Appendix
Detailed Summaries of
Organizations Surveyed
Organizations
Surveyed:
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Professional Organizations & Agencies |
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American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) |
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American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) |
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American Public Transportation Association (APTA) & Federal Transit Administration (FTA) |
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American Public Works Association (APWA) |
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American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) |
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American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) & Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF) |
Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
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Foundation
for Pavement Preservation (FP2)
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Governmental
Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
|
National
Association of County Engineers (NACE)
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Transportation
Research Board (TRB)
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Educational Organizations
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Local
Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
|
Midwest
Transportation Consortium (MTC) & Center for Transportation
Research in Engineering (CTRE) - Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
|
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Midwest Regional
University Transportation Center (MRUTC) – University of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wisconsin |
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Urban Transportation Center (UTC) – University of Illinois – Chicago, Chicago, Illinois |
|
University Transportation Research Center (UTRC)
& the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management – City
College of New York, New York City, New York |
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International Organizations |
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Canadian Programs: |
· Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM)
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· National Research
Council of Canada (NRCC)
|
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International Road Federation (IRF) |
Organization
for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD)
|
World Road
Federation (PIARC)
|
Professional Organizations
Working in Asset Management
American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO):
(http://www.transportation.org)
Significant
Past Efforts:
1st
Executive Seminar on Asset Management: (September 1996 – Washington
DC) – 23 states attended. One of the
first conferences to bring public, private, and quasi-governmental sectors
together to discuss the theory of Asset Management.
2nd
Executive Seminar on Asset Management: (October 1997 – Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY) – Organized to evaluate current practices and
develop a cooperative strategy to move forward with Asset Management.
Asset Management
Peer Exchange: (December 1999 - Scottsdale, AZ) – 33 states
attended. The Exchange “provided
important insights into the work that is still needed to assist the states in
guiding their ongoing transportation Asset Management programs.” (AASHTO 2001
Strategic Plan Introduction) The states
of New York, Minnesota, Virginia, Montana, and Michigan were present to share
past experience and gain knowledge on how to further implement Asset Management
strategies.
GASB 34
Training: Workshop in April 2001 to discuss the
implications of GASB 34 to AASHTO member states. Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of
Transportation.
Current AASHTO
Efforts:
Task Force on
Transportation Asset Management: Incorporated by the Board of
Directors in 1998, current efforts by the Task Force include the following:
NCHRP Project
20-24 (11) Asset Management Guidance for Transportation Agencies: One recommendation from the Strategic Plan is to develop an AASHTO
Asset Management Guide. The main product
of this research will be a detailed framework that allows agencies to use
existing knowledge and tools to start implementing Asset Management systems. Auxiliary products will include a research
agenda and a summary of best practices in states as well as national and
international organizations. A target of
August 2002 has been set as the final date for issuance of this report.
Asset Management
Communities Website: This site is in the initial stages of
development. When fully developed, it
will ideally contain a discussion forum and links to research and organizations
involved in Asset Management. The
concept is to develop a portal through the web to facilitate information
sharing and education. (http://assetmanagement.transportation.org/tam/aashto.nsf/home)
AASHTO
Perspectives:
Key Challenges in
Asset Management: (Taken from a presentation by Tony Kane at the
4th National Transportation Asset Management Workshop, hosted by the
Midwest Regional University Transportation Center, September 2001)
Partial List of AASHTO Publications:
Asset Management
Peer Exchange, Using Past Experiences to Shape Future Practice – Executive
Summary
Asset
Management: Advancing the State of the
Art into the 21st Century through Public-Private Dialogue –
Executive Summary
Periodic articles in
the AASHTO Quarterly and AASHTO Journal
Suggested
Contacts:
Jim McDonnell, PE
Associate Program
Director for Engineering
AASHTO
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 249
Washington D.C.,
20001
202-624-5448
202-624-5469 (fax)
jimm@aashto.org
Other Contacts:
On the AASHTO
Task Force on Transportation Asset Management:
Lou Lambert – MI DOT
Gary Hoffman – PA DOT
David Ekern – MN DOT
Tim Gilchrist – NY DOT
Sandra Straehl – MT DOT
Lance Newman –
Cambridge Systematics
American
Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA)
Significant
Past Efforts:
“Asset Management
of Streets and Local Roads”:
A technical paper and presentation describing Asset Management and how local
municipalities can start integrating this concept into decision-making. Describes why Asset Management is needed, the
life cycle cost analysis methodology, and supports a conclusion that improved
transportation management will include a “mix of fixes” where a variety of
pavement preservation technologies will be necessary to maintain infrastructure
at the desired level of service.
