Agency TRANSPORTATION DEPT

Contractor Montana State University

SWIFT Contract Number 187813

Project Name Understanding the NaCl Phase Diagram

Project Number (if applicable) 1044527

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: The sodium chloride phase diagram is a visual representation of the behavior of NaCl solutions across a range of temperatures and salt concentrations. Winter maintenance practitioners are primarily concerned with the portion of the
phase diagram where ice is formed. The NaCl phase diagram shows a familiar process: salt depressing the freezing point of
ice. However, there has been some confusion regarding the portion of the diagram to the right of the eutectic point. In brine
solutions with salt concentrations beyond the eutectic point, salt precipitate and ice begin to form in the solution as the
temperature drops. Practitioners are unclear as to whether spraying a supersaturated brine can cause roads to become more
slippery under certain circumstances.
Therefore, the goals of this project were to provide winter maintenance practitioners with a better understanding of the
sodium chloride phase diagram and of how brines with salt concentrations higher or lower than the eutectic point of 23.3%
will behave on the roadway.

Project Duration

Start Date Thu, 01/07/2021 - 00:00

Original end date Mon, 01/31/2022 - 00:00

Actual end date Thu, 06/30/2022 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? No

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $100000.00

Amendments {Empty}

Contract total $100000.00

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? TH

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Sindt,Matthew George

Evaluator Email Address Matthew.Sindt@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness Contractor's timeliness met expectations

Evaluate the contractor's quality Contractor's quality met expectations

Evaluate the contractor's cost Contractor's cost met expectations

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance good

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): {Empty}

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 5 - very satisfied