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Part D - Field and Office Practices

From Delaware DOT Construction Manual

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Section D1.00 - Project Records

D1.01 - General

Adequate records are of the utmost importance for all projects. Records are necessary for basic control of the contract during construction, as well as to substantiate past directives, decisions, and controversial items or actions whenever a question concerning these may arise later. The records are valuable when debating a Contractor’s claim, particularly when legal action is instituted. Records are not an unnecessary burden, but rather an integral part of a successfully constructed project. Memory cannot replace valid permanent records.

Records required for basic control of projects can be classified into three categories: preconstruction, progressive, and post construction. The following subsections list the records most frequently encountered and should prove helpful for record control. It should be noted, however, that not all types of records listed are always applicable. Instructions and explanations for each type of record are not included in these subsections. Instructions and explanations for the more significant records are described elsewhere in this Manual or Standard Specifications.


D1.02 - Preconstruction Records

  • Records supplied by the Department staff
    • Plans
    • Standard Specifications
    • Special Provisions
    • Executed Contract
    • Cross Sections
    • Bid price tabulation
    • Plan Comments
    • ROW Status & Agreements
    • Utility Statement
    • As-builts from previous projects
  • Records developed or obtained in the field
    • Notes from grade stakes
    • Benchmarks
    • Engineering checklist
    • List of names, addresses, telephone numbers, and other contact information for both Department and Contractor personnel
    • Photographs (particularly for right-of-way and similar problems) and videos that record the field conditions before construction begins
    • Any other information required for project administration
  • Records supplied by Contractor
    • Original CPM Schedule
    • Subcontractor List & Agreements
    • Source of Supply
    • Disposal Sites
    • Proposed storage/lay-down areas outside of LOC

D1.03 - Progressive Records

  • Procedural Documents
    • Letters: Award, Approved Subcontractors, Schedule of Work, Approved Sources of Materials, Minutes of Preconstruction Meeting, Notice to Proceed (NTP), First Chargeable Day of work, instructions to the Contractor, temporary suspensions, Extra Work (price agreements), inspections, and other relevant correspondence
    • Working Day records
    • Weekly Reports
    • Change Orders
    • Schedule updates and reports
    • Photographs and videos of work completed or in progress (such as piles in place)
    • Any other information that pertains to administrative aspects of the work
  • Shop Drawings
    • Permanent construction
    • Temporary construction (falsework, formwork, etc.)
  • Contractor Schedules
    • 2 week schedules
    • CPM schedules
  • Material records
    • Tickets
    • Quantity control (for example, bituminous pavement by weight)
    • Quality control (for example, central mixed concrete)
    • Materials delivery records
    • Materials and Research information such as soil density, soil analysis, materials analysis, subgrade pretests, cylinder and core records, and bituminous pavement production
    • Materials used in field with or without Materials and Research inspection
    • Test pile and bearing pile records
    • Material safety data sheets (MSDS)
    • Mill test reports
  • Safety Records
  • Inspection Documentation
    • Inspector’s Daily Reports and Construction Diary
  • Pay Item measurements
    • Source documents
    • Progress Payment Estimates
    • Pay Ticket


D1.04 - Post Construction Records

All documentation shall be retained in Unifier until the end of the project. If documents are provided in a printed format, they should be scanned and loaded into Unifier as soon as is practical to ensure the project record is complete.

  • Examples include:
    • As-built plans
    • Utility relocation records/as-builts (if applicable)
    • Initial and Primary inspection records
    • Final acceptance documents
    • Warranties and Guaranties
    • Close out documentation


Section D2.00 - Filing Practices

D2.01 - General

Record keeping is an essential part of the responsibilities of the Construction personnel. In order to keep good usable records, the records must be easy to find when they are needed. This requires good filing practice and good office procedures. Due to variations in the type and size of projects, no one suggested procedure would exactly fit them all. The information provided in this section should help Construction personnel to keep a neat, orderly office file.

In addition, no matter what the size or type of Project, there are certain record-keeping and filing techniques that the personnel should consider using. One such technique is known as double filing. Double filing is the practice of filing copies of the same document in two different locations to make it easier to find the information later and to keep important information together. For example, project correspondence is typically kept in a chronological file that covers the entire project. Correspondence that deals with a change order item can also be found in the change order file. This way, if someone needs to find information about a specific change order, they can look in the change order file instead of sorting through other portions of files.

At minimum, all saved files should include the date and representative title in its name. It is recommended that the date format for the file name be YYYY.MM.DD to allow for easy chronologic sorting. Larger projects may require a more detailed naming convention. Possibilities include a letter numbering system and the author and recipient of the letter. It is the responsibility of the Area Engineer to establish the exact naming convention at the preconstruction meeting.


D2.02 - File Categories

The Unifier Document Manager shall contain the official contract record for the construction phase of the project.

The Department has migrated to a unified filing system format, with the intent to allow easy integration between design and construction files. The outlined system shall be used to setup the naming convention of all related file folders for new projects. While users may add additional subfolders to the project, only the Unifier Administrator may alter the base structure.


Filing System


Official correspondence generated by Construction staff for a contract should include labeling indicating the appropriate file folder the correspondence is to be incorporated into. Changes to the above filing system shall be approved by the Area Engineer prior to implementation. Official paper correspondence or documentation received by Construction personnel from other sections or the Contractor shall be stamped, dated, and labeled upon receipt and uploaded to the appropriate folder in the Unifier Document Manager. Official electronic correspondence shall be uploaded directly into the Unifier Document Manager. The Area Engineer or Project Resident should be consulted for clarification on where items are to be filed if there are questions. Relevant or important emails should also be saved in electronic files and printed for hard copy files as well.


D2.03 - Permanent Files

During the course of a project files should be kept up to date with the latest correspondence/documents as it is generated and received. Multiple staff including office and field personnel will be adding documentation to files. This includes Contractor and Department correspondence, test reports, materials tickets. All personnel shall provide original documentation received to the office administrative specialist for filing upon receipt. Any paper documentation shall be stamped on the date received distributed and filed in its appropriate location immediately. The Project Resident is ultimately responsible for keeping the files updated.


D2.04 - Archiving

Upon completion of a project, final acceptance and close-out all the files shall be archived. Any paper documents should be scanned and included in Unifier. The project record in Unifier should then be copied and saved to an archive quality disc, according to the retention schedule provided by the Delaware Public Archives, under HOEC-001. The disc will be placed in an archive box and sent to the DelDOT archive.


Section D3.00 - Correspondence

D3.01 - General

Correspondence serves the purpose of providing information, direction, and documentation concerning the occurrences on a project. This may pertain to standard task such as notifications for a scheduled meeting or special circumstances such as a project shutdown due to non-compliance issues. When preparing correspondence, the author must ensure that it is written in a manner that is professional and addresses the subject matter objectively, accurately, and clearly while upholding the Department’s requirements and priorities. To aid in the objectivity of the correspondence, authors should avoid composing correspondence in the first person and should instead utilize a third person voice whenever practical. Authors should not use vulgar language or make disparaging remarks in written correspondence as all forms of communication from Department personnel may be subject use or revelation in the future due to litigation or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Authors should first determine whether or not their communications need to be sent in a formal matter. Informal communication may be sent via e-mail, text messaging, or other available media. These methods may be used for simple communication where the subject or consequences of the discussion are not yet serious and may not need to be recorded in the permanent project files. They may also be used for an immediate communication that will be followed up by formal documentation. Formal communications shall be sent on Department letterhead and shall be generated and distributed by authorized personnel only. All formal communications are to be recorded in the project files. Keep in mind written correspondence may be sent and received in hardcopy or electronic formats. At a minimum written correspondence is to be sent electronically to the recipient from Construction personnel. Hardcopies may be sent upon request. Refer to the DelDOT Communication and Protocol Manual (Link for Internal Use Only) for details on the presentation and appearance of written communications. Some template letters are available under Part G - Standard Forms. Templates are meant to be used as a guide for typical situations that require official correspondence be sent out. The author of correspondence should tailor their letter to fit any unique details pertaining to their specific project.


D3.02 - Contractor Correspondence

At the preconstruction meeting it should be established who will be responsible for correspondence for a particular project. For matters related to a project the Contractor shall address formal correspondence to the Area Engineer. The Area Engineer and Project Resident shall be copied on the correspondence. In general, the Area Engineer will issue formal correspondence to the Contractor on behalf of the Group Engineer. The Area Engineer shall copy the Group Engineer on all formal correspondence issued. As necessary other parties may be copied on the correspondence.

When responding to or issuing correspondence to the Contractor the author shall clearly designate which contract the correspondence is in reference to. Depending on the subject direct references should be made to the contract plans, specifications, or other documents for clarity. Any position taken by the author on behalf of the Department should be based on and supported by the Contract Documents.


D3.03 - Request for Information

When a conflict exists in the field or the Contractor has a question related to the interpretation of the Contract Documents, they may make a formal Request for Information (RFI) using the Unifier Business Process. When an RFI is issued, it is the responsibility of the Area Engineer to respond directly to the inquiry, or to forward the inquiry to the appropriate party, such as the Engineer of Record or Department subject matter expert, for a response. Once the response has been determined, the Area Engineer is to reply to the Contractor’s RFI.

Section D4.00 - Meetings

D4.01 - General

Meetings are an important tool in the effective management of a project. They help set the pace and direction of work for all parties involved. They provide an opportunity to ask questions, address current or future issues, and ensure mutual understanding of the path forward for all parties. Meetings can be held in the office or in the field depending on the circumstances or topics of discussion. The Department personnel responsible for conducting the meeting should determine which setting best suits the purpose of addressing the issues to be discussed.


D4.02 - Types of Meetings

Meetings can be held at the discretion or request of any and all parties involved on a contract. The Department however shall require that the following meetings take place as a part of every contract.

Preconstruction Meeting

After award of the contract and prior to a Notice to Proceed the Department shall hold a Preconstruction Meeting. A representative from the Contractor, preferably the project manager and superintendent, shall be present for the meeting. All members of the Department with direct or indirect involvement on the project shall also be attendance including the Area Engineer, Project Resident, and design engineer. Any other stakeholders for the project including FHWA, DNREC, and utility company shall be invited to the meeting. During this meeting the Department shall review details of the contract, a description of the project's work, protocols for communication during work, schedules, and any special topics relating to the project. The Contractor is expected to provide their initial submissions no later than this meeting, including the initial schedule or CPM documents, temporary traffic control device compliance submissions, emergency contact information, and source of materials to be supplied on the project. See Part G - Standard Forms for the templates of the State and Federal Preconstruction Meeting Minutes.

Pre-Work Meeting (Field Activity)

Prior to the start of major or specialized field activities a pre-work meeting shall be held for the specific work activity. The activities requiring pre-work meetings are listed below.

  • Paving
  • Pile driving or deep foundation construction
  • Concrete placement
  • Concrete repair
  • Mass concrete pours
  • Bridge deck pours
  • Major traffic shifts
  • Specialized work activities

These meetings are generally held in the field with the Project Resident, Inspectors, and Foreman of the aforementioned work activities. They should be held in advance of the start of work to ensure proper time to address any concerns brought up during the meeting. The Standard Specifications and procedures for performing the work should be reviewed with the Contractor. Common issues that may arise should also be discussed. For specialty work that may have required submissions to be reviewed by an engineer the Engineer of Record shall be invited to the meeting. Plans and any shop drawing submissions or Special Provisions should also be reviewed at the meeting to ensure adherence during construction.

Progress Meetings

Once a project has started regular progress meetings shall be held to monitor the status of progress. Discussions at the meeting shall include the status of Estimates for Payment, Change Orders, CPM/work schedule updates, labor, Subcontracting, DBE goals, Shop Drawing and submittals, Requests for Information, redline revisions, plan revisions, and maintenance of traffic. These meetings should be used as an opportunity to plan ahead for future issues or attempt to resolve current conflicts that may have arisen in the time leading up to the meeting. The meeting is run by the Project Resident or designee. The Area Engineer, the Contractor's project manager, and/or superintendent shall be in attendance. The Design Project Manager, or Engineer of Record should also attend to discuss any design issues that may arise. Their involvement is essential to ensuring that any redline revisions are incorporated into future plan revisions. Other stakeholders, such as utility companies, or other representatives from other DelDOT sections may attend these meetings as well.

Members of the public do not attend these meetings. If there is a call for public involvement, a Construction Advisory Group should be established.

Construction Advisory Group Meetings

Construction Advisory Group (CAG) meetings may be held on projects that are determined to have a significant impact on the local public. The need for these meetings is typically established before the start of construction by the Community Relations section. These meetings are held for the benefit of keeping the local community informed about the current progress of the project and upcoming work. Through the CAG meeting the public can be given advanced notice of changes or disruptions to traffic patterns as a result of the project. The public may also share issues or concerns with the project staff that may need to be addressed. The Project Resident shall be present for these meeting along with a staff member from Community Relations. The Contractor's project manager may need to be in attendance as determined by the Department.