Current ACPA
Efforts:
Remaining Service
Life Model: The ACPA anticipates completing a model in
2002 that will be readily available for local governments to forecast remaining
service life based on their inventory of current roadway conditions. With this condition data, the model will
predict when to maintenance certain segments of the system to achieve ultimate
overall benefit.
Life Cycle Cost
Analysis: The ACPA is also pursuing development of
refined life cycle costing methodologies and are working closely with the
Michigan DOT to develop such models.
ACPA also has a life cycle costing model available in their WinPAS
pavement design software, which is available for purchase through the
internet.
Suggested
Contacts:
Lon Hawbaker, PE
Director – Streets
& Local Roads
American Concrete
Pavement Association
5420 Old Orchard
Road, Suite A100
Skokie, IL 60077
847-966-2272
847-966-9970 (fax)
lhawbaker@pavement.com
American
Public Transportation Association (APTA) & Federal Transit Administration
(FTA):
Current
Efforts:
APTA: Financial Management Committee: This Committee considers several areas in financial management relevant
to transit operators. One recent
interest is GASB 34 and its implications for transit authorities. APTA brought together consultants and
interested transit agencies to discuss the Statement more. In the future, APTA will facilitate more of
these discussions.
FTA: National Transit Database: Accumulation of operation and financial information on nationwide
transit providers.
FTA/FHWA: Tunnel Management Guide: Phase 1 is complete – an inventory of highway and rail tunnels. Phase 2 will be a guide on standards for
operation and maintenance as well as management techniques for tunnel systems.
APTA
Perspectives:
The organization
does not have an Asset Management effort underway, but is aware of the concept
and facilitating dialogue between its members and partner organizations such as
FHWA. The FHWA Primers on GASB 34 and
Asset Management have been helpful to APTA in distributing information to form
an initial understanding of the concepts.
FTA
Perspectives:
FTA is in the
process of forming initial partnerships in Asset Management with the Office of
Asset Management at FHWA. They developed
the National Transit Database as a first step in compiling the data needed for
a management system. Rich Steinmann has
led some effort to assimilate fleet management with Asset Management
principles. Also, Ed Thomas has given
several presentations on emerging trends and reasons to adopt Asset Management
concepts. These are mainly awareness
building efforts by upper-level management staff at FTA.
Suggested
Contacts:
Sam Kerns (APTA)
Finance and Administration
Department
1666 K Street, N.W.,
Suite 1100,
Washington, DC 20006
202-496-4843
Mary Louise Anderson
(FTA)
Office of Research,
Demonstration, and Innovation – TRI 20
400 7th
Street, SW
Room 9407 – D
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-0222
202-366-3765 (fax)
American
Public Works Association (APWA)
Significant
Past Efforts:
Asset Management
Task Force: (disbanded August 31, 1998) – Developed paper
entitled “Asset Management for the Public Works Manager – Challenges and
Strategies.” This report was the first
concentrated effort by APWA to define Asset Management and recognize potential
benefits and issues. The discussion
centered on the following areas:
Leadership and
Management Committee: This Committee has taken concepts from the
Task Force study and incorporated it into their 2001 Business Plan in the
following strategic goals:
· Goal A1: To influence government and private sector organizations to develop programs, systems, procedures, systems and tools that can be effectively used by public works agencies for efficient Asset Management.
