(Jacob Goodwin) FEMA is contemplating the idea of using “stackable” modular housing to temporarily accommodate residents of New York and New Jersey who survived Hurricane Sandy, but currently have no place to live.
The agency has issued a “sources sought” notice looking for information from potential suppliers of “modular, ‘stackable’ housing unit designs appropriate for local weather, efficient use of limited ground space, and efficient installation (including utilities and stairways),” explains the notice.
The stackable units might be delivered to Brooklyn, and perhaps staged at the Brooklyn docks, said FEMA. The dwellings would sleep two to six adults, be stackable at least three levels high, and be configured without an elevator.
FEMA pointed out in its published notice that it was simply gathering information from suppliers and exploring its options.
The agency is working with state and local officials to identify a variety of possible housing options for affected residents.
In its published notice, FEMA did not specify any quantity of modular units that it was thinking about acquiring, but it said it was considering two different acquisition scenarios. Under one “turnkey” approach, it would hire a vendor to produce, transport, install, maintain and remove the units. In another approach, it would award separate contracts to different vendors who would be responsible for the installation, maintenance and removal of the units.
“FEMA would only purchase units it already knows it has identified as needed,” the agency said, in answer to a prospective vendor’s question. “No units would be purchased for storage.”
In an earlier version of the notice, FEMA referred to “Interim/Permanent Housing,” but in a later version of the same notice, the word “Permanent” was conspicuously eliminated. As FEMA put it: “The occurrence of ‘Permanent’ is deleted.”
Potential suppliers of either the modular units themselves — or the capability to produce such units in the future — are asked to submit their capability statements to FEMA by November 26.