1. FDOT State Specifications & Estimates Office
Generic Pay Items
FDOT State Specifications & Estimates Office
This presentation will present the proper usage of generic pay items for usage on construction and utilities projects. (click)

2. Outline Part 1 Part 2 Definition Rules Roles Processes
Pay Item Structure
Guidance for Trns•port
The GOOD, BAD and UGLY
The outline for this presentation is divided into 2 parts: (click)
Part 1 (click) contains a definition of generic pay items, and covers the (click) rules, (click) roles and (click) processes associated with their usage (click)
Part 2 (click) explains how generic pay items are structured, provides (click) guidance for entering them into Transport and (click) examples of the correct and incorrect way of coding generic pay items called the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. (click)

3. What are Generic Pay Items?
General-use pay items for each design group (component set of plans) that are defined by a pay item supplemental description in the Trns•port system.
A single generic pay item number can be used many times, but only once per project/ proposal; each time it is used the appropriate descriptive information must be included in Trns•port system.
What are Generic Pay Items? (click) Generic pay items are general-use pay items for each design group, or component set of plans, that are defined by a pay item supplemental description on a project by project basis in the Trns•port system. They are intended to support one-time usage pay items or specialty situations where a standard pay item is not available, and for which it is not practical to create a new pay item. (click) A single generic pay item number can be used many times, but only once per project/proposal; each time it is used the appropriate descriptive information must be included in Trns•port system. (click)

4. Why Do We use Generic Pay Items?
To facilitate the use of one-time or limited-use non-standard work items.
To provide more flexibility in Utilities pay item structure.
Why do we use Generic pay items? (click) Generic pay items were developed for the purpose of facilitating the use of one-time or limited-use non-standard work items on a project, and (click) for providing more flexibility in the Utilities pay item structure. (click)

5. Who are our Customers? District/Consultant Designers Contractors
Utility Agencies
Who are our Customers? The primary users of generic pay items are (click) district and consultant designers, (click) contractors, and (click) local utilities agencies. (click)

6. Rules Must not be used if there is an existing pay item.
Must not be used to violate or circumvent standard
pay item and
Not used to trump standard pay items
Exception for Utilities pay items.
Must not be used as a standard means to work-around a pay item that has been rejected for statewide usage by Central Office.
For unique situations, an item rejected for statewide usage may be used as a one-time generic pay item.
There are several rules that must apply to the usage of generic pay items: (click)
Generic pay items must not be used if... (text from slide) (click)
They must not be used to violate ... (text from slide). (click) Generic pay items must not be used to trump standard pay items. (click)
Utilities pay items are an exception to this rule. We will look at examples of how generic pay items can be used for utilities later on.
Generic pay items (click) must not be used as a standard ... (text from slide) (click)
Occasionally, when there is a unique situation and the item is going to be for one-time usage, it may be appropriate to use a generic pay item even if the item has been previously rejected for statewide usage. In these cases, the designer should coordinate with the district estimates office before using a generic pay item. (click)

7. Rules, continued
Must not be used to circumvent the new pay item request process, if the pay item should be opened for statewide usage.
Must be supported by a technical special provision and/or plan details (drawings or notes) that include clear definition of work & payment.
Must be loaded in Trns•port under the appropriate category.
Generic pay items (click) must not be used to circumvent..... (text from slide)
Generic pay items (click) must always be supported by a technical special provision, and/or plan details, which may be drawings or notes. A clear definition of the work and payment must be included in the contract documents. (click)
When generic pay items are loaded into the Transport system, they must be put in the appropriate category. Part 2 of this presentation will have more details on how to include generic pay items in Transport. (click) (click)

8. Roles - Designer The Designer is responsible for:
Determining if a generic pay item is needed.
Developing technical special provision (or ensuring it has been developed).
Ensuring all necessary details are included in the contract documents.
It is important that everyone involved in the pre-letting and post-letting processes understands and fulfills their respective responsibilities regarding generic pay items. Designers, District Estimators and the Project Review Team in Central Office all play a part in the usage of generic pay items. Now let’s look at how these different roles are associated with the usage of generic pay items. (click)
Designers are responsible for (click)
Determining whether a generic pay item is needed or if it would be appropriate to use a standard pay item (click)
Making sure a technical special provision has been developed, and/or the supporting plan details (click)
Making sure all necessary details are included in the contract documents. (click)

