Step 3 of Pre-Analysis Communication: Obtain Concurrence from Regulatory Agency
Once the owner and modeler have agreed upon a scope of work, it is time to involve the regulatory agency or agencies. It is often helpful to hold a meeting with regulators to present portions of the agreed upon Scope of Work such as:
- Purpose of the model
- Justification for model in terms of regulatory agency requirements
- Modeling approach, including software, assumptions, scenarios, validation/calibration plan, etc.
- Regulator's reporting requirements and expectations
- Quality assurance plan
- Anticipated schedule including timelines and desired timeline for regulatory feedback
As a best practice, meeting minutes ought to be recorded during the meeting and distributed to all parties afterward to serve as official record of the meeting. If all parties agree with the model work plan as presented in the initial meeting with the regulator, the official meeting minutes may serve as official record of the modeling work plan. In some cases, the regulator(s) may request a formal modeling work plan submittal. This submittal documents the items mentioned in Step 1 and should be reviewed and agreed upon prior to commencing the modeling effort. For the owner / modeler to be able to comply with the work plan, the regulatory agency must also give concurrence and not later add scope of additional situations. Model work plan development guidance and other related considerations can be found on this page: Developing a Model Work Plan.
Up Next: Step 4 of Pre-Analysis Communication: Proceed with Modeling and Keep Communication Channels Open
Development of this page was sponsored by the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation with funding from the FEMA Assistance to States Grant Program.
Revision ID: 8022
Revision Date: 08/06/2024