Product Evaluation Home

What We Do & Why We Do It

Transportation related manufactured products are introduced to the Department from a variety of sources. Identified MOT (Maintenance of Traffic) devices, Traffic Operations equipment, hardware and manufactured products related to transportation are processed through the Product Evaluation Section of the State Materials Office, to verify compliance with FDOT Specifications.

Karen Byram: Product Evaluation Administrator, 850-414-4353, Karen.Byram@dot.state.fl.us
Missy Hollis: Product Evaluation Coordinator- Specifications, (850) 414 - 4182, Melissa.Hollis@dot.state.fl.us
Sarah Smith: Product Evaluation Specialist- PATH System Administrator, (850) 414 - 4776, Sarah.Smith@dot.state.fl.us
Product.Evaluation@dot.state.fl.us: Product Evaluation group email

NOTICE: Florida has a broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials are public records that will be disclosed upon request. Do not provide Proprietary Product information or Trade Secrets to our office unless specifically requested. Contact us if you have any questions.

Product Reviews

Below is a brief summary of reviews. Please refer to FDOT Procedures and Manuals, and/or the FDOT Standard Specification for complete details.

The APL exists to show compliance with FDOT specifications and/or to document compliance with Federal Rules. Product Evaluation's review is based on the applicable specification type.

Manufacturers may make many similar products and/or sizes- some of which may be completely domestic, while others may have foreign components/materials. The product review and APL listing will note the valid model, series, and/or sizes.

For Standard Specifications and/or Developmental Specifications (Dev Specs), the product review includes:

The Manufacturer submits an application through the PATH system. Details and help guides are available below.
The Technical Expert reviews the application and supporting documentation for compliance with Spec requirements.
1. Have Producer, Fabricator, and/or Manufacturing Facility "pre-approval" or QA plan requirements been met, per the specifications.
2. Have all documentation requirements, per Section 6 of the specifications (Application, Photos, Installation Instructions, etc.) been provided?
3. Does the product meet all material requirements? A Certification Statement, Test Reports, and/or product samples may be required, as noted in the applicable specification.
Product Evaluation will determine the BABA classification for the specific product(s). Classifications may be consistent within a product type when materials are limited by the specification, or may vary among products when material options exist.
Product Evaluation will assign an APL number to compliant products, valid for any project, unless otherwise noted in the product's comments or limitations.
Field acceptance during Construction, per the applicable specification, may include: Visual inspection, verification of installation according to Manufacturer's Instructions, verification of installation per specification, and/or product sampling.

For Technical Special Provisions (TSPs) or Modified Special Provisions (MSPs), reviews should be in accordance with the applicable FDM and/or Florida Greenbook. Coordinate with the District to determine when an early draft specification is recommended for review purposes- especially for designers seeking a project specific APL number.

District Review: Does the TSP/MSP comply with FDM, Greenbook, and/or other FDOT policy requirements?
Technical Expert Review: Structures, Traffic Ops, Materials, or other offices may need to review to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and FDOT requirements. Technical Experts may also review whether the proposed products meets the TSP, or if alternative products/materials should be considered.
Product Evaluation Review: Project details may be confirmed in PSEE. Related project information, including plan details related to the TSP and/or product may be helpful. Product information, including a manufacturer's website for the product are helpful.
1. Does the product(s) meet the TSP/MSP? Product Evaluation may confirm with the Technical Expert(s) and/or Manufacturer, as needed.
2. What is the BABA classification: Temporary, Aggregate, Iron/Steel, Construction Material, Manufactured Product, other? See FDOT Build America, Buy America (BABA) information below.
3. Is the product BABA compliant? Product Evaluation will confirm with the Manufacturer and/or their website, as needed.
4. The APL number and listing is ONLY valid for the project specific TSP/MSP.
District Specifications and Legal Review: Follow the Specifications Handbook and District Guidance for approval of the final TSP/MSP language.
Field acceptance during Construction, per the applicable specification, may include: Visual inspection, verification of installation according to Manufacturer's Instructions, verification of installation per specification, and/or product sampling.

PATH: Product Application and Tracking History

The PATH System contains the Approved Product List (APL), as well as Manufacturer information and other product history. It is used to track product applications, technical expert reviews, automated reminders, and recertifications.

The following step-by-step guides are available:

Guide	Description
Registration	Creating an ISA (Internet Subscriber Account) and initial PATH account information. This is the starting point for all new manufacturers/distributors and their representative(s).
Password Reset	Resetting ISA password (the PATH login password used by those without an FDOT userID)
Contact Change	Updating your name, phone, email for your ISA account. See the PATH Contact Change for additional fields.
APL Application	Creating an application- the starting point for all new products. Note: For product changes or document updates, see the Product Change instructions below; the process is similar to a new APL application, with the application type in the secondary step selected as "Product Change"
Additional Submittal	Uploading Additional documents (photos, lab reports, safety data sheet, label, or other product literature) for your product application/recertification.
PATH Contact Change	Updating address, phone, and notification preferences used by PATH. Instructions include selection of whether individual is included in correspondence and/or displayed on PATH public pages.
Manufacturer Demographic Change	Update the manufacturer’s name, address, and phone number.
IPL Application	IPL products have been moved to the APL. Please use the APL Application above.
Product Change	Similar to a new "APL Application", the Product Change application creates a new "Product Change" application to update an existing APL product. User may be prompted to upload compliance matrix documentation (test reports, Safety data sheet, label, warranty or other) per the applicable specification. To assist the Technical Expert/Reviewer, add a comment to the application explaining product change(s). Note: Minor product changes will be reviewed for continued compliance with current specifications. Major product changes may result in new APL number being assigned.
Requalification	Similar to a new "APL Application", the Requalification application creates a new "Requalification" application to update an existing APL product. All products must be requalified periodically, per the specification. Updated test reports, photos, samples, and/or compliance matrix documentation may be required for some product types. Users registered for the company will receive an automated reminder 90 and 30 days prior to requalification date.
Product Deficiency Reporting	Report possible deficiencies of any APL product. This may be used by Contractors, Inspectors, Technical Experts, or any member of the public. Contact information, photos, and/or other documentation are requested, but not required. All reported deficiencies will be investigated per the specifications and Product Evaluation procedure.
Unassigned Product Application	This application is used for Products that do not currently have an applicable FDOT specification, including selected research and innovative products. Supporting documentation, including test reports, product data sheets, and/or product photos may be helpful with FDOT’s review by Technical Experts. Contact Product Evaluation for further guidance.
Product Details Form "BABA Form"	This form may be requested for selected product types to help FDOT with documenting a product/product type's BABA classification as Iron/Steel, Manufactured Product, or Construction Material. See below for Build America, Buy America (BABA) information.

