Notice of Proposed Guidance and Request for Comment on the Federal Transit Administration's Grant Management Requirements (FTA Circular 5010.1D), 55629-55630 [E7-19115]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 188 / Friday, September 28, 2007 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA–2007–29122]
Notice of Proposed Guidance and
Request for Comment on the Federal
Transit Administration’s Grant
Management Requirements (FTA
Circular 5010.1D)
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of
proposed guidance and request for
comment.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES3
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice proposes
guidance in the form of a revised
circular on the Federal Transit
Administration’s Grant Management
Requirements and seeks comment
thereon. Proposed Circular 5010.1D
modifies FTA’s existing Grants
Management Circular 5010.1C in several
material respects. Among other things,
Circular 5010.1D proposes to expand
the circumstances under which a
grantee may request budget revisions
and grant amendments, to identify
useful life standards for trolleys, ferry
boats, and facilities, and to increase the
threshold triggering FTA review and
approval for appraisals of real property.
In addition to the foregoing substantive
changes, proposed Circular 5010.1D
updates FTA’s guidance to reflect
current policy and new FTA programs;
restructures the circular; and clarifies
FTA’s requirements and processes.
DATES: Comments must be received by
November 27, 2007. Late-filed
comments will be considered to the
extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: To ensure your comments
are not entered more than once into the
docket, submit comments identified by
the docket number [FTA–2007–29122]
by only one of the following methods:
1. Web site: www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on the U.S. Government
electronic docket site. [NOTE: The U.S.
Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s)
electronic docket is no longer accepting
electronic comments. All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S.
Government electronic docket site at
www.regulations.gov. Commenters
should follow the directions below for
mailed and hand-delivered comments.]
2. Fax: 202–493–2251.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE., Docket Operations, M–30, West
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12–
140, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:54 Sep 27, 2007
Jkt 211001
SE., Docket Operations, M–30, West
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12–
140, Washington, DC 20590 between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for detailed instructions on how
to submit comments and access docket
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
program questions, please contact Jamie
Pfister at 404–865–5632 or
jamie.pfister@dot.gov. For legal
questions, please contact Jayme L.
Blakesley at 202–366–0304 or
jayme.blakesley@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comment Instructions and Docket
Access Information;
Instructions: You must include the
agency name (Federal Transit
Administration) and Docket number
(FTA–2007–29122) for this notice at the
beginning of your comments. Submit
two copies of your comments if you
submit them by mail. Due to security
procedures in effect since October 2001
regarding mail deliveries, mail received
through the U.S. Postal Service may be
subject to delays. Parties making
submissions responsive to this notice
should consider using an express mail
firm to ensure the prompt filing of any
submissions not filed electronically or
by hand. For confirmation that FTA has
received your comments, include a selfaddressed stamped postcard. Note that
all comments received, including any
personal information, will be available
to Internet users and will be posted
without change to www.regulations.gov.
You may review DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register (65 FR 19477, April 11, 2000).
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents and
comments received, go to
www.regulations.gov at any time or to
the U.S. Department of Transportation,
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Docket
Operations, M–30, West Building,
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Table of Contents
I. Overview
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of Assets,
and Management of Real Property
Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
B. Useful Life of Assets
C. Management of Real Property
I. Overview
This notice announces the availability
of FTA’s Proposed Grants Management
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4703
55629
Circular (5010.1D) and requests your
comment as described below. The text
of Proposed Circular 5010.D is available
in its entirety on the electronic docket
site at www.regulations.gov docket
number FTA–2007–29122.
Proposed Circular 5010.1D modifies
FTA’s existing Grants Management
Circular 5010.1C in several material
respects. Among other things, Circular
5010.1D proposes to distinguish
between grant administration and
project management; expand the
circumstances under which a grantee
may request budget revisions and grant
amendments; identify useful life
standards for facilities and rolling stock,
including trolleys and other assets; and
increase the threshold triggering FTA
review and approval for appraisals of
real property. In addition to the
foregoing substantive changes, Proposed
Circular 5010.1D updates FTA’s
guidance to reflect current policy and
new FTA programs; restructures the
circular for consistency with FTA law,
regulation, and guidance; and clarifies
FTA’s requirements and processes,
specifically those related to reporting,
acquiring real property, and disposing
assets.
