Scope of Services and Staff Hour Estimation

Scope of Services

A Scope of Services is a contractual agreement between the Department and the chosen professional firm that requires input from many disciplines and coordination with several offices within the Department. The Department has developed a Standard Scope of Services for procuring Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) services, Design services, and combined PD&E/Design services and guidelines for negotiating staff hours. These documents are to be used on each project and modified only with project specific information.

Standard Scope of Services and Staff Hour Estimation Guidelines and Forms

The Standard Scope & Staff Hour Estimation Guidelines provides the Department and Consultant Project Managers with detailed description of the work efforts (Activities and Tasks) for uniform and consistent project scoping and a basis or range of staff hours required to complete every project task. The Guidelines consist of the Scope of Services files (MS Word documents created through the Design Scope of Service Tool), the Staff Hour Forms and the Staff Hour Estimation Guidelines (MS Excel spreadsheets).

Use of the Guidelines is mandatory for the Department and Consultant Project Managers when scoping and negotiating all consultant contracts for PD&E and Design Services according to Department Procedure 375-030-020

Project Development and Environmental (PD&E)

Scope of Services Development Tool (March 2017) Use this tool to prepare the Scope of Services for PD&E Studies. Click this link, https://www.fla-etat.org/est/swept/ to access the tool. Developers of the PD&E Study Scopes of Services must have Statewide Environmental Project Tracker (SWEPT) accounts to access the scope development tool. Once the Scope of Services is created, export it to a MS Word document or PDF document. See Instructions to Prepare Scope of Services and Standard Scope of Services for PD&E Studies for more guidance.

Instructions to Prepare Scope of Services (March 2017) This document contains instructions to assist scope developers to prepare the Scope of Services for PD&E projects.

Standard Scope of Services for PD&E Studies (January 2018) This document contains standard (default) scope language with instructions and notes that were coded in the SWEPT Scope of Services development tool. This document should be used for information and instructional purposes only. Developers of the Scope of Services must use the SWEPT application to create the scope of services.

PD&E Staff Hour Estimation (SHE) Guidelines - (Updated June 2018) This MS Excel file was updated to match the revised Standard Scope of Services tasks and activities (Right click on file and save file). This document provides detailed information, breaking down the tasks and activities that can appear in a scope document, along with recommended staff hour ranges to do the work.

PD&E Staff Hour Estimation Forms - (Updated April 2018) This MS Excel file contains forms that are used to record the estimated hours for each task or activity listed in the project specific Scope of Services (Right click on file and save file). These forms were revised to match the updated SHE Guidelines. Use these forms to estimate and negotiate staff hours for a PD&E study. 

Additional Tools: Traffic Analysis Costing Tool and Safety Analysis Costing Tool
For further information on the Traffic Analysis and Safety Analysis Scoping Tools, click here for the User Guide and here for the Technical Manual.

Roadway & Bridge Structural Design

Design Scope of Services Tool - (Updated September 2023) This online tool assists scope developers through an intuitive process that pulls Work Program information to create a scope output (MS Word document) that includes project-specific information along with all anticipated design activities. Click this link, https://www.fla-etat.org/est/swept/dsos/Landing.do to access the tool. Please Note: The DSOS Tool works in Chrome or Firefox; not supported in Internet Explorer or Edge).
Developers of the Design Scopes of Services must be given access to the Design Scope of Services (DSOS) Tool. User access levels include: Reviewer (read only) / Scope Creator (create/edit scopes) / Template Creator (create/edit scopes & district scope templates).
To request access, or to determine your district's Template Creator(s), please contact DSOS Help Desk by email at dsos@fla-etat.org , or call (850)414-5334. Each district-specific request will ask to provide the following information: name, email, and level of access.
View the complete Introduction & Training Session Webinar or PowerPoint Slides here.  

Design Scope of Services Example - (Updated September 2023) This example PDF document shows all available design activities exported from the Design Scope of Services Tool. The document identifies the yellow-highlighted areas for project-specific information.

