Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) establishes a broad performance-based approach to the Federal Highway Program. MAP-21 identifies seven performance areas in which the US DOT, in consultation with their stakeholders, will develop performance measures. Under MAP-21, State Transportation Agencies (STAs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and public transit providers are required to develop strategies and targets for each of the performance measures established by USDOT. States are required to set targets no later than one year after USDOT establishes the performance measures, and MPOs are required to set targets no later than 180 days after the State sets targets. Public transportation providers are required to set State of Good Repair and Safety targets no later than three months after USDOT establishes measures and MPOs select targets no later than 180 days after public transportation providers set targets. While FHWA and most States have experience measuring different aspects of highway system performance, experience is much more limited in how to manage a performance-based program that includes establishing and investing toward specific outcome-oriented performance targets and accountability for achieving those targets. The focus of this pooled-fund project will be to determine and support participating State’s, MPO’s, and Public Transportation providers Transportation Performance Management (TPM) Capacity Development needs.

The focus of this pooled fund project will be to research and assess training and educational needs of contributing members, develop and deliver training, and to facilitate the sharing and retention of performance management best practices. Funding will be used to: • Identify Gaps in TPM Knowledge, Skills and Abilities—Conduct a needs analysis for learning and capacity development of contributing members resulting in a short and long-term capacity building roadmap; • Develop and Deliver Learning and Capacity Development Resources—Develop training and educational material to meet the gaps identified in the knowledge, skills and abilities; • Establish a TPM Information Clearinghouse—The TPM Information Clearinghouse will be used to showcase PM best practices, foster collaboration, and serve as a repository for PM resources; and • Support Knowledge Transfer Among Pooled Fund States Specifically this pooled fund will: Guide the prioritization of needs for determining training and other educational support for contributing members: 1. Provide and promote communication and information sharing among member States related to learning and capacity development needs in the areas of performance management and provide input on research topics. 2. Develop framework and roadmap for addressing learning and capacity development needs. 3. Identify learning and capacity development resources needed to support the development of PM skills. 4. Develop online and/or blended training courses and materials that are suitable for a wide variety of audiences such as State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Public Transit Providers, and local governments. 5. Support a TPM Information Clearinghouse which will serve as a repository for TPM best practices and other resource information to assist states, MPO’s and local government with learning about TPM and their implementation of TPM.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will serve as the lead state for the Pooled Fund project. The Rhode Island DOT will work with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) who will facilitate administrative duties associated with the project and will invoice the vendor/s for reimbursement up to the amount available in the Pooled Fund. The principle tasks are: 1. Establish a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) that will provide advice and guidance concerning the needs analysis, development of the learning and capacity development resources, and the TPM Information Clearinghouse. The TAC will also serve as a resource for supporting the knowledge transfer activities. a. The TAC will be comprised only of pooled fund members and representatives from the FHWA Office of Transportation Performance Management’s Training and Capacity Building team. b. The TAC will also serve as a communication and coordination mechanism between the State DOTs and FHWA to ensure that performance management learning and capacity development needs are developed in a coordinated manner. 2. Conduct an analysis to identify: a. Short-term and long-term learning and capacity development needs of the member States. b. Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to effectively administer and implement a performance-based transportation program; optimal organizational structure for effective performance management; resources needed to support KSAs. 3. Develop learning and capacity development resources and make accessible online; to include, but not be limited to areas such as determining data quality, statistical analysis, and target setting. Resources to be developed will be identified based in part on results of the needs analysis. Resources should be suitable for a variety of audiences and should include a regular cycle of review and updating. Develop and maintain a TPM Information Clearinghouse consisting of best practice materials and other training and education resource material to assist State DOTs, MPOs, and public transit providers in implementation of a performance-based transportation program. 4. Support knowledge transfer of pooled fund members through the following mechanisms: a. Reimburse travel and per diem expenses for pooled fund members to relevant conferences and workshops. Each pooled fund member would be entitled to reimbursement of their travel for up to two trips for the duration of the project. However, this is subject to change at the discretion of the TAC. b. Cover the expenses of speakers and trainers from other organizations, peer states state and local government agencies in order that they participate in state-based training, workshops, conferences, etc.