What is The Road Authority and why should my company be a member?
What is the "A" designation, and do my products need it?
What are the Pre-Qualified Products Lists, and why should my products be listed?
What is the process to become a member of The Road Authority?
What is the process to submit my products for OPS-PMC product classification to be considered for an "Accepted for Use" designation (and get the "A" classification)?
What is the process to get on a Pre-Qualified Products List?
What is The Road Authority and why should my company be a member?
The Road Authority ("TRA") is a Web site and database showcasing products and services available for use in Ontario for public right-of-way infrastructure - including roads, watermains, sewer systems, traffic signals and signs, etc. The site brings together businesses offering these products and services with the municipal and provincial governments who use them, as well as engineering consultants providing services to them. In addition to having a directory to find products, governments benefit by sharing information.
TRA is owned and maintained by the Ontario Good Roads Association ("OGRA"), a non-profit organization supporting Ontario’s public sector. The web site is used as a resource tool by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and local municipalities across the province.
For businesses, benefits of TRA membership include a public profile on the popular web site, used by jurisdictions across Ontario as well as industry professionals to look up available products, the opportunity to submit pre-qualification applications for review by the Ontario Provincial Standards’ Products Management Committee ("OPS-PMC") and the means to request placement on approved products listings including the MTO’s lists of Designated Sources of Material ("DSM") once the OPS-PMC grants an "Accepted for Use" ("A") designation.
TRA does not approve or accept products, but it does provide information on provincial and municipal pre-qualified products lists and provides application tools for the OPS-PMC and municipal product review committees to utilize in their processes.
Some Ontario jurisdictions require membership in The Road Authority – and often an "Accepted for Use" designation from the OPS-PMC – as a means of ensuring the quality of the products they use and to manage the risk involved with procurement from new sources. Mandatory TRA membership also puts an onus on the product sponsor to verify company and product details at least annually upon renewal of their TRA membership, thereby reducing the jurisdiction’s cost of maintaining product lists and ensuring accurate information.
What is the "A" designation, and do my products need it?
In Ontario, the Ontario Provincial Standards ("OPS") organization sets recognized standards for construction and materials within the province. To support procurement activities of governments in the province, OPS created a Products Management Committee ("OPS-PMC") to review products, compare them to recognized standards and evaluate their applicability for Ontario jurisdictions.
The "Accepted for Use" designation (symbolized by a green "A" icon beside the product name) indicates that a product has been reviewed by the OPS-PMC and meets established criteria to be recommended as acceptable for use in Ontario.
The "A", as it is commonly referred to, is a pre-requisite to doing business with the Province of Ontario and placement on MTO’s pre-qualified products listing (the "DSM").
Local governments in Ontario also refer to the "A" as a contributing factor in their decision-making processes. Since every jurisdiction in Ontario makes its own decisions on what products to use, there is no uniform process for municipalities to accept products into their pre-qualified products lists. The "A" designation from OPS-PMC does not require a municipality to place a product on their list. However, the "A" does strengthen the case for the product, and in some cases, such as the Region of Durham, local governments have made the "A" one of the pre-requisites to being placed on their lists.
Other municipalities, especially smaller ones that do not have the resources to manage their own pre-qualified products lists and to review products, rely purely on the lists published by the MTO or other municipalities, as well as The Road Authority and the products listed with an "A".
What are the Pre-Qualified Products Lists, and why should my products be listed?
Pre-qualified products lists are the official lists of products approved by governments for use in constructing public right-of-way infrastructure within their jurisdiction. These lists are provided to contractors and project co-ordinators for reference when products need to be purchased. The manufacturers listed, with their specific products and model numbers, provide exact listings of what the jurisdiction permits to be used.
Some of these lists are published on The Road Authority, providing an online window for products and service providers to see what is currently permitted for use in those jurisdictions.
Having their products included on these pre-qualified products lists is therefore a means for manufacturers and distributors to increase their business in Ontario with all levels of government in the province.
What is the process to become a member of The Road Authority?>
For new registrants, TRA membership begins by registering on the Web site (www.roadauthority.com) and entering the organization name and initial details. Upon doing so, you will see a series of screens that will allow you to create your company "profile", and within that, "product profiles". These profiles are the listings that will be shown publicly on TRA.
Profiles will be made public on TRA following receipt of an annual membership fee of $360 (plus HST). New registrants will be contacted shortly after submitting the online registration details. Payment may be made by credit card for same-day activation, or by cheque. Companies are contacted each year to renew their membership. Membership renewal includes a requirement to verify the accuracy of both the company’s profile and their product profiles to ensure information on the website remains up-to-date.
Corporate membership in the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) also entitles you to a TRA membership. For more information on OGRA membership please contact OGRA at www.ogra.org or 289-291-6472 or info@roadauthority.com.
Former members who have allowed their profile to lapse may re-activate their profile by contacting TRA and paying the annual fee, plus a $50 administrative fee.
For questions or assistance related to the TRA registration and payment process, please call TRA at 905-459-9200.
What is the process to submit my products for OPS-PMC product classification to be considered for an "Accepted for Use" designation (and get the "A")?
The first step is to ensure that you have completed and saved the product profile for the product in question. This includes identifying any applicable product categories, and recognized standards that the product meets. The TRA database includes references to ASTM, AWWA, CSA, MTO, OPS and other standards.
Once the product’s details are complete, you can begin the application process. Click on the "Pre-Qualification Application" link for the product. This application is what will be submitted to the Ontario Provincial Standards - Products Management Committee. Follow the steps to complete the details the application requests.
If you are looking to do business with any specific municipalities or if you know of a municipal or MTO product list that you wish to be listed on (as found in the "Pre-Qualified Products Lists" section of the TRA site), you may want to add those under Step 3 of the application. These lists can be searched by keyword or list number.
The application will also allow you to upload documents certifying the standards that your product meets and any testing or evaluations conducted on the product. Upload all supporting documentation (in PDF, DOC, or JPG format) for the standards, such as a verification from a third-party agency or lab noting that a standard has been met. In particular, include documentation for the standards specifically referenced at the top of any pre-qualified products list you wish to be added to.
If your product is in use by public owners or road authorities in Ontario or another province or state them under "Evaluating Agencies" and attach any documentation or correspondence (in PDF, DOC, or JPG format) from these jurisdictions expressing approval or acceptability of the product.
For assistance and advice in completing the OPS-PMC product pre-qualification application, contact the TRA at 905-459-9200.
After you submit the application, it will be sent to the OPS-PMC committee co-ordinator to be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. Meetings are usually held monthly. If everything is in order, they may make a decision at that meeting. If they need more information, they will ask for it and would re-consider the product at a subsequent meeting, once the information is received.
For assistance and advice in completing the OPS-PMC product pre-qualification requirements, contact the TRA at 905-459-9200.
What is the process to get on a Pre-Qualified Products List?
Each Ontario jurisdiction has its own policies for approving products for their Pre-Qualified Products Lists. There is no single process for a product to be pre-qualified for all jurisdictions across the province.
The MTO requires all products to be listed on The Road Authority before MTO begins its own independent review process for DSM listing. Upon completion of the MTO review product process, the products are placed on the PMC agenda for review and classification.
Local governments each have their own processes. Some municipalities require TRA membership and product listing as a pre-requisite. Larger municipalities with sufficient resources have a formal product review committee complete with their own review processes and procedures. Some municipalities do not have formal procedures but rely heavily on the MTO’s DSM and the OPS-PMC "A" designation. The Region of Durham requires products to have an OPS-PMC designation before receiving a product application. For contact information for individual municipalities, contact the OGRA at 289-291-6472.