Summary of Qualifications

Richard (Rich) Silva has extensive project management, leadership, engineering, and design experience with a diverse background in multidisciplinary design coordination and management, rail and transit facility design, vertical transportation, tunnel ventilation, rail and vehicle dynamics, automated manufacturing, material handling, machine design, control systems, and software development.

Mechanical and Electrical Systems

Rich has served as design manager and as discipline lead for various transit agencies, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and Seattle’s Sound Transit. He is the technical discipline lead for Sound Transit’s Federal Way Link Extension and has served in various design leadership roles supporting the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the Los Angeles Metro’s Westside Extension Phase I, and the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Phases I and II.

Rich has direct involvement in and provides technical leadership for station and facility rehabilitation and expansion projects for the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Long Island Rail Road, the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation’s New York City Subway Canarsie Line. He has served as engineer of record for various new transit facilities, including the Washington Metro Silver Line, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Purple Line, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s Rail Transit Airport Guideway and Stations, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Silver Line Extension, and Sound Transit’s Federal Way Link Extension.

Rich’s project work encompasses stations, entrance pavilions, vertical transportation (traction and hydraulic elevators, escalators, and moving walkways), tunnels, tunnel ventilation, HVAC, fire suppression, stormwater, sanitary sewage, pumping stations, building automation systems, and other structures.

Rich’s management and technical skills include project management, project management engineering, project management processes, schedule development, schedule management, scheduling software, design-bid-build and design-build project delivery methods, earned value management, electrical mechanical design, mechanical design, mechanical engineering, and mechanical engineering design.

Job History

Design Manager - District’s Renewal and Core Capacity

Parsons | June 2019 - August 2020 | 1 year 2 months

Job Description:

Parsons is providing general engineering services to support implementation of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District’s Renewal and Core Capacity programs funded by Measure RR, a $3.5 billion voter-approved bond measure for system-wide repair and replacement, covering traction power, train control, tunnel seismic retrofits, station modernization, track modifications, and yard and shop renovations. Parsons is providing project development, engineering, design, and other services to BART, expanding on the existing contract. Parsons’ structural team is preparing the Fremont Line (A Line) operability study for seismic retrofit and is leading preliminary engineering design work on the Caldecott Tunnel creep repair. Parsons’ rail team is preparing final design and construction plans for the A Line interlocking track replacement (A-65 and A-75), and the road and highway team is preparing the final design for rehabilitating grates on ventilation shafts at several BART stations.

Job Role Description:

Rich provides technical leadership and design integration for rehabilitation of two existing elevator systems at the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station, which have been in service since 1996. The task order includes providing engineering and design services and preparing signed and sealed construction documents for a complete issue-for-bid package. The effort includes performing an in situ survey and assessment of the current elevators and associated systems; developing mechanical, electrical, communications, architectural, and structural drawings; progressing the design through the 35, 65, 95, and 100 percent design package deliverables; developing a contract book of specifications following the same progression as the design drawings; developing an engineer’s construction estimate starting at the 65 percent design level, and continuing with project support during construction and as-built drawing developing following construction completion.

Lead Mechanical Engineer and Engineer of Record - Federal Way Link Extension

Parsons | May 2019 - November 2021 | 2 years 5 months

Job Description:

Parsons is lead designer for the Federal Way Link extension. The 7.8-mile-long design-build project extends light rail south from the Angle Lake Station terminus of the Central Link system at South 200th Street in the city of SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit Center at South 317th Street. The extension travels within the cities of SeaTac, Des Moines, Kent, and Federal Way in King County and includes three stations.

Job Role Description:

Rich’s responsibilities include leading the design team and providing direct oversight during the design of all HVAC equipment and ductwork; wet, dry, and clean agent fire suppression systems; building and track stormwater and drainage pumping stations; domestic water, sanitary, and sewage ejectors; building management systems; supervisory control and data acquisition systems; and other ancillary facility systems.

Mechanical Engineer - Guideway Drainage

Parsons | January 2019 - May 2021 | 2 years 4 months

Job Description:

Parsons served as lead designer and quality assurance provider for the design and construction of 5.2 miles of elevated guideway, four stations, and associated elements necessary for a rail transit system. The guideway segment began at eastbound near the Arizona Memorial and ended at the eastbound track station in the median of Kamehameha Highway on the east side of the Middle Street Transit Center Station.

Job Role Description:

Rich led a small team of mechanical engineers as engineer of record to support construction efforts. Analyzed and updated aerial railway and guideway drainage drawings and hydraulic calculations for varying in-field conditions. Responded to field change requests and various requests for information related to in-field construction coordination. Provided direct oversight of mechanical team efforts, mentored the team, and performed quality assurance checks.

