What is the APL?
Working in the construction industry you may have heard the term APL. But what is the APL?
The APL is the Approved Product List (called the Qualified Product List/QPL in some states) utilized by state Department of Transportation (DOT) to expedite the product selection process. All products on the list have been reviewed by the DOT and achieve all DOT specifications for that product category. These categories range from concrete and asphalt, to pedestrian safety and roadway safety. It allows contractors to select products for jobs knowing that they have been pre-approved by the DOT for all performance specifications. In addition to allowing the contractor to select approved products, the APL serves as a one-stop shop for the user to quickly view the features and benefits of potential products.
Why Do We Care?
As an end-user, the APL is a great tool to ensure your project with the DOT goes as smoothly as possible. By selecting products to use from the APL/QPL, the user knows all DOT specifications will be achieved.
But what about the benefit to the product manufacturer? As a product manufacturer, the APL is a great way to grow your product sales and illustrate the benefits of the product. Each product on the APL must undergo a comprehensive review of features and benefits,as well as the safety sheets and technical
data sheets. This includes comprehensive laboratory testing on each product to verify the DOT specifications are met. By getting a product on the APL, the manufacturer has the confidence from the DOT and the end-user that their product will perform to expectation. Most states will only allow products from the APL to be utilized on DOT projects, so it is important for manufacturers to go through the APL application process to be able to work on any DOT projects.
So how does the APL application process work? The next article will go over the standard APL process for most states including the testing required.
