Specialized Engineering

Owner:

Maryland State Highway Administration

Client:

Eric Frempong - Deputy Director, Material Quality

(410) 545-0300

MDDOT, State Highway Administration, Office of Materials Technology

Scope Of Work

Specialized Engineering is providing laboratory and field materials testing services for Maryland State Highway’s (SHA) Office of Materials Technology (OMT) for transportation projects including highways, bridges/structures, facilities, environmental, utilities, system preservation and maintenance located throughout Maryland. Since early 2006, Specialized has held repeated contracts MLT2006-01 and MLT2009-01 for testing of asphalt, concrete, cement, chemical, soils, and aggregates and binder and emulsion at its two AASHTO-accredited laboratory facilities in Maryland. Specialized Engineering currently holds the third consecutive contract MLT2013-01.  Testing performed is in support of SHA’s preliminary engineering, construction material quality control and material quality assurance on design/build projects.  Specialized Engineering also employs over 30 MARTCP certified material field technicians and construction inspectors available for inspection assignments for transportation projects Statewide.

The laboratories are enrolled and participate in AMRL and CCRL sample proficiency programs for soils, aggregate, concrete, HMA and asphalt binder, the results of which are reviewed with the Administration. Work on this contract is performed in accordance with the project Quality Control Plan, developed by Specialized Engineering specifically for the contract and approved by SHA. Specialized Engineering’s staff expertise in materials testing is utilized outside the confines of the contract to assist in areas such as materials compliance support and materials certification support.  Specialized Engineering provides specification analysis and assists SHA with adjusting specifications to provide projected solutions. Specialized Engineering’s expertise has also been utilized to inspect and analyze material plants at the point of origin.

Specialized Engineering continuously tracks the performance of the work on the contract, including adherence to the Quality Control Plan and the laboratory Quality Manuals and verifying compliance with contract required reporting time frames. Specialized Engineering has maintained a near perfect Turn-Around-Time for each material sample for the SHA MLT contracts.

Specialized Engineering manages the sample collection and delivery services for samples picked-up from 14 Maryland State Highway facilities Statewide. Samples are delivered to Specialized Engineering’s laboratories as well as SHA’s OMT Hanover laboratory.

Specialized Engineering utilizes a web-based reporting program specifically designed for engineering laboratories.  It provides the ability to track and sort the materials on a project from initial dispatch/scheduling to final invoice, all within one integrated program.  This provides the project Transportation Engineer, District personnel, SHA’s Office of Construction, and SHA’s OMT the ability to view material reports via a customized website, real-time and on a secure, per-project basis with 24 hour access.  Testing and inspection reports can be viewed as PDFs with the ability to print, scan, and email directly from the website.