AASHTO HighwaySubcommittee on Construction

Tommy BeattyDirector, Office of Pavement TechnologyFederal Highway Administration

FHWA ISSUESFHWA ISSUES

2006 Summer MeetingSan Juan, Puerto Rico

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Presentation Overview

• FHWA SAFETEA-LU Issues

• FHWA Stewardship and Oversight

• Other FHWA Initiatives

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FHWA SAFETEA-LU Issues

• Removes monetary threshold- essentially making design-build operational

• Allows states to: (1) release RFP, (2) award contracts, and (3) give notice-to-proceed for preliminary design; prior to NEPA conclusion

• NPRM published May 25, 2006

• Comment period closed July 24, 2006

SAFETEA-LU Section 1503 - Design-Build

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FHWA SAFETEA-LU Issues

Section 5514 - COMPETITION FOR SPECIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF CULVERT PIPES

“ . . . the Secretary shall ensure that States provide for competition with respect to the specification of alternative types of culvert pipes through requirements that are commensurate with competition requirements for other construction materials, as determined by the Secretary.”

• Notice of Proposed Rule Making published April 17, 2006

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FHWA Stewardship and Oversight

• USDOT and Industry Work Groups

• Major Projects

• Program Delivery Improvement Tool

• Quality Assurance Stewardship Reviews

• National Review on Materials Quality Assurance

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USDOT and Industry Work Groups

• Work groups established to identify and implement specific action items aimed at educating industry on:• Fraud Awareness

• Suspension and Debarment

• DBE

• Claims

• Participants: AGC, ARTBA, ACEC, FTA, FHWA, USDOT, OIG and others

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Fraud Awareness, Suspension and Debarment and DBE Industry Work Groups

• Identified points of contact within USDOT to report issues to and to answer questions

• Established better ways to share information• Conference presentations

• Informational packages, brochures, handbooks

• USDOT web sites

• Committed to share information and ideas in the future through outreach initiatives

• Joint DBE Program Assessment Team

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FHWA Major Projects

• Projects receiving Federal assistance with a total cost of $500 million or more

• 37 designated Major Projects in 21 States as of July 2006

• New requirements:• Project Management Plans

• Annual Finance Plans for $100 million projects

• Revised Guidance:• Financial Plans and Annual Updates

• Project Management Plans

• Major Project Cost Estimating

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Program Delivery Improvement Tool (PDIT)

• Core of the Federal-aid Mission

• Ultimately leads to improved performance

• An opportunity for continuous improvement

• A joint endeavor between FHWA and State DOT’s

Why Program Delivery?

Formerly named Program Development Assessment Tool

(PDAT)

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PDIT Development

• FHWA Program Delivery Leadership Group

• Program Delivery Work Group (Team Leaders of Program Area Subgroups)

• 10 Program Area Subgroups:

3-Tier Structure with AASHTO and FHWA Representation -

1) Finance, 2) Planning, 3) Environment, 4) Right-of-Way, 5) Design, 6) Construction 7) Operations, 8) System Preservation, 9) Safety, 10) Civil Rights

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PDIT Goals

• Discussion tool for FHWA and State collaboration • Identifies gaps and areas for improvement• Identifies federal and state successful practices to

share with others• Supports FHWA in managing stewardship

responsibility• Helps with federal and state performance planning

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Quality Assurance Stewardship Reviews

• Reviews started in 2003 as routine stewardship of 23 CFR 637

• Late 2003 we received reports of fraud

• Raised concerns about use of contractor test results

• Scope – DOT implementation strategies, policy and procedures, and office records

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Quality Assurance Stewardship Reviews

• FY 2003• Maine, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma

• FY 2004• California, Georgia, North Carolina, New York

• FY 2005• Maryland, Oregon, Minnesota, and

Connecticut

• FY 2006• Virginia, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wisconsin

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Quality Assurance Stewardship Reviews

Positive Findings

• IA Programs

• Technician and Laboratory Qualifications

• Electronic Materials Management Systems

Opportunities for Improvement

• Strengthen verification procedures

• Control contractor supplied data

• Control of sampling locations

For full report see: www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/materials/stewardreview2006.cfm

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National Review On MaterialsQuality Assurance

• Result of FHWA Risk Assessment Survey

• Sponsored by Office of Professional and Corporate Development and Office of Infrastructure

• Scope – FHWA Division office review, approval and monitoring activities

• Locations – UT, TX, PA, AL, DC, WY, IL

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Other FHWA Initiatives

• Pavement Technology Programs

• Construction Management Expert Task Group (ETG)

• Performance Specifications Technical Working Group (TWG)

• National Highway Specifications Website

• Training Opportunities

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Pavement Smoothness Workshop Program

• FHWA goal to improve pavement condition of the National Highway System

• Program initiated to help States improve pavement condition

• Workshops customized to meet specific needs of the State. Workshop activities include:• Training• Assistance with smoothness specification• Profiler certification program

• Workshops completed NY, IA, NJ, OH, CA

… Pavements built smoother last longer

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Concrete Pavement Technology Program

• National program to improve cost- effectiveness and performance of concrete pavements

• Partnership including State DOTs, Industry, Academia, and FHWA

• Program oversight provided by Executive and Engineering ETGs

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Technology Transfer from the CPTP

• Focus Areas for Implementation of CPTP Products –

• Advanced Designs

• Optimized Materials

• Improved Construction

• Rapid Repair & Rehabilitation

• User Satisfaction

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CPTP Equipment Demonstration & Loan Program

• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

• Air Void Analyzer

• Dowel Bar Alignment using MIT Scan

• FHWA’s Mobile Concrete Lab

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• Fabricated in precast-industry facilities• Stockpiled• Ready for rapid delivery and installation

Technology being used in TX, CA, MO, IA, IN

Precast Prestressed Concrete Pavement

Pavement Panels are…

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Construction Management ETG

• Develop Risk Assessment and Allocation Techniques

• Explore the use of Alternative Payment Methods

• Enhance Qualification Rating Processes

• Alternative Bidding State of the Practice

An outgrowth of the 2004 Construction Management SCAN

Some Major Emphasis Areas -

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Performance Specifications TWG

• Developing Criteria for Performance Specifications

• Developing Performance Specifications Business Case: Why Change, Why Now?

• Performance Specifications Web Page to be developed under the NHSW update

• Establishing ETG’s for specific product groups

Current activities as results of the mid April 2006 meetings

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National Highway Specifications Website

www.specs.fhwa.dot.gov

Enhancements

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National Highway Specifications Website

• Work with the AASHTO SOC to improve current website

• Update specifications as necessary• Expand innovative specifications library• Update ASTM Standards• Update search engine and specification

upload process

Part 1 – Update current web site

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National Highway Specifications Website

• Construction Manuals• Materials Manuals• Standard Plans• Design Manuals• Additional public agency specs and

manuals• Additional documents as deemed

appropriate

Part 2 – Add New Content

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Training Opportunities

• National Highway Institute

• www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov

• Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council (TCCC)

• http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/tccc/

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New Training Courses in 2006

• Managing Construction Workmanship

• Bridge Construction Inspection

• Pavement Preservation: Design and Construction of Quality Preventive Maintenance Treatments

• Quality Assurance Technologist Course

• Inspection of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes

• Partnering for Improved Project Delivery

• Subsurface Investigation

• Alternative Contracting

Tommy BeattyDirector, Office of Pavement TechnologyFederal Highway Administration

Thank YouThank YouQuestions?