2016
ANNUAL REPORT respec.com
Embracing Challenge, Gaining Momentum
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EMBRACING CHALLENGE, GAINING MOMENTUM RESPEC TRANSITIONS TO “ONE COMPANY” 2016 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS // City of Bozeman Groundwater Investigation // Land Information Systems Management and Analytics Tool // IT Fleet Services Key Valet
// NMDOH Rural Health Care Practitioner Tax Credit // Big Sioux River Flood Information System
// Little Fountain Creek Design/Build Project
// Kinross Chirano Gold Mine Drill-and-Blast Audit // New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange
// NMDOT Bridge Scour Countermeasure Design // NIOSH Real-Time Hazard Recognition
// Yellow Medicine One Watershed, One Plan // Indian Health Service Integrated Data Collection System // Cook Lake Slope Stability Monitoring
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RESPEC’S COMMITMENT TO GIVING BACK Sometimes when you’re looking for a mining solution, you really need an IT solution. On the cover: By taking a birdseye look at CRH’s operations, RESPEC integrated technology to maximize their mining operations in 18 different countries. 51.396357 | -3.384142
Latitude and longitude of CRH’s Aberthaw cement plant in Wales where RESPEC provides mine duediligence services.
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embracing challenge, gaining momentum In 2016, RESPEC met market challenges and gathered
tremendous momentum! Staying true to our dynamic Vision 2020 strategic plan, RESPEC continued to set records with
net revenue growth and a strong cash position that supports
the operations. Like the wise market watchers who notice but don’t overreact to the daily peaks and valleys, we gain over the long haul.
Great companies are defined by their abilities to take on challenges and their continual desire to improve and grow as an organization. In 2016, RESPEC adapted to market
challenges by making critical decisions to support employee retention. A slowdown in
the oil-and-gas sectors, combined with delays on major information technology project awards, challenged overall profitability. We made a conscientious decision to retain our talented professionals with the knowledge that these technical resources are critical to our future success.
To complete our “One Company” strategy, we took a major step in 2016 by fully
integrating our information technologies subsidiary, POD, into the RESPEC company. As our company grew over the past 10 years, we recognized the importance of solidifying
our brand and communicating the breadth and depth of our technical capabilities across the enterprise to all of our customers. Within this Annual Report, you’ll see the new look
and feel of RESPEC. We’re proud to present our One Company initiative and our exciting brand identity.
2016 also marked a major international investment made by the company. For over
25 years, RESPEC has performed services for key clients in Canada. Recognizing the importance of building stronger relationships with our clients in North America, we
acquired North Rim Exploration Ltd., a geoscience and engineering consulting company located in Saskatchewan, Canada. Joining forces with North Rim solidifies RESPEC’s position as a major consulting expert in the potash marketplace.
Across the wide spectrum of our organization, RESPEC remains committed to achieving the goals and objectives set forth in the Vision 2020 strategic plan. We completely embrace the compelling challenge for continued growth, employee development, and sustainability.
May these pages reflect the pride and value of a professional team that continues to
expand RESPEC’s technical capabilities and global reputation. Enjoy the achievements
RESPEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Walter D. Jones, Lead Director N. Douglas Fluke Todd J. Kenner Jason T. Love Stephen T. O’Rourke Alfred J. Serrano Marvin D. Truhe
OFFICERS Todd J. Kenner CEO/President
Philip A. Welling Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Dale R. Atkinson Chief Information Officer Samantha L. Lapin Senior Vice President, Information Technologies
Jason T. Love Senior Vice President, Water & Natural Resources John S. L. Morgan Senior Vice President, Mining & Energy Kerry L. DeVries Vice President Rick R. Moser Vice President
Leo L. Van Sambeek Vice President Karla R. Lipp Secretary
of our talented professionals in this year’s Annual Report. Thank you!
// Todd Kenner, CEO/President
2016 RESPEC annual report | Page
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WE AREN’T SUPERHEROES—
BUT THEY INSPIRE US. Our highly distinguished team of experts—versatile and
specialized engineers, developers, integrators, and scientists— are standing by, waiting for your call.
