Section 2: Committees
Anchor: #TMEGRQMRFunctional Area Committees
Functional Area Committees (FACs) meet annually, typically in the fourth quarter, to discuss and prioritize all submitted Problem Statements. The Project Portfolio Manager represents the research division during the meetings. As a result, RTI reviews and presents a subset of the prioritized list to the Research Oversight Committee for further vetting and prioritizing. The FAC is supported by non-voting members familiar with current and previous TxDOT and national research projects and other related topic areas. While most Problem Statements are left unchanged, some are modified, and some are combined to better meet the needs of TxDOT.
The FAC assists with identifying sponsors and subject matter experts for each approved Problem Statement.
Committee voting membership is comprised of representatives of TxDOT Divisions and Districts drawn from high-level technical and managerial staff appointed by the DD Directors.
Committee non-voting membership is comprised of personnel from the local FHWA Division, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and State University researchers who volunteer in reviewing, promoting and offering expert opinion of the Problem Statements.
The committees focus on these five areas:
- Anchor: #OIIYORGI
- Construction, Material and Maintenance Anchor: #WXNOTKXD
- Structures and Hydraulics Anchor: #KACFATEP
- Safety and Operations Anchor: #APJPXLWU
- Planning and Environmental Anchor: #ANPQDKWQ
- Strategy and Innovation
Research Oversight Committee
The Research Oversight Committee (ROC) consists of Division Directors and District Engineers supported by the Chairs, as non-voting participants. The ROC meets annually, after receiving the recommended list of Problem Statements from the FACs. The ROC meets to review, discuss and further prioritize the recommended list of Problem Statements before submitting final recommendations for approval to the Executive Committee (EC). The ROC ensures that the information presented in the Problem Statements is accurate, in the best interest of the Department and is important of an issue to be recommended for inclusion in the research program or funded through other resources. The Project Portfolio Manager represents the research division in these meetings.
RTI reviews the prioritized list and submits the recommended list of Problem Statements to the EC and local FHWA Division Office for consideration and approval for including the SPR Part II Work Program. The ROC consists of five committees that mirror the FAC.
The committees focus on these five areas:
- Anchor: #LRCLJMLF
- Construction, Material and Maintenance (ROC-1) Anchor: #ROAMAKDT
- Structures and Hydraulics (ROC-2) Anchor: #LNBOFXCK
- Safety and Operations (ROC-3) Anchor: #HKNBRHHH
- Strategy and Innovation (ROC-4) Anchor: #TEVOBESR
- Planning and Environmental (ROC-5)
Project Monitoring Committee
The Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) is composed of a sponsor and subject matter experts (SMEs) from TxDOT Divisions and District and/or field offices, RTI as well as other stakeholders such as local FHWA Texas Division Office subject matter experts. The PMC provides technical guidance and assistance throughout the life of a project to assure the research work and project performance remain consistent with approved project scope and the needs of TxDOT.
The PMC assist with removing barriers and impediments that may prevent the project from succeeding. They meet periodically to review project deliverables and discuss the project status.
The SMEs that comprise the committee membership is drawn from high-level technical and managerial staff appointed by the District/Division Directors.
Anchor: #i1015533Executive Committee (EC)
The Executive Committee (EC) is the executive level of TxDOT administration and provides direction for funding and identification of high-priority areas of interest. The committee is comprised of the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Chief Engineer. The EC is responsible for reviewing and approving the final selection of projects recommended by the ROC for inclusion in the annual SPR Part II Work Program.
The RTI Director provides final approval of the recommended annual SPR Part II Work Program.
Figure 3-1. Research Process
Anchor: #i1015617State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC)
Composition
STIC is composed of a multi-stakeholder leadership that works together to forge an environment of innovation, imagination, and ingenuity to pursue specific initiatives and their rapid implementation to deliver a modern, high quality transportation system to the citizens of the commonwealth. The STIC will identify ways that Texas responds to key issues and challenges that impact the highway program, and suggest options to enhance the program and Texas’s transportation infrastructure.
Members
The STIC is co-chaired by the TxDOT Director of Strategy & Innovation and the FHWA Texas Division Administrator and will be composed of no more than twenty-five (25) individual members. All member organizations (that are not affiliated with a State or Federal agency) will delegate a representative who is appointed for a two-year term by the organization’s chief executive officer or board of directors, with each member eligible to be reappointed for an additional two-year term. Any person appointed to fill a temporary vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term, with the option to be reappointed for a successive two-year term, by the appointing organization or agency.
Projects
The State Transportation Innovation Council reviews potential implementation projects, which have been verified through the FACs within TxDOT’s program. Implementation projects may include Every Day Counts (EDC) proven innovations as part of the SPR II Subpart B Work Program.
The implementation projects include both products of research conducted in Texas, as well as, Federal Highway Administration’s proven innovations and enhanced business processes promoted through the EDC program. These projects facilitate greater efficiency at the state and local levels, saving time and resources that can be used to deliver more projects for the same money.
Projects found to be of high interest to the STIC are sent to RTI as recommendations to consider for inclusion in the SPR II Work Program. The Project Portfolio Manager reviews prioritization and performs an initial assessment based on program history, potential funding needs and type of projects to the RTI Director for concurrence. The PMs request proposals and develop Implementation Project Recommendations (IPRs) for each of the projects. The IPR is submitted to the RTI Financial Committee for further consideration and approval to continue in the process. Once approved, it is submitted to the Director of Strategy and Innovation for final approval and modification request are submitted to the local FHWA Division Office for approval and inclusion in the SPR Part II Work Program.
Meetings
The STIC for the State of Texas meets at least twice per year at a time and location established by the Co-Chairs.
Anchor: #i1015975Change Review Board (CRB)
The Change Review Board (CRB) is comprised of the RTI Director, Portfolio Section Manager, Contracts Team Lead, Accounting Specialist, and a representative of the Project Managers. This committee meets at a minimum monthly or as needed to discuss and approve proposed project modification requests and other amendments to the Work Program. For each change requested, the committee reviews and assesses the impact to the SPR Part II Work Program, reviews funding needs, identifies available funding sources, and discusses the justifications and implications before approving. Upon approval by the CRB, RTI requests review and approval of all Work Program amendments by FHWA's Texas Division.