Methods and apparatus for assessing locate request tickets

Abstract

Locate and/or marking operations involve detecting and/or marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. One or more attributes of a locate and/or marking operation requested in a locate request ticket are assessed to provide one or more ticket assessment outcomes. Ticket information is obtained from the locate request ticket at least in part by parsing the locate request ticket. One or more business rules are applied to at least some of the ticket information to generate the ticket assessment outcome(s) for the attribute(s) of the locate and/or marking operation. The ticket assessment outcome(s) is/are transmitted and/or stored so as to facilitate clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching a locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.

1 . An apparatus for assessing at least one attribute of a locate and/or marking operation requested in a locate request ticket, the locate and/or marking operation comprising detecting and/or marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one communication interface;   at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one memory and the at least one communication interface, wherein, upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor:
 A) obtains ticket information from the locate request ticket at least in part by parsing the locate request ticket; 
 B) applies one or more business rules to at least some of the ticket information to generate at least one ticket assessment outcome for the at least one attribute; and 
 C) controls the at least one communication interface to transmit, and/or controls the at least one memory to store, the at least one ticket assessment outcome so as to facilitate clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching at least one locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation, based at least in part on the at least one ticket assessment outcome. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in A), in parsing the locate request ticket, the at least one processor:
 A1) identifies an origin of the locate request ticket;   A2) identifies one or more parsing rules based at least in part on the identified origin of the locate request ticket; and   A3) applies the identified one or more parsing rules to the locate request ticket.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the origin of the locate request ticket is a one-call center that generated the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further:
 D) creates a parsed ticket having a standard format comprising a plurality of fields for storing at least some of the obtained ticket information.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein in D), the at least one processor further:
 D1) identifies at least one information element in the locate request ticket;   D2) transforms the at least one information element into at least one transformed information element in conformance with at least one standard representation;   D3) identifies at least one field in the parsed ticket corresponding to the at least one information element; and   D4) populates the at least one field with the at least one transformed information element.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one information element is at least one alphanumeric character string, and wherein the at least one transformed information element is at least one transformed alphanumeric character string. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute is selected from a group consisting of: scope, location, complexity, time, risk, resource, and value. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one location attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the obtained ticket information in A) comprises first and second location information that are inconsistent with each other, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor further:
 B1) identifies a first confidence level associated with the first location information;   B2) identifies a second confidence level associated with the second location information; and   B3) selects one of the first and second location information based at least in part on the first and second confidence levels.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the obtained ticket information in A) comprises first and second location information, the first location information being ambiguous, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor further uses the second location information to refine the first location information. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first location information comprises at least one incomplete street address and the second location information comprises a plurality of geospatial coordinates, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor refines the first location information at least in part by determining one or more candidate house numbers for the incomplete street address based on the plurality of geospatial coordinates. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one attribute comprises at least one scope attribute;   in B), the at least one assessment outcome comprises a number and/or type of at least one facility to be located during the locate and/or marking operation; and   the number and/or type of the at least one facility facilitates clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching the at least one locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information obtained in A), at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieves at least one facilities map based at least in part on the work site location;   B3) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information obtained in A), one or more boundaries of the dig area; and   B4) compares the one or more boundaries of the dig area to the at least one facilities map to identify the at least one underground facilities type to be located and/or marked during the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises a plurality of coordinates specifying at least one polygon corresponding to the dig area, and wherein, in B3), the one or more boundaries of the dig area are identified using at least some of the coordinates specifying the at least one polygon. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises at least one virtual white lines (VWL) image comprising at least one dig area indicator delimiting the dig area, and wherein in B3), the one or more boundaries of the dig area are identified based at least in part on the at least one dig area indicator. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one scope attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one characteristic of the dig area. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the dig area is selected from a group consisting of: size, shape, depth, and boundaries. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises at least one virtual white lines (VWL) image comprising at least one dig area indicator delimiting the dig area, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor generates the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the at least one dig area indicator and geospatial metadata associated with the at least one VWL image. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises a description of the dig area, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor further:
 B1) recognizes at least one keyword in the description of the dig area associated with at least one landmark;   B2) identifies a location of the at least one landmark; and   B2) generates the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the location of the at least one landmark.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises excavation information regarding the excavation activities, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor generates the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the excavation information. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies at least one reason for the excavation activities based at least in part on the excavation information; and   B2) generates the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the at least one reason for the excavation activities.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies at least one method of excavation based at least in part of the excavation information; and   B2) generates the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the at least one method of excavation.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) retrieves contractual information pertaining to at least one contract between a locate service provider and at least one other entity, under which contract the locate service provider is to perform at least part of the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifies at least one billing method based at least in part on the ticket information in A) and the contractual information; and   B3) applies the at least one billing method to generate the at least one value estimate.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the locate request ticket is a first locate request ticket, and wherein, in B2), the at least one processor:
