 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration |
MEMORANDUM |
| Subject: | INFORMATION: National Review Program Report: "Quality Assurance in Materials and Construction" | Date: | July 3, 2007 |
| From: | (Original signed by) Frederick G. Wright, Jr. Executive Director |
Refer To: | HPC-10 |
| To: | Associate Administrators Chief Counsel Chief Financial Officer Directors of Field Services Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers Resource Center Director Division Administrators |
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Attached for your information is the final report from the national review entitled "Quality Assurance in Materials and Construction" completed as part of the National Review Program (NRP) administered by the Office of Professional and Corporate Development. I want to express my sincere appreciation to the entire team including Kevin McLaury, Max Grogg, Michael Praul, Brad Neitzke, Ken Jacoby, Peter Kulyk, and Tamiko Brim-Burnell for their excellent work on this effort.
A significant portion of the overall Federal-aid program is expended on material production and construction related activities, and therefore, it is critical that effective programs are in place to ensure the quality of our construction projects. The review team examined quality assurance programs across the country and identified several opportunities for improvement in this area. In response, I have asked Mr. King W. Gee, Associate Administrator for Infrastructure, to develop strategies to enhance our quality assurance programs. His recently formed Advanced Quality Systems Team, whose mission is to deploy delivery systems to achieve cost effective and long lasting highway infrastructure, will determine the appropriate steps to be taken in response to this report.
It is clear that these national reviews continue to serve a vital interest within FHWA, and they must be a part of a strategic approach to improving stewardship and oversight of the Federal-aid program. In the short term, I ask that you carefully review the attached report and consider the role your own office can play in bringing about the changes needed to improve quality assurance on our Federal-aid construction projects. If you have any questions regarding the NRP or the attached report, please contact Mr. Jim Lunetta at 202-366-3542.