Design Staff Hour Estimation (SHE) Guidelines - (Updated September 2023) This is an MS Excel file containing over 30 worksheets. (Right click on file and save file.) This document provides detailed information, breaking down the activities and tasks that can appear in a scope document, along with recommended staff hour ranges to provide a detailed effort of the design work.

Design Staff Hour Estimation Forms - (Updated September 2023) This is an MS Excel file containing over 30 worksheets with formulas. (Right click on link and save file.) These forms are used to record the estimated hours for each activity and task listed in the project specific Scope of Services. These forms are used to estimate staff hours, which are used in the negotiation process.  View Staff Hour Estimation Forms Tutorials here.

Revision Log- (Updated September 2023) This MS Excel file lists all the changes that have taken place since the last published Scope of Services and Staff Hour Estimation forms and guidelines.

Concurrent PD&E and Design Phases

Concurrent (or Combined) PD&E Study and Design Standard Scope of Services - (Updated June 2022) Use this file to prepare the scope of services for a project with both PD&E and Design phases procured concurrently in one contract.  The scope file is the complete Standard Scope which includes both PD&E and design activities. All changes and/or additions to the Standard Scope shall be made in bold italics to help draw attention to the users of project specific changes.

Typical PD&E studies that may be combined with Design phases are Type 2 Categorical Exclusions or State Environmental Impact Reports (SEIRs) which do not involve segmental concrete bridges or movable span bridges.

User Guide to Prepare Scope of Services  - (Updated June 2022) This Quick Guide helps Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Project Managers and staff from the District Design and Environmental Offices understand the Standard Scope of Services and Staff Hour Estimation Guidelines for projects with concurrent Project Development and Environment (PD&E) and Design phases.

PD&E and Design Staff Hour Estimation (SHE) Guidelines   - (Updated June 2022) This document provides detailed information, breaking down the tasks and activities that can appear in the Standard Scope of Services for Concurrent PD&E and Design phases, along with recommended staff hour ranges to do the work.

PD&E and Design Staff Hour Estimation Forms  - (Update June 2022) This MS Excel file contains forms that are used to record the estimated hours for each task or activity listed in the project specific Scope of Services (Right click on file and save file). Use these forms to estimate and negotiate staff hours for a PD&E study. View Staff Hour Estimation Forms Tutorials  here.

Additional Tools - (Updated June 2022) Includes Revision Log of all the changes taken place since the last published versions of Combined PD&E and Design Scope of Services and Staff Hour Estimation Forms and Guidelines.  Contents cross walk tables for the Standard Scope of Services to help users understand how the Scope of Services for Concurrent phases was developed. Additionally, you may can view recorded webinar or Power Point slides.

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Other Related Links

Tolls Design - The Tolls Design site contains project management support, standard scope of services, staff hours estimation forms and guidelines, and other helpful resources for all tolling projects. *NOTE: For all projects involving toll design, the Project Manager must coordinate with the Turnpike Production Project Manager, who will engage with the Toll Systems Project Manager and the Tolls Design Administrator.

Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) - The Traffic Engineering and Operations - Intersection Operations and Safety site contains ICE guidance including the ICE Manual, the standard scope of services and staff hour estimation guidance.

Geotechnical and Materials Testing - The State Materials Office Contract Documents  site will assist access to the standard scope and automated fee proposal for Geotechnical and Materials testing. 

Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) - The CEI Office site contains helpful information, including CEI scope of service documents.

Design-Build - The Construction Office site houses information regarding Design-Build projects.

Quick Tips

Be sure to coordinate with the Estimates Office when developing a new project scope.

Consider the risk factors when developing a scope for a new project.

Visit the Office of Environmental Management (OEM) site for more information regarding PD&E scoping and other useful information.

Check out the Procurement Office site for all information regarding acquisition of professional services, contractual services and commodities related to the state highway systems.

Review guidelines and tips about negotiating contracts during the scope and staff hour estimation process.

 

For further information please contact: