertise in developing community guidance documents and 2D

floodplain modeling and mapping procedures. The selected consultant(s) will be expected to consistently

deliver high quality work within schedule and budget. A critical goal of this project is identifying a

practical and efficient method for managing the Letter of Map Change (LOMC) process with 2D

watershed models.

The selected consultant(s) shall work closely with CMSWS, FEMA, the State, other City and County

departments, and other appropriate parties throughout this contract.

At a minimum, the selected consultant(s) should be thoroughly familiar with the following documents:

1. City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Town Floodplain Ordinances;

2. Mecklenburg County Floodplain Analysis and Mapping Standards Guidance document;

3. FEMA Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping Activities available via

https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/guidance-reports/guidelines-standards;

4. Chapter 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 59-77, which defines the NFIP and its

mapping rules and regulations.

All project deliverables shall be in accordance with Mecklenburg County Floodplain Analysis and

Mapping Standards Guidance document and FEMA’s G&S. Project deliverables to be submitted outside

of the MIP shall be provided in several formats to include but not limited to:

• Digital Documents (Word, Excel, Access, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS etc.)

• Internet-ready Documents (GIF, JPG, and PDF etc.)

• GIS-ready data (ESRI format)

• All formats necessary to be consistent with FEMA digital mapping standards.

V. SCOPE OF SERVICES

At a minimum this contract will involve the following tasks:

• Supporting stakeholder group meetings and presentations with advisory committees.

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Solicitation Number:	487-FP260401
Project Title:	Floodplain Standards Update and Watershed Modeling and Mapping
Description:	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) intends to award one or more contracts to qualified professional engineering firm(s) for floodplain mapping services. The first requested task will finalize updates to the Mecklenburg County floodplain analysis and mapping standards guidance document that reflect a two-dimensional (2D) modeling and mapping approach and provide technical direction for the stakeholder feedback and approval process. Following this update, the first phase of Countywide remapping will be completed in accordance with the new guidance document.
Opening Date:	4/1/2026 2:00 PM
Posted Date:	3/5/2026
Status:	Open
Department:	COUNTY OF MECKLENBURG


Solicitation Number * 487-FP260401	Department COUNTY OF MECKLENBURG	Status Reason Open
Opening Date 2026-04-01T14:00:00.0000000	Posted Date * 2026-03-04T20:19:33.0000000Z	Primary Commodity Code Design Services
Mandatory Conference/Site Visit — —	Special Instructions —	Solicitation Type * Select RFP IFB RFI
Owner Brian Sikes
Description Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) intends to award one or more contracts to qualified professional engineering firm(s) for floodplain mapping services. The first requested task will finalize updates to the Mecklenburg County floodplain analysis and mapping standards guidance document that reflect a two-dimensional (2D) modeling and mapping approach and provide technical direction for the stakeholder feedback and approval process. Following this update, the first phase of Countywide remapping will be completed in accordance with the new guidance document.