Subject: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION MANUAL, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

1. PURPOSE: To issue a revision to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) section of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Organization Manual.

2. CANCELLATION: This Order cancels DOT Order 1100.63C, DOT Organization Manual, FHWA, dated March 5, 2018.

3. BACKGROUND: The FHWA was created on October 15, 1966, after having had several predecessor organizations. It was established as a segment of DOT on April 1, 1967. Representing the Federal interest in the Nation's highway transportation system, FHWA was comprised entities transferred from the Bureau of Public Roads (previously the Office of Road Inquiry), and the National Highway Safety Bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety within the Interstate Commerce Commission.

4. REFERENCES: DOT Order 1320.16D, DOT Directives System, dated January 19, 2021.

5. EXPLANATION OF CHANGES: This change restructures and realigns functions to improve the overall operations and to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of FHWA offices and programs. In addition, the manual reflects changes to comply with the format and process for documenting DOT orders/directives under DOT Order 1320.16D, including editorial and administrative edits for consistency.

   Documented below is information addressing the overall FHWA restructuring and realignment, including the merger of two offices, and offices impacted by this merger. These changes are included in the FHWA section of the DOT Organization Manual.

   1. The Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) is being restructured to better align functions and advance research efforts:

      • 1)  The Office of Operations Research and Development will be abolished as a separate office. Its functions will be realigned with the Office of Safety Research and Development.

      • 2)  The realigned Office of Safety Research and Development is renamed the Office of Safety and Operations Research and Development. Combining the functions under one office will improve efficiencies, streamline processes, and provide clarity to FHWA’s partners and stakeholders with a vested interest in these research areas.

      • 3)  The number of Senior Executive Service (SES) allocations will be reduced from five to four. One of the four SES Office Directors’ titles will change and their office will be renamed as shown above and in the attached mission/functions statements. The Executive Resources Board (ERB) approved these changes on October 25, 2018.

   2. The Office of Safety (HSA) is realigning its mission and functions to create a more streamlined and balanced structure. It continues to reflect its two core missions— the administration and stewardship of safety programs and the expertise and leadership in advancing safety technology and innovation. The data analysis function will be realigned to balance the Office of Safety Technologies and the Office of Safety Programs. This realignment eliminates one full-time equivalent position. In addition, there will be a shift to strengthen the HSA’s marketing and communications function and unit planning activities.

   3. The Office of Civil Rights (HCR) is being restructured to facilitate better use of management and corporate capacity to support FHWA’s efforts to improve program delivery, performance, and operations in the internal and external civil rights programs. Changes are included to reflect principles, policies, and approaches for the advancement of equity for all including people of color, people with disabilities, and others who experience inequality. In addition, these changes better align with the mission directives of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights (DOCR), the FHWA Strategic Plan, and the U.S. DOT Strategic Plan.

      • 1)  This change utilizes an existing full-time equivalent position to realign the internal civil rights programs (Anti-Harassment; Equal Employment Opportunity Counseling; and Reasonable Accommodations) to have a dedicated supervisor to oversee these programs. In addition, the position is under the leadership of the Associate Administrator.

      • 2)  The external programs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise; Contractor Compliance and On-the-Job Training; Americans with Disabilities Act; and Title VI of Civil Rights Act) will retain their existing supervisory management and will now report directly to the Associate Administrator.

   4. The Office of Chief Counsel (HCC) is realigning its mission and functions to align with FHWA’s overall restructuring. It continues to reflect its core missions as the legal advisor to the Administrator and provides accurate, useful, timely, and comprehensive legal advice and services.

      • 1)  The HCC’s functions have been realigned to reflect the transfer of the FOIA Program from HCC to HAD.

      • 2)  The HCC’s mission and functions were updated as part of FHWA’s overall organizational realignment, including the respective functions of HCC division offices in Headquarters (HQ), Field Legal Services division offices (North, South, Mid- America, and West), and the Federal Lands Legal Services Division.

   5. The Office of Federal Lands Highway (HFL) is realigning existing functions to better achieve HFL’s mission and expectations, including to improve Federal Lands Highway program compliance, efficiency, and effectiveness. In addition, all the mission and functions statements were updated to reflect HFL’s current programs, office structure, and roles. The realignment includes two office name changes and the creation of a new hybrid position:Rights (DOCR), the FHWA Strategic Plan, and the U.S. DOT Strategic Plan.

      • 1)  The Office of Policy and Program Review is renamed the Office of Financial Integrity and Management Systems.

      • 2)  The Office of Program Development is renamed the Office of Federal Lands Programs.

      • 3)  Also, a new hybrid position, Director of Construction and Architectural & Engineering (A&E) Contracting, has been created as a shared position with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer’s (HCF) Office of Acquisition and Grants Management (HCFA), to provide policy oversight of over $1 billion in annual construction and A&E contracts. This position provides support to HFL’s HQ and three division offices located in Ashburn, Virginia; Lakewood, Colorado; and Vancouver, Washington.

   6. The Office of Technical Services (OTS) and the Office of Innovative Program Delivery (HIN) are being merged and realigned to form one new office--the Office of Transportation Workforce Development and Technology Deployment (HIT) [office name change: Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, 12-7-2022]. This new office will bring together two organizations to serve as FHWA’s gateway to technical assistance and the primary source for innovation implementation support within FHWA and across the highway transportation community.

      • 1)  The OTS leadership position (Chief Technical Services Officer) will be reassigned to the newly established Associate Administrator, HIT position and assume leadership of most HIN functions and staff.

