Pavement Management: Getting the Right Contractor
Challenging topic when stuck with the low bid system
Introduction to techniques to evaluate contractors
What kinds of things will protect the agency against bad contractors
How do I use acceptable criteria without hampering competition
What is my role in educating decision makers and the public?
How many contractors should I have?
There are 4 types of selectioncriteria commonly used
Awards Method
Experience Method
Best Bid Method
Low Bid Method
Awards MethodResult: E.J. Breneman, L.P.
Experience MethodResult: E.J. Breneman, L.P.
Best Bid MethodResult: E.J. Breneman, L.P.
Low Bid MethodResult: Asphalt Paving Systems
Number of different companiescapable of doing quality work
The perils of the Low Bid System
Remember, you can’t take the Conout of Contractor!
Which is why we havespecifications!
You’re assuming all bidders read the specifications
Think about how many bids the average estimator has to look through each week If something has changed since the last bid, point it out Pre-Bid Meetings are the perfect avenue to make sure
everyone has the same information But isn’t that the contractor’s responsibility? About that…
As an agency you want all contractors to have the same knowledge about your project Do you want one guy ducking an item you never use? Do you want an unbalanced bid to potentially cost you more
money for the same work? Do you like protests?
Partnership approach will yield results
What qualifications are you requiring contractors to meet?
FDOT Pre-Qualification in Flexible Paving The process of Pre-Qualifying by FDOT adds some
protection Companies not capable of getting Pre-Qualified by FDOT
likely have financial “issues”
Experience clause Are you willing to allow on the job training on your project? Contractor should provide references of successfully
completed projects in order to be awarded the project Don’t forget to confirm the type of process
Management Plan Some Counties require a document explaining the companies
capabilities and the crew’s experience
Now you’ve got a contractor,how do you proceed?
Pre-construction meeting Don’t you have something for me? Are you sure this is a “real” mix design Okay well, is this a “real” lab? Meet our inspector, his name is Dave
Now can we start? Sure, promise you’ll do a good job for us though No you can’t skip the prime coat What change orders
Now you’ve got a contractor,how do you proceed?
Inspectors If it’s an alternative process, have you trained the
inspectors? What resources are available out there? What is the inspectors role?
The Dirty word – Profit and it’s role Agencies that routinely make life rough on the
contractor unnecessarily pay higher prices Quality contractors deserve to make money for the risk
they are taking on when constructing your project Does your inspection team understand the value of the
Win-Win?
What if there are problems?
There will be and it’s what defines a good contractor Anyone can build a good project, it takes real skill to
turn a bad project into a good one Communicate early and often Never assume anything
The Contractor has a responsibility to build a good project You are right to make them follow the specs Are they giving you what you asked for?
The Agency has a responsibility to be fair Is the Contractor held to a reasonable standard? Have we set him up to fail?
Did we test it? The materialsthat is?
Great, it passed
Did we put the contractor on the “Right” Road?
Co
nd
itio
n
Time
$1 for preventive maintenance here
Is 3 to 10 times more cost effective than here
“Right Road, Right Treatment at theRight Time” by the Right Contractor
0
20
40
60
80
100
Years
PC
I
“The Right Time”Preservation and Rehab Strategies
Rejuvenation
Crack Seal
Chip Seal Micro-Surfacing
Cape Seal
Asphalt Overlay
Cold In-Place Recycling
Full Depth Reclamation
0
20
40
60
80
100
Years
PS
I (P
av
em
en
t S
erv
ice
ab
ility
Ind
ex
)
A. Routine Maintenanc e
B. Preventive Maintenance
C. Defer action
D. Rehabilitation
E. Reconstruction
The Right TimePreservation and Rehab Strategies
0
10
20
30
40
50Current Condition
% o
f N
etw
ork
Pav
em
en
t
Pavement Remaining Life Categories
I II III IV V VI(0-2) (3-7) (8-12) (13-17) (18-22) (23-27)
(Years)
10%
19%
40%
8% 6%
17%
Current network distributionMichigan DOT
0
10
20
30
40
50Ideal Condition
% o
f N
etw
ork
Pav
em
en
t
Pavement Remaining Life Categories
I II III IV V VI(0-2) (3-7) (8-12) (13-17)(18-22)(23-27)
(Years)
11%18% 18% 16% 17% 20%
Ideal network distribution Michigan DOT
Strategy to Minimize CostsP
avem
ent c
on
dit
ion
Time or traffic
Preventive maintenance treatments
Conventional overlay
The Volusia County Example
The Volusia County Example
What about competition?
Diversification doesn’t haveto be complicated
Does this look diversified?This is probably one contractor
Current County Pavement Management
Hot Mix Overlay
Mill & Overlay
Micro-Surfacing
CIR/FDR
Chip Seal
Rejuevenator
Crack Seal
Lane Miles per $1M HMA – 10 Miles
Mill & Overlay – 8 Miles
Total = 18.3 Miles
Diversification in an Urban/RuralCounty, how many contractors now
Lane Miles per $1M HMA – 4 Miles
Mill & Overlay – 3.3 Miles
Micro – 9.5 Miles
CIR/FDR – 1.2 Miles
Chip Seal – 9.1 Miles
Rejuvenation – 20 Miles
Crack Seal – 16.7 Miles
Total = 63.8 Miles
Pavement Management Urban/Rural County
20%
20%
20%
15%
10%
10%5%
Hot Mix Overlay
Mill & Overlay
Micro-Surfacing
CIR/FDR
Chip Seal
Rejuevenator
Crack Seal
Lane Miles per $1 Million Spent
Process Lane Mileage HMA – 20 Miles
Mill & Overlay – 16.7 Miles
Micro – 47.6 Miles
CIR/FDR – 8 Miles
Chip Seal – 91 Miles
Rejuvenation – 200 Miles
Crack Seal – 333 Miles0.0
50.0
100.0
150.0
200.0
250.0
300.0
350.0
Miles
HMA M/O Micro CIR/FDR Chip Rejuv Crax
Process
Lane Miles Covered per $1M
My role in educating decision makers and the public?
Saving $ at the bottom of the curve enables us to invest more at the top of the curve
Process Diversification Results
Lane Miles for a $50M Alternative Process Program Rejuvenation – 10% @ $4,900/mile = 1,014 Miles
Crack Seal – 10% @ $3,000/mile = 1,014 Miles
Chip Seal – 15% @ $11,000/mile = 681 Miles
Micro – 25% @ $21,000/mile = 595 Miles
BACFC – 20% @ $44,000/mile = 227 Miles
CIR/FDR – 20% @ $125,000/mile = 80 Miles
Total = 4,264 Lane Miles or 20% of the 21,000 miles in Non-Federal Aid category
We look forward to workingwith you to maximize your return on investment!
Questions?
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