Sec. 1.1. Purpose The purpose of the regulations in this part is to implement and carry out the provisions of Federal law relating to the administration of Federal aid for highways. Sec. 1.2. Definitions (a) Terms defined in 23 U.S.C. 101 (a), shall have the same meaning where used in the regulations in this part, except as modified herein. (b) The following terms where used in the regulations in this part shall have the following meaning: Administrator. The Federal Highway Administrator. Advertising Policy. The national policy relating to the regulation of outdoor advertising declared in title 23 U.S.C. 131. Advertising Standards. The "National Standards for Regulation by States of Outdoor Advertising Signs, Displays and Devices Adjacent to the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways" promulgated by the Secretary (Part 20 of this chapter). Commissioner. The Commissioner of Public Roads. Federal laws. The provisions of title 23, United States Code, and all other Federal laws, heretofore or hereafter enacted, relating to Federal aid for highways. Latest available Federal Census. The latest available Federal decennial census, except for the establishment of urban areas. Project. An undertaking by a State highway department for highway construction, including preliminary engineering, acquisition of rights-of-way and actual construction, or for highway planning and research, or for any other work or activity to carry out the provisions of the Federal laws for the administration of Federal aid for highways. Secondary road plan. A plan for administration of Federal aid for highways on the Federal-aid secondary highway system pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 117. Secretary. The Secretary of Commerce. State. Any State of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Urban area. An area including and adjacent to a municipality or other urban place having a population of five thousand or more, as determined by the latest available published official Federal census, decennial or special, within boundaries to be fixed by a State highway department, subject to the approval of the Administrator. Sec. 1.3. Federal-State cooperation; authority of State highway departments The Administrator shall cooperate with the States, through their respective State highway departments, in the construction of Federalaid highways. Each State highway department, maintained in conformity with 23 U.S.C 302, shall be authorized, by the laws of the State, to make final decisions for the State in all matters relating to, and to enter into, on behalf of the State, all contracts and agreements for projects and to take such other actions on behalf of the State as may be necessary to comply with the Federal laws and the regulations in this part. Sec. 1.4. Cooperation of governmental instrumentalities The State highway department shall be responsible for any project. to be undertaken with the cooperation of, or with funds provided by, any other governmental instrumentality. Sec. 1.5. Information furnished by State highway departments At the request of the Administrator the State highway department shall furnish to him such information as the Administrator shall deem desirable in administering the Federal-aid highway program. Sec. 1.6. Federal-aid highway systems (a) Selection or designation. To insure continuity in the direction of expenditures of available funds, system of Federal-aid highways are selected or designated by any State that desires to avail itself through its State highway department, of the benefits of Federal aid for highways. Upon approval by the Administrator of the selections or designations by a State highway department, such highways shall become portions of the respective Federal-aid highway systems, and all Federal-aid apportionments shall be expanded thereon. (b) Revisions. A State highway department may propose revisions, including additions, deletions or other changes, in the routes comprising the approved Federal-aid highway systems. Any such revision shall become effective only upon approval thereof by the Administrator upon a determination that such revision is in the public interest and consistent with Federal laws. There is no predetermined time limit for the submission of the full selection of the systems. (c) Selection considerations. Each Federal-aid system shall be so selected or designated as to promote the general welfare and the national and civil defense and to become the pattern for a long-range program of highway development to serve the major classes of highway traffic broadly identified as (1) interstate or interregional; (2) city-to-city primary, either interstate or intrastate; (3) rural secondary or farm-to-market; and (4) intraurban. The conservation and development of natural resources, the advancement of economic and social values, and the promotion of desirable land utilization, as well as the existing and potential highway traffic and other pertinent criteria are to be considered when selecting highways to be added to a Federal-aid system or when proposing revisions of a previously approved Federal-aid system. (d) Identity. The Federal-aid highway systems as now constituted and approved are identified as: (1) The Interstate System, as described in 23 U.S.C. 103 (d), comprised of highways of the highest importance to the nation; (2) The Federal-aid primary system, as described in 23 U.S.C. 103(b), comprised of important city-to-city, interstate and intrastate highways, serving essentially through traffic; and (3) The Federal-aid secondary system, as described in 23 U.S.C. 103 (c), not to exceed in any State at one time a mileage that can be initially improved within a reasonable period of years and thereafter maintained with income expected to be available. (e) Integration. The highways of the Federal-aid systems shall form integrated and connected networks in each State and nationwide. The individual routes of Federal-aid systems that cross the boundary line between contiguous States are to connect at the bound ary line, and except in unusual cases the identity of the Federal-aid system for any such route shall be the same in the States involved. Sec. 1.7. Urban area boundaries Boundaries of an urban area shall be submitted by the State highway department and be approved by the Administrator prior to the inclusion in a program of any project wholly or partly in such area involving funds authorized for and limited to urban areas. Sec. 1.8. Programs of proposed projects Each State highway department shall prepare and submit to the Administrator, for his approval, detailed programs of proposed projects in such form and supported by such information as the Administrator may require. The Administrator shall not authorize any State to proceed with any project, or part thereof, until the program which includes such project has been approved. Sec. 1.9. Limitation on Federal participation Federal-aid funds shall not participate in any cost which is not incurred in conformity with applicable Federal and State law, the regulations in this part, and policies and procedures prescribed by the Administrator. Federal funds shall not be paid on account of any cost incurred prior to authorization by the Administrator to the State highway department to proceed with the project or part thereof involving such cost. Sec. 1.10. Surveys, plans, specifications and estimates (a) Preparation. Surveys, plans, specifications and estimates shall be prepared by or under the immediate direction of the State highway department and shall be of such content and form as prescribed by the Administrator. (b) Approval. No project or part thereof for actual construction shall be advertised for contract nor work commenced by force account until plans, specifications, and estimates have been submitted to and approved by the Administrator and the State has been so notified. Sec. 1.11. Engineering services (a) Federal participation. Costs of engineering services performed by the State highway department or any instrumentality or entity referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section may be eligible for Federal participation only to the extent that such costs are directly attributable and properly allocable to specific projects. Expenditures for the establishment, maintenance, general administration, supervision, and other overhead of the State highway department, or other instrumentality or entity referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section shall not be eligible for Federal participation. (b) Government engineering organizations. The State highway department may utilize, under its supervision, the services of wellqualified and suitably equipped engineering organizations of other governmental instrumentalities for making surveys, preparing plans, Specifications and estimates, and for supervising the construction of any project. (c) Railroad and utility engineering organizations. The State highway department may utilize, under its supervision, the services of well-qualified and suitably equipped engineering organizations of the affected railroad companies for railway-highway crossing projects and of the affected utility companies for projects involving utility installations. (d) Private engineering organizations. Private engineering organizations may be utilized on projects in accordance with requirements prescribed by the Administrator. (e) Responsibility of the State highway department. The State highway department is not relieved of its responsibilities under Federal law and the regulations in this part in the event it utilizes the services of any engineering organization under paragraphs (b), (c) or (d) of this section. Sec. 1.12. Authorizations to proceed with projects No work shall be undertaken on any Federal-aid project, nor shall any project be advertised for contract, prior to authorization thereof by the Administrator. Sec. 1.13. Changes in project work and cost Subsequent to authorization by the Administrator to proceed with a project or any undertaking thereunder, no change shall be made which will increase the cost of the project to the Federal Government or alter the termini, character or scope of the work without prior authorization by the Administrator. Sec. 1.14. Project agreements Project agreements, and modifications thereof, shall be in forms satisfactory to the Administrator, evidencing acceptance by the State highway department of conditions to payment of Federal funds, as prescribed by Federal laws and the regulations in this part, and the amount of Federal funds obligated. Sec. 1.15. Construction contracts and force account work (a) Competitive bidding. Except as provided in paragraph (b) hereof or when the Administrator finds that because of unusual circumstances some other method is in the public interest, actual construction work shall be performed by contract awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. The State highway department shall assure opportunity for free, open and competitive bidding, including adequate publicity of the advertisements or calls for bids. The advertising or calling for bids and the award of contracts shall comply with procedures and requirements prescribed by the Administrator. (b) Force account work. When the Administrator finds that it is in the public interest, construction work may be performed by force account pursuant to requirements and procedures prescribed by him. Before such finding is made, the State highway department shall determine that the organization to undertake the work is so staffed and equipped as to perform such work satisfactorily and economically. Sec. 1.16. Licensing and qualification of contractors With respect to Federal-aid projects, no procedure or requirement for prequalification, qualification or licensing of contractors shall be approved which, in the judgment of the Administrator, may operate UNIVERSITY OF NICHEAN LIBRANES to restrict competition, to prevent submission of a bid by, or to prohibit the consideration of a bid submitted by, any responsible contractor, whether resident or nonresident of the State wherein the work is to be performed. No contractor shall be required by law, regulation or practice to obtain a license before he may submit a bid or before his bid may be considered for award of a contract. This, however, is not intended to preclude requirements for the licensing of a contractor upon or subsequent to the award of the contract if such requirements are consistent with competitive bidding. Prequalification of contractors may be required as a condition for submission of a bid or award of contract only if the period between the date of issuing a call for bids and the date of opening of bids affords sufficient time to enable a bidder to obtain the required prequalification rating. Requirements for the prequalification, qualification or licensing of contractors, that operate to govern the amount of work that may be bid upon by or may be awarded to a contractor, shall be approved only if based upon a full and appropriate evaluation of the contractor's experience, personnel, equipment, financial resources, and performance record. Sec. 1.17. Health and safety Contracts for projects shall include provisions designed (a) to insure full compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws governing safety, health and sanitation, and (b) to require that the contractor shall provide all safeguards, safety devices and protective equipment and shall take any other actions reasonably necessary to protect the life and health of persons working at the site of the project and the safety of the public and to protect property in connection with the performance of the work covered by the contract. Sec. 1.18. Furnishing of materials Contracts for projects shall require the contractor to furnish all materials incorporated in the work, except as otherwise authorized by the prior approval of the Administrator. Sec. 1.19. Restrictions upon materials No requirement shall be imposed and no procedure shall be enforced by any State in connection with a project which may operate (a) to require the use or provide a price differential in favor of articles or materials produced within the State, or otherwise to prohibit, restrict or discriminate against the use of articles or materials shipped from or prepared, made or produced in any State, territory or possession of the United States; or (b) to prohibit, restrict or otherwise discriminate against the use of articles or materials of foreign origin to any greater extent than is permissible under policies of the Department of Commerce as evidenced by requirements and procedures prescribed by the Administrator to carry out such policies. Sec. 1.20. Surety bonds and insurance No procedure or requirement shall be imposed by any State in connection with any project which operates to restrict competitive bidding by discriminating against the purchase of a surety bond or insurance policy from any surety or insurer outside the State and authorized to do business in the State.2 2 Amended March 23, 1963, 28 F.R. 2901. |