FDOT’s Build America, Buy America Compliance

FDOT is required to implement the Build America, Buy America Act, Public Law 117-58. This requires federally funded projects to incorporate only domestically produced iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials into projects.

LAW: Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act, which includes the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) Act, signed November 15, 2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/02/updated-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act/
Federal Register: 2 CFR 184 Buy America Preferences for Infrastructure Projects, published August 23, 2023. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-184?toc=1
Implementation Guidance: The White House, Office of Management and Budget, M-22-11, M24-02 https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/made-in-america/build-america-buy-america-act-federal-financial-assistance/
Temporary Waiver (BABA Implementation Date): Postponed implementation of BABA until November 10, 2022. Projects authorized after this date were subject to BABA rules. This waiver resulted in FDOT's BABA implementation for all projects LET January 1, 2023, and later.
Waiver (Iron and Steel): FDOT- FHWA Buy America statute 23 CFR 635.410 addresses Iron and Steel. Allows for $2500 or 0.1% (greater amount per contract) of foreign steel. "FHWA finds that it is in the public interest to waive the application of Buy America to manufactured products other than iron, steel, and cement manufactured products." For additional FHWA guidance, see https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/buyam_qa.cfm
FDOT-FHWA Florida product eligibility: FDOT will continue to work with FHWA-Florida Division regarding classification of products. See the Approved Product List (APL) on the PATH application for product classification and eligibility information. Updates will be posted as needed to comply with current guidance. See the above FHWA website for current and pending waiver information.

FDOT Implementation: FDOT will comply with all Federal requirements. The following general implementation plan is shown below. See project specific contract documents for complete requirements. See the FDOT BABA Implementation Plan Frequently Asked Questions document for additional implementation plan guidance.

All contracts executed prior to December 31, 2022 will remain unchanged.
For projects let January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, all permanently incorporated materials must have the domestic content identified, per M-22-11. Many products may be exempt with the FHWA Manufactured Products waiver.
For projects let on or after January 1, 2024, the 2 CFR 184 Guidance and M-24-02 are in effect. Many products changed from "Manufactured Products" to "Construction Materials" classification, per the updated Federal guidance. See the APL for product specific classifications.

FDOT Product Documentation: Product eligibility (BABA compliance) will be documented through the APL.

Contractors: See the available products on the APL. Additional products may be submitted for consideration (BABA and specification compliance). Product Evaluation will contact the manufacturer to request necessary documentation.
FDOT Construction Engineers and Inspectors: Document the APL number for all permanently installed products, per MAC (Materials Acceptance and Certification) system instructions.
Manufacturers: All manufacturers are encouraged to review the 2 CFR 184 guidance. Products may be submitted for consideration through the PATH/APL process above. FDOT’s Product Detail form, "BABA Form" may be used to help to determine the appropriate BABA category.

Application System links will open in a new window

PATH Application: APL

Materials Acceptance and Certification System: MAC (Reports menu)

Additional Resources

See below for additional FDOT links, documents, and resources.

Resource	Description
Specifications	The State Specifications Office's specs, including the current e-book, workbook, Developmental Specifications, and more.
TERL	The Traffic Engineering Research Laboratory (TERL) conducts evaluations of transportation devices for listing on the Approved Product List (APL), develops specifications, and implements research projects. Product Compliance Matrices (checklist for specification requirements), Request for Product Consideration form, and additional documentation requirements are available.
Design Publications	Standard Plans, Florida Design Manual, CADD Manual, and other helpful documents from the Office of Design.
Luminaire Compliance Matrices	The Roadway Design Office conducts evaluations of Luminaires, develops specifications, and implements research projects. Product Compliance Matrices for Luminaires include: Conventional, High Mast, Sign, and Wildlife Sensitive.
Contact Database	The Contact Management System/E-Updates is a "self service" area where FDOT, Consultants and others can register for information pertinent to their jobs, including changes to: Specifications, Standards, Manuals, and Bulletins.
Requalification Schedule	The requalification schedule shows the frequency ( 2 to 6 year cycle) and requirements (sample, test report, etc.) for periodic requalification, based on product type. Automated notices are sent to the manufacturer's listed contacts in advance of requalification. Failure to respond to a requalification notice may result in removal of the affected product.
FDOT Approval Letter	Guidance to Manufacturers on the "Use of Certification/ Approval Letter, Department Name, Logo and Mark of Conformity". Includes rights and responsibilities regarding use of FDOT information in documents, brochures, catalogs, web sites, or advertising,