LPA Stewardship Award

Ohio Department of Transporation

This Award recognizes the Ohio Department of Transportation's Office of Real estate (ODOT) innovative approach to providing guidance, assistance, and stewardship to Local Public Agencies (LPA).

Previously, ODOT acquired all of the right of way for its own projects as well as its LPA's projects. This process served both the ODOT and LPAs well. Over the past five years, the ODOT downsized considerably, resulting in contracting out 50 percent of their acquisition work and requiring the LPAs to provide their own project acquisition services. Because few of the LPAs were staffed to handle this work, both ODOT and the LPAs experienced high frustration as well as contract letting and job delays.

The ODOT developed an innovative plan and created four regional right of way acquisition service contracts containing a proscribed fee schedule for all tasks associated with right of way acquisition. ODOT reviewed, graded, negotiated and awarded the contracts to four different firms solely for use of the LPAs in their respective regions. Currently only county engineers use these contracts, but LPAs have been invited to copy any or all of the contract information for their use.

The benefits of this contract process are many, including the following:

• The contracts ensure consistency in services provided and ensure that the correct level of service is contracted.

• The contracts include a standard fee to ensure that the LPAs are being charged a uniform market rate for services.

• The contracts promote efficiency by providing a ready to use document for procuring right of way contractor services and require only one ODOT employee to manage the invoicing.

• The contracts ensure that the LPAs are getting the services of ODOT qualified right of way consultants, which translates into a higher degree of conformance with state and federal laws and regulations.

• Communication and understanding of the right of way program has increased as a result of this new process.

• ODOT has made numerous presentations to the County Engineers Association of Ohio and used these presentations to encourage streamlining, innovation and quality control.

Through this creative approach to LPA stewardship, the ODOT has provided a valuable tool to Ohio LPAs and created a process that ensures that federal and state laws and regulations are followed when property is acquired by LPAs.

Contributors:

Linda Bailiff | Carla Cefarratti | Randall Howard | John Olivieri | Tina Potts | James J. Viau