Section 5: District Level PS&E Review Process
Anchor: #i1014342Overview
The process by which plans and specifications are developed and reviewed varies from district to district. Whether the PS&E is prepared in an area office, by a consultant, or in the District Design Office, it should be thorough, accurate, and clearly understandable.
Clarity and accuracy in the plans will help to achieve timely completion of construction with a reduced probability of having change orders or claims for additional compensation by the contractor. In order to prepare accurate and legible PS&E, it is strongly recommended that each district establish a section dedicated to the independent review and processing of PS&E packages. This section should be staffed with personnel who are current with the latest design guidelines, policies, and procedures and knowledgeable in PS&E preparation, as the review is typically more efficient when performed by individuals not involved in the development of the project.
A thorough review of plans and specifications must take place before PS&E packages are forwarded to the Design Division for further review and processing prior to letting. The next subsections discuss these aspects of district-level review:
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- Process for Final PS&E Submission Anchor: #HWRIYRYS
- Checklist of Required Items Anchor: #BWYDHVCM
- Submission Dates
Process for Final PS&E Submission
The review process at the district level is of the utmost importance for final PS&E (see Chapter 2, Section 1, Preliminary Review/Coordination). All projects, regardless of the review type, must be complete prior to being submitted to Design Division. This facilitates the review process and prevents projects from being delayed to a later letting date.
Anchor: #i1014389Checklist of Required Items
In the course of the review process for all projects, these items should be checked and/or verified:
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- Previous approval
of
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- Typical sections Anchor: #TLIPONXW
- Geometrics Anchor: #ODYTWEXM
- Pavement design Anchor: #IHAEXXXS
- Design exceptions Anchor: #EJFFHQVL
- Bridge layouts Anchor: #HPYWOYXI
- Hydraulic calculations.
The reviewer should check for previous approval of these items. Checks should be made to see if all required agreements have been executed.
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- Clarity
of information on plan sheets
Plan Sheets should be checked for clarity of information. All quantities should be checked item by item. Refer to the General Plan Set Checklist in Chapter 2.
Anchor: #KQLNOEEF - Use of correct bid codes and
method of measurements
Estimate should be checked to make sure the correct bid codes and method of measurements are used. All quantities from the plan sheets should be reflected on the estimate. Estimated unit bid prices should reflect the recent prices. Refer to the Estimate Checklist in Chapter 4.
Anchor: #LGAHERQS - Specification List
Specification List should reflect the latest applicable Special Provisions, specifications and reference items. Refer to the Specification List Checklist in Chapter 3.
Anchor: #WVQPYBSH - General Notes for clarity, redundancy,
and conflicts
General Notes should be reviewed for clarity, redundancy, and conflicts. Refer to the General Notes Checklist in Chapter 3.
Submission Dates
The completed PS&E package should be submitted to the Design Division by the due dates noted in the published “ PS&E Review and Processing Schedule.” Refer to Form 1002 - PS&E Transmittal Data, Pre-Submission Checklist in Chapter 5, and PS&E Checklist for Letting Chapter 5 for submission process and required documentation for district and division review projects.
All federal oversight projects should be sent to the FHWA as per latest PODI List, when they are due to Austin. Further information is available on Form 1002, page 1.