The Iowa Economic Development Authority board on Friday approved entering a contract not to exceed $136,000 with Virginia-based ICF Incorporated LLC to help with flood recovery in northwest Iowa.

The company will help develop an action plan for the state’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery allocation and provide technical assistance, construction management and related services to address the flood damage and related costs. In January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated $134 million in grant funding to Iowa to address flooding impacts. The grant funding will be used to pay for ICF’s work.

ICF will be responsible for developing the public action and implementation plans, assisting with certifications and other required work. The company responded to a request for proposal for the work. The state reviewed RFP applications from several companies, as required by HUD and ICF selected as the best fit.

Debi Durham, director of Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority, said HUD will likely distribute disaster recovery funding in fall 2025. That money will be used to reimburse cities for their costs incurred in the disaster and will likely be used for buyouts.

On June 20-22 last year, record flooding inundated communities in northwest Iowa, affecting communities such as Rock Valley, Sioux City and Spencer.