Performance-based Contracting in Maryland

Early in 2008, the Maryland Department of Transportation advertised an innovative performance-based maintenance contract for delineators, traffic signs, and miscellaneous pavement markings. The work scope consisted of traffic sign and pavement marking upgrade and ongoing maintenance along state routes in District 1, Somerset County. The request for proposal included a multi-step competitive selection process with separate technical and price proposals required. 3M was awarded a seven-year contract in July of 2008, and work began immediately.

The traffic sign portion of the contract required an initial detailed inventory and assessment of existing traffic signs along included corridors. 3M conducted the inventory and assessment using unique mobile information collection methods over 128 miles of Maryland state roadways. After data collection and processing, 3M developed a work plan to replace those traffic signs that were deemed deficient according to contract requirements.

Many signs were replaced due to identified sign face damage, poor retroreflective performance, or legibility problems. In addition, signs were assessed to be vertical or leaning and any sign leaning by greater than six degrees was replaced or straightened. All maintenance activity associated with traffic signs was tracked and recorded in the 3M sign inventory database system for future use by Maryland DOT personnel.

All state roadways under the contract work scope were upgraded with new pavement markings after issuance of a notice to proceed. This work began in July and was completed in just twelve weeks. 3M installed more than two million feet of pavement markings, 6,400 snowplowable pavement markers and serviced 2,500 traffic signs on all 128 miles of roadway in compliance with contract requirements.

3M will conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting through the entire seven-year contract term. Should pavement marking performance decline below an established threshold, 3M will automatically complete reapplication work to maintain pavement markings above the required performance levels. This process ensures that motorists along these routes will have a consistent and effective pavement marking delineation system to guide them at all times, day or night.

By September, 2008, all upgrade and maintenance activity to bring traffic signs and pavement markings in District 1 into compliance was essentially completed. Monitoring and reporting activity continues and any identified deficiencies requiring maintenance will be handled quickly and efficiently by 3M to keep corridors in full compliance with contract performance levels.