Two Steps Forward, and One Step Back: How The Moving Ahead For Progress in the 21st Century Act Encourages Design-Build, But Roadblocks Remain

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence [sic] of taking care of them, they must become happy.” In 1802, Thomas Jefferson was fixated on an issue that still preoccupies the United States 210 years later: government waste. One prominent area of government spending, particularly since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is highway financing. Large projects, like interstate highway construction, feature many moving pieces. Consequently, these projects contain many opportunities for inefficiencies that lead to waste. One potential area for waste within transportation construction projects is in the initial procurement. The traditional method of procurement for transportation projects, known as “Design-Bid-Build,” requires two separate phases: an award for design and an award for construction. As the inefficiencies of the Design-Bid-Build process have come to light, alternative processes have emerged. One such alternative method is “Design-Build.” Design-Build, unlike Design-Bid-Build, combines the bidding processes for the design and construction phases and packages the entire project into one contract that is let once. In doing so, Design-Build removes many of the inefficiencies of the traditional Design-Bid-Build process. Recognizing the inefficiencies of the predominant Design-Bid-Build process, Congress endorsed “innovative project delivery methods” such as Design-Build when it passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21 Act) in 2012. However, states have not uniformly embraced the method, and others have not incorporated it into their procurement statutes at all. As a result, there are differing approaches throughout the United States for how to use project delivery methods to reduce procurement waste in highway projects. This article will evaluate the current status of Design-Build in America by examining the effectiveness of section 1304 of the MAP-21 Act when applied to the existing statutory framework of states. In doing so, this article seeks to establish Design-Build as an effective solution to the problems of Design-Bid-Build, and will offer possible solutions for how states can take advantage of Design-Build and in the process, reduce government waste. Part II compares Design-Build as a method of procurement to Design-Bid-Build, as well as provides background on section 1304 of the MAP-21 Act, and explains the current status of Design-Build in the states. Part III analyzes the effectiveness of section 1304 by applying a hypothetical request for bids on a contract (i.e. a letting) to the Design-Build statutes of three different states. This Part analyzes the economic benefits each state realizes or forfeits based on its ability to use Design-Build for the hypothetical letting. Part IV provides two recommendations for how to solve the issues raised by the results in Part III. Finally, in conclusion, it is suggested that the waste associated with highway projects is avoidable through a combination of creativity and the willingness of a state to statutorily sanction alternative methods, such as Design-Build

Two Steps Forward, and One Step Back: How The Moving Ahead For Progress in the 21st Century Act Encourages Design-Build, But Roadblocks Remain

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence [sic] of taking care of them, they must become happy.” In 1802, Thomas Jefferson was fixated on an issue that still preoccupies the United States 210 years later: government waste. One prominent area of government spending, particularly since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is highway financing. Large projects, like interstate highway construction, feature many moving pieces. Consequently, these projects contain many opportunities for inefficiencies that lead to waste. One potential area for waste within transportation construction projects is in the initial procurement. The traditional method of procurement for transportation projects, known as “Design-Bid-Build,” requires two separate phases: an award for design and an award for construction. As the inefficiencies of the Design-Bid-Build process have come to light, alternative processes have emerged. One such alternative method is “Design-Build.” Design-Build, unlike Design-Bid-Build, combines the bidding processes for the design and construction phases and packages the entire project into one contract that is let once. In doing so, Design-Build removes many of the inefficiencies of the traditional Design-Bid-Build process. Recognizing the inefficiencies of the predominant Design-Bid-Build process, Congress endorsed “innovative project delivery methods” such as Design-Build when it passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21 Act) in 2012. However, states have not uniformly embraced the method, and others have not incorporated it into their procurement statutes at all. As a result, there are differing approaches throughout the United States for how to use project delivery methods to reduce procurement waste in highway projects. This article will evaluate the current status of Design-Build in America by examining the effectiveness of section 1304 of the MAP-21 Act when applied to the existing statutory framework of states. In doing so, this article seeks to establish Design-Build as an effective solution to the problems of Design-Bid-Build, and will offer possible solutions for how states can take advantage of Design-Build and in the process, reduce government waste. Part II compares Design-Build as a method of procurement to Design-Bid-Build, as well as provides background on section 1304 of the MAP-21 Act, and explains the current status of Design-Build in the states. Part III analyzes the effectiveness of section 1304 by applying a hypothetical request for bids on a contract (i.e. a letting) to the Design-Build statutes of three different states. This Part analyzes the economic benefits each state realizes or forfeits based on its ability to use Design-Build for the hypothetical letting. Part IV provides two recommendations for how to solve the issues raised by the results in Part III. Finally, in conclusion, it is suggested that the waste associated with highway projects is avoidable through a combination of creativity and the willingness of a state to statutorily sanction alternative methods, such as Design-Build

Impact of culture circles on minority high school students in mathematics.

Especially important to the findings of the study was the establishment of an environment for positive change in the students' performances by having the culture circle group meetings. The impact of the culture circle similarly affected their beliefs about and strategies associated with their individual mathematics learning and preparation. Unfortunately for several participants, prior poor study habits and lack of value for mathematical achievement prevented them from achieving high levels of competence in their Algebra II class. Individual and group reflectivity contributed greatly to their understanding and belief about themselves as mathematics learners. The use of culture circles clearly needs further investigation and implications of this research include the need to explore cultural and power relation with their impact on solving and confidence in mathematics learning.The intensity of the interactions during the second phase of the data collection process contributed to the establishment of a foundation for the data collection process. Data from transcription of the classroom observations, individual interviews, culture circle meetings, interviews with the teacher, and the students' responses to survey questions were analyzed using a constant comparative method (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) and Freire's Circle of Culture Method (Shor, 1987).There were weekly culture group meetings for approximately two hours in which the participants discussed ideas about mathematics frustration, stereotype threat, and anxiety. Also, the group discussed experiences in mathematics classes. These sessions were tape-recorded.This study is an attempt to understand the impact of culture circle on African American high school students in Algebra II. Particular attention was given to the view of the male African American students, age sixteen to eighteen.The data collection process occurred in two phases. The purpose of the first phase of the study was to gather background information, which included the researcher attending the Algebra II class three times a week for six weeks. During the second phase, which lasted approximately eight weeks, the researcher observed the participants in the classroom and interviewed them individually every week for approximately one hour to discuss their beliefs and actions related to their learning mathematics and confidence.Eight students volunteered to participate in this study in the fall semester of 1999. The guiding questions were: (1) How do these minority students perceive themselves as learners and doers of mathematics? (2) How do minority students feel about themselves and negative group stereotype threat pertaining to their mathematics learning? (3) What is the impact of culture circles focused on mathematics values, meanings and goals

The Study of Effect of Levofloxacin on Disorders of Female Hormones in Rats A B S T R A C T

Introduction: Levofloxacin is one of the antibiotics with wide treatment application which is often applied for treating infections of genitourinary system and lower respiratory tract. Noting that most antibiotics can affect the structure of ovary tissue, we have launched research into the effect of Levofloxacin on hormone disorder resulting from tissue damage. Methods: In this survey, 40 Wistar rats with the weight of 20±25 gr and approximate age of 8 weeks were used. They were divided into 4 groups with 10 rats. The study groups were tube fed with 200, 500 and 750 mml of Levofloxacin for each kg of weight. The control group didn't receive anything. Duration of the survey lasted 22 days. The rats were under 12 hours light-dark cycle, 24.7-26.4 temperature and 55-66% humidity. After the termination of this term, the blood sample was taken from their hearts and the serums were sent to clinical laboratory So as the level of hormone to be measured. Results: Titration of level of LH, FSH, PROG hormones revealed that there was significant decrease of the level of hormone after consuming antibiotics in comparison with that of control group. Conclusion: Levofloxacin antibiotic is one of the factors which can destroy ovary tissue, and gives rise to hormone disorder. This point should be considered in case of administration of drugs

Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Electricity Production and Creating Cooling Power by Sour Gas flares in Oil Region

This study has dealt with evaluation of existing power generation and the amount of power for conditioning by gas produced with oil burnt in flares around Ahvaz. There are rapid methods for generating power and coolness. Economic savings resulting from the project and the benefits to the environment of the region receive attention. Ahvaz 1 has four big flares and it produces about 65 megawatts electricity. It is inspired by solar tower power plant. It produces coolness using the heat coming from the optimized combustion of flares by absorption chillers that is at least over 400 tones of cooling that can be given to all the flares in the region. After being implemented, it can be exported as engineering services to oil countries in the region. In the vicinity of this project, glass-roofed parks, exhibition, recreational and cultural centers and tourism centers can be built

Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Electricity Production and Creating Cooling Power by Sour Gas flares in Oil Region

This study has dealt with evaluation of existing power generation and the amount of power for conditioning by gas produced with oil burnt in flares around Ahvaz. There are rapid methods for generating power and coolness. Economic savings resulting from the project and the benefits to the environment of the region receive attention. Ahvaz 1 has four big flares and it produces about 65 megawatts electricity. It is inspired by solar tower power plant. It produces coolness using the heat coming from the optimized combustion of flares by absorption chillers that is at least over 400 tones of cooling that can be given to all the flares in the region. After being implemented, it can be exported as engineering services to oil countries in the region. In the vicinity of this project, glass-roofed parks, exhibition, recreational and cultural centers and tourism centers can be built

Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Electricity Production and Creating Cooling Power by Sour Gas flares in Oil Region

This study has dealt with evaluation of existing power generation and the amount of power for conditioning by gas produced with oil burnt in flares around Ahvaz. There are rapid methods for generating power and coolness. Economic savings resulting from the project and the benefits to the environment of the region receive attention. Ahvaz 1 has four big flares and it produces about 65 megawatts electricity. It is inspired by solar tower power plant. It produces coolness using the heat coming from the optimized combustion of flares by absorption chillers that is at least over 400 tones of cooling that can be given to all the flares in the region. After being implemented, it can be exported as engineering services to oil countries in the region. In the vicinity of this project, glass-roofed parks, exhibition, recreational and cultural centers and tourism centers can be built

Influence of dietary prebiotic mixture (α-mune) on growth performance, haematology and innate immunity of Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) juvenile

The present study investigated the effects of prebiotic (α-mune), a mixture of mannan oligosaccharide, β-1,3 and β-1,6 glucan, on the growth performance, haematology and innate immunity of beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) juvenile. Fish (46±3 g) were allocated into 12 tanks (15 fish per tank) and triplicate groups were fed a control diet or diets containing 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 g kg-1 prebiotic for 46 days. Fish fed 1.5 g kg-1 prebiotic displayed significantly higher final weight, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio. WBC, RBC, MCV, MCH, haemoglobin, haematocrit and lymphocyte levels were also significantly higher in the fish fed 1.5 g kg-1 prebiotic. Furthermore, the highest haematocrit content and lymphocyte level were found in the fish fed a diet containing 1.5 g kg-1 prebiotic. Alternative complement activity (ACH50), lysozyme activity and Ig concentration were significantly higher in the fed 1.5 g kg-1 prebiotic. These results indicate that α-mune can be considered as a beneficial dietary supplement for improving the growth performance, haematological and immunological parameters of beluga sturgeon juvenile

Effect of process parameters on thermal and mechanical properties of polymer‐based composites using fused filament fabrication

The fused filament fabrication (FFF) process of polymer-based composites has been developed due to its capability to make complex geometries and shapes with reasonable mechanical properties. However, the improvement of mechanical properties of the obtained parts and products are still under study and are interesting for designers. There are several strategies to enhance these desired properties of produced pieces, for example optimizing the process parameters and/or using different architecting designs. This paper presents the effect of some overriding process parameters (liquefier temperature, print speed, layer height, and platform temperature) on the temperature evolution and mechanical behavior of PA6 reinforced with chopped carbon fibers produced by FFF. Due to deposition of multilayers, there is a cyclic profile of temperature in the FFF process, which is a considerable note related to fabrication and consequently the strength of the manufactured parts. In parallel with the study of process parameters effect, this cyclic temperature profile has been measured. The preliminary results related to physicochemical and mechanical properties revealed that differences in crystallinity percentage exist and failure stress/strain can be considered as an indicator to evaluate the mechanical properties of FFF manufactured products. Moreover, measuring the temperature profile of the deposited filaments revealed that process parameters have a considerable influence on the cooling process of deposited filaments which itself affects the bonding of adjacent filaments. The higher temperatures led to slower cooling rate. Finally, the results confirm the impact of mentioned parameters roles on the bonding formation in the FFF process and also the subsequent obtained mechanical properties of the printed parts. Therefore, selection of the optimized and suitable process parameters is an important design consideration