Local Assistance Division
Locally Administered Projects
The Virginina Department of Transportation (VDOT) has developed a guide for local administration of VDOT projects to provide background information, direction, and requirements to those localities choosing to administer projects.
If a local government desires to administer a project that is even partially funded by programs overseen by VDOT, a local/state project agreement is required. This agreement spells out the terms for a locality to administer that project.
- Local administration of Design-Build
projects
- The administration of federal-aid projects by local public
agencies
- Project Cost Estimating System: Localities may now register to attend PCES Training Sessions through the VDOT University Virtual Campus . Instructions for registering through the VDOT University Virtual Campus can be found here.
- Dashboard 2, for Localities: Beginning with
projects advertised in or after January 2007, VDOT is requiring that
all
localities begin tracking those construction projects in VDOT’s
Dashboard.
Key things to remember when working on locally administered projects:
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To initiate the agreement process, a locality submits a request to administer (RTA) form to the local residency administrator or urban program manager for VDOT review. Once approved by the Chief Engineer, VDOT will begin to draft the project agreement. Any work a locality seeks reimbursement for should begin after the agreement has been executed.
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State Environmental Review Process (SERP) must be processed by VDOT on all VDOT-funded projects administered by localities, except for those receiving money exclusively through the Enhancement Program. More information on environmental requirements is available here.
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The federal USDOT- FHWA Civil Rights provisions must be processed by VDOT on all VDOT-funded projects administered by localities, except for those receiving money exclusively from the state transportation general fund. More information on Civil Rights requirements is available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/civilrights/index.htm. More information on Civil Rights requirements is availablehere.
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If a locality utilizes more than $500,000 from federal sources in a year and administers any federally funded highway projects, it must comply with the audit requirements of Office of Management and Budget Circular Number A-133 and must provide the results of any such audit to the Virginia Department of Transportation. You can look at Circular A-133 on the White House Web site.
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If the project utilizes federal funds, the approval and review process it must follow is identical to a state administered federally funded project. Local Assistance Division has developed a checklist
that must be completed by all
localities working on federally funded locally administered projects.
The
checklist can be modified for state funded projects and is
recommended for all
projects. -
For all funding sources except the various access programs and the Revenue Sharing Program, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) must concur with the project’s award for construction if the total amount is over $2 million (if under $2 million, the Commissioner may concur in the award). This means that Scheduling and Contracting Division must be able to review the advertising documents (including project estimates) and the locality’s proposed award before the first Thursday of the month (so that the award may make it to the CTB that month).
Contacts:
Russ Dudley, Local
Oversight Section manager, (804) 786-6663
Bernie Schmelz, Local
Oversight Section program manager, (804) 786-2595
Clark Woods, Local Oversight
Section program manager, (804) 692-0565





