· Goal A2: To provide information on Asset Management principles and practices as useful tools for improving public works management.
· Goal A3: To influence implementation of GASB Statement 34 by identifying and encouraging adoption of practical policies and tools for public works infrastructure performance monitoring and management.
Visioning: As the industry tries to define the meaning of Asset Management, APWA is working with mainly local government to build consensus around a common definition.
2001 Congress: APWA held several sessions on Asset Management at their 2001 Congress. Several experts in the field gave presentations, including Dennis Shea, Kent Lande, Bevis Greay, and Dana Vanier. Many of these individuals are international representatives from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
2002 Urban Transportation Forum: The Forum will feature a day-long session on Asset Management and the state of development in local governments. The meeting will especially emphasize efforts to adopt GASB 34 and the development of pavement management and other planning systems.
Perspective: (A summary from an interview with Dennis
Ross, Director of Professional Development, APWA)
Largest
challenges in developing and implementing Asset Management:
There are several key challenges the transportation community has to
overcome in implementing Asset Management.
These challenges are:
·
Coalition
building: Organizations such as APWA need to reach a
common goal on the mission of Asset Management.
Currently Asset Management has a different meaning to different
agencies.
·
Life
Cycle Costing: Related to GASB 34, more agencies will be
refining life cycle costing techniques.
Future collaboration should be encouraged to standardize these
techniques.
·
The
“un-funded mandate”: Many local agencies perceive Asset Management
theories and rhetoric to be a top-down mandate from state and federal
agencies. These groups must develop
common goals and strategies.
Partial List of APWA Publications:
GASB 34 Statement
& Implementation Guide
APWA Reporter: Monthly magazine periodically focusing on
GASB 34 and other Asset Management related topics.
Related APWA
Activities:
Rebuild America
Coalition: Founded in 1987 by APWA to create public and
political awareness of the need for significant infrastructure investment.
Suggested
Contact:
Dennis Ross
Director
of Professional Development
APWA
2345 Grand Boulevard, Suite 500
Kansas City, MO
64108
(816)
472-6100
dross@apwa.net
ARTBA
(American Road & Transportation Builders Association)
Current
Efforts:
The organization has
not dedicated resources specifically to Asset Management, but their literature
frequently emphasizes managing, maintaining, and preserving highway assets
better.
“America’s
Roadway Operations: Improving Capacity
and Efficiency”: ARTBA prepared this paper for the National
Summit on Transportation Operations on October 16, 2001. They acknowledge a need for better operations
management and outline several recommendations to achieve better
efficiency. These recommendations
include strategies for federal roles, funding, and resolving institutional
barriers in planning and operations.
Professional
Development Sections: As a form of outreach, ARTBA has a
Professional Development Section listserv to encourage dialogue about
management activities in several areas of transportation. This program has been most successful in the
safety management and international management areas. These forums might be very useful in the
future to share experiences and knowledge about Asset Management.
ARTBA
Perspectives: (A summary from an interview with Brad Sant,
Vice President of Safety and Education, ARTBA)
ARTBA realizes there
is a growing need to shift from policies in construction to management and
preservation. ARTBA is helping
facilitate the knowledge of this shift, but believes Asset Management research
and development should not precede needed funding for the construction
industry. The focus of ARTBA and
construction industry is changing, and therefore the organization is changing
as well.
Partial List of ARTBA Publications
PRIDE In Transportation Construction Newsletter: The PRIDE effort concentrates on building public and political support for capital improvement to federal and state transportation infrastructure. The Newsletter summarizes these efforts as well as acknowledges best practice efforts in design and planning.
Suggested Contact:
Brad Sant
Vice President of Safety & Education
ARTBA
1010 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC, 20001
(202) 289-4434.
American
Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) & Civil Engineering Research Foundation
(CERF)
Significant
Past Efforts:
CERF -
Partnership for the Advancement of Infrastructure and Its Renewal Through Innovative
Products and Processes (PAIR) (March
1998 – Washington DC). CERF
president Harvey M. Bernstein introduced the PAIR Initiative, a partnership
between industry and government to research and restore the nation’s
infrastructure. The effort focuses on R&D
and especially technology transfer to state and local governments.