Initial & Primary Inspection Meeting

Upon Substantial Completion of the project an Initial inspection will be held. The Department and Contractor shall go into the field and review the project for completeness and identify and deficiencies that need to be addressed prior to Primary Inspection. A punch list shall be generated noting all items that need to be addressed by the Contractor prior to Primary Inspection. Upon completion of the punch-list items a Primary Inspection meeting shall be held to ensure completion and that all deficiencies have been addressed. Refer to Section C19.00 for additional information.


D4.03 - Preparing & Conducting Meetings

Once a determination has been made that a meeting will be held, the Department personnel responsible for the meeting should start by issuing notice to all parties whose presence is required at the meeting. For official Department meetings such as Preconstruction or Primary Inspection, a meeting notification shall be emailed as a meeting invitation with the notice on Department letterhead attached. The notice shall be addressed to the Contractor and all parties that need to be in attendance shall be cc'd. For other less formal meetings requests and notification may be handled via e-mail or verbally.

After notice has been issued an agenda should be prepared. All topics that need to be discussed should be organized and arranged in a logical manner. The agenda may be distributed to all the attendees prior to the meeting to allow for the addition of other topics or to ensure preparation to discuss the items listed at the meeting.

Example documents of both the notice letter and agenda can be found in Standard Forms.

During the meeting, the Department personnel responsible for the meeting shall ensure the discussion is recorded. Minor meetings may be summarized in an email issued immediately after the meeting. Official meetings shall have minutes prepared. Notes shall be taken during the meeting to ensure the minutes accurately reflect the discussions held. This may be done by the Department personnel responsible for the project or designated to other personnel such as an administrative specialist. If it is anticipated that the discussion at the meeting is of major significance a stenographer or audio recorder may need to be present at the meeting to ensure accurate notes are kept. If a stenographer is required, the Area Engineer should speak with their supervisor and Engineering Support. A sign-in sheet should also be distributed during to the meeting to record attendance. The discussion should stay in line with the agenda to ensure all topics are covered. Additional topics may be added as the discussion requires.

Upon completion of any meeting, a summary or minutes to the meeting should be prepared immediately. Immediate preparation of the minutes allows for personnel preparing them to include as much detail as possible while all the information is still fresh in their mind. Minutes should include detailed accounts of the discussion including what comments were made by which individuals in attendance. This is very important as disputes later on in the project may need to be traced back to a meeting and specific comments made. The minutes or summary shall be sent to all attendees for concurrence on the accuracy. Should any comments or corrections be recommended by attendees after issuance of the minutes or summary they shall be changed accordingly, recorded, and filed for future reference.


Section D5.00 - Construction Inspection

D5.01 - General

A group of inspectors, headed by a Project Resident, is assigned to each Department project to administer it. Administration of the Project includes inspection of the Contractor’s work, preparation of daily reports of all Project activities, measurement and calculation of installed quantities, and rejection of materials and suspension of work, if necessary, until Specification compliance issues are resolved.

The inspection of the Work will consume the bulk of the Inspector’s time. Inspectors must have a thorough knowledge of the Contract Documents and maintain close contact with the Work in order to achieve their goals for the best possible project with the least possible inconvenience to the general public, utilities, and local industry. In order to accomplish these goals, the Inspectors must exercise what is known as “construction control.” Construction control means using a combination of experience, training, judgment, and common sense in inspecting the project. These factors, in order to be effective, must be applied continuously and consistently from the beginning of the project to the end. The purpose is the translation of the contract into a completed, effective highway facility.

The Contractor will establish a Schedule of Work that will indicate how and when it plans to take the necessary steps and advance the various stages to complete the Project, depending on its ability, work force, and equipment. The means and methods of construction that the Contractor elects to use, providing they do not violate the Plans, Specifications, other Contract Documents, and the various local codes and safety statutes, are the Contractor’s prerogative. The responsibility for successfully completing the highway facility according to the Plans and Specifications is a joint effort of both the Department inspection force and the Contractor. To get the highest quality work possible, Inspectors and the Contractor must work together and aim for a single common goal. In addition to inspecting on-going construction activities, the Inspector must plan for upcoming construction activities. The Contractor and the Inspectors must discuss and agree on the work planned and the methods to be used for upcoming stages of construction so that both know what work will be done and what methods will be used to accomplish the work. The Inspector should not wait to see what the Contractor is going to do next and how it is going to be done before telling the Contractor that its plan is unacceptable. Working in this manner does not fulfill the Inspector’s responsibilities to the State and does not advance the Project in a sound manner.

The Project Resident must be careful to exercise a very delicate degree of supervision, particularly with respect to the manner in which the work is to be performed. There is a very definite area of Contractor responsibility, and as long as the contract is being followed, the Project Resident should not reject the Contractor‘s planned means and methods unless they are clearly unsound or unsafe. By rejecting the Contractor’s means or methods, the Project Resident will be assuming a greater responsibility for the work than the contract intends. By interfering with the Contractor’s means and methods, the Department may become legally liable for the work. See the Inspector's Reference Manual for additional helpful information.


D5.02 - Inspection Equipment

Each construction inspector assigned to a project should have at his/hers disposal sufficient measuring and inspection equipment to allow proper inspection and measurement on the work site. The following is a list of the minimum inspection each inspector should have with him/her on the job site:

  • Measuring Tape(s) – A 25 foot (minimum) retractable tape for general measurements.
  • Measuring Folding Ruler - A 6 foot folding ruler for general measurements.
  • Engineer Scale Ruler(s) - NEVER measure from a set of plans with a scale to determine location. Contact the designer or the Project Resident for the proper location. However, when creating the red-line as-built plan, the scale will allow the inspector to place changes properly on the plan sheet. A scale will also allow a rough measurement to determine is further, more detailed measurements are required.
  • 100 Foot Measuring Tape(s) - A steel tape is the most accurate measuring hand tool. For use where a shorter tape is not long enough to measure a distance in one measurement. It is also used to measure longer distances across uneven routes or for a longer radius. (See table T-1 or T-1M for temperature correction values per foot).
  • Measuring Wheel – For measuring longer distances along a fixed, even route.
  • Level(s) - A level allows the transfer of grade or as a straight edge to measure deviations.
  • Camera - A camera allows in progress documenting of conditions at the time.
  • Light(s) - A flashlight allows inspection in low light conditions.
  • Writing Supplies – An inspector should always have a way to document what is occurring around him/her at all times. Information from these notes will be transferred to the inspectors IDR for preservation. Notes should always contain who – what – where – when in as much detail as possible.
  • Thermometer(s) - An ambient air thermometer for location specific weather reporting. A contact thermometer to measure hot mix. A non-contact IR thermometer is also useful for spot checking temperatures on in-place hot mix.


