Tender Advertisement #1355721

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the overall project is to improve the design, efficiency and performance of treatments that extend the (structural) life of existing pavements. The overall project will develop up-to-date back-analysis software for more consistent assessments of existing pavements and the design of treatments for them (through back-calculation and use of associated results). The software will be used by road transport and traffic agencies, local government, and industry pavement designers.
Austroads is seeking to engage a pavement engineering subject matter expert (SME) to provide specialist advice and support to the Austroads project team:
• to deliver the main part of the project by a consultant (i.e., development and delivery of back analysis software subject to hold points, if any, being released)
• identify any limitations, issues and improvement opportunities related to Austroads' AustPADS software (in the early part of the engagement as per the scope below).

SCOPE:

The SME must have expert knowledge, skills and/or experience with:
• Austroads' pavement design methodology and system, including mechanistic-empirical design methods
• the use of mechanistic-empirical pavement design software, including Austroads' AustPADS software, and use of such software to design pavements using the Austroads' pavement design methodology and system
• back analysis (back calculation) techniques based on the use of deflection survey data (e.g., deflection bowls)
• undertaking back analysis (e.g., identifying representative sections and models, completing calculations, analysing results)
• design of structural pavement rehabilitation treatments that are applied to existing pavements and based on use/analysis of back analysis results.
The SME must also be able to 'forward calculate' theoretical deflection bowls for a variety of pavement types and configurations using existing mechanistic-empirical pavement design software that is compatible and aligned with Austroads' pavement design methodology and system.
It is desirable that the SME be familiar with, and have experience in using, at least one available back analysis software package.
The scope of the SME engagement includes all work required to deliver the project outlined herein.
The SME’s scope of work does NOT include development of the back analysis software itself or updating the AustPADS software. Austroads currently has an information and communications technology (ICT) subject matter expert who will provide advice on ICT and software development aspects.

DELIVERABLES FOR THE PAVEMENT ENGINEERING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT:

• Delivery of stakeholder engagement activities including interactive on-line workshops.
• Report on the outcomes of/findings from stakeholder engagement activities (e.g., in a short report or detailed minutes).
• Report on the functional requirements of the proposed back analysis software, identifying separately essential and desirable features/functionality
• Document (suggested) changes and functional requirements for potential improvements to AustPADS, if any (including any limitations or capacity issues).
• Contribution to the Business Requirements Document with clear Business Success Criteria and Acceptance Criteria defined.
• A validation methodology, verification of the software using the agreed validation methodology and a report about the validation exercise and the outcomes.
• Online training video for users of the back analysis software (up to 1 hour). The video will be a step-by-step demonstration on the software by showing/running some hypothetical scenarios or case studies.
• Review of reports generated as part of the development of the software.
• A user manual for the back analysis software (similar to the current AustPADS manual) with step-by-step instructions and some hypothetical scenarios or case studies.
• Project progress reports and presentations as needed
• Provision of support and expert advice to the Austroads project management team.

Also included as part of this tender are the following documents:

• Writing & Format Requirements for Austroads Publications which sets out the writing and formatting standards for research, technical and internal reports.
• Master Services Agreement outlining our Terms and Conditions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions are not negotiable.
All submissions are to be submitted as a PDF at a maximum size of 10MB.
All submissions are to include a completed Tender Proposal Coversheet.
The naming convention for submissions is: [your Company name] – [Project No.] – [any internal reference numbers].