BACKGROUND
In the current era of increasingly scarce highway construction funds, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are struggling to provide effective stewardship of assets and to do more with less. One area of increasing concern is how DOTs are ensuring adequate construction inspection on a growing number of projects with shrinking construction inspection staff (whether in-house, outsourced, or both).
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research is to develop a Best Practices Guidebook for DOTs to produce quality transportation infrastructure using efficient and effective construction engineering inspection processes.
RESEARCH PLAN
In developing the research plan and proposed deliverables, proposals should:
- Include a literature search necessary to support the project objectives.
- If planning to use a survey of any kind, describe its characteristics and the value and use of the collected data in detail.
- Include a conceptual outline of the best practices guidebook based on current thinking.
- Consider the effects of alignment with the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Highways on DOT inspection requirements and procedures for federal-aid highway construction projects. Requirements may vary for projects funded solely by the DOTs.
- Address the roles that staffing development, technology (existing and/or emerging), innovation, risk management, and contract administration have on efficient and effective construction and inspection requirements and how you plan to investigate these and the possible use of the information gathered.
- Structure the research plan so that the early phase(s) will consist of the fact-gathering tasks, and submission of an interim report. The following phase(s) should address the manner in which proposers intend to use that information to satisfy the project objectives.
