Section 2: Committees
Functional Area Committees
Functional Area Committees (FACs) meet annually, typically
in the fourth quarter, to discuss and prioritize all submitted Problem
Statements. The Project Portfolio Manager represents the research
division during the meetings. As a result, RTI reviews and presents
a subset of the prioritized list to the Research Oversight Committee
for further vetting and prioritizing. The FAC is supported by non-voting
members familiar with current and previous TxDOT and national research
projects and other related topic areas. While most Problem Statements
are left unchanged, some are modified, and some are combined to
better meet the needs of TxDOT.
The FAC assists with identifying sponsors and subject matter
experts for each approved Problem Statement.
Committee voting membership is comprised of representatives
of TxDOT Divisions and Districts drawn from high-level technical
and managerial staff appointed by the DD Directors.
Committee non-voting membership is comprised of personnel
from the local FHWA Division, Metropolitan Planning Organization
(MPO), and State University researchers who volunteer in reviewing,
promoting and offering expert opinion of the Problem Statements.
The committees focus on these five areas:
- Construction,Material andMaintenance
- Structures and Hydraulics
- Safety and Operations
- Planning and Environmental
- Strategy and Innovation
Research Oversight Committee
The Research Oversight Committee (ROC) consists of Division
Directors and District Engineers supported by the Chairs, as non-voting
participants. The ROC meets annually, after receiving the recommended
list of Problem Statements from the FACs. The ROC meets to review,
discuss and further prioritize the recommended list of Problem Statements
before submitting final recommendations for approval to the
Executive Committee
(EC)
. The ROC ensures that the information presented
in the Problem Statements is accurate, in the best interest of the
Department and is important of an issue to be recommended for inclusion
in the research program or funded through other resources. The Project
Portfolio Manager represents the research division in these meetings.RTI reviews the prioritized list and submits the recommended
list of Problem Statements to the
EC
and local
FHWA Division Office for consideration and approval for including
the SPR Part II Work Program. The ROC consists of five
committees that mirror the FAC
.The committees focus on these five areas:
- Construction, Material and Maintenance (ROC-1)
- Structures and Hydraulics (ROC-2)
- Safety and Operations (ROC-3)
- Strategy and Innovation (ROC-4)
- Planning and Environmental (ROC-5)
Project Monitoring Committee
The Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) is composed of a sponsor
and subject matter experts (SMEs) from TxDOT Divisions and District
and/or field offices, RTI as well as other stakeholders such as
local FHWA
Texas Division Office subject matter experts
.
The PMC provides technical guidance and assistance throughout the
life of a project to assure the research work and project performance
remain consistent with approved project scope and the needs of TxDOT.The PMC assist with removing barriers and impediments that
may prevent the project from succeeding. They meet periodically
to review project deliverables and discuss the project status.
The SMEs that comprise the committee membership is drawn from
high-level technical and managerial staff appointed by the District/Division
Directors.
Executive Committee (EC)
Executive Committee (EC)
The
Executive Committee (EC)
is the executive level of TxDOT administration and provides direction for funding and identification of high-priority areas of interest. The committee
is comprised of the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Chief Engineer. The EC
is responsible for reviewing and approving the final selection of projects recommended by the ROC for inclusion in the annual SPR Part II Work Program.The RTI Director provides final approval of the recommended annual SPR Part II Work Program.

Figure 3-1. Research Process
State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC)
Composition
STIC is composed of a multi-stakeholder leadership that works
together to forge an environment of innovation, imagination, and
ingenuity to pursue specific initiatives and their rapid implementation
to deliver a modern, high quality transportation system to the citizens
of the commonwealth. The STIC will identify ways that Texas responds
to key issues and challenges that impact the highway program, and
suggest options to enhance the program and Texas’s transportation
infrastructure.
Members
The STIC is co-chaired by the TxDOT Director of Strategy &
Innovation and the FHWA Texas Division Administrator and will be
composed of no more than twenty-five (25) individual members. All
member organizations (that are not affiliated with a State or Federal
agency) will delegate a representative who is appointed for a two-year
term by the organization’s chief executive officer or board of directors,
with each member eligible to be reappointed for an additional two-year
term. Any person appointed to fill a temporary vacancy shall serve
for the unexpired term, with the option to be reappointed for a
successive two-year term, by the appointing organization or agency.
Projects
The State Transportation Innovation Council reviews potential
implementation projects, which have been verified through the FACs
within TxDOT’s program.
Implementation projects may include
Every Day Counts (EDC) proven innovations as part of the SPR II
Subpart B Work Program.
The implementation projects include both products of research
conducted in Texas, as well as, Federal Highway Administration’s
proven innovations and enhanced business processes promoted through
the EDC program. These projects facilitate greater efficiency at
the state and local levels, saving time and resources that can be
used to deliver more projects for the same money.
Projects found to be of high interest to the STIC are sent
to RTI as recommendations to consider for inclusion in the SPR II
Work Program. The Project Portfolio Manager reviews prioritization
and performs an initial assessment based on program history, potential
funding needs and type of projects to the RTI Director for concurrence.
The PMs request proposals and develop Implementation Project Recommendations
(IPRs) for each of the projects. The IPR is submitted to the RTI
Financial Committee for further consideration and approval to continue
in the process. Once approved, it is submitted to the Director of
Strategy and Innovation for final approval and modification request are
submitted to the local FHWA Division Office for approval and inclusion
in the SPR Part II Work Program.
Meetings
The STIC for the State of Texas meets at least twice per year
at a time and location established by the Co-Chairs.
Change Review Board
(CRB)
Change Review Board
(CRB)
The
Change Review Board (CRB)
is comprised
of the RTI Director, Portfolio Section Manager, Contracts Team Lead,
Accounting Specialist, and a representative of the Project Managers.
This committee meets at a minimum monthly or as needed to discuss
and approve proposed project modification requests and other
amendments
to the Work Program. For each change requested,
the
committee reviews and assesses the impact to the SPR Part II Work
Program, reviews
funding needs, identifies
available funding sources, and discusses the justifications and
implications before approving. Upon approval by the CRB,
RTI requests review and approval of all Work Program amendments
by FHWA's Texas Division
.