Notice of Funding Opportunity for America's Marine Highway Projects, 694-697 [2018-00033]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 4 / Friday, January 5, 2018 / Notices
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of safety equivalent to or greater than
the level that would be achieved by the
current regulation (49 CFR 381.305).
The decision of the Agency must be
published in the Federal Register (49
CFR 381.315(b)). If the Agency denies
the request, it must state the reason for
doing so. If the decision is to grant the
exemption, the notice must specify the
person or class of persons receiving the
exemption and the regulatory provision
or provisions from which an exemption
is granted. The notice must specify the
effective period of the exemption (up to
5 years) and explain the terms and
conditions of the exemption. The
exemption may be renewed (49 CFR
381.315(c) and 49 CFR 381.300(b)).
AFTC Application for Exemption
AFTC applied for an exemption from
49 CFR 393.102, 393.106, 393.110, and
393.114 to allow alternate methods for
the securement of (1) agricultural
commodities transported in wood and
plastic boxes and bins and large
fiberglass tubs, and (2) hay, straw, and
cotton bales that are grouped together
into large singular units. A copy of the
application is included in the docket
referenced at the beginning of this
notice.
On September 27, 2002, FMCSA
published new cargo securement rules
(67 FR 61212). The rules were based on
the North American Cargo Securement
Standard Model Regulation, reflecting
(1) the results of a multi-year research
program to evaluate U.S. and Canadian
cargo securement regulations; (2) the
motor carrier industry’s best practices;
and (3) recommendations presented
during a series of public meetings
involving U.S. and Canadian industry
experts, Federal, State, and Provincial
enforcement officials, and other
interested parties.
The cargo securement rules include
general securement rules applicable to
all types of articles or cargo, with
certain exceptions (§§ 393.100–393.114),
and commodity-specific rules for
cargoes that require specialized means
of securement (§§ 393.116–393.136).
The commodity-specific requirements
take precedence over the general rules
for a commodity listed in those sections.
This means all cargo securement
systems must meet the general
requirements, except to the extent a
commodity-specific rule imposes
additional requirements that prescribe
in more detail the securement method to
be used. There are no commodityspecific rules applicable to the
transportation of (1) agricultural
commodities transported in wood and
plastic boxes and bins and large
fiberglass tubs, and (2) hay, straw, and
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cotton bales that are grouped together
into large singular units.
AFTC states that ‘‘For the past several
years, Agricultural haulers in California
have been utilizing annual exemptions
granted by the CHP to continue to allow
the use of previously existing cargo
securement methods for hauling
agricultural products. The California
annual exemptions were granted
because the strict application of the
cargo securement requirements that
FMCSA identified in a Final Rule in
2002 and became effective in 2004
would have resulted in a less secure
agricultural commodity cargo
securement environment.’’
In support of its application, AFTC
states that ‘‘We are requesting this
exemption after the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
performed testing and evaluation of
various methods utilized in securing a
wide variety of agricultural products for
transport that occurred in 2007 and
2008. Many cargo securement methods
were tested including those used to
secure plastic and wood bins, large
fiberglass tubs, and hay and cotton
bales. The study with FMCSA was a
collaborative effort with the California
Highway Patrol . . . , California
Department of Food and Agriculture,
California Trucking Association and
several of our carrier members.’’ A copy
of the draft report has been included in
the docket referenced at the beginning
of this notice.
AFTC notes that the alternate
securement methods for boxes, bins,
and tubs are intended to apply only to
the transportation of agricultural
products from the field or storage to the
first point of processing and the return
or delivery of empty containers to the
field or storage location. Additionally,
loads transported in vans or that are
contained on four sides by racks, or for
other than agricultural operation as
described above must be transported in
accordance with the general cargo
securement rules of §§ 393.100–393.114.
AFTC states ‘‘The reason for the
requested variances is because these
agricultural commodities are ‘grouped’
into larger singular ‘units’ and these
larger grouped units of cargo behave
differently when tested to the
performance requirements under 49
CFR 393.102.’’
Interested parties are referred to the
detailed cargo securement requirements
outlined by AFTC in an attachment to
its exemption application for each box/
bin/tub scenario and for hay and cotton
bales. The attachment includes
information regarding (a) the
applicability of the alternative
securement methods and definitions, (b)
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general provisions relating to required
tiedowns and other securement devices,
(c) construction of loads, and (d)
securement of loads.
The exemption would apply to all
commercial motor vehicle operators
nationwide that transport agricultural
commodities in interstate commerce as
described in the attachment to the
exemption application. AFTC states that
the alternative securement requirements
‘‘will provide an increased level of
safety and these securement techniques
have been tested by the Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center in
cooperation with FMCSA and the
California Highway Patrol.’’ Further,
AFTC notes that granting the exemption
‘‘will provide an increased level of
safety as the alternate securement
methods require more cargo securement
than is currently required under the
California exemptions the industry has
been operating under for the past few
years.’’
Request for Comments
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315
and 31136(e), FMCSA requests public
comment from all interested persons on
AFTC’s application for an exemption
from 49 CFR 393.102, 393.106, 393.110,
and 393.114. All comments received
before the close of business on the
comment closing date indicated at the
beginning of this notice will be
considered and will be available for
examination in the docket at the
location listed under the ADDRESSES
section of this notice.
Comments received after the comment
closing date will be filed in the public
docket and will be considered to the
extent practicable. In addition to late
comments, FMCSA will continue to file
relevant information in the public
docket that becomes available after the
comment closing date. Interested
persons should continue to examine the
public docket for new material.
Issued on: December 28, 2017.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018–00013 Filed 1–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
Notice of Funding Opportunity for
America’s Marine Highway Projects
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice of funding opportunity.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2017, signed by
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 4 / Friday, January 5, 2018 / Notices
the President on May 5, 2017,
appropriated $5,000,000 to the Short
Sea Transportation Program, commonly
referred to as the America’s Marine
Highway Program (AMHP). The purpose
of the appropriation is to make grants to
previously designated Marine Highway
Projects that support the development
and expansion of documented vessels,
and port and landside infrastructure.
This notice announces the availability
of funding for grants and establishes
selection criteria and application
requirements.
The U.S. Department of
Transportation (Department) will award
Marine Highway Grants to implement
projects or components of projects
previously designated by the Secretary
of Transportation (Secretary) under
AMHP. Only sponsors of designated
Marine Highway Projects are eligible to
apply for a Marine Highway Grant as
described in this notice.
DATES: Applications must be received
by the Maritime Administration by 5
p.m. EST on March 2, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Grant applications must be
submitted electronically using
Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov).
Please be aware that you must complete
the Grants.gov registration process
before submitting your application, and
that the registration process usually
takes 2 to 4 weeks to complete.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to
make submissions in advance of the
deadline.
For
further information concerning this
notice, please contact Tori Collins,
Office of Ports & Waterways Planning,
Room W21–315, Maritime
Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.
SE, Washington, DC 20590, phone 202–
366–0795 or email Tori.Collins@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each
section of this notice contains
information and instructions relevant to
the application process for these Marine
Highway Grants, and all applicants
should read this notice in its entirety so
that they have the information they
need to submit eligible and competitive
applications. Applications received after
the deadline will not be considered
except in the case of unforeseen
technical difficulties as outlined below
in Section D.4.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration
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Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
A. Program Description
Section 55601 of Title 46, United
States Code directs the Secretary to
establish a short sea transportation grant
program to implement projects or
components of designated marine
highway projects. The grant funds
currently available are for projects
related to documented vessels and to
port and landside infrastructure.
B. Federal Award Information
The Secretary, through the Maritime
Administration (MARAD), intends to
award $4,850,000 through grants to the
extent that there are qualified
applications. MARAD will seek to
obtain the maximum benefit from the
available funding by awarding grants to
as many qualified projects as possible;
however, MARAD reserves the right to
award all funds to just one project.
MARAD may partially fund applications
by selecting discrete components of
projects. The start date and period of
performance for each award will depend
on the specific project to which MARAD
must agree. MARAD will administer
each Marine Highway Grant pursuant to
a grant agreement with the Marine
Highway Grant recipient.
Recipients of prior Marine Highway
Grants in earlier rounds of this program
may apply for funding to support
additional phases of a designated
project. However, to be competitive, the
applicant should demonstrate the extent
to which the previously funded project
phase has met estimated project
schedules and budget, as well as the
ability to realize the benefits expected
for the new award.
C. Eligibility Information
To be selected for a Marine Highway
Grant, an applicant must be an Eligible
Applicant, and the project must be an
Eligible Project.
1. Eligible Applicants
Applicants eligible for Marine
Highway Grants are sponsors of projects
that the Secretary has previously
designated as a Marine Highway Project
under the AMHP. Project sponsors are
public entities, including metropolitan
planning organizations, state
governments (including state
departments of transportation), port
authorities, and tribal governments.
