Awards

The TAMC will award agencies and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in implementing the following core principles of asset management.

• Performance Based – Policy objectives are translated into system performance measures and targets that are used for both day-to-day and strategic decision making.
• Decisions Based on Quality Information – Resource allocation decisions are based on accurate information regarding inventory, condition, and funding availability. Where appropriate, analytical tools provide access to needed information and assist in the decision-making process. 2
• Policy Driven – Resource allocation decisions are based on a well-defined set of policy goals and objectives. The objectives reflect desired system condition, levels of service, and safety levels. They may also be tied to economic, community, and environmental goals.
• Analysis of Mix of Fixes, Options and Tradeoffs – An assessment is made of the Mix of Fixes available to best preserve the system. Decisions on how to allocate funds across types of investments are based on an analysis of how different allocations will impact future performance. Alternative methods for achieving a desired set of objectives are examined and evaluated.
• Monitoring to Provide Clear Accountability and Feedback – Performance results are monitored and reported. Feedback on actual performance influences agency goals and resource allocation decisions.

Consistent with the core principles of asset management are the following eligibility criteria that the Council will use in determining award recipients. Together these criteria form the essential elements of an Asset Management Plan. Of particular interest to the Council is the extent to which agencies involve the public, their elected and/or appointed officials, and other community stakeholders in their program, especially in establishing a vision for their system(s) as well as the adoption of performance measures and investment strategies to achieve that vision. The Council will acknowledge agencies whose asset management plans include the following elements:

1. Condition Assessment How was the condition of your system determined? Include information about the rating system as well as the procedures used to collect, store, analyze, and update the information.
2. Mix of Fixes, Estimated Costs, and Funding Levels How were your improvement needs identified? Include information about your agency’s preferred improvement types (mix of fixes) and the estimated costs of each per lane mile to implement those improvements. Also describe the sources and anticipated funding levels available now and through the planning horizon to finance those improvements.
3. Future Conditions, Performance Measures, and Targets How were future system conditions determined? Indicate the methodology used (pavement management system, Roadsoft, other) and the performance measure(s) that were analyzed (e.g., percent of pavement conditions by PASER Rating). Also describe the performance measure target(s) and planning horizon that your agency is working to achieve (e.g., 70% of primary roads with a PASER Rating greater than 5 by the year 2020).
4. Trade-off Analysis and Candidate Projects 3 How does your agency go about the process of trade-off analysis; making investment decisions between various treatment options (e.g., routine maintenance vs. capital preventive maintenance vs. structural improvement). How do performance measures and targets influence this process? Explain the process of identifying candidate improvement projects and the involvement of stakeholders in that process.
5. Priorities for the Multi-year Program How does your agency prioritize projects and develop its improvement program? What factors are considered in the prioritization process (e.g., pavement/bridge condition rating, traffic volume, coordination with utility work, impact on land use and economic development, availability of funds)? How many years does your multi-year plan cover (planning horizon), how is project implementation monitored, and how often is the plan updated?
6. Reporting Results Have you participated in the TAMC three-tiered reporting processes: 1.) annual PASER survey of road conditions on the federal-aid network, 2.) survey of completed projects on the federal-aid network, and 3.) submitted your agency’s multi-year asset management plan. 

In 2015, the TAMC renamed the Individual Achievement Award in honor of Carmine
Palombo for his years of service and dedication to the TAMC and to SEMCOG. The
TAMC will award individuals that have demonstrated outstanding support in
implementing one or more of the following categories:

• Demonstrated Knowledge of Transportation Asset Management – The individual has
  gone beyond the training required to fulfill the various roles necessary to move asset
  management forward in Michigan. The individual has participated in training
  offered by the TAMC, MTU’s Local Transportation Assistance Program (LTAP), and
  other state and national opportunities for training. The individual has also attended
  one or more of the annual conferences sponsored by the TAMC. Additionally, the
  individual has a wide range of knowledge related to transportation asset
  management. This experience can be related to road maintenance, Michigan’s asset
  management program, education, administration, program/ policy/plan formation,
  or other areas that require expertise and experience to move Michigan’s
  transportation asset management program forward.
• Advocacy and Support – The individual has advocated for transportation asset
  management on a statewide level and/or at the community level. The individual has
  worked to inform key stakeholders in the benefits of implementing asset
  management programs as a way to improve Michigan’s roads and make the best use
  of resources. Additional support can include any using other means such as
  developing plans or implementing local or statewide initiatives focusing on
  improving Michigan’s roads.
• Demonstrated Leadership and Vision – The individual has taken the knowledge and applied it to his community/agency situation. He has used the information to craft a vision and demonstrated leadership by effectively communicating that vision to other key leaders, ultimately leading to implementation of the vision.

(Note: If an award has been granted to an individual, the organization that individual represents is considered ineligible to receive an award for the same effort the original award was granted.)