When working on a commercial development project, keeping underground facilities in mind from the start can help your project run smoothly and aid in overall damage prevention. One of the ways you can plan ahead is by utilizing a Non-excavation Ticket through Gopher State One Call (GSOC).
There are four types of Non-excavation Tickets: Owner Inquiry Request, Non-excavation Ticket, Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket, and Boundary Survey. This blog focuses on the use of the Non-excavation Ticket. This type of ticket can be submitted to request on-site facility markings or a map of underground facilities* during the design phase of a project when there is no imminent intent to dig. Facility operators then have 15 working days to respond by performing an actual field locate at the job site and/or providing maps or diagrams of the facilities.
Having facilities marked or identified via maps at this phase allows planning teams, which may include engineers, architects, surveyors, planners, or a person soliciting bids or entering into a contract for future excavation, to plan with and/or around existing underground facilities or work with utility companies on design and relocation before excavation begins. This can frequently reduce redesign costs and construction cost overruns, as well as reduce the risk of damage to existing utilities.
Considering using a Non-excavation Ticket for project planning? Here are five common questions about the Non-excavation Ticket type to help you get started.
Who typically submits a Non-excavation Ticket?
Development companies or agencies planning large-scale projects, such as commercial buildings, schools, housing developments or roadways, will often submit a Non-excavation Ticket early in the design phase. These teams then use the facility information to impact the design of their project or use as a reference in talking with utility companies about their plans. For applicable projects, the information obtained may then be used in submitting the final drawing used for the bid or contract per MN State Statutes 216D.04 subdivision 1A(a), (c) and (d).
If I submitted a Non-excavation Ticket during the design phase, do I need to submit a locate request when I’m planning to excavate?
Yes. A Non-excavation Ticket should only be filed when there is no immediate intent to dig. Once there is an intent to dig, a locate request must be submitted prior to excavation, even if facilities were marked previously for the Non-excavation Ticket.
What if I just want to know what facilities are in the general area of the planned project?
This would be an Owner Inquiry (Information) Request. Owner Inquiry Requests are used when a planning team is looking to obtain a list of underground facility owners and contact phone numbers but do not yet require information on the size, type, or approximate general location of facilities. Owner Inquiry Requests cannot be processed online — only over the phone.
Owner Inquiry Requests are not a formal notice and are not furnished to facility operators. When an Owner Inquiry Request is submitted, the GSOC team will process the request and provide a list — either by phone or email — of underground facilities that are in the area, along with the facility owner contact information.
How can I submit a Non-excavation Ticket?
A Non-excavation Ticket can be filed through GSOC over the phone by calling either 8-1-1 or 651-454-0002, or by submitting a ticket online.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions about using a Non-excavation Ticket for planning projects?
GSOC is here to help. Contact our Customer Support team at 651-681-7326 or send us an email at customersupport@gopherstateonecall.org.
*Please note that facility operators may decide how they choose to respond to a Non-excavation Locate Request. These responses may include markings in the field or to providing maps or diagrams that identify facilities or they may make other arrangements to provide information.