Chapter 1: Introduction
Anchor: #i1001038Section 1: About This Manual
Anchor: #i1001044General
This manual presents program policies and an overview of the technical research program of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). This program is managed by TxDOT’s Research and Technology Implementation Office (RTI) and includes some separate financial support for implementation of research results. That financial support is provided under what is described in this manual as the Implementation Program.
This manual:
- describes the various programs and activities, how they are developed, and provides an overview of how they work,
- describes the individuals and organizations involved in research and their overall responsibilities,
- describes the legal and policy issues involved in the program, such as authorizing legislation and Federal and state regulations, and
- summarizes applicable TxDOT information technology (IT) policies and procedures and how they relate to research projects.
This manual supplements the provisions of Cooperative Research and Implementation Agreements (CRIAs) executed between TxDOT and Texas state-supported universities and university systems. By signing the CRIA, each university, or university system, pledged to abide by TxDOT procedures in the conduct of research and implementation projects. This manual provides the framework and policies under which those procedures are developed. The procedures are distributed to universities in a University Handbook and associated forms.
This manual, a Project Director Handbook, a University Handbook, and the forms necessary to manage and administer TxDOT’s research and implementation programs are maintained by the Research and Technology Implementation Office of the Texas Department of Transportation.