Guidebook on Alternative Quality Management Systems for Highway Construction (2015) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 68-80

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From page 68...
... 68 Highway Project Quality Assurance Organization Selection Guide C.1 Objective This quality assurance organization (QAO) selection guide assists STAs in the assignment of project quality assurance (QA)
From page 69...
... 69 C.4 Project QAO Selection Tool The QAO selection tool can assist STAs in selecting the most appropriate QAO for a project by rating the appropriateness of the five fundamental QAOs according to the categories of project selection factors. The definitions for the 10 selection factors can be found in Section C.6.
From page 70...
... 70 Local regulaons Federal regulaons Funding regulaons Use tradional agency QAO Yes No Pr oj ec t d el iv er y m et ho d Pr oj ec t co m pl ex ity QAO selected QAO selected Yes No QAO selectedYes No Is an excepon allowed No Yes Barrier idenficaon Selecon factor preparaon QAO selecon Q A sh i  a w ay fro m a ge nc y Pr oj ec t s ize Sc he du le ri sk Ag en cy cu ltu re In du st ry a bi lit y Ag en cy 's tr us t i n in du st ry Ag en cy st aff ex pe rie nc e No Yes Ag en cy st aff av ai la bi lit y Any regulaons prohibing alternave QAO Does this determine the QAO Do any of these dictate the QAO Any policies prevenng alternave QAO Set project goals and define project selecon factors Figure C2. Project QAO selection flow chart.
From page 71...
... 71 The four ratings used to indicate the appropriateness of the factors are the following: • Fatal flaw (denoted with ×) • Least appropriate (-)
From page 72...
... Primary Selection Factors Deterministic Assurance Variable Oversight Acceptance Agency staff availability x – + ++ ++ Trust between agency and industry + ++ ++ ++ ++ Industry's ability to manage its own quality + + + + + Project delivery method – – + ++ – Project size – + + ++ ++ Shift the quality responsibility away from the agency x x x ++ ++ Tally of primary selection factor results x x x ++ ++ Secondary Selection Factors Deterministic Assurance Variable Oversight Acceptance Project complexity n/a n/a n/a + + Project schedule sensitivity n/a n/a n/a ++ ++ Agency culture n/a n/a n/a + + Agency staff experience n/a n/a n/a ++ ++ Tally of secondary selection factor results n/a n/a n/a ++ ++ Rating key: x Fatal Flaw – Least Appropriate + Appropriate ++ Most Appropriate Figure C4. Completed project QAO analysis form for the demonstration project.
From page 73...
... 73 The project delivery method selection factor can provide an example of how an appropriateness rating is determined. The project delivery method for the demonstration project is DB.
From page 74...
... 74 this case because these resources will be underutilized due to the fact that the Acceptance QAO shifts the bulk of the quality responsibilities away from the agency. • A moderately staffed project, as compared to typical projects, is best suited to the Assurance, Variable, and Oversight QAOs.
From page 75...
... 75 Table C5 shows the appropriateness ratings for combinations of the five QAOs with the four categories (DBB, DB, CMGC, and PPP) of the project delivery method selection factor: • As the amount of project responsibility shifts away from the agency -- i.e., DBB to PPP -- the amount of project quality responsibility shifts away from the agency, from the Deterministic QAO to the Acceptance QAO, allowing both the project responsibilities and the quality responsibilities to remain in sync.
From page 76...
... 76 • Acceptance is not appropriate for projects under $10 million. The primary reason is that these projects are "standard," and it would not be worth creating the infrastructure to support a non-standard Acceptance QAO.
From page 77...
... 77 therefore, if an agency goal is to retain all quality responsibility, then the Assurance and Variable QAOs are less appropriate. Table C8 shows the appropriateness ratings for combinations of the five QAOs with the three categories (low, medium, and high)
From page 78...
... 78 • The agency culture cannot be manifested by only a few of the project staff; it has to be instituted throughout the agency. If the project team is progressive but the executive level of the agency is traditional, it will be difficult for the project team to implement any alternative QAOs.
From page 79...
... 79 Primary factor categories Agency staff availability Minimal Moderate Full Trust between the agency and the industry Low Moderate High Industry's ability to manage its own quality Low Medium High Project delivery method DBB DB CMGC PPP Project size <$10M $10M–$50M $50M–$500M $500M–$2B >$2B Shift the quality responsibility away from the agency None Some QC Some Acceptance Some QC and Some Acceptance All Secondary factor categories Project complexity Low Medium High Project schedule sensitivity Low Medium High Agency culture Traditional Moderate Progressive Agency staff experience <5 years 5–10 years 10–20 years >20 years Figure C5. Project QAO selection factor profile form.
From page 80...
... 80 C.8 Project QAO Selection Tool Forms Project QAO Selection Factor Profile Form Figure C5 presents the project QAO selection factor profile form (an electronic version of this form is available for download by searching on NCHRP Report 808 on the TRB website)

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