Part A - Construction Organization

Section A1.00 - Construction Organizational Chart

Division Org Chart (Link for Internal Use Only)

Section A2.00 - Chain of Command

The Chief of Construction and Materials assigns projects to the Construction Group Engineers, who subsequently assign projects to Area Engineers. The Area Engineer is responsible for the Administration of the contract and ensures it progresses in accordance with the Contract Documents. They will decide all questions which may arise as to the quality and acceptability of Materials furnished and Work performed and as to the manner of performance and rate of progress of the Work; all questions which may arise as to the interpretation of the Plans and Specifications; all questions as to the acceptable fulfillment of the contract on the part of the Contractor; all disputes and mutual rights between contractors; and all questions as to compensation. As noted in Section 105.1, during the preconstruction meeting the Area Engineer will determine and communicate to the Contractor the chain of command and the extent of authority Department personnel will have to make changes to the Contract Documents.

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A2.01 - Chief of Construction and Materials

The Chief of Construction and Materials (Assistant Director) is responsible for the statewide construction program administration. This office is responsible with the oversight and management of all phases of construction from project award to project final acceptance and project closeout:

Responsibilities

This office is responsible for the following activities to carry out the mission and goals of the Department:

Coordination and communication with all sections within the Department through the Project Development planning, development, construction, and post-construction processes
Managing and reporting of construction funding and expenditures, review of internal and external performance measures, ensuring consistent management practices statewide
Procurement of professional service agreements for construction inspection services
Communicating with AFSCME Local 81
Communicating with Delaware Contractors Association
Distribution of workload to the four Construction Groups
Provide support for claims and dispute resolution
Ensure proper training for construction personnel on construction practices to provide uniformity throughout the State in the application of specifications
Communicate with FHWA, Legislators, DNREC, ACOE, and other key stakeholders
Work with Group Engineers, utilities, designers, FHWA, and other key stakeholders on construction problems
Ensure proper levels of staffing are assigned to all of the Construction Groups
Look to improve the delivery of projects by suggesting alternate construction procurement methods
Provide Scheduling review and analysis support statewide
Approval of Final Estimates and Contractor Evaluations
Implementation and support services needed for eConstruction
Ensure Construction is represented in working groups as well as specification and standard detail reviews, etc.

The Chief of Construction and Materials is supported by an Administrative Assistant. The office is located in the Dover Administration Building. This office collects information from the Construction Group Engineers such as weekly updates, weekly traffic reports, emergency contact information by project, quarterly reports, and monthly spend updates. In addition, this office establishes standards developed with the collaboration of the Construction Group Engineers to develop consistency and uniformity throughout the State in administering construction contracts. As a minimum, monthly meetings are held with the Group Engineers to discuss all issues concerning the construction program administration.

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A2.02 - Group Engineer

The Construction Group Engineer, sometimes referred to as the District Engineer, is responsible for the administration of construction projects. They are responsible for the oversight and management of all phases of construction from project award to project final acceptance and project closeout. They exercise general supervision over all personnel in their area. They receive assistance and guidance from the Chief of Construction & Materials:

Responsibilities

Their responsibilities include the following:

Coordination and communication with all section within the Department through the Project Development planning, development, constructions, and post construction
Managing and reporting of construction funding and expenditures
Procurement of professional service agreements for construction inspection services
Approval of the Notice to Proceed, Suspensions, Subcontract Agreements, Change Orders, and Payment Estimates
Communicating with AFSCME Local 81
Prepare for claims and dispute resolution
Ensure proper training for construction personnel on construction practices
Communicate with FHWA, Legislators, DNREC, ACOE, and other key stakeholders
Work with designers, FHWA, and other key stakeholders on construction problems
Ensure proper levels of staffing is assigned to all of the Construction projects
Participate in working groups as well as specification and standard detail reviews, etc.

The Construction Group Engineer is supported by an Administrative Assistant and the Area Engineers/Supervisors who are assigned Engineers and Field Technicians to administer construction projects for their assigned area. The offices are located in Georgetown, Dover, and Newark. They submit information to the Chief of Construction & Materials such as weekly updates, weekly traffic reports, emergency contact information by project, quarterly reports, and monthly spend updates. They meet regularly with the Area Engineers/Supervisors to discuss all issues concerning the construction program administration.

