Evaluation of Quality Control and Quality Assurance for Alternative Contracting Projects: Implementation Strategies and Key Lessons for KDOT

Delivering highway projects using alternative project delivery methods such as design-build (D-B) and construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) demands a shift in the traditional agency quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) programs to accommodate the faster pace of design and construction as well as the redistribution of responsibilities among project stakeholders. Alternative project delivery in highway construction often requires the application of alternative quality management systems that emphasize contractor QC and QA. These new quality management systems allow state departments of transportation (DOT) to have confidence through a verification of contractor quality system processes. They also permit DOTs to satisfy due diligence requirements for federal-aid highway projects. Alternative project delivery methods have been used in almost all state DOTs. In 2016, Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) completed the Johnson County Gateway project using D-B delivery with non-incentivized QA specifications. In 2020, Kansas legislature has passed a 10-year transportation stimulus bill that re-authorizes KDOT to use alternative delivery methods including D-B and CM/GC. With the growth of alternative project delivery methods, managing the QC and QA program is a challenge for many state DOTs including KDOT. To address this essential need, the proposed research will identify and evaluate effective quality management systems used for alternative contracting projects. It is expected that the result of this research can be used to implement the QA and QC program for D-B and CM/GC highway construction projects in KDOT.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $62329
• Contract Numbers:

  KU-23-1

  RE-0853-01

  C2209

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Kansas Department of Transportation

  Eisenhower State Office Building
  700 SW Harrison Street
  Topeka, KS  United States  66603-3754
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Kansas Center for Research, Incorporated

  2291 Irving Hill Drive, Campus West
  Lawrence, KS  United States  66045
• Principal Investigators:

  Tran, Dan

• Start Date: 20220901
• Expected Completion Date: 20240201
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design build; Project delivery; Project management; Quality assurance; Quality control; Road construction; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Construction; Highways; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01857992
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Kansas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: KU-23-1, RE-0853-01, C2209
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 20 2022 11:03AM