Local Government Administered Project Manual

ADDENDUM RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA)

For projects let by the Local government with Federal-Aid Highway funding:

Definitions:

Acceptance Testing: Sampling and testing performed to evaluate acceptability of the product (i.e. soils and aggregate classification, density testing, asphalt mixture testing, concrete air, slump, cylinders, etc). See STI Quick Guide

Concrete Certification: Field Concrete technician as certified by GDOT

Independent Assurance (IA) Testing: Unbiased and independent assessment of all sampling and testing procedures as further described in AASHTO Specification R-44, Standard Practice for Independent Assurance Programs

OMR: GDOT’s Office of Materials and Research

QCT: Asphalt Quality Control Technician, Level 1 or 2 as certified by GDOT

RTT: Roadway Testing Technician as certified by GDOT

STI: GDOT Sampling, Testing and Inspection Manual which is located on the GDOT website under “The Source”

Verification Testing: Sampling and testing performed to verify the contractors test results (i.e. asphalt mixture testing)

The LGmust inform the Contractor that they must use suppliers on the QPL and the Contractor must notify the QPL suppliers that they are supplying material for a GDOT project and provide a project number.

Requirements for LG employees or LG consultant to perform construction quality assurance testing:

QA must be done in accordance with CFR 637 and GDOT’sSampling, Testing and Inspection Manual

If LG performs the QA: LG lab must be accredited by the AASHTO Accreditation Program and individual employees performing testing must be certified by GDOT

Consultants must be prequalified as follows:

  • Acceptance testing:
  • Consultants performing lab work must be prequalified in Area Class 604a and must be accredited by the AASHTO Accreditation Program in the appropriate lab tests.
  • Consultants performing field sampling and roadway testing must be qualified in Area Class 604b and GDOT certified in the appropriate field tests.
  • Consultants performing both roadway and laboratory testing must be prequalified in both Area Class 604a and 604b.
  • Verification testing: consultants must be prequalified in Area Class 604a and have at least one personnel certified as Asphalt Quality Control Technician, Level 1.
  • IA testing: consultants must be prequalified in both Area Class 604a and 604b.
  • In accordance with CFR 637.207(c), to prevent a conflict of interest, different consultant firms must be used for Acceptance and Verification and IA testing.

Verification testing (VT) by GDOT or LG hired consultant (for all asphalt work)

  • If the LG requests GDOT to perform VT: notify the Office of Materials and Research of the start of the asphalt paving on the project 30 days ahead, VTwill be done for the project as part of GDOT regular plant reviews.
  • The LG can elect to perform the VT using a consultant with qualifications as noted above.

Independent Assurance (IA) by GDOT or Consultant

  • If the LG requests GDOT to perform IA:submit a list of the qualified LG or consultant testing personnel (QCT and RTT) that will be used on the project to the Office of Materials and Research prior to any testing. GDOT will include them in the existing GDOT IA process.
  • The LG can hire a separate consultant to perform IA testing in accordance with AASHTO R 44.

Submit all test data electronically at least weekly to GDOT using GDOT’s Field Data Collection System (FDCS)

A Quarterly Materials Checklist is required to be completed and sent to GDOT quarterly for every project (OMR will provide a master that can be used to create the project MC checklist). A Final Materials Checklist is required to be completed and sent to GDOT at the completion of the project. See GDOT Construction Manual Section 20. The LG must cooperate with GDOT by providing any necessary documentation for the completion of the Materials Certificate.

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