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NOT CURRENT – FOR HCFB-32 USE ONLY
FHWA Order M1100.1A, Chg. 52

Order
Subject
FHWA Delegations and Organization Manual: Introduction
Classification Code Date  
M1100.1A May 7, 2007

FHWA Delegations and Organization Manual

Introduction

Table of Contents

Par.

  1. What is the scope of this Manual?
    1. Part I - Delegations of Authority
    2. Part II - Organization and Functions
  2. Who is the issuing authority for this Manual?
  3. What are the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Administrator?
  4. What offices and key positions comprise the Office of the Administrator?
  5. What organizational elements comprise the FHWA and what functions do they perform?
    1. Headquarters
    2. Field
      1. (1) Resource Center
      2. (2) Federal-aid Division Offices
      3. (3) Federal Lands Highway Divisions

FHWA ORDER M 1100.1A

FHWA DELEGATIONS AND ORGANIZATION MANUAL

Introduction

  1. What is the scope of this Manual? The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Delegations and Organization Manual documents the official, approved delegations of authority vested in the FHWA by law, regulation, or delegation from the Secretary of Transportation, and the organizational responsibilities and functional statements for all formal organizational elements. The Manual is summarized below:

    1. Part I - Delegations of Authority - documents the order of succession to certain official FHWA positions, reservations of authority, and the delegations of authority from the Administrator to certain Headquarters and field office officials. Authorities are classified generally according to program, e.g., Administrative, Federal-aid, Federal Lands, Highway Safety, and International Highway Programs.

    2. Part II - Organization and Functions - documents the approved formal organizational elements of the FHWA and the corresponding complete functional statements for the elements.

  2. Who is the issuing authority for this Manual? The FHWA Delegations and Organization Manual is issued electronically by the Associate Administrator for Administration, after completion of coordination, as required, and final approval by the approving official. The authorities and procedures relative to the preparation and issuance of changes to this Manual are contained in Chapter 1, General, of each of the respective parts of this Manual.

  3. What are the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Administrator? The Administrator, assisted by the Deputy Administrator and Executive Director provides executive direction and leadership over the various FHWA Headquarters and field organizations. The Administrator is directly accountable to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Transportation for accomplishing the Agency's mission and supporting the Secretary's goals and objectives.

  4. What offices and key positions comprise the Office of the Administrator? Office of the Administrator includes the Federal Highway Administrator, the Deputy Administrator, the Executive Director, and their staffs. Some of the other key offices and positions within the Office of the Administrator are as follows:

    1. The Directors of Field Services, who are a part of the Executive Director's office, provide administrative supervision and leadership on strategic initiatives to their constituent FHWA Federal-aid division offices. The Director of Field Services – West provides administrative supervision and leadership on strategic initiatives to the FHWA Resource Center. The Director of Field Services – North is the U.S. DOT Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator (RETCO) for DOT Region V and in that capacity supports DOT crisis planning, training, and response programs.

    2. The Program Manager for Transportation Security, who is a part of the Executive Director's office, is the Administrator's representative and virtual team leader for FHWA Headquarters staff in identifying and addressing transportation infrastructure vulnerability and other critical transportation system security issues, and collaborates fully with the field staff.

    3. The Program Manager for Public-Private Partnerships, who is part of the Executive Director's office, is the Administrator's representative and virtual team leader for FHWA Headquarters and field staff in implementing and managing initiatives to promote and facilitate the use of public-private partnerships on transportation projects.

    4. The Executive Secretariat, which is part of the Executive Director's office, provides guidance to Agency offices on correspondence matters and serves as the central clearing point for written communications, documents, and action assignments directed to, or issued by, the Office of the Administrator. This office plans and administers a system for expediting, controlling, and coordinating written communications and action assignments to and from the Administrator, the Deputy Administrator, and the Executive Director.

    5. The Program Manager for the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office (JPO) provides executive direction over the ITS JPO which has a Department wide role and authority for coordinating ITS program activities and initiatives. The Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has primary responsibility for the strategic oversight and direction of the ITS JPO, including but not limited to providing policy guidance for ITS programs and activities and coordinating ITS research within the Department. The FHWA Administrator is responsible for ensuring the continuing availability of professional, technical, and administrative services within, or subject to the direction of, the FHWA to support the ITS JPO.

