There have been numerous lessons learned throughout the progression of this study as well as those reported in other numerous reports, which contain valuable suggestions. The following summarizes some of the common lessons learned and attempts to quantify the good practices that were uncovered during the course of this project. These good practices should not be confused with those fully accepted by formal best practices procedures.
| Main Theme | Lesson Learned |
| Communication and cooperation with Industry | • Good open communications is essential throughout the process from the time of the tendering phase and all the way through the contract duration (especially monthly meetings) • Create Partnering and Trust • Consider a "Partnering" system or Partnering board • Develop a procurement strategy for maintenance with industry • Takes time for the contractors to find the local partners and small businesses • Information & training meetings with contractors & road users • Diverse portfolio of delivery maintenance methods to balance the market (traditional & innovative methods) • Utilize E-commerce for tendering |
| Road Authority Development and Implementation of Innovative Practices | • Copying or sharing of practices from national and international countries • Beginning to "Outsource" usually requires decisions at high levels of government • How you open the "Market to Maintenance" is extremely important • Determining the opportunity or existence of a "private market appetite" for maintenance • Understanding the reasons for failures and successes - what really works & doesn't work? To increase quality - simply raise the performance standards and/or increase inspection • Performance-based specifications (or functional requirements) and Levels of Service (LOS) are slowly being developed and require further research • Outcome-based criteria or performance levels are more aligned toward the road users • Knowing what quality standard produces best economical efficiency • Sometimes bundling of single maintenance activity for a long term duration produces better value for money (results not available from resurfacing & bridges) • Some form of interactive web-based, automated, & flexible "Maintenance Management System" • Some clients perceived that there is a loss of control • Client is losing the practical know-how of maintenance works • Contract duration 3+3+3 years is actually a 3 year contract with only a potential for extension. It does not equal nine year contract duration because extensions are at risk with no guarantee (Mainly allows client flexibility & benefit only) • Road authorities are becoming more like contract managers • 3 Key Issues with Good & Reliable Road Data • What are the assets - what is out there? Need reliable data! • What condition have you maintained it at? What are the service levels? • What are your past & existing costs for maintaining the asset? • It has been proven difficult to jump from in-house to performance-based contracts that integrate all aspects (it's a learning process) • Outsourcing is what provides the majority of the savings in a maintenance contract • The longer term contracts provide extra savings • Various models used will depend upon the culture and local practices in the country • Various models depend upon the expertise and competence of private sector (takes time) • There is a trend towards outsourcing of maintenance & via long term maintenance contracts • Most contracts in these progressive countries are about 7-8 years - exception being British Columbia Canada and Western Australia • Having some type of continuous improvement process or at least a system for collecting these • Securing long-term maintenance contract for the entire network provides surety for maintenance & preservation • Equipment innovations and project management appear to be the most dominant innovations • Various minor innovations have been achieved via long term maintenance contracts and depends upon which maintenance model is utilized • Those countries that retain in-house workers and have attempted performance-based contracting have benefited by adapting practices from the private industry • Cannot fix a capital expenditure with a Maintenance Contract • Can include small capital projects up to certain maximum value (differs by country) |
| Maintenance Contract Issues | • Head to head competition among service providers & an equitable procurement process • Having common standards & performance measures (outcomes) • Difficulty of writing all details into a contract • Outsourcing typically began with 3 year contracts • Most contracts began with "Unit Prices" and are now "Hybrid or Lump Sum" • Using Quality-based selection criteria for winning award • QC by contractors is working reasonably well • Strict penalties for non-performance and an escalating scale (however - creates lack of trust) • Bonuses and sanctions should be significant, able to be achieved, and balanced • Mix-matching performance and technical specifications in contract & during tender • Different practices between the regional offices in road authorities and lack of clear continuity between them. (Full standardization of practices has not been achieved) • Having a Maintenance Rating Program (MRP) or statistical evaluation of assets has better meaning than Pass/Fail systems • Customer surveys and possibly integrated into bonus system • Automated customer complaint feedback system automatically directed to the service provider • Utilizing maintenance guidance handbooks • Utilizing some type of auditing system • Should be some type of indexing (inflation index) in long term contracts • Begin developing & using risks allocation in tendering process • Minimizing administration & paperwork bureaucracy - unofficially not working well |
| Contractor Perspectives in Contracts | • Consideration is needed for mobilization of new contractor & equipment - in advance • Signing new contractors on time and allow mobilization to occur smoothly • Having a good software and ICT tools (Billing, Scheduling, asset database, & Inspection) • Have a Modern/Innovative Road Weather Information System (RWIS) • Pocket GPS data logging system for snow plows & trucks (similar to Finnish Keiju system) • Training of Contractors & Subcontractors (Pre-Season & Kickoff meetings) • Semi-Annual or Annual Evaluation of assets (both client & contractor) • Proving to the client that alternative concepts as acceptable |
| Best Practices | • Outsourcing of routine maintenance • Longer term maintenance contracts - greater than 7 years • Significant Quality based Selection Criteria for Contractors • Some form of interactive web-based, automated, & flexible "Maintenance Management System" • Open communications, workshops, seminars, & cooperative sharing sessions with all groups • Alliance Model for maintenance - potential to be a best practice, but insufficient data at this time |