Project sponsors are encouraged to
develop coalitions and public/private
partnerships, which include vessel
owners and operators; third-party
logistics providers; trucking companies;
shippers; railroads; port authorities;
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695
state, regional, and local transportation
planners; environmental organizations;
impacted communities; or any
combination of entities working in
collaboration on a single application.
However, only the public entity sponsor
may be a direct recipient of Federal
funds under this award.
If multiple project sponsors submit a
joint application, they must identify a
lead applicant as the primary point of
contact. Joint applications must include
a description of the roles and
responsibilities of each applicant and
must be signed by each applicant.
Although we encourage a single award
recipient, where circumstances require
more than one award recipient, the
application must identify the recipients
of the award.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
An applicant must provide at least 20
percent of project costs from nonFederal sources. The application should
demonstrate, such as through a letter or
other documentation, the sources of
these funds.
3. Other
Eligible Projects
This grant program intends to create
new marine highway services or to
expand existing marine highway
services. Only projects or their
components that the Secretary has
previously designated as Marine
Highway Projects are eligible for this
round of grant funding, and they must
support the development and expansion
of documented vessels, and port and
landside infrastructure. The current list
of designated Marine Highway Projects,
and sponsors thereof, can be found on
the Marine Highway website at: https://
www.marad.dot.gov/wp-content/
uploads/pdf/Click-here-for-MarineHighway-Project-Designations-1.pdf.
D. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address To Request Application
Package
Applications may be found at and
must be submitted through Grants.gov.
Applications must include the Standard
Form 424 (Application for Federal
Assistance), which is available on the
Grants.gov website at https://
www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf424-family.html.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission
In addition to the SF–424, the
application should include all the
information requested below. MARAD
reserves the right to ask any applicant
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for supplemental data but expects
applications to be complete upon
submission. Applicants are encouraged
to provide quantitative information,
including baseline information that
demonstrates the project’s merits and
economic viability.
a. Length of Application. The
narrative portion of the application
should be in the standard academic
format (i.e., 12 pt. font, double-spaced)
and must not exceed ten pages.
Documentation supporting assertions
made in the narrative portion must also
be provided but should be limited to
relevant information. If possible,
website links to supporting
documentation should be provided
instead of copies of these materials. At
the applicant’s discretion, relevant
materials provided previously in
support of a Marine Highway Project
application may be referenced and
described as unchanged. To the extent
referenced, this information need not be
resubmitted in support of a Marine
Highway Grant application.
b. First Page of Application Narrative.
The first page of the narrative portion of
the application should provide the
following items of information:
(i) Marine Highway Project name (as
stated on the Marine Highway Program’s
list of Designated Projects);
(ii) Primary point of contact for
applicant;
(iii) Total amount of the project cost
in dollars and the amount of grant funds
the applicant is seeking, along with
sources and share of matching funds;
(iv) Summary statement of how the
grant funding will be applied;
(v) Project parties; and
(vi) Unique Entity Identifier (e.g.,
DUNS) number. Recipients of Marine
Highway Grants and their first-tier subawardees must have Unique Entity
Identifier numbers (https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform) and current
registrations in the System for Award
Management (https://www.SAM.gov).
c. Contact Information. An
application must include the name,
phone number, email address, and
business address of the primary point of
contact for the applicant. MARAD will
use this information to inform
applicants of our decision regarding
selection of grant recipients, as well as
to contact them if we need additional or
supplemental information regarding an
application.
d. Grant Funds and Sources and Uses
of Project Funds. An application should
include specific information about the
amount of grant funding requested,
sources and uses of all project funds,
total project costs, the percentage of
project costs that would be paid with
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Marine Highway Grant funds, and the
identity and percentage shares of all
parties providing funds for the project.
e. National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) Requirement. Projects selected
for grant award must comply with
NEPA and any other applicable
environmental laws. If the
environmental review process is
underway but not complete at the time
of the application, the application must
detail where the project is in the
process, indicate the anticipated date of
completion, and provide a website link
or other reference to copies of any
environmental documents prepared.
f. Other Federal, State, and Local
Actions. An application must indicate
whether the proposed project is likely to
require actions by other agencies (e.g.,
permits), indicate the status of such
actions, provide a website link or other
reference to materials submitted to the
other agencies, and demonstrate
compliance with other Federal, state, or
local regulations and permits as
applicable.
