FY16 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission Grant Programs; 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program and 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program, 17553-17561 [2016-07027]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 29, 2016 / Notices
2. Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that
may review the proposals, an interagency technical evaluation committee
with membership from one or more
agencies of the Coordinating Council on
Access and Mobility may review
proposals under the project evaluation
criteria. Members of the technical
evaluation committee and other
involved FTA staff reserve the right to
screen and rate the applications
received and to seek clarification from
any applicant about any statement in its
application that FTA finds ambiguous
and/or request additional
documentation to be considered during
the evaluation process to clarify
information contained within the
proposal.
After consideration of the ratings of
the technical evaluation, the FTA will
determine the final selection and
amount of funding for each project.
Geographic diversity and the applicant’s
receipt of other Federal funding may be
considered in FTA’s award decisions.
FTA may provide reduced funding or
fund only part of an application.
F. Federal Award Administration
Information
1. Federal Award Notices
FTA may publish awards in a Federal
Register Notice and on the FTA public
Web site.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
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i. Pre-Award Authority
The FTA will issue specific guidance
to recipients regarding pre-award
authority at the time of selection. The
FTA does not provide pre-award
authority for competitive funds until
projects are selected and even then there
are Federal requirements that must be
met before costs are incurred. For more
information about FTA’s policy on preaward authority, please see the FY 2016
Apportionment Notice published on
February 16, 2016. https://
www.fta.dot.gov/grants/12853.html.
ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a
grant through FTA’s electronic grant
management system and adhere to the
customary FTA grant requirements. All
competitive grants, regardless of award
amount, will be subject to the
congressional notification and release
process. The FTA emphasizes that thirdparty procurement applies to all funding
awards, as described in FTA.C.4220.1F.
However, FTA may approve
applications that include a specifically
identified partnering organization(s) (2
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CFR part 200, Section 200.320, sub
paragraph (f)). When included, the
application, budget and budget narrative
should provide a clear understanding of
how the selection of these organizations
is critical for the project and of
sufficient detail to understand the costs
involved.
iii. Planning
The FTA encourages proposers to
engage the appropriate State
Departments of Transportation, Regional
Transportation Planning Organizations,
or Metropolitan Planning Organizations
in areas likely to be served by the
project funds made available under this
programs.
iv. Standard Assurances
The applicant assures that it will
comply with all applicable Federal
statutes, regulations, executive orders,
FTA circulars, and other Federal
administrative requirements in carrying
out any project supported by the FTA
grant. The applicant acknowledges that
it is under a continuing obligation to
comply with the terms and conditions
of the grant agreement issued for its
project with FTA. The applicant
understands that Federal laws,
regulations, policies, and administrative
practices might be modified from time
to time and may affect the
implementation of the project. The
applicant agrees that the most recent
Federal requirements will apply to the
project, unless FTA issues a written
determination otherwise. The applicant
must submit the Certifications and
Assurances before receiving a grant if it
does not have current certifications on
file.
3. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements
include submission of Federal Financial
Reports and Milestone Reports in FTA’s
electronic grants management system.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact
For questions about applying for the
programs outlined in this notice, please
contact Danielle Nelson, Federal Transit
Administration, phone: (202) 366–2160,
fax: (202) 366–3475, or email,
Danielle.Nelson@dot.gov. A TDD is
available at 1–800–877–8339
(TDDFIRS).
Ellen Partridge,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2016–07008 Filed 3–28–16; 8:45 am]
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17553
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
FY16 Competitive Funding
Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus
Facilities and Low or No Emission
Grant Programs; 5339(b) Grants for
Buses and Bus Facilities Program and
5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity
(NOFO).
SUMMARY:
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announces the
availability of approximately $211
million of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funds
for the Section 5339(b) Grants for Buses
and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant
Program (Bus Program) and
approximately $55 million for 5339(c)
Low or No Emission Bus Competitive
Grant Program (Low-No Program).
Funds awarded for the Bus Program will
finance capital projects to replace,
rehabilitate, purchase or lease buses and
related equipment and to rehabilitate,
purchase, construct or lease bus-related
facilities, including programs of bus and
bus-related projects for subrecipients
that are public agencies, private
companies engaged in public
transportation, or private non-profit
organizations. Funds awarded for the
Low-No Program will finance the
purchase or lease of low or no emission
vehicles that use advanced technologies,
including related equipment or
facilities, for transit revenue operations.
Projects may include costs incidental to
the acquisition of buses or to the
construction of facilities, such as the
costs of related workforce development
and training activities, and project
development. FTA may award
additional funding that is made
available to the program prior to the
announcement of project selections.
DATES: Complete proposals must be
submitted electronically through the
GRANTS.GOV ‘‘APPLY’’ function by
May 13, 2016. Prospective applicants
should initiate the process by registering
on the GRANTS.GOV Web site promptly
to ensure completion of the application
process before the submission deadline.
Instructions for applying can be found
on FTA’s Web site at https://
transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the
‘‘FIND’’ module of GRANTS.GOV. Mail
and fax submissions will not be
accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
the Bus Program, contact Sam Snead,
FTA Office of Program Management,
202–366–1089, or samuel.snead@
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2. The Low or No Emission Bus (LowNo) Program
dot.gov. For the Low-No Program,
contact Tara Clark, same office, 202–
366–2623, or tara.clark@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table Of Contents
A. Program Description
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities
Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
B. Federal Award Information
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities
Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
C. Eligibility Information
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities
Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities
Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
F. Federal Award Administration
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Technical Assistance and Other Program
Information
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A. Program Description
1. The Bus Program
Section 5339(b) of Title 49, United
States Code, as amended by Section
3017 of the Fixing America’s Surface
Transportation Act, Pub. L. 114–94,
authorizes FTA to award Bus Program
grants through a competitive process, as
described in this notice. The program
provides funds to State and local
governmental authorities for capital
projects to replace, rehabilitate,
purchase or lease buses and related
equipment and to rehabilitate, purchase,
construct or lease bus-related facilities.
Under this authority, FTA also may
award grants to eligible recipients for
projects to be undertaken by
subrecipients that are public agencies,
private companies engaged in public
transportation, or private non-profit
organizations. The purpose of the Bus
Program is to improve the condition of
the nation’s public transportation bus
fleets, expand transportation access to
employment, educational, and
healthcare facilities, and to improve
mobility options in rural and urban
areas throughout the country. In
accordance with the statutory
requirement that FTA must ‘‘consider
the age and condition of buses, bus
fleets, related equipment, and busrelated facilities’’, FTA will prioritize
projects that demonstrate how they will
address significant repair and
maintenance needs, improve the safety
of transit systems, deploy connective
projects that include advanced
technologies to connect bus systems
with other networks, and support the
creation of ladders of opportunity.
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C. Eligibility Information
Section 5339(c) of Title 49, United
States Code, as established by Section
3017 of the FAST Act, authorizes FTA
to award grants for low or no emission
buses through a competitive process, as
described in this notice. The Low or No
Emission Bus Program (Low-No
Program) provides funding to State and
local governmental authorities for the
purchase or lease of zero-emission and
low-emission transit buses, including
acquisition, construction, and leasing of
required supporting facilities such as
recharging, refueling, and maintenance
facilities. FTA recognizes that a
significant transformation is occurring
in the transit bus industry, with the
increasing availability of low and zero
emission bus vehicles for transit
revenue operations. The adoption of
these technologically advanced vehicles
will enable the country’s transportation
system to move toward a cleaner and
more energy-efficient future, as
described in the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s recent report, Beyond
Traffic 2045. Accordingly, the purpose
of the Low-No Program is to support the
transition of the nation’s transit fleet to
the lowest polluting and most energy
efficient transit vehicle technologies,
thereby reducing local air pollution and
direct carbon emissions, and to support
the deployment of technologically
advanced U.S.-made transit buses that
have been largely proven in testing and
demonstrations, but are not yet widely
deployed in transit fleets.
i. Eligible Applicants
B. Federal Award Information
1. 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus
Facilities Competitive Program
The FAST Act amended 49 U.S.C.
5339 to provide competitive grants for
eligible projects under the Bus Program
and has authorized $213 million in FY
2016 to carry out the Bus Program. A
one half of one percent take down
authorized for oversight reduces this
amount to approximately $211 million.
A minimum of 10 percent of the amount
awarded under the Bus Program will be
awarded to States for projects located in
rural areas.
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission
Competitive Program
The FAST Act established 49 U.S.C.
5339(c) to provide competitive grants
for eligible projects under the Low-No
Program and has authorized $55 million
in FY 2016 to carry out the Low-No
Program.
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1. Bus Program Eligibility
Eligible applicants include direct
recipients of FTA grants under the
Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula
program, States, and Indian Tribes.
Except for projects proposed by Indian
Tribes, proposals for projects in rural
(non-urbanized) areas must be
submitted as part of a consolidated State
proposal. States and other eligible
applicants may also submit
consolidated proposals for projects in
urbanized areas. Proposals may contain
projects to be implemented by the
recipient or its subrecipients. Eligible
subrecipients include public agencies,
private nonprofit organizations, and
private providers engaged in public
transportation. If a single project
proposal involves multiple public
transportation providers, such as when
an agency acquires vehicles that will be
operated by another agency, the
proposal must include a detailed
statement regarding the role of each
public transportation provider in the
implementation of the project.
ii. Cost Sharing or Matching
The maximum Federal share for
projects selected under the Bus Program
is 80 percent of the net project cost,
unless noted below by one of the
exceptions.
i. The Federal share is 85 percent of
the net project cost of acquiring vehicles
(including clean-fuel or alternative fuel
vehicles) that are compliant with the
Clean Air Act (CAA) and/or the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
of 1990.
ii. The Federal share is 90 percent of
the net project cost of acquiring,
installing or constructing vehicle-related
equipment or facilities (including clean
fuel or alternative-fuel vehicle-related
equipment or facilities) that are required
by the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) of 1990, or that are necessary to
comply with or maintaining compliance
with the Clean Air Act. The award
recipient must itemize the cost of
specific, discrete, vehicle-related
equipment associated with compliance
with ADA or CAA to be eligible for the
maximum 90 percent Federal share for
these costs.
Eligible sources of local match
include the following: Cash from nonGovernment sources other than
revenues from providing public
transportation services; revenues
derived from the sale of advertising and
concessions; amounts received under a
service agreement with a State or local
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social service agency or private social
service organization; revenues generated
from value capture financing
mechanisms; or funds from an
undistributed cash surplus; replacement
or depreciation cash fund or reserve; or
new capital. In addition, transportation
development credits or documentation
of in-kind match may substitute for
local match if identified in the
application.
iii. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are capital projects to
replace, rehabilitate purchase, or lease
buses, vans, and related equipment
(including intelligent technology and
software), and capital projects to
rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or
lease bus-related facilities. Eligible
projects under the Bus Program also
include all projects otherwise eligible
under the Low-No Program.
