1. Keeping Leadership Informed about TRB
Messaging Up
Keeping Leadership Informed about TRB
Leni Oman
Director
Office of Research & Library Services
TRB State Representatives Business Meeting
July 28, 2010
Kansas City, Missouri

2. Be Creative/Use Every Opportunity
Strategic Implementation Plan reporting
Participation in the TRB Annual Meeting/Report out
Briefings for presentations to TRB meetings
Lists of nominees and selected employees
ROI information for TRB funded activities
State Visits
NCHRP CEO Ballot
Project results
Distributing Critical issues
Triennial Agreement
Budget documents
Issue support (provide recent relevant research)
This presentation is nothing unusual. We all provide information about TRB and I would love to learn what you do. But I have provided a quick overview of some of the ways in which I keep our Secretary informed about TRB. The bottom line is, use every opportunity to convey substantive facts as you communicate.
Strategic Implementation Plan reporting – includes indicators for the number of employees involved in national panels and number of WSDOT problem statements funded.
Participation in the TRB Annual Meeting/Report out – details provided in report
Briefings for presentations to TRB meetings – if Leadership is speaking at a meeting, I provide information about our overall TRB activities and subject specific information.
Lists of nominees and selected employees – reported at end of selection period and in subsequent solicitations.
ROI information for TRB funded activities – used in briefings for TRB meetings, budget documents.
State Visits – summary provided in prep materials and on hand for in person meetings.
NCHRP CEO Ballot – info about WSDOT submitted problem statements and their fate, also number of nominees for these project panels
Project results – tied to thematic meetings or hot issue communications. May be mentioned at Chief of Staff meetings.
Distributing Critical Issues – I circulate an electronic copy of the Critical Issues to senior management and offer to get them a paper copy. I include who TRB is and an overview of WSDOT’s involvement.
Triennial Agreement – include ROI on TRB services and dollars leveraged.
Budget documents - include ROI/leveraging for either TRB or NCHRP. Typically include agency involvement on national scene.
Issue support (provide recent relevant research) – forward info on relevant committees, panels, projects, anticipated completion date, WSDOT employees involved in TRB activities mentioned. If done, WSDOT involvement and report and findings.

3. Never provide information without stating the value
Facts on File about TRB
What is TRB
How WSDOT is involved with TRB
Lists of WSDOT nominees and fate
Current participants
ROI information for TRB funded activities
The value of the services & products to WSDOT
Problem statements submitted and fate
How we compare to other states
This is an overview of the information I have found helpful to have on hand. The following slides provide more information.

4. National Academy of Sciences
What is TRB?
1863
1964
National Academy
of Engineering
1970
Institute of
Medicine
National Academy of Sciences
NRC Divisions
The National Academy of Sciences recognizes the nation’s most distinguished scientists. A similar honorific organization was established for engineers in 1964, and one for health care professionals in Together they form the National Academies, a private, non-profit organization that operates under the original Academy of Sciences charter. It is a private non-profit organization.
Chartered by Congress to advise government
Independent, arms-length relationship to sponsors
Governed by members of NAS, NAE, IOM
Administered by National Research Council
TRB one of six major divisions. It is the largest division within the National Research Council – primarily due to the contributions of the state DOTs for the NCHRP program (Though now, with more CRPs and SHRP, we aren’t the major contributor to the whole of TRB like we used to be.
TRB has five divisions. The WSDOT Office of Research & Library Services works with all of them.
WSDOT employees are actively involved with the Technical Activities Division (as Chairs, Members, and Friends of standing committees); panel members on Cooperative Research Program project panels – and submitters of problem statements; and, members of the advisory committees and expert task groups within the Strategic Highway Research Program. Employees have also served on committees for projects managed through the Studies and Special Programs division.
TRB Divisions
Studies &
Special
Programs
Technical Activities
Cooperative Research Programs
Administration & Finance

5. WSDOT’S TRB Funding
WSDOT makes two voluntary contributions to TRB each year
TRB Core Services: the annual budget is set through the triennial agreement. This cost is prorated across the state DOTs based on the State Planning & Research (SPR) apportionment
NCHRP: equivalent to 5.5% of the federal SPR apportionment
Other states
Much of TRB is funded through voluntary contributions (some programs are now funded through line items in federal transportation acts).
WSDOT provides funding for the Technical Activities Division and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program through the Office of Research & Library Services budget. The amount is prorated to each state based on the State Planning & Research funding received. NCHRP is a voluntary 5.5% contribution equivalent to the amount of federal SPR funding received by your state (the total of Part 1 and Part 2). The amount for TRB Core Services (for the Technical Activities Division and a little more) distributes the cost to the states prorated to the amount of federal SPR funding received.
Overall, we leverage a tremendous amount of funding in both of these programs. In 2010, NCHRP is approximately $36M per year and WSDOT contributes $600K per year. TRB Core Services is about $14M and WSDOT contributes about $133K per year. It’s a good deal.
WSDOT’s contribution

6. ROI for TRB Unlimited free registration at the TRB Annual Meeting .
Value: $530 advance registration in WSDOT attendees = $14,840
Unlimited access to TRB e-sessions. $500pp (per Annual Meeting year)
Annual Meeting presentation library: $95pp (per Annual Meeting year).
Variable discounts for other TRB conferences and workshops.
Unlimited subscriptions for TRB publications –full hard copy set of all TRB publications: $4,250. Broadly used at WSDOT.
Unlimited access to TRISWorld which provides access to over 700,000 records of international research publications (only available to sponsors).
Unlimited online access to the Transportation Research Records. Over 9300 peer-reviewed papers published since : $5,700 (current year plus all archived years).
Unlimited attendance in TRB webinars. $99 per webinar (approx 40 webinars per year = $3,960)
So what’s the return on investment (ROI) for our contributions? This slide and the next summarize what we get of our sponsorship. Where I can, I relate it to actual use by WSDOT staff (this is still a work in progress).

7. Continued: ROI for TRB Tools and events to facilitate:
Networking with experts from public agency, industry and academic organizations that represent states, federal agencies, local governments, and other countries through the Annual Meeting, mid-year conferences, web meetings and conference calls.  Social networking applications are in development.
Projects and collaboration in research: 
Research Funding Guide
Research in Progress database
Research Needs Statements
Without the Core Program initiatives, each state DOT would have to invest and apply its own resources to produce and develop the same kinds of information.
For every $1 that the average state invests in TRB Core Program activities leverages approximately $101 in research-related.
WSDOT leverages $105/ per each dollar spent

8. Consequences of not Funding
The potential impact of reducing our contribution:
May be reduced levels of sponsor benefits listed above. 
Might experience fewer appointments to Committees if experience is equivalent to DOTs providing full sponsorship.
Reduced funding will restrict the ability for TRB to provide innovations we’ve requested. 
This is NOT a statement from TRB
TRB has not had to face this issue to date and the TRB Executive Committee might need to consider appropriate action.
This is NOT a statement from TRB but reflects what I believe might be a consequence of not funding TRB. If all else is equal amongst nominees for committees, panels, etc, I think it makes sense that the sponsors’ employees are selected.

9. WSDOT Involvement in TRB
WSDOT serves on the TRB Executive Committee
TRB State Representative
42 employees are on 60 TRB Standing (Technical) Committees
We Chair six committees
49 employees on 65 Cooperative Research Project Panels
We Chair 5 panels
10 employees on 13 Advisory Committees and Expert Task Groups in the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2)
                    
Participation provides the opportunity to influence the direction of transportation innovation and research in a variety of topics.
Have also provided summary of Washington State involvement in TRB as useful.
Types of summary material I provide. Numbers change regularly as projects and panels come to completion. I am asked for this information throughout the year and make an effort to update it regularly by checking the website (see resources at the end). The website does not include member of AASHTO Standing Committee NCHRP quick response research project panels.
TRB Reps are copied on the Technical Activities Division Standing Committee appointments but not on CRP panels or SHRP ETGs/committees.

10. CRP Facts on File
# of Problem Statements submitted and fate of those problem statements
# of Panel nominees and fate of those nominations
Request summary of agency employees selected in September
                    
Participation provides the opportunity to influence the direction of transportation innovation and research in a variety of topics and shape projects and products to meet the needs of Washington.
This comes from my records. I let employees know that they can submit directly but I would like a copy if they do so as the Leadership expects me to be a clearinghouse of research activities. I also let them know that I can assist with problem statement development to help them improve their chances of success (I have a guide).
I monitor the fate of the WSDOT submitted (and try with WSDOT interests submitted through AASHTO committees) throughout the selection cycle (these are highlighted in rating, CEO ballot, panel nomination spreadsheets….)