g. Certification Requirements. For an
application to be considered for a grant
award, the Chief Executive Officer, or
equivalent, of the applicant is required
to certify, in writing, the following:
(i) That, except as noted in this grant
application, nothing has changed from
the original application for formal
designation as a Marine Highway
Project;
(ii) The project sponsor will
administer the project and any funds
received will be spent efficiently and
effectively; and
(iii) Applicant will provide
information, data, and reports as
required.
h. Protection of Confidential
Commercial Information. Applicants
should submit, as part of or in support
of an application, publicly available
data or data that can be made public and
methodologies that are accepted by
industry practice and standards to the
extent possible. If the application
includes information that the applicant
considers to be a trade secret or
confidential commercial or financial
information, the applicant should do the
following: (1) Note on the front cover
that the submission contains
‘‘Confidential Commercial Information
(CCI)’’; (2) mark each affected page
‘‘CCI’’; and (3) highlight or otherwise
denote the CCI portions. MARAD will
protect such information from
disclosure to the extent allowed under
applicable law. In the event MARAD
receives a Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request for the information,
procedures described in the
Department’s FOIA regulation at 49 CFR
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7.29 will be followed. Only information
that is ultimately determined to be
confidential under that procedure will
be exempt from disclosure under FOIA.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System
for Award Management (SAM)
MARAD will not make an award to an
applicant until the applicant has
complied with all applicable Unique
Entity Identifier and SAM requirements.
Each applicant must be registered in
SAM before applying, provide a valid
Unique Entity Identifier number in its
application, and maintain an active
SAM registration with current
information throughout the period of
the award. Applicants may register with
the SAM at www.SAM.gov. Applicants
can obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
number at https://fedgov.dnb.com/
webform. If an applicant has not fully
complied with the requirements by the
time MARAD is ready to make an
award, MARAD may determine that the
applicant is not qualified to receive a
Federal award under this program.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be received by 5
p.m. EST on March 2, 2018. Late
applications that are the result of failure
to register or comply with Grants.gov
application requirements in a timely
manner will not be considered.
Applicants experiencing technical
issues with Grants.gov that are beyond
the applicant’s control must contact
MH@dot.gov or Tim Pickering at 202–
366–0704 prior to the deadline with the
user name of the registrant and details
of the technical issue experienced. The
applicant must provide: (1) Details of
the technical issue experienced; (2)
screen capture(s) of the technical issue
experienced along with the
corresponding ‘‘Grant tracking number’’
that is provided via Grants.gov (3) the
‘‘Legal Name’’ for the applicant that was
provided in the SF–424; (4) the name
and contact information for the person
to be contacted on matters involving
submission that is included on the SF–
424; (5) the Unique Entity Identifier
number (e.g., DUNS) associated with the
application; and (6) the Grants.gov Help
Desk Tracking Number.
5. Funding Restrictions
MARAD will not allow
reimbursement of any pre-Federal
award costs that may have been
incurred by an applicant.
Grant funds may only be used for the
purposes described in 46 U.S.C.
55601(b)(1) and (3) and may not be used
as an operating subsidy.
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6. Other Submission Requirements
Grant applications must be submitted
electronically using Grants.gov (https://
www.grants.gov).
E. Application Review Information
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1. Selection Criteria
When reviewing grant applications,
MARAD will consider how the
proposed service could satisfy, in whole
or in part, 46 U.S.C. 55601(b)(1) and (3)
and any of the following criteria found
at 46 U.S.C. 55601(g)(2)(B):
(i) The project is financially viable;
(ii) The funds received will be spent
efficiently and effectively; and
(iii) A market exists for the services of
the proposed project as evidenced by
contracts or written statements of intent
from potential customers.
In awarding grants under the program,
MARAD will give preference to those
projects or components that present the
most financially viable marine highway
transportation services and require the
lowest total percentage Federal share of
the costs. MARAD will also give special
consideration to projects which
emphasize improved infrastructure
condition, or facilitate economic or
competitiveness in rural areas.
2. Review and Selection Process
Upon receipt, MARAD will evaluate
the application using the criteria
outlined above. Upon completion of the
technical review, MARAD will forward
the applications to a Department interagency review team (Intermodal Review
Team). The Intermodal Review Team
will include members of MARAD, other
Operating Administrations, and
representatives from the Office of the
Secretary of Transportation. The
Intermodal Review Team will assign
ratings of ‘‘highly recommended,’’
‘‘recommended,’’ ‘‘not recommended,’’
‘‘incomplete,’’ or ‘‘not eligible’’ for each
application based on the criteria set
forth above. The Intermodal Review
Team will provide their findings to the
Program Office. The Program Office will
use those findings to inform the
recommendations that will be made to
the Maritime Administrator and the
Secretary.