  5. What organizational elements comprise the FHWA and what functions do they perform?

    1. Headquarters. Headquarters provides policy and overall program direction to the Agency. The Headquarters organization is comprised of the Office of the Chief Counsel, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and 11 Associate Administrator offices: Planning, Environment, and Realty; Infrastructure; Operations; Safety; Federal Lands Highway; Policy and Governmental Affairs; Public Affairs; Civil Rights; Professional and Corporate Development; Research, Development, and Technology; and Administration. The Offices of Planning, Environment, and Realty; Infrastructure; Operations; Safety; and Federal Lands Highway are the corporate nucleus for strategic planning, policy, and technology delivery. The Offices of Policy and Governmental Affairs; Chief Counsel; Public Affairs; Civil Rights; Professional and Corporate Development; Research, Development, and Technology Administration; and Chief Financial Officer provide service and support across the Agency. Integrated Product Teams, formally chartered by the Agency leadership, will also be utilized to focus on specific high priority projects for partners and customers.

    2. Field. The field organization delivers program services to the FHWA's partners and customers. This organization consists of a Resource Center, State-level Federal-aid division offices, and Federal Lands Highway divisions.

      1. Resource Center. The FHWA Resource Center supports the State-level Federal-aid division offices throughout the country, in the division offices' primary role of program delivery to FHWA's partners and customers. Services provided to the Federal-aid division offices include: leadership on strategic initiatives; expert assistance on technical, process, and program issues; training; and technology transfer. The Resource Center does not exercise program control or approval. With regard to the Headquarters offices, the Resource Center supports them regarding technology and innovation deployment, Agency initiatives, and policy development.

        The FHWA Resource Center has offices in five locations: Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Lakewood, Colorado; Olympia Fields, Illinois; and San Francisco, California. The Resource Center has 12 virtual Technical Service Teams (TST). While each Resource Center location has two to three TST's assigned, a presence of each discipline is maintained at each of the locations. The names of the TST's are as follows:

        1. Safety and Highway Design TST
        2. Operations TST
        3. Pavements and Materials TST
        4. Construction and Project Management TST
        5. Structures TST
        6. Geotechnical and Hydraulics TST
        7. Environment TST
        8. Planning TST
        9. Air Quality TST
        10. Civil Rights TST
        11. Finance Services TST
        12. Innovative Finance TST

        In addition to the TSTs, the Resource Center has the following teams that provide support to the Agency and/or the Resource Center: Information and Management Team, Marketing and Communication Team, and Administration Team.

      2. Federal-aid Division Offices. Federal-aid division offices, each headed by a Division Administrator, provide front line Federal-aid program delivery and assistance to partners and customers in highway transportation and safety services, including but not limited to, planning and research, preliminary engineering services, technology transfer, real property acquisition and management, bridge expertise, highway safety, traffic operations, environmental support, design, construction, asset management, and civil rights. The FHWA operates, jointly with the Federal Transit Administration, four metropolitan offices which are extensions of the respective division offices. These offices provide assistance, guidance, and information regarding Federal transportation programs to local, State, and other Federal agencies in these metropolitan areas.

      3. Federal Lands Highway Divisions. The Federal Lands Highway (FLH) divisions, which report to the Headquarters Office of Federal Lands Highway, administer FLH programs (Forest Highways, Park Roads, and Parkways, Public Lands, Refuge Roads, and Indian Reservation Roads); the Defense Access Roads Program; and the Emergency Relief Program on Federally Owned Roads; provide engineering-related services to other Federal agencies, FHWA offices, and foreign countries as directed; and carry out technology and training activities related to FLH projects. There are three FLH divisions (Eastern, Central, and Western) located in Sterling, Virginia; Lakewood, Colorado; and Vancouver, Washington; respectively. The Division Engineer for the Federal Lands Highway Central Division is appointed as the Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator for Region VII.

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