D5.03 - Daily Diary/Reports

A Project Construction Diary is considered the official record of the daily events pertaining to a given project and is a compilation of all Inspector Daily Reports (IDRs)for the project. The Diary must contain a complete record of all field activities for the project. The Project Resident is responsible for verifying the accuracy and ensure the document is current.

If multiple inspectors are on a project, each inspector is required to complete an IDR for each day they are assigned to work activities. The Inspector shall record all pertinent information concerning their assigned work activities and crews on their IDRs daily. Please make reference to Section D6.02 for additional information on IDRs.

Daily reporting also includes recording and calculating quantities for payment as well as collecting documentation of materials delivered to the project. Please make reference to Section D6.00 for additional details.


D5.04 - Method Measurement & Payment

An Inspector is an authorized representative of the Engineer. As such, any measurement taken must be as precise and reproducible as possible. The following standards apply to measurements, calculations, and payments:

  • All measurements shall reference the project baseline and offset as a location.
    • When applicable, items placed linearly shall reference the beginning and the end of the item being measured as reference to the project baseline and offset.
  • All measurements and final item quantities shall be made to two (2) places after the decimal point.
  • Work completed under the contract will be measured by the Engineer according to the United States customary units (English units), with payment being made in accordance with Section 101.4
    • Reasonable effort should be made to ensure measurements are made in the unit of measurement of the bid item.
    • Should a conversion be required, (cubic feet to ton for example), the conversion shall be made only once, at the bottom of the Source Document. The conversion shall be the quantity for payment.
  • For items measured by linear foot, such as pipes, culverts, guardrails, underdrains, etc., take measurements parallel to the base or foundation upon which such structures are placed.
  • For items that are less than a complete linear foot, take measurements using one tenth (1/10) of a foot increments, not in inches, unless otherwise instructed by the Engineer.
  • Surface area payments shall be made in square foot or square yard measurements with calculations in two dimensions.
    • No deductions in any area measurement will be made for individual fixtures (such as manholes, utility poles, etc.) having an area of 9 square feet or less.
  • Volume areas shall be made in cubic foot or cubic yard measurements with calculations in three dimensions.
  • When requested by the Contractor and approved by the Engineer in writing, material specified to be measured by the cubic yard may be weighed and such weights will be converted to volumes for payment purposes. Factors for conversion from weight measurement to volume measurement will be determined by the Engineer. The Engineer and the Contractor must mutually agree to use such conversions before using them. If no agreement can be reached, the material will be measured in place by volume. When a complete structure or structural unit (in effect, "lump sum" work) is specified as the unit of measurement, the unit will be construed to include all necessary fittings and accessories.

For more information regarding the authority and duties of the Engineer and the Inspector, See Section 105 for more information regarding the authority and duties of the Engineer and Inspector; and Section 109.1 for measuring and paying for quantities.


D5.05 - Construction Surveying and Layout

The purpose of this Section is to provide basic information pertaining to Surveying and Layout appropriate to construction field personnel.

This Section is not intended to replace a surveyor’s manual. Material believed to be useful is included and should be used as a reference prior to starting, during, and after completing construction.

