BACKGROUND

State departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have been working in partnership for over 60 years under the concept of “3C planning,” in which their transportation planning activities are continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative. Since the 1960s, the scope and requirements of transportation planning have evolved for state DOTs and MPOs through federal aid provided with each successive transportation authorization bill. New and multidisciplinary planning activities have been authorized or required, shifting the paradigm from complying with the legally required minimum of cooperative approaches to collaborative approaches with a broader set of partners.

In 2016, the U.S. DOT published the Regional Models of Cooperation Handbook to promote notable examples of regional cooperation for various topic areas. In the 7 years since its publication, transportation planning has continued to evolve with a growing list of multidimensional outcomes and shared objectives that state DOTs and MPOs strive to achieve, directly or indirectly, through partnerships with other agencies, local governments, and others. As transportation agencies shift toward more community-centered outcomes, opportunities and challenges for collaboration are impacted by many contextual factors. 

These factors may include different-sized state DOTs and MPOs; state legislation; skill, capacity, and resource variances among agencies; and competing priorities. Additionally, emerging technology, freight, e-commerce, public health, housing, and land use drive the need to work with an additional set of partners. Research is needed to provide state DOTs and MPOs with actionable models of collaboration beyond the traditional cooperative approaches with specific recommendations for implementation.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a guide to provide state DOTs and MPOs with (1) implementable collaboration models for existing or emerging issues areas and (2) aspirational models where practices do not yet exist to strengthen state DOTs and MPOs relationships, external partnerships, and capacity to achieve community-centered outcomes.

TASKS

Phase I – Explore

Task 1: Engagement Strategy, Amplified Research Plan, Kickoff Meeting

The research team shall provide a clear, implementable plan and timeline for completion of the initial engagement and research tasks.

1.1) Amplified Research Plan and Kick-Off Meeting - Within fifteen days of contract execution, the research team shall deliver the Amplified Research Plan for panel review and NCHRP approval. The research team shall participate in a project kick-off meeting arranged by NCHRP following the approval of the Amplified Research Plan. 

1.2) Draft Engagement Strategy – The research team shall develop a detailed engagement plan to operationalize the engagement strategy.

1.3) Final Engagement Strategy – The research team shall final the engagement plan following panel feedback and NCHRP approval.  

Deliverables:

•        1.1) Amplified Research Plan and Kick-off Meeting with Summary Notes

•        1.2) Draft Engagement Strategy

•        1.3) Final Engagement Strategy – QPR 1

Task 2: Initial Engagement

The research team shall engage DOTs, MPOs, and other partners to prioritize collaboration needs and sharpen collective understanding of collaboration opportunities and challenges. The research team shall develop an engagement report documenting findings and proposing areas of focus for Task 3.

Deliverable:

•        2) Engagement Report and Areas of Focus for Literature Review – QPR 2

Task 3: Scan of Practice and Literature Review

The research team shall gather, assess, and document effective models of agency and partner collaboration to identify core needs, models, and example practices for further development throughout this research. This task will be guided by the list of collaboration issues developed and approved at the end of Task 2.

Deliverable:

•        3) Literature and Practice Review (to be submitted in the Phase I Interim Report)

Task 4: Phase I Report, Updated Phase II Research Plan, and Virtual Workshop

4.1) A draft Phase I Interim Report containing the Literature and Practice Review and Updated Phase II Research Plan shall be developed and submitted. The research team shall present findings to NCHRP at a virtual interim meeting. NCHRP approval of the interim report and updated Phase II Research Plan is required before work on subsequent tasks may begin.

4.2) The research team shall convene a virtual workshop to begin the co-creation process by receiving gather ideas on the collaboration framework. The workshop shall involve 20-30 practitioners from a range of DOTs, MPOs, and other agencies across the nation, drawing heavily from the agencies interviews or identified in best practices scan. The workshop shall be designed to last two to three hours. A summary report shall be included in QPR 3.

4.3) The research team shall finalize the Phase I Interim Report and Updated Phase II Research Plan. This shall be included in QPR 3.

Deliverable:

•        4.1) Draft Phase I Interim Report and Updated Phase II Research Plan

•        4.2) Virtual Co-Creation Workshop – QPR 3

•        4.3) Final Phase I Interim Report and Updated Phase II Research Plan – QPR 3

Phase II – Co-create

Task 5: Guide Design Workshop

The research team shall design a guide for collaboration, primarily through co-creation with practitioners and subject matter experts. The research team shall plan and execute a workshop. The workshop shall address critical questions that will be addressed through the guide

Deliverable:

•        5.1) Draft and revised guide outline (with progressive levels of detail) and example content – QPR 4

•        5.2) Guide design workshop summary and revised guide outline – QPR 5

Task 6: Initial Guide Development and Transition to Phase III

The research team shall design initial concepts and elements of the guide and develop a plan for the final products. The research team shall develop concepts and elements of the guide based on the workshop recommendations and panel feedback from Task 5. The initial guide concepts and elements shall be included in the draft Phase II Interim Report. The research team shall present the findings in the Phase II Interim Report and Updated Phase III Research Plan at an in-person interim meeting. The research team shall not proceed to Phase III without NCHRP approval.

Deliverables:

•        6.1) Draft Phase II Interim Report including Draft Guide Materials, and Phase III Research Plan

•        6.2) Final Phase II Interim Report including Draft Guide Materials, and Phase III Research Plan – QPR 6

Phase III - Deliver

Task 7 and 8: Draft Guide and Conduct of Research Report, Presentation, and Implementation Plan

7) The research team shall develop the draft final guide incorporating panel feedback from the virtual interim meeting.

8) The research team shall develop the draft conduct of research report, presentation, and implementation plan. 

            Deliverables:

•        7) Draft Guide as a WebResource

•        8) Draft Conduct of Research Report in Microsoft Word, Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint and Implementation Plan.

Task 9: Final Deliverables

The research team shall prepare final deliverables following panel review. The research team shall address all comments and respond accordingly.

Deliverables:

·       9) Final Guide as a WebResource, Conduct of Research Report in Microsoft Word, Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint and Implementation Plan, and Draft TR News Highlight.