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A2.03 - Area Engineer

The Area Engineer, sometimes referred to as the Manager, is responsible for managing multiple highway construction projects and supervising multiple Project Residents. An Area Engineer can be classified as a Civil Engineer Program Manager I, but may be underfilled at the discretion of the Construction Group Engineer by a Civil Engineer IV.

Responsibilities

Their duties mostly consist of, but may not be limited to the following:

Pre-Construction

Review the Contract Documents and perform a bid tab analysis
Review the Schedule of Work submittal from the Contractor
Conduct a Preconstruction Meeting (including a Utility Preconstruction Meeting as needed)
If necessary, set up consultant agreements and budget
Issue a Notice to Proceed

During Construction

Work with the Design Engineer for Plan Revisions
Review/distribute/respond to Request for Information
Review/distribute Shop Drawings between the Engineer of Record and the Contractor.
Submit Road Closure/Detour Forms to TMC and Community Relations
Provide new item price approvals/rejections and notice to proceed on a force account basis if necessary
Respond in writing to additional cost/claim letters from the Contractor
Provide notice to the Contractor for erosion and sediment control compliance issues per Section 901 of the Standard Specifications
Act as a liaison to utilities and attend the monthly utility meetings as necessary
Review the Project Diary, Change Orders, Weekly Reports, and Estimates for Payment. Obtain concurrence from the Design Project Manager for Change Orders
Notify DelDOT Design Project Manager of any potential Errors and Omissions
Liase with FHWA on changes to Federal Aid Projects
Review the consultant billing
Review the project progress
If necessary, submit for contingency increases
Monitor inspectors' work/hand out disciplinary action/adjust the staffing if necessary
Coordinate activities between the different DelDOT sections (i.e. Safety, Utility, Environmental, etc.)
Provide project monthly spend updates to the Construction Group Engineer
Coordinate construction related issues with the FHWA, Army Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard, DNREC, Legislators, etc.
Review the Weekly Updates, Traffic Reports, Press Releases, and Weekly Secretary’s Report
Coordinate the relocation of the Homeless per the Homeless Encampment Removal Process

Post-Construction

Schedule an Initial and Primary inspection
Review final change order, estimate, and quantities
Review and submit final As-Builts
Issue an Acceptance Letter
Confirm the closeout documentation that should be stored per the Public Records Archive protocols and verify that all closeout items have been addressed as identified in Unifier's Project Closeout Business Process. See more here: DelDOT Retention Schedule

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A2.04 - Area Supervisor

The Area Supervisor is not an Engineer but has very similar functions of an Area Engineer and can report directly to the Group Engineer or an Area Engineer. An Area Supervisor manages mainly the Pavement and Rehabilitation program but may also be assigned other project responsibilities as determined by the Group Engineer. This position is usually managed by an Engineer III, EPS Technician V or a Technician Manager I or II. For duties please see Area Engineer A2.03.

For the purpose of this manual, wherever an Area Engineer is mentioned, it shall also be considered to fall under the responsibility of the Area Supervisor based on project assignments.

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A2.05 - Project Resident

The role of a Project Resident is to supervise, schedule, and coordinate the day-to-day field activities of construction inspectors and perform the overall management of highway construction projects. DelDOT personnel serving as a Project Resident can be classified as an EPS Tech III, IV, V, Civil Engineer I, II, III, or IV.

Responsibilities

Their duties mostly consist of, but may not be limited to the following:

Pre-Construction

Review the project Plans and documents.
Attend the Preconstruction Meeting.
Document the preconstruction signing along the project limits.
Coordinate with the Surveyor, Certified Construction Reviewer (CCR), and Safety Officer.
Take a preconstruction video of the site.
- If applicable, review any contractually required preconstruction videos completed by the Contractor.
Set up the Emergency Contact List.
Obtain the Plans and Special Provisions for the inspection staff.
Ensure that the pre-work documentation is in place, i.e. Environmental Permits, Material Submittals, Subcontractor Agreements and Approvals, and Shop Drawings.
Attend the preconstruction erosion control walk-through with the site CCR.

During Construction

Assign and manage the inspection staff to the various activities.
Prepare Change Orders and Estimates.
Perform a daily review of the project on-site and in Unifier.
Assist in working with the Design Engineer for plan revisions.
Submit the weekly report documents such as the Traffic Report, Project Weekly Report, and Secretary’s Weekly Report.
Coordinate with Community Relations for any project updates, closures, or MOT changes.
Interact and provide project status updates to the FHWA representative, as necessary.
Conduct Progress Meetings.
Coordinate the Contractor’s work activities with any proposed Utility relocations.
Review the CPM Schedule updates.
Document weather delays.
If a CCR is not assigned to a project, perform a CCR inspection weekly.
Inform the Area Engineer of the project progress, design issues, etc.
Review any project-related issues with the public, as necessary.
Verify that the subcontractors, materials, and shop drawings are approved before use in the field.
Discuss with the Contractor any erosion and sediment control issues and work toward compliance.
Monitor inspectors' work/hand out disciplinary action/adjust the staffing if necessary.
Assist the Area Engineer with determining the monthly spend estimates.
Coordinate activities between the different DelDOT sections (i.e. Safety, Utility, Environmental, Audit, etc.).

Post-Construction

Attend the Initial and Primary Inspections and provide a list of outstanding contract items to be placed on the punch list.
Verify and annotate the punch list confirming that all items are complete then provide a letter of recommendation to the Area Engineer for final project acceptance.
Review Unifier quantities and review the final source document to issue a final change order.
Obtain and upload the final project documents to Unifier in accordance with the public records archiving protocols.
Prepare, review, and submit the final As-Builts.

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A2.06 - Inspectors

The Inspector is responsible for ensuring the executed work is in accordance with the Contract Documents (Plans, Standard and Supplemental Specifications, and the Standard Details). They shall report to a Project Resident and/or Area Engineer and are responsible for inspecting and documenting work activities on an assigned contract. The Inspector role on the project is very important and shall require initiative and effort. DelDOT personnel serving as an Inspector can be classified as an EPS Tech II, III, IV, Civil Engineer I, or II.

Responsibilities

Their duties/roles consist of, but may not be limited to the following:

Pre-Construction

Review Project Plans and Documents
Assist with documenting site conditions before starting the contract
Review site/ project location

During Construction

Enforce all applicable Plans, Specifications, and other Contract Documents
Inspect contract/utility work operations assigned by the Project Resident. The Project Resident will assign/ manage the inspection staff to various contract activities and/ or needs
Document activities assigned by the Project Resident. This includes Inspector Daily Reports, Source Documents, Ticket / *Material Tabulations and other related forms
Communicate with the Project Resident. Keep the Project Resident informed of all changes within the scope of the project including but not limited to contract items, site conditions, deviations from Plans and Specifications, Contractor requests, schedule of work, and unusual situations
Track delays and/ or costs for additional work
Understand the contractual responsibilities, authorities, and requirements for handling specification violations
Understand and have a working knowledge of safety regulations that pertain to highway and job site safety
Ensure and document that the project complies with the contract's environmental permits and specifications
Notify TMC of proposed lane closures and completion of lane closures
Verify materials and subcontractor approval
Release materials for use in the contract. Communicate to DelDOT’s Material and Research section before material placement

Post-Construction

Assist with creating a list of outstanding contract items/ issues
Attend Initial and Primary Inspections
Inspect Initial and Primary Inspection punch list items assigned by the Project Resident
Assist with As-Builts
Assist with project close-out‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

The Department may require the Inspector to assist with miscellaneous bookwork and record-keeping to help facilitate the contract. These duties/roles, assigned by the Project Resident, will allow the Department to better manage the contract when issues or situations arise.

