New Audit of Construction Quality Assurance on Federal-Aid Projects

Today one of my awesome teams in U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced its new nationwide audit to evaluate the Federal Highway Administration’s oversight of construction quality assurance oversight activities on Federal-aid projects.?I am excited to help guide this team on its important work to help safeguard the large federal investments being made in surface transportation projects coast-to-coast.

Why This Audit Matters

• The Federal Highway Administration is the second largest administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation after the Federal Aviation Administration.
• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 provides approximately $350 billion in Federal funding over a 5-year period for the FHWA surface transportation programs. According to FHWA, a significant portion of this funding is expended on material production and construction-related activities.
• FHWA regulations require each State Department of Transportation to develop a construction quality assurance program to ensure that the materials and workmanship in Federal-aid highway construction projects on the National Highway System meet the requirements of the approved plans and specifications.

• The historic level of IIJA funding—coupled with rising construction prices, supply chain challenges, and shortages of skilled workers in the construction trades—amplifies the importance of FHWA’s oversight of State DOT programs to ensure the quality of construction materials and workmanship.

You can view the full audit announcement here:

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