Alternate Design/Alternate Bid Process for Pavement-Type Selection (2017)

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76 APPENDIX B Research Needs Statement The following is a draft research needs statement for the future research recommended in the synthesis. Problem Number To be assigned by NCHRP staff. Problem Title Develop Specifications for Equivalent Designs and Mixture Tolerances for Alternate Design/Alternate Bid Pavement Projects. Research Problem Statement Alternative design/alternative bids (ADAB) is a contracting technique where the pavement-type selection decision is made as part of the procurement process. This synthesis studied ADAB contracts for pavement reconstruction or pavement replacement. Accord- ing to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) (2012) Technical Advisory T 5040.39, alternate bidding for pavement type can be accomplished by developing two or more equivalent pavement designs and allowing competing construction contractors to determine which pavement design is the most economical to bid based on market conditions at the time of the letting. The FHWA Technical Advisory suggests that ADAB is “a suitable approach for determining pavement type when engineering and economic analysis does not indicate a clear choice between different pavement designs.” As currently implemented, ADAB procedures often incorporate a life-cycle cost (LCC)-based bid adjustment factor that attempts to portray the value added by building a longer-lasting, lower-maintenance pavement structure. By delaying the pavement-type selection decision until the day of the project’s letting, the risk of material price volatility is mitigated by allowing the head-to-head competition of both hot mix asphalt (HMA) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) at their real-time market prices at bid opening (Ahlvers 2010). NCHRP Synthesis 47-02: Alternate Design/Alternate Bids for Pavement-Type Selection found that there are a number of differ- ent concepts for developing equivalent designs, and there appears to be little uniformity between state DOTs that use ADAB with regard to specifications for materials, mixtures, and design lives. Synthesis 47-02 documented increasing interest in implementing ADAB because of its ability to increase competition and potentially reduce pavements costs by allowing both asphalt and concrete paving contractors to compete for the same project. Hence, there is a need to provide additional guidance in terms of specifications and procedures for equivalent design development. Additionally, a study by De Jarnette et al. (2013) underlined the need to investigate the use of pay factors based on performance testing as a means for agencies to establish relationships between material properties, performance, and cost on ADAB projects. Since the two research needs are closely related, they can be combined into a single project with the final result being a set of guide- lines for equivalent pavement design development and performance. The resultant project would answer the following questions, among others: • Can the MEPDG be used as the foundation for developing equivalent pavement designs? • What MEPDG factors are required to be calibrated for local equivalent designs? • What design life is optimum when providing technically equivalent alternate designs? • How does the DOT verify that contractor-furnished designs are indeed equivalent to the ones developed by the DOT? • How are specifications for equivalent designs converted into material quality performance criteria? • How can contractor-developed mixture designs be verified by the DOT? • Can pay factors be used to influence the service life difference between as-designed and as-built ADAB pavements? Research Objective The main research objective is to improve the quality and consistency of flexible and rigid pavements procured using ADAB con- tracting methods. It seeks to accrue the benefits of allowing the market pricing on the day of letting make the pavement-type selec- tion decision. It will also explore the use of the predictive equation for pavement performance to create pay factor adjustments to reduce the need for testing. Specific tasks of the research to accomplish the main objective include: Task 1—Benchmark the state-of-the-practice in specifications, mix design methods, and pay factors to develop equivalent designs for ADAB use in construction procurement.

77 Task 2—Select a sample set of case study projects from agencies with ADAB experience that can be studied in depth to identify both best practices and lessons learned. Prepare a research work plan that describes the details of the research methodology and methods for identifying best practices and developing conclusions. Task 3—Execute the research work plan and prepare an interim research report that articulates the data collection and analysis as well as emerging conclusions, effective practices, lessons learned, and a proposed outline for the guidebook; case study report; draft language; specifications; etc. Task 4—Prepare the draft guidebook for implementing equivalent pavement designs on construction projects delivering with DBB, CMGC, DB, and in ATCs. Incorporate review comments as required and validate the guidebook’s efficacy with a case study DOT. Task 5—Publish the final guidebook and a final research report that details the full results of the research. Estimate of Problem Funding and Research Period Recommended Funding: Recommended funding for the project is $350,000. Research Period: It is estimated that 30 months will be required to perform the research. The anticipated budget and schedule are based on assumptions for required resources to support on-site collection of case study project data, the assembly of the contents of the guidebook, and validation of the guidebook in the field. Urgency, Payoff Potential, and Implementation The intent of this project is to furnish a uniform set of guidelines for the development of equivalent pavement designs for ADAB projects construction at a time when FHWA is encouraging states to implement this innovative practice. Related Research NCHRP Synthesis 47-02: Alternate Design/Alternate Bids for Pavement-Type Selection. De Jarnette, V., L.M. McCarthy, T. Bennert, and M.C. Guercio, “Use of Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Principles to Assign Asphalt Pavement Pay Factor Adjustments,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Vol. 139, No. 11, 2013. Person(s) Developing the Problem Problem Monitor The AFH60 TRB Committee is submitting this problem statement through the sponsorship of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications: A4A Airlines for America AAAE American Association of Airport Executives AASHO American Association of State Highway Officials AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ACI–NA Airports Council International–North America ACRP Airport Cooperative Research Program ADA Americans with Disabilities Act APTA American Public Transportation Association ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials ATA American Trucking Associations CTAA Community Transportation Association of America CTBSSP Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program DHS Department of Homeland Security DOE Department of Energy EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration FAST Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (2015) FHWA Federal Highway Administration FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FRA Federal Railroad Administration FTA Federal Transit Administration HMCRP Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASAO National Association of State Aviation Officials NCFRP National Cooperative Freight Research Program NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NTSB National Transportation Safety Board PHMSA Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration RITA Research and Innovative Technology Administration SAE Society of Automotive Engineers SAFETEA-LU Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005) TCRP Transit Cooperative Research Program TDC Transit Development Corporation TEA-21 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998) TRB Transportation Research Board TSA Transportation Security Administration U.S.DOT United States Department of Transportation

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