Audit Proof LDSA Projects — What You Need to Know

July 21, 2021

What you don’t know about federally funded LDSA projects can hurt you. To maintain the critical federal funding that your LDSA project receives there are many rules, required documentation, processes, and timelines for filing specific paperwork that are critical to observe – particularly during construction – to maintain the secured funding.  Your project will be audited during the construction phase and knowing what is needed to successfully pass these audits is crucial to avoid project schedule delays, delays in receiving federal reimbursement or worse having to give federal dollars back. An experienced team familiar with the LDSA procedures and requirements is essential to ensure your LDSA project successfully progresses through construction with funding intact.

Construction phase paperwork that must be filed within set timeframes includes:

• Verification of specified materials for a project
• Performance of materials testing
• Documentation that materials delivered to the site are as specified
• Certifying material(s) origin when contract dictates US-made materials/components

Other federally established construction requirements include properly verifying, preparing, and/or submitting:

• Certifications from suppliers/contractors
• Payroll records
• EEO information
• Compliant Health & Safety Plan
• Daily inspection reports
• Change orders with sufficient back up for verification

Audit Proof Construction Projects the Fisher Way:

• At the onset of every LDSA construction project, Fisher assigns a full-time Construction Inspector who is on your project site daily observing construction operations throughout the project.
• Fisher’s full-time Construction Inspection Manager visits the project site weekly to ensure the onsite Inspector has all the resources they need and is set-up for success for the following week.
• A seasoned Construction Inspector performs QA/QC of the onsite Inspector’s project documentation including: daily inspection reports, change orders, contractor payment applications, payroll records, etc. including all necessary backup and supporting documents.  The QA/QC Inspector also ensures that documents are submitted within required timeframes. 

The Fisher Difference:

• The Fisher Team are experts on the NYS Specifications that must be adhered to on LDSA projects.  They serve as your advocate and their knowledge ensures that our clients do not pay for unjustified and/or unapproved costs.
• Fisher spends time with our clients to explain the processes and requirements, so they become more educated on the LDSA process for future projects.
• Our inspectors’ recordkeeping process is impeccable making the audit process smooth and painless for our clients.  We know what the auditors are looking for and we make it easy for them to find everything they need.
• Fisher’s Design Project Manager stays involved in the project throughout construction and coordinates regularly with the Inspector.  This continuity ensures the Inspector understands the design intent, why certain materials were used, and certain design decisions were made. 
• Fisher’s expertise of the audit process for the construction of LDSA projects has resulted in 100% of projects passing audits and zero loss of funding.

For information about the Fisher difference and how to make your next LDSA project audit proof, contact Emily Smith, PE,Vice President, Director of Transportation at Fisher Associates at esmith@fisherassoc.com.