MEP Lead Engineer and Engineer of Record - Gilmerton Canal

Parsons | April 2018 - March 2019 | 10 months

Job Description:

Parsons, as a joint venture member, is providing design-build services to increase the capacity of I-64 by reconstructing four existing general-purpose lanes, adding two high-occupancy toll lanes, and adding exterior hard shoulder running. The project features construction of a new 6,300-foot-long, fixed-span bridge over the east branch of the Elizabeth River parallel to the existing I-64 bridge that has a movable span at the navigation channel, followed by reconfiguration of the existing movable bridge. The project also involves replacing the Great Bridge Boulevard Bridge over I-64 and widening six I-64 bridges over local roadways.

Job Role Description:

As part of the overall I-64 widening, Rich designed a custom tide gate facility for the Gilmerton Canal. The design included custom solutions for flood mitigation using a sluice gate system to control estuary flows within a residential zone. The custom design included the development of control systems, electrical design for power and controls, battery backup (uninterruptible power supply) sizing and selection, and a solar array. Analyzed tidal flows and flood elevations based on hydrologic and hydraulic analysis (performed by others) to custom design a hardened tide gate structure, controls, and power system to survive a hurricane or natural disaster. Developed detailed electromechanical calculations to design uninterruptible power supply and solar array systems. Coordinated the design with structural, civil, and drainage design engineers and subcontractors to produce permit and construction documents. Performed direct oversight of mechanical, controls, and electrical team efforts; mentored the engineers and provided cross-training of adjacent engineering disciplines; and performed quality assurance checks. Coordinated design reviews with constructors, the client, the power company, and local jurisdictions.

Engineering Lead - Guideway Drainage

Parsons | July 2017 - June 2021 | 3 years 10 months

Job Description:

Parsons is lead designer and quality assurance provider for design and construction of 5.2 miles of elevated double-track guideway, four elevated stations, and associated elements necessary for a rail transit system. The eastbound guideway segment begins near the USS Arizona Memorial and ends at the eastbound track station in the median of Kamehameha Highway on the east side of the Middle Street Transit Center Station.

Job Role Description:

Rich led a team of mechanical engineers as engineer of record to design drainage systems for all elevated guideway structures. Analyzed varying regional rainfall rates and local jurisdictional code and client requirements and developed drainage systems for all above-grade track segments. Developed hydraulic calculations based on local conditions, track geometry, and varying rainfall rates. Translated design calculations into installation drawings for construction documents. Coordinated drainage system designs with corresponding design leads, including structural, guideway, track, and civil disciplines. Provided direct oversight of mechanical team efforts, mentored the team, and performed quality assurance checks.

Lead Mechanical Engineer

Parsons | January 2016 - March 2017 | 1 year 2 months | Jersey City, New Jersey

Job Description:

Under a task order contract, Parsons provided expert architectural and engineering services for the design of federally funded Superstorm Sandy related repair and resiliency projects.

Job Role Description:

Rich provided mechanical and vertical transportation support for the final design of an escalator replacement and the preliminary design of a hydraulic and traction elevator replacement. Supported the redesign and replacement of associated equipment room ventilation and heating systems and provided design for dewatering pump systems.

Engineering Group Supervisor and Lead Mechanical Engineer

Bechtel Corporation | January 2007 - January 2013 | 6 years | Vienna, Virginia, United States

Job Description:

The project involved designing and building Phase 1 of a 23-mile-long extension of the Metrorail Line. The extension, one of the largest construction projects in the United States, brought rail service to fast-growing areas of northern Virginia and provided a one-seat ride from Dulles International Airport to downtown Washington, DC. One of the key elements of the 11.7-mile first phase included a 6-mile section of elevated track to carry Metrorail trains above the Capital Beltway and over Tysons Corner at heights up to 65 feet. In addition to the elevated track, the project featured a 2,400-foot-long underground tunnel to connect two Metro stations in Tysons Corner.

Job Role Description:

Rich served as engineer of record for the Phase I mechanical systems. Phase I encompassed five metro rail stations; seven entrance pavilions; two tunnel ventilation buildings; two tunnel structures and associated railway wayside facilities; all HVAC equipment and ductwork; fire suppression systems; stormwater, domestic water, and sanitary systems; sewage ejectors; and other ancillary building and facility systems.

As mechanical and electrical engineering group supervisor (05/2012-8/2013), Rich’s responsibilities included providing construction support for the installation, testing, and startup of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing; fire suppression; vertical transportation; and industrial ventilation systems. Coordinated the efforts between construction and engineering teams, subcontractors, and suppliers; created, reviewed, and implemented engineering change documents and provided dispositions for field change requests; and responded to subcontractor requests for information and coordinated the responses across multiple disciplines and design teams. Performed construction site walkdowns and inspections, developed punch lists, and worked with the construction team to ensure installations met design intent, code, customer requirements, and quality standards. Also implemented staffing plans for the end-of-engineering and support-to-construction phases of the project.