With extra vision to see solutions that others can’t and
endless knowledge to bridge the gaps that others don’t, we’re transformers with the know-how to solve the world’s hardest
problems. At RESPEC, we thrive on technology and making our clients successful. This is why we do what we do.
From the depths of a cavern to the heights of a volcano, from an antiquated computer system to a business in dire need of re-engineering, our technical and business experts find
solutions for extreme situations... like the time we cleansed
and migrated 100 million rows of legacy data or the time we protected Mt. Rushmore.
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respec transitions to “one Company” RESPEC—and technology itself— have both come a long way since we incorporated in
1969, which was the year that pocket calculators
replaced the slide rule, the trusted tool of engineers for more than 300 years. RESPEC’s founding
mission was focused, unique, and highly specialized: we provide high-level, research-oriented consulting services. By successfully executing this mission, RESPEC has continued to expand other criticalneed service offerings to include Information Technologies (IT) and Water & Natural Resources. In 1985,
RESPEC won its first general
support IT contract with Sandia National Laboratories. Up until this time, RESPEC provided
instrumentation and software
development services related
to the Sandia research, but we
knew there was a much greater IT market to address. In 2006,
RESPEC acquired POD (based in Albuquerque) to further
strengthen the company’s IT offerings. Strategically, the
decision was made to focus the
company’s IT services within the wholly
a single brand: RESPEC develops integrated solutions to solve customer problems and
increase customer loyalty, employee collaboration, and shareholder value.
Committing to the One Company initiative in 2016 to realize operational and marketing benefits, we
recognize the value and opportunities created by leveraging the collective talents and strengths of
our previously individual, stand-alone business units and subsidiaries. This initiative aligns directly with our Vision 2020 strategic plan that emphasizes the value of operating as a seamless, collaborative, and unified highperforming team.
THE “IMPOSSIBLE R” As part of the One Company
initiative, we evaluated our brand
and relationship with our customers.
In doing so, we recognized the
opportunity in building our market identity as a multidimensional
consulting company capable of
offering integrated solutions. To
reinforce this new foundation, we
created a new logo inspired by the
mathematical art of M. C. Escher,
owned POD subsidiary. Specifically, our interests
an artist fascinated with “impossible” puzzle-like
local governments.
Escher’s interests in the impossible by addressing
were in expanding our services with state and
RESPEC has continued to experience significant growth and market diversification over the past
10 years. We acquired 8 companies and expanded
offices into 13 states and 1 Canadian province. By
geometric figures. The RESPEC team reflects the complex challenges that seem intractable
or unsolvable to our clients. RESPEC’s breadth, experience, and know-how allow us to engage,
analyze, and solve their most difficult problems.
diversifying our service offerings and geographic
Thanks to our employees—the name RESPEC instills
clarifying that our organization is unified by
team’s brilliance and adaptability keep us at the top!
footprint, we increased the importance of
trust in clients and communities around the world. Our
solid history strengthens our team today
1969 RESPEC was incorporated.
1985 RESPEC won its first contract with Sandia National Laboratories.
2006 RESPEC acquired POD.
2000s RESPEC acquired 8 companies within the past 10 years.
2016 RESPEC initiates its new brand under One Company.
2020 RESPEC serves customers under its 2020 long-term vision.
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know-how is everything. We use our resourcefulness and vast experience to solve problems.
It’s called know-how. And when you have it, problems aren’t problems at all. Know-how defines the core of who we are. It is how our clients see us. Know-how speaks to ingenuity, aptitude, and skill—it is not merely knowledge; it is knowing how to get things done.
Imagine having access to a think tank with hundreds of diversely
talented engineers, scientists, programmers, and developers under one roof—that’s RESPEC. Each team member is highly trained and
skilled in understanding and applying the laws of a specific universe to solve any kind of problem.
