About the Research Needs Statement Repository

The Research Needs Statement website facilitates the sharing of research ideas between researchers at Georgia Transportation Institute (GTI) institutions and the Georgia DOT (GDOT). It is intended to allow GTI university faculty and researchers to submit potential ideas to GDOT for consideration through its research approval process, as summarized below. Researchers should use GDOT's RNS guidelines when writing a research needs statement. Completed needs statements may be uploaded on the homepage. Submitted RNS’s are considered privileged documents, and only pertinent GDOT personnel, as explained below, have access to them.

About Georgia Transportation Institute

The Georgia Transportation Institute (GTI) coordinates and acts as a focal point for transportation research in the state of Georgia. The lead institution, Georgia Institute of Technology, is affiliated with other members including University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, Mercer University, Albany State University, Savannah State University, and University of West Georgia.

Researchers affiliated with GTI are active in research on a broad range of topics including policy and planning, environmental issues, transportation technology, transportation infrastructure, and traffic operations.

GDOT Research Technical Advisory Groups and Research Advisory Committee

GDOT has four Research Technical Advisory Groups (RTAG’s) with purviews directly aligned with its strategic goals:

• Asset Management : Taking care of what we have in the most efficient way possible. Chair: Melissa Harper
• Mobility : Planning and constructing the best mobility-focused projects we can, on schedule. Chair: Paul DeNard
• Policy/Workforce : Making GDOT a better place to work will make GDOT a better place that works. Chair: Andrew Heath
• Safety : Making safety investment and improvements where the traveling public is most at risk. Chair: Ed David Adams

Each RTAG develops and approves RNS’s regarding issues of importance to GDOT. Approved RNS’s are then sent to GDOT’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), which provides overall guidance and direction for GDOT’s research program and reviews all RNS’s approved by the RTAG’s for confirmation of funding. Following RAC approval, RNS’s may proceed to proposal development and contract execution.

Research Needs Statement Submittal

All researchers at GTI institutions are encouraged to upload RNS’s to this website. (For information on GTI institutions, see below).
Submitting a Research Needs Statement:

1. Follow the RNS guidelines here
2. Upload the complete research needs statement on the homepage of the Research Needs Statement website

Research needs statements should be no more than two (2) pages in length. For detailed information on research needs statements, click here. Submitted RNS’s are considered privileged documents, and GDOT personnel are requested not to distribute them beyond the RTAG’s and RAC.

Research Needs Statement Review Process

RNS’s are submitted by GDOT personnel directly to the RTAG’s and by university faculty and researchers through the Research Needs Statement website. An RNS may be reviewed by one or more of the RTAG’s. The RTAG reviewing the RNS may choose to recommend, or not recommend, allocating funding to support future research in this area or may defer its decision. As part of its recommendation, the RTAG may also request scope, schedule, or budget changes. The submitting author will work with a designated contact to finalize the RNS as requested by the RTAG. The final approved RNS’s will be sent to the RAC for approval via e-ballot. Only those RNS’s approved by the RAC will move forward to the final proposal stage. Final proposals will be developed in coordination with appropriate RTAG contact. While projects in proposal stage are likely to be funded, it is important to note that issuing a final contract will be based on developing a GDOT approved final proposal and on funding availability.

Potential Needs Statement Outcomes

The RTAG’s will be given the list of RNS titles from statements submitted to the website. Each committee will select from that list for possible review. Potential outcomes for submitted RNS’s:

• Not reviewed by RTAG’s. The RTAG’s chose not to review this RNS. No further comments will be given, since it is at each RTAG’s discretion as to which RNS’s they review. GDOT Research and Development Branch, however, will make every effort to ensure that no RNS’s are overlooked in the initial selection for RTAG review.
• Reviewed by RTAG, not recommended for funding. The RTAG reviewed the RNS and did not select it for potential funding. The RTAG contact may provide feedback to the submitter as to why the project was not selected.
• Reviewed by RTAG, recommended for funding. The RTAG has reviewed this RNS and selected it for potential funding. The RTAG contact will contact the author to discuss next steps. The RTAG may request scope, schedule, or budget changes during this process.

Questions?

If you have any questions about using this site, please contact GTI@gatech.edu.
If you have questions about research at GDOT, please contact David Jared.