Construction

Quality Assurance in Materials and Construction

Executive Summary

This review is a product of the FHWA 2006, National Review Program (NRP). Quality Assurance (QA) was selected for review in 2006 because the program was ranked as one of the top five areas of interest for review by FHWA. Over the last 10 years an average of 75 percent of the Federal-aid program was affected by the QA program. The goals of this review are: to reduce risk in the quality assurance program; recommend improvements which allow Division Offices to evaluate, approve, and monitor State quality assurance programs with a high degree of confidence; and identify successful practices that will add value to this program at a national level.

This review looked solely at FHWA Division Offices and how they evaluate, approve, and monitor the State's QA program. Seven Division Offices were selected to participate in this review based on geographic diversity, program size, perceived risk, and use of contractor test results. This review focused on the six elements of a QA program: contractor quality control, Agency acceptance, independent assurance, dispute resolution, laboratory accreditation and qualification, and personnel qualification/certification. In addition to these six elements, Division Offices were asked if they considered their program to be effective and why.

From this focused direction and to accomplish the listed goals, the Team developed the following recommendations to assist the FHWA Division Offices in their oversight and stewardship responsibilities for the quality assurance program.

Recommendation #1: The FHWA senior management and Division Office leadership should develop Agency and individual performance objectives to increase accountability for the QA program equal to the level of investment and risk.

Recommendation #2: The FHWA should identify strategies for addressing the limitations in the existing language of 23 CFR 637 such as:

• Being more applicable to all Federal-aid projects, regardless of system, class, or type;
• Addressing construction inspection more formally and clearly;
• Addressing acceptance of manufactured/certified materials; and
• Addressing alternate project delivery methods in the context of QA and the risk to public funds.

Recommendation #3: The FHWA Headquarters and the Resource Center should develop and implement an action plan to be adequately staffed and organizationally aligned to provide a single focal point that will provide timely program and technical advice to Division Offices/States on QA.

As a first step towards implementation of this recommendation, the Team suggests forming a task force with Headquarters, Resource Center, and Division Office representation to study and recommend staffing or organizational changes that may be required to meet the needs of the Division Offices.

Recommendation #4a: The FHWA should develop a QA Manual of Practice to be a single point of reference document that would provide guidance and information to Division Offices.

Recommendation #4b: The FHWA should identify and/or develop a national network of QA talent to serve as a resource to others in the Agency.

Recommendation #4c: The FHWA should establish a QA Peer Review program using the existing Research Program peer reviews as a model.

Recommendation #4d: The FHWA should develop a comprehensive "QA 101" workshop that is built off of existing materials.

Recommendation #4e: The FHWA should implement a QA certificate program to recognize employees who have demonstrated a level of competence in QA and who can serve as Agency resources in the QA area.

Recommendation #5a: The FHWA should develop a question-based evaluation tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the six elements of a QA program and the program as a whole.

Recommendation #5b: The FHWA should develop risk-based evaluation tools to:

• Develop and assess appropriate testing frequencies and associated levels of risk for a variety of materials.
• Compare quality measures in a variety of "what if" scenarios (Percent With-in Limits verses Absolute Average Deviation verses Conformal Index, and so on).
• Assess variability of material tests conducted by contractor versus owner. (See discussion in Successful Practices section of report.)

The Federal Highway Administration has seen many changes over its long and successful history. As the Agency moves forward, FHWA needs to ensure that the strong commitment to stewardship and oversight of quality assurance programs is maintained with intensity similar to that of financial integrity and the Vital Few. Quality Assurance touches all materials and construction activities on a project and directly impacts the service life of a transportation facility. Implementing these recommendations would result in improved performance of transportation construction projects, more effective QA programs for State Department of Transportations (DOTs), improved oversight/stewardship by FHWA, and a more valid risk assessment process at the Division Office level. The recommendations contained in this report provide strategies to FHWA's leadership to address specific deficiencies. Correcting these deficiencies will reduce risk and exposure and provide a valuable service to State DOTs, highway industry, and traveling public.  The Team urges FHWA's leadership to accept the recommendations contained in this report.