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48 APPENDIX A Survey Questionnaire NCHRP TOPIC 39-13 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE PAVEMENT MARKING WARRANTY SPECIFICATIONS FEBRUARY 2008 Warranty contracts for pavement markings have been used by several states, but there is little information on comparative experi- ence or on best practices to help other states with implementing this contracting procedure. This questionnaire is part of the effort in NCHRP Synthesis Topic 39-13 to gather information on agency as well as private sector perspectives on warranty specifications for pavement markings. We are interested in the experience and opinions of agencies regardless of whether they have used pavement marking warranties. The questionnaire has only 10 questions, and you will be asked to complete only a subset of these based upon your agencyâs experience with and perception of pavement marking warranties. A survey pre-test has shown that the questionnaire can be completed in 45 minutes or less. Navigate the survey form by using the Tab or arrow keys or positioning the cursor with your mouse. Text fields allow great flex- ibility in responses. Use Comment fields freely to explain responses as you see fit. On multiple-choice questions, enter an âXâ in a check box by clicking on it to indicate your selection. (Click on the box once again to clear.) You may select more than one item for most multiple-choice questions. Question 7 is looking for a single choiceâuse the drop-down list to make your selection. The following definitions are used in this questionnaire: ⢠Warranty: a guarantee of the integrity of a product and its performance and the makerâs (i.e., contractorâs or manufacturerâs) responsibility to repair or replace defective items. âWarrantyâ will refer in this survey to a warranty for pavement markings gen- erally, regardless of type or material, including raised or recessed markers. ⢠Total or comprehensive maintenance contracting involves a performance-based maintenance contract that gives a contrac- tor responsibility for many or all maintenance activities within the right-of-way (also known as âfence line to fence line main- tenance responsibilityâ or âtotal asset managementâ contracts). Please return the completed questionnaire via email by Friday, March 14, 2008 to: Michael J. Markow, P.E. Email: mjmarkow@comcast.net Phone (508) 540-5966 If you would prefer filling out a paper copy, please mail the completed form to: Michael J. Markow 43 Rivers End Road Teaticket, MA 02536-5858 If you could kindly send me an e-mail mentioning that you have mailed the form that would be greatly appreciated. Your Agency Information Please provide the following information for your agency. Your agency will be identified in the report as a survey respondent when the completed questionnaire is returned. NCHRP will e-mail you a link to the online report when it is posted. Agency: Address: City: State: ZIP: Person Submitting Questionnaire Responses: Position/Title: In case of questions and for NCHRP to send you a link to the final report, please provide: Tel. No. : E-mail:
49 2. What duration of warranty does your agency use for pavement markings? (If you check more than one item, please provide a comment indicating where the different durations are used.) Less than 1 year 1 year Up to 2 years Up to 5 years Up to 10 years More than 10 years Comments (optional): 3. What types of performance criteria govern your warranty? Select all that apply. For each item checked, please indicate critical threshold values (or ranges of values) and units in the right-hand column. If these thresholds are used for warranties of partic- ular types of marking materials (e.g., âPaints,â âThermoplastics,â âMarkersâ (raised or recessed), âPreformed tapes,â âMulti- componentâ materials, or âOtherâ), please add that to your response. If your agency uses or has used warranties for pavement markings, please describe this use in Questions 1â7. If your agency has not used pavement marking warranties and has no interest in using them, please go directly to Question 9. If your agency has not used pavement marking warranties but is willing to consider them, please go directly to Question 10. 1. What type of warranty does your agency use for pavement markings, and what effect has it had on your initial and life-cycle cost of pavement markings? (If you check more than one type of warranty, please provide a comment indicating where the different warranties are used.) Effect on Pavement Marking Costs Type of warranty and Other Comments WORKMANSHIP WARRANTY: Contractor corrects defects arising Effect on initial cost: from poor workmanship. Effect on life-cycle cost: Other comments (optional): MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP WARRANTY: Contractor Effect on initial cost: corrects defects arising either from defective materials or poor workmanship. The owner is responsible for defects due to an Effect on life-cycle cost: inadequate design or materials specification. Other comments (optional): PERFORMANCE WARRANTY: Contractor selects materials, Effect on initial cost: installs pavement markings, and is responsible for any defects arising during the warranty period. Effect on life-cycle cost: Other comments (optional):
