RAC Region 3 Meeting

Sunday, January 13, 2013 3:30-5:00pm

Marriott Wardman Park Tower, Suite 8212

  1. Review of agenda, roll call - Tommy
  2. Amy, Cynthia, Barry, Peggi, Linda N., Rod, Daniel, Jaqueline, Peg, Diane, Michael, Bill, Steve, Linda T., Tommy; Lisa Williams, Leslie Wright, Debra Rinderknecht, Skip Paul
  3. Officers beginning January 2013:
  4. Chair: Amy Schutzbach
  5. Vice Chair: Cynthia Gerst
  6. Approval of minutes from November conference call - Amy (approved)
  7. Old Business:
  8. Review action items from November conference call - Amy
  9. Jacqueline shared the Wisconsin guide (11/13/12 email)
  10. SHRP2 - Tommy and Amy shared discussion from the December SCOR meeting
  11. Mentorship: Linda Taylor stepped up
  12. TRB Agenda: done
  13. Task Force Membership - Amy
  14. Admin: Amy, Rod, Cynthia
  15. C&C: Peggi, Michael, Linda T.
  16. PM&Q: Tommy, Sandra(f), Steve(f), Linda T
  17. TKN: Tommy(f), Peggi, Dave, Daniel
  18. Value: Steve, Linda, Bill(f), Daniel
  19. Other groups:
  20. RAC/CUTC: Daniel. Rod & Bill volunteered (Amy rotating off)
  21. STRAP: Amy and Linda.
  22. Task Force Updates - ALL
  23. Admin TaskForce
  24. Website DOT fact sheets are still being compiled and will need to be reviewed and updated.
  25. Website: Natassja updates it upon request; Cynthia is leading an orderly review. Linda will provide feedback.
  26. Task Force Reporting: we're trying to agree on a form
  27. Ahead of the Curve: potential program, may include C&C and PM&Q
  28. C&C: No new content;reviewing web sites they're working on. RPPM, Research Needs
  29. PM&Q: 20-89 Intellectual Property final guide is being completed; only 13 states responded. Ahead of the Curve was discussed as professional development. RPM website has a video posted - it's only committed for a couple of years. The developer contract will end but NCHRP intends to continue it. The RPPM website will be moved from RITA to AASHTO. They're revising the SP&R guide, but postponing until the MAP-21 guidance is final. SHRP2 implementation topics at the RAC summer meeting.
  30. TKN: They submitted proposals for the library Pooled Fund:
  31. report distribution issue where should we / can we submit
  32. the distribution needs to be updated
  33. NTL commitment on keeping reports
  34. guidance for researcher to better complete documentation 1700
  35. Missouri and Iowa have had to explain it to researchers - it'd be helpful to have it
  36. Value of Research: (to be discussed later)
  37. SCOR Meeting Update - Tommy
  38. AASHTO ballot 45 for and 3 against
  39. ASTM and AASHTO - if there are two specs then we need to endorse AASHTO version
  40. Moving TCCCP to AASHTO
  41. Every Day Counts projects will be used to deploy SHRP2
  42. TRB subscription lists will be managed by web portal in the future
  43. TRB publications moving to RSS feeds - that's encouraged but not mandatory (Linda has it on their iHub and recommends it)
  44. RITA no earmarks this next round; ten regional centers in federal regions (two for Region 3 was 5 and 7). RFP released last week. Competitive, peer review with involvement.
  45. They're considering whether TRB opens research needs statement to private sector, consultants. Skip says the external submitters' ideas won't have as much weight, unless states get behind them. Yes, they can have good ideas that could help state DOT's. Currently, consultants can submit to TRB committees and have things considered there.
  46. RAC Leadership Update - Tommy
  47. 2015 TRB meeting at DC Convention Center.
  48. 2014 NCHRP is paperless process.
  49. FHWA is considering a better way to distribute reports (as TKN)
  50. SPR guidance is on hold through the rule making process
  51. 2013 Baton Rouge we will have more information
  52. Discussion on Wisconsin 2014 RAC meeting
  53. Transportation Research: Collaboration and Deployment
  54. Mentoring of new members - Linda
  55. Linda is reviewing the calendar and seasons for our process, and re-learning the web site.
  56. E-mails: Peggi and Linda aren't getting the NCHRP, SHRP survey & SHRP2 emails. Sandra is forwarding them on. Bill Stone isn't getting some items too. Is there an AASHTO_RAC list and a RAC Member list? Amy will check on this.
  57. State by State update - ALL
  58. Illinois
  59. Executive committee voted 4 projects forward for funding. They are changing from twice to once per year, and redefining criteria for off cycle fast track projects.
  60. They're evaluating time balance for project work and increase the implementation commitment. Being sensitive to all parties (grad student availability).
  61. Technical Advisory Group votes to move project forward, and Executive Committee votes which ones to fund.
  62. Shared the Research Works
  63. Indiana
  64. 2/3 of projects are in and February will review them.
  65. Focusing on "Marketing of Research". Barry will share flyers during Tuesday lunch. DOT needs to share it to enable full implementation.
  66. Scaling projects down to be manageable.
  67. Focus on implementation - with project managers etc.
  68. Iowa
  69. Distributed pooled fund projects list and peer exchange save the date
  70. Asset Management is the focus of the peer exchange and symposium
  71. Developed videos that are being shown here at TRB
  72. Kansas
  73. 12/1 received 40 university proposals. Panels review 3/1
  74. Benefit cost ratios and contract research may be the peer exchange for 2013
  75. an external chair for the peer exchange panel is an option, but not required
  76. Lead state for the aggregate imaging pooled fund.