  • Field Work and Staking - The “stake-out” is the work done by the Department to show the Contractor the exact location on the ground and to what dimensions the highway, its appurtenances, and structures are to be built. When there is not a Construction Engineering Pay Item in the contract, stake-out is the responsibility of the Department. Staking responsibilities of the Department and the Contractor are clarified in Section 105.10 of the Standard Specifications. The stake-out work must be done carefully and accurately, as the Contractor is expected to base the location of its construction work on the Department stake-out. For this reason, the stake-out should be started well in advance of the beginning of the construction to avoid hurried work that may result in inaccuracies. The work in the field should be discussed with the Contractor’s representative. The staking procedures and markings should be carefully explained. If the Inspector has any doubt as to the Contractor’s understanding of the staking procedures and markings, a written explanation should be given to the Contractor. A written record leaves little doubt and may prove to be a valuable record in the event the work is not built to proper lines and grades as staked in the field.
    • Staking Centerline - In staking out a project for grading, the first operation is to stake the Project centerline. The Department will locate and reference the centerline in all cases. Where the centerline of the Project is the same as the baseline of the location survey, the centerline may already be staked.
    • Slope Stakes - Slope stakes, which are flat marker stakes, are to be set at the computed actual top and toe of the side slopes. The slope stakes will be used by the Contractor to determine where and to what extent excavation (cut) and embankment (fill) work should be done. This, in turn, will determine the final lines and grades of the finished roadway and all ditches.
    • Staking Right-of-Way and Easement Lines - After the centerline has been staked, the right-of-way lines should be staked on both sides of the centerline. Hubs should be set at right angles or radially to the centerline at all locations where the right-of-way and easement change width. Marker hubs must be driven flush with the ground. At the same time, guard stakes must be driven, the station number must be marked on the back of the guard stake, and the distance from the centerline must be marked on the other side facing the center line of the roadway.
    • Staking Pavements - In staking out a pavement project, a single row of hubs is generally set on an offset line at one side of the center line. If conditions are favorable, offset hubs should be set on the side of the road in which the first lane of paving is to be placed. This should be considered when it can be done without inconvenience or danger of loss of the hubs. The offset distance should be the same for all hubs.
    • Staking Pipes - Generally, only a few stakes are needed by the Contractor to set a pipe culvert. Usually, a stake offset from the centerline of the pipe at each end of each run, and intermediate offset stakes are required. The offset distance should be adequate to place the stakes well out of the way of construction work, and should be marked on the face of each grade stake. Elevations to the flowline of the pipe can be placed on these stakes.
    • Staking Bridges - Because of the wide range of variations in Plans for bridges, standard methods for the stake-out of bridges cannot be established. In the stake-out for a bridge, especially one for crossing a large body of water, a highly precise horizontal control system is necessary. Such a system will make it possible to locate accurately and quickly various widely scattered piers and other component parts of the bridge. Because the staking system for a bridge may differ from that used for other bridges, the Inspector should be familiar with the particular staking system before any bridge work begins. As a general procedure, the centerline of the bridge is carefully established and referenced. Points at the faces or other working lines of each abutment, and at the axis of each pier or row of footings, are located at the bridge centerline, and the angles corresponding to the skew of the bridge are turned at these points. Each line thus located is extended to reference points well beyond the work area. At each intersection of the face of an abutment and the face of a wingwall, the wingwall angle is turned, and the line thus located is referenced. As in any other stake-out, notes should be recorded, and the notebook retained by the District Office or the Inspector.
    • Stakes for Box Culverts - In the case of a box culvert, more details and measurements for construction are required, and therefore, more stakes are necessary. Offset hubs that are well out of the way of the construction should be set on each side of the work. The inside face or other required working line of each of the main culvert walls should be located, and these lines similarly should be referenced by offset hubs. Offset hubs are set in a similar fashion for the wingwall lines. All control points, whether on working lines or on offset lines, should be marked with tacks. To avoid confusion, a guard stake should be driven near each hub on an offset line and should be plainly marked to show the offset distance and the point on the structure to which the offset refers. Notes and sketches on the stake-out should be kept in a convenient stake-out book.
  • Other Work for Box Culverts - Before excavation for a box culvert is begun, cross sections should be taken from the centerline established for the culvert. Sections should be located at enough points to make an accurate computation of the quantities of structural excavation and channel excavation.
  • Cross Sections for Roadway - All cross-sections are done by the Department. The original cross sections should indicate the elevations of the existing ground at the time of the survey. It is suggested that they be checked for accuracy prior to actual construction. If an unsatisfactory average variation is found, new “shots” should be requested and taken to be used in lieu of the Plan sections for computation of the excavation quantities. When rock is encountered, the rock area should be cross-sectioned as soon as the overburden has been removed. These sections should be taken at the stations where the original cross sections were taken. Any additional sections that will be needed to arrive at the correct volume should also be taken. After the rock has been excavated, and before any backfill is placed, final cross sections must be taken to show the true lower limits of rock for quantity calculations. While this information applies specifically to roadway excavation, the principles apply to all excavation, such as structure, channel, and muck excavation. Where Plan quantities are estimated, complete preconstruction cross sections must be taken for accurate quantity calculations.
  • Cross Sections for Borrow - Places from which borrow is to be obtained must be cross sectioned before and after borrow excavation in order to compute the quantity of material excavated. Where the site for a borrow pit is not close enough to the roadway, an independent baseline should be established that passes through the approximate center of the borrow pit, and sufficient cross sections should be referred to this baseline. If the pit is likely to be very large, two or more parallel lines should be referred to this baseline. The baseline should be referenced in such a manner that the references will not be disturbed so that the line and the stationing on it may be re-established for final sectioning. A reference stake should be set at each limit of each cross section taken at a borrow pit. Such stakes should be marked to show the station number and distance from the baseline so that the Contractor will have some idea of the borrow pit limits.
  • Final Surveys - The purpose of the final survey on a project is to determine the quantities of the various items of work for which the Contractor is to receive payment in the final settlement of the contract. The method of calculating the quantity of each individual item is always made a part of the Specifications for the item under the subsection “Method of Measurement”. For the determination of the final quantities of excavation, borrow, and similar items for which payment is made per cubic yard (meter), it is necessary that final cross sections be taken. The important step in the procedure for taking final sections is to reset the centerline of the road or the baseline from which the original sections were taken. The final sections must be taken from the same stations on the reference line as the originals. This means that a final section must be taken from every station on the line from which an original section was taken.


D5.06 - Materials & Research

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to have material sources approved before the material is used on the contract jobsite. The Inspector shall know which sources have been approved for use on this contract. The use of any other source for material shall be documented and not included for payment. Inspectors in the field are responsible for collecting tickets for all materials received on the project. See Section D6.03 Materials Ticket Collection & Control for further information. The Inspector shall keep the Materials & Research Section of DelDOT up to date on the progress of the project and the nature of the work being performed. The Materials & Research Section has a minimum number of tests to be performed during the various construction aspects of the contract. Communication with the Materials & Research Section will allow prompt testing when needed of materials and conditions. The Inspector shall schedule these field tests with the Materials & Research Section on an as-needed basis depending on the nature of the work being performed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to schedule with the Materials & Research Section for the testing of materials at source locations (i.e. quarry pit or stock yard). For Portland cement concrete (PCC) and bituminous concrete material testing, the Contractor must notify the Materials & Research Section of the quantity and time of the scheduled release by 3:00 P.M. the business day prior. No Portland cement concrete or bituminous concrete materials shall be shipped to the job without first being released by the DelDOT Inspector. When DelDOT releases materials for shipment, DelDOT does not guaranty that the materials meet the specifications or are suitable for use. The Contractor is solely responsible for the suitability of the materials shipped. DelDOT may waive the release requirements on a case by case basis. Waivers of releases by DelDOT do not waive the release requirements for future shipments.

Inspection staff may review the Materials & Research Manual for more details.


D5.07 - As-Builts

Refer to Section C10.12 of this manual for guidance on As-Built Plans.


D5.08 - Safety

The safety rules listed in this Section have been extracted from DelDOT directives. Employees may be subject to disciplinary action for violation of these rules. When in doubt, the Inspector should verify with the Project Resident as to what personal protective equipment (PPE) is required at each contract location. The Inspector should wear proper protective clothing for the site conditions and make sure that fellow employees and visitors protect themselves with proper PPE, while at the project location.

  • Water Work - Department employees are required to take adequate water safety precautions and wear a safety jacket approved by the United States Coast Guard when working over water, in a boat, on a float, or involved in any type of over-water bridge work. When work is being done on the water, the Project Resident should assign one or more people to be available on the shore to provide assistance in the event that individuals working off shore require help. The people on shore should be provided with adequate rope, a ring-type life preserver.
  • Hard Hats - The hard hat is accepted by industry as a valuable safety tool. Hard hats are provided to Department personnel for the safety of the user and as an identifier on the Project site of a Department employee. The following hard hat requirements are from the Department’s Personnel Safety Manual and more recent directives:
    • Department personnel are required to wear hard harts at all times on active construction projects or in materials plants.
    • Hard hats are not required during initial and primary inspections.
  • Protective Clothing
    • Clothes - Department personnel working or otherwise located within the highway right-of-way are required to wear an approved vest, shirt, or jacket. Due to the nature and work climate of construction projects, Department personnel must be aware of and provide for protection against environmental and mechanical hazards such as scratches, lacerations, insect stings, and noxious and poisonous plants. Department personnel are to wear long trousers or slacks while on duty. Shorts, sleeveless shirts, and bare torsos are not permitted.
    • Ear Protection - Ear protection devices can be furnished by the Department and are to be worn by employees whenever engaged in work operations where the noise level is suspected to be within damaging levels. Work that usually requires the use of ear protection includes blasting, jackhammers, and pile driving.
    • Foot Protection - DelDOT employed inspectors are required to wear safety boots when in the field that cover the ankle, and have the following hazard protections: Safety Toe, Electrical, Puncture, and Slip Resistance. It is strongly recommended that consultant employees meet this requirement. DelDOT employed inspectors can fill out the Safety Shoe Application, and Safety Shoe Purchase Form (Links for Internal Use Only) to obtain their foot protection.
    • Eye and Face Protection - Protection devices are furnished by the Department and are to be worn under all circumstances where there is a possibility of eye or face injury from flying particles or objects. Examples of this type of work are sand blasting, jack hammering, welding, chipping, and rock crushing.


