Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

Local Agency Program

Beginning in 2005, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began a systematic review of the Local Agency Program (LAP). In 2006, an estimated $6-8 billion in federal-aid contracts were administered by Local Agencies in at least 45 states. Realizing the significance and growth of LAP nationally, the FHWA, Office of Professional and Corporate Development Program Improvement (OPCD) conducted a national review of LAP and ranked LAP projects "as the highest interest by a considerable margin, most likely due to the perceived risk in this area. This concern led the OPCD to designate the administration of federal-aid projects by the local public agencies as the first area to be addressed under the rejuvenated national review program".

In addition to the national efforts, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) began assessing methods of delivering a more efficient and streamlining program. The Local Agency Program Information Tool (LAPIT) comes about as a result of the need to:

• Facilitate meeting the federal accountability and transparency requirements
• Improve communication and coordination
• Centralize document submittal and review
• Reduce paper work
• Increase focus on production and project delivery

Our way of doing business has changed to meet these challenges and opportunities. We are faced with reduced budgets and an increased demand for accountability and transparency. These factors coupled with a need to operate more efficiently and provide high quality services to our citizens necessitate innovation and partnership. The LAPIT is projected to facilitate meeting these challenges and opportunities.