50 4. If the contractor or manufacturer fails to meet the above acceptability criteria within the warranty period, what is the corrective action required of the pavement marking contractor or manufacturer? (Check all that apply.) Remove/repair/replace material Pay lane rental charge during work performance Pay penalty charge for delay in beginning work Pay penalty charge for delay in completing work Refund a pro-rated amount of installation price as bid Refund total amount of installation price as bid Other Comments (optional): Performance Criterion Threshold Value or Range of Values for Each Criterion Example Your numerical value(s) and units Initial installation requirements Initial RA, thickness, width, etc. Durability or Presence or Missing Segments 90% remains within 1000-ft section Retroreflectivity (coefficient of, RA) 150 mcd/m2/lux for 5 years after installation Retroreflectivity, white 150 mcd/m2/lux after 2 winters Retroreflectivity, yellow 120 mcd/m2/lux after 1 winter Color reflectance, Rd ⥠75 Red-green reflectance, a [â5] to [+5] Yellow-blue reflectance, b [â10] to [+10] Color Color doesnât match federal standard color chips Color contrast and stability For white markings: yellow index >30 by colorimeter Discoloration or pigment loss Judged unacceptable vs. color plates by inspection team Otherâplease describe:
51 5. Please describe how your agency administers its pavement marking warranties. A. How frequently are payments made for warrantied work that is performed during the warranty period? B. How often are performance inspections done for your agency? C. Who does the inspections? Agency personnel only Agency with contractor participation Contractor Third party (please describe) Other approach (please describe) D. Prior to issuing warranty specifications, did your agency work with the contracting industry to explain requirements and expectations? YES NO If Yes, please describe the agenda (key discussion items) briefly. E. Does winter maintenance affect the warranty? YES NO If your answer was YES, how do your warranty provisions reflect winter maintenance? F. How are disagreements with contractors resolved? G. Does your agency require project bonding [YES ] or do you use another assurance mechanism (e.g., a guarantee program tied into the prequalification process, as in Florida) [YES ]? If the latter, please describe this assurance mechanism: H. If bonding is required, when does your agency require the bond to be issued? At contract signing for the road project Following project completion I. How is the value of the bond computed? J. Is the face value of the bond reduced over time? YES NO If it is reduced, by what method (e.g., linear, stepwise, other)? 6. Would you be willing to provide a copy of your pavement marking warranty specifications as an example? YES NO If it is possible to attach it to an e-mail, please do so when you return this questionnaire. Otherwise, please mail it to me at the address given at the front of the questionnaire. Thank you. 7. What is the overall degree of satisfaction with pavement marking warranties? Please select one of the following responses, which are listed in order of decreasing satisfaction that best describes your warranty experience. SELECT FROM THIS DROP-DOWN LIST: (Select One Item From List) Comments (optional): If your experience has been satisfactory (you selected one of the first two responses above), please go to Question 8. If your experience has been unsatisfactory (you selected one of the last two responses above), please go to Question 9. If you have had mixed results (you selected the middle response above), please answer both Questions 8 and 9.
52 8. What is/are the primary motivation(s) for your use of warranties? Legislative/statutory requirement Perceived risk-sharing or risk-transfer benefit Perceived maintenance cost-saving benefit Perceived life-cycle cost-saving benefit Perceived performance-improvement benefit Potential for greater contractor innovation Protection against premature failures Agencyâs policies including bidding, outsourcing, or procurement guidelines encourage warranty use Agency staff reductions encourage use of contracting Reduced need for field inspections Warranties are logical components of agencyâs âtotal or comprehensive contractingâ initiative Reduced administrative burdens; for example, need for record-keeping Positive experience of other agencies Other Your agency is generally satisfied with its use of pavement marking warranties. If you have been asked to complete Question 9, please do so now. Otherwise the survey is complete. Thank you for your participation! Your agency either has no interest in pavement marking warranties or has used them but is dissatisfied with the experience. The survey is complete. Thank you for your participation! 9. What are the reasons your agency has no interest in warranties or is dissatisfied with them? Prohibited or discouraged by state law Prohibited or discouraged by agency administrative policy or bidding and procurement guidelines Potentially higher bid prices Local construction contractor resistance (for reasons other than bondingârefer to next item for bonding issues) Bonding company resistance, inability of contractors to obtain long-term bonding Perceived negative impact on competition (i.e., reduced number of bidders, particularly among small contractors) Negative experience of other agencies Possible increase in disputes with contractors and litigation Too burdensome administratively Other
53 10. What information would be useful to your agency in considering pavement marking warranties? (Check all that apply.) All of the following categories of information would be useful Agency experience with materials & workmanship vs. performance warranties Duration of warranty Types of performance measures used Values of performance thresholds used Methods to enforce acceptable performance Specific additional costs of warranties Specific cost savings (benefits) of warranties Guidelines in reviewing and modifying procurement regulations and policies to allow warranty specifications Prior meetings with pavement marking contractors to familiarize them with warranty specifications and proposed administration Other aspects of pavement marking warranty administration and use: Other desired information: No additional information is needed by this agency Your agency has not used pavement marking warranties but is willing to consider them. The survey is complete. Thank you for your participation!