FTA is particularly interested in
implementing the provisions of the
FAST Act that permit applicants to use
up to 0.5 percent of the FTA funds for
workforce development activities
eligible under 49 U.S.C. 5314 and an
additional 0.5 percent for costs
associated with training at the National
Transit Institute. Applicants should
identify the proposed use of funds for
these activities in the project proposal
and identify them separately in the
project budget.
2. Low-No Program Eligibility
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i. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include direct
recipients of FTA grants under the
Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula
program, States, and Indian Tribes.
Except for projects proposed by Indian
Tribes, proposals for funding eligible
projects in rural (non-urbanized) areas
must be submitted as part of a
consolidated State proposal. States and
other eligible applicants also may
submit consolidated proposals for
projects in urbanized areas. Proposals
may contain projects to be implemented
by the recipient or its subrecipients.
Eligible subrecipients include direct
recipients of Section 5307 grants and
local government authorities that
operate fixed route transit service. If a
single project proposal involves
multiple public transportation
providers, such as when an agency
acquires vehicles that will be operated
by another agency, the proposal must
include a detailed statement regarding
the role of each public transportation
provider in the implementation of the
project.
An eligible recipient may submit an
application in partnership with other
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entities that intend to participate in the
implementation of the project,
including, but not limited to, specific
vehicle manufacturers, equipment
vendors, owners or operators of related
facilities, or project consultants. If an
application that involves such a
partnership is selected for funding, the
competitive selection process will be
deemed to satisfy the requirement for a
competitive procurement under 49
U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named entities.
Applicants are advised that any changes
to the proposed partnership will require
FTA advance approval, would need to
be consistent with the scope of the
approved project, and may necessitate a
competitive procurement.
Under the 5339(c) Low-No Program,
as amended by the FAST Act, there no
longer is a requirement that an eligible
project or recipient be located in an area
designated as an air quality nonattainment or maintenance area.
ii. Cost Sharing or Matching
All eligible expenses under the LowNo Program are attributable to
compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Therefore under the provisions of 49
U.S.C. 5323(i) the maximum Federal
participation in the costs of leasing or
acquiring a transit bus financed under
the Low-No Program is 85 percent of the
total transit bus cost. The proposer may
seek a lower Federal contribution.
Further, the maximum Federal
participation in the cost of leasing or
acquiring low or no emission busrelated equipment and facilities under
the Low-No Program, such as recharging
or refueling facilities, is 90 percent of
the net project cost of the equipment or
facilities that are attributable to
compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Eligible sources of local match
include the following: Cash from nonGovernment sources other than
revenues from providing public
transportation services; revenues
derived from the sale of advertising and
concessions; amounts received under a
service agreement with a State or local
social service agency or private social
service organization; revenues generated
from value capture financing
mechanisms; or funds from an
undistributed cash surplus; replacement
or depreciation cash fund or reserve;
new capital; or in-kind contributions. In
addition, transportation development
credits or documentation of in-kind
match may substitute for local match if
identified in the application.
iii. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are projects or
programs of projects for purchasing or
leasing low or no emission buses,
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acquiring low or no emission buses with
a leased power source, constructing or
leasing facilities and related equipment
(including intelligent technology and
software), for low or no emission buses,
constructing new public transportation
facilities to accommodate low or no
emission buses, or rehabilitating or
improving existing public transportation
facilities to accommodate low or no
emission buses. All proposed projects
must be part of the intended recipient’s
long-term integrated fleet management
plan.
Under the Low-No Program, a low or
no-emission bus is defined as a
passenger vehicle used to provide
public transportation that significantly
reduces energy consumption, air
pollution, or direct carbon emissions,
when compared to a standard vehicle.
This includes zero-emission transit
buses, which are defined as buses that
produce no direct carbon emissions and
no particulate matter emissions under
any and all possible operational modes
and conditions. Examples of zero
emission bus technologies include, but
are not limited to hydrogen fuel-cell
buses and battery-electric buses. All
transit bus models procured with funds
awarded under the Low-No Program
must complete FTA bus testing for
production transit buses pursuant to 49
U.S.C. 5318. The development or
deployment of prototype vehicles is not
eligible for funding under the Low-No
program.
FTA is particularly interested in
implementing the provisions of the
FAST Act that permit applicants to use
up to 0.5 percent of the FTA funds for
workforce development activities
eligible under 49 U.S.C. 5314 and an
additional 0.5 percent for costs
associated with training at the National
Transit Institute. Applicants should
identify the proposed use of funds for
these activities in the project proposal
and identify them separately in the
project budget.
D. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address
Applications must be submitted to
Grants.gov. General information for
submitting applications through
Grants.gov can be found at
www.fta.dot.gov/howtoapply along with
specific instructions for the forms and
attachments required for submission.
Failure to submit the information as
requested can delay review of the
application.
The FTA urges proposers to submit
applications at least 72 hours prior to
the due date to allow time to receive the
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validation messages and to correct any
problems that may have caused a
rejection notification. The FTA will not
accept submissions after the stated
deadline. GRANTS.GOV scheduled
maintenance and outage times are
announced on the GRANTS.GOV Web
site. Deadlines will not be extended due
to scheduled Web site maintenance.
Proposers are encouraged to begin the
process of registration on the
GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of
the submission deadline. Registration is
a multi-step process, which may take
several weeks to complete before an
application can be submitted. Registered
proposers may still be required to take
steps to keep their registration up to
date before submissions can be made
successfully: (1) Registration in the
System for Award Management (SAM)
is renewed annually; and, (2) persons
making submissions on behalf of the
Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) must be authorized in
GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make
submissions.
Within 48 hours after submitting an
electronic application, the applicant
should receive three email messages
from GRANTS.GOV: (1) Confirmation of
successful transmission to
GRANTS.GOV, (2) confirmation of
successful validation by GRANTS.GOV,
and (3) confirmation of successful
validation by FTA. If confirmations of
successful validation are not received or
a notice of failed validation or
incomplete materials is received, the
applicant must address the reason for
the failed validation, as described in the
email notice, and resubmit before the
submission deadline. If making a
resubmission for any reason, include all
original attachments regardless of which
attachments were updated and check
the box on the supplemental form
indicating this is a resubmission.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission
A complete proposal submission
consists of at least two forms: The
SF424 Mandatory Form and the relevant
supplemental form for either the Bus
Program or the Low-No Program. The
application must include responses to
all sections of the SF424 Mandatory
Form and the relevant Supplemental
Form, unless indicated as optional. The
information on the supplemental form
will be used to determine applicant and
project eligibility for the program, and
to evaluate the proposal against the
selection criteria described in part E of
this notice.
A separate supplemental form exists
for the Bus Program and the Low-No
program. Projects that use the
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inappropriate form will not contain the
information necessary to determine
eligibility of the project and will not be
evaluated. Applicants may submit
multiple proposals for one or both
competitions in a single application, but
must complete a separate ‘‘project
detail’’ section of the appropriate
supplemental form for each project.
The supplemental form must be
placed in the attachments section of the
SF424 Mandatory Form. Proposers must
use the relevant supplemental form(s)
designated for the Bus Program and/or
the Low-No Program and attach it/them
to the submission in GRANTS.GOV to
successfully complete the application
process. A submission may include
multiple supplemental forms, and a
single supplemental form may contain
multiple individual project proposals.
All project proposals will be evaluated
separately, regardless of whether they
are submitted as a single submission.
An applicant may submit additional
supporting documentation for each
project proposal as attachments. Any
supporting documentation must be
described and referenced by file name
in the appropriate response section of
the supplemental form, or it may not be
reviewed.
Information such as proposer name,
Federal amount requested, local match
amount, description of areas served, etc.
may be requested in varying degrees of
detail on both the SF424 form and
Supplemental Form. Proposers must fill
in all fields unless stated otherwise on
the forms. The Supplemental Form
template supports pasting copied text
from other documents; applicants
should verify that pasted text is fully
captured on the Supplemental Form and
has not been truncated by the character
limits built into the form. Proposers
should use both the ‘‘Check Package for
Errors’’ and the ‘‘Validate Form’’
validation buttons on both forms to
check all required fields on the forms,
and ensure that the federal and local
amounts specified are consistent.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System
for Award Management (SAM)
All applicants must provide a unique
entity identifier provided by the System
for Award Management (SAM).
Registration in SAM may take as little
as 3–5 business days, but since there
could be unexpected steps or delays (for
example, if you need to obtain an
Employer Identification Number), FTA
recommends allowing ample time, up to
several weeks, for completion of all
steps. For additional information on
obtaining a unique entity identifier,
please visit www.sam.gov. Further
instructions on registration will be
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provided by FTA through an
introductory applicant training session.
Dates and times for the training session
will be posted on FTA’s Web site at
www.fta.dot.gov/busprogram.
4. Submission Dates and Times
5.
Project proposals must be submitted
electronically through GRANTS.GOV by
May 13, 2016. Mail and fax submissions
will not be accepted.
6. Funding Restrictions
Funds under this NOFO cannot be
used to reimburse applicants for
otherwise eligible expenses incurred
prior to FTA award of a Grant
Agreement until FTA has issued preaward authority for selected projects
through a notification in the Federal
Register, or unless FTA has issued a
‘‘Letter of No Prejudice’’ for the project
before the expenses are incurred.
7. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to consider
scaling projects in increments of 1 or 2
transit buses, in case insufficient
funding is available to fund a project at
the full requested amount. If an
applicant indicates that a project is
scalable, the applicant must provide an
appropriate minimum funding amount
that will fund an eligible project that
achieves the objectives of the program
and meets all relevant program
requirements. The applicant must
provide a clear explanation of how the
project budget would be affected by a
reduced award. Additionally, funding
requests for workforce development
activities must be addressed separately
in the budget section of the application,
and such activities must be attributable
to the project being applied for.
E. Application Review
1. Evaluation Criteria for the Bus and
Bus Facilities Competitive Program
FTA will evaluate project proposals
for the Bus Program based on the
criteria described in this notice. Projects
will be evaluated primarily on the
responses provided in the supplemental
form. Additional information may be
provided to support the responses
provided, however, any additional
documentation must be directly
referenced on the supplemental form,
including the file name where the
additional information can be found.