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Major project features: // Groundwater Supply Assessment – Physical Availability // Groundwater Model Development // Water Quality and Source Protection Evaluation // Adverse Effects Analysis and Mitigation Strategies
// city of bozeman groundwater investigation Fifty years ahead—finding future water balance in the face of drought and climate change
Masterminding a city’s future water
supply requires foresight and ingenuity,
both of which the RESPEC team provided for Bozeman, Montana, in a recent
groundwater investigation. Anticipating a future water deficit, the City of Bozeman called in RESPEC after outlining several
ways to increase available water supply to meet future needs.
Following Bozeman’s integrated plan to project future water demand, promote water conservation, and increase
water supply capacity, our goal was to
to project future water demand at
quantify drawdown and stream depletion
We studied the City’s water supply
gallons per minute (gpm) at nine different
30-year and 50-year planning horizons. accounting and verified the water rights in its portfolio. A hydrologic, firm-yield analysis was performed to assess the sensitivity of groundwater sources to
drought and other potential impacts of
climate change. Comparisons between the current available supply and future demand projections were made to
produce estimates of the annual water balance gap in 2062.
associated with pumping at a rate of 1,000 potential well locations. Following the pumping simulations, a series of six
mitigation scenarios were evaluated. The mitigation scenarios demonstrate how
the groundwater model could be used to evaluate different settings in which the
City can use its water from other sources to mitigate potential effects on existing water rights from the pumping of new supply wells.
determine locations where groundwater
The RESPEC team developed a
RESPEC’s project success was
permit and construct high-yield wells
the Gallatin Valley Model, for the study
supply assessment, development of
was physically available and suitable to for municipal use. Our investigation also factored in hydrogeological
investigations that were performed
by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG).
RESPEC’s team of experts started
working from both moderate- and high-
growth estimates of population increase
groundwater flow model, referred to as area. The model facilitates predicting of
aquifer drawdown (based on rate, spatial
extent, and related streamflow depletion) and is used to examine potential options for aquifer recharge that could be used to mitigate the effects of groundwater
pumping. Our water experts performed a series of pumping simulations to
based on a thorough groundwater
a groundwater model, evaluation of
water quality and source protection, an
adverse effects analysis, and mitigation strategies. RESPEC takes pride in
charting a path forward for municipalities to secure their water supply for the
future, based on sound planning and protection strategies today.
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RESPEC’s LIS tool allows land and quarry managers to work closely and develop the best solutions for long-term acquisition planning and quarry optimization.
// land information systems management and analytics tool Working together across diverse disciplines to manage mining assets
When a client purchased billions of
dollars in land and mining assets, they had no accurate or efficient way to manage and quantify their assets. RESPEC
designed the Land Information System (LIS), a management and analytics tool,
to efficiently manage all aspects of land control that are needed for mining and
asset management. LIS serves as a link between the mine planning and block
model work completed by RESPEC and client-specific data on property and
permitting. Instrumental in managing multibillion-dollar mining company
Expanding its geographic reign in Asia, Europe, and North America, RESPEC’s LIS tool empowers clients to manage and quantify their land and mining assets.
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mergers and asset divestures, LIS focuses
roles to collaborate across business units.
property boundaries, deeds, permit
services such as land portfolio and asset
on centralizing all land-related data (e.g.,
boundaries, permit documents, property values, and reserve values) into a cloud-
spatial database where data can be easily queried and analyzed.
RESPEC’s LIS tool allows land and quarry
managers to work closely and develop the
LIS enables professionals to perform
management, permit management and environmental compliance, reporting land values and viewing value trends,
exploration and mine expansion analytics,
land acquisition management, and reserve tracking and logistics analytics.
best solutions for long-term acquisition
In 2017, RESPEC’s team looks forward to
also creates synergies within RESPEC
with a much larger geographic range that
planning and quarry optimization. LIS
because it allows personnel in diverse
introducing an expanded version of LIS
includes Asia, Europe, and North America.
// it fleet services key valet A system to manage 12,000 users and vehicles? No problem!
At Sandia National Laboratories in
New Mexico, a government vehicle fleet with
over 600 users was becoming unmanageable. Manual recordkeeping and management for Sandia’s Fleet Services Customer Support
Center were slow and unwieldy. To streamline their management process and establish firm control over the fleet of government vehicles and keys, reservations, pickups, returns, and credit cards, RESPEC researched several
solutions and successfully implemented the AssetWorks KeyValet, a “kiosk” in which all
vehicle reservations are made and vehicles are
checked in and out by users. KeyValet provides the client with a high-performance way to
manage its vehicles and ensures that a small
government vehicle loan pool could remotely maintain control over keys, Government
Services Administration credit cards, and the reservation and pickup/return processes.
Providing full-service data and information technology solutions to public agencies and private clients, RESPEC streamlines every business process and delivers proven large-scale innovations.
Overwhelmingly satisfied with the new system, the Sandia fleet management has selected RESPEC’s IT team to implement another
// NMDOH rural health care practitioner tax credit
KeyValet for its huge, main motor pool. Keeping the fleet shipshape, RESPEC’s future kiosk will be six times larger than the first one and will
serve more than 12,000 users with streamlined
Rapid design and build for user-friendly websites that work for the public and the agency
and efficient management processes for the Fleet Services Customer Support Center.
Too much paper! Too slow! Too many errors! Too many
user headaches! When the New Mexico Department of Health
(NMDOH) was ready to upgrade and go paperless, they needed a website that would allow rural healthcare practitioners to
submit a tax credit application online and could also function
internally as a powerful administrative tool. Our IT team listened to the needs of all users and quickly designed a solution. Within 4 months, we delivered an exponentially faster, easier, more
accurate, and efficient website system built from the ground up with Microsoft ASP.NET, AngularJS, Angular Material, and Microsoft SQL Server.
The new
website for New Mexico’s
Rural Health Care Practitioner Tax Credit
Program (RHCPTC) (https://rhcptc.nmhealth.org) is
designed for modern browsers and provides a responsive layout that adjusts to the viewport of the user’s Internet access device. The extremely high client satisfaction resulted in RESPEC’s IT
team being named as the provider of help desk support for the website and its users.
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// Big Sioux river flood information system The power to respond in time—predicting time--Predicting and andmitigating mitigatingflood floodevents events
Working in our own backyard—Eastern South Dakota—RESPEC is very proud to serve South Dakota’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to develop a much-needed online flood mapping
tool for the Big Sioux River Basin, a critical area where past methodologies have failed to predict the path and severity of extreme flooding.
To protect people and property in the huge river basin, state and local decision-makers needed a high-
accuracy, web-based inundation mapping tool to predict flood behavior, mitigate damage, and improve
previous control methods that seemed hit-or-miss without the sophisticated technology of RESPEC’s Flood
Information System (FIS) tool. Cities and counties also needed a way to quickly and efficiently communicate
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A major innovation in missioncritical technology, RESPEC’s FIS tool helps federal, state, city, and county decision-makers to predict and manage flood activity and offer the best emergency response.
details about the peak velocity and depth of flood waters within the inundated area to better manage emergency response activities.
RESPEC’s FIS solution consists of a hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) model application and a web-based Flood Inundation Mapping (FIM) tool. The FIS allows users to predict river elevations and flood inundation under a
range of stream flows and user-defined topographic conditions at critical conveyance points in the watershed. Flow scenarios include analyzing alternative flows on critical tributaries as well as alternative flows on the
Missouri River to understand how the backwater effects from the Missouri River will impact the Big Sioux River inundation. Alternative topographic scenarios, mitigation strategies, and other ancillary information provide massive support for the most effective emergency management decisions during an extreme flood crisis.
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// little fountain creek design/build project Prepared for the big flood—protecting infrastructure and the environment
When floods wreaked havoc on Little Fountain Creek in Colorado, a natural-gas power plant owned by
Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) became
a critical facility risk. Environmental risks included the CSU solar ponds that treat
process water from both the natural-gas power plant and another on-site coal power plant.