CERF -
Partnership for the Advancement of Infrastructure and Its Renewal Through
Innovative Products and Processes – the Transportation Component (PAIR-T) (April 1998 – Washington DC). The result of collaboration between President
Clinton’s National Science and Technology Committee on Technology and the
Department of Transportation. PAIR-T
promoted, “the increased use of innovation, particularly advanced materials and
processes in new construction, repair retrofit, and maintenance of the
transportation infrastructure”. However,
since the PAIR-T initiative was developed, no other agencies have collaborated
with CERF to further investigate these concepts.
Current ASCE
and CERF Efforts:
CERF - Managing
Infrastructure Assets Conference: (Spring 2001) – A collaborative
effort sponsored by the National Science and Technology Committee on
Technology, Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) of the U.S.
Department of Transportation and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command
(NAVFAC) convened to discuss the new concepts of Asset Management. The Conference’s purpose was to gather
insight from each of the above organizations, encourage further understanding,
and heighten awareness by developing partnerships and increasing dialogue. No specific tasks or partnerships resulted
from the Conference and CERF has not taken a role specifically in Asset
Management since.
ASCE - 2001 Civil
Engineering Conference and Exposition: A session met entitled “New Developments in
Asset Management for Civil Infrastructure” dealing with economic and operations
theories behind Asset Management.
Speakers from the FHWA, Office of Asset Management, Virginia DOT, and
various consulting groups were present to describe successful efforts in
federal, state, and local government programs in the roadway and transit
fields.
CERF Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC) Innovation Center: One of CERF’s most successful innovation centers is the Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC). Based on a fee-for-service approach, the Center conducts performance evaluations on high and low-tech highway technology innovations. These innovations can be in any aspect of the highway community including design, construction, operation, or maintenance. While this Center is not directly involved in promoting Asset Management, some of the innovations it tests, such as Bridge Management System software, are examples of technologies that could be used in Asset Management systems in the future.
CERF
Perspectives: (A summary from an interview with Peter Kissinger, Director of the Highway
Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC) Innovation Center)
CERF’s role in Asset
Management is really as a facilitator of testing and marketing new technologies
for use in highway design, construction, operation, or maintenance. CERF supports the concept of Asset
Management and is willing to participate as projects develop.
Partial List of ASCE Publications:
ASCE Journals: Topics related to management of transportation systems are frequently discussed in ASCE journals, especially the Journal of Management in Engineering. There are several other examples such as the Journal of Infrastructure Systems and Leadership and Management in Engineering. Since the mid-1980’s articles have appeared on subjects of Asset Management, especially in managing and integrate data. A recent article in the January 2001 Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering by D.J. “Dana” Vanier focuses on why municipal infrastructure planning needs Asset Management tools.
Civil Engineering: A monthly publication, articles are frequently published on management system related to design, construction, operation and maintenance of transportation assets.
Partial List of CERF Publications:
The PAIR Implementation Plan: A Partnership for the
Advancement of Infrastructure and its Renewal through Innovative Products and
Practices
Partnership for the Advancement of Infrastructure and Its Renewal through Innovative Products and Processes (PAIR) White Paper
Partnership for the Advancement of Infrastructure and Its
Renewal through Innovative Products and Processes Transportation Component
(PAIR-T) White Paper
Suggested
Contacts:
Peter Kissinger
(CERF)
Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC)
2131 K Street NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20037
202-785-6467
Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
(http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/asstmgmt/)
Current
Efforts:
Office of Asset Management: The
Office of Asset Management is one of four offices within the FHWA
Infrastructure Core Business Unit (CBU). The Office was established in February
1999 with a broad scope to provide leadership and expertise in the management
of highway infrastructure assets. To
approach this mission, the office contains three areas to help develop policy,
provide leadership and pursue public/private partnerships:
1. System Management
and Monitoring Team: This team
develops management systems for different types of infrastructure assets, most
specifically pavement and bridge programs.
