MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

THE ILLINOIS TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER  

Originally Executed December 11, 1991

Revised April 2, 2001 

I.            Sponsors:

This Memorandum of Understanding establishes the Illinois Transportation Research Center and is made between the Illinois Department of Transportation (hereafter known as the Department), and the following Sponsors:  

            Bradley University

            DePaul University

            Eastern Illinois University

            Illinois Institute of Technology

            Lewis University

            Northern Illinois University

            Northwestern University

            Southern Illinois University Carbondale

            Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

            University of Illinois at Chicago

            University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

            Western Illinois University  

II.            Purpose:  

The Illinois Transportation Research Center (hereafter known as the Center) is a joint Public-Private-University cooperative transportation research unit underwritten by the Department.  The purpose of the Center is the conduct of research in all modes of transportation to provide the knowledge and technology base to improve the capacity to meet the present and future mobility needs of individuals, industry, and commerce of the State of Illinois.  

The research conducted by the Center shall include short term applied research in support of Department needs.  It shall also include basic research aimed at providing new tools, technology, materials, policy, and analysis techniques for the solution of structural problems inherent in current modes of transportation, as well as emergent problems in their use.  

III.            Objectives:  

A.   To provide a Center for the conduct of high-quality transportation research involving governmental, educational, and private agencies.  

B. To take a lead role in transportation research nationally and internationally.

 

C. To provide opportunities for interdisciplinary exchanges through research, seminars, symposia, and informal meetings.

 

D. To provide for expansion and further development of transportation research in colleges and universities in Illinois.  

 

E. To expand research and educational opportunities for transportation students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at colleges and universities throughout Illinois.

 

F. To provide for the transfer of knowledge among all transportation elements.

 

G. To advise and assist government, education, and private agencies on issues related to transportation.

 

H. To assist the Department by providing fundamental insight and guidance as it funds the research necessary to achieve the mandates placed upon it by law.  

IV.            Management:  

The management of the Center follows the administrative needs and cooperative nature of the program.  The Executive Board is responsible for the overall administration and direction of the Center.  Each Sponsor (party to this Memorandum of Understanding) is responsible for participation on the Research Committee.  Each member of the Research Committee acts as a liaison, and provides communication between the Center and each Sponsor.  Each Sponsor will have equal access to the products of the research conducted under the Center’s auspices by the State’s universities.  

A.         Executive Board  

1.            Executive Board membership will be comprised of Directors from each Division or Office in the Department, and a representative from FHWA as a non-voting member.  The Director of Planning and Programming will serve as Chair.  

2.            Meetings will be held on a quarterly basis or as needed, as determined by the Chair.  The Board will provide overall policy direction, research priorities, and topics for future work programs reflecting the needs of all modes of transportation in the State for both basic and applied research to be conducted by the Center.  Ongoing research under contract will be reviewed, and actions taken as needed to maintain timely delivery of research products.  

3.            From one of the Sponsors, the Board will select and place under contract with the Department an administrator to oversee the day to day administrative functions necessary to support the Center.  The Sponsor selected to perform the administrative function will serve under the direction and at the discretion of the Executive Board.  The manager of the administrative functions shall be called the Center Administrator.  The Center Administrator will serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Research Committee.  

4.            Create a technical review panel (TRP) for each research project.  The Chair will direct the lead responsibility of the TRP to the most appropriate Board member Division or Office.  The TRP will include:  a chair from an appropriate Division or Office, and 2 to 6 members from the Department at large who are knowledgeable in the topic area.  The Center Administrator will serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the TRP.  The Sponsor’s Research Committee representative will serve as a non-voting member on each TRP the Sponsor has under contract with the Center.  

5.            Generate request for research proposals, and solicit research proposals.  Four year universities and colleges located in Illinois, whether or not members of the Illinois Transportation Research Center, would be eligible to submit proposals.  

B.         Research Committee  

1.            Membership shall be composed of two members from the Department (of which one member will serve as chair of the committee), one member from each of the Sponsors, and a member from the Federal Highway Administration Division office.  Each Sponsor will appoint a representative to serve on the Research Committee.  Members should have the appropriate technical expertise to represent the interests of the Sponsor.  Each member of the Research Committee shall have one vote.  

2.            Members act as liaisons with the Center to insure that Request for Proposals (RFP’s) are routed to appropriate researchers in a timely fashion, and to bring to the attention of the Center possible research topics that would benefit the Department.  