Because of the enormous danger posed by storm events, CSU hired the Tezak
Heavy Equipment and RESPEC design/
build team to design and stabilize the Little Fountain Creek channel with enhanced
protection for conditions associated with a 200-year flood event (typical projects are designed to withstand a 100-year
flood event, which is considered a big
flood). The 4-month timeline was tight for designing, permitting, and constructing
With a reputation for effective collaboration, RESPEC’s emergency design/build team quickly restores creeks and waterways with infrastructure that protects the future habitat.
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the 1-mile creek restoration, but the RESPEC team prevailed. We quickly
provided client-approved designs for bank stabilization, low-flow channel
preservation, overbank widening, and
channel grade-control structures. Leading the engineering design effort, RESPEC
collaborated with our construction partner,
local contractor Tezak Heavy Equipment, to perform the work.
Our successful project demonstrated
efficiency and allowed the satisfied client to obtain additional funding for further repairs, including additional grade-
control structures, bank protection, and site revegetation. Despite the timeline
challenges, RESPEC delivered a superior product and established excellent
relationships with both CSU and Tezak Heavy Equipment.
The flood damage occurred on Little Fountain Creek, which flows between a CSU natural-gas power plant and solar ponds that treat process water from both the natural-gas power plant and another on-site coal power plant.
// kinross chirano gold mine Drill-and-Blast Audit Taking control of the mine site—our top priority is providing clients with a holistic approach to reducing mine costs.
Addressing poor fragmentation, drillhole collapse,
and blast quality issues in their production ring blasts,
Kinross Gold Corporation needed a complete drill-and-blast audit at Chirano Gold Mine’s Paboase, an underground gold mine in Ghana. To define and communicate operational and safety standards, Kinross also needed a training program developed for staff.
RESPEC partnered with Lusk Consulting to use specialized equipment to monitor drillhole deviation, rock quality
and drillhole quality, explosive loading, explosive product
quality, detonation sequencing, velocity of detonation, and fragmentation. The data gathered by our team provided
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useful insight into the drill-and-blast operation and was used to create a comprehensive plan for improving operations
based on the mine’s specifications. Detailed findings were incorporated into a comprehensive training program and a continuous drill-and-blast improvement program.
Specializing in solving critical mining issues safely and
effectively, RESPEC’s approach improved drill-and-blast
operations as well as company training. Pleased with our solutions that fulfilled audit recommendations, Kinross
Gold continues to grow a safe and successful international mining operation by applying proven modern technology, comprehensive staff training, and sound practices.
Experts in rapidly evolving technologies, RESPEC guides clients to take charge of the total operation by using interdisciplinary solutions designed to create safety, productivity, and peak efficiency.
// new mexico health insurance exchange Working seamlessly behind the daily workflow to provide IV&V services to public agencies
Health insurance exchanges are
integral to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA)
Designing for efficiency as well as aesthetics, RESPEC’s team delivers engineering solutions that are cost-effective and respectful of the environment.
goal of insuring all Americans and to prohibit discrimination against people with pre-
existing conditions. To ensure their legal
compliance with statutes, the New Mexico
Health Insurance Exchange (NMHIX) required
independent verification and validation (IV&V)
Awarded Best solution met regulations set forth by the ACA. Maintenance Project of Having honed IV&V methodologies 2016 through many similar projects with publicservices to assess whether or not their
sector agencies, RESPEC delivered key
assessments in only 2 months. Our team of experts quickly assessed the primary
areas of concern, including past updates to the Small Business Health Options
// NMDOT Bridge Scour Countermeasure Design It’s way more than a bridge.
