Have you heard of AASHTOWare Project™ (AWP)?

It’s a data management system created by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Many transportation departments nationwide use AWP modules.

These modules create a single source of data for construction projects. This data can also be utilized for a variety of other analytical purposes throughout the agency.

AWP is a database management system at its core. It is modern and efficient. It is updated regularly with the latest compatibility. Most importantly, it is one source of truth and easily accessible for numerous reports and data usage. AWP will replace a large number of our current data storage systems to consolidate the information in one location.

But what is APOST?

The AASHTOWare Project One Source of Truth (APOST) is implementing the AWP Construction & Materials™ (C&M) and AWP Civil Rights & Labor™ (CRL) modules. This allows us to assimilate multiple systems into one unified database. It creates a consistent, integrated view of the construction contracting process and facilitates various reporting requirements. With AWP, we will have one source for data that extends from estimation and pre-construction (already implemented) through project final acceptance.

AWP allows the simplification of our business and management reporting. In addition, it replaces aging databases with a current data management system. AWP supports the programs required for construction and civil rights tracking. It ends the division of data into multiple systems.

We’ve chosen the coyote as our unofficial mascot for APOST. It’s a very common animal throughout North America. Still, that may seem like an unusual choice. We saw one trait in coyotes that set them apart.

First, let’s look at another native of the Pacific Northwest. The marbled murlet is an endangered bird. It lives in old growth forests and lays only one egg per year. These forests have become increasingly fragile due to human and natural environmental causes. The eggs are exposed to predators. As a result of its rigid nesting pattern, the marbled murlet is unable to adjust and is facing extinction.

On the other hand, the coyote is the most adaptable animal in North America. Coyotes quickly and successfully adjust to every element that could affect breeding, diet, and social dynamics. Not only do they survive, coyotes flourish in any setting whether it is wild, rural, or populated neighborhoods.

The coyote thrives because it literally will adapt to every condition required. And that’s the reason we chose the coyote. There will always be change. Which would you rather be?