 B4) identifies a service type associated with the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the ticket information;   B5) determines, based at least in part on the service type, whether the first locate request ticket is a duplicate ticket of a second locate request ticket; and   B6) if it is determined that the first locate request ticket is a duplicate ticket, uses the contractual information to identify a corresponding billing method.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate that is a function of at least one environmental condition, wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from a group consisting of: weather and traffic. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate, and wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) generates, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one of a scope assessment outcome, a complexity assessment outcome, a time assessment outcome, a risk assessment outcome and a resource assessment outcome; and   B2) generates the at least one value estimate based at least in part on at least one of the scope assessment outcome, the complexity assessment outcome, the time assessment outcome, the risk assessment outcome and the resource assessment outcome.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one time attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one deadline by which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one time attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one duration estimate for at least a portion of the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) determines an average duration for a plurality of previously completed tickets having a same characteristic as the locate request ticket; and   B2) generates the at least one duration estimate based at least in part on the average duration for the plurality of previously completed tickets.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the same characteristic comprises a number of different underground facilities types indicated in the plurality of previously completed tickets and the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the same characteristic comprises a selected type of underground facility indicated in the plurality of previously completed tickets and the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one underground facilities type to be located during the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifies at least one adjustment associated with the at least one underground facilities type; and   B3) applies the at least one adjustment to the at least one duration estimate.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one complexity designation for the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifies at least one scaling factor associated with the at least one complexity designation; and   B3) scales the at least one duration estimate using the at least one scaling factor.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) determines, based at least in part on the ticket information in A) and contractual information pertaining to at least one contract between a locate service provider and at least one other entity, under which contract the locate service provider is to perform at least part of the locate and/or marking operation, whether billing for the locate and/or marking operation is based on units of work performed;   B2) if it is determined that billing for the locate and/or marking operation is based on units of work performed, estimates a number of units of work to be performed during the locate and/or marking operation; and   B3) scales the at least one duration estimate based at least in part on the estimated number of units of work to the performed.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one service type associated with the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifies at least one scaling factor associated with the at least one service type; and   B3) scales the at least one duration estimate using the at least one scaling factor.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one resource attribute, and wherein the at least one assessment outcome comprises identification of at least one piece of equipment for use in performing the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieves at least one facilities map based at least in part on the work site location; and   B3) identifies the at least one piece of equipment based at least in part on the at least one facilities map.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A) at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieves historical ticket information regarding at least one previously completed ticket within a threshold distance of the at least one work site location; and   B3) identifies the at least one piece of equipment based at least in part on the historical ticket information.   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein, in B3), the at least one processor:
 B4) determines, based at least in part on the historical ticket information, whether defective trace wires are likely present at the at least one work site location; and   B5) if it is determined that defective tracer wires are likely present, identifies at least one piece of locating equipment capable of detecting underground objects notwithstanding the defective tracer wires.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) determines, based at least in part on the at least one work site location, whether a manhole is likely present at the work site; and   B3) if it is determined that a manhole is likely present, identifies at least one device for facilitating manhole cover removal for use during the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one resource attribute, and wherein the at least one assessment outcome comprises identification of at least one technician skill requirement for performing the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one technician skill requirement is selected from a group consisting of: experience level, short term performance level, long term performance level, certification, and security clearance. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one complexity designation for the locate and/or marking operation; and   B2) identifies the at least one technician skill requirement based at least in part on the at least one complexity designation.   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) identifies, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one risk designation for the locate and/or marking operation; and   B2) identifies the at least one technician skill requirement based at least in part on the at least one risk designation.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in C), the at least one processor:
 C1) creates at least one work order having a standard format comprising at least one first field and at least one second field, the at least one first field for storing at least some of the ticket information in A) and the at least one second field for storing the at least one ticket assessment outcome.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in B), the at least one processor:
 B1) determines, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), whether the locate request ticket is a project ticket;   B2) if it is determined that the locate request ticket is a project ticket, identifies a plurality of locate and/or marking operations requested in the locate request ticket;   B3) generates, for each locate and/or marking operations, a corresponding assessment outcome for the at least one attribute; and   B4) creates, for each locate and/or marking operation, a corresponding work order having at least one field for storing the corresponding assessment outcome for the at least one attribute.   