The soil around an old highway
Program (SHOP) solution in previous
bridge in New Mexico’s Rio Grande Valley
the SHOP solution to meet Federal Centers
the wood foundation, which affected
requirements. We also assessed current
left unattended, the bridge over the
releases and blueprint test scenarios for
had eroded to the point of exposing
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
the bridge’s structural integrity. If
implementation activities related to a Data Management Reporting System (DMRS). Receiving high marks and client praise for unintrusive professionalism, our
team successfully completed the work
of evaluating, documenting, and rating,
while identifying risks and offering specific
recommendations. The NMHIX management was very satisfied with our work to ensure
a compliant solution for continuing to offer a competitive private health insurance marketplace for individuals and small employers in New Mexico.
degrading arroyo could eventually
collapse and pose a serious danger to
drivers on NM Highway 1 near Socorro. RESPEC designed the bridge scour
countermeasure plans for the scour
critical bridge as deemed by the New
Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). Our team provided a low-
cost design that protected the bridge from long-term stream degradation. NMDOT’s heavy maintenance crew
repaired the structure, which included
grading, concrete work, a grade-control
structure, and laying gabion mattresses.
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Upon completion, the bridge structure was greatly protected from scour, and the arroyo banks on both sides were
aesthetically reshaped and lined with
stone. Our improvements blend with the
beautiful scenery surrounding the bridge that is home to mule deer, javelinas,
turkeys, and roadrunners. Our quality
solution led this project to be selected for a NMDOT internal award as Best Maintenance Project for 2016.
RESPEC has provided on-call drainage engineering services to NMDOT since 2014. Our high-quality work products
and responsiveness have led to repeat
business and a valued relationship with NMDOT.
awarded as NMDOT Best Maintenance Project in 2016
// niosh Real-time hazard recognition
To address these concerns, the National
the Video Gauge™ video collection and
Health (NIOSH) is investigating new
displacement measurements of the mine
Underground mines made safe for the twenty-first century with realtime hazard recognition
safety in underground mines. RESPEC’s
research project for NIOSH uses vastly
Every underground mine needs
at an unlimited number of locations, and
maximum safety. To monitor displacement in the mine structure, several types of extensometer devices are routinely
used to identify ground-control hazards. However, a primary drawback of most
extensometers is that they provide only a single point of measurement. If the device is not installed in the correct
location, impending hazards may be
missed. Alternatively, placing an adequate number of devices to ensure that
potential hazards are identified can be
cost-prohibitive based on the expenses of
equipment and labor-intensive installation. Traditional rock-mechanics instruments are also problematic because they are obtrusive and subject to damage.
Truth testing real-time video monitoring at SURF to improve safety in underground mines
Institute for Occupational Safety and
and improved technologies to enhance
improved video technology to monitor
for hazards across a large field of view, at a cost less than installing a suite of extensometers.
RESPEC is developing a real-time hazard recognition system using
Imetrum’s Video Gauge™, a commercial, digital image correlation software that
resolves displacement measurements of movements captured on video. As Imetrum’s distributor for structural
processing functions to remotely export
roof and ribs. Measurements and images from the videos are available real-time
on the web, and alarms signal when outof-range movements are detected. This
multiphase project is being truth-tested in a mining environment at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, with eventual
deployment planned for a potash mine near Carlsbad, New Mexico. We take pride in working closely with NIOSH
and collaborating with Imetrum to make underground mines much safer using today’s technology applied with team ingenuity.
monitoring applications in the US,
RESPEC has previously adapted this system for measuring pavement deflection, evaluating road-bed
support, and assessing the mechanical integrity of various components in
underground mines. For this project,
our interdisciplinary team automated
9
Number of fatalities caused by roof falls in US underground mines in the past 5 years
0.001 in
Measurement resolution of Video GaugeTM for a 10-fthigh mine room
1,400 ft Length of mine workings being monitored at SURF
4
Number of video cameras in use at SURF 2016 RESPEC annual report | Page
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// yellow medicine one watershed, one plan Leading stakeholders into the next generation of watershed planning
Navigating the unchartered territory of a state-sponsored pilot
project can be challenging, especially
when the district, like Minnesota’s Yellow
Medicine Watershed District, is a complex intersection of conflicting political and watershed boundaries with differing public and private needs.
Local government partners entrusted RESPEC to use new requirements for
measurable goals to develop the first,
state-approved, 10-year comprehensive plan for this 1,040.2-mile watershed. During the “Yellow Medicine–One Watershed, One Plan” (YM1W1P)
process, RESPEC guided discussions with 15 local and state water management organizations.
Our team’s experts were highly effective in developing stakeholder relationships
and facilitating challenging conversations about different needs. We successfully collaborated on staffing, budgets,
regulatory programs, and organizational
Our professionals excelled at leading disparate stakeholders to a win-win watershed plan while delivering sound technical solutions.
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relationships, which were all necessary aspects of implementing the plan.
Technically, RESPEC used existing data
and studies as a platform for the planning process. RESPEC’s new optimization tool, Scenario Application Manager
including incentive programs, capital
improvement projects, operation and
maintenance, regulation and enforcement, research studies, data acquisition, data
management, outreach, and engagement and education programs.
(SAM), and the updated HSPF model were
RESPEC successfully led the team in
and inform the prioritization process.
boundaries with naturally occurring ones.
used to assess watershed conditions
Mitigating altered hydrology, which is a
groundbreaking effort in Minnesota water planning, was a main concern. With the new watershed plan,
stakeholders have access to SAM, which allows users to try different
combinations of best management
practices and land-use changes to see impacts on flooding and water quality
before actual design work begins. SAM also helps determine the most costeffective implementation scenarios.
Our completed watershed plan included all of the state-required content,
replacing problematic political
Blending science, engineering, logic, and public outreach, we demonstrated that
natural land and river boundaries would yield the most cost-effective results. To restore the Yellow Medicine River
Watershed, RESPEC prioritized projects that maximize benefits and conserve budget while reducing the transport
of pollutants and enhancing ways to preserve and protect groundwater. RESPEC’s project is one of five
watershed projects in Minnesota and the first to be approved.
// indian health service integrated data collection system What’s new at Indian Health Service?
Working with the Indian Health
Service (IHS), RESPEC continues to
improve the Integrated Data Collection System (IDCS), its related dashboards, and additional capabilities through the
Agile development process. Our system solution simplifies complex needs by
using clinical data from the National Data Warehouse (NDW) and aggregating
data for Congressional and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) reporting
on IHS performance measurements,
are now more detailed, which results in a
requirements and improving patient care.
significantly to new Health and Human
all of which contribute to budgeting
Collaborating with the National Patient
better knowledge base that contributes Services Patient Quality Initiatives.
Information Reporting System (NPIRS),
RESPEC is proud to design and implement
capability allows users to easily answer
intelligence. Our successful solution for
RESPEC’s new “mix and match” ad-hoc questions regarding critical but previously unrelated data with a few drag-and-
drop steps. Because the combination
of questions is almost limitless, reports
innovations that increase business
the IHS makes information even more useful for both the national program offices and the local, individual medical facilities.
// cook lake slope stability monitoring Using technology to ensure area safety while preserving natural beauty
The beautiful Cook Lake Recreation
Area is 25 miles east of Devils Tower near
Sundance, Wyoming. Traveling to the lake’s secluded campground requires a 20-mile drive on gravel roads.
Unfortunately, the area has had landslide
issues that threaten accessibility, and the lake has been closed several times in the past because of the landslide.
In 1997, the southwest slope of Cook Lake underwent a massive slope failure. Nearly 10 years later, survey data indicated that the landslide was still exhibiting some
movement. In 2016, the Black Hills National Forest Service selected RESPEC to design a solution. Our primary goal was to design and install a real-time monitoring and
warning system to protect people at the recreational area and downstream.
RESPEC’s team overcame installation
challenges made difficult by rocky terrain, heavy forestation, and drilling monitoring
wells in unconventional locations. We
installed specialized sensors to monitor
ground movement at five sites within the
landslide area, and we installed tiltmeters on the surface and placed inclinometers and piezometers in two wells drilled to a depth of 200 feet. Inclinometers were
set in each borehole near the landslide
slip plane. A piezometer was grouted in each hole below the water table. Using
spread-spectrum radio, instrumentation devices at the five sites communicated
with one another and the base site, which was located away from the landslide.
