CHAPTER 8

Case Study for Highway Pavement Management System

Overview

MaineDOT is in the process of replacing its highway pavement management vehicle. This vehicle, equipped with special sensors, cameras, and GPS, drives along roads to detect cracking, take pavement pictures, and collect right-of-way images. The new system will be installed in a truck leased by MaineDOT and will include vendor services for annual preparation, software as a service (SaaS) for data storage and processing, and enhanced automation for data processing.

Motivating Factors for the Project

The MaineDOT pavement management system project is being undertaken to address several critical needs and enhance the efficiency and accuracy of pavement condition assessment and reporting. The aging infrastructure, combined with technological advancements, presents an opportunity to improve data collection, processing, and analysis. The project aims to replace outdated equipment, address safety concerns, and transition to more sophisticated data management solutions, thereby supporting better decision-making and compliance with federal requirements. The key motivating factors for the project are:

• Efficient crack detection and data processing. The new system will significantly improve the efficiency of crack detection and data processing, which will address the challenge of completing data analysis before federal reporting deadlines.
• Safety concerns with current equipment. Current equipment has experienced issues, including fires, that highlight the urgent need for a safer, more reliable solution.
• Transition to cloud-based solutions. The project seeks to move away from on-premises hardware and software solutions to reduce the IT infrastructure burden and enhance data security and accessibility.
• Improved data accuracy and compliance. By incorporating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the system aims to improve the accuracy of pavement condition data, ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements, and enable better-informed decision-making.

SOW

The SOW as published in the RFP was organized into five sections:

1. Highway pavement analysis. The system will utilize advanced sensors and cameras mounted on a vehicle to detect pavement conditions and imperfections by capturing detailed images of the pavement and surrounding areas. This technology will aid in assessing the road’s condition for future maintenance planning.

2. GPS integration. Equipped with GPS, the system will ensure precise mapping of detected road conditions and captured images and align these data accurately with MaineDOT’s location management system. This integration will allow for accurate geographical data representation and analysis to enhance the accuracy of road condition assessments.
3. Data processing and mapping. The system will feature onboard computing capabilities to process the collected data in real time and integrate it with MaineDOT’s mapping systems. This will ensure that data, such as intersection conditions, are accurately reflected on maps to aid in efficient road management and planning.
4. System hardware. The system is designed to be modular and installable in a truck, thereby allowing MaineDOT flexibility and, potentially, reduced costs. It will include annual maintenance and setup services by the vendor to ensure the system is prepared for each collection season.
5. SaaS. A solution using SaaS will be implemented for data storage, processing, and serving, in order to move away from on-premises hardware and software to reduce IT infrastructure burdens. This solution will automate as much of the data processing as possible, which will improve efficiency and accuracy in road condition reporting.

Key Players

Several stakeholders are participating in the project, including:

• Department of Transportation Results and Information Office: Owns the process of collecting and managing pavement data and therefore plays a central role in the project.
• Pavement Analysis Group: Utilizes the collected data for pavement condition analysis and planning and contributes to the development of capital projects.
• HPMS Federal Reporting Group: Involved in compiling and submitting the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) report, which is critical for federal funding. An example of requirements needed from the new system includes 20-foot accuracy for reporting both bridge and construction flags as well as curve data [see the discussion of M&O (maintenance and operations)].
• Safety Group: Interested in collecting curve data and other road geometry information to inform safety improvements and decisions. The safety group currently uses curve data (horizontal and vertical alignment) for safety assessments. Although the safety group sees many future opportunities for the use of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to provide improved safety, curve, and inventory data, it will not be purchasing LiDAR as part of this procurement effort. Therefore, the critical curve data must be produced without LiDAR and rely on automated data processing.
• M&O: Seeks information on pavement conditions to guide maintenance activities, including road striping and general upkeep. M&O currently utilizes right-of-way images and curve data to assess required curve sign compliance from FHWA based on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (FHWA 2023). The new system was required to identify compound curves, reverse curves, broken back curves, and spiral curves.
• GIS Data Processing Group: Integrates pavement condition data with MaineDOT’s geographic information system (GIS) for enhanced analysis and decision-making. The new system should be able to utilize any publicly accessible ArcGIS base map services including custom base maps hosted on ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Online. Ideally, the Esri vector tile format would be a base map option, but if not, an Esri image tile format is required at a minimum.
• Office of IT and IT Network Team: Provide support for the technological aspects of the project, including data communication and cloud integration.
• Office of Procurement: Reviews the RFP and ensures the procurement process adheres to regulations, thereby facilitating the contract’s approval.

• Finance Department: Identifies and allocates the necessary funding for the project, thereby ensuring financial feasibility.
• Governor’s Office: Reviews and approves the RFP due to the project’s high value, in order to ensure that it aligns with state priorities and regulations.

Procurement Process

The procurement process is organized into several subsections, including key steps in scoping, the procurement schedule, and the evaluation process.

