Consulting Firms that are contracted by TxDOT to perform bridge inspection services must have a Project Manager (PM) on board that is responsible for coordinating with State personnel and for managing the work assigned to the firm.

A firm that is directly contracted by TxDOT to perform bridge inspection services is known as a Prime Consultant. A firm that is employed by the Prime Consultant to assist in performing bridge inspection services for TxDOT (under the Prime Consultant’s contract) is known as a Sub-Consultant. All communication between TxDOT and a contracted firm will take place via the Prime Consultant.

Requests for Consultant access to the Bridge Inspection Management System should be done via the Project Manager. The Project Manager shall notify the State Bridge Division Inspection Branch Office of any changes in personnel on either the inspection teams or its sub-providers that require access to the Bridge Inspection Management System. The Project Manager shall notify the State within 30 days of personnel leaving an inspection team and immediately upon a team leader joining an inspection team. Users who have not accessed the Bridge Inspection Management System within 6 months will have their access disabled.

The Prime Consultant PM ensures that the inspection work is performed according to the Scope of Services provided in the contract, that this work is performed in a timely manner according to schedules as described in the Work Authorizations, and that the work is of high quality. These performance standards apply regardless of whether the PM is managing personnel directly employed by the Prime Consultant or by the Sub-Consultant.

A Consultant TL performs the same tasks for bridge inspection as that described for a TxDOT TL (see section Bridge Division Staff, Team Leader). The inspections performed by a Consultant TL are to be performed consistent with the requirements noted under Attachment C - “Services to be Provided by the Engineer” of the current bridge inspection contract. These requirements are applicable to Consultant and Sub-Consultant TLs.

Consulting Firms providing bridge inspection services for TxDOT will employ a professional engineer knowledgeable and capable of performing load rating calculations that determine the load carrying capacity and stress limits of a bridge.

Structural evaluation and load rating of a bridge structure will be necessary in instances where a structure has been designed for less than the current design standard or current conditions/deterioration warrants an evaluation and no appropriate analysis exists.

Consulting Firms providing UW Inspection services for TxDOT will ensure that an underwater qualified TL is present during the performance of all UW Inspections and that the personnel performing UW Inspections are knowledgeable in diving techniques and have received training to perform such inspections.

The inspection work will be performed as stipulated in the Scope of Services of the current UW Inspection contract.

Although there are currently no existing written guidelines that discuss requirements of a Consulting Firm’s QC Program or the personnel in charge of managing it, a Prime Consulting firm under contract with TxDOT to perform bridge inspections will have a QC Program in place. The purpose of the Consulting Firm’s QC Program is to ensure that the contract deliverables to TxDOT, submitted by Prime Consultant and Sub-Consultant personnel, are of high quality.