Project Based On-the-Job Training/Contract Compliance

Project Based On-the-Job Training/Contract Compliance

Applicable to construction FHWA funded projects advertised after February 1, 2020

Project-Based OJT

ADOT's OJT program is an essential element of the Federal-aid highway program for the State of Arizona. Implementation of a successful OJT program by ADOT and its subrecipients helps provide a competent workforce to meet current and future highway construction hiring needs with a focus on the recruitment and inclusion of those who have experienced historical underutilization: minorities, women, and disadvantaged individuals.

 

Project Specific Goals

BECO will assess each federal-aid construction project for a project specific On-The-Job Training Goal. Projects that are a minimum of 120 working days and more than $3 million are required to provide On-the-Job Training (OJT) for a specified number of OJT hours per trainee. Projects located on Tribal lands will not be assessed an OJT Goal.

BECO assesses OJT training hours and monitor them to ensure that trainees receive the required number of training hours.

Contractors working on federal-aid construction projects without an OJT Goal may participate in training and reimbursement of training hours achieved on a project.

 

ADOT Annual OJT Goal

ADOT is responsible for establishing an annual training goal and submitting the recommended goal to FHWA for approval. The goal is based upon a review of ADOT’s 5 year plan and a review of future projects. ADOT tracks and reports annual OJT goal accomplishments to FHWA, based on the calendar year (CY) period.

CY (Jan-Dec)  Annual OJT Goal Accomplishments*

2020

37,000 OJT Hours and 64 Trainees

16,295.00 OJT Hours*

2021

38,000 OJT Hours and 64 Trainees

60,134.50 OJT Hours

2022

36,000 OJT Hours and 60 Trainees

76,336.25 OJT Hours

2023 39,600 OJT Hours and 66 Trainees 111,400.66 OJT Hours

* First projects with Project-Based OJT specifications and accomplishments did not start until July 2020

OJT Compliance and Monitoring

OJT compliance reporting will be completed in the online OJT System within the ADOT DBE and OJT Online Reporting System (DOORS), (formerly known as the ADOT DBE System). The Department will conduct periodic reviews of trainee hours and monitor contractor’s progress towards meeting the OJT goal on the project. The Department may conduct site visits to the worksite to review OJT program compliance, during working hours on the project. The contractor shall complete and submit the following submittals to the Department in the online OJT System:

     OJT Commitment Schedule

  • Schedule details the approved Training Plan, training classification and trainee hour commitment for each trainee the contractor commits to use on the project.
  • If contractor cannot meet the project’s established OJT Goal at time of commitment, the contractor must submit Good Faith Efforts (GFE).

     OJT Enrollment

  • Contractor enrolls each trainee that will complete OJT hours on a project. Enrollment includes the trainee’s name and address, gender and ethnicity, training program(s), classification/craft, and apprentice start date. Trainees must be enrolled into the online OJT System to be eligible for the $3.00 reimbursement

     Progression of Training and Change of Status

  • Contractor will submit progression of training level up and change of status requests each time a trainee advances, progresses to another training level or milestone in his/her training program, or has a change of job classification.

     Monthly Reporting

  • Contractors shall report monthly OJT hours achieved on a project for each trainee by the 15th of the month following the month training hours were completed.

     Banking-Carryover Request

  • If a trainee has completed training hours over the minimum requirement (600 hours) on a project and the trainee transfer to a future project, the contractor can request to carry-over the excess hours achieved to count towards the future projects established OJT Goal.

     Project Completion

  • Contractor shall request Project completion once all OJT hours have been reported and achieved on the project.
  • If contractor did not meet the project’s established OJT Goal, contractor must submit Good Faith Efforts if not submitted at time of commitment.

     Good Faith Efforts

If a prime contractor cannot meet a projects established OJT goal, Good Faith Efforts (GFE) must be provided detailing the measurable actions implemented by the contractor to meet the established intent and objectives of the OJT provisions of the contract. GFE includes documentation of efforts by the contractor to achieve equal opportunity through positive, proactive, and continuous results oriented measures.

Training Programs

The following are approved training Programs recognized under the ADOT OJT Program:

  • FHWA or the Department of Labor (DOL)
  • Registered union or other approved apprenticeship programs registered with:
    •      Bureau of Apprenticeship (BA)
    •      U.S. DOL
    •      Employment and Training Administration
    •      Arizona Apprenticeship Office
    •      Arizona Department of Economic Security programs recognized by BA

Training Programs other that those specified above for other skilled or semi-skilled crafts for use in fulfilling a contractor’s OJT requirements, may be proposed and submitted to ADOT for approval. Approval of a training program shall be obtained from ADOT and FHWA prior to the trainee commencing work on the classification covered by the training program. Approval of a training program by ADOT and FHWA may take up to four weeks. Training programs will only be approved if they meet the standards set forth in Appendix B of 23 CFR Part 230.

FHWA approved training programs are available to contractors that do not already have an approved training program. Select the training program template(s) below, insert company name in the document and submit to [email protected](link sends e-mail)