D5.09 - Emergency/Accident Procedures

Below is direction for field staff. Managers should refer to Part C16.06 of this manual.

  • If an emergency involving a vehicle, pedestrian, utilities, or work-place injury occurs (anywhere within the advanced warning signage):
    1. Contact 911 if anyone is injured.
    2. Notify Contractor to provide access to EMS, if applicable,
    3. Contact the Traffic Management Center at (302) 659-4600 or #77 and inform them of the situation. Request Traffic Safety and HazMat be notified if applicable. Record time and the name of the individual who answered.
    4. Cerify utility emergency numbers were contacted if applicable.
    5. DO NOT remove any MOT that was in place at the time of the accident.
      • If the Contractor begins moving any traffic control devices, document with photos and/or videos.
    6. Ensure the Project Resident is aware of the accident.
      • Project Resident should make positive contact with the Area Engineer and inform them of the accident. The Group Engineer should be contacted if the Area Engineer is not available.
    7. Document the status entire site, to the best of your ability and complete the Construction Zone Vehicle Accident Report
      • Staff should attempt to obtain an accident exchange report from the responding officer.
      • Staff is suggested to create an Issue within Unifier, to collect all information in one location related to the event.
    • All items listed above should happen within a couple minutes. It is critical this becomes priority for the safety of all.
    • At the scene of an accident, law enforcement and the fire chief have legal responsibility to control the situation; follow their instructions until relieved.
    • Never direct blame to others or accept blame for the incident.
    • List possible witnesses from the project and Contractor's staff who were on site at the time. If possible, take photographs of the accident scene from multiple angles or draw a sketch of the scene.

Section D6.00 - Project Diary & Daily Reporting

D6.01 - General

As referenced in Section D5.03 the Project Construction Diary is considered the official record of the daily events pertaining to a given project and is a compilation of all Inspector Daily Reports (IDRs)for the project, contained within the Department's eConstruction Systems. The compilation must contain a complete record of all field activities for the project. This includes personnel and equipment for Contractors, Subcontractors, utilities, and the Department. Weather, work activities, measured quantities, materials deliveries, and visitors are all noted in the Diary.

To ensure a complete record of the project, the Project Resident must coordinate with the inspection staff and ensure there is an IDR submitted for every day in the project, starting with the first chargeable day and continuing through the day all field operations are complete, including punch list work. If project related field work begins prior to the first chargeable day Diary entries shall begin with the work. At least one IDR is to be filled out for every day during the project including non-work days and weekends. The exception can be made for prolonged work suspensions when time is not charged or time between tasks on open-end projects. Notes should be added under the IDR Remarks to identify any gaps in the daily record.

The Diary should refer to other records such as Material Tickets, Source Documents, or Force Accounts which are stored in their appropriate locations as indicated in Section D2.03 of this manual.


D6.02 - Inspector Daily Reports

Inspectors are required to fill out a Inspector’s Daily Reports (IDR) daily. Each inspector is expected to fill out the IDR with information applicable to their work assignments and crews. When multiple inspectors are assigned on a project, the Project Resident should designate which inspectors are to cover various operations, and the inspectors should coordinate between each other in order to avoid duplicate information. Below is an example of how the IDR appears within our eConstruction system, and a sample of an IDR printout.


Unifier IDR Example
Sample IDR Printout (Front)
Sample IDR Printout (Back)


Upon completion, IDRs are to be submitted for review. Depending upon the project, the IDR may be approved by the Office Manager and Lead Inspector. Every IDR must be approved by the Project Resident to be included in the project record. All personnel, equipment, measured quantities, deliveries, and notable visitors shall be entered into the Diary from individual IDRs.


D6.03 - Materials Ticket Collection & Control

As materials are being delivered to construction sites for incorporation into the project work documentation for the materials delivered must be collected, verified, and stored. Inspectors in the field are responsible for collecting tickets for all materials received on the project. This includes but not limited to borrow materials, stone materials, pavement materials, concrete, structures, and rebar. No materials should be accepted or paid for without first verifying what they are and their source from delivery tickets.

When the appropriate Special Provision is included in the contract, all delivery tickets for bituminous concrete must be electronic tickets (eTickets). For more information on eTickets, see Section F4.00 of this manual. Per Section 109.1 of the Standard Specifications, all material tickets must be computed generated, regardless of material type. Tickets shall include the contract number, name and location of the source, description of the materials, and the quantity and units included with the delivery. They may also contain certification that the materials conform to specifications called out in the Contract Documents. On federally funded projects all materials must come with Buy America certification. No materials made with non-domestic components may be incorporated into permanent work without prior review or approval by the Department and FHWA.

  • Tickets used to pay for materials shall include the following additional information:
    • Date & time of delivery
    • Material supplied/ID
    • Delivery truck identification (verify non-generic ID provided)
    • Legal Gross Vehicle Weight
    • Weight of truck
    • Weight of materials delivered
    • Weigh Master Identification
    • Contract Number

Upon delivery of these materials and verification of the information listed above inspection staff shall handle pay item tickets in the following manner and as depicted below:

Sample Material Ticket
  • Sign ticket - If multiple deliveries are made for an item in a day the first delivery ticket shall be signed and all other tickets for that day may be initialed.
  • Organize all tickets in order of delivery receipt.
  • Correct overweight pay item tickets. Tickets showing weights in excess of legal gross vehicle weights will be adjusted to ensure only weight of material within the legal limit is paid. A line will be struck through the original weight in a manner to keep it legible. The adjusted weight will be handwritten next to the original weight alongside the initials of the inspector making the adjustment.
  • Run adding tape for pay item tickets. The weights for individual pay items tickets will be added and totaled. Weights will be added in the unit of measurement listed on the ticket. The total shall be converted into the unit of measure used to pay the item. The contract number, date, item number, and location where the materials were used shall be written on the adding tape. The inspector running the tape shall sign at the bottom. The adding tape shall be stapled to the ticket bundle.
  • Pay item tickets shall be immediately turned into Estimators for auditing and subsequently stored as determined by the Chief Estimator.