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A2.07 - Office Manager

Projects may be assigned an Office Manager based upon size and scope. In some cases, one Office Manager may be assigned to multiple projects based on workload. Under the direction of the Project Resident the Office Manager will responsible for reviewing project documentation for accuracy (primarily IDR's, source documents, and tickets) and preparing first drafts of Change Orders and Estimates. An Officer Manager can be classified as an EPS Tech II, III/ or IV and Civil Engineer I. Roles and responsibilities for this position are as follows.

Pre-Construction

• Review project plans and documentation including bid tab. • Attend the Preconstruction Meeting. • Assist with setting up source document books. • Assist with setting up field office. • Set up filing system.

During Construction

• Verify field documents accuracy. Including Inspectors Daily Reports, Source Documents, Material Tickets and other related forms. • Draft Change Orders and Pencil Estimates within 5 business days of the cut-off date. • Maintain a list of Material and Subcontractor Approvals. • Maintain an orderly file of all construction records, letters, test reports and other pertinent contract information. • Assist with Change Orders. Compile necessary information for backup support and changes in bid quantity. • Check weekly payrolls.

Post-Construction

• Assist with As-Builts. • Assist with project close-out. • Verify final source documents and ticket quantities. • Assist with Final Change Order and Estimate.

Note: The Department may require the Office Engineer/ Book Person to occasionally perform inspection duties in the field. These duties, assigned by the Project Resident, will allow the department to better manage the contract when issues or situations arise. Please view Section A2.06 – Inspectors for a list of roles and responsibilities.

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A2.08 - Fiscal Administrators

The duty of the construction estimator includes the review and processing of quantity and financial documentation for construction contracts. A fiscal administrator can be classified as an EPS Tech I, II, III, IV, or V.

Responsibilites

Their duties mostly consist of, but may not be limited to the following:

Pre-construction

Set up funds for contract
Set up funds for consultant inspection agreement
Review and approve submitted subcontract agreements

Construction

Review and process estimates
Review and process change orders
Process contingency increases
Process consultant inspection invoice payments
Check certified payroll (Federal project)
Audit tickets
Verify force account documentation
Verify material payment documentation
Coordinate with State and Federal auditors
Purchase Order setups (no after-the-fact POs)

Post-Construction

Perform final audit of project books
Process final change order (zero out contract items)
Process final estimate
Obtain releases from Contractor upon completion of work/final acceptance
Close Phases (i.e. Construction Phase, Contingency Phase, etc.) when possible
Complete project close-out within Unifier

For specifics on performing the above-mentioned tasks refer to the policies and procedures in Finance. (Link for Internal Use Only)

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A2.09 - Field Auditor

The Field Auditor is responsible for ensuring that all documents generated in the field by Inspectors are correct and comply with all Contract Documents (Plans, Standard and Supplemental Specifications, and Standard Details). The Field Auditor reports to their assigned Chief Estimator and works with them to assist in any way needed. The Field Auditor shall review all Source Documents (Blue Check) within Unifier and approve or send for revision as needed. Source Documents shall be reviewed regularly.

Responsibilities

Their duties mostly consist of, but may not be limited to the following:

During construction, they shall check all field-generated source documents. This includes verification of correct item numbers, along with correct formulas and computations
They shall also check that all payments made by ticket are adjusted accordingly for any overweight loads. They shall also verify that correct conversion factors are being used
They shall also verify that all special contract pay items (Asphalt Cost Adjustment, QAQC, Diesel Fuel, etc.) are correct and processed in a timely manner
Checking projects on a regular basis ensures that a project can be closed out promptly, and that all necessary documentation is present for final quantities and acceptance of the contract

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A2.10 - Employee Integrity

Integrity is the quality of being honest and adhering to a code of moral values. As a representative of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), it is expected that you will act appropriately when dealing with the public, Contractors, utility companies, vendors, municipalities, and other state organizations. Having integrity is a key factor to the success of the Department and is necessary for constructing a reliable infrastructure/ highway system.

Please refer to the State of Delaware Merit Rules (29 Del.C.5914), Section 15.2 Outside Employment and Pecuniary Interests for further clarification and guidance at: https://merb.delaware.gov/state-merit-rules/

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