DOT consultants and designers will be required to sign statements certifying that their work complies with every aspect of their contract with the agency. The Department has also developed new Daily Inspection Reports for use on projects in the field, which include space for noting any defective work that has been identified by the inspector.
"The Department must maintain the highest standards of openness and integrity and these new policies will further tighten its processes to guarantee full compliance with every aspect of every contract," said Governor Rell, noting that the DOT handles hundreds of contracts every year. "The DOT is entrusted with millions of dollars of taxpayer funds. We need the strongest policies possible to protect these tax dollars."
Under the new policy, consultants and designers will be required to sign a "certificate of compliance" stating that to the best of their "knowledge, information and belief," the work they have performed is in compliance with contract terms or the approved plans and specifications of the project. The new policies will take effect October 1.
"These initiatives underscore my commitment to tightening and toughening internal DOT processes in the wake of contract compliance issues that have come to light over the past two years - most notably the I-84 project in Waterbury and Cheshire," said DOT Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter. "Those doing business with this agency must understand that strict compliance with contracts large and small is expected and will be demanded."
In the I-84 project, major deficiencies were discovered - in drainage systems, for example - after the project had been substantially completed. As a result, the contractor doing that work, as well as the consultant responsible for inspecting the work, are being sued by the state. A new contractor is currently working on the 3.5 - mile stretch of I-84 to correct the earlier work