Prior to making a Federal award over
the simplified acquisition threshold of
$150,000 MARAD will review and
consider any information about the
applicant that is in the designation
integrity and performance system
accessible through SAM (currently the
Federal Awardee Performance Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)). An
applicant may review information in
FAPIIS and comment on any
information about itself. MARAD will
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1. Federal Award Notices
applicable, the rationale for recipient’s
failure to execute the budgeted
activities; (4) if applicable, an
explanation as to how and when
recipient intends to accomplish the
purposes of the grant agreement; and (5)
a budget summary showing funds
expended since commencement,
anticipated expenditures for the next
reporting period, and expenditures
compared to overall budget.
Following the evaluation outlined in
Section E, we will announce the
selected projects on the MARAD
website (https://www.marad.dot.gov).
4. Requirements for Domestic Content
(‘‘Buy American,’’ ‘‘Buy America,’’ and
‘‘Cargo Preference’’)
consider comments by the applicant, in
addition to the other information in
FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the
applicant’s integrity, business ethics,
and record of performance under
Federal awards when completing the
review of risk posed by applicants.
F. Federal Award Administration
Information
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
All awards must be administered
pursuant to the ‘‘Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards’’ found at 2 CFR part
200, as adopted by the Department at 2
CFR part 1201. Additionally, all
applicable Federal laws and regulations
will apply to projects that receive
Marine Highway Grants. The period
following award that a project is
expected to expend grant funds and
start construction, acquisition, or
procurement will be considered on a
case-by-case basis and will be specified
in the project-specific grant agreement.
We reserve the right to revoke any
award of Marine Highway Grant funds
and to award such funds to another
project to the extent that such funds are
not expended in a timely or acceptable
manner and in accordance with the
project schedule. Federal wage rate
requirements included at 40 U.S.C.
3141–3148 apply to all projects
receiving funds under this program and
apply to all parts of the project, whether
funded with other Federal funds or nonFederal funds.
3. Reporting
Award recipients are required to
submit quarterly reports to the Program
Office to keep MARAD informed of all
activities during the reporting period.
The reports will indicate progress made,
planned activities for the next period,
and a listing of any purchases made
with grant funds during the reporting
period. In addition, the report will
include an explanation of any deviation
from the projected budget and timeline.
Quarterly status reports will also
contain, at a minimum, the following:
(1) A statement as to whether the award
recipient has used the grant funds
consistent with the terms contemplated
in the grant agreement; (2) if applicable,
a description of the budgeted activities
not procured by recipient; (3) if
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Consistent with the requirements of
section 410 of Title IV of Division K,
Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2017, of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2017 (Pub. L. 115–31), the Buy
American requirements of Chapter 83 of
Title 41 U.S.C. apply to funds made
available under this Notice of Funding
Opportunity. Depending on other
funding streams, the project may be
subject to ‘‘Buy America’’ requirements.
If a project intends to use any product
with foreign content or of foreign origin,
this information should be listed and
addressed in the application. If certain
foreign-content is granted an exception
or waiver from Buy American or Buy
America requirements, a Cargo
Preference requirement may apply.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning
this notice, please contact Tori Collins,
Office of Ports & Waterways Planning,
Room W21–315, Maritime
Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.
SE, Washington, DC 20590, phone 202–
366–0795 or email Tori.Collins@dot.gov.
To ensure applicants receive accurate
information about eligibility, the
program, or in response to other
questions, applicants are encouraged to
contact MARAD directly, rather than
through intermediaries or third parties.
*
*
*
*
*
Dated: January 2, 2018.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018–00033 Filed 1–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 4 (Friday, January 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 694-697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00033]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
Notice of Funding Opportunity for America's Marine Highway
Projects
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, signed by
[[Page 695]]
the President on May 5, 2017, appropriated $5,000,000 to the Short Sea
Transportation Program, commonly referred to as the America's Marine
Highway Program (AMHP). The purpose of the appropriation is to make
grants to previously designated Marine Highway Projects that support
the development and expansion of documented vessels, and port and
landside infrastructure. This notice announces the availability of
funding for grants and establishes selection criteria and application
requirements.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department) will award
Marine Highway Grants to implement projects or components of projects
previously designated by the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary)
under AMHP. Only sponsors of designated Marine Highway Projects are
eligible to apply for a Marine Highway Grant as described in this
notice.
