Contractor Information

 

Nebraska Department of Transportation values our partnership with the consultant and contractor community.  We appreciate all that you are doing to assist the Department with providing a safe workplace and the best possible statewide transportation system for the movement of people and goods.

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New Federal Restrictions on Foreign Drones (Effective Dec 22, 2025)

Please see below regarding immediate changes to federal law and policy that impact the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) supported by FHWA funding.

Effective December 22, 2025, the American Security Drone Act of 2023 (ASDA), and OMB Memorandum M-26-02, and FHWA letter “New Federal Restrictions on Foreign Drones” strictly prohibit the use of federal funds for UAS manufactured by covered foreign entities. In alignment with these federal actions, NDOT is extending the ban to all State Projects, regardless of funding source.

What You Need to Know:

  • The Ban: You may no longer procure, operate, or maintain "covered UAS” on or as a part of any NDOT State project
  • What is "Covered”: This includes any aircraft, flight controller, camera, or ground control station supplied by a manufacturer that is based in, or subject to the control of, a foreign adversary country, specifically the People's Republic of China.
  • Effective Date: This prohibition applies to all costs incurred after December 22, 2025

Required Actions:

  1. Stop Procurements: Ensure no pending orders for this equipment will be paid for on any NDOT State project.
  2. Cease Operations: If your existing fleet includes these covered UAS, you must cease their operation, maintenance, or data processing on any NDOT State project.
  3. Segregate Assets: We recommend physically quarantining these devices to prevent accidental use on NDOT projects.

Published on the NDOT website: Monday, April 27th, 2026, revised May 4, 2026

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Notice of Interim Final Rule for USDOT DBE/ACDBE Program Implementation Modifications

 

On October 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued the Interim Final Rule for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in Airport Concessions Program Implementation Modifications (IFR) and guidance memo. Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is a member of the Nebraska Unified Certification Program (UCP) and is designated as the sole certification agency for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE) for USDOT financial assistance programs. 

 

Beginning October 3, 2025, the IFR requires the UCP certifying agency, NDOT, to immediately suspend all disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) goal setting until NDOT has reevaluated DBEs for recertification under the revised certification standard (49 CFR 23.3 & 26.67). 

Until the reevaluation process is completed, DBE goals may not be set on any contracts receiving USDOT financial assistance and entered on or after October 3, 2025. Contracts entered prior to October 3, 2025, generally will be managed according to the terms of the contract.  

 

If a DBE subcontractor is unable to fulfill a contractual obligation made prior to October 3, 2025, the prime contractor may seek approval from NDOT to:

1. Replace the DBE subcontractor with another DBE subcontractor that was certified before October 3, 2025; or

2. Select a non-DBE subcontractor or self-perform the work. In this case the prime contractor will be required to provide the cost-savings to the project owner.  

 

In consultation with and guidance from the Federal Highway Administration, NDOT is actively assessing the regulatory requirements and determining the necessary revisions to the DBE program for compliance with the IFR and will begin the reevaluation process as quickly as practicable (49 CFR 23.81 & 26.111). NDOT will provide more information as it becomes available. 

 

 

Contractor Updates:

 

Bid Letting

Bids for all upcoming lettings will be opened and the bid totals will be read via Webex. The Webex information will be available on the BidX Letting webpage a minimum of 2 days prior to the opening, and can be found by selecting the applicable letting from:  https://www.bidx.com/ne/lettings

 

 

The NDOT maintains an electronic edition of the specifications that can be found at the following address:  Click here 

Purchase the printed version by filling out this form


As NDOT moves to E-Construction, we have been accepting requests for early start, late start, or revised Notice to Proceed dates through email correspondence.  As the next step in pursuing E-construction, we are now issuing Notices to Proceed by attaching a scan of the signed Notice to Proceed letter to an email.  A hard copy of the Notice to Proceed letter will be provided upon request. 

 

PROGRESS ESTIMATE PAYMENTS BEFORE AND AFTER JULY 1
Progress estimates processed and received by the Controller by Friday, June 13, 2025 should be paid during this fiscal year. Progress estimates received after June 13, 2025 will probably not be paid until at least July 2, 2025.

 

 

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