Tickets used for source verification shall be organized and stored according to the filing system setup for the project as discussed in Section D2.00 – Filing Practices.


D6.04 - Source Documents

Source Documents show the measurements and calculations of item work performed on a project. Any documents including spreadsheets, pay ticket packets, and sketches may be considered a Source Document. ALL items that are calculated quantities are required to have a Source Document. As work is performed and completed Inspectors should take measurements to determine the dimensions and calculate the quantities for payment. Upon completion of pay item work the associated Source Document should be completed the same day that payments are made and turned in with an IDR by the inspector. Once the Source Document has be checked by the Project Resident and a Blue Checker for accuracy it is incorporated into the Project Record. Refer to Section D7.02 for more details on the preparation of Source Documents.


D6.05 - Force Account

As discussed in Section 109.4 of the Standard Specification and Section C12.09 of this Manual, Force Accounts are to performed when the Department and the Contractor are unable to reach an agreement on how pay for change order work or if the Contractor disputes how work they are performing is being paid. The Force Account Form below shall be completed by the Inspector assigned to the work activity. The Inspector and Contractor’s foreman shall review the labor, equipment and materials used at the conclusion of each day of related work. All information shall be recorded on the Force Account sheet and signed by both the Inspector and Contractor’s foreman. A copy shall be provided to the Contractor for submission with the completed Force Account packet for payment.

The Contractor's completed Force Account packet shall include all the information required under [hhttps://engineeringsupport.deldot.gov/index.php/2026_Standard_Specifications_Wiki#09.4 Section 109.4.D], including certified payroll, rates for bond/insurance/taxes, material invoices, and equipment Blue Book rates. Upon submission the Project Resident shall review and verify the submission is complete and accurate. Once approved the Force Account will be submitted and included on the next change order.

Daily Force Account Sheet


D6.06 - Photos & Video Recordings

The use of photography is encouraged. Photographs are useful for recording work progress, documenting work that was rejected, and keeping a record of work that will be concealed. For example, a photograph of a pile driven into a foundation, which is to be concealed, may be important for future record purposes. Photographing certain construction details prior to the placement of concrete may also be important for future purposes. Similarly, the general cleaning-up of a structural site prior to the primary inspection is important to the acceptance decision and should be documented with photographs. In addition to photographs, video recordings may also be used for documentation of field conditions. The advantage of video recordings is that the Inspector can explain what is being recorded. For example, a video recording of painting that needs to be touched up is much easier to understand than a photograph, because the Inspector can explain conditions on the video recordings that may not be apparent from a photograph.

While imagery may be taken at any time in the progression of work, it is especially beneficial to do so prior to any work beginning in order to aid in locating items in. Video recordings of underdrain and storm sewers will be required on most contracts. Inspector’s supervision of this work is imperative. On the reverse of each photograph, the name of the person who took the photo, as well as the date and time should be documented. For a video recording, the name of the person making the video, as well as the date and time the video was made should be listed on the media containing the video recording. All files should be stored in Unifier. Files that are directly relevant should be attached to the relevant record in Unifier (IDR, RFI, E&S Site Inspection, etc.)


Section D7.00 - Payment Quantities

D7.01 - General

Payment Quantities are quantities that are measured or calculated for each item of work, dependent upon the Method of Measurement and Basis of Payment as found in the Standard Specifications or Special Provisions. These quantities are to be entered into the Inspector Daily Report (IDR), where it may be reviewed by project staff, before it is incorporated into the project record. Once the IDR is approved, the eConstruction application will keep a running ledger of the quantities completed, eliminating the need for a separate running ledger. These quantities are then compiled and paid on Progress Payment Estimates. Source Documents generated throughout the project for calculated quantities attached to the IDR. Because these are the basic records of the quantities used for the Project, they should be made in a neat and legible manner before they are uploaded to our eConstruction system.


D7.02 - Source Documents

Source Documents show the written measurements and calculations of item work performed on a project. Any documents including spreadsheets, ticket packets, and sketches may be considered a Source Document. ALL items that are calculated quantities are required to have a Source Document. Items paid by Each and Linear Foot (except striping) may be logged directly onto the Inspector Daily Report without a Source Document; however, Area Engineers may require a Source Document be generated depending upon the project. (Refer to the last paragraph of this section in such circumstances.) Regardless, a detailed descriptive location and/or stationing is required. All Source Documents shall be concise, clear and legible. Hand drawn calculations may be done on a blank Source Document Sheet or Source Document Graph Sheet shown below:

Please note, while Source Documents are not required to be to scale, the templates have been designed so they may be used to draw to scale. Click on the following links for example Source Documents by each payment type.

Each Source Document shall be enumerated for an item as they are created for. A standard sample of a Source Document can be seen above. However, there are a variety Source Documents calculation templates available that relate to specific items such as Pipe, QAQC, Asphalt Cement Cost Adjustment, Traffic Officers, etc. These can be found in Part G of this manual.

For items such as Quality Assurance/Quality Control of Bituminous Concrete and Traffic Officers the actual lab reports and invoices also count as the Source Document and must accompany the calculation templates.

For Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) items, staff may enter the items directly into the IDR, however it may be helpful to instead complete weekly MOT summary sheets which includes all individual MOT items on the contract. The weekly totals from these sheets will serve as the Source Documents for all MOT items included on them. For Flaggers, the weekly Flagger report sheet serves as a source document under the item for regular flagger hours. The weekly totals from the Flagger Report are to be transferred to the summary sheet. Any overtime hours will be transferred to the Flagger OT summary sheet with a reference to the Source Documents that are kept under the tab for regular flagger hours.

All items are to be measured in the field to two decimal places when practical. Calculations shall be performed in the units measured. Conversions from units of measurement to units of payment shall be made as the final calculation. Rounding should be done on final calculation of results at the end of each source document’s total quantity. It should not be done on interim results. When final calculations result in greater than two decimals the quantity will be rounded to the nearest second decimal place for the final quantity on the source document for all items. Quantities will be rounded up for values where the third decimal value is five or more and remain unchanged for values less than five. For example, the quantity of 12.345 will be rounded to 12.35. The quantity of 12.344 will be rounded to 12.34.