As mechanical engineering group supervisor (11/2007-05/2012), Rich’s was responsible for overseeing the development of mechanical design documents, such as drawings, specifications, calculations; implementing client requirement documents, industry standards, and codes (international building, mechanical, plumbing, and fire codes); compiling drawing, specification, and calculation packages for internal, client, and authority having jurisdiction review; and developing responses to review comments and leading comment closeout. Supervised the mechanical work scope, planning, budgeting, and resource loading of discipline engineering activities using standard project management software such as Microsoft Project and Excel; reviewed and approved design team drawings, calculations, and specifications; managed design integration between design disciplines (e.g., structural, architectural, civil, electrical); and oversaw and managed the day-to-day activities of 11 mechanical engineers and designers. Executed all phases of the staffing plan for the mechanical work, including job postings, interviewing, making hiring recommendations, and implementing a de-staffing plan. Managed short-term engineering support during peak design activities and managed the work performed by a design team in New Delhi, India, for a portion of the work scope.

Rich’s subcontract development and administration activities included developing specifications and scopes of work, performing bid reviews, and supporting subcontract selection for the tunnel ventilation design ($500,000); vertical transportation, such as elevators and escalators ($33.3 million); fire suppression ($5 million); and tunnel ventilation equipment ($4.2 million). Served as a member of the procurement team for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing subcontracts for below-grade work ($2.8 million) and above-grade and building work ($46.2 million). Served as the subcontract technical representative and provided technical administration of subcontracts. Managed a low-level project schedule and reported high-level project progress to project schedulers and management. Also performed submittal reviews, including drawings, datasheets, product submittals, samples, and reports. Verified submittals against design documents to ensure full compliance.

Engineering Group Supervisor, Engineering Lead, and Mechanical Design Engineer

Bechtel | January 1997 - January 2007 | 10 years | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Job Description:

The project involved studying Yucca Mountain as a proposed site for the United States’ first national nuclear waste repository, where spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste could be stored permanently. The scope of work included conducting extensive studies, computer modeling, and sophisticated analytic surveys exploring the site’s potential as a repository. In addition to research, the work included assisting the US Department of Energy with preparing a licensing application for the site.

Job Role Description:

Rich served in several roles over a 10-year period on this $17 billion nuclear waste storage facility project.

As engineering group supervisor and engineering lead (08/2004-11/2007), Rich’s responsibilities included supervising the process engineering and software design team in support of facility throughput analysis and process optimization; developing and managing the work scope, planning, budgeting, and resource loading of engineering activities; leading the development of simulation models and database applications; coordinating all design documentation; coordinating and formally presenting the results to management, the client, and other stakeholders; and developing a database and associated VBA scripts for spent nuclear fuel delivery scenarios used to support facility throughput analysis.

As lead mechanical design engineer (02/2001-08/2004), Rich served as lead engineer for the design team in support of remotely operated material-handling equipment for use in a high-radiation environment (gamma/neutron). Responsible for creating engineering design analyses to document and verify the function, design, and concept of operations of remotely operated material-handling equipment; developing system description documents that captured high-level requirements, decomposed functional requirements into performance requirements, and described the system requirements for implementation; leading the development of design drawings in support of conceptual design; implementing process improvements for engineering tasks and activities utilizing Six Sigma; and performing project management tasks to assist other project controls individuals with determining work scope, planning, budgeting, and resource loading engineering activities.

As lead mechanical design engineer (12/1997-02/2001), Rich was responsible for developing 3D CAD models of remotely operated material-handling equipment for concept visualization, analysis, and animation; analyzing design components to confirm structural and mechanical designs using finite element analysis; and performing engineering design and documentation of a specialized gantry crane for the remote handling of hazardous containers within an underground environment. Also coordinated the design and documentation performed by various disciplines to meet the document’s deliverable time frame. Performed engineering analyses of various rail-based, heavy-haul transporters; calculated various tip over and derailment speeds for the heavy-haul transporters; and determined runaway speeds and maximum braking distances for various emergency and non-emergency scenarios.

Machine Designer

Weldun International -- Flexible Assembly Systems Division -- Robert Bosch Cor | June 1996 - November 1997 | 2 year

Rich performed design activities for automated manufacturing and assembly lines for use in automotive and other industrial manufacturing facilities. Responsible for performing machine design of automated test and assembly stations for a palletized conveyer assembly line; managing mechanical debugging of automated machinery and conveyor systems; liaising between engineering and assembly personnel to expedite the production, assembly, and initial startup of the assembly line; coordinating the purchasing department and suppliers to ensure adequate lead times, correct materials, and competitive pricing of purchased and/or manufactured components; and verifying mechanical drawings for correct and accurate representation of assembly and detail prints.