Chapter 3 - Design Controls

3.6. Value Engineering

Value Engineering (VE) is defined as  "the systematic application of recognized techniques by a multi-disciplined team to identify the function of a product or service, establish a worth for that function, generate alternatives through the use of creative thinking, and provide the needed functions to accomplish the original purpose of the project, reliably, and at the lowest life-cycle cost without sacrificing safety, necessary quality, and environmental attributes of the project” (Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 23 Part 627).  

FHWA notes that applying the VE process to suitable projects will help highway agencies to achieve the best overall project value possible. Simply stated, VE is an organized application of common sense and technical knowledge directed at finding and eliminating unnecessary costs in a project (2005).

VE can be applied at any point in the highway development process; however, to obtain maximum effectiveness, FHWA recommends that VE studies be undertaken as early as possible when the impact of decisions (on life-cycle costs) is the greatest. Refer to the FHWA VE website at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ve/index.cfm for additional information on the VE Process and FHWA policies specific to value engineering.