9. Roles – District Estimates Staff
District Estimates Staff are responsible for:
Determining if a standard pay item should be requested for statewide usage.
In Trns•port, enter the description, with unit of measure, in the Supplemental Description; enter the quantity and an estimated unit price.
(click) The District Estimates staff are responsible for (click)
Determining if the item is appropriate as a generic pay item, or if a standard pay item should be created for statewide usage (click)
Entering the description of the pay item into Transport, with the appropriate quantity and unit of measure, in the Supplemental Description. We will see an example of this in Part 2 of this presentation. (click)

10. Roles – Project Review Team (CO)
Post-Letting - The Project Review Team is responsible for:
On a quarterly basis, run the Pay Item Future Search report to determine if any generic pay items were used during the previous quarter.
Check for proper details and plan notes in contract documents, including:
The Supplemental Description has been entered in Trns•port, with unit of measure.
Item is in the correct Trns•port category.
Coordinate with responsible design office if usage of a generic pay item is questionable.
The project review team in Central Office will not be involved in any pre-letting review or approval of generic pay items. They will, however, (click) conduct post-letting reviews and are responsible for: (click)
On a quarterly basis, run a Transport report that will list projects with generic pay items that were let in the previous quarter.
If any generic pay items were used, (click) they will check for proper……… including: (click)
The inclusion of an appropriate description of the item and unit of measure in Transport, in the Supplemental Description (click)
and to see if the item is in the correct category in Transport.
If there is a question regarding the proper usage of a generic pay item, (click) they will coordinate with the responsible design office. (click)

11. Processes
District identifies work that is appropriate for a generic pay item, but must not violate the rules
Designer includes all supporting details for the generic pay item in the contract documents
Designer enters item into Trns•port via Designer Interface, and supplies Estimates staff with the pay item supplemental description
To summarize the steps involved in using generic pay items on a project (click)
First, determination will be made as to whether or not a generic pay item is appropriate for the work. All rules for proper usage must be followed. (click)
Next (click), a technical special provision and/or plan notes or drawings must be developed, and must include all supporting details. (click)
Next (click), the designer must enter the generic pay item number, with the appropriate quantity, into Transport via the designer interface. Since designers do not have direct access to Transport software, they cannot enter the description for the project-specific generic pay item. For this reason, they must provide the District Estimates staff with the item’s complete description and unit of measure (click).
The final step (click) is performed by the District Estimates staff, who will enter the description of the generic pay item and the actual unit of measure in the Supplemental Description field in PES. (click)
District Estimates staff loads supplemental description and units into Trns•port

12. Part 2 Generic Pay Item Structure and Guidance for Trns•port
Part2, the Generic Pay Item Structure and Guidance for Trns*port (click)

13. Pay Item Structure & Description
Generic pay items are structured as:
0000-A00-BBB, Example:
A = Design Group/Trns•port Category
B = Sequential number (Note: Zeros are hard-coded; they are NOT blanks.)
The pay item description in Trns•port is named generically, by category work type (Structures for 100, Roadway for 200, etc.):
(click) The Basis of Estimates manual provides a structure for generic pay items. The items are structured as shown in this example (click). There will always be 4 leading zeros, (click) followed by the Transport category letter(A)(click) followed by two trailing zeros (click), then by three sequential numbers(BBB),which would be 1 thru 999
(click) The pay item description in Trns•port is named generically, by category work type (Structures for 100, Roadway for 200, etc.). In this case, a landscape generic pay item would be coded like this (click). Notice, as stated earlier, that there a 4 leading zeroes (click), followed by the category number of 600 (6 is A for the design group for Landscaping) (click)and the sequential number of 1(click) .
Each category has at least 10 generic pay items open for usage. If additional generic items are needed, they can be requested through Central Office Estimates, and will be opened through an expedited process without delay. (click) (click)