DATES: Applications must be received by the Maritime Administration by
5 p.m. EST on March 2, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Grant applications must be submitted electronically using
Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Please be aware that you must
complete the Grants.gov registration process before submitting your
application, and that the registration process usually takes 2 to 4
weeks to complete. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make
submissions in advance of the deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information concerning
this notice, please contact Tori Collins, Office of Ports & Waterways
Planning, Room W21-315, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590, phone
202-366-0795 or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each section of this notice contains
information and instructions relevant to the application process for
these Marine Highway Grants, and all applicants should read this notice
in its entirety so that they have the information they need to submit
eligible and competitive applications. Applications received after the
deadline will not be considered except in the case of unforeseen
technical difficulties as outlined below in Section D.4.
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
A. Program Description
Section 55601 of Title 46, United States Code directs the Secretary
to establish a short sea transportation grant program to implement
projects or components of designated marine highway projects. The grant
funds currently available are for projects related to documented
vessels and to port and landside infrastructure.
B. Federal Award Information
The Secretary, through the Maritime Administration (MARAD), intends
to award $4,850,000 through grants to the extent that there are
qualified applications. MARAD will seek to obtain the maximum benefit
from the available funding by awarding grants to as many qualified
projects as possible; however, MARAD reserves the right to award all
funds to just one project. MARAD may partially fund applications by
selecting discrete components of projects. The start date and period of
performance for each award will depend on the specific project to which
MARAD must agree. MARAD will administer each Marine Highway Grant
pursuant to a grant agreement with the Marine Highway Grant recipient.
Recipients of prior Marine Highway Grants in earlier rounds of this
program may apply for funding to support additional phases of a
designated project. However, to be competitive, the applicant should
demonstrate the extent to which the previously funded project phase has
met estimated project schedules and budget, as well as the ability to
realize the benefits expected for the new award.
C. Eligibility Information
To be selected for a Marine Highway Grant, an applicant must be an
Eligible Applicant, and the project must be an Eligible Project.
1. Eligible Applicants
Applicants eligible for Marine Highway Grants are sponsors of
projects that the Secretary has previously designated as a Marine
Highway Project under the AMHP. Project sponsors are public entities,
including metropolitan planning organizations, state governments
(including state departments of transportation), port authorities, and
tribal governments.
Project sponsors are encouraged to develop coalitions and public/
private partnerships, which include vessel owners and operators; third-
party logistics providers; trucking companies; shippers; railroads;
port authorities; state, regional, and local transportation planners;
environmental organizations; impacted communities; or any combination
of entities working in collaboration on a single application. However,
only the public entity sponsor may be a direct recipient of Federal
funds under this award.
If multiple project sponsors submit a joint application, they must
identify a lead applicant as the primary point of contact. Joint
applications must include a description of the roles and
responsibilities of each applicant and must be signed by each
applicant. Although we encourage a single award recipient, where
circumstances require more than one award recipient, the application
must identify the recipients of the award.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
An applicant must provide at least 20 percent of project costs from
non-Federal sources. The application should demonstrate, such as
through a letter or other documentation, the sources of these funds.
3. Other
Eligible Projects
This grant program intends to create new marine highway services or
to expand existing marine highway services. Only projects or their
components that the Secretary has previously designated as Marine
Highway Projects are eligible for this round of grant funding, and they
must support the development and expansion of documented vessels, and
port and landside infrastructure. The current list of designated Marine
Highway Projects, and sponsors thereof, can be found on the Marine
Highway website at: https://www.marad.dot.gov/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Click-here-for-Marine-Highway-Project-Designations-1.pdf.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
Applications may be found at and must be submitted through
Grants.gov. Applications must include the Standard Form 424
(Application for Federal Assistance), which is available on the
Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
In addition to the SF-424, the application should include all the
information requested below. MARAD reserves the right to ask any
applicant
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for supplemental data but expects applications to be complete upon
submission. Applicants are encouraged to provide quantitative
information, including baseline information that demonstrates the
project's merits and economic viability.
a. Length of Application. The narrative portion of the application
should be in the standard academic format (i.e., 12 pt. font, double-
spaced) and must not exceed ten pages. Documentation supporting
assertions made in the narrative portion must also be provided but
should be limited to relevant information. If possible, website links
to supporting documentation should be provided instead of copies of
these materials. At the applicant's discretion, relevant materials
provided previously in support of a Marine Highway Project application
may be referenced and described as unchanged. To the extent referenced,
this information need not be resubmitted in support of a Marine Highway
Grant application.
