Product Evaluation Programs at State Departments of Transportation

Transportation infrastructure requires significant amounts of products and materials in construction, maintenance, and operations. Suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, and internal staff submit new and existing products, materials, engineered systems, and innovative technologies to departments of transportation (DOTs) for evaluation. For a product to be considered, it must meet a specific need, be cost-effective, not disrupt other operations, and satisfy specifications and functional requirements. State DOTs use product evaluation programs (PEPs) to assess a product’s suitability. These programs involve processes, procedures, and tools to test, evaluate, and determine whether a product is approved. Approved products are added to approved/qualified product lists. However, the evaluation processes vary among DOTs owing to differences in agency operations. This study investigated the current practices, policies, management techniques, tools, and workflows of PEPs among DOTs. Data were collected through a three-step process: a review of existing literature, a national survey questionnaire of state DOTs, and case study interviews with five DOTs, including Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, and New Hampshire. The findings indicated that while approaches to product evaluations differed across state DOTs, common elements included specific groups or divisions within the DOT facilitating the PEP, a defined application and submission process for submitters, the use of specifications and criteria for evaluation, varying timelines for evaluating products, and the utilization of PEP resources, such as the National Transportation PEP and associated tools. This information assists DOTs in enhancing their current PEPs, making them more efficient despite the limited resources (e.g., staff, funding) typically available for PEP operations.