Iowa Infrastructure Report Card Sponsored by: Iowa Section of ASCE

1. Iowa Infrastructure Report CardSponsored by: Iowa Section of ASCE Kick-off meeting: January 17, 2014Johnston, Iowa

2. Why are we here today? • Sources and motivations • Success of the National Report Card • Encouragement of state efforts by the society • Results of 2013 membership survey* • IA infrastructure need significant and growing • Opportunity to perform public service role • Chance to promote the profession. • Personal development • Setting a course • Need a plan, schedule, organization, goals and methods • Commencing a process • Time to convert intentions into action 10:05 – 10:10

3. Report Card background • Started in 1988 with National Council on Public Works Improvement's "Report Card on the Nation's Public Works" (chartered by Congress) • ASCE followed up in 1998 with "1998 Report Card for America's Infrastructure" • Since then: 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013 • Now National, state and regional report cards • Coordinated effort to make the public and elected official aware of infrastructure needs • Originally covered 10 categories; now 16 10:10 – 10:20 1/8

4. 1998 Report – pretty simple American Society of Civil Engineer's"1998 Report Card for America's Infrastructure" 10:10 – 10:20 2/8

5. 2009 – a bit more 10:10 – 10:20 3/8

6. 2013 – added impact 10:10 – 10:20 4/8

7. ASCE’s State and Regional Infrastructure Report Cards Program • “In order to broaden the dialogue on infrastructure, ASCE encourages Sections and Branches to develop and promote Infrastructure Report Cards for their states or regions using the national methodology.” 10:10 – 10:20 5/8

8. Now – State & Regional report cards 10:10 – 10:20 6/8

9. Categories and sub-elements for IowaSelect from National’s predetermined list: • Transportation • Aviation • Bridges • Inland waterways • Rail • Roads • Transit • Ports • Water & Environment • Dams • Levees • Drinking water • Waste water • Energy: Elec, Gas, Oil, Wind, Renewables • Waste management • Solid waste • Hazardous waste • Public facilities • Parks/rec areas • Schools 10:10 – 10:20 7/8

10. Report Card Recipe for Success: Suggested sequence 10:10 – 10:20 7a/8

11. “RULES” for Report Carding • In order to use the ASCE Report Card name and reputation in producing a State Report card, we will need to work closely with and secure concurrence of National. • It will be important to separate the status/condition of the infrastructure from the skill and diligence employed by its caretakers. • Identify successes as well as shortcomings. • Focus on education about issues, not specific political goals. • Seek to communicate why, how and where Civil Engineers play important roles in infrastructure construction, maintenance and operation. 10:10 – 10:20 8/8

12. Charge to the committee • Comments from Iowa Section 2013-14 President, Brian Wilham, of Shive-Hattery Assoc. in West Des Moines 10:20 – 10:25

13. Iowa Report Card:Today’s plan of action • Identify desired outcomes • Establish general methods framework • Agree on a work plan • Identify Infrastructure categories to cover • Establish a schedule • Scope out a budget • Establish sub-committees • Identify ways to recruit sufficient participation from our membership 10:25 – 10:30

14. Guidance available from National: • Regional Report Card Notification Form and Instructions • How to Grade Your Community’s Infrastructure • Getting Started • Suggested Timeline for Development of Report Cards • Selecting Infrastructure Categories • Data Collection and Establishing Criteria • Issuing Grades • Promoting the Report Card • Report Card Release Events • Elements of a Media-Worthy Event • Developing Media Tools • Using in Public Policy Efforts 10:25 – 10:30

15. Let’s get to know each other a little better • Ice breaker exercise • Pairup • Each person picks 2 questions to ask and 2 to answer • Interview each other • Introduce partner to the group and share what they learned • Follow-up: Talk about our individual visions about having an Iowa report card. • What profession would you be in if you hadn’t become a CE? (& why) • What profession(s) would you NOT wish to be in? (& why) • Best and worst movie recently viewed? • Funny/intriguing memory from childhood? • Four adjectives that friends and family would use to describe you? • What do you think other people’s first impressions of you are (at work)? • If you could trade places with a celebrity or public figure, who would it be and why? • What do you think will be the three most interesting developments (in CE) in the next 20 years? 10:30 – 11:00

16. Discuss/Select desired outcomes • 30 minutes • Let’s talk about what can be accomplished via production of an Iowa report card. • What can realistically be achieved? • How much work can we perform in our volunteer capacities? • What messages do we want to send with the final product? • How could passage of a fuel tax or other revenue increase impact the effort? • Who will be our audience? Neighbors, legislators, local officials, Governor, all? • What message or story do we want them to receive? • How do we hope they will respond? • What could go wrong? • What other groups should be included / kept informed? 11:00 – 11:30

17. Establish Iowa’s Report Carding core guidelines and methods • 30 minutes • Before narrowing in on specific areas of interest, let’s establish how the grading process will work. • What aspects of Infrastructure can we /do we want to include in the scoring? • What attributes and functional characteristics should be scored? • Grade on where things are today and where they are headed? • Grade on quality of assets alone or include assessment of operations and maintenance. • How to produce composited scores 11:30 – 12:00 1/5

