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Section 2: Organization, Participants, and Responsibilities

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Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is a transportation planning and programming document that defines an MPO’s work program. The work program can be one or two years depending on the MPO. It is developed by MPO staff, approved by the MPO’s policy council, and submitted, via TxDOT, to the FHWA for approval.

TPP will provide the MPO's with a template to use for the development of the UPWP by April 1 of each year, whereupon MPO’s develop their UPWP.

TPP is responsible for securing the Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA) for the Transportation Planning Funds (TPF) for the UPWP and running the formula for funding allocations to the MPOs.

TPP maintains the primary funding spreadsheet, and TPP distributes funding through Work Orders to the MPOs.

TPP is responsible for the operational direction, oversight and contract administration, and quality assurance of projects planned, developed, and/or designed by MPO using Planning funds. TPP submits the MPO-approved UPWP to the FHWA for their approval.

The MPOs may amend their UPWP at any time. These amendments are submitted by TPP to FHWA for informational purposes (for non-Transportation Management Area (TMA) MPOs) and for their approval (for TMA MPOs) as appropriate. TPP and District work cooperatively with the MPO regarding the public involvement for the UPWP and subsequent amendments as may be required by an MPOs public participation rules. TPP provides primary oversight and administration of the UPWP.

TPP reviews and approves TPF invoices and monitors the progress of work conducted under the UPWP. See Section 3 Invoices.

TPP also reviews the Annual Performance and Expenditures Report (APER) and submits with recommendations to FHWA. The APER will use the same format as the UPWP. It will be due to TPP by December 15 for review prior to submission to the FHWA by December 31. See Table 12-1. TPP will also provide the MPOs with their annual listing of grouped, highway, and bicycle/pedestrian projects for submittal to FHWA.

Anchor: #i1009752Table 12-1. Planning Grant Organization, Participants, and Responsibilities

Organization

Participant

Responsibilities

District

Various (DE, TPD Director, other staff as appropriate)

  • Maintain primary relationship with local governments
  • Serve on Local Policy Board and Technical Committees
  • Coordination with MPO on TIP project selection
  • Serve on consultant selection committees, as needed
  • Serve on contract steering committees, as needed
  • Keep TPP field representatives informed of MPO activities or issues

TPP

Systems Planning Director

Field Representatives
  • Develop annual Transportation Planning Fund (TPF) allocations
  • Distribute TPF work orders
  • Oversight, monitoring, and administration of Planning Grant
    • Work performance
    • Process and approve invoices
    • Approve travel and meeting expenses
    • Approve capital expenditures over $5K and submit to FHWA
  • Review initial UPWP and submit to FHWA for approval
  • Review and approve (for non-TMAs) or recommend approval (for TMAs) UPWP Amendments and submit to FHWA
  • Review UPWP Annual Performance & Expenditure Report, and submit to FHWA
  • Develop annual project listing and submit to MPOs for processing and submittal to FHWA
  • Ensure MPO compliance with federal & State laws, rules, and guidelines
  • Monitor activities and conduct routine reviews/audits for compliance
  • Attend Certification Reviews
  • Attend meetings, as necessary
  • Serve on selection committees or steering committees, as appropriate
  • Serve as primary FHWA contact/liaison (policy issues, etc.)
  • Develop Planning Contracts
  • Disseminate standard UPWP template to MPOs. Develop & communicate policy, procedures, and guidance
  • Update all manuals
  • Develop and conduct training
  • Coordinate with MPOs on state and MPO federal performance measure reporting

MPO

MPO Director and Staff
  • Develop the UPWP and amendments, and submit to TPP
  • Coordinate with District on local transportation planning projects & activities
  • Submit invoices to TPP
  • Coordinate with District on project selection for inclusion in the transportation improvement program
  • Prepare the Annual Performance & Expenditure Report and submit to TPP by December 15, using the same report format as the UPWP.
  • Process the Annual Listing of Projects and submit
  • Annual certification of compliance with federal, state, environmental, and civil rights regulations (or Self Certification) in coordination with TPP

FHWA

Planning Staff
  • Review and approve initial UPWP and amendments from TMAs
  • Review and approve Annual Performance & Expenditures Reports and annual project listings for:
  • (i) Comparison of actual performance with established goals;
  • (ii) Progress in meeting schedules;
  • (iii) Status of expenditures in a format compatible with the work program, including a comparison of budgeted (approved) amounts and actual costs incurred;
  • (iv) Cost overruns or underruns;
  • (v) Approved work program revisions; and
  • (vi) Other pertinent supporting data.
  • Approve legal expenditures and capital expenditures of $5,000 or more


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