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| ODOT and Oregon small business: a working partnership! |
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| The team from ESA won a contract with ODOT. |
Oregon state-certified emerging small businesses are getting a boost from ODOT. In 2005-2007, the department awarded 86 contracts to certified firms worth more than $2.4 million. Those funds, awarded exclusively to Oregon companies, cycle through our economy, according to chamber of commerce sources, some three to six times. This program helps not only small business, but the overall economy as well.
And that’s not the only good news for Oregon small businesses. In recent years, ODOT has laid the groundwork for growing its small business program. In 2007 – 2008, we’re implementing a comprehensive plan to increase economic opportunities for Oregon workers and businesses by boosting participation in transportation projects.
Several components make up the agency’s overall plan:
- Workforce Development Plan, focusing on individual workers
- Small Business Opportunities Outreach through the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program, focusing on design and construction
- Small Business Initiative, focuses on contracting in two main areas:
o Professional and technical services
o Construction
Under ODOT’s Small Business Initiative, the agency has developed the Small Contracting Program for Professional and Technical Services to increase the number of small businesses that are awarded ODOT contracts. Initially implemented through a successful pilot program in ODOT’s Region 1, the Portland metropolitan area, the program is launching statewide in the fall of 2007.
A simplified procurement process registers firms to participate in the program and have the opportunity to be selected as prime contractors for ODOT contracts valued at $74,990 annually or less. The selection process gives preference to firms that have no existing contracts as a prime with ODOT, while continuing to use qualification-based criteria.
A Request for Qualifications to participate in the program is posted on ORPIN, the Oregon Procurement Information Network web site, at http://orpin.oregon.gov. The RFQ consists of a short registration form that requests basic information about the firm, its employees and its experience.
Firms may register by completing the RFQ process at any time to be included in the selection pool for future program contract awards.
For more information about the Small Contracting Program for Professional and Technical Services, visit ODOT’s Office of Civil Rights’ Small Business Support Web site. Visit the State of Oregon’s contracting and procurement web site at http://orpin.oregon.gov, or call ODOT’s Procurement Office at (503) 731-3254 to request a copy of the RFQ materials.
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| OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program figures |
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| OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program helps the economy. |
In October, 2007…
Expenditures: $4.9 million to businesses for program management work — of that, more than 99 percent was for goods and services provided by Oregon firms
Income: $15.2 million in total income and more than $1.3 million in tax revenue for the state and for local governments
Jobs: More than 4,200 were sustained on an annualized basis
Coming up: Between September 2007 and September 2008, the bridge program will put up for bid 12 projects worth a total of more than $214 million
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| How ODOT spends money: making interchanges safer |
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| Aerial view of the South Century Drive interchange. |
In November, travelers to Sunriver on U.S. 97 south of Bend experienced a new, improved interchange for the first time. The South Century Drive interchange, a major entrance to Sunriver, opened just in time for winter visitors. While there’s still a little paving to do next summer in the area, traffic is flowing smoothly in the new “diamond” interchange.
The $11 million construction project, which began in 2005, was a partnership “first” in central Oregon, with ODOT joining private homeowner groups, the Sunriver Resort and several other federal and state agencies to create a safer intersection. Working together, the group chose a design that is more appropriate for its surroundings. Instead of simply scraping the vegetation away from the median and shoulders, construction crews turned the trees, limbs and shrubs into “duff” and laid it back out on the land to preserve the natural character of the forest. The stumps and stones complete the natural layout, and when the vegetation returns in full, the entire project will complement the forested environment.
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| How ODOT spends money: creating Safe Routes to School |
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This fall, ODOT’s Transportation Safety Division awarded $241,478 in grants to schools an school districts for projects that enhance the ability of children to get to and from school safely.
Recipients and projects are:
Schools/Districts
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Award amount
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Bend School District: Bear Creek Elementary School, Juniper Elementary School
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$11,920 for each school
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Canyon City: Humbolt Elementary School
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$1,268
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Corvallis School District: Adams Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School
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$21,621
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Eugene: Monroe Middle School
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2 years: $8,211 year 1 $6,054 year 2
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Eugene: Roosevelt Middle School
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$37,532
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La Grande School District: Central Elementary School
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$5,000
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Monmouth/Independence: Monmouth Elementary School, Henry Hill Elementary School, Independence Elementary School, Talmadge Middle School, Ash Creek Intermediate
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$12,683
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Philomath School District: Clemens Primary, Philomath Elementary School, Philomath Middle School
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$21,702
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Portland: Atkinson Elementary School, Capitol Hill Elementary School, Chapman Elementary School, Chief Joseph School (pre-k-5), Faubion School (k-7), Forest Park Elementary School, Gilbert Heights Elementary School, Kelly Elementary School, Rosa Parks Elementary School, Sacramento Elementary School, Sunnyside Elementary School
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$100,000
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Sisters School District: Sisters Elementary School
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$3,567
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The Oregon Safe Routes to School program has $3.5 million available to award through 2009. The majority of the funds will go towards infrastructure enhancement projects such as sidewalk, bike path and cross walk improvements. Communities interested in applying for funding must submit a completed action plan. More information about application requirements is available on the program Web page.