18. National’s infrastructure criteria: • To develop the Report Card grades, a quantitative and qualitative approach to each of the eight fundamental criteria should be used to arrive at each of the category grades. • Each author is expected to review and assess all relevant data and reports, consult with technical and industry experts, and assign grades according to the following eight criteria: • Capacity – Evaluate the infrastructure’s capacity to meet current and future demands. • Condition – Evaluate the infrastructure’s existing or near future physical condition. • Funding – Evaluate the current level of funding (from all levels of government) for the infrastructure category and compare it to the estimated funding need. • Future Need– Evaluate the cost to improve the infrastructure and determine if future funding prospects will be able to meet the need. • Operation and Maintenance– Evaluate the owners’ ability to operate and maintain the infrastructure properly and determine that the infrastructure is in compliance with government regulations. • Public Safety– Evaluate to what extent the public’s safety is jeopardized by the condition of the infrastructure and what the consequences of failure may be. • Resilience – Evaluate the infrastructure system’s capability to prevent or protect against significant multi-hazard threats and incidents and the ability to expeditiously recover and reconstitute critical services with minimum damage to public safety and health, the economy, and national security. • Innovation – Evaluate the implementation and strategic use of innovative techniques and delivery methods. 11:30 – 12:00 2/5

19. Grades are developed via composite scoring • How to best combine scoring: • All 8 criteria allowed 12.5 points= 100 total points to earn • No single criterion should dominate a score – so what is the max weighting to be used in Iowa? • How should criteria be evaluated? • Technical (numerical) ratings • Professional judgment (by whom) • Industry expert consensus 11:30 – 12:00 3/5

20. National’s grading schema • Grading Scale • Grading for an ASCE Report Card uses a 100 point scale and can also be represented as a percentage. • Points should be allocated in balanced manner across the 8 Key Criteria to arrive at the number of earned points of the possible 100 points. • Authors should start with a balance among the 8 criteria (12.5 points x 8 = 100) and then use their expertise and discretion to determine if Key Criteria that may impact the category significantly should be weighted more substantially. However, no one criterion should represent a majority of the grade. • The percentage earned is then translated into a letter grade based on the following scale: A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 51-69% F = 50% or lower 11:30 – 12:00 4/5

21. Selecting a final report structureWhich will be best for Iowa? 11:30 – 12:00 5/5 Option 1: General Framework • Executive Summary: • 3-5 sentences • Most compelling facts • Introduction: • Start with the most compelling statistic • Give context – how many, how much • Compare it to a common item of reference • Analysis: • How is [x] doing in terms of Capacity, Condition, O&M, Funding, Future Need, Public Safety, Resilience, and Innovation? (Don’t forget all 8!) • Conclusion: • Highlight the most significant issues • State the grade • Recommendations: • What are the 3-5 solutions that can start solving this today? • Sources Option 2: Criteria Driven Framework • Executive Summary: • 3-5 sentences • Most compelling facts • Condition & Capacity: • Includes O&M • Includes Innovation • Funding & Future Needs • Public Safety & Resilience • Conclusion: • Highlight the most significant issues • State the grade • Recommendations for Action • What are the 3-5 solutions that can start solving this today? • Sources

22. LUNCH 12:00 to 12:30

23. How can we acquire infrastructure data? • Basic needs • Extent and magnitude • Operating volumes • Customers, users served • Financial • Cost/value of the infrastructure class • O & M costs (and, for comparison, O & M needs) • Replacement needs vs. revenues • Upgrade needs vs. revenues • Status and conditions • Performance – measure of how well the class fulfills need • Condition – measure of physical/operational adequacy • Resilience – measure of class reliability 12:30 to 12:35 1/2

24. Data sources identified by National • Need to review and determine which will be useful • Need to determine what data ‘holes’ need to be filled • Need to document acquired data to assure that results are defensible and carry sufficient “weight of authority” 12:30 to 12:35 2/2

25. Data evaluation and grading -1/3 • Grade reporting and consolidation • To be done via spreadsheet • 8 criteria x submitted grades x weightings= final grade for each class • State grade to be un-weighted combination of all classes • Sub-committee submittals needed: • Basics, financial and status/conditions • Narrative description of infrastructure class • Rationale for grades, scores and grading discussion • Success stories and future options • Amplifying commentary • Photos, source files, links and contacts 12:35 to 12:45

26. Data evaluation and grading – 2/3 • An advisory panel of experts should review the research and the assigned letter grades. • Your panel should consist of engineers who are widely regarded as technical experts in the infrastructure area that will be analyzed. • An advisory panel will lend credibility to the project and panelists should be listed on the report card. 12:35 to 12:45

27. Data evaluation and grading – 3/3 • Citizen focus group (option for consideration) • Invite a suitably diverse group of citizens to a trial presentation of the Iowa report card findings • Ask them to give feedback as to how well they understand the results. • Seek questions from them and use their replies to guide final wording of findings and analysis • Ferret out misunderstandings and unforeseen flash points before public release of the report card. 12:35 to 12:45

