Submit Innovative Criteria
A best practice selected to be submitted as an innovative criterion should be considered to be innovative or an emerging technology AND should also be above and beyond regulations, standards and conventional practice. Many criteria within INVEST are results-based, meaning the results are measured rather than the method itself. This is intentional as to allow practitioners ample leeway for obtaining sustainable results. Keep this in mind when determining whether a best practice is indeed innovative.
Above and Beyond refers to best practices that are in addition to what is typically required by standard or regulation, or by conventional practice for similar projects.
Best Practices are sustainable techniques, methods, practice, processes, or materials.
Emerging Technology is a best practice that has not yet been tested and proven effective or feasible for wide-spread adoption or application.
Innovative refers to a new and unique method, practice, or solution that is not already addressed in INVEST. If the points earned by employing the best practice can earn points elsewhere within the existing INVEST criteria, this does not satisfy the definition of innovative.
Sustainable refers to contributing to one or more of the triple bottom line principles.
Rules and Disclaimers
1. Only one topic is allowed per innovative criterion.
2. No sub-requirement scoring is allowed for innovative criteria.
3. Points assigned to innovative criteria must be a whole number, no fractions of points may be used.
4. The table below shows the maximum points per innovative criterion, the maximum innovative criteria allowed per scorecard, and the maximum cumulative points for all innovative criteria for a given scorecard. For example, a PD scorecard may have one three-point innovative criterion or it may have three one-point innovative criteria, or one two-point criterion and one one-point criterion. However, whichever combination of innovative criteria are used, the total of the innovative criteria may not exceed 3 points.
Table. Maximum Points and Innovative Criteria per Scorecard
5. With the submittal of an innovative criterion, FHWA reserves the right to:
a. Share your criterion on the INVEST website. (The agency name will be shared, but name and contact information of the person who submitted the criterion will NOT be shared on the website)
b. Elect to review and provide feedback on your criterion, but is not obligated to do so.
c. Adopt any or all of the innovative criterion into future versions of INVEST.
6. While use of the INVEST website is private, and information about projects/programs and scores is not available to FHWA or other users, if a user selects to submit an innovative criterion, the information provided within that submittal is not considered private. The purpose of this is to ensure that points received for innovations are carefully considered by users and to provide a “forum” for innovative ideas and methods to be shared among transportation practitioners. The scoring for the remainder of the project/program stays private; only the information pertaining to the innovative criterion is shared. Users can choose to share the scoring for their project/program, if desired, through the submittal of a case study or criterion example; go to FHWA’s Case Studies for more information.
