FHWA Policy Memorandums - Office of Engineering

This memo was canceled May 22, 2007

INFORMATION: Reporting Requirements and Metrication; Bid Tabulations, Forms FHWA-45 and FHWA-47

03/04/94
Acting Chief, Federal-Aid and Design Division OPI: HNG-13
Regional Administrators
Division Administrators
 

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on the reporting requirements for information gathered for Federal-aid highway construction projects. The information used in preparing the semi-annual bid opening report, the quarterly price trends report, and the annual materials usage bulletins is gathered by three information systems: (1) submission of bid tabulations, (2) Form FHWA-45, and (3) Form FHWA-47.

The reporting requirements have been changed since the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. We also anticipate changes as a result of the conversion to metric units and have outlined procedures for the transition period. Also included is a report on the current status of the automation of these information systems.

Reporting Requirements

FHWA-45 - Bid Price Data

Data is required for each Federal-aid highway construction contract of $500,000 or more for projects on the National Highway System (NHS). Data should be sent to HNG-13 within 2 weeks of the award of contract.

FHWA-47 - Materials and Labor Usage Data

Data is required for each completed Federal-aid highway construction contract costing $1,000,000 or more for projects on the NHS and should be sent to HNG-13 as soon as it is available, but not later than 6 months after completion of the project.

Bid Tabulations

Bid tabs are required for all Federal-aid highway construction contracts for projects on the NHS, regardless of the contract amount, and should be sent to HNG-13 within 2 weeks of the award of contract.

For all three system, data should be supplied for Federal-aid construction projects on the NHS for all Federal-aid funding categories, including Interstate, NHS, Bridge, Safety, etc. Surface Transportation Program (STP) funded projects should also be reported if the project is located on the NHS.

Copies of the FHWA-45 and FHWA-47 forms are attached for your information. Also attached is a sample transmittal memorandum which some States have found useful for submitting bid tab information to Headquarters in lieu of sending a copy of the entire bid tabulation.

Metrication

We anticipate complete conversion to use of metric units in reporting under the three data systems in conjunction with the September 30, 1996, mandatory conversion date for all plans, specifications and estimates to metric units. We plan to issue revised FHWA-45 and FHWA-47 forms within the next year.

The data for all three systems may continue to be submitted in either English units or Metric units for projects being developed in metric units. Until new metric FHWA-45 and FHWA-47 forms are printed, metric units may be used on the existing forms with pen-and-ink changes clearly indicating what metric units are being used.

Conversion factors which may be used during the transition period are provided in the attached Metric Conversion Table.

Automation of the Three Data Systems

FHWA-45

We have updated the earlier personal computer ()C) version of the bid price database system with a program which improves data entry and electronic data transfer to Headquarters. This updated program will facilitate submittal of the required information electronically or by regular mail. Some of the new features of the updated program include:

We plan to ask ten divisions to field test this updated program starting in mid-April and continuing until mid-June. The divisions that currently submit their data via E-mail or diskette will automatically be forwarded a test package by early March. Other divisions are welcome to participate in the test program if they wish. Following satisfactory completion of the field test, the system will be made available to all divisions.

Presently, the FHWA-45 system for the PC will only accept English units. A decision will be made later as to the exact date of shift ofthe PC system to accept metric units.

FHWA-47

We have recently begun developing PC software to automate the FHWA-47 and will be testing that program later this year.

Bid Tabulations

At present, we are developing software to permit us to better manipulate the data that is extracted in Headquarters from the individual bid tabulations submitted by the field offices. As a long-range activity, we are exploring the feasibility of electronically extracting the needed data directly from State data files without requiring submission of bid tabulations to Headquarters.

Contact Person

Ms. Claretta Duren of the Interstate and Program Support Branch (HNG-13) is the contact person in Headquarters for these data systems. Please call her if you have questions about these data systems, the reports, or if you want to participate in the field test of the updated FHWA-45 program. She can be reached at 202-366-4636.

Original signed by:
Jerry L. Poston for
Seppo I. Sillan

4 attachments


FHWA Home | Directives | Policy Memos | Feedback
FHWA
United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration