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Q DOLJGLAS R NORTON. CPA AIJDITOR GENERAL STATE OF ARIZONA OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL September 28, 1990 Members of the Arizona Legislature The Honorable Rose Mofford, Governor Mr. James S. Creedon, Acting Director Department of Transportation LINDA J. BLESSING. CPA DEPUTY AUDITOR GENERAL Transmitted herewith i s a report of the Auditor General, A Performance Audit of Department of Transportation's construction s t a f f i n g levels. This report i s in response to the requirements of Chapter 68 of the 1989 Session Laws. We found that the Department has strengthened management of i t s construction s t a f f since our 1987 audit. Construction engineering costs for ADOT- managed projects were within one percent of departmental goals between January 1, 1987 and April 30, 1990. However, s t a f f i n g costs for consul tant- managed projects exceeded goals by approximately $ 3.6 mi l l ion, or 18 percent, during the same period. ADOT needs to review consultant projects to determine why costs are above goals. In addition, we found that the Department's e f f o r t s to improve methods for estimating the need for construction s t a f f have not been successful to date. Without corrective measures, ADOT's computer- based s t a f f i n g projections w i l l continue to be unreliable. My s t a f f and I w i l l be pleased to discuss or c l a r i f y items in the report. Sincerelv. DRN : l mn STAFF: William Thomson Mark Fleming Anthony James Guarino Lucy Kennedy Brad l ey Roberta A. teighton as R. Norton 2700 NORTH CENTRAL AVE. SUITE 700 PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85004 ( 602) 255- 4385 SUMMARY The Office of the Auditor General has conducted a performance audit of the Arizona Department of Transportation's ( ADOT) construction staffing levels in response to the requirements of Chapter 68 of the 1988 Session Laws. This is the t h i r d and last in a series of reports addressing the requirements of Chapter 68. This report is a follow up to our 1987 performance audit of ADOT staffing levels. The 1987 audit found that the Department had not adequately controlled construction staffing levels between fiscal years 1982- 83 and 1986- 87. Althouah ADOT Has lm~ roved Control of Staff- Related Costs, Additional Controls Are Needed To Ensure That The Department Meets Its Cost Goals For Consultant- Manaaed Projects ( see pages 7 through 13) ADOT has improved i t s management of staff- related costs since our 1987 report. Staff- related costs were very close to agency goals for projects managed by i t s own s ta f f -- on l y $ 278,000 above goa l amounts , or l ess than one percent-- during the period of our review. However, during the last three fiscal years, highway projects managed by private consultants were above the Department's staff- related goals by almost $ 3.6 mi l l ion or 18 percent. Because the Department was unable to provide needed information in a timely manner, we were unable to complete further analysis regarding ADOT1s staffing levels, or determine the reasons the Department has been unable to meet i t s cost goals for consultant- managed projects. Data sufficient to perform our analysis was not provided u n t i l seven weeks after the scheduled end of our audit fieldwork. Department Efforts To Improve Construction Staffina Estimates Have Been lnadeauate ( see pages 15 through 20) The Department's attempt to improve computer estimates of construction staffing needs has been, thus far, unsuccessful. Upgrading this capability would benefit ADOT. Because current computer forecasts are poor, Department managers have to re l y heav i l y on the i r own judgment and experience in estimating and controlling staffing. For example, in almost one- half of the cases we reviewed, Department managers adjusted system forecasts, up or down, by 40 percent or more. Estimates made by ADOT managers, however, have not been much better than the computer estimates. Actual staff u t i l i z a t i o n has ranged from 97 percent higher to 200 percent lower than that predicted by ADOT managers. Shortcuts taken by ADOT have undermined the agency's efforts to upgrade computer estimates. A key element in ADOT's computer forecasts is i t s planning values. These values, expressed in terms of labor hours needed per roadway mi le for a construction a c t i v i t y ( i . e., 1,000 man hours per mile of earthwork), have never been updated. Attempts by ADOT to update i t s planning values have been unsuccessful due to a variety of factors, ranging from poor sampling techniques to self- imposed deadlines. Consequently, unless corrective measures are taken, the Department's computer- based staffing projections w i l l continue to be unreliable. TABLE OF CONTENTS lNTRODUCTlON AND BACKGROUND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FINDING I: ALMWGH ADOT HAS IMPROVED CONTROL OF STAFF- RELATED COSTS, ADDITIONAL CONTROLS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE MPARTUENT MEETS ITS COST GOALS K) R CONSULTANT- UANAGEDPROJECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADOT Has Improved Efficiency of In- House Staff, But Consultant Costs Are Well Above Goals. . . . . . . . . AWT's I n a b i l i t y To Provide Timely Data Impeded Our Analysis and Limited Follow Up On Staff- Related Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FINDING I I : DEPARTMENT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CONSTRUCTION STAFFING ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN I NADEWATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AWT's Attempts to Improve I t s Manpower Management System Have Been Unsuccessful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corrective Measures Needed for ADOT's New Manpower Management System To Work Effectively. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AGENCY RESWNSE LlST OF FIGURES Pane FlGUW 1 Highway Operations Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 LlST OF TABLES TABLE 1 Staff- Related Cost Analysis For ADOT- Administered Projects By Project Category January 1, 1987-- April 30, 1990. . . . . . . . . TABLE 2 Staff- Related Cost Analysis For ADOT- Administered Projects JBay nFuaisryc a1l , Y e1a9r8 7-- April 30, 1990. . . . . . . . . TABLE 3 Staff- Related Cost Analysis For Consultant- Administered Projects By Project Category January 1, 1987-- April 30, 1990. . . . . . . . . Pane INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Office of the Auditor General has conducted a performance audit of the Arizona Department of Transportation's construction staffing levels in response to the requirements of Chapter 68 of the 1988 Session Laws. This is the third and last in a series of reports addressing the requirements of Chapter 68. The Arizona Department of Transportation ( AWT) is organized into five divisions: Administrative Services, Transportation Planning, Aeronautics, Motor Vehicles, and Highways. This report focuses on the a c t i v i t i e s and staffing costs of the Highway Operations Group within the Highways Division. The Highway Operations Group manages a l l highway construction in ~ r i z o n a . ( ' ) The actual construction of roads is performed by private contractors selected through a competitive bidding process. The specific a c t i v i t i e s performed within the Highway Operations Group, called construction engineering, include the following: a inspection and materials testing of roadway construction to ensure procedures and materials meet plans and specifications; surveying; reviewing roadway design drawings; approving a l l payments to contractors for labor and materials; a monitoring force accounts; processing contractor claims; and reviewing and approving change orders. ( 1) I n addition to managing construction, the Highway Operations Group i s also responsible for maintaining a l l State highways. Although most of these activities continue to be the responsibility of full- time ADOT personnel, the Department contracts with private eng i nee r i ng f i rms , and h i r es temporary and seasona I per sonne l to augmen t in- house staff. ADOT has also begun transferring some quality control and surveying responsibilities to the contractors. Oraanization and Staffing The Highway Operations Group carries out its responsibilities through staff in four engineering districts and its central office. ( See Figure 1) FIGURE 1 HIGHWAY OPERATIONS GROUP STATE ENGINEER HIWAYS DIVISION H I W A Y S OPERAT l ONS DISTRICT ENGINEER tA T./ TATE " ENGlNEE= R ] DISTRICT ENGINEER P L MATERIALS SECTION , ASST. STATE ENGINEER DISTRICT I l l DISTRICT ENGINEER Source: Arizona Department of Transportation - District construction staff, organized into areas encompassing several construction units, oversee construction activities, and provide on- site DISTRICT ENGINEER inspections. Construction units t y p i c a l l y include engineering specialists, quality control technicians, survey personnel, materials testing s t a f f , and records clerks. Construction staff are funded primarily from the AWT construction budget established each year by the Transportation Board. Construction funds are derived from the Highway User Revenue Fund ( HURF) which consists of revenues from the gasoline tax and other transportation- related fees. HURF funds and construction staff positions are not appropriated by the Legislature; both are determined by the Department, based on total construction a c t i v i t y . The five- year construction program adopted by the Transportation Board in June 1990, projects construction costs of $ 2.4 b i l l i o n for fiscal years 1990- 91 through 1994- 95. During the previous three years ( January 1, 1987 through April 30, 1990) construction engineering costs were approximately $ 110 m i l lion, or 10 percent of total construction costs. As of June 30, 1990, the Highway Operations Group had budgeted 650 full- time employees ( FTEs), 581 of which are f i l l e d . Most of these positions are allocated to the four construction d i s t r i c t s . Our 1987 performance audit of ADOT's construction management function found that the Department had not adequately controlled construction staffing levels. We also found that the Construction Engineering Manpower Management System ( CEMMS) was not be i ng e f f ec t i ve l y u t i l i zed . Although repeatedly informed of problems with the system, Department managers took l i t t l e action to correct deficiencies, or ensure system u t i l i z a t i o n . Based on our findings, we recommended AWT consider other options, such as using more consulting engineers and contracting more construction engineering functions, before increasing i t s construction staff to meet the needs of i t s growing construction program. We also recommended that the Legislature establish and monitor construction staffing levels to ensure staffing patterns reflect the Department's fluctuating workload. We recommended that ADOT upper management make a f i rm comm i tmen t to address its problems with the manpower management system to ensure that staff and other resources are used efficiently and effectively. In its response to our audit, ADOT strongly disagreed with the Finding that it was overstaffed, and submitted information indicating construction engineering staffing levels were generally less than needed, rather than too high. The Department acknowledged the need to improve CEMMS utilization and correct system deficiencies. Since the 1987 audit, ADOT has taken several actions to improve control of construction engineering staffing. The Department currently limits the number of construction engineering staff to 585 FTEs rather than at its authorized level of 650. The Department uses consultant administrators to manage some projects, and has contracted with engineering firms to provide technicians on an as needed basis to handle activities when ADOT staff are not available. ADOT management issued a memorandum stating its expectations that all staff would utilize CEMMS and other Departmental systems in managing their construction staff. In addition, the Department is in the process of revising its manpower management system. Audit Scope and Purpose Our audit focused on the staffing levels required by ADOT's Highway Operations Group to effectively and efficiently manage Arizona's highway construction program. The report presents findings in two areas: the extent to which ADOT has met its construction staffing goals in recent fiscal years, and ADOT's ability to estimate its needs for construction engineering staff . Our audi t was conducted in accordance wi th general ly accepted governmental auditing standards. However, our ability to complete our audit work was limited because ADOT could not provide us with reliable financial information in a timely manner ( see page 12). The Auditor General and staff express appreciation to the Director and staff of the Arizona Department of Transportation for their cooperation and assistance during the audit. FINDING I ALTHOUGH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS IMPROVED CONTROL OF STAFF- RELATED COSTS, ADDITIONAL CONTROLS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT MEETS ITS COST GOALS FOR CONSULTANT- MANAGED PROJECTS The Arizona Department of Transportation ( ADOTI has made improvements in managing staff- related costs. Although the Department has a l l but eliminated excess costs for projects managed by i t s own s t a f f , consultant- administered projects substantially exceeded cost goals during the last three fiscal years. We were unable to complete further analysis regarding ADOTts staff levels or determine why consultant- administered projects exceeded cost goals, due to time constraints as a result of the Department's i n a b i l i t y to provide timely financial information. ADOT construction staff are engaged primarily in Construction Engineering ( CE) a c t i v i t i e s . ( ' ) The Department also hires consultants to perform Construction Engineering on some projects, either because of staff shortages when construction begins or because of the projects' complexity. Thus, CE costs are an important measure for determining the Department's efficiency in controlling both construction and consultant staffing. The Department establishes CE cost goals as a means of evaluating i t s a b i l i t y to control staff- related costs. These goals are based on a percentage of the contractor payments for each project, and vary according to the size of the project. For example, the goal for smaller projects ($ 25,000 and under) is 25 percent of contractor payments, whi le for larger projects ( over $ 20 mi l l ion) the goal is much lower-- 6 percent. Our 1987 report on construction management ( Report number 87- 11) used construction engineering costs as a measure of staffing efficiency, and a similar approach has been taken in this report. ( 1) These a c t i v i t i e s , such as t e s t i n g the density of concrete or weighing aggregate materials, allow the Department t o ensure that the construction work performed by private contractors conforms to ADOT's requirements and specifications and to gather documentation f o r contractor payments. ADOT Has lrn~ roved Efficiency of In- House Staff But Consultant Costs Are Well Above Goals ADOT has reduced i t s in- house construction s t a f f , but exceeds cost goals for projects managed by consultants. Even though the highway construction program has grown substantially, construction staff levels are lower than previous years. Overall, ADOT's in- house construction- related staffing costs were within $ 278,000 or less than 1 percent of i t s goals during the last three years. However, the cost of using consultants to manage projects exceeded Departmental goals by 18 percent, or almost $ 3.6 m i I l ion during the same period. We analyzed staff related costs for the period January 1, 1987 through April 30, 1990.(') A comparison of CE costs with cost goals presented in Table 1 ( see page 9) and Table 3 ( see page 11) estimates the efficiency in which staff- related expenditures are made by ADOT during a given time period. The analysis included construction projects which accrued costs during the period and compared actual CE costs to the costs that would be expected i f the Department met i t s CE goals.( 2) Since our analysis included some projects started prior to January 1, 1987 and completed during the review period, as well as projects started during the review period and s t i l l underway as of April 30, 1990, we applied the appropriate CE cost goals only to project costs incurred during our review period. In- House s t a f f levels - Overal I, ADOT has reduced in- house staff even as i t s construction program grew significantly. During fiscal year 1985- 86 the Department had 614 f i e l d staff supervising $ 184.7 m i l l i o n i n construction a c t i v i t y . By the end of fiscal year 1988- 89, when the construction program peaked at $ 303.6 million, the Department's permanent construction staff was 578. ( 1) We obtained expenditure information from the ADOT Transportation Accounting System ( TRACs) general ledger and memo ledger f i l e s f o r July 1, 1988 through A p r i l 30, 1990 and from pre- TRACs accounting systems f o r January 1, 1987 through June 30, 1988. January 1, 1987, was purposely selected as the s t a r t date f o r our analysis because i t corresponded t o the approximate end date of the s t a f f analysis i n our 1987 report on construction management. ( 2) CE cost goals used i n t h i s report were derived from over $ 1 b i l l i o n i n contractor payments. A t o t a l of $ 828,265 i n payments withheld from contractors by ADOT, as a r e s u l t of l i q u i d a t e d damages assessed f o r exceeding scheduled construction end dates, were not included i n our calculation. In- House Staff Related Costs - Between January 1, 1987 and April 30, 1990, ( Table 11, staff- related costs for projects managed by ADOT were $ 278,000, or less than one percent above the Department's CE cost goals for the period. The CE cost analysis shows costs were above goals in a l l but two categories, notably in projects over $ 20 m i l lion, where the Department's CE costs were more than $ 1 million over cost goals. However, the Department was well below i t s staffing goals in projects of $ 5 to $ 10 m i l lion, achieving CE costs of 7 percent of total project costs, well below i t s 9 percent goal. ADOT was also under i t s goal by approximately $ 492,000 for projects between $ 1 mi l l ion and $ 2 mi I lion. TABLE 1 STAFF- RELATED COST ANALYSIS FOR ADOT- ADMINISTERED PROJECTS BY PROJECT CATEGORY JANUARY 1,1987-- APRIL 30,1990 Project Cat eao rv Favo rab l e CE Goal Actual ( Unfavorable) Amount CE Costs Var i ance $ 500- 1 million 7,313,477 7,548,729 ( 235,252) $ 1- 2 million 11,151,866 10,660,249 491,617 $ 2- 5 m i l l ion 21,804,675 22,133,098 ( 328 ,423 ) $ 5- 10 mi I I ion 13,759,636 11,368,505 2,391,131 $ 10- 20 mi l l ion 10,680,438 10,771,371 ( 90,933) Over $ 20 mi l l ion 11,976.706 13.071.496 ( 1.094.790) A l l Categories $ 86,434.024 $ 86.712.124 ($ 278,100) Source: State of Arizona, Office of the Auditor General staff analysis of construction and construction engineering expenditures for the period January 1, 1987-- April 30, 1990. As indicated in Table 2, the Department has shown steady progress in reducing the overall staffing costs for projects managed by in- house staff during the period of our review. Costs f e l l from almost 11 percent of contractor payments in January- June 1987 to 8.96 percent in the f i r s t ten months of fiscal year 1990. This reduction occurred during a time when ADOT1s construction program was increasing-- total contractor payments rose to a peak of $ 303.6 mi I I ion in fiscal year 1988- 89. Fiscal Year TABLE 2 STAFF- RELATED COST ANALYSIS FOR ADOT- ADMINISTERED PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR JANUARY 1.1987-- APRIL 30.1990 Contractor Actual CE Percent Pa- men t s CE Costs Ach i eved ( a) January 1. 1987-- June 30, 1987, only. ( b) July 1, 1989-- April 30, 1990, only. Source: State of Arizona, Office of the Auditor General staff analysis of construction and construction engineering expenditures for the period January 1, 1987-- Apri l 30, 1990. Consultant- administered proiects - Total staff- related costs for consul tant- administered projects exceeded goals by approximately $ 3.6 million during the period of our review ( Table 3, page 11). The Department's policy of hiring consultants was instituted as a means of addressing peak construction requirements or obtaining special expertise without increasing permanent staffing levels. Although the use of I, consultants may have enabled ADOT to l i m i t the number of i t s in- house construction s t a f f , the Department has incurred higher costs-- 18 percent above i t s staffing goals-- on projects managed by consultants. TABLE 3 STAFF- RELATED COST ANALYSIS FOR CONSULTANT- ADMINISTERED PROJECTS BY PROJECT CATEGORY Januarv 1.1987-- A~ ril 30.1990 Project Cateaory Favo rab l e CE Goal Actual ( Unfavorable) Amount CE Costs Va r i ance $ 500- 1 m i l l ion 599,564 941,770 ( 342,206) $ 1- 2 m i l l ion 207,720 164,246 43,474 m $ 2- 5 mi I 1 ion 1,514,558 2,727,804 ( 1,213,246) $ 5- 10 million 931,781 1,105,104 ( 173,323) $ 10- 20 m i l l ion 2,864,293 4,638,914 ( 1,774,622) Over $ 20 m i l l ion 13.528.443 13,512.111 16.332 A l l Categories $ 19,977,386 $ 23,566.813 J$ 3.589,428) Source: State of Arizona, Office of the Auditor General staff analysis of construction and construction engineering expenditures for the per iod January 1 , 1987-- Apr i l 30, 1990. CE costs in excess of the Department's established goals for consu I tant- administered projects(') occurred in al I but two project ( 1) Cost goals f o r consultant- administered projects are generally higher than f o r those projects managed by ADOT s t a f f . For example, the CE goal f o r consul tant- admi ni stered projects over $ 20 m i l l i o n i s 10 percent compared t o 6 percent f o r ADOT- administered projects. categories. Costs were below goals for projects with total contracted costs of $ 1 to 2 m i l lion and those with t o t a l costs over $ 20 m i l l ion. However, costs exceeded goals in the other five project categories, particularly for those with total costs of $ 2- 5 mi l lion and $ 10- 20 m i l l ion. ADOT believes it may have underestimated the costs needed by consultants for project administration. The Department noted that the goals used for consultant- administered jobs were based on fewer than 20 projects and " good judgement.'' ADOT further noted that many of the projects contained in our review were of a " highly specialized nature," resulting in many " nonstandard construction condition^.'^ For example, during our review period CE costs of $ 720,875 were incurred by one consultant for inspecting structural steel components at the fabrication m i l l s which were located out of state. According to ADOT these types of charges are unusual and were not included in the original goals. ADOT's lnabilitv To Provide Timelv Data lm~ eded Our Analvsis and Limited Follow Up On Staff- Related Costs Because the Department did not provide reliable data in a timely manner, we could not complete our analysis to determine whether ADOT is maintaining appropriate staff levels, or to determine the reasons ADOT has been unable to meet i t s staff- related cost goals. We requested financial data beginning in April 1990, but received incomplete and unreliable data tapes over a four- month period. The Department was able to submit financial information with sufficient documentation of i t s r e l i a b i l i t y only on August 16, 1990, seven weeks after the scheduled conclusion of our audit fieldwork. In addition, project records submitted by the Department did not contain key information such as the dates projects began and ended, and total contract amounts. A one- month delay in obtaining reliable data on labor distribution further hampered our review. As a result, no time was avai lable to complete our analysis or determine the reasons for the seemingly excessive consultant costs, and s t i l l meet our October 1, 1990, reporting deadline set by statute. For example, reviewing compliance with cost goals was not the only method by which we intended to evaluate current staffing levels. We had also planned to track staffing levels over time within each of the four districts to determine whether individual districts were using temporary workers and consultant administrators rather than permanent employees to meet peak construction demands; and not using temporary workers or consultant administrators when in- house staff were available. RECOMMENDATION 1. ADOT should investigate the reasons why CE costs for consul tant- managed projects were above its goals ($ 3.6 mi l l ion). I f ADOT determines the goals for consultants have underestimated the costs needed, ADOT should revise the goals accordingly. Otherwise, AWT should take steps necessary to ensure that excessive costs are curtailed in the future. FINDING II DEPARTMENT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CONSTRUCTION STAFFING ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN INADEQUATE Recent efforts by the Arizona Department of Transportation ( ADOT) to improve computer estimates of i t s construction staffing needs have been unsuccessful. Shortcuts taken in efforts to upgrade i t s manpower management system have undermined the r e l i a b i l i t y of key elements of the system. I f ADOT is to more effectively plan and control staff- related expenditures, corrective measures are necessary. Our Office concluded in 1987 that ADOT's manpower management system, the Cons t ruct ion Eng i neer i ng Manpower Management Sys tem ( CEMMS) , was not being effectively u t i l i z e d . The system, which uses a computer model to project staffing requirements, was developed, in part, as a result of Legislative concern over the Department's control of nonappropriated staff resources.(') A t the time of our last review, we found that c r i t i c a l system elements were outdated, data was miscoded, and ADOT management did not f u l l y support the system. Since then, ADOT has worked to improve the sys tem. The Department spent approx i mate l y $ 700,000 to enhance the system's reporting capabilities, and make it more user friendly by replacing the computer software component. Considerable time and e f f o r t has also been expended in upgrading system planning values. ADOT's Attern~ ts to lm~ rove Its Man~ ower Manaaernent System Have Been Unsuccessful Departmental actions toward improving manpower management through computer- based staffing projections have been inadequate. Although ADOT ( 1) Funding f o r construction s t a f f i s not appropriated by the Legislature, but comes instead from the Highway User Revenue Fund. S t a f f i n g levels are determined by the Department, based on i t s assessment of construction a c t i v i t y . needs accurate manpower projections, a variety of factors, ranging from se l f - imposed dead l i nes to poor samp l i ng t echn i ques , have unde rm i ned the Department's attempts to improve the system. Improved manpower ~ r o i e c t i o n s need4 - Computer- based projections are an integral part of ADOT's decision- making process, as indicated by the following examples: the Department's Deputy State Engineer incorporates manpower projections in assessing Statewide staffing requirements; @ D i s t r i c t Engineers use manpower projections in deciding staff deployment within their jurisdictions; and 0 Area and Resident Engineers review manpower projections in assessing staffing requirements for individual construction projects. However, current system forecasts have been poor and of limited value in decision making. As a result, Department managers have had to rely more heavily on their own judgment and experience in estimating and controlling the size of Construction Engineering s t a f f . A review of the in- house monitored construction projects completed since fiscal year 1987, demonstrates this lack of faith in current forecasting. Considerable routine adjustments to projections have been made by supervising engineers during that time. For almost one- half of a l l projects reviewed, system projections were modified, up or down, by 40 percent or more. However, estimates made by ADOT's supervising engineers have not proven much better at projecting or controlling staff u t i l i z a t i o n than current computer forecasts. The relationship between project staffing plans based primarily on engineers' judgment and actual staff u t i l i z a t i o n is weak. Actual staff u t i l i z a t i o n has ranged from 97 percent higher to over 200 percent lower than that predicted by supervising engineers. In 40 percent of a l l projects CEMMS recorded as completed since fiscal year 1987, engineerst original estimates were o f f by more than 25 percent from actual hours worked. Because various factors can disrupt anticipated staff arrangements, it is apparent that more re1 iable computer- based projections would assist ADOT in exerting more control over i t s staffing resources . Key svstm element remains flawed - The Department's attempt to upgrade i t s computer- based staffing projections has, thus far, been unsuccessful. A principal cause of discrepancies in the computer projections is inaccurate planning values. These values, expressed in terms of labor hours needed for a construct ion a c t i v i t y per roadway mi le ( i . e., 1,000 man hours per mile of earthwork) had not been updated since the system's implementation in 1982. To date, ADOT has not been able to develop an adequate data base from which to accurately derive these key elements. I n i t i a l l y , ADOT attempted to gather data on each construction project completed since 1983 ( estimated to be approximately 660 projects). As AWT assumed future staffing requirements would be related to past performance, analysis of historical data was appropriate. One method to ensure the val i d i ty of future project ions is to analyze the appropriate population in i t s entirety, as ADOT attempted. ADOT abandoned this original strategy. The Department's central office construction section began s o l i c i t i n g project data on labor distribution from the four ADOT d i s t r i c t s " Late in 1987 or early in 1988 ..." However, due to the following factors, a complete set of data on manpower usage for the various kinds of construction projects was never assembled. D i s t r i c t Res~ onse Was Untimely The ADOT employee coordinating the data collection project reported that, despite repeated requests, " d i s t r i c t response was s t i l l slow or incomplete ..." Therefore, ADOT was unable to meet either i t s original deadline or i t s revised deadline of March 31, 1988, for collecting the necessary data. Data Quality Was Poor A second reason for abandoning the original plan was related to data quality. Miscoding time charges have h i s t o r i c a l l y plagued the CEMMS data base. Miscoded time charges were documented during our Office's 1987 audit, and coding errors continue to compromise the system's data base. The extent of the data quality problem was never f u l l y explored by ADOT, and though i t may have been possible to correct errors through additional research, according to a Departmental manager ADOT decided that the time needed to identify and correct errors would be prohibitive. Given the poor qua1 i ty of project data available, the v a l i d i t y of any results would have been questionable. Time Constraints Were Prohibitive The Department's objective was to complete renovation of i t s manpower management system in time for our Office's current audit. A significant delay in information would have affected ADOT's a b i l i t y to meet this goal. ADOT undermined the u t i l i t y of i t s new planning values for predicting staffing needs by using unsound methodological shortcuts. In July 1988, with time running out, ADOT decided to calculate new planning values from a limited sample of data from completed projects. I f done correctly, sampling is a legitimate way to reduce data requirements, while s t i l l achieving j u s t i f i a b l e results. However, the sample techniques employed by ADOT were deficient. The sample was not randomly selected; i t was handpicked by d i s t r i c t personnel. In addition, i t was too small: the planning values were derived from labor usage obtained from, at the most, 16 projects. Some planning values were based on data from only a single project.( 1) Follow- up analysis performed by ADOT clearly demonstrated the weaknesses of the newly derived values as predictive tools. ADOT tested i t s new values on a second sample of 40 completed construction projects. The differences between staff projections and actual staff usage were substantial, varying by thousands of hours in many cases. For example, in one case, the projection was under the actual figure by almost 3,000 hours, a 1,558 percent difference. In an attempt to correct this problem, ADOT revised the planning values so that projected hours conformed more closely to the actual hours in i t s second sample of 40 projects. However, ADOT had no way of knowing whether the second sample was more valid than the f i r s t . The Department approved these revised values in August 1989. ( 1 ) One- hundred- thi rty- seven projects ( approximate1 y 21 percent of the number avai 1 able) were used to calculate planning values for 17 d i f f e r e n t types of construction projects. To ensure more credible results, a larger sample would have been required. Of note, an outside consultant hired by ADOT has confirmed that the sample drawn by ADOT, even including the additional projects from the validation sample, was marginal . Corrective Measures Needed for ADOT'S New Manpower Manaaement Svstem Unless corrective action is taken, ADOT's updated manpower management system, renamed the Construction Management Plan ( CMP), w i l l not function as intended. The Department should consider postponing implementation of CMP1s revamped computer forecasts u n t i l i t can reliably assess construction staffing needs. Despite some setbacks, implementation of the updated manpower management system is scheduled for the near future. Problems in the implementation of CMP's software component, ARTEMIS, have caused delays of several months. However, i n i t i a l training on ARTEMIS has been completed, and the Department plans to implement the new system sometime during the Fall of 1990. The system is scheduled to be operational in January 1991. ADOT should consider delaying implementation of CMP1s revamped computer forecasts u n t i l the problems associated with staffing projections can be resolved. It is important the new system demonstrate r e l i a b i l i t y early on. The present system lost c r e d i b i l i t y with the Districts, in part, because of i t s i n a b i l i t y to accurately predict staffing requirements. At the time of our last audit, ADOT personnel described the present system's projections as " only s l i g h t l y effective'' and " nearly uselessn. Some D i s t r i c t personnel have already expressed skepticism about the new system, and i f i t fai Is to perform according to expectations, we be1 ieve it too could rapidly lose c r e d i b i l i t y . By continuing to update planning values as new projects are completed, ADOT believed that it would be able, in the near future, to improve staffing projections generated through CMP. Our analysis suggests that even i f staffing projections could be made more reliable through 0 continued updating, it might take several years to correct the problem. Additionally, other aspects of the computer model, aside from i t s planning values, have not been tested by either our Office or by ADOT, and could also be invalid. For example, as part of the system upgrade, D i s t r i c t productivity has recently been factored into the computer model; however, these productivity factors have not been validated. Consequently, it is possible that even i f the system's planning values were valid, staff projections would continue to be inaccurate. The Department should consider obtaining expert advice regarding the testing of other aspects of the model. Finally, ADOT should take steps to ensure that the data on labor usage are accurately reported. Without accurate data, the computer model w i l l not work effectively, and the adage " garbage in- garbage out" w i l l apply. Since accurate reporting i s apparently s t i l l a significant problem, A N T should consider options to ensure time is recorded correctly. One option would be for ADOT to use trainers to work with f i e l d staff as the new system i s implemented. ADOT's Highway Maintenance Group used this with some degree of success when the new highway maintenance system was implemented. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Department should postpone implementation of i t s new manpower management system's revamped computer forecasts u n t i l i t can reasonably assure the staffing projections made by CMP are valid. 2. The Department should also consider options such as employing trainers to address problems related to the accurate reporting of labor u t i l i z a t i o n . 0 ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 206 South Seventeenth Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85007 0 James S. Creedon Acting Director ROSE MOFFORD - Governor HmMm September 28, 1990 Mr. Douglas R. Norton Auditor General of Arizona 2700 North Central Avenue, Suite 700 Phoenix, Arizona 85004 Dear Mr. Norton: My staff and I have completed our review of the audit report on ADOTs construction staffing levels; some of the conclusions contained in the report give me serious concern. ADOT does not concur with the recom-mendation to postpone the full implementation of the Construction Management Plan ( CMP). ADOT throughout the past years has demonstrated clearly its ability to reduce and control both construction staffing and construction engineering ( CE) costs. The conclusions of the audit are misleading, because three very important elements were omitted in the analysis: SPECIALTY ENGINEERING COSTS While the auditor's report acknowledges that many projects contained in the review were of a " highly special-ized nature" resulting in many non- standard construction conditions, no adjustments were made for these non-standard projects. The audit team should have included in its analysis and comparisons adjustments of $ 720,000 for specialty engineering costs on consultant- managed projects. LIOUIDATED DAMAGES Liquidated damages is " the daily amount set forth in the contract price to cover additional costs incurred by a state highway agency because of the contractor's failure to complete the contract work within the number of calendar days or workdays specified." The audit team did not include in its analysis and comparisons adjustments of $ 1.7 million for inhouse- managed projects and $ 2 million in consultant- managed projects for liquidated damages. TIME PERIODS OF THE CONTRACTS While ADOT understands the Auditor General's desire to cover the time period from the close of the last audit through April 30, 1990, the only accurate method is to evaluate all costs upon completion of a project. ADOT has met its goals in the control and management of a tremendously large and complex highway con-struction program. An accurate comparison of the consultant- administred engineering costs, taking into account the three issues not addressed in the audit, to the goals set by ADOT for all projects managed by private consultants reflects a figure of $ 1.2 million ( or 6%) less than the ADOT goal. As a result of questions raised regarding the audit during the data sampling procedure, ADOT sought the assistance of an independent consultant to evaluate the validity of the method used. That evaluation found HIGHWAYS . AERONAUTICS . MOTOR VEHlCLE PUBLIC TRANSIT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Mr. Douglas R. Norton September 28, 1990 the methods to be sound. Further, the Federal Highway Administration ( FHWA) approves ADOTs construction engineering costs on all federal- aid projects, and they found ADOTs costs, staffing and construction management system to be appropriate. FHWA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ( AASHTO) and member departments, all recognize the need for engineering judgment in the application and use of any construction management program. The role of the registered professional civil engineer in the management of the construction program is vital to its success. The exercise of this engineering judgment was not given consideration by the audit team, although it is an integral part of the program. The audit report states that the system's planning values have not been updated since the system's implemen-tation in 1982. This is incorrect; the planning values were updated in 1988. The circumstances leading to delays in the audit staffs receiving information in a timely manner was unfortunate. Clearer communications between the audit staff and ADOTs staff would have prevented most of these problems. In summary the Arizona Department of Transportation is a much more professional orgnization than your report reflects. Attached to this letter is a detailed response to the audit report. Included are several attachments which address various issues raised in the report. Thank you again for the opportunity to make comments on your findings. I appreciate the fine working relationship we have with your staff and commend them for their conduct while visiting this agency. Sincerely, L/ James S. Creedon Acting Director JSCm Attachments ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Response to the Performance Audit of the Construction Staffing Levels RESPONSE TO FINDING I ADOT does not concur with the conclusions or recommendation contained in Finding I. ADOT is managing construction engineering ( CE) costs effectively and efficiently. As indicated in the Auditor General's Report, CE costs on ADOT- administered projects have decreased from 10.95% in 1986- 87 to 8.%% in 1989- 90. This decrease resulted from efforts to monitor and control construction staffing levels and other CE costs. The report indicates that on consultant- administered projects, CE costs exceeded ADOTs goal and implies that ADOT is incurring seemingly excessive consultant costs. The report's conclusions and recommendation regarding this charge are erroneous. Three important elements were omitted from the analysis of these costs: SPECIALTY ENGINEERING COSTS The consultant working at the Roosevelt Bridge incurred costs of $ 720,875 for inspecting structural steel components at the fabrication mills throughout the United States. Although mentioned in the audit report, this $ 720,875 was not reduced from the $ 3.6 million difference. Correction for this ele-ment alone reduces this amount to $ 2.9 million. These specialty engineering and inspection charges were incurred but were not added to the goals, although they were required and established by supple-mental contract agreements. The auditor's report acknowledges that many projects contained in the review were of a " highly speci-alized nature', resulting in many " non- standard construction conditions." More specifically, 16 of 33 projects ( or 48%) of the projects were unique as follows: four multilevel interchanges; Roosevelt Lake Bridge; three small, rural, remote bridges; four rest areas and state parks, and four tunnel projects. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES Liquidated damages are defined as " the daily amount set forth in the contract to be deducted from the contract price to cover additional costs incurred by a state highway agency because of the con-tractor's failure to complete the contract work within the number of calendar days or workdays specified." ( Ref. CFR 630.302i) A total of $ 2 million in liquidated damages should have been accounted for in the analysis of con-sultant- administered projects. This correction would reduce further the reported differences between the CE goal and actual costs from the $ 2.9 million figure indicated above to $ 900,000. Inclusion of liquidated damages for ADOT- administered projects also changes the reported overage to a difference of $ 1,425,750 under the goal. On August 23, 1990 a letter documenting liquidated damages was sent to the Auditor General for consideration. Final payment vouchers were also furnished as verification of these assessments. Distribution of liquidated damages between ADOT- administered projects and consultant projects is as follows: ADOT CONSULTANT Assessed $ 817,390.00 Pending 886,360.00 $ 1,703,750.00 TIME PERIODS OF THE CONTRACTS ADOTs analysis, using total costs for the entire period on consultant- administered projects, finally reduces the above $ 900,000 overage by an additional $ 2.1 million ($ 1.2 million under the goal). The method of analysis used by the auditors of partially analyzing incomplete projects caused the largest amount of reported overruns. Attachment 1 shows how the method applied by the auditors of using a time period to compare goals and costs provides an approximate, inaccurate picture of CE cost differences. This is due to the time lag in the billing cycle of the accounting process. The most accurate method of determining CE costs is to evaluate 4c osts upon com~ letiono f a project. The grand total of all projects shows a CE cost of 8.1% prior to January 1, 1987; a CE cost of 13.0% between January 1, 1987 and April 30, 1990, and a CE cost of 11.8% after April 30, 1990. This misrepresents the CE cost as being 1.2% higher than actual costs during the sample time. Based upon the $ 179,713,231 million construction costs sample audited during the time period, multi-plied by the 1.2% difference in CE costs, the audit method used contains approximately $ 2.1 million more costs than when total project costs are used. Therefore, ADOT disagrees that additional controls are needed, as ADOT has met and exceeded cost goals for consultant- managed projects when allow-ances are made for specialty engineering charges, liquidated damages and time periods for contracts. In estimating engineering costs for construction projects, goals are established as guidelines. These guidelines provide a tool and " target value" to use in establishing approximate costs for construction engineering. When using the tightest management control methods, engineering costs still will vary from project to project due to individual characteristics of the job. The audit team recognized dynamic situations encountered during the course of almost any highway con-struction project. As a result, during the course of the audit a list of " Factors Affecting Staffing", which ultimately affects goals, was developed by the auditors and concurred in by all ADOT Construction Manage-ment personnel. These factors, beyond ADOTs direct control which ultimately affects goals, were developed by the auditors and concurred in by all ADOT Construction Management personnel. These factors cause con-struction engineering staffing levelss and costs to vary outside estimates or " goals". Some examples of these factors are: The adequacy of the contractor's original work schedule. The contractor's ability to maintain predictable and reasonable productivity rates. Claims filed by the contractor. EnvironmentaVarchaeological issues arising after start of construction. Weather. The availability of materials. Accidents encountered at the project's site. The original CEMM system was established following the guidelines and recommendations of the " Construction Engineering Manpower Management, System Design Manual." This was prepared under the national p l e d fund study administered by the Federal Highway Administration and several sponsoring state agencies. The manual states: " Engineering judgment can and should always be used as a means of overriding any distribution regardless of method used." We have applied this guideline to all aspects of the CEMMS program. Attachments 2, 3 and 4 present further evidence of ADOTs continual effort in reducing CE costs, whether managed by ADOT or by consultant engineers. Attachment 2 shows a five- year increase in the construction program from $ 1% million per year to $ 375 mil-lion per year, while the construction staff has remained at an average of 580 people. Attachment 3 shows the effect of the construction cost index on ADOT and consultant CE costs and how the cost figures shown on Page 10 ( Table 2) of the audit report are affected by this cost index During the time period of this audit, between 1986- 87 and 1989- 90, the construction cost index has reduced from 100 to 90, indicating ten percent ( 10%) more work is being accomplished for the dollars expended. Also, during this same period inspectors' and technicians' salaries have increased by 12.75%, thus indicating less inspection hours are available for this increased dollar amount of work. These factors further show ADOTs progress in reducing overall staffing costs. Attachment 4, the " Survey of Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Construction Engineering Costs", shows only four western states with costs lower than Arizona's. The Federal Highway Administration allows fifteen percent ( 15%) CE costs; ADOTs 9.2% is well below this value. RESPONSE TO TIMELINESS OF DATA IMPEDING FURTHER ANALYSIS Although ADOT recognizes that there were difficulties associated with obtaining selected data, it is the Department's opinion that data availability issues could have been resolved at a much earlier point in the audit process if appropriate communication channels had been established between the Auditor General's staff and ADOTs senior management. Information requests by the Auditor General's staff were fragmented among many areas within ADOT. ADOT senior management was not made aware of any significant issues related to the timeliness of data until late in the audit. All requests for information by the Auditor General were addressed promptly, and every effort was made to provide accurate and timely data. The Department placed a high priority on respmding to the Auditor General's requests. The requested data spanned two complex systems and required the creation of multiple, customized computer programs and reports, plus the manual review of over 1,000 project files for non- computerized data. Normally, when new computer programs are created to extract information from automated data files, there should be an early validation process by the user of the data. The responsible user area in ADOT was not contacted by the Auditor General's staff to validate data until late July-- one month after the scheduled completion date for field work. The circumstances leading to delays in the Auditor General's staffs having all the information needed for further analysis was unfortunate. Most of these difficulties could have been avoided if the Auditor General's team had advised ADOTs senior management of the precise data requirements and time line at the initiation of the audit, coordinated data requests among the appropriate areas, and requested ADOTs assistance with data validation earlier in the process. In recent audit efforts the Auditor General's staff met with the re- sponsible senior administrator at an earlier stage of the audit to outline information needs. This important step would have ensured that the Auditor General's requirements were fully met within the required time frames. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE ADOT has investigated CE costs for consultant- managed projects and disagrees that they are above goals. In fact, CE costs were approximately $ 1.23 million under goals. However, ADOT will continue to monitor carefully and evaluate each individual project to assure goals and guidelines are reasonable. In accordance with the recommendations of the 1987 audit report, the Department used more consulting engineers to administer projects. Twenty- one percent of the CE costs represented in this audit were paid to consultant engineers, and as anticipated by ADOT, costs were higher than on those administered by in- house staff. RESPONSE TO FINDING I1 ADOT disagrees with this finding. The results of this audit show ADOT has successfully used the CEMM system and engineering judgment to exceed the established goals. The use of the words " inadequaten, " unsuccessful", and " flawed" is totally misleading and misrepresentative of the system. It is difficult to comprehend how a system can be judged as " unsuccessful" when it has not yet been fully implemented, and how values are judged to be " inaccurate" when they have not been fully tested. Attachment 5 is from a Federal Highway Administration's review of ADOTS Construction Manpower Management System. The summary and comments state: " ADOT is to be commended on their use of their Construction Management Program by all facets of their construction personnel. They have made improvements to their construction program in their goal to administer construction related activities on a statewide basis to assure quality construction is achieved in the most economical manner." The improvement to the system is adequate and as accurate as practicality permits. The sampling techniques were carefully executed to represent the best data within the database. Dr. John P. Zaniewski, P. E., Professor of Engineering Mathematics at Arizona State University, in his report dated July 19, 1990, entitled: " EVALU-ATION OF CONSTRUCI'ION MANPOWER ESTLMATE, for the Arizona Department of Transportation", on page 31 states: " Overall the construction manpower planning process seems to be reasonable ..." He continues on page 32 under the same heading: " Considering the limitations of the raw data base, ADOT has done a good job in the development of the data bases used to establish the standard planning values." Feedback received from users in the field indicates that manhours obtained from the new planning values are predicting much closer to the staffing hours than were the manhours obtained by using the old planning values. Furthermore, the users expressed great satisfaction with the new planning method for its ease of application and simplicity. It is not clear what is meant by the statement, " The Planning valu =... had not been updated since the system's implementation in 1982." They were, in fact, updated in 1988. Again, Dr. Zaniewski states on page 9 of his report: "... the number of projects required for a complete factorial design would be 1792." He continues on page 13: " Since the services that ADOT contracts change from time ' to time, e. g. the use of contractor staking, traffic control requirements, and end product specifications, it is unlikely that the Department will ever be able to establish a truly statistically sound data base for estimating the manpower requirements for all of the factors. This level of detail is probably not warranted even if the data were available." The methodology used by ADOT to develop the new planning values was very sound, considering the quality of the data, as stated by Dr. Zaniewski. The sampling technique was chosen to compensate for the size of the sample, i. e., the users were asked to provide projects that were as free of error as possible. The number of activities were reduced from 63 to 26 to simplify the process and to ensure accurate reporting of manhours. In addition, the Construction Management staff will soon be engaged in an extensive and contin-uous job- site training program, leading to a successful implementation and proper maintenance of the system. It should be noted that the Arizona Department of Transportation is on the cutting edge of technology development with its efforts to develop a state of the art manpower management system. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE The Department does not agree with postponing implementation of its new manpower management system and revamped computer forecasts. The revamped planning values ( computer forecasts) are presently in use and are producing satisfactory results. As additional information is added to the data base, the accuracy of the forecast values will be checked constantly and revised as needed. If necessary, ADOT may engage Dr. Zaniewski to assist in further refinements of our forecasting methods. The Arizona Department of Transportation will provide " hands on" training at the user locations to address problems related to the accurate reporting of labor utilization. ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT BRANCH RILITIONS33IP OF CONSTRUCTZON ST- G TO PROGRESS P A n U N T S 800 - PAYMENTS - FrE'S 800 600 - I h! B2- m9I W O--. ...... ....... -- roo zcss! 8 .. f... .\ ......& ., ......... 01 .6M- * e9. Y Y k- 670 3 cii a8.7 0- t- 400 83 84 86 86 87 88 89 90 FISCAL YEAR a 0- .......................................................................- 076.0 Attachment 3 COST FOR AWT ADMINISTERED PROJECTS - Construction Costs and CE Costs Adjusted to Equivalent 1986- 87 Construction and Salary Levels. Adjusted Fiscal Contractor Adjusted CE Percent Year Pament s - Achieved 1986- 87 ( a) $ 105,911,174 $ 11,602,456 lo. 95% 1987- 88 ( b) 289,133,379 25,373,585 8.789 1988- 89 ( c) 348,080,647 27,297,270 7.84% 1989- 90 ( d) 265,769,642 20,760,401 7.819 a) Actual values January 1, 1987 - June 30, 1987, only. b) Adjusted using Const. Index of 92 compared to 100 for 1986- 87. CE costs adjusted using 1.5% salary increase. c) Adjusted using Const. Index of 87. CE costs adjusted using 5% accumulated salary increase. d) Adjusted using Const. Index of 90. CE costs adjusted using 6.259 accumulated salary increase. July 1, 1989 - April 30, 1990, only. Attachment 4 a YISHSRT: At) ARIZONA DEPARTMWT OF TRMSWRTATIM CONSTRUCTIW OPERATIOIIS SERVICES - FIELD REVIEW B W SURVEY OF WASHTO STATES CONSTRUCTION EN6INEERIIIG CRTS SEPTEMBER 10, 1990 WASHTO STATES I OVERALL CE % 1 BREAKDOHU OF CE % I ITEMS INCLUDED IN CE COSTS ___________._._.._._.. I. ............................................................................................................... 1 I I ALASKA I NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME / NONE / ALL CHARGES TO COWSTRUCTION PROJECTS I I I HAHAI I I NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME l NONE 1 ALL CONSTRUCTION AN0 POST- DESIGN CHARGES 1 1 / TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS I I I : DAHO I 1 1 I I I I I I NEWMEXICO I / 1 I I I I UTM / / NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME I / NONE 1 ALL FIELD PERSONNEL CHARGES WITH A 15% MAXIMUM I 1 / LIMITATION ON ALL PWECTS I I I WAYIIYGTON I NOT AVAILABLE A1 THIS TIME / NONE I ALL FIELD AND HUGQUARTERS PERSOWNEL CHARGES I 1 I TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS I I I COLORADO 1 12.7% ( 10.2% DIRECT b 2.5% OVERHEAD) ( NWE I ONLY COWSTRUCTION FIELD PERSONNEL( D1RECT COSTS) 1 1 I 6 SUPPORT HEAWARTERS STAFF ( OVERHEAD CQTS) I I NEVADA I 1 12% I 0 TO 4 MIL = 158 1 ALL CHARGES TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS 1 / 4 MIL TO 7 MIL = 108 I I I O V E R l M I L = 58 1 I I I CALIFORNIA I 11% TO 12% ( ESTIMATE OWLY) I NONE I ONLY FIELD OPERATIOWS PERWINEL ONLY I I I r( OL11ffi 1 10.3% 1 NONE / ALL COllSTRUCTION AND AMINISTRATIOW COSTS TO 1 I I AMINISTER PROJECTS I I I MRTH DAKOTA 1 108 I N HOUSE - 15% CfflSULTANT ( ESTIMATE) I NONE I OWLY COWSTRUCTION EWGINEERIK COSTS AFTER 1 I I BID AWAAO DATE I I l Q l T A l U I 10% 1 0 TO 1 R I L * 12% 1 ALL COSTS BY LAB, SURVEY, OFFICE. MTERIALS AN0 I I / 1 M I L L U P = 108 I INSPECTION - OTHER OVEWlEM COSTS ARE INCLUDED I I I ARIZONA I 9.28 I N HOUX 12.58 CCUSULTANT j VARIES BY CMTRACT MOU)( T I ALL W I N E E R I M CHARGES TO CMSTWTION xssaaaa I x.==. ixZI=.. a... a. UX. I. XaaI I x.-~. aa.. xn.. i....~ 1 . r.. m. aa.= xx= x~== x=.. 1ln~ 1=~= 111 I I I PROJECTS AFTER BID ADVERTISEMT. I I ( - I. J-- M. fXXII= X=- I I I O L 6 a ( I 9% I LESS THAN $ 100.000 108 I ALL CCUSTRUCTIOY FIELD PERSWEL MlLY I 1 1100,000 TO 1 N I L 9 ¶ I 1 1 OVER 1 N I L 8% 1 I I I O W O l l A 1 8 % I M E VARIES 8Y FA 1 M L Y COllSTRUCTIOll MBINEERIIW COSTS AFTER 1 I i STATE PROJECTS 1 BID MURO DATE I I I TMAS 1 78 ( ESTIMTE OWLY) I I ALL WWS TO COISTRUCTION PROJECTS I I I WITH DAKOTA 1 58 ( ESTIMTE ONLY) 1 NOYE I ONLY E# STRUCTIQ FIELD PERSWEL M D I I I colaucrlrr pama Attachment 5 Page 1 of 2 USDcwrmmrc ulmaoma~ n - mom Mnunistmnon Y.~*+ R n r mian - S U O I * ~ ~ Construction Engineering Yorkforce Information oat* I 8 Lga) System Revlew - Arizona Department o f Transportation Rw 10 Ffan Chief, Ccnstructlon and Maintenance Dlvislon Alln Ot HHO- 31 Office of Highway Operations ' 0 . Mr. { bin M. Wood Regional Federal Highway Administrator ( HRA- 09) San Francisco, Cal ifornia Attached are two copies of Ms. Melisa Rldenour's trip report which discusses a ' state- of - the- practf con rrvl en of the Constructfan Engineering Uorkforcr Informatton System ( CEWIS) In us4 by the Arizona Oaorrtment of Transportation ( ADOT). The results of this ' fact findingY are provided I n the attached paper. Thls review Is part of a 1990 nationwide review of the various ncrkforcr management systems in use by the State highway agencies. Onca this nationwldr rrvf en is completed, r sumary report will be developed and distributed. Please forward a copy of this report to the Arizona Olvislon. Also, please extena our tnanks to the members of your staff, the Division Office and the A001 for ther r hospitality and assistmer . Yl1llaa A. Yerrwn Attachment 5 Page 2 of 2 SUllMARY The results of this " fac: finding' are included In the attached paoer I have prepared on Arizona's Constructlon Management Proqram. Brttfly, ADO1 is currently rn a transltron perioa with the mole men tat run of a revtsed consrr~ c' 1on nanaqement system referred to as the Constructlon Management Proqram. Therr original systefi was W e l e d after the ' Construction Engineering Manpower ManagcfrIent Systm Design Manual ', a Natlonal pool ed fund Study In 1978. Thls systom has been utilized since 1983. As of July 1990, thr revlsed system should br in use state- wide. The major changes between the original and revtsed systems art ( 1) five year projection caoabilitles. ( 2) unit of m r s u r t w n t for the standard plannlnq values based uoon man- hour per ratlr, ( 3 ) reductton In planning ~ ctivittes, ( 4) modifier aopi red In an indirtc: manner, ( 5) contractor's actual work scneduir, can automatically be taken Into cons tdrrat ton, and ( 6) ' state- of- the- art computer 1 anguaqr provrded. The ' state- of- the- art* lanquagr facil itates the ease In obtainlnq specially tailored I n f ~ n U l t I ~ bny creating differrnt scenarios. The use of a constructlon mlfllgeMnt systm has support from all ltvrls of the constructlon personnel. Thls is essmtiai if the brst use of the avatla~ le fnformatton provided by tnls management tool 1s to br obtained. The CHP indicates the number of inSP* CtOrS nedrd but does not address they; sk111 levels; althouqn. It does indlcatt how many aan- hours wrll 5r needed for a spcctf:~ activrty. At the pesrnt trme, the CnP I S not utilized to determtnr such rttfis as rtcrul t w t 501 ic! es and training plans. The Progrw does have tne Caoaoilities to aid in tneir developmnt, A copy of the guid@ itnrs usrd and the notrs takm during this revleu are attacnea to the ftle clpy of thts nport. conrnts a007 1s to 5~ commended on thelr use of their Constructlon Management Program by all factts of their constructTon perso~ nrl. They hrvr made tmor? vements to thetr construction progrrn in fhai r goal to admtntster c~ nstructlon re1 al- td actrvittes on a statmld8 basfs : a assure quality constructlon IS achieved in the nost tconomical aannrrn . AOOT has not stopped there. They continue to strtve for imorovrd txcellrnce by rev1 sing thrir prevtous Construct ton Manpower Management System. The future loakt br~ ght for their new systm. It has the powrr to aid : hem in develooing future pollcles and programs pertaining to suc3 items as training plm: an4 rrcruitment needs. AOOT's Constructlon N a n a q m n t is curr@ ntly asktng for rrorrsentatlon on the proJect schrduiing corittar, This would enable them to provrde rnput on the effect of mvtng p m j r c t s Basad on the avatlabtllty of construction personnel.
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Social Networking for Fashion Doll Lovers
Hi, This is Yaz'mine. I always wear long hair, so I'm trying a shorter hairstyle. Let me know if you like my hair long or short. Visist my group "Hairstyle Universe" to see other fabulous hairstyles from my friends.(feel free to join our group)
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Heartland Conference Celebrates Science for Sale
Heartland Conference Celebrates Science for Sale
The Heartland Institute is rounding up the usual suspects for a conference that will alert international media to "the fact" that a shocking number of "scientists" can be induced with a little cash and a free trip to New York City to question the science of global warming.
As reported by RealClimate.org, this is not a "scientific conference" in the normal sense:
"Normal scientific conferences have the goal of discussing ideas and data in order to advance scientific understanding. Not this one. The organisers are surprisingly open about this in their invitation letter to prospective speakers, which states:
'The purpose of the conference is to generate international media attention to the fact that many scientists believe forecasts of rapid warming and catastrophic events are not supported by sound science, and that expensive campaigns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not necessary or cost-effective.'
So this conference is not aimed at understanding, it is a PR event aimed at generating media reports."
If you doubt RealClimate's analysis, you can look to Heartland's program and participant list for confirmation. It's a who's who of apologists for tobacco, coal and oil; a long list of people like Christopher Monckton, who don't mind when they lie, or like Bob Carter, who don't make any sense when they are telling their truth.
Heartland has taken over the from thoroughly discredited Competitive Enterprise Institute as the leading propaganda mill sowing confusion about climate science, although CEI is one of the sponsors of this event. We at the DeSmogBlog will try to keep track over the coming weeks to see if any new faces show up among the scientists for hire. Our dream gift for 2008, however, would be a list of the politicians and "journalists" who accept Heartland's offer of an all-expenses paid trip for the New York gabfest.
- Richard Littlemore's blog
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And, of course, Weaver, the sainted Hansen and avaricious charlatans like Gore and Suzuki all earn their bread by selling eco-friendly handicrafts to the faithful. Yeh, sure.
And Richard, since Hoggan and Lefebvre aren't paying you, I'm wondering if you go out every moring to collect bottles and cans for recycling.
Scratch a warmist - watch a smarmy hypocrite bleed.
I have trouble seeing how this transparently unobjective approach will help their cause. But I guess that depends on what the media (and participating politicians) do with it. As it stands now, it seems that all they have are insults, conflations and obfuscations, appeals to emotion, and a few reworded but long-ago debunked talking points. No credibility. Maybe they figure they've got nothing to lose.
My favorite expert is S. Fred Singer, listed as a Distinguished Research Professor at George Mason University. If he's so distinguished why isn't he listed on the school's web site and why would an operator tell me that there's "no such person by that name" at George Mason? The last time he did research was as a grad student in the 1940s, in electrical engineering... and the only professing he ever did was along side Pat Michaels at Virginia - undergraduate environmental studies about 20 years ago. If there were a law against impersonating a atmospheric researcher, this joker would have been locked up a long time ago.
Sounds like another denier who fluffed up his "credentials" in order to impress...
Hi 'J' surely when it comes to criticism of poeples backgrounds you must be well aware the pro-warmers have some major umm flaws? If it's open season on 'deniers' lets take a look at the losers on the pro-AGW team;
"A global climate treaty must be implemented even if there is no scientific evidence to back the [enhanced] greenhouse effect"
Richard Benedict, US Conservation Foundation
"We've got to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing"
Tim Wirth, former US Senator
"The trouble with this idea is that planting trees will not lead to the societal changes we want to achieve"
Kyoto Delegate, 05 December 1997
"The collective needs of non-human species must take precedence over the needs and desires of humans."
Dr. Reed F. Noss, The Wildlands Project
"Isn't the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn't it our responsibility to bring that about?"
Maurice Strong, Head of 1992 Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro
In the early 1970s Dr Stephen Schneider rejected man-made global warming theory, writing, "temperatures do not increase in proportion to an atmospheric increase in carbon dioxide." He went as far as to predict that another little ice age would occur soon, but it hasn't. Schneider now endorses man-made global warming theory and man made CO2.
These AGW-denier guys seem more than a little dense. I mean, how can they not see the difference between a PR person (who discloses his funding) from someone else who pretends he is a researcher (but doesn't disclose his funding or says he doesn't know who pays him)? Makes me suspect that their comments here are not honest. On the other hand, refusal to accept the fact that increasing greenhouse gas concentrations likely enhances the greenhouse effect might be symptomatic of a limited intellectual capacity. Or wait ... could that be dishonest, too? Like posting comments under multiple pseudonyms, maybe?
You have to boil it right down to some pretty basic, empirically understood facts about the behaviour of the elements, and they STILL don't get it! If they can't follow grade 11 chemistry, it should come as no surprise that they continue to talk about "Al Gore's science" as though he (a lay-person & spokesman) came up with AGW all by himself, and fail to recognize Fred Singer, Tim Ball et al as scientific has-beens (or never-were's) and mercenaries.
Seriously, there are a great many people who really couldn't follow chemistry, grade 11 or otherwise, and don't trust science because they don't understand how rigorously "the method" is applied. They really don't understand why the opinions of people like Singer & Ball shouldn't carry as much weight as those of Hansen, Weaver, Mann and so on. Getting through to them is a huge challenge. They aren't stupid, just naive -- which makes them sitting ducks for the Singer & Ball Snakeoil salesmen.
Fern Mackenzie
So 2,500 researchers and scientists at the IPCC think AGW is happening and 19,000 scientists sign a petition against AGW because they think it isn't happening and we're being led up the garden path. I make that nearly 8 to 1 against global warming.
Even the Senate Committee stated there's no 'consensus' and 'the debate isn't over' and how can the IPCC and Gore claim it to be so when they have 4 times more scientists against global warming theory?
So the global warming 'theorists' think we're stupid and too thick to take in basic chemistry? Nobody here is exactly blinding me with science. In fact the AGW people seem to be full of half-truths, propoganda, spin and swallowing any old computer model and are pretty dim to do so.
Richard Littlemore, maybe journalism should have the same standards as science because your snide little article hasn't advanced knowledge one iota. Gutter journalism more like. Talking about the 'imaginary' isn't it about time you and the IPCC gave up on the computer models that fill our heads with stupid scare stories?
I say that because to generate a full model of the climate system covering all spatial scales, and then use it to run a 50 year projection into the future, would take more than 10 to the power of 34 years of supercomputer time, according to Dr Willie Soon of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. This timescale is 10 to the power 24 times longer than the current age of the universe, which itself is about 10 billion years.
If you haven't got 10 billion years maybe you should spend an hour reading the Heartland Institutes climate document which has incidentally more solid science and less stupid IPCC computer game scares in it. Here, read it, your next article may actually contain something useful for once!
spending and spending more will not yield any result .strict and quick actions are neccessary to prevent global warming.


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Weather, government and the media have dubbed Hurricane Sandy a "Frankenstorm" due to the convergence of extreme weather factors.
when one of the world's three top computer-model weather simulations showed Sandy getting mixed up with a storm from the Midwest, a high-pressure system out of Greenland and a dip in the jet stream—turning it into a combination cyclone/nor'easter and pushing it toward land.
As Andrew Freedman, of Climate Central wrote Monday, "Think if a hurricane and nor'easter mated, possibly spawning a very rare and powerful hybrid storm, slamming into the Boston-to-Washington corridor early next week, with rain, inland snow, damaging winds, and potential storm surge flooding."
But forecasts are still conflicted on Hurricane Sandy's exact track, said Weatherbug Meteorologist Andrew Rosenthal.
"One scenario merges Sandy with a Midwest upper-level low pressure, tracking it sharply into the Mid-Atlantic. Most others merge it with the same upper-level disturbance off Cape Cod early next week, flinging it back to the southern New England Coast and New York City area," Rosenthal wrote for the Weatherbug Hurricane Center at 5 a.m. Oct. 26.
Sandy is already dangerous. The hurricane has killed 29 people across the Caribbean, CBS News reported Friday afternoon.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is comparing Hurricane Sandy to two storms: the Great Gale of 1878 and Hurricane Hazel in 1954, the Boston Herald reports. The Great Gale was a Category 2 hurricane that hit regions from Cuba to New England, said the Huffington Post. Hurricane Hazel killed 1,000 people in Haiti, then hit the U.S. between North Carolina and South Carolina and killed 95 more.


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Box 8146 Des Moines, IA 50306-8146 Phone: 1-866-795-2041 Fax: 1-515-243-2331 This highlights sheet, which has been prepared by Mercer Consumer, contains a summary of the insurance certificate provisions. You should not rely on this sheet for coverages. In the instance of conflict between this sheet and the actual certificate and/or policy, the insurance certificate and/or policy will prevail and control. See policy for complete list of coverage and exclusions at www.eoforless.com. Disclaimer: One or more of the Everest companies provide the products and/or services described. The information is intended to present only a general overview for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to constitute a binding contract. Please remember that only the relevant insurance policy can provide the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions and exclusions for an insured. All products and services may not be available in all states and may be subject to change without notice. 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Social Networking for Fashion Doll Lovers
METRO DOLLS "Style Evolution" Event One of a Kind Gene "TO THE MNAOR BORN" for Charity Auction Outfit by Laurie Lyon
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Partners and clients
myclimate partner and clients
myclimate is keen to meet individual partner and client requirements in the best possible way. A growing number of businesses and organisations appreciate the pragmatic approach of the climate protection organisation.
In the past few years, specific partner and client requests have led to various forms of cooperation:
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- Partners support myclimate through sales by offering their clients carbon offset options. Find travel partners that offer the myclimate ticket, print shops with whom you can print climate neutrally or products that you can buy climate neutrally, if you so wish.
Selected partners and clients of myclimate


text: [page 1] [letterhead] [USO flag] UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, INC. Regional Office 135 South La Salle Street Chicago 3, Illinois Telephone: Randolph 9580 Address Reply To April 10, 1944 Mr. Jesse Dorsey Speed Indiana Dear Jesse: Well, believe it or not, the pictures are attached hereto, and, I believe, without any missing. These were used as an exhibit at the Milwaukee Institute and attracted considerable attention. Miss Chamberlin, our publicity director, thought enough of them to build the exhibit herself, so you see even though they didn't get into LOOK, LIFE, PIC, or the POLICE GAZETTE, they did do service at the Institute in Milwaukee, which, as far as this office is concerned, was very helpful. As you know, I am proud of the job you are doing and only wish we could have gotten some better pictures for you. I will stop by and see you the first chance I have, but in the meantime, keep 'em cooking. Very sincerely yours, Bill W.F. Goodell Associate Executive WFG:H Encl


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BOOKS: | Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Mystery/Thriller | Literature | Romance | Biography |
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Left Horse Black |
Prince Aragel of Sherok is a young man whose life has been tailored to someday take over the throne. When he uncovers a plot that would have both him and his uncle assassinated, he immediately takes responsibility and leaves his homeland behind him, with the help of his cousin, to gather reinforcements from allied Danaria. Tnasha fen'Schoitt is an inexperienced Danarian sorceress, and soldier, struggling with her own identity and abilities. In an attempt...
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Product Description
Make sure your cat receives the nutrition he or she needs to thrive, without upsetting digestive sensitivities when you serve this food. The food features turkey as the primary ingredient for a high-quality protein source, while carbohydrate sources like potatoes and peas promote gentle digestion.
Give your kitty delicious nutrition that is gentle on his or her digestive system with the BLUE Basics Grain Free Formula Cat Food. With turkey as the first ingredient, the food delivers a high-quality protein sources. Specially formulated with carbohydrate sources like peas and potatoes, along with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and antioxidants, the food promotes gentle digestion, healthy skin and supports a healthy immune system. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and cold-formed to retain greater potency, the LifeSource® Bits promote a healthy immune system, ensure healthy oxidative balance and meet certain life stage requirements.
- For cats
- Provides wholesome nutrition with a blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- Turkey delivers a high-quality protein, not commonly found in cat food
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- Potatoes and peas offer excellent carbohydrate sources for gentle digestion
- Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids promote healthy skin
- Blend of antioxidants for immune system health
- Contains no corn, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, artificial ingredients or chicken or poultry by-products
- If transitioning to BLUE Basics Grain Free Cat Food, start by mixing 25% of BLUE with your cat's old food, and gradually increase the proportion of BLUE over the next 14 days
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- Feed 1/4 – 1/2 cup to cats weighing 5 – 9 lb.; feed 1/2 – 1 cup to cats weighing 10 – 14 lb.
- Contains 366 Kcal/cup
- Ingredients: deboned turkey, turkey meal, pea starch, pea protein, potatoes, pea fiber, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), peas, natural turkey flavor, flaxseed (source of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids), whole carrots, cranberries, blueberries, barley grass, dried parsley, alfalfa meal, dried kelp, taurine, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, L-lysine, turmeric, oil of rosemary, dried chicory root, beta carotene, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), d-calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B12 supplement, calcium ascorbate (source of vitamin C), vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, choline chloride, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, salt, caramel, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, dried yeast (source of saccharomyces cerevisiae), dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product and dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 30.0%, Crude Fat (min) 12.0%, Crude Fiber (max) 7.0%, Moisture (max) 10.0%, Magnesium (min) 0.1%, Taurine (min) 0.2%, Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min) 0.6%, Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min) 3.0%
Be sure to have a clean dish of cool, fresh water available at all times.
Available in 2-, 5- and 11-lb. packages
*See menu selections above for sizes and styles in stock and available online.


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The $2.5 billion Dorset County Pension Fund is to conduct a full review later this year of its hedge fund portfolio. At its most recent meeting in February, the investment committee noted that hedge funds had been the most disappointing area of...
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Adela Kitty
Krak�w, Adela - Poland
Adela Kitty
Member Since: 08/15/2012
My name is Adela Jopek.
Was born in Poland in April 30 1970
Welcome to My Gallery!
First and foremost thanks for taking the time to view my artwork
Photography for me is an appreciation of light and the way it can evoke an emotion within an image, it is totally subjective and is my form of escape.
My subject matter varies.
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You are cordially invited to the gallery, below given lin


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Fifth Floor, Clinic 5B
516 Delaware St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 • 612-273-2800 • Directions
Our BMT Program is Fact Accredited!
The Foundation for The Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (Fact) establishes standards for high quality medical and laboratory practice in cellular therapies. Fact accreditation means that our patients receive the highest quality of care and the latest treatments.
Reducing Complications of BMT
Improving outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancies is the focus of research led by Linda Burns, MD. "Our research efforts are focused in three major areas," she says. "We conduct novel studies through the Masonic Cancer Center; we work with large, well-recognized U.S. centers of transplant excellence; and we conduct pharmaceutical studies with drugs we are considering," says Burns."I'm here for a reason."
In 2002, Leah Arnold was newly married, graduated from college and was preparing to take the Medical College Admissions Test when she noticed a lump on her neck. Doctors told her it was related to stress, but over the next several months, the lump in her neck kept growing, and she began having trouble breathing and swallowing. Read Leah's story.Check out our BMT Support Groups!
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Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


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Foulard Frenzy V-Neck One-Piece Swimsuit (# TSW33211P)
An elegantly exotic look for distant shores and island hideaways, this one-piece swimsuit will catch every eye you wander by. Featuring a figure-flattering tummy control panel, it offers all-day comfort, both in and out of the water. Made from premium Italian microfiber, it retains its shape, dries quickly and resists fading.
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Master Bed and Bath MakeoverSharon and Phil have been married for 23 years, but they never agreed on how to decorate. So Sharon decorated the bedroom, and Phil was supposed to finish the bathroom… it's been left untouched for 10 years! This may be Nate's biggest challenge yet! Keep ReadingGive a Master Bedroom and Bath a MakeoverNate Berkus puts the finishing touches on a master bed and bath left untouched for years. Decorating Disasters Bedroom Makeover FAQFrequently asked questions from Nate Berkus's bedroom makeover on 'Decorating Disasters.' Home Makeover: Your Hall Closet VanityTransform your hall closet filled with miscellaneous items into a clean, compact workspace. 20 Things Everyone Should Master by Age 40The right advice can help you change things up, figure things out, and see things differently. Here's the most valuable counsel once you've reached a certain point in your life.
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Your morning staple is actually a great way to cut calories at dinner. Try these recipes that use plain yogurt to slash half the fat of your meal.
By Colleen Moody
Creamy doesn't have to be synonymous with bad for you. Use nonfat Greek yogurt with a dollop of mayo to get a tasty dressing for these breaded cakes.
Get the recipe here
Extra Links:
What do you think of this story? Leave a Comment.
Cilantro and yogurt balance out the heat from the chipotle peppers in this gazpacho. Serve it as an appetizer or the main dish on warm days.
Skip the sour cream with this veggie side. Toss together with yogurt and garlic for a low-cal alternative. It's only 84 calories per serving!
Red-wine vinegar and cucumber give this fiber-packed Greek favorite a tangy taste.
Feta cheese helps the flavors in this burger pop, with a yogurt dressing that makes it easy to skip slathering high-fat spreads on it.
Get the recipe
The marinade on these chicken breasts keeps them moist when roasting. Soak the veggies in ice water before cooking to keep them tender too.
Scoop away sans guilt by swapping out the sour cream without sacrificing the rich, creamy texture of this appetizer.
Yogurt balances out the kick from the wasabi paste with this twist on a comfort food staple.
Perfect for your next potluck dinner, this lightened-up version is topped with water chestnuts and bacon.
Using reduced-fat cream cheese, nonfat yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese will save you 84 calories and 10 grams of fat on this delicious dip.
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Suitable from 6 months to 3 years. The Buggy has a easy and compact fold, wipe clean fabric, Detachable hood, 5 point safety harness and a co-ordinating shopping basket helping to make your journeys practical ! Dimensions: Unfolded: H 100, W 47, D78 cms. Folded: H 104, W 25, D 19 cms. |
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Listen in as host Frank Borelli and his guest Mr. Paul Markel discuss the life-saving techniques that every police officer can be taught to save lives.
Podcast • March 21st, 2012
Active Shooter Response continues to evolve. The question is: REactively or PROactively?
Podcast • March 5th, 2012
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Latest updates
Protect forests or destroy forests? Time to take a side
It's been over a week since we asked Procter & Gamble to stop buying palm oil from forest destroyers. The company's not budging - so this morning we asked staff at their advertising agency to take a side.
Posted by Richardg - 7 March, 2014 - 12:40 - Comments
Procter & Gamble don't want you to see this film
If you've turned on the television in the last few months, you've probably seen Procter & Gamble's new advert 'Thank You Mom'. If so, there's another side to the story you need to see.
Posted by Richardg - 6 March, 2014 - 20:15 - Comments
5 simple ways to get dodgy tuna off Tesco shelves
We're getting closer to victory.Just a few days ago, Tesco was hit by a massive outcry over dodgy tuna. An incredible 60,000 people called on them to remove Oriental and Pacific, a cut-price tinned tuna fished with destructive methods, killing sharks, turtles and rays (some of which are endangered) alongside the tuna.
Posted by victoriah - 6 March, 2014 - 17:04 - Comments
How extreme weather is putting fishermen out of business
The weather forecast determines my life these days.
This wind has been consistent in its strength since before Christmas, I got
several big landings of line-caught squid then, and since then, a couple of
days trying to catch mackerel, but that's it.
Posted by Phil Lockley - 6 March, 2014 - 16:57 - Comments
Translating Tesco-speak on tinned tuna policy
We've nailed Tesco on being a Dodgy Dealer over tinned tuna.
The issue was explained in Hugh's last Fish Fight programme on Sunday night, but
Tesco customers could be excused for being a little confused at what exactly is going on.
Posted by Willie - 3 March, 2014 - 13:23 - Comments
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LightSquared reportedly reaches agreement on bankruptcy loan
LightSquared has reached an agreement over a bankruptcy loan from a group of lenders and intends to continue to fight for millions more, the Dow Jones news service reported.
After declaring bankruptcy last month, the company negotiated with a group of hedge funds holding more than $1 billion of LightSquared's debt. The lenders want "severe restrictions" placed on $190 million of cash LightSquared would like to use to hold itself up during bankruptcy, according to Dow Jones.
LightSquared intended to be a neutral wholesale provider of 4G LTE service, giving companies an alternative partner for super-fast wireless … Read more