Special Task Group on Peer Exchange
Notes from 8/8/07 Seattle Meeting
Current Members in attendance:
Randy Battey (Chair), Mike Sanders, Barnie Jones, Heidi Liske, Megan Hall, Basharat Siddig, Bill Zaccagnino, Tommy Nantung, Kim Ferroni
Members unable to attend:
Camille Crichton-Sumners, Tim McDowell, Mike Perfater, Ivy Harris, Dave Huft, Paul Toussaint
Current Friends:
-None-
Mission/Objective Statement:
To examine the current Peer Exchange program and determine if additional documentation, clarification or improvements to the program are necessary.
Current Activities and Meeting notes:
The task group decided that the initial step would be to develop a survey for the 52 RAC member departments. Barnie Jones has agreed to draft the initial attempt at this survey and have it to the task group membership prior to our next teleconference which will be scheduled in early October. The group brainstormed and decided that the following are topics that should be addressed in the survey:
· Additional options for “mature” research programs (i.e. run out of focus areas)
· Pool fund for peer exchange expenses
· Training module as part of RAC 101 or in a SPR Part II 101
· List of available participants on the RAC/SCOR website with veterans, rookies and FHWA national expertise categories
· Tying in best practices with recent examples
· Should frequency requirement be a function of staff stability?
· Travel restrictions for FHWA national participation
· Development of document to highlight peer exchange successes (i.e. performance measures on “take homes” & “opportunities” resulting from peer exchanges that were implemented.
· Development of recommendations for participant make up of peer exchange team.
· Would a regional peer exchange satisfy requirements of FHWA (topic raised in RAC general business meeting)
Region 1 is planning on holding a regional peer exchange in the near future and the special task group would like a copy of their agenda once it is finalized.
The next teleconference will be scheduled in early October and will be facilitated through FHWA conference call facilities (Basharat Siddig point of contact).