Near-term actions should be reinforced by long-term actions to support the development of more effective procurement systems. These actions should include the following.
The federal government should commit explicitly to using innovation in transportation projects by, for instance, requiring a minimum percentage of project funds to new products, materials, and technologies that have been technically proven to perform better, faster, or more cost-effectively than their counterparts. This policy has parallels in other areas of government - for instance, Executive Order 12856 mandates that government-purchased office paper must have a minimum recycled-paper content. Such an action for the transportation community would create a larger market for new highway technologies and products, and would help move such innovations into practice more quickly.
As more case studies are amassed, the PAIR program, working with public and private stakeholders, should create a "best practices manual" on using contracting methods that encourage innovation in the transportation sector, as well as provide an ongoing forum for sharing information about innovations used in government projects. This forum could consist of periodic meetings, Internet-based informational clearinghouses, newsletters, and other outreach activities.
Owners should establish a baseline or "model codes" for new procurement systems.
Stakeholders should identify metrics and ways to measure progress toward baseline goals for these new systems.
A lead program such as PAIR-T should be identified to facilitate and coordinate both the short-term and long-term procurement reform efforts, and to solicit financial and political backing from both the public and private sectors. Some suggested using the Lead States program as a model, or through FHWA's Resource Center as mechanisms for mobilizing support for reform among the transportation community.
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