b. First Page of Application Narrative. The first page of the
narrative portion of the application should provide the following items
of information:
(i) Marine Highway Project name (as stated on the Marine Highway
Program's list of Designated Projects);
(ii) Primary point of contact for applicant;
(iii) Total amount of the project cost in dollars and the amount of
grant funds the applicant is seeking, along with sources and share of
matching funds;
(iv) Summary statement of how the grant funding will be applied;
(v) Project parties; and
(vi) Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS) number. Recipients of
Marine Highway Grants and their first-tier sub-awardees must have
Unique Entity Identifier numbers (https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform) and
current registrations in the System for Award Management (https://www.SAM.gov).
c. Contact Information. An application must include the name, phone
number, email address, and business address of the primary point of
contact for the applicant. MARAD will use this information to inform
applicants of our decision regarding selection of grant recipients, as
well as to contact them if we need additional or supplemental
information regarding an application.
d. Grant Funds and Sources and Uses of Project Funds. An
application should include specific information about the amount of
grant funding requested, sources and uses of all project funds, total
project costs, the percentage of project costs that would be paid with
Marine Highway Grant funds, and the identity and percentage shares of
all parties providing funds for the project.
e. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Requirement. Projects
selected for grant award must comply with NEPA and any other applicable
environmental laws. If the environmental review process is underway but
not complete at the time of the application, the application must
detail where the project is in the process, indicate the anticipated
date of completion, and provide a website link or other reference to
copies of any environmental documents prepared.
f. Other Federal, State, and Local Actions. An application must
indicate whether the proposed project is likely to require actions by
other agencies (e.g., permits), indicate the status of such actions,
provide a website link or other reference to materials submitted to the
other agencies, and demonstrate compliance with other Federal, state,
or local regulations and permits as applicable.
g. Certification Requirements. For an application to be considered
for a grant award, the Chief Executive Officer, or equivalent, of the
applicant is required to certify, in writing, the following:
(i) That, except as noted in this grant application, nothing has
changed from the original application for formal designation as a
Marine Highway Project;
(ii) The project sponsor will administer the project and any funds
received will be spent efficiently and effectively; and
(iii) Applicant will provide information, data, and reports as
required.
h. Protection of Confidential Commercial Information. Applicants
should submit, as part of or in support of an application, publicly
available data or data that can be made public and methodologies that
are accepted by industry practice and standards to the extent possible.
If the application includes information that the applicant considers to
be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information,
the applicant should do the following: (1) Note on the front cover that
the submission contains ``Confidential Commercial Information (CCI)'';
(2) mark each affected page ``CCI''; and (3) highlight or otherwise
denote the CCI portions. MARAD will protect such information from
disclosure to the extent allowed under applicable law. In the event
MARAD receives a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the
information, procedures described in the Department's FOIA regulation
at 49 CFR 7.29 will be followed. Only information that is ultimately
determined to be confidential under that procedure will be exempt from
disclosure under FOIA.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
MARAD will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant
has complied with all applicable Unique Entity Identifier and SAM
requirements. Each applicant must be registered in SAM before applying,
provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier number in its application, and
maintain an active SAM registration with current information throughout
the period of the award. Applicants may register with the SAM at
www.SAM.gov. Applicants can obtain a Unique Entity Identifier number at
https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. If an applicant has not fully complied
with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make an award,
MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a
Federal award under this program.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be received by 5 p.m. EST on March 2, 2018. Late
applications that are the result of failure to register or comply with
Grants.gov application requirements in a timely manner will not be
considered. Applicants experiencing technical issues with Grants.gov
that are beyond the applicant's control must contact [email protected] or Tim
Pickering at 202-366-0704 prior to the deadline with the user name of
the registrant and details of the technical issue experienced. The
applicant must provide: (1) Details of the technical issue experienced;
(2) screen capture(s) of the technical issue experienced along with the
corresponding ``Grant tracking number'' that is provided via Grants.gov
(3) the ``Legal Name'' for the applicant that was provided in the SF-
424; (4) the name and contact information for the person to be
contacted on matters involving submission that is included on the SF-
424; (5) the Unique Entity Identifier number (e.g., DUNS) associated
with the application; and (6) the Grants.gov Help Desk Tracking Number.
5. Funding Restrictions
MARAD will not allow reimbursement of any pre-Federal award costs
that may have been incurred by an applicant.
Grant funds may only be used for the purposes described in 46
U.S.C. 55601(b)(1) and (3) and may not be used as an operating subsidy.
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6. Other Submission Requirements
Grant applications must be submitted electronically using
Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov).
E. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria
When reviewing grant applications, MARAD will consider how the
proposed service could satisfy, in whole or in part, 46 U.S.C.