FTA seeks comment on the entire
Proposed Circular 5010.1D. Comments
received will be considered by FTA
when it develops its Final Circular
5010.1D. FTA will respond to comments
received in response to this notice in a
second Federal Register notice to be
published after the close of the
comment period. The second notice will
reflect the changes implemented as a
result of the comments received in
response to this Federal Register notice
and will announce the availability of the
Final Circular 5010.1D.
In particular, FTA seeks comments on
Proposed Circular 5010.1D’s treatment
of grant modifications, useful life of
assets, and management of real
property.
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of
Assets, and Management of Real
Property Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
With respect to grant modifications,
including budget revisions and grant
amendments, FTA proposes to expand
the circumstances under which a
grantee may request a budget revision
instead of a grant amendment. These
expanded circumstances will require
FTA concurrence before a grantee may
incur costs pursuant to the proposed
change. By requiring prior approval,
FTA can confirm that budget revisions
are consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
E:\FR\FM\28SEN3.SGM
28SEN3
55630
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 188 / Friday, September 28, 2007 / Notices
Statewide Transportation Improvement
Plan (STIP), and other legal and
programmatic requirements. FTA
proposes to include in its review of
grant modifications a determination of
whether the proposed change will
require a certificate from the
Department of Labor (DOL) on
Employee Protective Arrangements.
Also, FTA proposes changes to its use
of the term ‘‘scope’’ as it relates to grant
modifications, and to place greater
emphasis on the Transportation
Electronic Award and Management
(TEAM) system scope code as an
indicator of the project scope.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES3
B. Useful Life of Assets
FTA Circular 5010.1C only includes
useful life standards for rolling stock,
specifically buses, vans, and rail
vehicles. FTA uses these useful life
standards to determine when the
Federal interest in an asset expires,
particularly when giving disposition
instructions to a grantee pursuant to the
requirements of the Common Grant Rule
at 49 CFR 18.31. FTA Circular 5010.1D
proposes to include useful life standards
in subsequent grant agreements, and
proposes useful life standards for
trolleys, ferry boats, and facilities. FTA
seeks comment on how to develop
useful life standards for grant
management purposes. In particular,
FTA lacks information regarding the
useful life of ferry boats and seeks
comments on how to devise this
standard.
FTA considered using its Standard
Cost Category worksheet for Annualized
Costs, which is used primarily for New
Starts projects, to identify useful life
standards for various project
components, including facilities.
Recognizing, however, that FTA’s New
Starts Program assesses the useful life of
assets for purposes different from
Proposed Circular 5010.1D (the New
Starts Cost Category worksheet looks to
the maximum useful life while
Proposed Circular 5010.1D looks to the
minimum), FTA proposes to adopt
different useful life standards for
facilities than those outlined in the New
Starts Standard Cost Category
worksheet. Rather, FTA proposes the
language located at Chapter IV, Section
3 of Proposed Circular 5010.1D.
C. Management of Real Property
With respect to the management of
real property, FTA proposes to raise the
threshold for an appraisal concurrence
from $250,000 to $500,000. Moreover,
FTA proposes to update its acquisition,
appraisal, and relocation requirements
to conform to regulatory changes at 49
CFR part 24.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:54 Sep 27, 2007
Jkt 211001
Issued this 24th day of September, 2007.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7–19115 Filed 9–27–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA–2007–29125]
Third Party Contracting Guidance;
Notice of Proposed Program
Guidance; Proposed Circular
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of
proposed circular and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) has placed in the
docket and on its Web site, proposed
guidance pertaining to procurements
financed in whole or part with Federal
assistance awarded by FTA through
grants or cooperative agreements (third
party procurements). By this notice,
FTA invites public comment on FTA’s
proposed circular, ‘‘Third Party
Contracting Guidance.’’
DATES: Comments should be submitted
by November 27, 2007. Late-filed
comments will be considered to the
extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: To ensure your comments
are not entered more than once into the
docket, submit comments identified by
the docket number [FTA–2007–29125]
by only one of the following methods:
1. Web site: www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on the U.S. Government
electronic docket site. [Note: The U.S.
Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s)
electronic docket is no longer accepting
electronic comments. All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S.
Government electronic docket site at
www.regulations.gov. Commenters
should follow the directions below for
mailed and hand-delivered comments.]
2. Fax: 202–493–2251.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M–30,
West Building, Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M–30,
West Building, Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for detailed instructions on how
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4703
to submit comments and access docket
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
issues regarding third party contracting
procedures and practices, contact James
Harper, Senior Procurement Analyst,
Office of Administration, Federal
Transit Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., East Building, Room
E42–333, Washington, DC 20590,
phone: 202–366–1127, fax: 202–366–
3808, or e-mail, James.Harper@dot.gov.
For legal issues, contact Kerry Miller,
Assistant Chief Counsel for General
Law, Federal Transit Administration,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., East
Building, Room E56–314, Washington,
DC 20590, phone: 202–366–1936, fax:
202–366–3809, or e-mail,
Kerry.Miller@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comment Instructions and Docket
Access Information
Instructions: You must include the
agency name (Federal Transit
Administration) and Docket number
(FTA–2007–29125) for this notice at the
beginning of your comments. Submit
two copies of your comments if you
submit them by mail. For confirmation
that FTA has received your comments,
include a self-addressed stamped
postcard. Note that all comments
received, including any personal
information, will be posted and will be
available to Internet users, without
change, to www.regulations.gov. You
may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published April 11, 2000, (65 FR
19477), or you may visit
www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents and
comments received, go to
www.regulations.gov at any time or U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket
Operations, M–30, West Building,
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001 between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
Table of Contents
I. Overview
II. Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis
A. Chapter I—Introduction and the Role of
the Federal Transit Administration
B. Chapter II—Applicability
C. Chapter III—The Recipient’s
Responsibilities
D. Chapter IV—The Recipient’s Property
and Services Needs and Federal
Requirements Affecting Those Needs
E. Chapter V—Sources
F. Chapter VI—Procedural Guidance for
the Open Market
E:\FR\FM\28SEN3.SGM
28SEN3
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 188 (Friday, September 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55629-55630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19115]
[[Page 55629]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA-2007-29122]
Notice of Proposed Guidance and Request for Comment on the
Federal Transit Administration's Grant Management Requirements (FTA
Circular 5010.1D)
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed guidance and request for
comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice proposes guidance in the form of a revised
circular on the Federal Transit Administration's Grant Management
Requirements and seeks comment thereon. Proposed Circular 5010.1D
modifies FTA's existing Grants Management Circular 5010.1C in several
material respects. Among other things, Circular 5010.1D proposes to
expand the circumstances under which a grantee may request budget
revisions and grant amendments, to identify useful life standards for
trolleys, ferry boats, and facilities, and to increase the threshold
triggering FTA review and approval for appraisals of real property. In
addition to the foregoing substantive changes, proposed Circular
5010.1D updates FTA's guidance to reflect current policy and new FTA
programs; restructures the circular; and clarifies FTA's requirements
and processes.
DATES: Comments must be received by November 27, 2007. Late-filed
comments will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: To ensure your comments are not entered more than once into
the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number [FTA-2007-
29122] by only one of the following methods:
1. Web site: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site.
[NOTE: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments. All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.]
2. Fax: 202-493-2251.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Ave., SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for detailed instructions on
how to submit comments and access docket information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program questions, please contact
Jamie Pfister at 404-865-5632 or jamie.pfister@dot.gov. For legal
questions, please contact Jayme L. Blakesley at 202-366-0304 or
jayme.blakesley@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comment Instructions and Docket Access Information;
Instructions: You must include the agency name (Federal Transit
Administration) and Docket number (FTA-2007-29122) for this notice at
the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of your comments if
you submit them by mail. Due to security procedures in effect since
October 2001 regarding mail deliveries, mail received through the U.S.
Postal Service may be subject to delays. Parties making submissions
responsive to this notice should consider using an express mail firm to
ensure the prompt filing of any submissions not filed electronically or
by hand. For confirmation that FTA has received your comments, include
a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments received,
including any personal information, will be available to Internet users
and will be posted without change to www.regulations.gov. You may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register (65
FR 19477, April 11, 2000).
