 Imagine what you would be missing at your favorite restaurant if you told the chef exactly how to prepare your meal. Rather than relying on your own knowledge of fine cooking, of course you allow him to use his. Which is exactly what we automatically do when we place our lives in the hands of the pilots each time we board an airplane, or the doctor in an operating room. Giving knowledgeable professionals the freedom to use their expertise in cases like these is an ideal we pretty much take for granted. Now take that same general concept and apply it to our nation's highway system. Imagine allowing contractors the flexibility to use their expertise to meet project performance goals, delivering an end product that improves safety, mobility, and reduces cost with faster completion. As part of a pilot project that included five and a half miles of roadway and the replacement of two bridges, Michigan put performance contracting to the test with impressive results. I would strongly encourage doing one. I think it worked wonderful. We've got a lot of good ideas, a lot of good innovations come out of it. I think DOT MDOT is looking at it for the future, looking at others. This project, the first highways for life initiative in Michigan, used performance contracting to get the job done right. How? It's all about performance. It's telling the contractor what you want, not how to do it. It's goal oriented, best value driven, and rewards better than minimum outcomes. Now that's a better way to do business. Now that we're almost done with it, we're very happy with the way that everything's gone. We've had a great success up to this point and we plan on within the next two weeks, like I said, being done and having a successful project here. The Michigan project will promote safety, improve traffic flow, and enhance ride quality for motorists for many years to come. Just goes to show how a little innovation, goals that are clearly defined by the owner and contractor flexibility can make a big difference. For more information on performance contracting and how this innovative approach can make a difference in your area, contact the Federal Highway Administration and Highways for Life, or visit their website.