1. Demonstration of Need
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project will address an unmet
need for capital investment in bus
vehicles and/or supporting facilities,
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enhance the safety of the transit system
for transit vehicle operators, riders, and
the general public, or improve
connectivity of bus systems with other
networks through the use of
deployment-ready information
technologies. For example, an applicant
may demonstrate a substantial backlog
of deferred capital investment,
insufficient size or capacity of
maintenance facilities, excessive
reliance on vehicles that are beyond
their intended service life, a vehicle
fleet that is insufficient to meet current
ridership demands, or passenger
facilities that are insufficient for their
current use. For safety, an applicant
may demonstrate safety concerns with
vehicles, equipment, or facilities that
are beyond their intended useful life, or
that are no longer appropriate for use
due to safety concerns. To improve
connectivity, bus systems may deploy
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)
technologies or software that link buses
with other transportation networks.
Applicants should also describe how
the proposed project will improve the
operation of the transit system and
whether the project represents a onetime or periodic need that cannot
reasonably be funded from FTA
program formula allocations or State
and/or local resources.
Applicants should provide the
following information, which FTA will
use to assess the need for capital
investment underlying the proposed
project:
a. For bus projects (replacement,
rehabilitation or expansion): The age
and condition of the asset(s) to be
replaced or rehabilitated by the
proposed project, relative to their
intended useful life. Consistency with
the proposer’s bus fleet management
plan. Condition and performance of the
asset to be replaced by the proposed
project, as ascertained through field
inspections or otherwise, if available.
For fleet expansion requests, the degree
to which the proposed project will have
a significant impact on service delivery.
For both the Bus Program and Low-No
Program, the proposal must address
whether the project conforms to FTA’s
spare ratio guidelines.
b. For bus facility and equipment
projects (replacement and/or
expansion): The age of the asset to be
rehabilitated or replaced relative to its
useful life. The degree to which the
proposed project will enable the agency
to improve the maintenance and
condition of the agency’s fleet and/or
other related transit assets. For
expansion requests, the degree to which
the proposed project addresses a current
capacity constraint that is limiting the
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ability of the agency to provide an
adequate level of service relative to
current ridership demands or the degree
the equipment will improve
connectivity of bus systems to other
networks and infrastructure.
2. Demonstration of Benefits
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project will support the
creation of ladders of opportunity,
which are defined for this competition
as public transportation services that
enable individuals to achieve increased
economic security by supporting the
following five Ladders of Opportunity
Principles: (1) Enhanced access to work,
(2) more transportation choices, (3)
support for existing communities, (4)
enhanced economic opportunities, and
(5) support for partnerships between
public agencies, non-profit
organizations and the private sector.
Enhanced access to work: FTA will
evaluate whether the project will
improve access for Americans with
transportation disadvantages through
reliable and timely access to
employment centers, educational
opportunities, services and other basic
needs.
More Transportation Choices: FTA
will evaluate whether the project will
significantly enhance mobility through
the creation of more convenient
transportation options for travelers.
Support for Existing Communities:
FTA will evaluate whether the project
will increase community revitalization,
improve the efficiency of public works
investments or safeguard rural
communities.
Enhanced Economic Opportunities:
FTA will evaluate whether the project
improves economic opportunities by
linking capital investments with local
workforce development opportunities
and initiatives, including connections to
employment and educational
opportunities. FTA is particularly
interested in projects that propose to
utilize the eligibility of 0.5 percent of
the proposed Federal funding for
workforce development and/or 0.5
percent for training at the National
Transit Institute. Please note that
funding requests for workforce
development activities must be
addressed separately in the budget
section of the application, and such
activities must be attributable to the
project being applied for.
Support for partnerships between
public agencies, non-profit
organizations and the private sector:
FTA will evaluate the extent to which
the proposed project will support strong
partnerships between State or local
public agencies, local non-profit
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17557
organizations, and the private sector to
improve mobility for individuals with
limited access to economic
opportunities. This includes the extent
the applicant has or will bring local
workforce development, training,
education, veterans, transportation and
planning stakeholders together with
representation of key customer groups
(people with low-incomes, people with
disabilities, youths, veterans, elderly
populations, etc.) to formulate a plan to
create ladders of opportunity in an area.
3. Planning and Local/Regional
Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project is consistent with local
and regional long-range planning
documents and local government
priorities. This will involve assessing
whether the project is consistent with
the transit priorities identified in the
long range plan; and/or contingency/
illustrative projects included in that
plan; or the locally developed human
services public transportation
coordinated plan. Applicants are not
required to submit copies of such plans,
but should describe how the project will
support regional goals and may submit
support letters from local and regional
planning organizations attesting to the
consistency of the proposed project with
these plans.
Evidence of additional local or
regional prioritization may include
letters of support for the project from
local government officials, public
agencies, and non-profit or private
sector partners.
4. Local Financial Commitment
Applicants must identify the source of
the local cost share and describe
whether such funds are currently
available for the project or will need to
be secured if the project is selected for
funding. FTA will consider the
availability of the local cost share as
evidence of local financial commitment
to the project. In addition, an applicant
may propose a local cost share that is
greater than the minimum requirement
or provide documentation of previous
local investments in the project, which
cannot be used to satisfy local matching
requirements, as evidence of local
financial commitment.
5. Project Implementation Strategy
Projects will be evaluated based on
the extent to which the project is ready
to implement within a reasonable
period of time. Among other factors,
FTA will assess whether the project
qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion
(CE), or whether the required
environmental work has been initiated
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or completed for projects requiring an
Environmental Assessment (EA) or
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended.
Applicants should address whether
project implementation plans are
complete, including initial design of
facilities projects. For vehicle
acquisitions, the applicant should
explain the status and timeline of the
intended procurement strategy.
Applicants must also provide the
timeframe under which the
Metropolitan Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) and/or
Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP) can be amended to
include the proposed project. This
should be accompanied by evidence of
MPO and/or State endorsement. In
addition, the proposal should state
whether grant funds can be obligated
within 12 months from time of award,
if selected. For projects that will require
formal coordination, approvals or
permits from other agencies or project
partners, the applicant must
demonstrate previous coordination with
these organizations and their support for
the project, such as through letters of
support.
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6. Technical, Legal, and Financial
Capacity
Applicants must demonstrate that
they have the technical, legal and
financial capacity to undertake the
project. FTA will review relevant
oversight assessments and records to
determine whether there are any
outstanding legal, technical, or financial
issues with the applicant that would
affect the outcome of the proposed
project.
FTA will also review the proposed
source of local match. Applicants
should submit evidence of the
availability of such funds for the project,
for example by including a board
resolution, letter of support from the
State, or other documentation of the
source of local funds.
Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that
may review the proposals, a technical
evaluation committee will evaluate
proposals based on the published
evaluation criteria. Members of the
technical evaluation committee and
other FTA staff may request additional
information from applicants, if
necessary. Based on the findings of the
technical evaluation committee, the
FTA Administrator will determine the
final selection of projects for program
funding. FTA may consider geographic
diversity, diversity in the size of the
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transit systems receiving funding, and/
or the applicant’s receipt of other
competitive awards in determining the
allocation of program funds. Not less
than 10 percent of the Bus and Bus
Facility Program funds will be
distributed to projects in rural areas. In
addition, not more than 10 percent of
the funds may be awarded to a single
grantee.
2. Selection Criteria for the Low or No
Emission Bus Program
FTA will evaluate project proposals
for the Low-No Program based on the
criteria described in this notice. Projects
will be evaluated primarily on the
responses provided in the supplemental
form. Additional information may be
provided to support the responses
provided; however, any additional
documentation must be directly
referenced on the supplemental form,
including the file name where the
additional information can be found.
i. Demonstration of Need
Since the purpose of this program is
to fund bus vehicles and facilities,
applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project will address an unmet
need for capital investment in bus
vehicles and/or supporting facilities.
For example, an applicant may
demonstrate a substantial backlog of
deferred capital investment, insufficient
size or capacity of maintenance facilities
for low or no emission vehicles,
excessive reliance on vehicles that are
beyond their intended service life, or a
vehicle fleet size that is insufficient to
meet current ridership demands.
Applicants should also provide the
following information, which FTA will
use to assess the need for capital
investment underlying the proposed
project:
a. For low or no emission bus projects
(replacement, rehabilitation or
expansion): The age and condition of
the vehicles or facilities to be replaced
or rehabilitated by the proposed project,
relative to their intended useful life. The
consistency of the proposed project with
the proposer’s bus fleet management
plan. The condition and performance of
the vehicles to be replaced by the
proposed project. For fleet expansion
requests, the degree to which the
proposed project will have a significant
impact on service delivery. For both the
Bus Program and Low-No Program, the
proposal must address whether the
project conforms to FTA’s spare ratio
guidelines. Low or no emission vehicles
funded under this program are not
exempted from FTA’s standard spare
ratio requirements which apply to and
PO 00000
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are calculated on the agency’s entire
fleet.
b. For bus facility and equipment
projects (replacement and/or
expansion): The age of the asset to be
rehabilitated or replaced relative to its
useful life. The degree to which the
proposed project will enable the agency
to improve the maintenance or
operation of the agency’s existing low or
no emission vehicles, and/or other
related transit assets.
ii. Demonstration of Benefits
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project will support the
successful deployment of vehicles with
advanced propulsion technologies in
regular transit operations. In particular,
the applicant must demonstrate how the
proposed project will support the
following Low-No Program objectives:
(1) Reduce Direct Carbon Emissions; (2)
Reduce Particulate Emissions; (3)
Support Deployment of Advanced
Propulsion Technologies; (4)
Demonstrate Successful Revenue
Operation of New Technologies.
Reduce Direct Carbon Emissions:
Applicants should demonstrate how the
proposed vehicles or facility will reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases from
transit vehicle operations. FTA will
evaluate the rate of direct carbon
emissions by the proposed vehicles or
vehicles to be supported by the
proposed facility, the number of
vehicles that will be in operation as a
result of the proposed project, and the
emissions from the vehicles that will be
replaced or moved to the spare fleet as
a result of the proposed project.
Reduce Particulate Emissions:
Applicants should demonstrate how the
proposed vehicles or facility will reduce
the emission of particulates that create
local air pollution, which leads to local
environmental health concerns, smog,
and unhealthy ozone concentrations.
FTA will evaluate the rate of particulate
emissions by the proposed vehicles or
vehicles to be supported by the
proposed facility, the number of
vehicles that will be in operation as a
result of the proposed project, and the
emissions from the vehicles that will be
replaced or moved to the spare fleet as
a result of the proposed project.