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and
comments received, go to www.regulations.gov at any time or to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Table of Contents
I. Overview
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of Assets, and Management of
Real Property Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
B. Useful Life of Assets
C. Management of Real Property
I. Overview
This notice announces the availability of FTA's Proposed Grants
Management Circular (5010.1D) and requests your comment as described
below. The text of Proposed Circular 5010.D is available in its
entirety on the electronic docket site at www.regulations.gov docket
number FTA-2007-29122.
Proposed Circular 5010.1D modifies FTA's existing Grants Management
Circular 5010.1C in several material respects. Among other things,
Circular 5010.1D proposes to distinguish between grant administration
and project management; expand the circumstances under which a grantee
may request budget revisions and grant amendments; identify useful life
standards for facilities and rolling stock, including trolleys and
other assets; and increase the threshold triggering FTA review and
approval for appraisals of real property. In addition to the foregoing
substantive changes, Proposed Circular 5010.1D updates FTA's guidance
to reflect current policy and new FTA programs; restructures the
circular for consistency with FTA law, regulation, and guidance; and
clarifies FTA's requirements and processes, specifically those related
to reporting, acquiring real property, and disposing assets.
FTA seeks comment on the entire Proposed Circular 5010.1D. Comments
received will be considered by FTA when it develops its Final Circular
5010.1D. FTA will respond to comments received in response to this
notice in a second Federal Register notice to be published after the
close of the comment period. The second notice will reflect the changes
implemented as a result of the comments received in response to this
Federal Register notice and will announce the availability of the Final
Circular 5010.1D.
In particular, FTA seeks comments on Proposed Circular 5010.1D's
treatment of grant modifications, useful life of assets, and management
of real property.
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of Assets, and Management of Real
Property Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
With respect to grant modifications, including budget revisions and
grant amendments, FTA proposes to expand the circumstances under which
a grantee may request a budget revision instead of a grant amendment.
These expanded circumstances will require FTA concurrence before a
grantee may incur costs pursuant to the proposed change. By requiring
prior approval, FTA can confirm that budget revisions are consistent
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
[[Page 55630]]
Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), and other legal and
programmatic requirements. FTA proposes to include in its review of
grant modifications a determination of whether the proposed change will
require a certificate from the Department of Labor (DOL) on Employee
Protective Arrangements. Also, FTA proposes changes to its use of the
term ``scope'' as it relates to grant modifications, and to place
greater emphasis on the Transportation Electronic Award and Management
(TEAM) system scope code as an indicator of the project scope.
B. Useful Life of Assets
FTA Circular 5010.1C only includes useful life standards for
rolling stock, specifically buses, vans, and rail vehicles. FTA uses
these useful life standards to determine when the Federal interest in
an asset expires, particularly when giving disposition instructions to
a grantee pursuant to the requirements of the Common Grant Rule at 49
CFR 18.31. FTA Circular 5010.1D proposes to include useful life
standards in subsequent grant agreements, and proposes useful life
standards for trolleys, ferry boats, and facilities. FTA seeks comment
on how to develop useful life standards for grant management purposes.
In particular, FTA lacks information regarding the useful life of ferry
boats and seeks comments on how to devise this standard.
FTA considered using its Standard Cost Category worksheet for
Annualized Costs, which is used primarily for New Starts projects, to
identify useful life standards for various project components,
including facilities. Recognizing, however, that FTA's New Starts
Program assesses the useful life of assets for purposes different from
Proposed Circular 5010.1D (the New Starts Cost Category worksheet looks
to the maximum useful life while Proposed Circular 5010.1D looks to the
minimum), FTA proposes to adopt different useful life standards for
facilities than those outlined in the New Starts Standard Cost Category
worksheet. Rather, FTA proposes the language located at Chapter IV,
Section 3 of Proposed Circular 5010.1D.
C. Management of Real Property
With respect to the management of real property, FTA proposes to
raise the threshold for an appraisal concurrence from $250,000 to
$500,000. Moreover, FTA proposes to update its acquisition, appraisal,
and relocation requirements to conform to regulatory changes at 49 CFR
part 24.
Issued this 24th day of September, 2007.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-19115 Filed 9-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