14. Supplemental Description & Unit of Measure
The actual unit of measure must be keyed into Trns•port with the project-specific description in the Supplemental Description:
The project specific description will be keyed into Trns•port in the Supplemental Description field by the District Estimates staff.
The default pay item description for a generic pay item (click) is a generic description for the category, as shown in this example, and the default unit of measure is (click) always ZZ. In this example the actual project-specific description and unit of measure will be appended to the generic description when the District Estimates staff enters it into the Supplemental Description field in PES, (click) as Small Tree Trimming per Each as shown.
(click) The project specific description will be keyed into Trns•port in the Supplemental Description field by the District Estimates staff. (click)

15. Generic Pay Item with Defaulted Values
Roadway Design Grp- Generic Pay Item 1
Supplemental Description Field ZZ
When you first create a Generic Pay Item (click) you will get a generic pay item (click) with a defaulted generic description (click) a defaulted unit of measure (click) and a Supplemental Description field (click) which is blank and used to show the actual project-specific description of the generic pay item and unit of measure when coded. (click). (click)

16. Generic Pay Item with Actual Values
(click) By typing in the actual project-specific description and unit of measure,(click) in the Supplemental Description field, gives you the actual description of the generic pay item and actual unit of measure in the Description field when generating a Preliminary Detail Estimate or a Summary of Quantities Report at either Project or Proposal level. The next screen shows the Summary of Quantities Report at the Proposal level (click).

17. Proposal Summary of Pay Items
(click) This is how the Proposal Summary of Pay Item Report will look when the Supplemental Description field is coded with the actual description and unit of measure. A close-up view (click) shows the generic pay item (click), the actual project-specific description (click) its actual unit of measure,(click) the generic unit of measure zz (click) and its final quantity total. (click) (click)

18. Utilities Pay Item Example
Pipe Items (Generic pay item used for specifying pipe size)
(click) This Utility Pay Item example describes pipe sizes that range from 8 inches to 19.9 inches (click). We need a generic pay item of size 10 inches only. Therefore, after the generic pay item has been coded, it should look like this (click) This shows the generic pay item number (click), the actual project-specific description (click), the pipe size and actual unit of measure (click), its generic unit of measure (click) and its original quantity. (click) (click)

19. Utilities Pay Items Example Pipe and Fittings < 8” (Fittings Included)
(Generic pay items used to break out Fittings)
This Utility Pay Item example shows how to break out fittings on items that normally have fittings included as an incidental cost of the pipe (where the pipe sizes are less than 8 inches)(click). Here (click) each fitting has its own generic pay item (click).
(click)

20. Utilities Pay Item Examples Pipe and Fittings ≥ 8” (Fittings NOT Included)
Fittings Items (Generic pay items used to combine Fittings)
This example shows how to combine fittings (elbow, tee and cap/plug) into one pay item (click) when the standard pay item does not include the fittings (where the pipe sizes are greater than or equal to 8 inches). (click)
(click)

21. THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY
FDOT State Specifications & Estimates Office Codings of Generic Pay Items Examples
The next series of examples shows how to code generic pay items and are called:
THE GOOD
THE BAD
The coding of Generic Pay Items. These next 3 examples will show how to apply generic pay items to different types of situations and are called:
(click) THE GOOD (click) THE BAD (click) THE UGLY (click)
THE UGLY

22. THE GOOD
Our first example, we shows how a generic pay item should be correctly coded in a project. This example shows a unique situation where a generic pay item call “Helical Piles” is used on two projects that will be strung together on a Proposal and show how the quantities are rolled up correctly.
Our good example shows a unique situation, where the same generic pay item call Helical Piles” are being used on two different projects and will be strung together to create a Proposal. (click)

23. THE GOOD
Project
This is the correct way to input the generic pay item information for first project as shown, where the pay item number is coded as (click) , the description (click) will show as the Structures Design Group,the defaulted Unit of Measure (click) is shown as ZZ and in the Supplemental Description block (click), we would type in the description for the generic pay item as HELICAL space PILES space hypen space LF (click).

