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.

Other Updates:

• Local administration of Design-Build projects
  
  
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More on design-build
  
  
• The administration of federal-aid projects by local public agencies
  
  
  • Final report

• August 2007 update to guide to local administration of VDOT projects
  
  
  • Summary of updates/revisions 
  • Revised version with tracked changes 

• 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.
  
  
  • Oct. 23, 2006 implementation letter to localities
  • Local Dashboard access request form (IT-35E)
  • Local Dashboard users manual

Key things to remember when working on locally administered projects:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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).

  • Guide for Local Administration of Virginia Department of TransportationProjects 
  • Local Partnership Team  
  • Request to Administer Project Form
  • Request to Administer Project Form 
  • Checklist for Locally Administered Projects
  • VDOT Construction Oversight Guide for Locally Administered Projects  
     

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