     
     
         47 . In a system comprising at least one processor, at least one memory, and at least one communication interface, a method for assessing at least one attribute of a locate and/or marking operation requested in a locate request ticket, the locate and/or marking operation comprising detecting and/or marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
 A) obtaining ticket information from the locate request ticket at least in part by parsing, via the at least one processor, the locate request ticket;   B) applying one or more business rules to at least some of the ticket information, via the at least one processor, to generate at least one ticket assessment outcome for the at least one attribute; and   C) transmitting via the at least one communication interface, and/or storing in the at least one memory, the at least one ticket assessment outcome so as to facilitate clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching at least one locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation, based at least in part on the at least one ticket assessment outcome.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein, in A), parsing the locate request ticket further comprises:
 A1) identifying an origin of the locate request ticket;   A2) identifying one or more parsing rules based at least in part on the identified origin of the locate request ticket; and   A3) applying the identified one or more parsing rules to the locate request ticket.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the origin of the locate request ticket is a one-call center that generated the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 D) creates a parsed ticket having a standard format comprising a plurality of fields for storing at least some of the obtained ticket information.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein D) further comprises:
 D1) identifying at least one information element in the locate request ticket;   D2) transforming the at least one information element into at least one transformed information element in conformance with at least one standard representation;   D3) identifying at least one field in the parsed ticket corresponding to the at least one information element; and   D4) populating the at least one field with the at least one transformed information element.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one information element is at least one alphanumeric character string, and wherein the at least one transformed information element is at least one transformed alphanumeric character string. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute is selected from a group consisting of: scope, location, complexity, time, risk, resource, and value. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one location attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the obtained ticket information in A) comprises first and second location information that are inconsistent with each other, and wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying a first confidence level associated with the first location information;   B2) identifying a second confidence level associated with the second location information; and   B3) selecting one of the first and second location information based at least in part on the first and second confidence levels.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the obtained ticket information in A) comprises first and second location information, the first location information being ambiguous, and wherein B) comprises:
 B1) using the second location information to refine the first location information.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the first location information comprises at least one incomplete street address and the second location information comprises a plurality of geospatial coordinates, and wherein B1) comprises:
 B2) determining one or more candidate house numbers for the incomplete street address.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein:
 the at least one attribute comprises at least one scope attribute;   in B), the at least one assessment outcome comprises a number and/or type of at least one facility to be located during the locate and/or marking operation; and   the number and/or type of the at least one facility facilitates clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching the at least one locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieving at least one facilities map based at least in part on the work site location;   B3) identifying one or more boundaries of the dig area; and   B4) comparing the one or more boundaries of the dig area to the at least one facilities map to identify the at least one underground facilities type to be located during the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises a plurality of coordinates specifying at least one polygon corresponding to the dig area, and wherein, in B3), the one or more boundaries of the dig area are identified using at least some of the plurality of coordinates specifying the at least one polygon. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises at least one virtual white lines (VWL) image comprising at least one dig area indicator delimiting the dig area, and wherein in B3), the one or more boundaries of the dig area are identified based at least in part on the at least one dig area indicator. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one scope attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one characteristic of the dig area. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the dig area is selected from a group consisting of: size, shape, depth, and boundaries. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises at least one virtual white lines (VWL) image comprising at least one dig area indicator delimiting the dig area, and wherein B) comprises generating the at least one ticket assessment outcome based at least in part on the at least one dig area indicator and geospatial metadata associated therewith the at least one VWL image. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises a description of the dig area, and wherein B) comprises:
 B1) recognizing at least one keyword in the description of the dig area associated with at least one landmark;   B2) identifying a location of the at least one landmark; and   B2) generating the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the location of the at least one landmark.   
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the ticket information in A) comprises excavation information regarding the excavation activities, and wherein B) comprises generating the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the excavation information. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying at least one reason for the excavation activities based at least in part on the excavation information; and   B2) generating the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the at least one reason for the excavation activities.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying at least one method of excavation based at least in part of the excavation information; and   B2) generating the at least one characteristic of the dig area based at least in part on the at least one method of excavation.   
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate, and wherein B) comprises:
 B1) retrieving contractual information pertaining to at least one contract between a locate service provider and at least one other entity, under which contract the locate service provider is to perform at least part of the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifying at least one billing method based at least in part on the ticket information in A) and the contractual information; and   B3) applying the at least one billing method to generate the at least one value estimate.   
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the locate request ticket is a first locate request ticket, and wherein B2) comprises:
 B4) identifying a service type associated with the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the ticket information;   B5) determining, based at least in part on the service type, whether the first locate request ticket is a duplicate ticket of a second locate request ticket; and   B6) if it is determined that the first locate request ticket is a duplicate ticket, using the contractual information to identify a corresponding billing method.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate that is a function of at least one environmental condition, wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from a group consisting of: weather and traffic. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one value attribute and the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one value estimate, and wherein B) comprises:
 B1) generating, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one of a scope assessment outcome, a complexity assessment outcome, a time assessment outcome, a risk assessment outcome and a resource assessment outcome; and   B2) generating the at least one value estimate based at least in part on at least one of the scope assessment outcome, the complexity assessment outcome, the time assessment outcome, the risk assessment outcome and the resource assessment outcome.   