However, this division is also looking at management approaches to other
assets where tools to monitor performance currently do not exist, such as with
tunnels and road hardware. The team is
split into two groups:
·
Bridge Management Group: This group is responsible for developing
bridge management systems, and is currently involved in developing software. In a partnership with AASHTO, the Group
distributes and offers technical assistance in POINTIS and AASHTOWARE to take
regular maintenance data on bridge systems and predict the optimal long-term
life of the structures, with and without preventative maintenance. Versions of these programs are available
through the FHWA website.
·
Pavement Management Group: This group is developing multiyear
prioritization methods and technical applications that use pavement management
data to monitor roadway quality. The
group is involved with several other research efforts in AASHTO, TRB, and ASCE.
2.
Construction and System Preservation Team: This team
provides leadership to promote national quality initiatives to improve pavement
quality and management. Like the other
teams, they also collaborate with states and national efforts, such as AASHTO,
to inform a broad audience on methods to improve roadway quality. A result of this effort is the National
Quality Initiative (NQI), a partnership with AASHTO and related industry to
provide greater visibility of highway quality improvement initiatives on local,
state, or federal scales. This team has
also concentrated on disseminating new specifications on highway construction
and maintenance standards. They are in
the process of developing a website to serve as an electronic link to efforts
in the 50 states as well as guidance from the Asset Management Guide (NCHRP
Project SP20-24[11]) on quality construction and management.
3. Evaluation and
Economic Investment Team: This team
is devoted to developing a number of tools to help evaluate transportation
investments from an economic standpoint, with a focus on Asset Management. This includes developing guidance on the
economic requirements for developing and maintaining state highway system
(referred to as the “HERS/ST” program), life cycle cost analyses, data
integration, and GASB 34. The types of
guidance and assistance the team provides are in narrative form (such as “fact
sheets” or “primers”, which are quick guides to what a subject is how it is
important), holding workshops and meetings, and developing software.
Partial List
of FHWA Publications:
Primers: These pamphlets introduce Asset Management and why the concept is important. Because the field of Asset Management is still relatively new for most organizations, these publications are providing initial leadership to define the issues most relevant to interested parties and foster dialogue on the subject. The following is a list of current Primers distributed by the Office:
Primer on Asset Management
Primer on GASB 34
Primer on Data Integration
Primer on Pavement Management
FOCUS: A monthly periodical from FHWA with frequent stories on Asset
Management.
Annual Report
2000: Office of Asset Management: This report summarizes the activities of the
Office from 1999-2000, specifically detailing the accomplishments of the three
Teams. As well, the report gives an
update on broader efforts the Office in involved with, such as the Asset
Management Guide (NCHRP Project SP20-24{11}).
Asset Management
Folder: The Primers, Annual Report, and other general
pamphlets describing efforts in Asset Management are available in one folder
that the Office regularly distributes by request or at workshops. The folders are a good idea to consolidate
the many articles the Office has produced to create a “one stop” approach.
Conferences
& Workshops:
FHWA has been involved in many of the workshops to
date on Asset Management. These meetings
are essential in facilitating idea sharing and raising awareness about Asset
Management. Commonly, the Office is a
partner in funding the effort as well as supplying expertise and/or
leadership. The interests of these
meetings can be on the broader policy implications of Asset Management or specific
technical questions, such as pavement data management or GASB 34. A partial list of the conferences/workshops
held to date is:
Suggested
Contacts:
Frank Botelho
Roemer Alfelor
David Winter
Regina McElroy
Office of Asset
Management
Federal Highway
Administration
400 Seventh Street,
SW, Room 3211
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-0392
202-366-9981 (fax)
Foundation for
Pavement Preservation (FP2)
Background:
The Foundation for Pavement Preservation (FP2), established in 1992, provides resources to advance knowledge for managing and preserving pavements. FP2 supports research to educate government and industry professionals in the economical, safety, and performance advantages of pavement preservation. The Foundation encourages education, research, international education and public-private partnering.