Upon completing the Source Document, the document must be saved as a .pdf, the quantity entered in the IDR under the respective item, the Source Document should be attached to the record, and the inspector should select "Yes" under Source Document Review Required in order to trigger a Blue Check review. Items which do not require a Source Document, such as Each and Linear Foot items as noted above, should be attached with a "No" selection under the Source Document Review Required field.


Section D8.00 - Estimate & Financing Procedures

D8.01 - General

Throughout the project it will be necessary to coordinate funding the projects with Finance Section. This includes the initial set up of funds for the project as well as other tasks such as invoice payments, change orders, and close-out. Primarily contact with the Finance Section takes place through the Funds Allocation for Capital Transportation Systems (FACTS) (Link for Internal Use Only) and Unifier.

Please review the FACTS Manual (Link for Internal Use Only) for more information about FACTS, and Part F2.01 of this manual for more information about Unifier.


D8.02 - Contract Financing Procedures

The general sequence of communicating with the Finance Section for various funding requirements is listed below as well as responsibilities of various Construction Group personnel.

Recommend to Award

  • Upon receipt of recommend to award, the Estimator is to review the budget needs with Group Engineer and Area Engineer, including project award amount as well as budget for inspection services if applicable. Chief Estimator shall communicate the budget requirements to Finance.

Contract Award

  • Upon receipt of award letter, the Chief Estimator shall verify funding with Finance then Encumber award amount in FACTS (Link for Internal Use Only).
    • The Chief Estimator is to notify the Group Engineer and Area Engineer once funding has been encumbered. This applies to agreements as well, such as consultant or service agreements. Funding must be encumbered prior to any work occurring and prior to the issuing of the Notice to Proceed.

Field Audit

  • Estimators shall spot check audits of payment documents on a monthly basis, when the Monthly Progress Payment Estimate is submitted.
  • Estimator Blue Checks of Source Documents and material Pay Tickets.
  • Estimators shall ensure material Pay Ticket packets are turned in and reviewed with the Progress Payment Estimate.
  • Upon completion of field audits Estimators shall ensure field staff completes a Quantity Adjustment or a IDR documenting any change, and linking the new document to the original record.

Generating Change Orders

  • Upon receiving the Change Order in Unifier from the project staff, the Estimator shall ensure it is complete and accurate, having sufficient backup documentation and explanation of all changes.
  • Estimator loads change order into FACTS

Generating Estimates

  • Upon receiving the Progress Payment Estimate from the field, the Estimator shall import the quantities, review them to ensure they match the Pencil Estimate, make any necessary adjustments due to Stored Material, resolve any issues, and forward it for approval as noted in under Part F of this Manual.
  • After approval by all parties, enter into FACTS for Payment

Payment of Consultant Invoices

  • After the consultant prepares and submits invoice to Construction Group, and the Area Engineer and Group Engineer have approved the invoice, the Estimator enters invoice into FACTS for payment.

Generating Contingency Increase Request

  • Area Engineer prepares contingency increase form and back up documentation
  • Area Engineer communicate with Chief Estimator to confirm current available contingency
  • Area Engineer submits to Group Engineer for review and signature
  • Group Engineer submits contingency increase request for concurrence from design engineer, Assistant Director of Construction, and Chief Engineer
  • Follow Finance procedure for concurrence
  • Finance and Group Estimator processes authorization, allotment and encumbrance. For additional details see the Finance Contingency Increase Policy (Link for Internal Use Only)

Semi-final Estimate/Change Order

  • Project Resident zeros out all remaining unused item quantities via Change Order
  • Estimator reviews Change Order
  • Estimator enters approved Change Order into FACTS as a Purchase Oder.
  • Estimator reviews Semi-Final Estimate
  • Estimator enters approved Estimate into FACTS as a Purchase Voucher.

Project Close out

  • Upon receipt of final acceptance letter Estimator requests the following documents the from Contractor
  • Release of General Contractor, CN-102
  • Release of Subcontractor, CN-103
  • Bonding Company Release
  • Upon receipt of final releases Chief Estimator approves the Final Estimate, with required documents attached
  • Upon approval of the Final Estimate a Project Closeout record will be sent to the Area Engineer
  • Upon Area Engineer approval, the Estimator reviews the record before it is sent to Finance and Audit.
  • Follow archive procedures for all project files.

D8.03 - Blue Checking

On each project, the Area Engineer will assign an individual to the Blue Check role within Unifier. The individual assigned to this role will use the Unifier Business Process to ensure the accuracy of any Source Documents and that they match the payments made on the Inspector Daily Report. Estimates need not be held for a blue check of the source documents. It is important to progress with the processing and payment of an Estimate to ensure the Department meets its payment obligations to the Contractor.

The checking of estimated quantities and Source Documents should consist not only of going over the mathematical extensions of figures, but of checking the figures against the Plans and Specifications. The formulas used should be checked for their applicability. Errors can often be spotted by reviewing the sketches to verify that their component dimensions are realistic. Any errors discovered, should be resolved through the revision process of the Source Document BP.


D8.04 - Certified Payroll

On projects with Federal funding, Contractors are required to submit certified payroll records through the Submittals BP for the duration of the contract. These records must be maintained for a minimum of 3 years after all the work on the prime contract is completed.

Payrolls shall be submitted in accordance with Section IV of FHWA form 1273.

Upon receipt of the weekly pay rolls the Certified Payroll Subject Matter Expert (as assigned by the Area Engineer) shall review them to confirm that all the pertinent information for employees working on the contract is present and that employees receive compensation meeting the requirements of prevailing wages set for the contract. Estimators shall compare payroll rates to that of the State and Federal Prevailing Wage Rates. The higher of the two rates shall apply when the rates differ. Should it be found that proper compensations are not being made to employees Estimators shall advise the Area Engineer.

The Contractor shall be contacted and directed to make corrections to employee compensation to address the violation. The Contractor shall submit verification showing corrections in payroll and compensation retroactive to the start of the violation.


D8.05 - Audit

The Department’s Audit section or FHWA may elect to audit a project during a contract or at the conclusion. During the project the Area Engineer, Estimator, and Project Resident shall compile all the documents requested for review. They shall respond to any questions and take note of any discrepancies found during the audit. Staff shall follow up action that may be required by the Department or the Contractor. Following the conclusion of a contract, if an audit is requested, the Estimator shall compile the Contract Documents requested for review. Similar to contracts in process the Estimator shall note discrepancies and advise the Area Engineer of any follow up action that may be required by the Department or the Contractor.

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