      • 2)  The HIN leadership position (Chief Innovation Officer) will be abolished and the SES allocation will be repurposed to establish a new position, Director, Office of Innovation Management, Education, and Partnerships (OIMEP). The Director will report to the Associate Administrator, HIT, and the office will be responsible for directing efforts related to the integration of innovative technologies and practices in the transportation community, development of learning and educational programs, deployment of innovative technologies and practices, and assisting FHWA partners and stakeholders in the areas of workforce development and emerging skills.

      • 3)  The OTS Resource Center is being renamed the Office of Innovation Implementation – Resource Center (OII-RC). The Director will report to the Associate Administrator, OTWDTD, and the office will be responsible for directing activities to effectively promote, implement, and administer FHWA’s technical assistance and technology deployment programs.

      • 4)  The number of SES allocations for the OTS and HIN merge remains the same. The FHWA will fill the vacant Director, (OIMEP) and Director, OII-RC positions. The ERB approved these changes on July 29, 2020.

   7. The FHWA offices/programs impacted by the merging of OTS/HIN are outlined below. In addition, some of these office realignments are also part of the overall FHWA restructuring:

      • 1)  The FHWA is consolidating its tolling programs in one office--the Office of Operations (HOP). The two tolling programs transferred from HIN, generally used for funding a facility's infrastructure improvements, are being co-located with HOP’s existing tolling programs used to effect travel demand for mitigating congestion. This includes the transfer of one HIN employee to HOP. HOP is also updating its mission/functions statement to reflect current roles and program requirements that have changed.

      • 2)  HIN’s Special Experimental Project (SEP-16) Program responsibilities will shift to the Office of Infrastructure to align with SEP-14 and SEP-15 programs.

      • 3)  The HCF is realigning its functions to reflect the following changes:

        • a)  The innovative finance functions are being transferred from HIN and consolidated with other FHWA finance functions in HCF. This includes the transfer of four HIN employees to HCF.

        • b)  Management of FHWA’s Organization and Delegations of Authority Programs has been transferred from HCF to HAD’s Office of Management Services.

        • c)  Management of FHWA’s Directives Program has been transferred from HCF to HAD.

        • d)  Shares a new hybrid position, Director of Construction and A&E Contracting, with HFL to provide procurement and policy oversight support of HFL highway construction and architectural and engineering design services contracting.

      • 4)  The HAD will manage the Eisenhower Fellowship Program as a result of the OTS/HIN merger. The program is transferring from HIN to HAD’s Office of Human Resources (HAHR) based on its alignment with recruitment and student internship program activities.
        
        In addition, HAD has taken on the responsibility as the lead program office for five program areas/functions that recently transferred to HAD from other FHWA offices. The HAD has also created three new program areas/functions. These programs/functions include the following:

        • a)  The HAD/HAHR also manages the departmentwide Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups.

        • b)  Administration of the FOIA Program has been transferred to HAD from HCC. The HAD manages the FOIA request, tracking, and management system, including system oversight, guidance, and training of FHWA personnel concerning public access to government information.

        • c)  Management of FHWA’s Organization and Delegations of Authority Programs has been transferred to HAD’s Office of Management Services from HCF.

        • d)  Management of FHWA’s Directives Program has been transferred to HAD from HCF.

        • e)  The Section 508 Program Manager has been created in HAD’s Office of Information Technology Services [office name change: Office of Information Technology and Data Services, 12-7-2022] to develop and implement a formal Section 508 compliance program. In addition, a workgroup with representatives from several FHWA offices has been created to increase the focus and coordinate the program throughout FHWA.

        • f)  As a result of FHWA’s new emphasis on data governance and data management, the Chief Data Officer position was created.

        • g)  Shared Mission Support Function was created in HAD to manage critical mission support activities across multiple FHWA units.

6. MISSION: The mission of FHWA is to enable and empower the strengthening of a world-class highway system that promotes safety, mobility, and economic growth, while enhancing the quality of life for all Americans. Through financial and technical assistance to State and local governments, FHWA is responsible for ensuring that America’s roads and highways continue to be among the safest and most technologically sound in the world.

7. FUNCTIONS: The FHWA delivers its program through two primary administrative areas: the Federal-aid Highway Program (FAHP) and the Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Programs (FLTTP). Their role in the FAHP is to oversee Federal funds used by States and local agencies for planning, constructing, operating, and maintaining primarily the National Highway System (NHS). The FHWA oversees projects using these funds to ensure that Federal requirements such as project eligibility, contract administration and construction standards are adhered to at the State and local levels. The FHWA’s role in the FLTTP is to oversee Federal funds used for planning, constructing, operating, and maintaining multimodal transportation facilities that support Federal and Tribal owned lands, ensuring that Federal requirements and standards are adhered to. In addition, FHWA’s role in the FLTTP also includes providing direct design and construction project delivery services for highway and multimodal projects, along with providing direct transportation engineering and other technical assistance services for multimodal transportation facilities serving various Federal and Tribal owned lands.

   In addition, to support State, local, Federal, Tribal, and other agencies as part as part of these programs, FHWA establishes and issues policy and standards; conducts outreach, training, and education; and performs and sponsors research in many areas such as roadway safety, congestion, innovation, highway materials and construction methods, and provides funding to local and Tribal technical assistance program centers to deliver training, technical assistance, and technology transfer services tailored to the specific roadway needs of the local and Tribal governments.