One of the primary efforts of the Foundation is to reinforce the theme of “Applying the Right Treatment, for the Right Pavement, at the Right Time.” This approach is reliant upon the adoption of strategies that focus on movement from a “worst first” strategy for applying pavement treatments. FP2 aggressively markets the idea of applying treatments to pavements while they remain in good condition.
Another guiding principle of the Foundation’s efforts is that pavement preservation is more than a list of techniques or a series of options. The movement towards a collective pavement management and Asset Management system is a new way of doing business.
Current Efforts:
2nd National Conference on Pavement Preservation: The Foundation was the host of the 2nd National Conference on Pavement Preservation in November 2001 entitled, “Protecting our Investment.” This workshop brought together mostly members of the industry and state Departments of Transportation in the Western United States to discuss the current status quo regarding pavement preservation technologies. Sessions emphasized the importance of data collection and management for implementation in pavement management systems and strategies for compliance with GASB Statement 34. These sessions focused on the current state of the practice, including the management and data systems used in California and Colorado.
Toolboxes: Assembled jointly through the FHWA and FP2, these “toolboxes” contain videos, CD-ROMs, reports, brochures, manuals, and other materials on the state of the practice for pavement preservation. The materials included incorporate
Research Agenda: FP2 has also adopted a formal research agenda in pavement preservation topics ranging across six strategic areas: construction practices, materials selection and mix design, treatment and selection strategy, performance, training, and policy options. These areas include 22 specific topics that the Foundation has prioritized for research execution. This effort was also coordinated through FHWA.
Development of NHI
Courses
With the assistance of FHWA, FP2 is developing a series of training courses administered through the National Highway Institute. NHI No. 131504 on Pavement Preservation: The Preventative Maintenance Concept (introduced in late 2000). In the fall of 2001, NHI No. 131058 was introduced: Selecting Pavements for Preventative Maintenance. These courses focus on the selection of the right treatment, for the right pavement, at the right time. NHI No. 131056 is in development on the technical aspects of specific preventative maintenance techniques. In-field videos will be the key element of this course. FP2 is also supporting the development of a long-term pavement maintenance course. The course is under development at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign through Dr. Sam Carpenter who is a member of the FP2 Board of Directors.
Partial List of FP2 Publications
Pavement Preservation Today: A quarterly publication focusing on pavement preservation activities nationwide. The Foundation often focuses on AASHTO, FHWA, and state DOT efforts. The 2001 publications mention several national research efforts and conferences in Asset Management.
Suggested Contacts:
Bill Ballou, President (785) 823-7645
Steve
Hersey, Program Manager (703) 610-9036
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
Fax: (703) 610-9005
(http://www.gasb.org/repmodel/index.html)
Background:
GASB: An
independent financial reporting group:
GASB is independent of any state or federal agency
and is not a professional association.
It is the successor to the National Council on Governmental Accounting
and is under the wing of the Financial Accounting Foundation. The Foundation contributes charitable,
educational, scientific, and literary knowledge to the finance industry and the
public. GASB’s primary purpose is to
establish standards of financial accounting and reporting for all entities of
government. Because GASB exposes the
government to review and requires justification for all expenditures, the
organization had to evolve independently to be effective.
The Statement 34
standards were issued in July 1999. The
Government Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC), composed of
government, financial, public interest, accountant, and auditor groups, was the
main group that developed the Statement.
The Council’s responsibility today lies in consulting with GASB on
Statement 34 issues and concerns. The
Council also developed a task force (comprised of officials from AASHTO, FHWA,
APWA, etc) to approach specific issues with implementation of GASB 34. As well, the GASB organization developed the
Management Discussion and Analysis Section (MD&A), which is a section of
the report that consolidates financial information on government assets
(modeled after private companies that do the same in Annual Reports). This was to ensure the public could easily
interpret Statement 34 reports.
