Flood Restoration & DRFA Program Management

Project Overview

Location: Southern NSW (Edward River & Berrigan Shire Councils)  |  Program: Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) – AGRN 1034 & AGRN 1086  |  Role: Program governance, damage assessment, eligibility assurance, EPAR development, procurement and construction oversight

In8 (formerly Curry Project Management) supported councils across Southern NSW to deliver flood restoration works arising from the November 2022 event under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Across AGRN 1034 and AGRN 1086, the combined program value exceeded A$17 million for Edward River and Berrigan Shire Councils, covering extensive rural road networks, drainage assets and essential public infrastructure.

Our responsibilities spanned the full DRFA lifecycle: structured damage pick-up, eligibility assessment, detailed EPAR development, packaging and procurement, construction surveillance, evidence management and final acquittals. This project was delivered using the same disciplined framework applied across our wider DRFA portfolio, which includes more than A$40 million in Queensland Reconstruction Authority programs and major-program delivery experience gained through participation in a A$1.3 billion flood restoration program in Queensland.

This combination of local delivery experience and major-program governance ensured that Council’s DRFA submissions were defensible, audit-ready and aligned with NSWRA requirements, while construction works were delivered safely, efficiently and in accordance with funding, technical and compliance obligations.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Disaster impact assessment: Assisting councils to evaluate and document damage to essential public assets using GIS, satellite imagery, precondition records and on-site inspections.
• Emergency and reconstruction works: Managing both temporary emergency repairs and permanent reconstruction to restore roads, drainage and public infrastructure.
• Funding compliance and submissions: Ensuring all documentation for DRFA submissions, including damage evidence, scopes and cost estimates, met the requirements for eligibility and reimbursement.

Program Governance and Delivery Framework

In8 applied its DRFA Program Office model, providing structured governance across all phases of the works. The Program Office maintained registers for risks, issues, submissions, eligibility, procurement, variations, WHS/environmental incidents, cost coding and evidence. A Program Management Plan (PMP) was developed specifically for the event, setting out governance, communication protocols, QRA/NSWRA reporting, evidence standards, MARS-Portal workflows, surveillance, biosecurity and design controls. This framework ensured the program remained audit-ready and aligned with DRFA guidelines and council policies.

Phase 1 – Emergency and Immediate Works

In8 supported councils to rapidly understand the scale and location of damage across their networks. Using zonal models and council operating areas, In8 scheduled field teams to record damage with GPS-referenced photos, chainage, sketches and structured descriptions. This information underpinned both emergency works and later EPAR development.

Working with council supervisors, In8 helped define clear scopes for temporary works that could be safely delivered by day labour and local resources – restoring access, managing safety risks and stabilising assets ahead of the wet season. Evidence, quantities and cost information were captured systematically to support Emergency Works claims and future submissions. Throughout this phase In8 maintained transparent communication with administering agencies to confirm expectations around evidence and eligibility.

Phase 2 – Development Stage (EPAR / Submission Preparation)

In8 then led a structured development phase, returning to sites to complete detailed damage and quantity assessments by zone. These assessments incorporated precondition data, maintenance histories and geometric checks to confirm the extent of legitimate disaster damage and define the required scope of work for each site.

Eligibility assessments were undertaken systematically, with In8 reviewing precondition evidence and maintaining an eligibility risk register. Ambiguous items were discussed with the administering agency to confirm treatment and minimise future ineligible expenditure. Using this information, In8:

• Developed benchmark treatments and schedules of rates for typical defects and sites.
• Packaged works by zone and treatment type to suit procurement and delivery strategies.
• Prepared cost estimates, draft Form 306 / submission reports and supporting documentation.

Draft packages were presented to council executives for review of scope, cost and risk prior to submission. Once endorsed, In8 assembled documentation for upload into the MARS-Portal or equivalent systems, and responded to queries, in-field assessments and clarifications from agencies such as the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) or NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA).

For complex or high-risk sites, In8 coordinated specialist design inputs and investigations, ensuring treatments were proportionate, constructible and aligned with DRFA and council asset standards.

