Section 1203 of the MAP-21 stipulates USDOT to promulgate performance measures in the areas of the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP), Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), and the National Freight Movement (Freight) within 18 months after the date of enactment of the MAP-21. State DOTs are tasked with developing performance measures plans, which include asset management plans. The focus of this pooled fund project will be in the area of the NHPP.

1. Provide communication and information sharing among member states. Discuss research needs and provide research ideas to TRB. 2. Provide a technology and knowledge exchange forum to enhance the practical knowledge of member states concerning asset management implementation. 3. Enhance the working knowledge of the asset management community.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) will serve as lead state for the execution of this Pooled Fund project. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) will facilitate all administrative duties associated with the project and will invoice the Iowa DOT for reimbursement up to the amount available in the Pooled Fund. The principle tasks are: 1. Learning Session/TAC meeting – Coordinate a workshop Technical Advisory Committee meeting for member states to learn and review issues associated with implementation of asset management. Since member states may be at different stages of implementation, this is an opportunity to share best practices and strategies for overcoming certain challenges. This meeting may be planned as a separate webinar or may be held in conjunction with the biennial conference activities. 2. Survey of State DOT Asset Management Practices – Coordinate an annual survey of state DOT asset management practices. This survey will be conducted in conjunction with the TRB Transportation Asset Management Committee (ABC-40) and the AASHTO Subcommittee on Asset Management (SCOP-AM). The results of the survey will help states evaluate their asset management status and will provide valuable information to support development of content for the conference and training activities. 3. Biennial Asset Management Conferences – Provide a venue for the member states to exchange information on the challenges to asset management implementation. The pooled fund will help support conference and expert state and local speaker travel and expenses. The pooled fund will not support private industry personnel travel or expenses. Because the pooled fund will be a primary funding source for the conference and associated workshops and speakers, the number of partner states will directly influence the number of expert speakers and related conference sessions and workshops. One member from up to eight partner states will be invited to serve on each of the conference planning committees (selected from the states making commitments for each conference). Active conference planning participation will enable member states to work with experts in the field, shape the conference program, evaluate their agency’s current capacity in all areas of asset management, and help determine priorities for their agencies. 4. Training – Post wrap-up “Implementation Strategies” webinar for partner states. Additional webinar training from conference highlights may be provided as funds allow. Deliverables: The first conference is proposed for July, 2016, with subsequent conferences tentatively planned for 2018 and 2020. Deliverables will include quarterly report updates, survey results, at least one webinar as a follow-up to each conference, and a final summary report of each conference. Additional webinars may be provided as funds allow. Additional Notes: Conference Planning Committees: For each of the conferences, a Conference Planning Committee will be formed by TRB and is proposed to include one member from up to eight states who post commitments to the project. In addition, each pooled fund partner state will be a member of the pooled fund Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and as such will receive quarterly report updates, survey results, and meet during the conference (or via webinar) to discuss Objectives Item #3 (Identify needed research projects, provide on-going communication of research needs faced by members, and provide research ideas to funding agencies), and be partner to a follow-up webinar on Implementation Strategies.

Funding Request: The minimum partner funding required to enter into a project to support each biennial conference (and associated activities) is 10 partners at $12,000 per partner ($120,000*). Each partner’s commitment should total $12,000 per conference event. This commitment includes conference registration, travel, and room & board for two people (per partner) to attend project meetings at the conference event site. One of these people should be the partner’s pooled fund Technical Advisory Committee TAC member (or their designee). A partner may choose to participate in any or all of the conference events, as long as a contribution of $12,000 is committed for each conference cycle. For example, a partner may choose to contribute $6,000 each year in 2016 and 2017 for the Jul-2016 conference, forgo the 2018 conference, and then commit $12,000 for 2020 to participate in the 2020 conference event. The July 2016 conference will be held in Minneapolis, MN. The locations of the 2018 and 2020 conferences are to be determined. *This minimum funding support amount assumes the approval of provisionally proposed match funds from other sources; a minimum of $250,000 is estimated to be required to facilitate the program to the desired level of coordination, expert speaker attendance and follow-up desired workshops. In other words, we can put on a minimal conference with 10 partners, but will gladly accommodate additional partners. **COVID update - The scheduled July 2020 conference has been moved to August 2021 but will still be covered by this (335) effort. Conferences normally taking place in 2022/2024 have been shifted to 2023/2025 and will be covered under a separate effort (currently Solicitation 1539).