Reshaping the Business

Focusing on the business is about improving the manner in which we administer our work. It is about streamlining our processes, seeking out new ways to eliminate red tape and working across our VDOT boundaries to better serve our customers.

Key Goals and Initiatives

Improve Project Development and Delivery

Includes efforts such as implementing the enhanced Construction, Engineering and Inspection (CEI) process, investigating possible reductions in project development time, reviewing past outsourcing initiatives to ensure effectiveness.

Ensure Efficient and Effective VDOT Management

Includes continued area headquarters consolidation, continued examination of administrative functions (efficiency, effectiveness, possible outsourcing), strengthening internal advisory groups such as the Maintenance Planning Leadership Group and more.

Unify the System Investment Process

Includes efforts such as integrating the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) and Six-Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) into a single process so maintenance and construction projects are on a consistent cycle, adopting a methodology of prioritizing budget funding based on performance measures.

Improve SWAM
“Everyone in this room is responsible for implementing internal controls."

-- Chief Deputy Commissioner Gregory Whirley at the Garver Conference

Achieve interim SWAM goal — that 30 percent of all contract expenditures will be paid to small, women-owned or minority-owned businesses.

Assess Internal Controls

Implement the Agency Risk Management and Internal Controls Standards (ARMICS) statewide program to assess effectiveness of key processes and procedures to make sure that we have the right protection for the spending of public funds; this program is the government equivalent of Sarbanes-Oxley — the legislation passed to govern the way public companies conduct their business after the Enron collapse and other corporate scandals in recent years.

Engage Key Partners

Includes continuing forums with transportation industry chief executives on improving business practices; also expanding and improving the formal partnering process beyond contractors, to include local government at all levels for project development.

Why is This Important?

We must constantly look for ways to improve service to the traveling public, provide a high return on the taxpayer dollar and work with various business partners to get more done.

How Might This Affect Employees or the Public?

Employees should expect to see more changes in business processes; stay flexible and be willing to learn new skills. Employees should offer ideas for improving the way we get our work done and for eliminating processes that hinder our work.

We have received more than 24 employee responses to the Steps in the Journey feedback mechanism provided in an earlier edition of the Bulletin. We continue to evaluate these to determine which ones we can implement. You can still submit your streamlining ideas to VDOTinfo@vdot.Virginia.gov with the title “Steps in the Journey.”

Next: Reshaping the Transportation System >

Page last modified: March 7, 2008