Chapter 3: Research Program Development
Anchor: #i999892Section 1: Annual Research Cycle
Anchor: #i999898The Annual Research Program
While projects may be initiated at any time during the year, most research projects are developed under the cycle described in this section. Multi-year projects are reviewed each year to determine whether they are progressing effectively and productively, and should continue as originally planned.
Anchor: #i999908Development Cycle
The chart below presents an overview of the research program development cycle, with approximate dates for the major activities in the cycle. RTI announces specific dates and provides more specific instructions, for both TxDOT and university personnel, as activities occur throughout each fiscal year.
|
Dates |
Major Activities On Active Projects |
Major Activities To Develop New Projects |
|---|---|---|
|
August 1 |
|
Problem Statements are due to RTI. |
|
August |
|
RTI Engineers do an initial evaluation of Problem Statements, including identifying and evaluating on-going or recent related research. |
|
September – October 7 |
Project Kick-off meetings are held. |
TAP meetings are held to review, refine, and rate Problem Statements. During this period all significant technical issues, such as specific deliverables needed and TSD’s review of selected Problem Statements are addressed, as much as possible. |
|
October 20 |
|
RTI sends meeting materials to RMCs, including Problem Statements and the results of TAP evaluations. |
|
Late October |
RMCs review implementation approach for recently terminated projects. |
RMCs meet to select Problem Statements to recommend to the ROC, including those to set aside for underutilized universities. |
|
November – 1st week |
|
RTI sends meeting materials to ROC. |
|
Mid November |
ROC reviews program policies and status of the active program. |
ROC selects Problem Statements for the next annual RFP. |
|
Mid November |
|
RTI distributes call for PMC members throughout TxDOT. |
|
Mid November – December 1 |
|
Problem Statements are finalized to include ROC input and other outstanding issues. |
|
December 1 |
|
Final Problem Statements are due to RTI. |
|
December |
|
RFP package is developed by RTI. |
|
January 2 |
|
RFP is sent to University Liaisons by RTI. |
|
January 15 |
|
PMC nominations are due to RTI. |
|
January 31 |
|
|
|
February |
|
Pre-proposal meetings are held. |
|
February – March 15 |
|
PA selections are finalized. |
|
March 1 |
Semi-Annual Progress Reports are due to RTI. |
|
|
March 25 |
|
University proposals are due to RTI. |
|
April 1 |
|
All responsive proposals are sent to PMCs for technical evaluation. |
|
April |
Modifications are developed by universities, as requested by RTI. |
Proposals are reviewed by Project Monitoring Committees (PMCs). |
|
May 1 |
Modifications are due to RTI. |
Proposals selections are due to RTI. |
|
May 5 |
|
RTI sends meeting materials to RMCs, including proposal selection and review data. |
|
Mid May |
RMCs review implementation approach for terminating projects. |
|
|
Mid – Late May |
|
RTI requests Problem Statements from TxDOT employees and university researchers, to address RMC research priorities. |
|
Mid May – August 1 |
|
TxDOT employees and researchers develop Problem Statements. |
|
Late May |
|
RTI sends meeting materials to ROC. |
|
Early – Mid June |
ROC reviews program policies and status of the active program. |
|
|
Mid June – Mid August |
|
|
|
August 31 |
Semi-Annual Progress Reports are due to RTI. |
|
|
September 1 |
|
New fiscal year program begins. |
Although most research problem statements are submitted based on the cycle described above, DDOs are welcome to submit needs at any time of the year, and in any format. See “Submit Research Needs” on RTI’s Crossroads (intranet) web site for instructions.
Needs submitted outside the annual development cycle are evaluated for criticality to TxDOT, and scheduled to start as available funding allows. Non-emergency projects are generally held for the next annual cycle.