3.             When appropriate and by direction of the Executive Board, the Research Committee Chair will call together meetings of the Research Committee to conduct needed business, to review proposals from universities and colleges located in the State in response to RFP’s, and recommend a priority of funding to the Executive Board.

4.            The Center Administrator will serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Research Committee and serve as secretary to the committee by maintaining minutes of meetings.  

V.            Administration:

The administration of the Center will be conducted by a Sponsor under contract to the Department.  The administrative functions are detailed below.  

A.            Provide administrative support to the Executive Board, Research Committee, and Technical Review Panels.  

B.           Take action to have payments made against approved invoices covering conduct of approved research and administrative support costs.  

C.           Attend each Executive Board and Research Committee meeting.  Serve as secretary to the Research Committee by taking and maintaining minutes of meetings.  

D.           Bring to the attention of the Executive Board Chair or Research Committee Chair the need for meetings.  

E.           Assist with assembly and distribution of various informational needs of the Center. -  

F.            Submit invoices, with appropriate documentation, to the Department’s Office of Planning and Programming for reimbursement of costs for performing the administrative support of the Center.  

G.           As requested by the Executive Board or Research Committee:  

1.            Solicit research needs from the Sponsors, other universities and colleges in Illinois, industry, and local transportation agencies.  

2.            Meet with Department personnel and others to gather information for the development of requests for proposals.  

3.            Coordinate review of the research proposals, preparing summaries and evaluation of documents as needed.  

4.            Prepare information for contracts to be executed by the Department for the conduct of research.  Contracts will conform to Department and State standards.  

5.            Attend meetings of each project Technical Review Panel (TRP).  

6.            Coordinate submittal, review, and approval of progress reports and invoices for payments.  

7.            Monitor progress and completion schedules.  

8.            Coordinate review of final reports including editing the reports for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and format.  

9.            Prepare accepted final reports for printing, and prepare all documents to close a project.  

10.        Attend meetings and provide project summaries and updates of the Center.  

VI.            Funding:  

Funding for the Center is expected to come from direct State appropriations for research, State administered federal funds for research, private funds received in conjunction with the Center, and Sponsor matching contribution.  

VII.            Termination:  

A Sponsor may withdraw from the Center, upon 30 day written notice to the Executive Board, at its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever.  However, any contractual commitments to complete research must be fulfilled.

 

Notwithstanding the withdrawal of a Sponsor, the remaining Sponsors have the right to continue the Center without the withdrawing Sponsor.  

VIII.            Additional Sponsors:  

Any four-year college or university located in Illinois, private organization, or transportation related agency may petition the Executive Committee to become a Sponsor of the Center.  The petition will be in the form of a written request to the chairperson of the Executive Board.  The petitioner must demonstrate how its participation will be beneficial to the successful continuation of the Center.  The Executive Board will be the sole judge as to the merits of the petition.  A unanimous decision is required for the acceptance of the petitioner.  

IX.            General Provisions:  

A. Relationship of Sponsors.  The Center is neither a unit of government, nor an arm of the State.  Voluntary Sponsorship and participation in the Center activities does not grant authority to any Sponsor to assume or create any obligation on behalf of or in the name of any other Sponsor or the Department.  

B. Expenditure of Transportation Research Funds.  The responsibility to contract for the expenditure of funds appropriated for transportation research is by law, specifically by operation of the “Illinois Highway Code” vested in the Department; therefore, nothing contained in this memorandum shall be construed to, and it does not, create a contract between and among the Sponsors and the Department, a joint venture, a partnership or any agency relationship.  Contracts for research binding the State may be executed only by the  Department in accordance with the law and policy of the Department.  

C. Notice.  Any notice or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be given in writing to each of the other Sponsors.  Written notices of withdrawal by any Sponsor, as required under Section VII, shall be sent via certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  

D. Modification.  No waiver, alteration, or modification of any of the provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding shall be binding upon Sponsors unless in writing and signed by the duly authorized representative of each Sponsor intended to be bound thereby.  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Sponsors have caused this Memorandum of Understanding to be signed and delivered by its duly authorized officer or representative as of the date set forth below.  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

Bradley University                                                                       DePaul University  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

Eastern Illinois University                                                           Illinois Institute of Technology  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

Lewis University                                                                         Northern Illinois University  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

Northwestern University                                                             Southern Illinois University Carbondale

                                                                                                            _________________________________                        _____________________________

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville                                  University of Illinois at Chicago  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign                              Western Illinois University  

__________________________________                        _____________________________

Illinois Department of Transportation                                            Date