PROGRAM AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
AND THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
FOR COMPLIANCE WITH
THE NATIONAL BRIDGE INSPECTION STANDARDS

This Program Agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to help ensure safety of bridges on public roads under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Government. This Program Agreement documents the processes and responsibilities of each agency to meet the requirements included in Title 23, United States Code, Section 151 (23 U.S.C. 151) for the National Bridge Inspection Standards (hereinafter referred to as NBIS).

1. The Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation is responsible for meeting the staffing, inspection, and reporting requirements prescribed in:

Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 650, Subpart C, Sections 650.301 through 650.311 (23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C, 650.301-650.311);

FHWA Technical Advisory T 5140.21, Revisions to the NBIS;

FHWA Technical Advisory T 5140.23, Evaluating Scour at Bridges;

The Manual for Condition Evaluation of Bridges, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 1994, (AASHTO Manual); and

The "Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges" (Coding Guide) FHWA, December 1995.

In addition, the Bureau of Reclamation shall:

• Identify all bridges subject to the NBIS on Bureau of Reclamation roads open to public travel as defined in 23 CFR Part 460, Section 460.2(c);



• Process all data through the Edit/Update Program prior to transmittal to the FHWA;



• Correct all errors identified in the error list for the next annual NBIS submission;



• Document the NBIS processes and the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures used to monitor the bridge inventory and inspection processes; and



• Submit annually FHWA Coding Guide data to FHWA's Federal Lands Highway (FLH) in accordance with the January 4, 1995, memorandum from the Chief, Bridge Division (Attachment 1).



The Bureau of Reclamation may procure engineering services to assist in performing inspections, completing NBIS Coding Data, performing edit checks, submitting coding data, and documenting QA/QC procedures related to the NBIS.

The Bureau of Reclamation shall annually submit to FHWA a list of all Bureau of Reclamation bridges on public roads. (See Attachment 2 for a suggested reporting format.)

The Bureau of Reclamation shall annually submit to FHWA an estimate of all costs, including administrative, related to the inspection of all Bureau of Reclamation bridges on public roads.

2. The FHWA

The FHWA shall ensure all Federal bridge-owning agencies meet the staffing, inspection, and reporting requirements prescribed in:

23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C, 650.301-650.311;

FHWA Technical Advisory T 5140.21;

FHWA Technical Advisory T 5140.23;

The AASHTO Manual; and

The Coding Guide.

The FHWA shall provide NBIS and public road bridge data to the States through organizational channels as prescribed in the January 4, 1995, memorandum from the FHWA's Chief, Bridge Division.

The FHWA shall assist the Bureau of Reclamation, when requested, with establishment and documentation of their NBIS inspection and inventory processes, including establishment or review of QA/QC procedures.

The FLH shall ensure compliance with the NBIS and shall provide other assistance as agreed between the Bureau of Reclamation and FLH as authorized under 23 U.S.C. 308(a).

The FLH shall determine and allocate funding to the Bureau of Reclamation to cover the pro rata share of the annual estimate of costs for the inspection of Bureau of Reclamation bridges on public roads.

This Program Agreement will become effective on the date of the last signature. Either party to this Program Agreement may terminate participation upon written notice to the other party one hundred and twenty (120) days in advance of the effective date of termination. This Program Agreement may be revised or amended at any time by mutual consent of both parties.