A satellite terminal sent data from the base site to RESPEC’s servers.
Sending the client real-time data about landslide movement was achieved by
using Eagle.io, an online communication
and visualization application that displays
remotely collected data. Our solution also
allows the client to customize dashboards for data visualization, download data as
Known for innovation, RESPEC’s team overcame terrain challenges to install a life-saving real-time warning system. .csv files, and set thresholds. If thresholds
are exceeded, alarms notify recipients via a warning text message and email.
The RESPEC team is proud to contribute to the area’s safety.
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Global presence with
local heart
At RESPEC, know-how is everything—and it’s more than just technical
brilliance. Know-how also applies to understanding how to best serve the communities where we work. We want our neighbors to feel connected
and know that we’re invested in them. To enhance the quality of life for a
community, RESPEC designs its Corporate Social Responsibility events to help those in greatest need and provide the support that is not available from local agencies. This kind of service brings us our other payday—
the rewards of seeing smiling faces because we made a real difference!
Our employee-owners have a vested interest not only in the company's
performance but also in the community’s well-being. The greatest reward
of our business is being able to share the fruits of our hard work and fulfill a Page
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meaningful triple bottom line…..people, planet, and profit.
respec’s commitment to giving back
Feeding children In Roseville, Minnesota, our employees volunteered at Feed My Starving Children’s MobilePack events. MobilePack connects volunteers from across the US to help starving children around the world by preparing and packaging food.
Over the years, our clients and communities often comment that they feel
the “RESPEC difference,” that special something that happens when we all give
our very best. Every year, we demonstrate that we believe in our Corporate Social
Responsibility—to society, community, and environment. In 2016, we celebrated a new company-wide program called the “Time of Giving Thanks,” which met with a warm welcome across North America in 12 of our office locations, including Saskatoon,
Canada. RESPEC’s One Company identity was fully realized as we joined together
across far-flung locations to celebrate the spirit of giving nationwide. From pitching in at local food banks and homeless shelters to teaching kids how to play chess to donating interview-appropriate clothing for low-income job seekers, the RESPEC team touches the lives of thousands of people throughout our communities on an ongoing basis:
Cheyenne, WY
Volunteered to “ring the bell” and drive donations for the Salvation Army
missoula/ bozeman, mt
Participated in the local “Brawl of the Wild” canned food drive
saskatoon, sK
Collected over 40 pounds of food items to donate to the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre
Clothing job seekers In Albuquerque, New Mexico, our team supported Robert Half’s Annual Suit Drive by collecting and donating men’s and women’s interviewappropriate clothing, shoes, and accessories to benefit St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income job seekers.
rapid city, sd
Assisted with cleaning at the Humane Society Adopted a community member with no local family support
denver, co
Provided a dinner service at the Rescue Mission for homeless families in need
roseville, mn
Prepared and packaged food for starving children around the world with Feed My Starving Children
boise, id
caring for community members In Rapid City, South Dakota, our staff rallied to help Marion, a community member who lives by herself with no local family support. We check in with Marion regularly and assist her with home upkeep. Last fall, we cleaned Marion’s house, raked her yard, and fixed the hinge on her screen door. Marion also enjoyed a trip to the salon for a new hair style.
Helped developers at Indigitous improve a delivery device for Wi-Fi networks
mountain view, ca
Taught chess to elementary school students
albuquerque, nm
Provided staff for a meal service for homeless families at Joy Junction Collected and donated interview-appropriate attire for low-income job seekers
lexington, ky
santa fe, nm
Provided security services for the Santa Fe Homeless Shelter
Created race team for 5k run/walk to benefit Disabled American Veterans
decatur, ga
Participated in cleanup efforts at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
2016 RESPEC annual report | Page
19
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