BACKGROUND 

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are facing challenges in recruiting and retaining (R&R) construction inspectors (CIs) in a competitive job market. Federal, state, and private funding is available for building and maintaining transportation infrastructure, but state DOTs are seeing shortages in the workforce supporting these activities. State DOTs have historically promoted innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving to achieve their goals. Further collaboration is needed to address workforce issues like the shortage of CIs. 

State DOTs can help by offering solutions for workforce shortages by addressing barriers to qualification and R&R of CIs and expanding access to funds promoting job training and other initiatives to build the rising workforce. Research is needed to help state DOTs explore innovative ways to collaborate with educational institutions, industry, and employment agencies for funding and create a framework to promote implementation of qualification and R&R practices. 

OBJECTIVE 

The objective of this research is to develop a guide for state DOTs to foster R&R of transportation CIs. This guide should include an implementation framework customizable to each state DOT. 

RESEARCH TASKS 

PHASE I 

Task 1. Conduct literature review and develop stakeholder outreach plan. 

Task 1a. Conduct a literature review. The literature review should focus on current state DOT and industry practices for licensure/registration, qualification, and preferred skills of CIs. Identify barriers to licensure/registration, qualification, and R&R of CIs. The review should consider applicable international resources and non-transportation construction industries. It should also identify other tools, partnerships, and funding being used for R&R of CIs and programs targeting CIs within educational institutions and employment agencies. 

Task 1b. Develop a stakeholder outreach plan. Stakeholder outreach should focus on the effectiveness of state DOTs’ current CI R&R efforts and identify qualification programs for CIs and their effectiveness in R&R. Stakeholder outreach should, as appropriate, identify industry, educational institution, employment agency, and military efforts to promote recruitment for CI positions. Submit a technical memorandum containing the literature review and draft stakeholder outreach plan. NCHRP approval is required before work on subsequent tasks begins.  

Task 2. Conduct first-round stakeholder outreach. Also identify stakeholders interested in participating in a workshop or focus groups in Phase II.    

Task 3. Prepare an annotated outline for the guide and research plan for Phase II. Based on findings from Tasks 1 and 2, prepare an annotated outline of the guide and a research plan for developing it. At minimum, the guide should:

• Identify practices that foster R&R of CIs
• Explain how the effectiveness of R&R practices for CIs can be measured
• Provide case studies on effective R&R practices for CIs
• Identify the elements of a professional track for qualified CIs (e.g., minimal and ideal education, skills, and training) and compare this track to other career tracks, such as military, that are transferable to CIs
• Considerations for developing a program for CI licensure/registration
• Suggest programs or practices for state DOTs’ internal and external outreach to include innovative ways to collaborate with educational institutions, industry, and employment agencies to implement R&R practices
• Identify ways to address current barriers to qualification and R&R of CIs
• Include a framework that can be customized by an agency to facilitate implementation of R&R practices 

Task 4. Prepare Interim Report No. 1 that documents Tasks 1 through 3 and includes potential participation from stakeholders in Phase II. The report shall provide an updated and refined work plan for the remainder of the research in Phase II. 

PHASE II

Task 5. Develop a draft guide according to the approved Interim Report No. 1. The draft guide should be submitted at least 9 months before the subaward end date. NCHRP approval of the draft guide is required before work on subsequent tasks may begin. 

Task 6. Conduct second-round stakeholder outreach. After NCHRP approval of the draft guide, conduct a workshop or focus groups to obtain feedback from stakeholders and revise the draft guide and outreach materials. The outreach should include a demonstration of the implementation framework developed in the draft guide.  

Task 7. Prepare the final deliverables. Deliverables shall include (1) a conduct of research report summarizing the research effort, (2) the guide, (3) an implementation plan for state DOTs, and (4) the outreach materials with a slide summary introducing the guide. 

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