Key Elements and Processes Undertaken for Scoping

The process of scoping out the project began with a clear recognition of the need for an updated pavement management system. This need arose from several operational challenges, including the inefficiency of the existing system in processing data quickly for federal reporting, safety concerns with current equipment, and the desire to move to a cloud-based solution. The procurement team took a structured approach to define the scope and requirements of the project, involving multiple steps:

• Initial contact and requirement gathering. The team initiated the process by identifying the need for the new system, which marked the beginning of the requirement-gathering phase. This phase involved discussions with various departments within MaineDOT to understand their specific needs and expectations from the new system.
• Development of a ConOps. Before drafting the RFP, procurement focused on creating a ConOps document. This document, which outlined how the system is expected to function and its interaction with various stakeholders, served as a foundation for the project. The ConOps helped in aligning the vision and ensuring all team members and stakeholders were on the same page regarding the project’s goals. Review the ConOps template for more insights on how to use this tool.
• Stakeholder engagement. Procurement’s approach to stakeholder engagement was characterized by a structured and inclusive process aimed at gathering comprehensive input for the project’s scoping. By identifying key stakeholders across various departments, such as the Department of Transportation Results and Information Office, Pavement Analysis Group, and others, procurement ensured that all relevant parties were involved from the outset. Initial discussions and meetings were set up to understand the specific needs and expectations of the new system, a strategy that highlights the importance of collaboration in identifying technical and operational requirements.

The development of a ConOps document played a central role in this engagement process, in that it served as a basis for discussion and consensus building among stakeholders. This document facilitated a clear understanding of the project’s vision and operational goals, enabling stakeholders to contribute effectively to the project’s scope. The procurement team further refined the project requirements through breakout groups focused on specific technical areas, ensuring a detailed and accurate capture of needs. This iterative and collaborative approach ensured that the pavement management system was scoped with a comprehensive understanding of MaineDOT’s diverse needs, laying a strong foundation for the subsequent RFP and project implementation. The following list summarizes the major steps taken by MaineDOT to develop and release the RFP:

• Technical specifications and requirements. Based on the feedback and requirements gathered from stakeholders, procurement began detailing the technical specifications and requirements for the new system. This included the hardware and software capabilities, data processing needs, GPS integration, and the overall system architecture.

• Drafting the RFP. With the ConOps in place and a clear understanding of the technical requirements, the team moved towards drafting the RFP. This process involved translating the identified needs into formal procurement language, outlining the SOW, and specifying the evaluation criteria for vendor proposals.
• Review and approval process. The draft RFP underwent a review process involving the Office of IT, the Network team, and the Office of Procurement to ensure compliance with state procurement policies and technical feasibility. This step was critical in ensuring that the RFP was comprehensive, clear, and positioned to attract suitable vendors.
• Finalization and release. The last step in the scoping process was the finalization of the RFP, incorporation of feedback from the review process, and preparation for release. The team aimed for an RFP release by the end of September, with a clear timeline for procurement and project implementation.

Schedule

The project spent nearly 1 year in active planning prior to the publication of the RFP. The first steps included project initiation and the beginning of requirement gathering. This phase also included engagement with various stakeholders to understand specific needs and expectations and the development of the ConOps.

Upon publication of the RFP, vendors were given nearly 1 month to submit questions and another 3 weeks to submit their full proposal.

Roughly 6 months were planned for evaluations and contracting efforts.

After the selection of the winning technology, MaineDOT intends to sign a contract for the initial period of performance (2 years), then the first renewal period (4 years), and then the second renewal period (3 years).

Evaluation Criteria

There were three main groups of evaluation criteria with the weights (points) given as specified:

• Organization qualifications and experience (20 points). Evaluates the bidder’s organizational history, experience providing similar services, and any unique qualifications that make them suitable for the project. This includes an assessment of the bidder’s ability to meet the project’s requirements based on past performance and expertise.
• Proposed services (55 points). Assesses the quality, comprehensiveness, and suitability of the proposed services, hardware, and software. This criterion examines how well the bidder’s proposed solution meets the specified needs of MaineDOT, including system capabilities, technology, integration with existing systems, and innovation.
• Cost proposal (25 points). Evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the bidder’s proposal. The lowest-cost proposal receives the maximum points, with other proposals receiving points based on their cost relative to the lowest bid. This criterion looks at the overall value of the proposal, considering both the quality of the proposed solution and the total cost.

Highlights from the Evaluation Process

MaineDOT received four proposals, which were scored via consensus scoring by a five-member evaluation team. In addition to the proposal, all proposers presented a timed clarifying presentation and a question-and-answer session with the evaluation team. References

were contacted to gather firsthand knowledge of the bidders. The scoring showed substantial differences in reference input and documented past performance.

Half of the proposing vendors omitted all costs after the initial 2-year contract term. The evaluation process was unaffected because it only used the first 2 years of pricing from all vendors; however, the evaluators noted a concern that the subsequent contract negotiations would be impacted by this issue when pursuing an agreement for the renewal terms of 4 and 2 years, respectively.

Contracting and Implementation Activities

At the time of this report, the contract negotiation process and subsequent implementation phase had not yet been conducted. Therefore, lessons learned from these activities are not yet known (nor the long-term performance implications of the technology once it was fully in use).