E. Michigan

  1. They prepare a three year investment plan and continually review
  1. completed the revised manual (started October 2012 and just finished):
  2. UTC administration manual
  3. contract manual
  1. Looking at the library
  2. Being able to tout the value of research, prior year implementation
  3. Next month’s newsletter will highlight successful projects
  1. Minnesota
  2. Staffing changes: new commissioner starts next week
  3. Research added a marketing & communication person, external application process and he's working on a revised website
  4. Training research staff in being customer centric - responsive to feedback to supplement good products
  5. Completed FY2014 program with 24 projects, some out to consultants
  6. Process Flow processes just streamlined and documented, needed due to turnover
  7. One solicitation for the research and implementation programs, tested this year
  8. Library - rate of return publication for libraries was supported this year
  9. Annual Report - shared the at a glance version - it's clickable online
  10. Missouri
  11. UTC activity: funding opportunities for unrenewed UTC must be spent by December 2013
  12. Recycled materials centers may be established to encourage using recycled concrete
  13. Every project they do they need to calculate the savings to the department. Rules are to project forward and not backwards. e.g., replacing LED bulbs on 7-year cycles not 5-year. Wants calculated for other purposes.
  14. Next week they meet with financial staff on implementation. They are NOT joining any pooled funds this year due to required SHRP2 Implementation funding.
  15. Ohio
  16. Posted 16 RFP's for FY 2014 program, deadline is 3/11/13 and selection meeting is 4/1/13.
  17. We have selected 8 externally sourced projects for $1.1 million.
  18. Getting a business analyst to help determine how to resolve our database situation: 2006 business requirements, 2010 partial construction, no IT support or queries
  19. Library - now a solo librarian with opportunity for role and service reevaluation and redefinition.
  20. using librarian by contract posting
  21. We will host an annual summit 9/20/13 with program, project & training 9/20/13
  22. Wisconsin
  23. Annual report was internally produced this year.
  24. Based on results of old peer exchange, planning on piloting PI evaluations this year
  25. Planning program peer exchange: effective partnership with national research programs
  26. Looking for tips on how to contract with USDA – they want to be paid upfront before work is done
  27. Basic Timeline for 2014 National RAC Meeting – see handout
  1. New Business
  2. STRAP Update
  3. State TRB contributions for last 2 years of triennium will be reduced 5%
  4. 2013 State TRB Visits – State’s choice - can be conventional multi-day visit, 1-day mini-visit, or no visit (can’t do no visit 2 years in a row)
  5. RAC 3 Secretary
  6. Looking for someone to fill this position; if no one volunteers, Amy can appoint. Rod and Daniel have already served in this role.
  7. 2013-2014 Conference Call schedule handed out
  8. 2014 Summer RAC Meeting
  9. Program Committee is being formed
  10. 2014 High Value Research – look for info from Amy. Projects will be submitted online via the RPM website.

March 12, 2013 call is hosted by Michigan. Agenda item deadline is March 5, 2013

Action Items
No. / Action Item /

Owner

/

Target Date

1 / Updates to Task Force Membership / Amy Schutzbach / March 2013
2 / Linda Taylor has been using the RAC website recently for mentoring and will provide Natassja feedback and review comments from her experience. / Linda Taylor / March 2013
3 / Peggi and Linda aren't getting the NCHRP, SHRP survey & SHRP2 emails. Sandra is forwarding them on. Bill Stone agrees he isn't getting some items too. Is there an AASHTO_RAC list and a RAC Member list? Amy will check on this. / Amy Schutzbach / March 2013
4 / Request person to serve as RAC region 3 secretary / Amy Schutzbach / March 2013
5 / 2014 Summer RAC MeetingProgram Committee formation / Amy Schutzbach / March 2013
6 / 2014 High Value Research submittal information will come from Amy. Projects will be submitted online via the RPM website. / Amy Schutzbach / March 2013

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