28. Preview modes of delivery and discuss effectiveness of each. • Brochures • Web site • Social media • Press release • Press conference • Letters to editors • Civic group presentations • Initial • Immediate follow up • Long term 12:45 to 1:00 PM

29. Establish a schedule – ASCE Countdown • Twelve Months Prior to Release • Submit Report Card Notification Form to ASCE National. • Select committee members to develop report card. • Decide which infrastructure areas to evaluate. • Decide what data to use in assessing infrastructure and where to find it. • Eleven Months Prior to Release • Teleconference with ASCE National staff liaison and member of Advisory Council • on State and Local Report Cards. • Begin researching and compiling data. • Ten – Four Months Prior to Release • Draft fact sheets and issue briefs. • Assign grades to each infrastructure area. • Submit regular status updates to ASCE National. • Three Months Prior to Release • Write text for report card. • Start planning media event to release the report card. • Contact a graphic artist or desktop publisher to layout your report card. • Research locations to hold event. • Submit regular status updates to ASCE National. • Two Months Prior to Release • Finalize location for event. • Begin to compile a list of key decision makers to invite to the event. • Decide who will speak at the news conference and begin drafting remarks. • Submit final drafts to ASCE National for Advisory Council review. • Six Weeks Prior to Release • Finalize changes recommended by Advisory Council. • Draft media materials including media advisory, news release, spokesperson, bios and talking points. • Compile media list of appropriate reporters, producers and editors, preferably ones that cover transportation, schools, local government, the environment and other infrastructure-related issues. Be sure to include titles, email addresses and Finalize remarks for the event and show how much time is allotted per speaker and what topic each speaker will cover. • Send final layout of the report card to printer. • Three – Two Weeks Prior to Release • Finalize news release, fact sheets and issue briefs. Assemble these materials with report card into a press packet. • Finalize talking points. • One Week Prior to Release • Email media advisory to identified media contacts. • Three Days Prior to Event • Make follow-up phone calls to invited media to remind them of the event and to make sure it is on their schedule. • Day Before Event • Continue making follow-up calls to invited media. • Email an embargoed copy of the report card to reporters. The embargo can be set for midnight the night before the release or the start time of the press conference. • Day of Event • Continue making follow-up phone calls to key reporters. • Send news release if an embargoed copy was not distributed the day before the event. If sending a news release without an embargo time, mark it “for immediate release” in place of the embargo time. • Distribute press kits at the press conference. • One Day After Event • Send copy of report card to key decision makers asking them for their support for infrastructure investment and renewal. • Monitor media coverage of the report card release. • Draft an op-ed that presents the issues highlighted in the report card and pitch it to your local newspaper. (Some large papers may ask that an op-ed be submitted on an exclusive basis, meaning no other publication can simultaneously print the piece. Check each publication’s editorial policy to be sure.) • Monitor opportunities to send letters to the editors and to comment on blogs, etc. 1:00 to 1:15 PM 1/2

30. Trial Iowa calendar Establish a schedule • January 17 – kickoff – receive the charge – prelim decisions – select subcommittees • Feb – Get organized : Topics, grading criteria, official schedule • Teleconference with National • Mar OL -- progress reports – issues – concerns • April OL -- status report • May – Meet for questions, problems progress report, review trial data, grades and composite results • June OL -- online status report • July OL -- online status report / advance publicity planning • Aug – OL Turn in grades for consolidation • Sep - Meet to review and finalize • Independent peer review for credibility • National review • Oct – OL Review graphics, discuss roll out and publicity • Nov -- OL Prepare / procure print, web and digital materials • Dec PR University session from National • January 2015 – Official roll-out 1:00 to 1:15 PM 2/2

31. Establish a budget / preliminary version now / final in Feb 1:15 to 1:30 PM

32. Iowa Report Card – what resources will be available to us? • Data, templates, direct advice from National • Iowa Report Card e-room • Meeting sites & means • Funding • Other organizations 1:30 to 1:35 PM

33. Sub-committees • Self select into committees, or at least committee chairs • Establish what infrastructure items have been ‘taken’ • Determine which, if any, of the remainder ought to be included in final report. • Make sure we have everyone’s particulars and contract information. 1:35 to 1:50 PM 1/2

34. 1:35 to 1:50 PM 2/2

35. Recruitment of additional help • At this point, we should brainstorm about who else to involve in this project, what to ask of them and how to procure their participation • Other Iowa Section ASCE members • Other professional societies with parallel interests • Representatives of infrastructure organizations • Looking ahead • Will need to recruit domain experts who are not part of this committee to perform critical reviews later in the process 1:50 to 1:55 PM

36. Wrap-up • Thanks for coming and agreeing to be involved in the development of an Iowa report card. • Next Steps: • SWD will prepare and file a notice of intent with National • All of us should invite additional people to participate • Sub-committees need to make an initial assessment of the topics that they have chosen to evaluate. • We’ll need to be able to pool our findings at the next meeting • Next meeting • ASCE staff will teleconference with us to discuss project • Invite prior state • An official grade repository worksheet will be reviewed. • Each committee will be asked to report on the status of their infrastructure categories • Finalization of schedule and budget