Services

GMS, Inc. is involved with numerous wastewater projects on a regular basis.  This includes review and replacement of existing gravity sanitary sewer collection systems to lift stations and force mains to wastewater treatment facilities.  This also extends into addressing issues with permitting including discharge permits, compliance schedules, Enforcement Orders, Cease and Desist Orders, Notice of Violation and Discharger Specific Variances.  These projects range from new sanitary sewer collection systems, replacement of existing sanitary sewer collection systems, lift stations, force mains, lagoon systems to mechanical wastewater treatment facilities throughout the municipality or utility district.  During the preparation of a Preliminary Engineering Report, GMS assesses the entire wastewater system from the collection system to the WWTF based on the needs of the community.  The PER identifies the wastewater system deficiencies and how to fund the project which then leads into the design of the community’s wastewater system prioritized needs.

GMS, Inc. works with many clients regarding drainage related issues.  Such requires an intimate knowledge of the Client’s criteria in addition to working with Federal Agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  These types of projects may also require an in-depth knowledge of CDOT’s M&S Standards and other design requirements.  This requires a deep understanding and knowledge of hydrology, hydraulics, regulatory requirements from local, State and Federal levels with the ability to put this knowledge into a full and complete design for the drainage facilities in question.

GMS, Inc. undertakes hydrologic reviews on a regular basis utilizing the appropriate hydrologic method based on the basin’s size and the overall requirements of the review.  This approach will be taken with the City to provide a thorough analysis.  The understanding is this information will be provided in the form of a report with support calculations.  Likewise, hydraulic analyses will also be performed in a similar manner; however, they will utilize the appropriate hydraulic software.  Typically, GMS, Inc. uses HEC-RAS for open channel hydraulic review.

GMS, Inc. has extensive experience in the design and planning of public works engineering services for our clients.  In addition to addressing roadway failures and drainage issues, GMS, Inc. has experience with maintaining access to individual properties during the construction phase of street projects as well as improving safety issues.

GMS, Inc. has several staff members qualified in the use of ESRI GIS mapping software.  Depending upon the software utilized, our clients may collect data on cell phones or tablets and upload information for integration into the GIS mapping system in our office.  Ongoing updates may be made from either staff supplied data and asset information to consultant collected data and metadata, and updated on an ongoing basis.  Typically, all types of surveying requirements needed by a client may be provided by GMS, Inc.

GMS, Inc. has several staff members with experience in reviewing development submittal drawings.  All reviews completed by GMS, Inc. are followed up with a letter of review comments addressing those areas of concern and areas that must be specifically addressed.  Because GMS, Inc. provides no private development engineering services, we have no conflict of interest with any of our clients in the review process or those development consultants that do provide private land development consulting.  GMS, Inc. considers this a specialty service that we provide for our clients.

GMS, Inc. provides day-to-day consultation to our clients’ staff on an assortment of issues while filling the role of an in-house engineer.  This includes addressing questions, providing guidance, undertaking more thorough investigations, providing recommendations, attending meetings, reviewing developments and other engineers’ designs, updating standards, conducting design, completing budgets, pursuing funding and working with staff.  These items cover the full spectrum of engineering from the transportation, to drainage, to water, to wastewater, to structural issues, whatever the client is facing at that time.

GMS, Inc. provides Resident Project Representation (RPR) services for its client’s projects.  This entails having an RPR on-site to oversee construction, answer questions, track and tabulate work completed on the project to make recommendations for payment to the Contractor by the client, preparation of a punch list, communication with the client and project manager.  Some of our RPRs have been on-staff with GMS, Inc. for over 20 years.

GMS, Inc. provides excellent funding administration by facilitating the funding process for all projects requiring outside funding sources which is approximately 80% of GMS, Inc.’s work.  We work closely with various funding agencies.  GMS, Inc. has and continues to work with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) in administering Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) grants in addition to non-entitlement Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) projects.  GMS, Inc.’s clients are currently utilizing approximately 55% to 60% of the non-entitlement CDBG funds available for public works projects statewide.

GMS, Inc. is also active in working with the CDPHE, WQCD through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) through the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF) and the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (WPCRF) programs.  GMS, Inc. has been and continues to be one of the few organizations in the State to be consistently requested by the CDPHE, WQCD and CWR&PDA for input and review on how the program is administered.  The last significant change in the SRF program started in 2014.  GMS, Inc. was the only private organization in the State to be invited to review the changes and provide feedback.  Needless to say, GMS, Inc. is intimately knowledgeable of the process, typically walking 10 to 12 communities through the program a year.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Water Quality Control Division (WQCD), Rural Development and private organizations.  CDPHE, WQCD provides grants through their Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) and Small Communities Grant (SCG).  Throughout the years, a significant portion of GMS, Inc.’s documents have been incorporated into DOLA’s standard EIAF, CDBG, and the State Revolving Fund (SRF) requirements for use on projects.

Our organization, in any given year, has multiple EIAF, CDBG, WQIF and SRF projects in progress.  We pride ourselves on providing extremely comprehensive services to our clients on EIAF, CDBG, WQIF and SRF projects including the preparation of the funding applications, compiling all required project documentation, the incorporation of all required documents into the Construction Specifications, undertaking on-site interviews of contractor employees and reviewing weekly payroll reports, compiling for the Owner’s action required monthly reimbursement requests, compiling quarterly performance reports for submission to DOLA and CDPHE and facilitating and assisting in the final DOLA conducted field audit on the project at its closure.

We also work with Rural Development (RD).  For a couple of decades, GMS, Inc. used between 50% and 75% of Rural Development’s allocation to Colorado on behalf of our clients.  Recently, we have used RD funding for the City of Walsenburg’s Northlands project.  Typically, leveraging the other funding sources creates a better grant and loan package than what RD is able to provide.  Therefore, GMS, Inc. has not been using RD funds as frequently over the last ten years.