Theory behind
Statement 34:
Specifically related
to transportation, GASB is important because if governments choose the
preservation reporting approach, it requires calculation of the original
value of infrastructure. The report
includes all elements constructed or improved from 1980 to 1999.
Depreciation or
Preservation Approach: Governments can opt to either apply
depreciation to measure the financial value of assets over time, or a
preservation approach, which accounts for expenditures on operation and
maintenance of the asset. The preservation
approach is the most desirable because it shows the public how much Departments
of Transportation are spending to maintain built systems. The depreciation approach does not show this
diversity and leaves the public less informed about large expenditures,
possibly concluding there are no efforts in maintenance or preservation.
However, agencies
can quality for using the preservation approach only they have:
These four areas
advocate for an Asset Management system approach to managing
infrastructure.
As this list shows,
government will be required to provide the “full cost of servicing the
public”. Before this time the reports
only detailed short term assets and “cash on hand”. Now the long term, even “indefinite” – like
roadway infrastructure – assets are considered.
Organizations of
varying size will be phased in at different periods. The largest (100+ million) first, which is by
June 15, 2001. 2002 and 2003 are the
next years for progressively smaller organizations.
Public perception and its effect on municipal bond ratings is the main motivation for agencies to adopt GASB 34 and develop Asset Management systems. Through the Statement, the public will achieve a deeper understanding of agency expenditures. If a DOT is shown as not complying with GASB or some erroneous expenditures are reported, the bond rating for the agency could be affected. However, the Statement could also be an opportunity for agencies that have comprehensive management systems to justify the efficiency of their programs and expenditures. Overall, the policy is a tool to foster awareness of the need to maintain the built environment in the agency and the public.
GASB Outreach
Efforts:
The GASB Website is well organized to inform public on the purpose of Statement 34 through best-case examples, technical documentation, and other forms of outreach. As well, the organization collects and distributes many articles to increase awareness of what the program means and/or specific items of interest. The GASB organization has several training courses as well as guidance publications for sale on implementation.
Suggested Contact:
James Fountain
Assistant Director of Research
Governmental Accounting Standards Board
401 Merritt 7
P.O. Box 5116
Norwalk, Connecticut 06856-5116
(203) 847-0700
jrfountain@gasb.org
NACE (National Association of County Engineers)
(http://www.naco.org/affils/nace/index.htm)
“County Perspective on Pavement Preservation” (October 1998 speech by past Director, Duane Blanck). A non-technical perspective on benefits of pavement preservation, the article emphasized the importance of “keeping all roads in full service with minimum expense and the least inconvenience to traffic.” Most relevant was his discussion of preservation issues such as development of a pavement management program with condition rating schemes, ability to weigh alternatives, and establishment long-term programs. Other issues approached are choice in the type of preservation activity and the quality of preservation work. He also outlines several challenges, including level of service and cost of resources.
NACo/NACE GASB 34 Informational Website – A forum where recent lessons learned from GASB 34 are posted. Some technical advice offered on developing the accounting standards as well as county best-practices documentation.
Current Efforts:
NACE 2002 Conference (March 2002): This Conference featured a session entitled, “Asset Management and GASB 34 in Public Works” as part of the technical program track. This focus serves to update county officials on the status of GASB 34 implementation across the nation and report on some best-case examples.
Partial List of
NACE Publications
NACo/NACE Issue Brief: Performance Measurement – A tool for managing county government (July 1999) In relation to Asset Management, this brief details guidance for performance budgeting and maintenance of county assets. There are several best-case examples to demonstrate programs currently in use.
National Association of County Engineers
440
First St., N.W.
Washington,
DC 20001-2028
(202)
393-5041
(202)393-2630
fax
agiancol@naco.org
TRB (Transportation Research Board)
TRB is a research consortium mainly composed of committees that sponsor research and discuss many disciplines of transportation. Transportation Asset Management is recognized by TRB as an important area of research, and there are several Committees that address Asset Management generally or are developing awareness and research on specific components of Asset Management, such as Pavement Management Syst