Phase 3 – Delivery Stage (Procurement, Contract Administration & Oversight)

Once submissions were approved, In8 developed a detailed delivery strategy based on market conditions, contractor capacity, council crew capability and availability of materials. Procurement packages were structured to optimise mobilisation, encourage local participation and align with council procurement policies and probity requirements.

In8 prepared tender documentation and evaluation plans, supported evaluation panels and prepared recommendation reports. Following contract award, In8 implemented a Contract Administration and Surveillance Plan, covering:

• Review and acceptance of pre-construction documentation.
• WHS and environmental surveillance and biosecurity controls.
• Daily site inspections, quantity verification and non-conformance management.
• Assessment of progress claims and management of variations and extensions of time.

In8 maintained close communication with council operations teams, utilities and landholders to coordinate access, manage traffic impacts and resolve issues during construction.

Procurement, Delivery & Site Management

Procurement emphasised local suppliers and contractors where possible, with In8 preparing structured tender documentation including clear scope, technical specifications and safety requirements. During delivery, In8 undertook regular site visits, safety audits and environmental inspections, issuing action items and monitoring close-out. Detailed progress reports were produced, reflecting physical progress, expenditure and forecast completion against the approved program.

Submissions, Compliance and Acquittals

In8 guided councils through the full submissions and compliance process, including:

• Lodging submissions supported by comprehensive damage evidence, asset data and georeferenced photos.
• Preparing mandatory progress reports, including cost and completion tracking for each EPAR package.
• Compiling final acquittal reports and asset-level data, ensuring evidence was complete for audit and reimbursement.

The Program Office maintained DRFA cost coding, evidence registers and document control systems, ensuring councils were audit-ready at every stage.

Contractor Coordination and Resource Optimisation

In8 worked closely with contractors to ensure emergency and permanent works were completed within required timeframes and standards. Resource planning considered local gravel sources, water points, plant and accommodation availability, optimising production while managing costs and environmental impacts. Works were sequenced to deliver the greatest network benefit before subsequent wet seasons.

As-Built Construction Data and Evidence

Throughout the program In8 ensured that contractors maintained accurate and comprehensive as-built records, including:

• Detailed damage and treatment records for each asset and location.
• Design amendments, construction changes and material test results.
• Final quantities, GPS-referenced photos and inspection reports.

These records were compiled electronically and submitted to administering agencies to demonstrate compliance with DRFA standards and support council asset management systems.

Category D Betterment

In parallel with core restoration activities, In8 supported councils to identify, justify and deliver Category D Betterment opportunities where appropriate. The focus was on upgrading vulnerable assets so that future events would result in less damage, fewer closures and reduced lifecycle costs, while remaining compliant with the specific Betterment requirements of the DRFA guidelines.

Working from the same zonal model and EPAR packages, In8:

• Identified sections of network where repeated damage, access constraints or safety issues meant that “build-back-to-pre-existing-standard” would not provide acceptable resilience.
• Developed betterment concepts – for example, increasing pavement strength, improving drainage capacity, raising low floodways or refining geometry – and prepared preliminary cost–benefit narratives built off historical damage records and risk profiles.
• Separated eligible restoration scope from the “incremental” betterment uplift, ensuring that funding applications clearly articulated the base reinstatement cost and the additional betterment component.
• Coordinated with QRA/NSWRA case managers to confirm interpretation of Betterment criteria, refine proposals and align documentation (including drawings, treatment descriptions and evidence) with the expectations of the funding body.
• Integrated approved Betterment works into procurement and delivery packages, ensuring specifications, surveillance activities and as-built records captured the higher standard and performance objectives.

This structured approach enabled councils to use the DRFA program not only to restore their assets, but to strategically reduce future risk and maintenance liability. Betterment options were only advanced where they demonstrated clear resilience, access and lifecycle advantages and could be robustly supported with data and evidence.

Outcomes

Through this structured, program-wide methodology, In8 helped councils restore their flood-affected networks in a timely, compliant and auditable manner. The approach maximised DRFA reimbursement, strengthened governance and improved the resilience of local infrastructure ahead of future events, including where Category D Betterment opportunities were realised.