Establishing Need for a Contractor’s Services

All utility adjustment work, as well as all work incidental to the adjustment, will be performed by the utility, or by a company under contract to the utility or to TxDOT.
  • Force Account Method - FHWA regulations acknowledge that it is cost effective for certain utility adjustments to be performed by the utility with its own crews and equipment (force account method). When a utility uses this method, it will be reimbursed only for the actual costs of adjustment. The form ROW-U-48 is not needed in this instance.
  • Contract Method - When a company under contract to the utility or to TxDOT performs the adjustment (the contract method), it must be determined that the utility does not have adequate forces to perform the work, or that performance of the work under contract is to TxDOT’s advantage. Prior approval by TxDOT is not necessary for use of this method, but the utility must execute a form
    ROW-U-48 Statement Covering Utility Construction Contract Work
    to ensure that requirements of the contract method are met.