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| How ODOT spends money: expanding options in eastern Oregon |
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ODOT Region 5 from the Baker and Richland sections completed work in September on projects that added 1.5 miles of bicycle and pedestrian walkways along Oregon Highway 7 near Baker City and improved safety along the Baker Copperfield Highway (OR 86) between Baker City and Richland. The safety improvement included moving material along shoulder areas to allow more sunlight to hit the roadway and reduce icy spots in colder weather.
In September, ODOT contractors completed work on a $4.7 million, two-year paving project in Union County. Work included resurfacing sections of three major routes in the area: OR 237, OR 203 and US 30.
Contractors in Region 5 also completed work this quarter on a major road rebuilding project along the Weston-Elgin (Tollgate) Highway. The multi-year, $20 million project included rebuilding 10 miles of highway and straightening a dangerous, hairpin curve along the route that runs over the Blue Mountains in Union and Umatilla counties.
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| By the numbers... |
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Motor Carrier
Motor Carrier Transportation Division staff kept busy in the third quarter of 2007, generating the following:
Registration fees collected
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$ 2,576,049
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Weight mile taxes collected
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$61,900,257
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Weight mile tax audits performed
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142
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Unpaid taxes assessed
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$ 405,421
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Total truck and driver inspections
By MCTD staff
By law enforcement officers
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11,194
6,288
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Total trucks placed out-of-service
By MCTD staff
By law enforcement officers
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2,697
543
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Total drivers placed out-of-service
By MCTD staff
By law enforcement officers
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2,077
655
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Trucks weighed on static scales
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586,918
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Trucks precleared by Green Light weigh-in-motion
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385,043
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Citations issued
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6,681
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Warnings issued
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5,575
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Trucks required to correct size and/or weight
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1,055
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Driver and Motor Vehicles
DMV staff performed the following activities during the third quarter of 2007:
Noncommercial driver licenses
Issued
Renewed
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38,205
73,280
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Commercial driver licenses
Issued
Renewed
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2,038
4,107
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Vehicle titles issued
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288,314
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On-the-road skills test (Class C)
Noncommercial
Commercial
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26,602
428
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Class C knowledge tests
Noncommercial
Commercial
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71,229
3,083
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Driver record requests processed
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394,105
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Vehicle record requests processed
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117,239
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Customer telephone calls received
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414,431
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Dealer inspections conducted
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297
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Number of complaint investigations completed
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162
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Passenger Rail and Rail Freight
During the third quarter of 2007, ODOT's Rail Safey Section conducted the following inspections:
Locomotives and rail cars
Defects found
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4,422
834
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Miles of track
Turnouts
Defects found
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872
963
1,208
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Grade crossing records
Defects found
Grade crossing signals
Defects found
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50
10
46
20
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Hazardous materials
Defects found
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149
35
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Operating practices observations
Deviations found
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73
16
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Railroad facilities
Defects found
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31
143
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Rail-served industries
Defects found
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271
126
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Crossing safety
Defects found
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231
148
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Highway Maintenance
Here's how Maintenance crews cared for Oregon's state roads during the third quarter 2007:
Tons asphalt laid
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67,216
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# Highway miles striped
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7,021
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# Feet guardrail installed/repaired
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16,620
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Spent on emergency maintenance
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$890,614
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Spent on sanding
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$36,451
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Spent on bridge maintenance/repair
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$798,354
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| "Ask ODOT" answers questions |
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Oregonians using the “Ask ODOT” service are overwhelming pleased with the response to their questions and concerns. For third quarter 2007, some 80 percent were “very satisfied” with the overall contact they had with ODOT.
“This is definitely the best service from any state agency,” said one respondent.
Residents and visitors contact Ask ODOT in any of three ways: telephone, email or hard copy correspondence. Once a message is received, the Ask ODOT staff (also known as the Citizens Representative Office or CRO), assigns the case to the appropriate office for response, and the response must be provided in no more than five business days.
Surveys are sent randomly every day and about 250 – 300 are returned each quarter. Here are a few of the latest results:
- How satisfied are you with the timeliness of the response you received?
86% Very satisfied
11% Somewhat satisfied
1% Not very satisfied
2% Not at all satisfied
- How satisfied are you with the response or outcome you received?
70% Very satisfied
17% Somewhat satisfied
8% Not very satisfied
5% Not at all satisfied
- Overall, how satisfied are you in your contact with ODOT?
80% Very satisfied
12% Somewhat satisfied
5% Not very satisfied
3% Not at all satisfied
"I think that everyone who works in this unit gets a real charge out of helping people," said Becky Thoreson of the CRO. "ODOT is a huge organization, with 4,600 employees and hundreds of offices. Trying to find the right office or person in ODOT can be a challenge. Our job is to help people find their way through the maze and connect with ODOT people who can help them. At the end of the day, looking over a list of 20 or 30 people you've been able to help, can be a very satisfying experience."
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