Asset management gap analysis and self-assessment effort of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The FHWA is assisting state departments of transportation (DOTs) in conducting and reviewing the results of an organizational gap analysis, which includes a self-assessment. The self-assessment considers, at a minimum, the adequacy of organizational strategic goals and policies with respect to asset management, whether asset management is taken into account in the agency’s planning and programming of resources, as well as whether the agency is implementing adequate data collection and analysis policies, undertaking whole-life lifecycle cost analysis and undertaking programmatic risk assessments to support an effective asset management program.

Based on the results of the self-assessment, a gap analysis is undertaken to determine which areas of the agency’s asset management process require improvement. The self-assessment questions are available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/gap/selfassessment.pdf

The FHWA works with state DOTs in undertaking the asset management gap analysis, which includes the following:

• Review of asset management materials
• Undertake and analyze the results of the asset management self-assessment
• Interview key personnel from various offices
• Conduct in-person, real-time asset management self-assessment (clarify and discuss responses in a group setting)
• Interview state DOT senior agency leaders
• Develop draft implementation plan
• Coordinate workshop with DOT to review the draft improvement plan
• Final implementation plan