Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-15. Institutionalizing Innovations and their Associated Skillset from Alternative Contracting Methods

State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) use design-bid-build to deliver the majority of their construction program. Project contracting methods have evolved significantly in recent decades as state DOTs seek to encourage innovation, accelerate schedules, reduce claims, and address alternate life-cycle considerations. Therefore, DOTs increasingly use alternative contracting methods (ACMs), such as construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC), design–build (DB), and progressive design–build (PDB). These ACMs require closer collaboration between state DOTs, designers, and contractors. The collaboration creates new opportunities which can result in innovative designs, alternate means and methods, and new technologies. However, many of these innovations are applied only to individual projects and are not institutionalized across the individual DOT. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document how DOTs have institutionalized design and construction innovations born by ACM projects into their standards, procedures, processes, and guidelines across their capital program.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5992
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract pending.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Programmed
• Funding: $65,000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 57-15

• Sponsor Organizations:

  State Departments of Transportation (participating member states of American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO))

  American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001
• Project Managers:

  Larson, Sandra

• Start Date: 20260921
• Expected Completion Date: 20270920
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction management; Contracting; Design build; Project management; Public private partnerships; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Construction; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01972840
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 57-15
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 25 2025 4:49PM