CMSC Initiatives Update

WTBA & WisDOTContractor Engineer Conference

January 21, 2010

Evaluation of WisDOT’s Transparency Effort

Gary Whited

Jera Jo Pashouwer

Professor Awad Hanna

Overview

Background

Pilot program goals and projects

Project demographics

Study methodology

Results so far

Transparency Effort Goals

WisDOT managed construction projects and Consultant managed projects are viewed as being the same

Faster and more timely decision making

Consultant project managers have ready access to the design consultant

Pilot Project Selection

Multiple state and Local Program projects in each Region

Mix of bridge and roadway projects

Mix of complex, large, medium and small projects

Variety of contracting methods for retaining design firm

Project Demographics

NC NE NW SE SW0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Number of Transparency Construction Projects by Region

LocalState

Region

Nu

mb

er o

f T

ran

spar

ency

Co

ntr

acts

Project Demographics

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Construction Award Amount for Transparency Effort Projects

Aw

ard

Am

ou

nt

(in

mil

lio

ns

of

$)

Project Demographics

$0

$2,000

$4,000

$6,000

$8,000

$10,000

$12,000

$14,000

$16,000

Transparency Effort Design Contract Cap Amounts

Project Demographics

Transparency design contracts range from 0.03 – 0.45% of construction contract award amount

Overall approximately 0.1% of construction contract award amount

About $124,000 total transparency design contract amount

Goals for our Research Project

Determine the effectiveness and benefits experienced by the effort

Suggest improvements that could make the program better

Determine the most effective way to contract for the design involvement

Make recommendations regarding continued use

Study Methodology

•Construct Database

•Conduct Interviews

•Compile Data

•Develop Recommendations

Phone Interviews

Design Team

Contractors

Design Consultants

Consultant Project Leaders

WisDOT Project Managers

Contractor Responses

Most were unaware their project was a pilot

Most did not submit RFI’s to the Project Leader

Almost all felt they received timely responses and there were no project impacts

Most felt their project was straight forward with few issues

Most felt the transparency effort had value and should continue

Design Consultant Responses Most designers have used less than half

of the Transparency contract cap

Most said they would handle the questions anyway

About half admit they were more motivated to answer quickly because of the contract

All surveyed believe the effort would prove beneficial for future projects

Observations So Far

Transparency Effort seems to have been well received

Some criticism of how the design contract was implemented

Recommendations to follow further research

Next Steps

Continue interviews

Compile and analyze data

Review similar techniques/trends used in industry

Summarize and make recommendations

Questions?