Public agencies involved in ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) are now faced with a decreasing size of staff while still being responsible for maintaining the highest quality of service. A recent trend in the United States is to provide contractual services to handle previous duties provided by the public agency. In particular, this paper concentrates on efforts of how a public agency's ATMS/ATIS (Advanced Traffic Management System / Advanced Traveler Information System) could properly oversee a contracted operation. This paper outlines a proposal for a public agency to create an inspection and contract oversight team, to be known as OQUAT (Operational Quality Assurance Team). The OQUAT plan is to make certain that there would be the highest quality operational performance and compliance with an ATMS/ATIS Operational Contract (AAO) requirements throughout the duration of the contract. The following proposal focuses on: (1) Expectations of an AAO contract; (2) Details of the OQUAT plan; (3) The challenges and risks associated with the OQUAT plan; (4) The issues that can be resolved with the OQUAT plan; and (5) Conclusions that could result from instituting the OQUAT plan. If OQUAT would be approved, the OQUAT plan would monitor, advise, and promote the quality performance of a contracted operations staff at the public agency's - ATMS/ATIS control room. OQUAT would provide an opportunity for the privatization of services to work as a benefit to the motoring public in an ever changing ITS environment. (A*)
Abstract