1. Erosion & Sediment Control in Florida Construction
A New Approach for FDOT

2. Erosion & Sediment Control
What is the new approach?
Brief history of current Erosion and Sediment Controls
What’s in it for Contractors?
What’s in it for FDOT?
What’s in it for Regulatory Agencies?
Challenges

3. Erosion & Sediment Control
The New Approach:
Contractor responsible for the design and implementation of its plan for Erosion & Sediment Controls
This allows the Contractor to optimize its approach to construction of the project and its use of E&SC measures
With this approach, FDOT would provide the contractors with the information about the project site that would be necessary for it to develop a erosion and sediment control plan using contractor’s choice of products available on FDOT’s qualified products list that matches the approach the contractor intends to take with construction of the project.

4. Erosion & Sediment Control
Brief History
FDOT has historically provided in its contracts designs for erosion and sediment controls.
These designs are based on assumptions that the FDOT’s Design Engineer makes about the approach a contractor will take in constructing the project.
A designer assuming an approach that a contractor may take to the construction of a project often leads to inefficiencies, overruns of planned erosion and sediment control items, and sometimes permit violations. There is a better way.

5. Erosion & Sediment Control
Brief History
Often the result of Designer assumed approach to project has been inefficiencies, overruns, extra costs, sometimes environmental citations/fines.
Many of these issues can be avoided with a contractor developed erosion and sediment control plan.
Many FDOT projects do not have prescribed work phasing constraints which allows a contractor to select its most reasonable, practical approach to constructing the project. Including in these contracts Design plans for erosion and sediment control that are based on assumptions that may not be correct sets both the Department and the Contractor up for conflict.

6. Erosion & Sediment Control
What’s in this new approach for Contractor?
Increased efficiency
Control of products used
Possible competitive advantage
Change in approach to bidding the work
Increased/shared risk
Increased efficiency from establishing erosion/sediment controls using in manner meeting contractor’s approach to constructing the project.
Control of products in that contractor would be free to choose products/devices from QPL that meet the needs of the project or that contractor has on hand.
Possible competitive advantage gained from efficiencies – for example, if a contractor has method of constructing project that allows for faster reestablishment of turf and/or less disturbance of existing turf, that contractor could have an advantage in bidding over its competitor.
Change in approach to bidding means that the contractor would have work with a designer to determine the quantities of materials to be used that match the contractor’s approach to constructing the job. Design Build and Lump Sum contracting done in Florida have proven that this can be done successfully.
Increased risk comes in the form of being responsible for the design and implementation of the erosion/sediment control plan. Shared risk comes in form of FDOT responsible for providing information necessary for contractor to develop its plan.

7. Erosion & Sediment Control
What’s in this new approach for FDOT?
Potential cost savings
Better controls of sediment and erosion control on projects
Reduced/shared risk
Potential cost savings due to contractor bidding the sediment/erosion controls in manner matching its approach to building the project.
Better control of sediment and erosion control through use of appropriate devices when properly installed/maintained.
Reduced risk in that contractor would be responsible for the design of its erosion/sediment control plan. Shared risk in that FDOT responsible for providing sufficient information to allow contractor designed plan.

8. Erosion & Sediment Control
What’s in this new approach for Regulatory Agencies?
Improved erosion and sediment control on FDOT construction projects
Improved erosion/sediment controls from use of devices more appropriate to needs and matching contractor’s approach to building project.

9. Erosion & Sediment Control
Challenges
Convincing Contractor’s that the increased risk is outweighed by the improved efficiencies or potential competitive advantages
Paradigm shift for Contractors in the way they bid this work
Get Contractors to recognize the opportunities
FDOT has been for some time discussing this proposed approach to erosion and sediment control with the contracting industry. We are still discussing this with them.
Paradigm shift is that contractors are typically given a fixed quantity of erosion and sediment control devices on which to base a bid. This approach would be lump sum with the contractor bidding the design of the plan as well as the installation and maintenance of the devices chosen to be used. This will require bidders to develop quantities and pricing for the erosion and sediment control devices it intends to use.
The opportunities is in the form of reusable devices/products. With a choice of devices for the erosion and sediment control plan, a contractor could benefit from investing in products that have longer performance life.

10. Erosion & Sediment Control
Challenges
Education
Ensuring that necessary information is provided to bidders
Education – FDOT must educate its personnel on the new approach to erosion/sediment control plans. Also, must educate Contracting industry that level of detail in erosion/sediment control plans needs to match the level of work being performed. If the project has little to no soil disturbing activities, it is expected that the plan will be minimal. If the work is major soil disturbing activities that would be found in a project that adds lanes, it would require a more detailed erosion/sediment control plan.
FDOT must make sure that its plans include the information necessary for the contractor to develop its plan. Some of the tools being provided are the Florida Erosion and Sediment Control Manual. This was developed to provide best practices for containing and managing erosion and sediment discharge.

11. Erosion & Sediment Control
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

12. Erosion & Sediment Control
Contact Information:
David Sadler, P.E. State Construction Engineer Florida Department of Transportation