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one time attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one deadline by which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one time attribute, and wherein the at least one ticket assessment outcome comprises at least one duration estimate for at least a portion of the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) determining an average duration for a plurality of previously completed tickets having a same characteristic as the locate request ticket; and   B2) generating the at least one duration estimate based at least in part on the average duration for the plurality of previously completed tickets.   
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the same characteristic comprises a number of different underground facilities types indicated in the plurality of previously completed tickets and the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the same characteristic comprises a selected type of underground facility indicated in the plurality of previously completed tickets and the locate request ticket. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one facilities type to be located during the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifying at least one adjustment associated with the at least one facilities type; and   B3) applying the at least one adjustment to the at least one duration estimate.   
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one complexity designation for the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifying at least one scaling factor associated with the at least one complexity designation; and   B3) scaling the at least one duration estimate using the at least one scaling factor.   
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) determining, based at least in part on the ticket information in A) and contractual information pertaining to at least one contract between a locate service provider and at least one other entity, under which contract the locate service provider is to perform at least part of the locate and/or marking operation, whether billing for the locate and/or marking operation is based on units of work performed;   B2) if it is determined that billing for the locate and/or marking operation is based on units of work performed, estimating a number of units of work to be performed during the locate and/or marking operation; and   B3) scaling the at least one duration estimate based at least in part on the estimated number of units of work to the performed.   
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one service type associated with the locate and/or marking operation;   B2) identifying at least one scaling factor associated with the at least one service type; and   B3) scaling the at least one duration estimate using the at least one scaling factor.   
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one resource attribute, and wherein the at least one assessment outcome comprises identification of at least one piece of equipment for use in performing the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieving at least one facilities map based at least in part on the work site location; and   B3) identifying the at least one piece of equipment based at least in part on the at least one facilities map.   
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) retrieving historical ticket information regarding at least one previously completed ticket within a threshold distance of the at least one work site location; and   B3) identifying the at least one piece of equipment based at least in part on the historical ticket information.   
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein B3) comprises:
 B4) determining, based at least in part on the historical ticket information, whether defective trace wires are likely present at the at least one work site location; and   B5) if it is determined that defective tracer wires are likely present, identifying at least one piece of locating equipment capable of detecting underground objects notwithstanding the defective tracer wires.   
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying at least one work site location at which the locate and/or marking operation is to be performed;   B2) determining, based at least in part on the at least one work site location, whether a manhole is likely present at the work site; and   B3) if it is determined that a manhole is likely present, identifying at least one device for facilitating manhole cover removal for use during the locate and/or marking operation.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises at least one resource attribute, and wherein the at least one assessment outcome comprises identification of at least one technician skill requirement for performing the locate and/or marking operation. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the at least one technician skill requirement is selected from a group consisting of: experience level, short term performance level, long term performance level, certification, and security clearance. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one complexity designation for the locate and/or marking operation; and   B2) identifying the at least one technician skill requirement based at least in part on the at least one complexity designation.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) identifying, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), at least one risk designation for the locate and/or marking operation; and   B2) identifying the at least one technician skill requirement based at least in part on the at least one risk designation.   
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein C) comprises:
 C1) creating at least one work order having a standard format comprising at least one first field and at least one second field, the at least one first field for storing at least some of the ticket information in A) and the at least one second field for storing the at least one ticket assessment outcome.   
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein B) comprises:
 B1) determining, based at least in part on the ticket information in A), whether the locate request ticket is a project ticket;   B2) if it is determined that the locate request ticket is a project ticket, identifying a plurality of locate and/or marking operations requested in the locate request ticket;   B3) generating, for each locate and/or marking operation, a corresponding assessment outcome for the at least one attribute; and   B4) creating, for each locate and/or marking operation, a corresponding work order having at least one field for storing the corresponding assessment outcome for the at least one attribute.   
     
     
         93 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one program including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for assessing at least one attribute of a locate and/or marking operation requested in a locate request ticket, the locate and/or marking operation comprising detecting and/or marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
 A) obtaining ticket information from the locate request ticket at least in part by parsing the locate request ticket;   B) applying one or more business rules to at least some of the ticket information to generate at least one ticket assessment outcome for the at least one attribute; and   C) transmitting and/or storing the at least one ticket assessment outcome so as to facilitate clearing the locate request ticket and/or dispatching at least one locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation, based at least in part on the at least one ticket assessment outcome.