24. THE GOOD
Project
The second project (click) will be coded exactly like the first project except in order for the two generic pay items quantities to roll up in the Summary of Pay Items at the proposal level. The Supplemental Description field must be typed exactly like the first project(click). That is type HELICAL space PILES space hypen space LF (click)

25. THE GOOD
We can now request a Summary of Pay Items report at the project level. This is the Summary of Pay Items report for each project (click) . When we look at the Project’s Summary of Pay Items report for both projects, we see that each of their quantities (of 3029 lf…for the 1st project…(click) and of 348 lf…for the 2nd project..(click) are correct. We can now import the two projects into a Proposal then run a Proposal Summary of Pay Item report at the proposal level to see if the quantities will rolled up into a combined quantity of 3,377 lf (click).

26. THE GOOD
This is the Summary of Pay Item report for the Proposal. Let’s see if the quantities for both projects were rolled up or combined (click). As you can see, there is only one generic pay item number for the two jobs shown (click). The actual project-specific description with its unit of measure is also shown (click). The quantity for the first project…of 3029 lf.. (click) and the quantity for the 2nd project……of..348 lf) (click) combined together for a total of 3,377 lf (click) which is the correct total for the two items.
We know now that this is the correct way of stringing two separate projects together with the same generic pay item in order to roll up both quantities correctly. (click) (click)

27. THE BAD
This example shows when inputting a generic pay item in a project, a description of the generic pay item and an actual unit of measure must be typed in the Supplemental Description block in order for the everyone to know the name or the description of the generic pay item.
The next situation shows what happens when you do not type in the actual project-specific description and unit of measure in the Supplemental Description field and what consequences you would encounter. (click).

28. THE BAD
The Worksheet for a project is shown and the generic pay item is added to the project (click), but the actual project-specific description in
formation for the Supplemental Description was left blank (click).
(click)

29. THE BAD
Even though the actual project-specific description in the Supplemental Description field (shown in this screen) was left blank (click), no errors were shown. The Detail Cost Estimate Report was created and the generic pay item did not show the actual project-specific Description nor the actual Unit of Measure. Even though the generic item is shown on the Detail Cost Estimate as correct, the project would go to letting incorrect and cause problems if not detected because of the missing description and unit of measure for the generic pay item. Let’s look at this result at the Proposal level and see how it was processed. (click)

30. THE BAD
On the Proposal side notice the defaulted Unit of Measure (ZZ) is shown (click), but the actual project-specific description and actual unit of measure is missing (click). This is wrong because since the actual project-specific description and actual unit of measure was not coded in the Supplemental Description field and is missing, if let, the contractor would have problems bidding this pay item.
The solution would be to go back at the project level and type in the pay item’s actual project-specific description and the actual unit of measure in the Supplemental Description field (click) (click)

31. THE UGLY
We will show how when inputting incorrectly the generic pay item of the Helical Piles in our special situation of two projects being strung together can cause havoc on our Proposal Summary Report.
We showed in our first example (THE GOOD) of how to code the two projects correctly that have the same generic pay item and are strung together. In this situation, we will show what happens when they are not coded correctly. (click)

32. THE UGLY Project 552754 Project 552764
Here we string our first project and the 2nd project (click) together. Both projects will be using the same generic pay item called Helical Piles. The 2nd Project, Supplemental Description has mistakably incorrectly typed in the word Helical Pile (click) without the S instead of Helical Piles with the S for its description.
When you combine two or more jobs with the same generic pay item, the descriptions must be typed identical to each other as in word for word and every space or period should be the same.
Lets see what happens when we did not follow the rules (as in this case, Piles vesus Pile which are not typed just exactly alike). (click)

33. The Incorrect Way of Inputting Generic Pay Items
This is how the Proposal Summary of Pay Items would look. Since the description for the Supplemental Descriptions are not exactly alike (word for word and space by space) as in our case (piles and pile). The two generic pay items quantities did roll up (as they should), but created an extra pay item number (click) along with a description and quantity, instead of merging into one pay item number, description and quantity. The first description (click) was called HELICAL PILE and the second description (click) was called HELICAL PILES . This caused our rolled up quantities (click) to double in quantity (6,754 lf instead of 3377 lf) for HELICAL PILES .
So this would give us a very erroneous quantity for the generic pay items if we used this procedure to code the strung projects. We merely need to look at our first example (The Good) to correct this situation. (click)

34. THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION PART TWO FIELD
The Supplemental Description field maximum character length is 40. If the generic pay item description exceeds the limit of 40 characters, we will show you in this next example how to handle this situation.
Another situation is when The Supplemental Description field exceeds its maximum of 40 characters. There is another column called The Supplemental Description Part Two which can be used if more characters are needed. We will show you in this next example how to solve this situation. (click)

35. THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION PART TWO FIELD
In this example, we want to create an actual project-specific description called “ CLEANING & SEALING JOINTS – CONC PAVEMENT – LF (click) which has 46 characters and spaces which exceeds the 40 character limit. I was able to type (click) “cleaning & sealing joints – conc paveme and could not complete the remaining pay description of pavement- lf. (click)
(click)

36. THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION PART TWO FIELD
To complete the actual project-specific description, another column call Supplemental Description Part Two (click) will give us another 40 character field, thus giving a total of 80 characters to be used when coding the description of two columns (Supplemental Description and Supplemental Description Part Two) that are combined together. The following screens will show you how to use the Supplemental Description and Supplemental Description Part Two to code an actual project-specific field that exceeds 40 characters. (click)

37. THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION PART TWO FIELD
We have typed half of the description in the Supplemental Description field (click) and the remaining half in the Supplemental Description Part Two field. (click)

38. THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION PART TWO FIELD
By using the Supplemental Description Part Two field, which also has 40 characters in its field. We can complete the actual project-specific description.
The complete description is now shown in its completeness, as seen above. (click)

39. Quality Control
District assumes all responsibility for proper usage of generic pay items; no approvals from CO will be required.
No Quality Control reviews will be performed by Central Office.
For Quality Control, the Districts (click) assume all responsibility for proper usage of generic pay items. No approvals from Central Office will be required, and (click) no Quality Control reviews will be performed by Central Office.

40. Quality Assurance
Quarterly post-letting review of generic pay items will be performed by Project Review team in CO:
Supplemental Description, with Units, has been entered in Trns•port
Proper documentation exists
Responsible Design Offices (CO) may be consulted to verify appropriate usage.
Quality assurance reviews will be conducted (click) by central office each quarter for projects that were let in the previous quarter. The Project Review Team (click) will verify that Transport contains an accurate actual project-specific description, with an accurate unit of measure coded in the Supplemental Description field, and that the item was placed in the correct category. They will also check(click) for the inclusion of complete and proper documentation of the generic pay items in the contract package. If there is any question regarding the appropriate usage of the generic item, (click) the Project Review team in the Central Office will consult with the responsible design office for further direction. (click)

41. Generic Pay Item Guidance
Guidelines for usage of generic pay items are included in the Basis of Estimates manual (BOE).
Guidelines for usage of generic pay items are included in the Basis of estimates manual (BOE). (click)

42. Generic Pay Items Summary
Generic pay items are a good tool for unique pay item issues.
Districts are encouraged not to misuse these pay items.
Definition
Rules
Roles
Process
Generic Pay Item Structure
Utilities Pay Item Examples
Generic Pay Item Examples
THE SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION FIELD and
QC/QA
I have talked about:
Definition
Rules
Roles
Process
Generic Pay Item Structure
Utilities Pay item Examples
Generic Pay Item Examples
The Supplemental Description Field and
QC/QA
Generic pay items are a good tool for unique pay item issues…………………………………..
The key in coding generic pay items to a project is to always pay close attention to the Supplemental Proposal Descriptions field. This field has to be typed with an actual description of the pay item and an actual unit of measure, if not, problems will occur down the line because no pay item description nor unit of measure will be shown anywhere in the Project(s), Proposal(s) or Report(s). 

43. THE END
The END 