55601(b)(1) and (3) and any of the following criteria found at 46
U.S.C. 55601(g)(2)(B):
(i) The project is financially viable;
(ii) The funds received will be spent efficiently and effectively;
and
(iii) A market exists for the services of the proposed project as
evidenced by contracts or written statements of intent from potential
customers.
In awarding grants under the program, MARAD will give preference to
those projects or components that present the most financially viable
marine highway transportation services and require the lowest total
percentage Federal share of the costs. MARAD will also give special
consideration to projects which emphasize improved infrastructure
condition, or facilitate economic or competitiveness in rural areas.
2. Review and Selection Process
Upon receipt, MARAD will evaluate the application using the
criteria outlined above. Upon completion of the technical review, MARAD
will forward the applications to a Department inter-agency review team
(Intermodal Review Team). The Intermodal Review Team will include
members of MARAD, other Operating Administrations, and representatives
from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. The Intermodal
Review Team will assign ratings of ``highly recommended,''
``recommended,'' ``not recommended,'' ``incomplete,'' or ``not
eligible'' for each application based on the criteria set forth above.
The Intermodal Review Team will provide their findings to the Program
Office. The Program Office will use those findings to inform the
recommendations that will be made to the Maritime Administrator and the
Secretary.
Prior to making a Federal award over the simplified acquisition
threshold of $150,000 MARAD will review and consider any information
about the applicant that is in the designation integrity and
performance system accessible through SAM (currently the Federal
Awardee Performance Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). An
applicant may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any
information about itself. MARAD will consider comments by the
applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a
judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record
of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk
posed by applicants.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices
Following the evaluation outlined in Section E, we will announce
the selected projects on the MARAD website (https://www.marad.dot.gov).
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All awards must be administered pursuant to the ``Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards'' found at 2 CFR part 200, as adopted by the Department
at 2 CFR part 1201. Additionally, all applicable Federal laws and
regulations will apply to projects that receive Marine Highway Grants.
The period following award that a project is expected to expend grant
funds and start construction, acquisition, or procurement will be
considered on a case-by-case basis and will be specified in the
project-specific grant agreement. We reserve the right to revoke any
award of Marine Highway Grant funds and to award such funds to another
project to the extent that such funds are not expended in a timely or
acceptable manner and in accordance with the project schedule. Federal
wage rate requirements included at 40 U.S.C. 3141-3148 apply to all
projects receiving funds under this program and apply to all parts of
the project, whether funded with other Federal funds or non-Federal
funds.
3. Reporting
Award recipients are required to submit quarterly reports to the
Program Office to keep MARAD informed of all activities during the
reporting period. The reports will indicate progress made, planned
activities for the next period, and a listing of any purchases made
with grant funds during the reporting period. In addition, the report
will include an explanation of any deviation from the projected budget
and timeline. Quarterly status reports will also contain, at a minimum,
the following: (1) A statement as to whether the award recipient has
used the grant funds consistent with the terms contemplated in the
grant agreement; (2) if applicable, a description of the budgeted
activities not procured by recipient; (3) if applicable, the rationale
for recipient's failure to execute the budgeted activities; (4) if
applicable, an explanation as to how and when recipient intends to
accomplish the purposes of the grant agreement; and (5) a budget
summary showing funds expended since commencement, anticipated
expenditures for the next reporting period, and expenditures compared
to overall budget.
4. Requirements for Domestic Content (``Buy American,'' ``Buy
America,'' and ``Cargo Preference'')
Consistent with the requirements of section 410 of Title IV of
Division K, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2017 (Pub. L. 115-31), the Buy American requirements of Chapter
83 of Title 41 U.S.C. apply to funds made available under this Notice
of Funding Opportunity. Depending on other funding streams, the project
may be subject to ``Buy America'' requirements. If a project intends to
use any product with foreign content or of foreign origin, this
information should be listed and addressed in the application. If
certain foreign-content is granted an exception or waiver from Buy
American or Buy America requirements, a Cargo Preference requirement
may apply.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning this notice, please contact Tori
Collins, Office of Ports & Waterways Planning, Room W21-315, Maritime
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.
SE, Washington, DC 20590, phone 202-366-0795 or email
[email protected]. To ensure applicants receive accurate information
about eligibility, the program, or in response to other questions,
applicants are encouraged to contact MARAD directly, rather than
through intermediaries or third parties.
* * * * *
Dated: January 2, 2018.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-00033 Filed 1-4-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P
