Section 2: Change Order Approval Authority
CO approval authority is based on the Standard Operating Procedure No. 01-22 (SOP) showing that the District Engineers (DEs) will delegate signature authority in accordance with policy. When signed by the designated official, the CO is approved.
Adhere to district policy and procedures in the review and approval of COs that may be approved at the district level.
Anchor: #b070016Federal-Aid Projects
Refer to Chapter 16, “FHWA Oversight Requirements,” for more information.
Anchor: #b070004State Funded Projects
COs on state funded projects are approved in accordance with the approval authority outlined in the Standard Operating Procedure No. 01-22 (SOP). CO work may not begin until either written or verbal approval is obtained. (Written documentation is required to follow up verbal approval.) Signatures must follow District, Construction Division, and Executive Director Signature authority found on Contract Services Division (CSD) webpage.
Anchor: #i1010521Extending or Adding Project Limits to the Contract
Districts may extend or add project limits if all of the following conditions are met.
- Anchor: #HHPNJCNI
- Transition or tie-in work is less than 1,500 feet Anchor: #CAADBNDL
- The work has a value of less than $50,000 Anchor: #ERTMCLTL
- No changes made to unit bid prices Anchor: #XPHDGJYU
- The scope of work remains the same Anchor: #WLLLGNLM
- The funding category remains the same Anchor: #VHJNSIEW
- No new control section jobs (CSJ) are required Anchor: #UWNPTKEA
- No additional environmental clearance is necessary
If all the above conditions are not met, a CO must be submitted for DE approval, regardless of the amount. Be sure to maintain the integrity of the competitive bid process.
Use the following procedure to add CSJs to the contract through a contract CO,
How to Add CSJ’s to the Contract (State Funded Projects Only):
- Anchor: #KEECYAHU
- District – Notifies CST, DES, and the Financial Management Division (FIN) there is a need to add a new CSJ to a project, Assigns CSJ number, Updates the “Remarks” field on the P1 screen in the Design and Construction Information System (DCIS). Anchor: #SVYPECFT
- CST – Updates SiteManager Anchor: #ADDWSKYJ
- DES – Updates “Contract CSJ” field in DCIS Anchor: #BJMPOGYJ
- FIN – Adds the CSJ to DIMS upon receipt of the CO.
CO Submission Requirements Related to Added Limits
The approval of added limit COs will require the following documentation:
- Anchor: #KFXUURRU
- Statement of environmental clearance status along with necessary updates to meet environmental requirements. Anchor: #ONLODHLT
- Notice of Intent threshold impacts Anchor: #FHPCANLL
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) review for Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) compliance Anchor: #POVCQDXR
- Explanation of the reason(s) the change order is needed Anchor: #EJLJTANT
- Justification, such as a description of:
- Anchor: #XGJEIBJH
- emergency work Anchor: #SKRCDTVS
- transition end work Anchor: #MVNHPCCN
- explanation of cost saving over cost to re-let, or Anchor: #FYALKGWJ
- discussion regarding imminent need.
Anchor: #HELJGTIG - Determination that there is no change
in scope, such as
- Anchor: #TWIYAGET
- Have the contract work elements changed? Anchor: #OTNNNVHS
- How does the additional work impact quantities and cost? Anchor: #VLKWIUGB
- Does the proposed change impact the complexity of the work? Anchor: #ISVFPXRL
- What is the cumulative impact on the project? Anchor: #JTQOFIGM
- What is the substantial benefit to the public for not bidding out the additional work?
Anchor: #USJCKMFF - Funding source category
CST should be consulted to review significant COs with added limits and/or significant change in scope.