YOUR ROLE as the Lead Agency—Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA)

A lead agency oversees each 

Transportation Pooled Fund 

(TPF) study.

Ensure the TPF study is eligible 

to receive State Planning and 

Research funds.

Develop and post solicitations 

on the TPF Program website and 

monitor statuses.(1)

Develop an initial TPF study scope 

of work.

Submit a request to establish 

the TPF study to the TPF 

program manager for processing 

and approval.

For an FHWA-led TPF study, a designated 

FHWA staff member administers the study 

from start to finish. As the lead agency, FHWA 

submits the project request, solicits partner 

agencies to join and contribute, controls and 

monitors financial commitments, provides 

regular status updates, provides final research 

deliverables, and closes out the study.

LEAD AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develop and submit an acceptance 

letter to the TPF program manager 

that acknowledges their role as study 

lead and willingness to accept funding.

Set up a technical advisory committee 

(TAC) and develop a work statement 

under the TAC’s direction.

Track and control all funding, 

awards, and contracts; monitor 

financial commitments from 

other organizations.
YOUR ROLE

as the Lead Agency—Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA)

LEAD AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Write and post the TPF study’s 

quarterly reports to the TPF study 

web page.

Ensure the work statement includes 

providing final research deliverables. 

Close out the study once all contract 

requirements, claims, payments, and 

awards are completed.

Recommended citation: Federal Highway Administration, 

Your Role as the Lead Agency—Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) (Washington, DC: 2023) 

https://doi.org/10.21949/1521479

Publication No.: FHWA-HRT-24-045

HRTM-10/12-23(WEB)E

REFERENCES

1. National Cooperative Highway Research Program. 

2023. “Transportation Pooled Fund Program Website” 

(website). https://www.pooledfund.org/, last accessed 

September 26, 2023.

2. National Cooperative Highway Research Program. 

2023. “Transportation Pooled Fund—Frequently Used 

Resources” (web page). https://www.pooledfund.

org/Home/FrequentlyUsedResources, last accessed 

September 26, 2023.

3. National Cooperative Highway Research Program. 2023. 

TPF Procedures Manual. Washington, DC: National 

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

4. National Cooperative Highway Research Program. 

2022. TPF Web User Manual. Washington, DC: National 

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

RESOURCES

The TPF Program’s interactive website is a 

great resource.(1)

 Additionally, the website’s 

Frequently Used Resources page houses all 

the relevant manuals and reference sheets.(2)

Further questions can be answered by the TPF 

program manager.(1)

ABOUT THE TPF PROGRAM

FHWA’s TPF Program enables public and 

private entities to pool their funds, expertise, 

and resources to conduct high-priority 

research that solves a wide variety of shared 

transportation problems.

LEARN MORE

For more information on the role of the lead 

agency—FHWA, see the TPF Procedures Manual

and the TPF Web User Manual.

(3,4)

Send a closeout funding spreadsheet 

to the TPF program manager. 

Help finalize the final report 

and summary.