Support Deployment of Advanced
Propulsion Technologies: As described
in the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s ‘‘Beyond Traffic 2045’’,
the transportation sector will need to
significantly reduce its emissions of
greenhouse gases. Accordingly,
applicants should describe how the
proposed project will introduce new
vehicle technologies that reduce
emissions and increase energy
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efficiency into transit revenue
operations. FTA will consider the
prevalence of the proposed propulsion
technology in the nation’s transit fleet,
the degree to which the proposed
technology reduces emissions as
compared to more common vehicle
propulsion technologies, and the
capability of the proposed vehicle type
to perform to an adequate level of
performance in standard revenue
operations, as evidenced by successful
revenue service in similar operating
environments.
Demonstrate Successful Revenue
Operation of New Technologies:
Applicants should describe how the
proposed project will support the
successful operation of new
technologies in revenue service. FTA
will evaluate the current or planned
ability of the applicant to successfully
operate and maintain the proposed
vehicles or vehicles to be supported by
the proposed project. As the
introduction of new technology may
impact the skills needed by the
applicant’s workforce, FTA is
particularly interested in projects that
propose to utilize the eligibility of 0.5
percent of the proposed Federal funding
for workforce development and/or 0.5
percent for training at the National
Transit Institute. Please note that
funding requests for workforce
development activities must be
addressed separately in the budget
section of the application, and such
activities must be attributable to the
project being applied for. Applicants
should also address the appropriateness
of the intended vehicles for the type of
service proposed, in particular when
considering vehicle operating range,
charging or fueling requirements, or
terrain. FTA will evaluate the
consistency of the proposed project with
the applicant’s long-term fleet
management plan, as well as the
applicant’s previous experience with
the relevant low or no emissions vehicle
technologies.
iii. Planning and Local/Regional
Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project is consistent with local
and regional long range planning
documents and local government
priorities. This will involve assessing
whether the project is consistent with
the transit priorities identified in the
long range plan; and/or contingency/
illustrative projects included in that
plan; or the locally-developed human
services public transportation
coordinated plan. Applicants are not
required to submit copies of such plans,
but should describe how the project will
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support regional goals and may submit
support letters from local and regional
planning organizations attesting to the
consistency of the proposed project with
these plans.
Evidence of additional local or
regional prioritization may include
letters of support for the project from
local government officials, public
agencies, and non-profit or private
sector partners.
iv. Local Financial Commitment
Applicants must identify the source of
the local cost share and describe
whether such funds are currently
available for the project or will need to
be secured if the project is selected for
funding. FTA will consider the
availability of the local cost share as
evidence of local financial commitment
to the project. In addition, an applicant
may propose a local cost share that is
greater than the minimum requirement
or provide documentation of previous
local investments in the project, which
cannot be used to satisfy local matching
requirements, as evidence of local
financial commitment. FTA will also
note if an applicant proposes to use
grant funds only for the incremental
cost of new technologies over the cost
of replacing vehicles with standard
propulsion technologies.
v. Project Implementation Strategy
Projects will be evaluated based on
the extent to which the project is ready
to implement within a reasonable
period of time. Among other factors,
FTA will assess whether the project
qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion
(CE), or whether the required
environmental work has been initiated
or completed for projects requiring an
Environmental Assessment (EA) or
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended.
Applicants must provide information
regarding their project implementation
plans, including whether initial design
of facilities projects has been completed.
For vehicle acquisitions, the applicant
must explain the status and timeline of
the intended procurement strategy, and
must demonstrate familiarity with the
current market availability of the
proposed advanced vehicle propulsion
technology.
For project proposals that do not
specify a particular manufacturer,
model, or vendor, applicants must
demonstrate that vehicles are available
of the proposed type that meet or exceed
FTA’s Buy America domestic content
requirements.
For project proposals that involve a
partnership with a manufacturer,
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17559
vendor, consultant, or other third party,
applicants must identify by name any
project partners, including but not
limited to other transit agencies, bus
manufacturers, owners or operators of
related facilities, or any expert
consultants. FTA will evaluate the
experience and capacity of the named
project partners to successfully
implement the proposed project based
on the partners’ experience and
qualifications. Applicants are advised to
submit information on the partners’
qualification and experience as a part of
the application. Entities involved in the
project that are not named in the
application will be required to be
selected through a competitive
procurement.
Applicants must also provide the
timeframe under which the TIP and/or
STIP can be amended to include the
proposed project. This should be
accompanied by evidence of MPO and/
or State endorsement. In addition, the
proposal should state whether grant
funds can be obligated within 12
months from time of award, if selected.
For projects that will require formal
coordination, approvals or permits from
other agencies or project partners, the
applicant must demonstrate previous
coordination with these organizations
and their support for the project, such
as through letters of support.
vi. Technical, Legal, and Financial
Capacity
Applicants must demonstrate that
they have the technical, legal and
financial capacity to undertake the
project. FTA will review relevant
oversight assessments and records to
determine whether there are any
outstanding legal, technical, or financial
issues with the applicant that would
affect the outcome of the proposed
project. FTA will also review the
proposed source of local match.
Applicants should submit evidence of
the availability of such funds for the
project, for example by including a
board resolution, letter of support from
the State, or other documentation of the
source of local funds.
Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that
may review the proposals, a technical
evaluation committee will evaluate
proposals based on the published
evaluation criteria. Members of the
technical evaluation committee and
other FTA staff may request additional
information from applicants, if
necessary. Based on the findings of the
technical evaluation committee, the
FTA Administrator will determine the
final selection of projects for program
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funding. FTA may consider geographic
diversity, diversity in the size of the
transit systems receiving funding, and/
or the applicant’s receipt of other
competitive awards in determining the
allocation of program funds. FTA may
consider capping the amount a single
applicant may receive.
F. Federal Award Administration
i. Federal Award Notice
Subsequent to an announcement by
the FTA Administrator of the final
project selections, which will be posted
on the FTA Web site, FTA will publish
a list of the selected projects, a summary
of final scores for selected projects,
Federal award amounts and recipients
in the Federal Register. Project
recipients should contact their FTA
Regional Offices for additional
information regarding allocations for
projects under the Bus and Low-No
Programs.
At the time the project selections are
announced, FTA will extend pre-award
authority for the selected projects. There
is no blanket pre-award authority for
these projects before announcement.
ii. Award Administration
Funds under the Bus and Low-No
Programs are available to States,
designated recipients, or eligible direct
recipients of Section 5307 funds. There
is no minimum or maximum grant
award amount; however, FTA intends to
fund as many meritorious projects as
possible. Only proposals from eligible
recipients for eligible activities will be
considered for funding. Due to funding
limitations, proposers that are selected
for funding may receive less than the
amount originally requested. In those
cases, applicants must be able to
demonstrate that the proposed projects
are still viable and can be completed
with the amount awarded.
iii. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
i. Pre-Award Authority
The FTA will issue specific guidance
to recipients regarding pre-award
authority at the time of selection. The
FTA does not provide pre-award
authority for competitive funds until
projects are selected and even then there
are Federal requirements that must be
met before costs are incurred. For more
information about FTA’s policy on preaward authority, please see the FY 2016
Apportionment Notice published on
February 16, 2016. https://www.gpo.
gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-02-16/pdf/201602821.pdf.
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ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a
grant through FTA’s Transit Award
Management System (TrAMS).
Recipients of Bus Program Funding in
urban areas and all Low/No Emission
recipients, are subject to the grant
requirements of section 5307 Urbanized
Area Formula Grant program, including
those of FTA Circular 9030.1E.
Recipients of Bus Program Funding in
rural areas are subject to the grant
requirements of Section 5311 Formula
Grants for Rural Areas Program,
including those of FTA Circular
9040.1G All recipients must follow the
Grants Management Requirements of
FTA Circular 5010.1D, and the labor
protections of 49 U.S.C. Section 5333(b).
All competitive grants, regardless of
award amount, will be subject to the
congressional notification and release
process. Technical assistance regarding
these requirements is available from
each FTA regional office.
iii. Buy America
The FTA requires that all capital
procurements meet FTA’s Buy America
requirements that require all iron, steel,
or manufactured products be produced
in the U.S., to help create and protect
manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The
Ferry program will have a significant
economic impact toward meeting the
objectives of the Buy America law. The
Buy America requirements can be found
in 49 CFR part 661. Any proposal that
will require a waiver must identify the
items for which a waiver will be sought
in the application. Applicants should
not proceed with the expectation that
waivers will be granted.
iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Projects that include ferry
acquisitions are subject to the
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) program regulations at 49 CFR
part 26. The rule requires that, prior to
bidding on any FTA-assisted vehicle
procurement, entities that manufacture
ferries must submit a DBE Program plan
and annual goal methodology to FTA.
The FTA will then issue a transit
vehicle manufacturer (TVM)
concurrence/certification letter. Grant
recipients must verify each entity’s
compliance before accepting its bid. A
list of certified TVMs is posted on FTA’s
Web page at https://www.fta.dot.gov/
civilrights/12891.html. Recipients
should contact FTA before accepting
bids from entities not listed on this Web
posting. Recipients may also establish
project specific DBE goals for ferry
purchases. The FTA will provide
additional guidance as grants are
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awarded. For more information on DBE
requirements, please contact Britney
Berry, Office of Civil Rights, 202–366–
1065, email: britney.berry@dot.gov.
v. Planning
The FTA encourages proposers to
notify the appropriate State
Departments of Transportation and
MPOs in areas likely to be served by the
project funds made available under
these initiatives and programs. Selected
projects must be incorporated into the
long-range plans and transportation
improvement programs of States and
metropolitan areas before they are
eligible for FTA funding.
vi. Standard Assurances
The applicant assures that it will
comply with all applicable Federal
statutes, regulations, executive orders,
FTA circulars, and other Federal
administrative requirements in carrying
out any project supported by the FTA
grant. The applicant acknowledges that
it is under a continuing obligation to
comply with the terms and conditions
of the grant agreement issued for its
project with FTA. The applicant
understands that Federal laws,
regulations, policies, and administrative
practices might be modified from time
to time and may affect the
implementation of the project. The
applicant agrees that the most recent
Federal requirements will apply to the
project, unless FTA issues a written
determination otherwise. The applicant
must submit the Certifications and
Assurances before receiving a grant if it
does not have current certifications on
file.
vii. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements
include submission of Federal Financial
Reports and Milestone Reports in FTA’s
electronic grants management system.
G. Technical Assistance and Other
Program Information
This program is not subject to
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.’’ The FTA will consider
applications for funding only from
eligible recipients for eligible projects
listed in Section C. Complete
applications must be submitted through
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. EDT on
XXXXXXX. Contact information for
FTA’s regional offices can be found on
FTA’s Web site at www.fta.dot.gov.
H. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning
this notice please contact the Bus
Program manager via email at
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samuel.snead@dot.gov, or call Sam
Snead at 202–366–1089. For further
information concerning this notice
contact the Low-No Program manager,
Tara Clark by phone at 202–366–2623,
or by email at tara.clark@dot.gov. A
TDD is available for individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing at [number]. In
addition, FTA will post answers to
questions and requests for clarifications
on FTA’s Web site at https://
transit.dot.gov/busprogram. To ensure
applicants receive accurate information
about eligibility or the program, the
applicant is encouraged to contact FTA
directly, rather than through
intermediaries or third parties, with
questions. FTA staff may also conduct
briefings on the competitive grants
selection and award process upon
request.
Matthew J. Welbes,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2016–07027 Filed 3–28–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
vacancies that may arise. The Agency
encourages nominations submitted any
time before the deadline.
ADDRESSES: Interested candidates may
submit a completed application by one
of the following methods:
• Email: MTSNAC@dot.gov, subject
line: MTSNAC Application.
• Fax: 202–308–8968, ATTN:
MTSNAC DFO, please provide name,
mailing address and telephone and fax
numbers to send application forms to.
• Mail: MARAD–MTSNAC
Designated Federal Officer, Room W21–
310, U.S. Department of Transportation,
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington,
DC 20590, please provide name, mailing
address and telephone and fax numbers
to send application forms to.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric
Shen, Designated Federal Officer, at
MTSNAC@dot.gov or at (202) 308–8968.
Please visit the MTSNAC Web site at
https://www.marad.dot.gov/ports/
marine-transportation-system-mts/
marine-transportation-system-nationaladvisory-committee-mtsnac/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Under what authority is MARAD
renewing the MTSNAC?
The MTSNAC is a Federal advisory
Renewal of the U.S. Maritime
committee MARAD sponsors that
Transportation System National
Advisory Committee and Solicitation of advises the Department of
Transportation on issues related to the
Nominations for Membership
marine transportation system. The
AGENCY: Maritime Administration,
MTSNAC was originally established in
Department of Transportation.
1999 in accordance with the
ACTION: Notice of charter renewal and
recommendations made in a Report to
nomination solicitation.
Congress titled ‘‘An Assessment of the
U.S. Marine Transportation System,’’
SUMMARY: Pursuant to authority
and mandated in 2007 by section 1121
delegated by the Secretary of
of the Energy Independence and
Transportation (Secretary) to the
Security Act of 2007, Public Law 110–
Maritime Administrator (Administrator)
140 (46 U.S.C. 55603). The MTSNAC
and the Federal Advisory Committee
operates in accordance with the
Act implementing regulations, the
provisions of the Federal Advisory
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
Committee Act (FACA), and shall
announces the renewal of the U.S.
undertake information-gathering
Maritime Transportation System
activities, develop technical advice, and
National Advisory Committee
present recommendations to the
(Committee or MTSNAC), by the
Administrator on matters including but
Secretary of Transportation. The
not limited to the following:
Committee will advise the Secretary on
a. Impediments hindering effective
solutions to impediments hindering
use of short sea transportation,
effective use of short sea transportation
including the expansion of America’s
and other matters as the Secretary
Marine Highways, as directed in Section
determines. Duration of the MTSNAC is 1121 of the Energy Independence and
for two years unless renewed by the
Security Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110–140),
Secretary. This notice also requests
and methods to expand the use of the
nominations for membership on the
Marine Transportation System for
Committee.
freight and passengers;
DATES: Nominations for immediate
b. Expand capacity of U.S.
consideration for appointment must be
international gateway ports to
received on or before 5:00 p.m. ET on
accommodate larger vessels;
c. Improve waterborne transport to
May 2, 2016. After that date, MARAD
reduce congestion and increase mobility
will continue to accept applications
throughout the domestic transportation
under this notice for a period of up to
system;
two years from the deadline to fill any
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Maritime Administration
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d. Strengthen maritime capabilities
essential to economic and national
security;
e. Modernize the maritime workforce
and inspire and educate the next
generation of mariners;
f. Foster maritime innovation; and,
g. Topics related to the Agency’s
mission that the Maritime Administrator
may charge the Committee with
addressing.
II. Who should be considered for
nomination as MTSNAC members?
The Maritime Administration seeks
nominations for immediate
consideration to fill approximately 10
positions on the Committee for the
upcoming 2016–2018 charter term, and
will continue to accept nominations
under this notice on an on-going basis
for two years for consideration to fill
vacancies that may arise during the
charter term. Member appointment
terms run for two years concurrently
with the Committee charter. Members
will be selected in accordance with
applicable Agency guidelines based
upon their ability to advise the
Administrator on marine transportation
issues. Members will be selected with a
view toward a varied perspective of the
marine transportation industry,
including (1) ports and terminal
operators; (2) vessel operators; (3)
shippers or beneficiary cargo owners; (4)
shipbuilders; (5) other modes of
transportation; (6) relevant policy areas
such as innovative financing, economic
competitiveness, performance
monitoring, safety, labor, and
environment; (7) freight customers and
providers; and (8) government bodies.
Specifically, the Agency seeks to
balance the following interests to the
extent practicable: State departments of
transportation; State, local, and tribal
officials; local planning offices;
shippers, businesses, and economic
development; freight forwarders; rail,
ports, trucking, and pipelines
operations; workforce including both
shipboard and waterfront workers,
safety, and environmental interest.
Registered lobbyists are not eligible to
serve on Federal Advisory Committees.
Registered lobbyists are lobbyists
required to comply with provisions
contained in the Lobbying Disclosure
Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 110–81).
III. Do MTSNAC members receive
compensation and/or per diem?
Committee members will receive no
salary for the participation in MTSNAC
activities. While attending meetings or
when otherwise engaged in Committee
business, members may be reimbursed
for travel and per diem expenses as
E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM
29MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17553-17561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07027]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
FY16 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus
Facilities and Low or No Emission Grant Programs; 5339(b) Grants for
Buses and Bus Facilities Program and 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the
availability of approximately $211 million of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016
funds for the Section 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities
Competitive Grant Program (Bus Program) and approximately $55 million
for 5339(c) Low or No Emission Bus Competitive Grant Program (Low-No
Program). Funds awarded for the Bus Program will finance capital
projects to replace, rehabilitate, purchase or lease buses and related
equipment and to rehabilitate, purchase, construct or lease bus-related
facilities, including programs of bus and bus-related projects for
subrecipients that are public agencies, private companies engaged in
public transportation, or private non-profit organizations. Funds
awarded for the Low-No Program will finance the purchase or lease of
low or no emission vehicles that use advanced technologies, including
related equipment or facilities, for transit revenue operations.
Projects may include costs incidental to the acquisition of buses or to
the construction of facilities, such as the costs of related workforce
development and training activities, and project development. FTA may
award additional funding that is made available to the program prior to
the announcement of project selections.
DATES: Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the
GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by May 13, 2016. Prospective applicants
should initiate the process by registering on the GRANTS.GOV Web site
promptly to ensure completion of the application process before the
submission deadline. Instructions for applying can be found on FTA's
Web site at https://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND''
module of GRANTS.GOV. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Bus Program, contact Sam
Snead, FTA Office of Program Management, 202-366-1089, or samuel.snead@
[[Page 17554]]
dot.gov. For the Low-No Program, contact Tara Clark, same office, 202-
366-2623, or tara.clark@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table Of Contents
A. Program Description
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
B. Federal Award Information
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
C. Eligibility Information
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review
1. 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program
F. Federal Award Administration
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information
A. Program Description
1. The Bus Program
Section 5339(b) of Title 49, United States Code, as amended by
Section 3017 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, Pub.
L. 114-94, authorizes FTA to award Bus Program grants through a
competitive process, as described in this notice. The program provides
funds to State and local governmental authorities for capital projects
to replace, rehabilitate, purchase or lease buses and related equipment
and to rehabilitate, purchase, construct or lease bus-related
facilities. Under this authority, FTA also may award grants to eligible
recipients for projects to be undertaken by subrecipients that are
public agencies, private companies engaged in public transportation, or
private non-profit organizations. The purpose of the Bus Program is to
improve the condition of the nation's public transportation bus fleets,
expand transportation access to employment, educational, and healthcare
facilities, and to improve mobility options in rural and urban areas
throughout the country. In accordance with the statutory requirement
that FTA must ``consider the age and condition of buses, bus fleets,
related equipment, and bus-related facilities'', FTA will prioritize
projects that demonstrate how they will address significant repair and
maintenance needs, improve the safety of transit systems, deploy
connective projects that include advanced technologies to connect bus
systems with other networks, and support the creation of ladders of
opportunity.
2. The Low or No Emission Bus (Low-No) Program
Section 5339(c) of Title 49, United States Code, as established by
Section 3017 of the FAST Act, authorizes FTA to award grants for low or
no emission buses through a competitive process, as described in this
notice. The Low or No Emission Bus Program (Low-No Program) provides
funding to State and local governmental authorities for the purchase or
lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including
acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting
facilities such as recharging, refueling, and maintenance facilities.
FTA recognizes that a significant transformation is occurring in the
transit bus industry, with the increasing availability of low and zero
emission bus vehicles for transit revenue operations. The adoption of
these technologically advanced vehicles will enable the country's
transportation system to move toward a cleaner and more energy-
efficient future, as described in the U.S. Department of
Transportation's recent report, Beyond Traffic 2045. Accordingly, the
purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the
nation's transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy
efficient transit vehicle technologies, thereby reducing local air
pollution and direct carbon emissions, and to support the deployment of
technologically advanced U.S.-made transit buses that have been largely
proven in testing and demonstrations, but are not yet widely deployed
in transit fleets.
B. Federal Award Information
1. 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program
The FAST Act amended 49 U.S.C. 5339 to provide competitive grants
for eligible projects under the Bus Program and has authorized $213
million in FY 2016 to carry out the Bus Program. A one half of one
percent take down authorized for oversight reduces this amount to
approximately $211 million. A minimum of 10 percent of the amount
awarded under the Bus Program will be awarded to States for projects
located in rural areas.
2. 5339(c) Low or No Emission Competitive Program
The FAST Act established 49 U.S.C. 5339(c) to provide competitive
grants for eligible projects under the Low-No Program and has
authorized $55 million in FY 2016 to carry out the Low-No Program.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Bus Program Eligibility
i. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include direct recipients of FTA grants under
the Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula program, States, and Indian
Tribes. Except for projects proposed by Indian Tribes, proposals for
projects in rural (non-urbanized) areas must be submitted as part of a
consolidated State proposal. States and other eligible applicants may
also submit consolidated proposals for projects in urbanized areas.
