Memorandum

Frederick G. Wright, Jr. /Original signed by/
Executive Director (HOA-3)

To:

FHWA Leadership Team
Resource Center Managers
Division Administrators
Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers

One of the four themes from our Restructuring Assessment last year was, FHWA must significantly "raise-the-bar" in deploying technology and innovation. The actions included addressing accepted recommendations from the Transportation Research Board's (TRB) Research and Technology Coordinating Committee (RTCC) Special Report 261, "The Federal Role in Highway Research and Technology." Subsequently, the General Accounting Office (GAO) completed a report, "HIGHWAY RESEARCH: Systematic Selection and Evaluation Processes Needed for Research Program," which included recommendations directly related to our Restructuring Assessment and the TRB RTCC Special Report 261.

A key step in raising-the-bar (RTB) for research and technology (R&T) has been the development during the past year of the FHWA Corporate Master Plan (CMP) for Research and Deployment of Technology & Innovation. The development of the CMP has included extensive outreach to and input from within the FHWA and our external stakeholders.

As discussed during our Spring Business Meeting, the CMP is framed around 7 guiding principles, which include 26 FHWA commitments. Subsequently, our Deputy Administrator, Rick Capka, has stated that our challenge is now to clearly and visibly communicate to our stakeholders that we have moved from the planning stage (putting the CMP together) to the execution stage, taking those actions necessary to implement the Agency commitments.

Attached is the prepublication version of the CMP, which is also being posted on the StaffNet, Organizational Changes/FHWA Restructuring Assessment, Raising-the-Bar for Research and Deployment. This prepublication version is being provided to several key external stakeholders, including the TRB's RTCC and GAO, and the 2002 RTB Stakeholder Workshop participants. It is also being sent to the State Chief Executive Officers as follow up to the Summary of FHWA's Restructuring Assessment, which I provided to them in July 2002. The prepublication version of the CMP will be professionally edited and formatted prior to printing and further distribution.

The R&T Leadership Team has scheduled a May meeting to discuss and advance the implementation of the CMP.

I believe the CMP is a key step to raising-the-bar on R&T, and fulfilling our stewardship responsibilities relating to FHWA's role as Innovators for a Better Future. I request your support in implementing the FHWA commitments in the CMP.

Attachment