New Products Evaluation Committee

Informational Summary

The New Product Evaluation (NPE) Committee, established by DOTD EDSM V.4.1.1, provides for the structured review, evaluation and implementation of all new products and associated procedures submitted to the department. The committee fully documents all submittals, evaluations and implementation of approved products.

Members: The committee is composed of various sections and divisions of the department such as the Bridge Design, Contracts and Specifications, Materials and Testing, Purchasing, and Traffic Engineering and Services Sections, along with the Construction and Maintenance Divisions and the Louisiana Transportation Research Center. Chairing the NPE Committee is the Materials Engineer Administrator who appoints members of his staff to coordinate the committee's activities.

Manufacturer Responsibilities: A manufacturer requesting a product evaluation by the department must complete a New Products Evaluation Form available from the Materials and Testing Section. The form must be signed by a representative of the manufacturer that officially authorizes the evaluation of the product and acknowledges the "General Notes" on the form. Additionally, the manufacturer must send twelve copies of the form and twelve copies of all product literature, MSDS sheets, prior test data, etc. All forms and literature must be received by the Materials and Testing Section at least one month before the NPE committee meeting to be included on that agenda. Product manufacturers must provide materials for the evaluation at no cost to DOTD. In the event of a field evaluation, the manufacturer should be present to ensure that the product is installed correctly. Manufacturers may make a formal presentation of their product to the NPE committee. The presentations will be first on the committee meeting agenda, and will be restricted to ten (10) minutes duration. Manufacturers should contact the Materials and Testing Section prior to the meeting date to schedule the presentation.

The manufacturer will be notified of the receipt of the submittal and advised of the date that the committee will consider the product. After the NPE Committee meeting the manufacturer is notified as to whether or not the product will be evaluated. The name of the evaluator will also be provided if applicable. After completion of the evaluation the manufacturer will be notified of the committee's actions.

Committee Procedures: The committee reviews all new product submittals and decides whether or not a product should be evaluated. Should the committee decide to evaluate the product, one of the department's sections coordinates the evaluation. Upon completion of the evaluation, the committee reviews the results of the evaluation and approves or rejects the product. When a product is approved, the committee coordinates the implementation of the product.

Committee Meetings: The NPE Committee meetings are usually held in February, May, August and November at 1:00 p.m. at the Materials and Testing Section, 5080 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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