Proposals may contain projects to be implemented by the recipient or
its subrecipients. Eligible subrecipients include public agencies,
private nonprofit organizations, and private providers engaged in
public transportation. If a single project proposal involves multiple
public transportation providers, such as when an agency acquires
vehicles that will be operated by another agency, the proposal must
include a detailed statement regarding the role of each public
transportation provider in the implementation of the project.
ii. Cost Sharing or Matching
The maximum Federal share for projects selected under the Bus
Program is 80 percent of the net project cost, unless noted below by
one of the exceptions.
i. The Federal share is 85 percent of the net project cost of
acquiring vehicles (including clean-fuel or alternative fuel vehicles)
that are compliant with the Clean Air Act (CAA) and/or the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
ii. The Federal share is 90 percent of the net project cost of
acquiring, installing or constructing vehicle-related equipment or
facilities (including clean fuel or alternative-fuel vehicle-related
equipment or facilities) that are required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, or that are necessary to comply with or
maintaining compliance with the Clean Air Act. The award recipient must
itemize the cost of specific, discrete, vehicle-related equipment
associated with compliance with ADA or CAA to be eligible for the
maximum 90 percent Federal share for these costs.
Eligible sources of local match include the following: Cash from
non-Government sources other than revenues from providing public
transportation services; revenues derived from the sale of advertising
and concessions; amounts received under a service agreement with a
State or local
[[Page 17555]]
social service agency or private social service organization; revenues
generated from value capture financing mechanisms; or funds from an
undistributed cash surplus; replacement or depreciation cash fund or
reserve; or new capital. In addition, transportation development
credits or documentation of in-kind match may substitute for local
match if identified in the application.
iii. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are capital projects to replace, rehabilitate
purchase, or lease buses, vans, and related equipment (including
intelligent technology and software), and capital projects to
rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or lease bus-related facilities.
Eligible projects under the Bus Program also include all projects
otherwise eligible under the Low-No Program.
FTA is particularly interested in implementing the provisions of
the FAST Act that permit applicants to use up to 0.5 percent of the FTA
funds for workforce development activities eligible under 49 U.S.C.
5314 and an additional 0.5 percent for costs associated with training
at the National Transit Institute. Applicants should identify the
proposed use of funds for these activities in the project proposal and
identify them separately in the project budget.
2. Low-No Program Eligibility
i. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include direct recipients of FTA grants under
the Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula program, States, and Indian
Tribes. Except for projects proposed by Indian Tribes, proposals for
funding eligible projects in rural (non-urbanized) areas must be
submitted as part of a consolidated State proposal. States and other
eligible applicants also may submit consolidated proposals for projects
in urbanized areas. Proposals may contain projects to be implemented by
the recipient or its subrecipients. Eligible subrecipients include
direct recipients of Section 5307 grants and local government
authorities that operate fixed route transit service. If a single
project proposal involves multiple public transportation providers,
such as when an agency acquires vehicles that will be operated by
another agency, the proposal must include a detailed statement
regarding the role of each public transportation provider in the
implementation of the project.
An eligible recipient may submit an application in partnership with
other entities that intend to participate in the implementation of the
project, including, but not limited to, specific vehicle manufacturers,
equipment vendors, owners or operators of related facilities, or
project consultants. If an application that involves such a partnership
is selected for funding, the competitive selection process will be
deemed to satisfy the requirement for a competitive procurement under
49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named entities. Applicants are advised that
any changes to the proposed partnership will require FTA advance
approval, would need to be consistent with the scope of the approved
project, and may necessitate a competitive procurement.
Under the 5339(c) Low-No Program, as amended by the FAST Act, there
no longer is a requirement that an eligible project or recipient be
located in an area designated as an air quality non-attainment or
maintenance area.
ii. Cost Sharing or Matching
All eligible expenses under the Low-No Program are attributable to
compliance with the Clean Air Act. Therefore under the provisions of 49
U.S.C. 5323(i) the maximum Federal participation in the costs of
leasing or acquiring a transit bus financed under the Low-No Program is
85 percent of the total transit bus cost. The proposer may seek a lower
Federal contribution. Further, the maximum Federal participation in the
cost of leasing or acquiring low or no emission bus-related equipment
and facilities under the Low-No Program, such as recharging or
refueling facilities, is 90 percent of the net project cost of the
equipment or facilities that are attributable to compliance with the
Clean Air Act.
Eligible sources of local match include the following: Cash from
non-Government sources other than revenues from providing public
transportation services; revenues derived from the sale of advertising
and concessions; amounts received under a service agreement with a
State or local social service agency or private social service
organization; revenues generated from value capture financing
mechanisms; or funds from an undistributed cash surplus; replacement or
depreciation cash fund or reserve; new capital; or in-kind
contributions. In addition, transportation development credits or
documentation of in-kind match may substitute for local match if
identified in the application.
iii. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are projects or programs of projects for
purchasing or leasing low or no emission buses, acquiring low or no
emission buses with a leased power source, constructing or leasing
facilities and related equipment (including intelligent technology and
software), for low or no emission buses, constructing new public
transportation facilities to accommodate low or no emission buses, or
rehabilitating or improving existing public transportation facilities
to accommodate low or no emission buses. All proposed projects must be
part of the intended recipient's long-term integrated fleet management
plan.
Under the Low-No Program, a low or no-emission bus is defined as a
passenger vehicle used to provide public transportation that
significantly reduces energy consumption, air pollution, or direct
carbon emissions, when compared to a standard vehicle. This includes
zero-emission transit buses, which are defined as buses that produce no
direct carbon emissions and no particulate matter emissions under any
and all possible operational modes and conditions. Examples of zero
emission bus technologies include, but are not limited to hydrogen
fuel-cell buses and battery-electric buses. All transit bus models
procured with funds awarded under the Low-No Program must complete FTA
bus testing for production transit buses pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5318.
The development or deployment of prototype vehicles is not eligible for
funding under the Low-No program.
FTA is particularly interested in implementing the provisions of
the FAST Act that permit applicants to use up to 0.5 percent of the FTA
funds for workforce development activities eligible under 49 U.S.C.
5314 and an additional 0.5 percent for costs associated with training
at the National Transit Institute. Applicants should identify the
proposed use of funds for these activities in the project proposal and
identify them separately in the project budget.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address
Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov. General information
for submitting applications through Grants.gov can be found at
www.fta.dot.gov/howtoapply along with specific instructions for the
forms and attachments required for submission. Failure to submit the
information as requested can delay review of the application.
The FTA urges proposers to submit applications at least 72 hours
prior to the due date to allow time to receive the
[[Page 17556]]
validation messages and to correct any problems that may have caused a
rejection notification. The FTA will not accept submissions after the
stated deadline. GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are
announced on the GRANTS.GOV Web site. Deadlines will not be extended
due to scheduled Web site maintenance.
Proposers are encouraged to begin the process of registration on
the GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of the submission deadline.
Registration is a multi-step process, which may take several weeks to
complete before an application can be submitted. Registered proposers
may still be required to take steps to keep their registration up to
date before submissions can be made successfully: (1) Registration in
the System for Award Management (SAM) is renewed annually; and, (2)
persons making submissions on behalf of the Authorized Organization
Representative (AOR) must be authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to
make submissions.
Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the
applicant should receive three email messages from GRANTS.GOV: (1)
Confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV, (2) confirmation
of successful validation by GRANTS.GOV, and (3) confirmation of
successful validation by FTA. If confirmations of successful validation
are not received or a notice of failed validation or incomplete
materials is received, the applicant must address the reason for the
failed validation, as described in the email notice, and resubmit
before the submission deadline. If making a resubmission for any
reason, include all original attachments regardless of which
attachments were updated and check the box on the supplemental form
indicating this is a resubmission.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
A complete proposal submission consists of at least two forms: The
SF424 Mandatory Form and the relevant supplemental form for either the
Bus Program or the Low-No Program. The application must include
responses to all sections of the SF424 Mandatory Form and the relevant
Supplemental Form, unless indicated as optional. The information on the
supplemental form will be used to determine applicant and project
eligibility for the program, and to evaluate the proposal against the
selection criteria described in part E of this notice.
A separate supplemental form exists for the Bus Program and the
Low-No program. Projects that use the inappropriate form will not
contain the information necessary to determine eligibility of the
project and will not be evaluated. Applicants may submit multiple
proposals for one or both competitions in a single application, but
must complete a separate ``project detail'' section of the appropriate
supplemental form for each project.
The supplemental form must be placed in the attachments section of
the SF424 Mandatory Form. Proposers must use the relevant supplemental
form(s) designated for the Bus Program and/or the Low-No Program and
attach it/them to the submission in GRANTS.GOV to successfully complete
the application process. A submission may include multiple supplemental
forms, and a single supplemental form may contain multiple individual
project proposals. All project proposals will be evaluated separately,
regardless of whether they are submitted as a single submission.
An applicant may submit additional supporting documentation for
each project proposal as attachments. Any supporting documentation must
be described and referenced by file name in the appropriate response
section of the supplemental form, or it may not be reviewed.
Information such as proposer name, Federal amount requested, local
match amount, description of areas served, etc. may be requested in
varying degrees of detail on both the SF424 form and Supplemental Form.
Proposers must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on the forms.
The Supplemental Form template supports pasting copied text from other
documents; applicants should verify that pasted text is fully captured
on the Supplemental Form and has not been truncated by the character
limits built into the form. Proposers should use both the ``Check
Package for Errors'' and the ``Validate Form'' validation buttons on
both forms to check all required fields on the forms, and ensure that
the federal and local amounts specified are consistent.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
All applicants must provide a unique entity identifier provided by
the System for Award Management (SAM). Registration in SAM may take as
little as 3-5 business days, but since there could be unexpected steps
or delays (for example, if you need to obtain an Employer
Identification Number), FTA recommends allowing ample time, up to
several weeks, for completion of all steps. For additional information
on obtaining a unique entity identifier, please visit www.sam.gov.
Further instructions on registration will be provided by FTA through an
introductory applicant training session. Dates and times for the
training session will be posted on FTA's Web site at www.fta.dot.gov/busprogram.
4. Submission Dates and Times
5.
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV by May 13, 2016. Mail and fax submissions will not be
accepted.
6. Funding Restrictions
Funds under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse applicants for
otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA award of a Grant
Agreement until FTA has issued pre-award authority for selected
projects through a notification in the Federal Register, or unless FTA
has issued a ``Letter of No Prejudice'' for the project before the
expenses are incurred.
7. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to consider scaling projects in
increments of 1 or 2 transit buses, in case insufficient funding is
available to fund a project at the full requested amount. If an
applicant indicates that a project is scalable, the applicant must
provide an appropriate minimum funding amount that will fund an
eligible project that achieves the objectives of the program and meets
all relevant program requirements. The applicant must provide a clear
explanation of how the project budget would be affected by a reduced
award. Additionally, funding requests for workforce development
activities must be addressed separately in the budget section of the
application, and such activities must be attributable to the project
being applied for.
E. Application Review
1. Evaluation Criteria for the Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive
Program
FTA will evaluate project proposals for the Bus Program based on
the criteria described in this notice. Projects will be evaluated
primarily on the responses provided in the supplemental form.
Additional information may be provided to support the responses
provided, however, any additional documentation must be directly
referenced on the supplemental form, including the file name where the
additional information can be found.
1. Demonstration of Need
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will address
an unmet need for capital investment in bus vehicles and/or supporting
facilities,
[[Page 17557]]
enhance the safety of the transit system for transit vehicle operators,
riders, and the general public, or improve connectivity of bus systems
with other networks through the use of deployment-ready information
technologies. For example, an applicant may demonstrate a substantial
backlog of deferred capital investment, insufficient size or capacity
of maintenance facilities, excessive reliance on vehicles that are
beyond their intended service life, a vehicle fleet that is
insufficient to meet current ridership demands, or passenger facilities
that are insufficient for their current use. For safety, an applicant
may demonstrate safety concerns with vehicles, equipment, or facilities
that are beyond their intended useful life, or that are no longer
appropriate for use due to safety concerns. To improve connectivity,
bus systems may deploy Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)
technologies or software that link buses with other transportation
networks. Applicants should also describe how the proposed project will
improve the operation of the transit system and whether the project
represents a one-time or periodic need that cannot reasonably be funded
from FTA program formula allocations or State and/or local resources.
Applicants should provide the following information, which FTA will
use to assess the need for capital investment underlying the proposed
project:
a. For bus projects (replacement, rehabilitation or expansion): The
age and condition of the asset(s) to be replaced or rehabilitated by
the proposed project, relative to their intended useful life.
Consistency with the proposer's bus fleet management plan. Condition
and performance of the asset to be replaced by the proposed project, as
ascertained through field inspections or otherwise, if available. For
fleet expansion requests, the degree to which the proposed project will
have a significant impact on service delivery. For both the Bus Program
and Low-No Program, the proposal must address whether the project
conforms to FTA's spare ratio guidelines.
b. For bus facility and equipment projects (replacement and/or
expansion): The age of the asset to be rehabilitated or replaced
relative to its useful life. The degree to which the proposed project
will enable the agency to improve the maintenance and condition of the
agency's fleet and/or other related transit assets. For expansion
requests, the degree to which the proposed project addresses a current
capacity constraint that is limiting the ability of the agency to
provide an adequate level of service relative to current ridership
demands or the degree the equipment will improve connectivity of bus
systems to other networks and infrastructure.
2. Demonstration of Benefits
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will support
the creation of ladders of opportunity, which are defined for this
competition as public transportation services that enable individuals
to achieve increased economic security by supporting the following five
Ladders of Opportunity Principles: (1) Enhanced access to work, (2)
more transportation choices, (3) support for existing communities, (4)
enhanced economic opportunities, and (5) support for partnerships
between public agencies, non-profit organizations and the private
sector.
Enhanced access to work: FTA will evaluate whether the project will
improve access for Americans with transportation disadvantages through
reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational
opportunities, services and other basic needs.
More Transportation Choices: FTA will evaluate whether the project
will significantly enhance mobility through the creation of more
convenient transportation options for travelers.
Support for Existing Communities: FTA will evaluate whether the
project will increase community revitalization, improve the efficiency
of public works investments or safeguard rural communities.
Enhanced Economic Opportunities: FTA will evaluate whether the
project improves economic opportunities by linking capital investments
with local workforce development opportunities and initiatives,
including connections to employment and educational opportunities. FTA
is particularly interested in projects that propose to utilize the
eligibility of 0.5 percent of the proposed Federal funding for
workforce development and/or 0.5 percent for training at the National
Transit Institute. Please note that funding requests for workforce
development activities must be addressed separately in the budget
section of the application, and such activities must be attributable to
the project being applied for.
Support for partnerships between public agencies, non-profit
organizations and the private sector: FTA will evaluate the extent to
which the proposed project will support strong partnerships between
State or local public agencies, local non-profit organizations, and the
private sector to improve mobility for individuals with limited access
to economic opportunities. This includes the extent the applicant has
or will bring local workforce development, training, education,
veterans, transportation and planning stakeholders together with
representation of key customer groups (people with low-incomes, people
with disabilities, youths, veterans, elderly populations, etc.) to
formulate a plan to create ladders of opportunity in an area.
3. Planning and Local/Regional Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project is consistent
with local and regional long-range planning documents and local
government priorities. This will involve assessing whether the project
is consistent with the transit priorities identified in the long range
plan; and/or contingency/illustrative projects included in that plan;
or the locally developed human services public transportation
coordinated plan. Applicants are not required to submit copies of such
plans, but should describe how the project will support regional goals
and may submit support letters from local and regional planning
organizations attesting to the consistency of the proposed project with
these plans.
Evidence of additional local or regional prioritization may include
letters of support for the project from local government officials,
public agencies, and non-profit or private sector partners.
4. Local Financial Commitment
Applicants must identify the source of the local cost share and
describe whether such funds are currently available for the project or
will need to be secured if the project is selected for funding. FTA
will consider the availability of the local cost share as evidence of
local financial commitment to the project. In addition, an applicant
may propose a local cost share that is greater than the minimum
requirement or provide documentation of previous local investments in
the project, which cannot be used to satisfy local matching
requirements, as evidence of local financial commitment.
5. Project Implementation Strategy
Projects will be evaluated based on the extent to which the project
is ready to implement within a reasonable period of time. Among other
factors, FTA will assess whether the project qualifies for a
Categorical Exclusion (CE), or whether the required environmental work
has been initiated
[[Page 17558]]
or completed for projects requiring an Environmental Assessment (EA) or
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended.
Applicants should address whether project implementation plans are
complete, including initial design of facilities projects. For vehicle
acquisitions, the applicant should explain the status and timeline of
the intended procurement strategy.
Applicants must also provide the timeframe under which the
Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and/or Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) can be amended to include the
proposed project. This should be accompanied by evidence of MPO and/or
State endorsement. In addition, the proposal should state whether grant
funds can be obligated within 12 months from time of award, if
selected. For projects that will require formal coordination, approvals
or permits from other agencies or project partners, the applicant must
demonstrate previous coordination with these organizations and their
support for the project, such as through letters of support.
6. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the technical, legal and
financial capacity to undertake the project. FTA will review relevant
oversight assessments and records to determine whether there are any
outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues with the applicant
that would affect the outcome of the proposed project.
FTA will also review the proposed source of local match. Applicants
should submit evidence of the availability of such funds for the
project, for example by including a board resolution, letter of support
from the State, or other documentation of the source of local funds.
Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that may review the proposals, a
technical evaluation committee will evaluate proposals based on the
published evaluation criteria. Members of the technical evaluation
committee and other FTA staff may request additional information from
applicants, if necessary. Based on the findings of the technical
evaluation committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final
selection of projects for program funding. FTA may consider geographic
diversity, diversity in the size of the transit systems receiving
funding, and/or the applicant's receipt of other competitive awards in
determining the allocation of program funds. Not less than 10 percent
of the Bus and Bus Facility Program funds will be distributed to
projects in rural areas. In addition, not more than 10 percent of the
funds may be awarded to a single grantee.
2. Selection Criteria for the Low or No Emission Bus Program
FTA will evaluate project proposals for the Low-No Program based on
the criteria described in this notice. Projects will be evaluated
primarily on the responses provided in the supplemental form.
Additional information may be provided to support the responses
provided; however, any additional documentation must be directly
referenced on the supplemental form, including the file name where the
additional information can be found.
i. Demonstration of Need
Since the purpose of this program is to fund bus vehicles and
facilities, applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will
address an unmet need for capital investment in bus vehicles and/or
supporting facilities. For example, an applicant may demonstrate a
substantial backlog of deferred capital investment, insufficient size
or capacity of maintenance facilities for low or no emission vehicles,
excessive reliance on vehicles that are beyond their intended service
life, or a vehicle fleet size that is insufficient to meet current
ridership demands.
Applicants should also provide the following information, which FTA
will use to assess the need for capital investment underlying the
proposed project:
a. For low or no emission bus projects (replacement, rehabilitation
or expansion): The age and condition of the vehicles or facilities to
be replaced or rehabilitated by the proposed project, relative to their
intended useful life. The consistency of the proposed project with the
proposer's bus fleet management plan. The condition and performance of
the vehicles to be replaced by the proposed project. For fleet
expansion requests, the degree to which the proposed project will have
a significant impact on service delivery. For both the Bus Program and
Low-No Program, the proposal must address whether the project conforms
to FTA's spare ratio guidelines. Low or no emission vehicles funded
under this program are not exempted from FTA's standard spare ratio
requirements which apply to and are calculated on the agency's entire
fleet.
b. For bus facility and equipment projects (replacement and/or
expansion): The age of the asset to be rehabilitated or replaced
relative to its useful life. The degree to which the proposed project
will enable the agency to improve the maintenance or operation of the
agency's existing low or no emission vehicles, and/or other related
transit assets.
ii. Demonstration of Benefits
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will support
the successful deployment of vehicles with advanced propulsion
technologies in regular transit operations. In particular, the
applicant must demonstrate how the proposed project will support the
following Low-No Program objectives: (1) Reduce Direct Carbon
Emissions; (2) Reduce Particulate Emissions; (3) Support Deployment of
Advanced Propulsion Technologies; (4) Demonstrate Successful Revenue
Operation of New Technologies.
Reduce Direct Carbon Emissions: Applicants should demonstrate how
the proposed vehicles or facility will reduce emissions of greenhouse
gases from transit vehicle operations. FTA will evaluate the rate of
direct carbon emissions by the proposed vehicles or vehicles to be
supported by the proposed facility, the number of vehicles that will be
in operation as a result of the proposed project, and the emissions
from the vehicles that will be replaced or moved to the spare fleet as
a result of the proposed project.
Reduce Particulate Emissions: Applicants should demonstrate how the
proposed vehicles or facility will reduce the emission of particulates
that create local air pollution, which leads to local environmental
health concerns, smog, and unhealthy ozone concentrations. FTA will
evaluate the rate of particulate emissions by the proposed vehicles or
vehicles to be supported by the proposed facility, the number of
vehicles that will be in operation as a result of the proposed project,
and the emissions from the vehicles that will be replaced or moved to
the spare fleet as a result of the proposed project.
Support Deployment of Advanced Propulsion Technologies: As
described in the U.S. Department of Transportation's ``Beyond Traffic
2045'', the transportation sector will need to significantly reduce its
emissions of greenhouse gases. Accordingly, applicants should describe
how the proposed project will introduce new vehicle technologies that
reduce emissions and increase energy
[[Page 17559]]
efficiency into transit revenue operations. FTA will consider the
prevalence of the proposed propulsion technology in the nation's
transit fleet, the degree to which the proposed technology reduces
emissions as compared to more common vehicle propulsion technologies,
and the capability of the proposed vehicle type to perform to an
adequate level of performance in standard revenue operations, as
evidenced by successful revenue service in similar operating
environments.
Demonstrate Successful Revenue Operation of New Technologies:
Applicants should describe how the proposed project will support the
successful operation of new technologies in revenue service. FTA will
evaluate the current or planned ability of the applicant to
successfully operate and maintain the proposed vehicles or vehicles to
be supported by the proposed project. As the introduction of new
technology may impact the skills needed by the applicant's workforce,
FTA is particularly interested in projects that propose to utilize the
eligibility of 0.5 percent of the proposed Federal funding for
workforce development and/or 0.5 percent for training at the National
Transit Institute. Please note that funding requests for workforce
development activities must be addressed separately in the budget
section of the application, and such activities must be attributable to
the project being applied for. Applicants should also address the
appropriateness of the intended vehicles for the type of service
proposed, in particular when considering vehicle operating range,
charging or fueling requirements, or terrain. FTA will evaluate the
consistency of the proposed project with the applicant's long-term
fleet management plan, as well as the applicant's previous experience
with the relevant low or no emissions vehicle technologies.
iii. Planning and Local/Regional Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project is consistent
with local and regional long range planning documents and local
government priorities. This will involve assessing whether the project
is consistent with the transit priorities identified in the long range
plan; and/or contingency/illustrative projects included in that plan;
or the locally-developed human services public transportation
coordinated plan. Applicants are not required to submit copies of such
plans, but should describe how the project will support regional goals
and may submit support letters from local and regional planning
organizations attesting to the consistency of the proposed project with
these plans.
Evidence of additional local or regional prioritization may include
letters of support for the project from local government officials,
public agencies, and non-profit or private sector partners.
iv. Local Financial Commitment
Applicants must identify the source of the local cost share and
describe whether such funds are currently available for the project or
will need to be secured if the project is selected for funding. FTA
will consider the availability of the local cost share as evidence of
local financial commitment to the project. In addition, an applicant
may propose a local cost share that is greater than the minimum
requirement or provide documentation of previous local investments in
the project, which cannot be used to satisfy local matching
requirements, as evidence of local financial commitment. FTA will also
note if an applicant proposes to use grant funds only for the
incremental cost of new technologies over the cost of replacing
vehicles with standard propulsion technologies.
v. Project Implementation Strategy
Projects will be evaluated based on the extent to which the project
is ready to implement within a reasonable period of time. Among other
factors, FTA will assess whether the project qualifies for a
Categorical Exclusion (CE), or whether the required environmental work
has been initiated or completed for projects requiring an Environmental
Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended.
Applicants must provide information regarding their project
implementation plans, including whether initial design of facilities
projects has been completed. For vehicle acquisitions, the applicant
must explain the status and timeline of the intended procurement
strategy, and must demonstrate familiarity with the current market
availability of the proposed advanced vehicle propulsion technology.
For project proposals that do not specify a particular
manufacturer, model, or vendor, applicants must demonstrate that
vehicles are available of the proposed type that meet or exceed FTA's
Buy America domestic content requirements.
For project proposals that involve a partnership with a
manufacturer, vendor, consultant, or other third party, applicants must
identify by name any project partners, including but not limited to
other transit agencies, bus manufacturers, owners or operators of
related facilities, or any expert consultants. FTA will evaluate the
experience and capacity of the named project partners to successfully
implement the proposed project based on the partners' experience and
qualifications. Applicants are advised to submit information on the
partners' qualification and experience as a part of the application.
Entities involved in the project that are not named in the application
will be required to be selected through a competitive procurement.
Applicants must also provide the timeframe under which the TIP and/
or STIP can be amended to include the proposed project. This should be
accompanied by evidence of MPO and/or State endorsement. In addition,
the proposal should state whether grant funds can be obligated within
12 months from time of award, if selected. For projects that will
require formal coordination, approvals or permits from other agencies
or project partners, the applicant must demonstrate previous
coordination with these organizations and their support for the
project, such as through letters of support.
vi. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the technical, legal and
financial capacity to undertake the project. FTA will review relevant
oversight assessments and records to determine whether there are any
outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues with the applicant
that would affect the outcome of the proposed project. FTA will also
review the proposed source of local match. Applicants should submit
evidence of the availability of such funds for the project, for example
by including a board resolution, letter of support from the State, or
other documentation of the source of local funds.
Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that may review the proposals, a
technical evaluation committee will evaluate proposals based on the
published evaluation criteria. Members of the technical evaluation
committee and other FTA staff may request additional information from
applicants, if necessary. Based on the findings of the technical
evaluation committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final
selection of projects for program
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funding. FTA may consider geographic diversity, diversity in the size
of the transit systems receiving funding, and/or the applicant's
receipt of other competitive awards in determining the allocation of
program funds. FTA may consider capping the amount a single applicant
may receive.
F. Federal Award Administration
i. Federal Award Notice
Subsequent to an announcement by the FTA Administrator of the final
project selections, which will be posted on the FTA Web site, FTA will
publish a list of the selected projects, a summary of final scores for
selected projects, Federal award amounts and recipients in the Federal
Register. Project recipients should contact their FTA Regional Offices
for additional information regarding allocations for projects under the
Bus and Low-No Programs.
At the time the project selections are announced, FTA will extend
pre-award authority for the selected projects. There is no blanket pre-
award authority for these projects before announcement.
ii. Award Administration
Funds under the Bus and Low-No Programs are available to States,
designated recipients, or eligible direct recipients of Section 5307
funds. There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount; however, FTA
intends to fund as many meritorious projects as possible. Only
proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities will be
considered for funding. Due to funding limitations, proposers that are
selected for funding may receive less than the amount originally
requested. In those cases, applicants must be able to demonstrate that
the proposed projects are still viable and can be completed with the
amount awarded.
iii. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
i. Pre-Award Authority
The FTA will issue specific guidance to recipients regarding pre-
award authority at the time of selection. The FTA does not provide pre-
award authority for competitive funds until projects are selected and
even then there are Federal requirements that must be met before costs
are incurred. For more information about FTA's policy on pre-award
authority, please see the FY 2016 Apportionment Notice published on
February 16, 2016. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-02-16/pdf/2016-02821.pdf.
ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a grant through FTA's Transit
Award Management System (TrAMS). Recipients of Bus Program Funding in
urban areas and all Low/No Emission recipients, are subject to the
grant requirements of section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Grant
program, including those of FTA Circular 9030.1E. Recipients of Bus
Program Funding in rural areas are subject to the grant requirements of
Section 5311 Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program, including those of
FTA Circular 9040.1G All recipients must follow the Grants Management
Requirements of FTA Circular 5010.1D, and the labor protections of 49
U.S.C. Section 5333(b). All competitive grants, regardless of award
amount, will be subject to the congressional notification and release
process. Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available
from each FTA regional office.
iii. Buy America
The FTA requires that all capital procurements meet FTA's Buy
America requirements that require all iron, steel, or manufactured
products be produced in the U.S., to help create and protect
manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The Ferry program will have a
significant economic impact toward meeting the objectives of the Buy
America law. The Buy America requirements can be found in 49 CFR part
661. Any proposal that will require a waiver must identify the items
for which a waiver will be sought in the application. Applicants should
not proceed with the expectation that waivers will be granted.
iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Projects that include ferry acquisitions are subject to the
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program regulations at 49 CFR
part 26. The rule requires that, prior to bidding on any FTA-assisted
vehicle procurement, entities that manufacture ferries must submit a
DBE Program plan and annual goal methodology to FTA. The FTA will then
issue a transit vehicle manufacturer (TVM) concurrence/certification
letter. Grant recipients must verify each entity's compliance before
accepting its bid. A list of certified TVMs is posted on FTA's Web page
at https://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/12891.html. Recipients should
contact FTA before accepting bids from entities not listed on this Web
posting. Recipients may also establish project specific DBE goals for
ferry purchases. The FTA will provide additional guidance as grants are
awarded. For more information on DBE requirements, please contact
Britney Berry, Office of Civil Rights, 202-366-1065, email:
britney.berry@dot.gov.
v. Planning
The FTA encourages proposers to notify the appropriate State
Departments of Transportation and MPOs in areas likely to be served by
the project funds made available under these initiatives and programs.
Selected projects must be incorporated into the long-range plans and
transportation improvement programs of States and metropolitan areas
before they are eligible for FTA funding.
vi. Standard Assurances
The applicant assures that it will comply with all applicable
Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, FTA circulars, and
other Federal administrative requirements in carrying out any project
supported by the FTA grant. The applicant acknowledges that it is under
a continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the
grant agreement issued for its project with FTA. The applicant
understands that Federal laws, regulations, policies, and
administrative practices might be modified from time to time and may
affect the implementation of the project. The applicant agrees that the
most recent Federal requirements will apply to the project, unless FTA
issues a written determination otherwise. The applicant must submit the
Certifications and Assurances before receiving a grant if it does not
have current certifications on file.
vii. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements include submission of Federal
Financial Reports and Milestone Reports in FTA's electronic grants
management system.
G. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' The FTA will consider
applications for funding only from eligible recipients for eligible
projects listed in Section C. Complete applications must be submitted
through GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. EDT on XXXXXXX. Contact information
for FTA's regional offices can be found on FTA's Web site at
www.fta.dot.gov.
H. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning this notice please contact the
Bus Program manager via email at
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samuel.snead@dot.gov, or call Sam Snead at 202-366-1089. For further
information concerning this notice contact the Low-No Program manager,
Tara Clark by phone at 202-366-2623, or by email at tara.clark@dot.gov.
A TDD is available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at
[number]. In addition, FTA will post answers to questions and requests
for clarifications on FTA's Web site at https://transit.dot.gov/busprogram. To ensure applicants receive accurate information about
eligibility or the program, the applicant is encouraged to contact FTA
directly, rather than through intermediaries or third parties, with
questions. FTA staff may also conduct briefings on the competitive
grants selection and award process upon request.
Matthew J. Welbes,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-07027 Filed 3-28-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P