The document discusses how engineering support enhances the audits and investigations of the US Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) into transportation programs and projects. It provides examples of how OIG engineers have examined issues around public transit, highway bridges and mega-projects. The engineering team ensures infrastructure and vehicles meet federal regulations and technical requirements, and helps detect fraud and waste. It concludes that engineering support significantly contributes to the OIG's mission of protecting safety, investments and accountability in federal transportation.

1. Engineering Support
to
the U.S. DOT Office
of Inspector General
业务访问：美国交通部监察总长办公室
议题：大型基建项目合规审查及项目审计
Briefing to the Chinese Ministry of
Housing and Urban-Rural
Development
Executive Development Program
January, 27, 2015
University of Maryland

2. Overview of Engineering Support
2
 How engineering is relevant to the Office of Inspector
General’s mission.
 How engineering enhances audits and investigations
of transportation programs and projects.
 Examples of engineering services to audits and
investigations of highways and public transport
projects.
 Other services rendered.
 Internal and External Engineering Resources.
 Conclusions

3. Why is engineering support relevant to
the
OIG Mission?
3
 The OIG mission is to promote accountability and
effectiveness in federal transportation programs and
projects, and to prevent or stop waste, fraud and
abuse of the resources devoted to those programs
and projects.
 Engineering is intrinsic to the transportation business
and its infrastructure: highways, public transport,
airports, rails, etc.
 OIG audits and investigations involve many
engineering issues related to the design, construction,
operation and maintenance of infrastructure, and
vehicles in every transportation mode.

4. Engineering support adds
impartial credibility to audits and
investigations
4
 Examining complex technical issues pertinent to the
safety, the costs, utilization and quality of
transportation infrastructure.
 Detecting fraudulent practices like the introduction of
inferior construction materials or equipment in
transportation projects.
 Interpreting objectively engineering documentation
and material evidence to ensure that programs and
infrastructure projects adherence to federal
regulations and technical contract requirements.
 Adding technical credibility to OIG congressional
testimonies and opinions rendered on transportation

5. Examples of Engineering Support to
Audits and Investigations of Public
Transport
5
OIG engineers examined
a citizen’s complaint
about the reuse [without
thorough testing] of 30-
year old steel pile
foundations to support a
new guideway in the
Dulles Corridor Metrorail
Project. The
foundations were
subsequently tested
because of the OIG’s
intervention and
rigorous technical
examination of the
TO BE
BUILT
EXISTIN
G
Elevated
Guideway
Buried
Foundation

6. Examples of Engineering Support
to
Audits of Highway Bridges
6
OIG engineers assisted in a series of audits related
to federal oversight of the National Bridge
Inspection Program by providing technical
guidance and support to audit teams visiting
various states throughout the country.

7. Examples of Engineering Support to
Audits and Investigation of Highway
Bridges
7
After the Interstate 35W bridge collapse:
 National Transportation Safety Board investigators
extensively consulted with OIG engineers because of their
previous work in audits of bridge inspections, and load
rating and postings.
 Congress directed the OIG to independently evaluate
technical criteria to select bids for the design and
construction of the new bridge.Bridge
Collapsed
on August 1,
2007
New Bridge Opened on
September 18, 2008

8. Examples of Engineering Support to
Audits and Investigations of Mega
Projects
8
$15 Billion Central Artery Tunnel Project in Boston (a.k.a. Big
Dig)
 Multiple audits, congressional inquiries and “real-time”
oversight related to the Big Dig Project, and direct
oversight of the federal response to major incidents:
widespread water leaks in the tunnels (2004) and the fatal
collapse of part of a tunnel ceiling (2006)
 We reviewed the inspections, repair approaches and also
monitored the repair work to ensure that the tunnels would
function safely.

9. Watching Federal Oversight of the Safe
Reopening of Big Dig Tunnels closed
after the
Ceiling Collapse
9
Removal of Tunnel
Ceiling Panel
Tunnel Ceiling Panel
Construction Drawing
 A real-time contribution to public safety.

10. Big Dig Tunnel Ceiling Collapsed
Because of Defective Epoxy Anchor
Bolts
10

11. Other Engineering Support
Services
11
 Review of Department of Transportation’s top
management challenges, regulations and legislation
pertinent to the safety and inspection of bridges, tunnels
and rail infrastructure.
 Assist the investigation of fraudulent substitution of
construction materials in projects for highways, public
transport, and airport runways.
 Assist in developing congressional testimonies on the
safety of the nation’s bridges and problems in major
projects like the Big Dig.
 Present the OIG’s engineering work at the National
Conference on Fraud in Transportation Construction and to
foreign delegations of transportation officials.

12. Internal OIG Engineering
Resources
12
 Engineer Advisor with over 30 years of civil
engineering experience in the private and Federal
sectors. Contracting Officer’s Technical
Representative for procuring external engineering
services. Licensed Engineer.
 Structural Engineer with over 20 years of experience
in the private and Federal sector including structures,
project management and regulatory standards.
Licensed Engineer
 Materials Engineer with 11 years of experience in
audits and investigations of transportation programs
and projects construction. Candidate for Engineering
License

13. External OIG Engineering
Resources
13
 Interagency agreement with the US Army Corps of
Engineers has provided expert engineering services
including:
 review of remaining service life of the 30-year old piles
(potential stray current corrosion) during the audit of
Federal Transit Administration’s oversight of the Dulles
Corridor Metrorail Project;
 Multi-disciplinary expert panel to assist in OIG’S
oversight of the Massachusetts Safety Review of the Big
Dig Project;
 Review of value engineering proposals to support our
audit of the Federal Highways Value Engineering
Program; and
 Independent review of bridge load ratings practices for
our audit of the National Bridge Inspection Program.

14. Conclusion: Engineering support
significantly contributed to the OIG
mission
14
 Protecting the safety of the traveling public
OIG Engineers followed State and Federal
inspectors immediately after Big Dig tunnel
ceiling collapse

15. Conclusion: Engineering support
significantly contributed to the OIG
mission
15
 Protecting federal investments against fraudulent
material substitutions

16. Conclusion: Engineering support
significantly contributed to the OIG
mission
16
 Audits and Congressional testimonies that
resulted in federal initiatives to improve
inspections of the nation’s bridges
Engineering News Record Journal Federal Highway Administration Focus Journal

17. Engineers strengthen the OIG’s
mission for accountability and
transparency
17
 Ensured the structural safety and durability of
federal investment the Dulles Rail Project

18. Thank You 谢谢
18
Rodolfo Pérez, P.E.
Director of the Engineering Team
Office of Inspector General , USDOT
rodolfo.perez@oig.dot.gov