I am working as cost engineer and something came to my table that really seems more a joke than a serious work. I received a man-hour estimate for a scope of work for producing a FEMA type flood map for 640 acres, the global stability analysis for 2.5 miles of levee, dam breach analysis, levee overtopping and many other assumptions showing about $64K.
I developed an estimate for $421K. Other has estimate that the study will be between $300 and $500K. Is anyone out there that can pitch a bull-pack number in term of cost and duration?

Where is the study located? This has an impact on cost. I really think there is more to this than you are asking. The 640 acres is 1 sq mi and is often the FEMA minimum limit for floodplain mapping. FEMA floodplain mapping is often estimated in stream miles beginning at the 1 sq mi drainage area. Just from reading you basic question, I would think that an estimate closer to $64K may not be out of the ball park. I would think $500k would be out there, if I'm understanding your question correctly.

Robert Billings
www.newrivereng.com

the dam break study alone could be $50k
depending on the need for geotech investigation, the levee stability analysis could be $25k - $50k or a lot more
add another $50k - $100k for FEMA floodplain delineation
I'm thinking you need to define the scope and schedule a bit better on this one

Why is the study area so small - are you in a city?

Thank you for your inputs.
The study will be conducted by a US firm in a city in Mexico right in the US border where, to begining with, no topographical data in electronic format exist. I got from another source that just the geo study for 2 miles of levee is about 100K which match the estimation using USACE criteria, sampling every 1000FT top and bottom of levee.

Believe or not, I have same questions yuo are have due to the SOW that is open for a consultant to came with anything they want.
At least, I am sure that I am not wrong thinking that the SOW as writen, is a recipe for a trouble.
thank you all