BACKGROUND

Value engineering (VE) is a systematic method aimed at optimizing the design, construction, and operation of airport facilities to ensure they deliver the best possible functionality with consideration for life cycle cost and revenue enhancement strategies. In addition, various principles and methods of VE can be applied across the project and program life cycle as applied to airports. 

Airport practitioners have challenges when implementing VE principles and methods, such as lack of awareness and education, size and complexity of projects and programs, and diverse stakeholder requirements. Research is needed to provide airports a basic understanding of VE principles and methods, guidelines for applying them in an airport setting, and examples of current applications of VE. 

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop two primers and a guide for applying VE principles and evaluating VE implementation across airport project development from concept to decommissioning.  

The primers should introduce VE concepts, frameworks, and benefits throughout the project and program life cycle as applied to airports and be tailored to (1) airport executives and (2) practitioners.

The guide should cover the following topics at a minimum: 

• Application and implementation of VE at different delivery stages
  • Concept and budgeting
  • Design
  • Construction
  • Operations and maintenance
• Applying VE to various delivery methods
• Language for procurement and contracting
• Incorporating cost and risk management in the VE process
• Guidelines for incorporating revenue enhancements to the VE process
• Tools for decision-making (e.g., flowchart, scorecard, decision tree)
• Representative case studies for application of airport VE in areas and systems such as airside, terminal, landside, support facilities, etc. 
• References to key industry resources (e.g., SAVE International, ASTM, ISO 55000, OMB A131, other NCHRP studies)
   

RESEARCH PLAN

ACRP is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objective. Proposers are asked to provide a detailed research plan for accomplishing the project objective. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and contract time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objective. The work proposed must be divided into tasks and proposers must describe the work proposed in detail.

The research plan shall include at a minimum the following interim deliverables for ACRP review and approval:

• Literature review
• Draft guide table of contents
• Case study plan with list of relevant candidate projects and rationale
• Primer outlines
• Interim report, including research results and analysis to date, annotated outline of the guide, next steps, and identification of follow-on research ideas to be developed into ACRP problem statements

Note: For each research idea approved by the project panel, the research team will use ACRP’s problem statement process (https://trb.org/ACRP/problemstatements.aspx) to develop and submit a problem statement on behalf of the project panel. The development and submission of problem statements should occur as soon as practical, taking into account ACRP’s problem statement annual submission deadline in early April.

The research plan shall also include at a minimum the following checkpoints with the ACRP panel:

• Kickoff teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the Notice to Proceed
• Web meeting[s] to discuss and approve:
  • Literature review
  • Draft guide table of contents
  • Case study plan
  • Primer outlines
• In-person interim report meeting

The final deliverables shall include: 

• Primers
• Guide
• Contractor’s Final Report documenting all research steps, results, and analysis
• Summary of Key Findings
• Further Recommended Research Memo
• Technical memo titled, “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”
  
   

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.