
Hyun-A Park
Lori Richter
Spy Pond Partners, LLC
Arlington, MA
Conduct of Research Report for NCHRP Project 20-44(40)
Submitted July 2025

NCHRP Web-Only Document 439
Implementing the Agency Capability Building Framework to Activate Organizational Change
© 2025 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM
Systematic, well-designed, and implementable research is the most effective way to solve many problems facing state department of transportation (DOT) administrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local or regional interest and can best be studied by state DOTs individually or in cooperation with their state universities and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transportation results in increasingly complex problems of wide interest to highway authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research.
Recognizing this need, the leadership of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 1962 initiated an objective national highway research program using modern scientific techniques—the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). NCHRP is supported on a continuing basis by funds from participating member states of AASHTO and receives the full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), United States Department of Transportation.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Authors herein are responsible for the originality and accuracy of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) grants permission to reproduce written material in this publication for classroom and non-commercial purposes subject to the rights of any third parties and appropriate attribution. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply NAS, TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. For other uses of the written material, users must request permission from the National Academies Press.
DISCLAIMER
This material is based upon work supported by the FHWA under Agreement No. 693JJ32350025. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed or implied in this document are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the FHWA; or the program sponsors.
The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.
The Transportation Research Board, the National Academies, and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.
The information contained in this document was taken directly from the submission of the author(s). This material has not been edited by TRB.

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. Tsu-Jae Liu is president.
The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.
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Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.
The Transportation Research Board is one of four centers of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to mobilize expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. The Board’s varied activities annually engage more than 5,500 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state departments of transportation, federal agencies including component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.
Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.
Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs, and Manager, National Cooperative Highway Research Program
Patrick Zelinski, Senior Program Officer
Kevin Padilla, Senior Program Assistant
Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications
Brian Haefs, Associate Director of Publications
Kathleen Mion, Assistant Editor
Deanna Belden, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Saint Paul, MN (Chair)
Victoria F. Beale, Ohio Department of Transportation, Columbus, OH
Mary Leah Caillier Coco, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Baton Rouge, LA
Meghan Haggerty, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Boston, MA
Alana M. Spendlove, HNTB Corporation, Midvale, UT
Chris Young, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
Clark C. Martin, FHWA Liaison
John Dean, AASHTO Liaison
1.3 Project Methodology and Deliverables
2.2 Portfolio of Informational and Promotional Materials
2.3 Disseminate Information, Build on Guidance
Chapter 3 Findings and Results
3.1 ACB Framework - Change Forces (Various)
3.2 ACB Framework - Needs (Various)
3.3 Overall Strategies (Various)
3.5 Agency Practices (Various)
3.6 Data and Information Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)
3.7 Knowledge Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)
3.8 Workforce and Organizational Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)
Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations
Table 1-1. Project tasks with deliverables
Table 3-1. Summary of Thompson’s presentation
Table 3-2. Summary of Thomas’ presentation
Table 3-3. Summary of Cullum’s presentation
Table 3-4. Summary of Bruner’s presentation
Table 3-5. Summary of Aleman-Smoot’s presentation
Table 3-6. Summary of Styles’ presentation
Table 3-7. Summary of Stanley’s presentation
Table 3-8. Summary of Grant and Rosenow’s presentation
Table 3-9. Summary of Vansuch’s presentation