11. 2010 TRB Annual Meeting Facts
10,100 attendees
65 Countries
1000+ state DOTs attendees
Federal agency attendees
Over 3000 papers and presentations in more than 600 sessions and workshops
January 10-14, Washington DC
TRB Annual Meeting….. The process of identifying who attends is managed through my office. I recommend allocations of trips to the offices, the Leadership Team finalizes the allocation and I distribute it and collect nominations. I compile a list and recommend travelers to the Leadership Team through our Chief Engineer and Chief of Staff. The Leadership Team (sometimes with the Secretary of Transportation) finalizes the list. I brief travelers on what to expect from the meeting, how to navigate successfully, and WSDOT’s expectations of them in attendance and upon their return.
In 2009, the Secretary requested a report out meeting to see what all these employees were getting out of the meeting and how it benefited WSDOT. The following slides provide information. The details on this slide are basic facts I make sure to provide (would do more – like how many state DOTs, etc. – whatever TRB can give me in a timely fashion). I call Mark for this info like clockwork after the meeting every year.
WSDOT Employees involved in TRB Activities
39 employees on 56 TRB Technical Committees
49 employees on 65 Cooperative Research Project Panels
10 employees on 13 Strategic Highway Research Expert Task Group

12. Why Attend?
To inform and influence trends in transportation on a wide variety of issues.
Gather information on practices in order to extend our knowledge and improve our products and processes.
Opportunity for new employees trying to learn rapidly about a topic as well as the veteran employee keeping abreast of innovations in their field.
To attract partners and funding.
WSDOT employees are frequently requested as presenters, moderators, and committee members because we are developers and early adopters of new practices.
My marketing messages about attendance. I included this in the report out to remind them why we go.

13. WSDOT Attendees 28 WSDOT employees attended
5 sponsored and 3 partially sponsored
Funding provided by FHWA, TRB, AASHTO and EWU-TTAP.
3 paid their own travel expenses
18 are members of 28 TRB Division A committees and 2 Committee Task Forces and Subcommittees
5 chaired 5 TRB committee meetings, 1 Task Force and 1 subcommittee meetings
12 presented at 14 sessions, poster sessions, and workshops
4 presided over 3 sessions and 1 poster session
21 other WSDOT staff are members of the 30 other TRB Division A committees and did not attend the meeting.
I summarize the facts about attendance: how many, on what fund source and what they did. I always include a note about the other TRB Committee members that coulda/shoulda gone but didn’t.
I do not include CRP or SHRP participation because the Annual Meeting is ultimately a MEETING of the committees and not a conference. Therefore, I am conveying information about Committee members.

14. Name, Title Office Funding opportunities identified
Funding Source:
WSDOT
Sponsored
Self-funded
Augment other travel
Days Attended:
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur
Activities:
Committee Chair
Session Presenter
Session Moderator
Poster Presenter
TRB Committee Member
Attendee
Funding opportunities identified
Policy Alerts/Influence
Research Needs/Influence
Partnerships formed/continued
Actions that will be implemented
Value to WSDOT
For our report out meeting, each attendee was required to participate and, given the time for the meeting, each had 5 minutes to report. I provided the attached template and restricted information to one slide per person and only this information. With repetitive messaging on my part and power of the pen in final editing, I was able to do this. I did have to create slides for some of my senior management peers.

15. Tony Allen, State Geotechnical Engineer State Materials Laboratory
Funding Source
WSDOT
Days Attended
Sun Mon Tues Wed
Role
Member 2 TRB Committees
Tony Allen, State Geotechnical Engineer State Materials Laboratory
Met with developer of design method for pile
supported embankment – will help reduce our design conservatism for SW region project (maybe 60% cost reduction)
Poster session paper on using shafts to stabilize landslides – learned about new design method plus software that could allow us to increase shaft spacing and reduce costs
Met with the geosynthetics industry to develop a plan for a geosynthetic manufacturing plant audit program to improve quality and consistency
Met with FHWA, ASCE, and proprietary wall industry to begin to reestablish a national wall evaluation program -- will save WSDOT staff time in conducting such reviews for WSDOT’s pre-approved proprietary wall program
Here’s what a final product looked like. The attendees was asked to speak briefly about the value their attendance provided to WSDOT and not to read their slides. I was trying to provide as much info as possible in their 5 minutes.
It all worked. Six of the seven leadership members attended the 4 hour meeting. Some had to come and go but they did come back. They (and I) thought it would be a waste of time during legislative session. It wasn’t. It was a hit and a couple leadership members said they came away with a different view of the value of the meeting.
We’re doing this again in 2011.

16. Be Ready Use every opportunity Always add statements of value
Develop a handy resource of facts, refresh it periodically
Push information out too – through problem statement solicitations and other research news
Call TRB to help shape your message
So… be ready. Our TRB State Reps are experiencing turn over and your successor will need information. Our leadership is turning over even faster and they frequently don’t have a solid understanding of TRB. Keep your facts on file and don’t be shy – use them!
TRB is happy to help shape messages about your agency’s involvement and the benefits your agency receives. As you know, any TRB staff person will help – but contact Mark Norman to get started.

17. Putting it all together in your state
Resources I use:
Technical Activities Division information
Find the employees involved in TRB at:
Click on the agency name at this site for a list of agency employees on committees, panels, expert task groups, etc.
TRB State Representative Resources
Mark Norman: 
I’m also happy to help:
Leni Oman: