Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO); Solicitation of Project Proposals for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program, 3537-3541 [2019-01951]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2019 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO);
Solicitation of Project Proposals for
the Passenger Ferry Grant Program
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice.
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announces the
opportunity to apply for $30 million in
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Section 5307
Urbanized Area Formula Program funds
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
#20.507) authorized for competitively
selected passenger ferry projects. As
required by Federal public
transportation law and subject to
appropriations, funds will be awarded
competitively to designated recipients
or eligible direct recipients of Section
5307 funds to assist in the financing of
capital projects to support existing
passenger ferry service, establish new
ferry service, and to repair and
modernize ferry boats, terminals, and
related facilities and equipment. FTA
may award additional funding made
available to the program prior to the
announcement of project selections.
SUMMARY:
Complete proposals must be
submitted electronically through the
GRANTS.GOV ‘‘APPLY’’ function by
11:59 p.m. EST April 15, 2019.
Prospective applicants should initiate
the process by promptly registering on
the GRANTS.GOV website to ensure
completion of the application process
before the submission deadline.
Instructions for applying can be found
on FTA’s website at https://
transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the
‘‘FIND’’ module of GRANTS.GOV. The
funding opportunity ID is FTA–2019–
002–TPM–PF. Mail and fax submissions
will not be accepted.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Vanessa Williams, FTA Office of
Program Management, (202) 366–4818,
or vanessa.williams@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review
F. Review and Selection Process
G. Federal Award Administration
H. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
I. Technical Assistance and Other Program
Information
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:02 Feb 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
A. Program Description
Section 5307(h) of Title 49, United
States Code, as amended by the Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation
(FAST Act) (Pub. L. 114–94, Dec. 4,
2015), authorizes FTA to award funds
through a competitive process, as
described in this notice, for capital
projects to improve the condition and
quality of existing passenger ferry
services, support the establishment of
new passenger ferry services, and to
repair and modernize ferry boats,
terminals, and related facilities and
equipment. FTA recognizes that
passenger ferries provide critical and
cost-effective transportation links in
urban areas throughout the United
States, but face a critical backlog of state
of good repair and safety investments.
B. Federal Award Information
Federal public transportation law and
subject to appropriations authorizes $30
million in FY 2019 for passenger ferry
grants under 49 U.S.C. 5307(h) (Ferry
program). FTA may supplement the
total available with future
appropriations. FTA will grant preaward authority to incur costs for
selected projects beginning on the date
that project selections are announced.
Funds are only available for projects
that have not already incurred costs and
will be available for obligation until
September 30, 2024. In FY 2017, the
program received 22 eligible project
proposals totaling approximately $65.4
million from 12 states. Under this
competition, FTA awarded funds to
twenty projects for a total of $58.2
million, using a combination of FY 2017
and FY 2018 funding.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants under this program
include: Designated recipients and
direct recipients (as defined in FTA
Circular 9030), as well as public entities
engaged in providing public
transportation passenger ferry service in
urban areas that are eligible to be direct
recipients. If the recipient is eligible to
receive 5307 funds, but does not
currently have an active grant with FTA,
upon selection, the recipient will be
required to work with the FTA regional
office to establish its organization as an
active grantee. This process may require
additional documentation to support the
organization’s technical, financial, and
legal capacity to receive and administer
Federal funds under this program.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
The maximum Federal share for
projects selected under the Passenger
PO 00000
Frm 00127
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3537
Ferry program is 80 percent of the net
project cost, unless noted below by one
of the exceptions.
i. The maximum 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 maximum 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 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:
i. Cash from non-governmental
sources other than revenues from
providing public transportation
services;
ii. Non-farebox revenues from the
operation of public transportation
service, such as the sale of advertising
and concession revenues;
iii. Monies received under a service
agreement with a State or local social
service agency or private social service
organization;
iv. Undistributed cash surpluses,
replacement or depreciation cash funds,
reserves available in cash, or new
capital;
v. Amounts appropriated or otherwise
made available to a department or
agency of the Government (other than
the U.S. Department of Transportation),
that are eligible to be expended for
public transportation;
vi. In-kind contribution such as the
market value of in-kind contributions
integral to the project may be counted
as a contribution toward local share;
vii. Revenue bond proceeds for a
capital project, with prior FTA
approval; and
viii. Transportation Development
Credits (TDC) (formerly referred to as
Toll Revenue Credits).
If an applicant proposes a Federal
share greater than 80 percent, the
application must clearly explain why
the project is eligible for the proposed
Federal share. Note: Please refer to FTA
Circular 9030 for more information
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
3538
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2019 / Notices
regarding the use of TDCs. FTA will not
retroactively approve TDCs as match if
they are not included in the proposal
submitted under this competition.
3. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are capital projects
for the purchase, replacement, or
rehabilitation of ferries, terminals,
related infrastructure, related equipment
(including fare equipment and
communication devices) and expansion.
Projects are required to support a
passenger ferry service that operates
within an urbanized area, as defined
under Federal public transportation law,
but may include services that operate
between an urbanized area and nonurbanized areas. Ferry systems that
accommodate cars must also
accommodate walk-on passengers in
order to be eligible for funding.
Recipients are permitted to use up to
0.5 percent of their requested grant
award for workforce development
activities eligible under 49 U.S.C
5314(b) and an additional 0.5 percent
for costs associated with training at the
National Transit Institute. Applicants
must 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
electronically through 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. Mail and fax submissions
will not be accepted. A complete
proposal submission consists of two
forms: The SF424 Application for
Federal Assistance (downloaded from
GRANTS.GOV) and the supplemental
form for the FY 2019 Passenger Ferry
Grant Program (downloaded from
GRANTS.GOV or the FTA website at:
https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/
grants/passenger-ferry-grant-programsection-5307). Applicants may also
attach additional supporting
information. Failure to submit the
information as requested can delay or
prevent review of the application.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission
i. Proposal Submission
A complete proposal submission
consists of two forms: The SF424
Mandatory Application for Federal
Assistance and the FY 2019 Passenger
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 Feb 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
Ferry Grant Program supplemental form.
The supplemental form and any
supporting documents must be attached
to the ‘‘Attachments’’ section of the
SF424. A complete application must
include responses to all sections of the
SF424 Application for Federal
Assistance and the 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.
FTA will only accept one
supplemental form per SF424
submission. FTA encourages States and
other applicants to consider submitting
a single supplemental form that
includes multiple activities to be
evaluated as a consolidated proposal. If
a State or other applicant chooses to
submit separate proposals for individual
consideration by FTA, each proposal
must be submitted using a separate
SF424 and supplemental form.
Applicants may attach additional
supporting information to the SF424
submission, including but not limited to
letters of support, project budgets, fleet
status reports, or excerpts from relevant
planning documents. 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 applicants 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. Applicants must
fill in all fields unless stated otherwise
on the forms. Applicants should not
place N/A or ‘‘refer to attachment’’ in
lieu of typing in responses in the field
sections. If information is copied into
the supplemental form from another
source, 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. Applicants 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.
ii. Application Content
The SF424 Mandatory Form and the
Supplemental Form will prompt
applicants for the required information,
including:
a. Applicant Name
PO 00000
Frm 00128
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
b. Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data
Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number
c. Key contact information (including
contact name, address, email
address, and phone)
d. Congressional district(s) where
project will take place
e. Project Information (including title,
an executive summary, and type)
f. A detailed description of the need for
the project
g. A detailed description on how the
project will support the Ferry
program objectives
h. Evidence that the project is consistent
with local and regional planning
objectives
i. Evidence that the applicant can
provide the local cost share
j. A description of the technical, legal,
and financial capacity of the
applicant
k. A detailed project budget
l. An explanation of the scalability of
the project
m. Details on the local matching funds
n. A detailed project timeline
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System
for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant is required to: (1) Be
registered in SAM before submitting an
application; (2) provide a valid unique
entity identifier in its application; and
(3) continue to maintain an active SAM
registration with current information at
all times during which the applicant has
an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration
by FTA. These requirements do not
apply if the applicant: (1) Is an
individual; (2) is excepted from the
requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or
(c); or (3) has an exception approved by
FTA under 2 CFR 25.110(d). FTA may
not make an award until the applicant
has complied with all applicable unique
entity identifier and SAM requirements.
If an applicant has not fully complied
with the requirements by the time FTA
is ready to make an award, FTA may
determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive an award and use
that determination as a basis for making
a Federal award to another applicant.
SAM registration takes approximately
3–5 business days, but 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.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted
electronically through GRANTS.GOV by
11:59 p.m. EST on April 15, 2019. Mail
and fax submissions will not be
accepted.
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2019 / Notices
FTA urges applicants to submit
applications at least 72 hours prior to
the due date to allow time to correct any
problems that may have caused either
GRANTS.GOV or FTA systems to reject
the submission. Proposals submitted
after the deadline will only be
considered under extraordinary
circumstances not under the applicant’s
control. Deadlines will not be extended
due to scheduled website maintenance.
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance
and outage times are announced on the
GRANTS.GOV website.
Within 48 hours after submitting an
electronic application, the applicant
should receive two email messages from
GRANTS.GOV: (1) Confirmation of
successful transmission to
GRANTS.GOV and (2) confirmation of
successful validation by GRANTS.GOV.
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.
Applicants 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
applicants may still be required to take
steps to keep their registration up to
date before submissions can be made
successfully: (1) Registration in 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.
5. Funding Restrictions
Funds made available under the Ferry
program may not be used to fund
operating expenses, planning, or
preventive maintenance.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to identify
scaled funding options 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 Feb 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
requirements. The applicant must
provide a clear explanation of how the
project budget would be affected by a
reduced award. FTA may award a lesser
amount whether or not a scalable option
is provided.
E. Application Review
Projects will be evaluated primarily
on the responses provided in the
supplemental form. Additional
information may be provided to support
the responses; however, any additional
documentation must be directly
referenced on the supplemental form,
including the file name where the
additional information can be found.
FTA will evaluate project proposals for
competitive passenger ferry grants based
on the criteria described in this notice.
1. Demonstration of Need
Applications will be evaluated based
on the quality and extent to which they
demonstrate how the proposed project
will address an unmet need for capital
investment in passenger ferry vehicles,
equipment, and/or facilities. FTA will
also evaluate the project’s impact on
service delivery and whether the project
represents a one-time or periodic need
that cannot reasonably be funded from
FTA formula program allocations or
State and/or local resources. In
evaluating applications, FTA will
consider, among other factors, certain
project-specific criteria as outlined
below:
i. For vessel replacement or
rehabilitation projects:
• The age of the asset to be replaced
or rehabilitated by the proposed project,
relative to its useful life.
• Condition and performance of the
asset to be replaced by the proposed
project, as ascertained through
inspections or otherwise, if available.
ii. For infrastructure (facility)
improvements or related-equipment
acquisitions:
• The age of the facility or equipment
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
ferry assets.
iii. For expansion or new service
requests (vessel or facility-related):
• The degree to which the proposed
project addresses a current capacity
constraint that is limiting the ability of
the agency to provide reliable service,
meet ridership demands, or maintain
vessels and related equipment.
• The degree the proposed new
service is supported by ridership
demand.
PO 00000
Frm 00129
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3539
iv. Additional consideration will be
given to projects in which the
beneficiary of the award contributes a
greater share of the total project costs.
2. Demonstration of Benefits
Applications will be evaluated based
on how the ferry project will improve
the safety and state of good repair of the
system or provide additional
transportation options to potential
riders within the service area. FTA will
consider potential benefits such as
increased reliability of service,
improved operations or maintenance
capabilities, or expanded mobility
options, intermodal connections, and
economic benefits to the community.
Applicants should address how the
ferry service to be supported by the
proposed project is integrated with
other regional modes of transportation,
including but not limited to: Rail, bus,
intercity bus, and private transportation
providers. Supporting documentation
should include data that demonstrates
the number of trips (passengers and
vehicles), the number of walk-on
passengers, and the frequency of
transfers to other modes (if applicable).
3. Planning and Local/Regional
Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the
proposed project is consistent with local
and regional planning documents and
identified priorities. This will involve
assessing whether the project is
consistent with the transit priorities
identified in the long-range
transportation plan and/or the State and
Metropolitan Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP/TIP).
Applicants should note if the project
could not be included in the financially
constrained STIP or TIP due to lack of
funding; however, if selected, the
project must be in the federally
approved STIP before grant award.
FTA encourages applicants to
demonstrate local support by including
letters of support from State
Departments of Transportation, local
transit agencies, and other relevant
stakeholders. In an area with both ferry
and other public transit operators, FTA
will evaluate whether project proposals
demonstrate coordination with and
support of other related projects within
the applicant’s Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) or the geographic
region within which the proposed
project will operate.
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
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
3540
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2019 / Notices
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. Additional consideration
will be given to those projects for which
local funds have already been made
available or reserved. Applicants should
submit evidence of the availability of
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 such as a budget document
highlighting the line item or section
committing funds to the proposed
project. Applicants that request a
Federal share greater than 80 percent
must clearly explain why the project is
eligible for the proposed Federal share.
6.Technical, Legal, and Financial
Capacity
5. Project Implementation Strategy
In addition to other FTA staff that
may review the proposals, a technical
evaluation committee will evaluate
proposals based on the published
evaluation criteria. After applying the
above preferences, the FTA
Administrator will consider the
following key Departmental objectives:
• Using innovative approaches to
improve safety and expedite project
delivery;
• Supporting economic vitality at the
national and regional level;
• Utilizing alternative funding
sources and innovative financing
models to attract non-Federal sources of
infrastructure investment;
• Accounting for the life-cycle costs
of the project to promote the state of
good repair; and
• Holding grant recipients
accountable for their performance and
achieving specific, measurable
outcomes identified by grant applicants.
Prior to making an award, FTA is
required to review and consider any
information about the applicant that is
in the Federal Awardee Performance
and Integrity Information Systems
(FAPIIS) accessible through SAM. An
applicant may review and comment on
information about itself that a Federal
awarding agency previously entered.
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. In addition, FTA may consider
capping the amount a single applicant
may receive. Projects that have a higher
local match commitment may also be
prioritized.
Projects will be evaluated based on
the extent to which the project is ready
to implement within a reasonable
period of time and whether the
applicant’s proposed implementation
plans are reasonable and complete.
In assessing whether the project is
ready to implement within a reasonable
period of time, FTA will consider
whether the project qualifies for a
Categorical Exclusion (CE), or whether
the required environmental work has
been initiated or completed for projects
that require an Environmental
Assessment (EA) or Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended. The proposal
must also state whether grant funds can
be obligated within 12 months from
time of award, if selected, and indicate
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.
Additional consideration will be given
to projects for which grant funds can be
obligated within 12 months from time of
award.
In assessing whether the proposed
implementation plans are reasonable
and complete, FTA will review the
proposed project implementation plan,
including all necessary project
milestones and the overall project
timeline. For projects that will require
formal coordination, approvals, or
permits from other agencies or project
partners, the applicant must
demonstrate coordination with these
organizations and their support for the
project, such as through letters of
support.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:59 Feb 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
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. Applicants with outstanding
legal, technical, or financial compliance
issues from a FTA compliance review or
FTA grant-related Single Audit finding
must explain how corrective actions
taken will mitigate negative impacts on
the project.
F. Review and Selection Process
PO 00000
Frm 00130
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
G. Federal Award Administration
1. Federal Award Notices
Final project selections will be posted
on the FTA website. Project recipients
should contact their FTA Regional
Offices for additional information
regarding allocations for projects under
the Ferry program.
2. Award Administration
Funds under the Ferry program are
available to 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,
projects 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.
3. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
i. Pre-Award Authority
FTA will issue specific guidance to
recipients regarding pre-award authority
at the time of selection. 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 2018
Apportionment Notice published on
July 16, 2018 that can be accessed at
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR2018-07-16/pdf/2018-14989.pdf.
ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a
grant through FTA’s Transit Award
Management System (TrAMS). All Ferry
recipients are subject to the grant
requirements of Section 5307 Urbanized
Area Formula Grant program, including
those of FTA Circular 9030. All
recipients must follow the Award
Management Requirements Circular
5010.1E, and the labor protections of 49
U.S.C. 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
FTA requires that all capital
procurements meet FTA’s Buy America
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2019 / Notices
requirements that require all iron, steel,
or manufactured products be produced
in the United States, to help create and
protect manufacturing jobs in the
United States. The Ferry program will
have a significant economic impact
toward meeting the objectives of the
Buy America law. The FAST Act
amended the Buy America
requirements, 49 U.S.C. 5323(j), to
provide for a phased increase in the
domestic content for rolling stock. For
FY 2019, the cost of components and
subcomponents produced in the United
States must be more than 65 percent of
the cost of all components. For FY 2020
and beyond, the cost of components and
subcomponents produced in the United
States must be more than 70 percent of
the cost of all components. There is no
change to the requirement that final
assembly of rolling stock must occur in
the United States. The Buy America
requirements can be found in 49 CFR
part 661 and additional guidance on the
implementation of the phased increase
in domestic content can be found at 81
FR 60278 (Sept. 1, 2016). 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 and ferry manufacturers must be
certified Transit Vehicle Manufacturers
(TVMs) to be eligible to bid on an FTAassisted ferry procurement. 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 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 webposting. In lieu of using a certified TVM,
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 Janelle Hinton, Office of
Civil Rights, 202–366–9259, email:
janelle.hinton@dot.gov.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 Feb 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
v. Planning
FTA encourages applicants 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,
directives, 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.
4. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements
include the electronic submission of
Federal Financial Reports and Milestone
Progress Reports.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
For further information concerning
this notice, please contact the Ferry
program manager, Vanessa Williams, by
phone at 202–366–4818, or by email at
vanessa.williams@dot.gov. A TDD is
available for individuals who are deaf or
hard of hearing at 800–877–8339. In
addition, FTA will post answers to
questions and requests for clarifications
on FTA’s website at: https://
www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/
passenger-ferry-grant-program-section5307. To ensure receipt of accurate
information about eligibility or the
program, the applicant is encouraged to
contact FTA directly, rather than
through intermediaries or third parties.
H. Technical Assistance and Other
Program Information
This program is not subject to
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
PO 00000
Frm 00131
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3541
Programs.’’ 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. EST on
April 15, 2019. For issues with
GRANTS.GOV, please contact
GRANTS.GOV by phone at 1–800–518–
4726 or by email at support@grants.gov.
Contact information for FTA’s
regional offices can be found on FTA’s
website at www.fta.dot.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019–01951 Filed 2–11–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the West Seattle and Ballard Link
Extensions, King County, Washington
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and the Central
Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority
(Sound Transit) intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to evaluate the benefits and impacts of
the proposed West Seattle and Ballard
Link Extensions (WSBLE), a light rail
transit extension project. The project
would improve public transit service
along the WSBLE corridor between and
through the West Seattle, Downtown,
and Ballard neighborhoods in Seattle,
King County, Washington. It would
respond to a growing number of
transportation and community needs
identified in the agency’s regional
transit system plan, Sound Transit 3
(ST3).
FTA and Sound Transit will prepare
the EIS in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), FTA
environmental regulations, Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation Act
(FAST Act), and Washington’s State
Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). This
Notice initiates formal scoping for the
EIS, provides information on the nature
of the proposed transit project, invites
participation in the EIS process,
provides information about the purpose
and need for the proposed transit
project, includes the general set of
alternatives being considered for
evaluation in the EIS, and identifies
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12FEN1.SGM
12FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3537-3541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01951]
[[Page 3537]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO); Solicitation of Project
Proposals for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the
opportunity to apply for $30 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Section
5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program funds (Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance #20.507) authorized for competitively selected passenger
ferry projects. As required by Federal public transportation law and
subject to appropriations, funds will be awarded competitively to
designated recipients or eligible direct recipients of Section 5307
funds to assist in the financing of capital projects to support
existing passenger ferry service, establish new ferry service, and to
repair and modernize ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and
equipment. FTA may award additional funding 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 11:59 p.m. EST April 15, 2019.
Prospective applicants should initiate the process by promptly
registering on the GRANTS.GOV website to ensure completion of the
application process before the submission deadline. Instructions for
applying can be found on FTA's website at https://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding
opportunity ID is FTA-2019-002-TPM-PF. Mail and fax submissions will
not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vanessa Williams, FTA Office of
Program Management, (202) 366-4818, or vanessa.williams@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review
F. Review and Selection Process
G. Federal Award Administration
H. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
I. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information
A. Program Description
Section 5307(h) of Title 49, United States Code, as amended by the
Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST Act) (Pub. L. 114-94,
Dec. 4, 2015), authorizes FTA to award funds through a competitive
process, as described in this notice, for capital projects to improve
the condition and quality of existing passenger ferry services, support
the establishment of new passenger ferry services, and to repair and
modernize ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and equipment.
FTA recognizes that passenger ferries provide critical and cost-
effective transportation links in urban areas throughout the United
States, but face a critical backlog of state of good repair and safety
investments.
B. Federal Award Information
Federal public transportation law and subject to appropriations
authorizes $30 million in FY 2019 for passenger ferry grants under 49
U.S.C. 5307(h) (Ferry program). FTA may supplement the total available
with future appropriations. FTA will grant pre-award authority to incur
costs for selected projects beginning on the date that project
selections are announced. Funds are only available for projects that
have not already incurred costs and will be available for obligation
until September 30, 2024. In FY 2017, the program received 22 eligible
project proposals totaling approximately $65.4 million from 12 states.
Under this competition, FTA awarded funds to twenty projects for a
total of $58.2 million, using a combination of FY 2017 and FY 2018
funding.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants under this program include: Designated
recipients and direct recipients (as defined in FTA Circular 9030), as
well as public entities engaged in providing public transportation
passenger ferry service in urban areas that are eligible to be direct
recipients. If the recipient is eligible to receive 5307 funds, but
does not currently have an active grant with FTA, upon selection, the
recipient will be required to work with the FTA regional office to
establish its organization as an active grantee. This process may
require additional documentation to support the organization's
technical, financial, and legal capacity to receive and administer
Federal funds under this program.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
The maximum Federal share for projects selected under the Passenger
Ferry program is 80 percent of the net project cost, unless noted below
by one of the exceptions.
i. The maximum 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 maximum 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 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:
i. Cash from non-governmental sources other than revenues from
providing public transportation services;
ii. Non-farebox revenues from the operation of public
transportation service, such as the sale of advertising and concession
revenues;
iii. Monies received under a service agreement with a State or
local social service agency or private social service organization;
iv. Undistributed cash surpluses, replacement or depreciation cash
funds, reserves available in cash, or new capital;
v. Amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to a department
or agency of the Government (other than the U.S. Department of
Transportation), that are eligible to be expended for public
transportation;
vi. In-kind contribution such as the market value of in-kind
contributions integral to the project may be counted as a contribution
toward local share;
vii. Revenue bond proceeds for a capital project, with prior FTA
approval; and
viii. Transportation Development Credits (TDC) (formerly referred
to as Toll Revenue Credits).
If an applicant proposes a Federal share greater than 80 percent,
the application must clearly explain why the project is eligible for
the proposed Federal share. Note: Please refer to FTA Circular 9030 for
more information
[[Page 3538]]
regarding the use of TDCs. FTA will not retroactively approve TDCs as
match if they are not included in the proposal submitted under this
competition.
3. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are capital projects for the purchase,
replacement, or rehabilitation of ferries, terminals, related
infrastructure, related equipment (including fare equipment and
communication devices) and expansion. Projects are required to support
a passenger ferry service that operates within an urbanized area, as
defined under Federal public transportation law, but may include
services that operate between an urbanized area and non-urbanized
areas. Ferry systems that accommodate cars must also accommodate walk-
on passengers in order to be eligible for funding.
Recipients are permitted to use up to 0.5 percent of their
requested grant award for workforce development activities eligible
under 49 U.S.C 5314(b) and an additional 0.5 percent for costs
associated with training at the National Transit Institute. Applicants
must 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 electronically through 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. Mail and fax
submissions will not be accepted. A complete proposal submission
consists of two forms: The SF424 Application for Federal Assistance
(downloaded from GRANTS.GOV) and the supplemental form for the FY 2019
Passenger Ferry Grant Program (downloaded from GRANTS.GOV or the FTA
website at: https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/passenger-ferry-grant-program-section-5307). Applicants may also attach additional
supporting information. Failure to submit the information as requested
can delay or prevent review of the application.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
i. Proposal Submission
A complete proposal submission consists of two forms: The SF424
Mandatory Application for Federal Assistance and the FY 2019 Passenger
Ferry Grant Program supplemental form. The supplemental form and any
supporting documents must be attached to the ``Attachments'' section of
the SF424. A complete application must include responses to all
sections of the SF424 Application for Federal Assistance and the
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.
FTA will only accept one supplemental form per SF424 submission.
FTA encourages States and other applicants to consider submitting a
single supplemental form that includes multiple activities to be
evaluated as a consolidated proposal. If a State or other applicant
chooses to submit separate proposals for individual consideration by
FTA, each proposal must be submitted using a separate SF424 and
supplemental form.
Applicants may attach additional supporting information to the
SF424 submission, including but not limited to letters of support,
project budgets, fleet status reports, or excerpts from relevant
planning documents. 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 applicants 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. Applicants must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on the
forms. Applicants should not place N/A or ``refer to attachment'' in
lieu of typing in responses in the field sections. If information is
copied into the supplemental form from another source, 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. Applicants 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.
ii. Application Content
The SF424 Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form will prompt
applicants for the required information, including:
a. Applicant Name
b. Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number
c. Key contact information (including contact name, address, email
address, and phone)
d. Congressional district(s) where project will take place
e. Project Information (including title, an executive summary, and
type)
f. A detailed description of the need for the project
g. A detailed description on how the project will support the Ferry
program objectives
h. Evidence that the project is consistent with local and regional
planning objectives
i. Evidence that the applicant can provide the local cost share
j. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity of the
applicant
k. A detailed project budget
l. An explanation of the scalability of the project
m. Details on the local matching funds
n. A detailed project timeline
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant is required to: (1) Be registered in SAM before
submitting an application; (2) provide a valid unique entity identifier
in its application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM
registration with current information at all times during which the
applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under
consideration by FTA. These requirements do not apply if the applicant:
(1) Is an individual; (2) is excepted from the requirements under 2 CFR
25.110(b) or (c); or (3) has an exception approved by FTA under 2 CFR
25.110(d). FTA may not make an award until the applicant has complied
with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If
an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time
FTA is ready to make an award, FTA may determine that the applicant is
not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis
for making a Federal award to another applicant. SAM registration takes
approximately 3-5 business days, but 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.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. EST on April 15, 2019. Mail and fax
submissions will not be accepted.
[[Page 3539]]
FTA urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior
to the due date to allow time to correct any problems that may have
caused either GRANTS.GOV or FTA systems to reject the submission.
Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered under
extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's control.
Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled website maintenance.
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the
GRANTS.GOV website.
Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the
applicant should receive two email messages from GRANTS.GOV: (1)
Confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV and (2)
confirmation of successful validation by GRANTS.GOV. 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.
Applicants 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 applicants
may still be required to take steps to keep their registration up to
date before submissions can be made successfully: (1) Registration in
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.
5. Funding Restrictions
Funds made available under the Ferry program may not be used to
fund operating expenses, planning, or preventive maintenance.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to identify scaled funding options 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. FTA may award a lesser amount whether or not a
scalable option is provided.
E. Application Review
Projects will be evaluated primarily on the responses provided in
the supplemental form. Additional information may be provided to
support the responses; however, any additional documentation must be
directly referenced on the supplemental form, including the file name
where the additional information can be found. FTA will evaluate
project proposals for competitive passenger ferry grants based on the
criteria described in this notice.
1. Demonstration of Need
Applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to
which they demonstrate how the proposed project will address an unmet
need for capital investment in passenger ferry vehicles, equipment,
and/or facilities. FTA will also evaluate the project's impact on
service delivery and whether the project represents a one-time or
periodic need that cannot reasonably be funded from FTA formula program
allocations or State and/or local resources. In evaluating
applications, FTA will consider, among other factors, certain project-
specific criteria as outlined below:
i. For vessel replacement or rehabilitation projects:
The age of the asset to be replaced or rehabilitated by
the proposed project, relative to its useful life.
Condition and performance of the asset to be replaced by
the proposed project, as ascertained through inspections or otherwise,
if available.
ii. For infrastructure (facility) improvements or related-equipment
acquisitions:
The age of the facility or equipment 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 ferry assets.
iii. For expansion or new service requests (vessel or facility-
related):
The degree to which the proposed project addresses a
current capacity constraint that is limiting the ability of the agency
to provide reliable service, meet ridership demands, or maintain
vessels and related equipment.
The degree the proposed new service is supported by
ridership demand.
iv. Additional consideration will be given to projects in which the
beneficiary of the award contributes a greater share of the total
project costs.
2. Demonstration of Benefits
Applications will be evaluated based on how the ferry project will
improve the safety and state of good repair of the system or provide
additional transportation options to potential riders within the
service area. FTA will consider potential benefits such as increased
reliability of service, improved operations or maintenance
capabilities, or expanded mobility options, intermodal connections, and
economic benefits to the community. Applicants should address how the
ferry service to be supported by the proposed project is integrated
with other regional modes of transportation, including but not limited
to: Rail, bus, intercity bus, and private transportation providers.
Supporting documentation should include data that demonstrates the
number of trips (passengers and vehicles), the number of walk-on
passengers, and the frequency of transfers to other modes (if
applicable).
3. Planning and Local/Regional Prioritization
Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project is consistent
with local and regional planning documents and identified priorities.
This will involve assessing whether the project is consistent with the
transit priorities identified in the long-range transportation plan
and/or the State and Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program
(STIP/TIP). Applicants should note if the project could not be included
in the financially constrained STIP or TIP due to lack of funding;
however, if selected, the project must be in the federally approved
STIP before grant award.
FTA encourages applicants to demonstrate local support by including
letters of support from State Departments of Transportation, local
transit agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. In an area with both
ferry and other public transit operators, FTA will evaluate whether
project proposals demonstrate coordination with and support of other
related projects within the applicant's Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) or the geographic region within which the proposed
project will operate.
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
[[Page 3540]]
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. Additional consideration will be given to
those projects for which local funds have already been made available
or reserved. Applicants should submit evidence of the availability of
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 such as a budget document highlighting the line item or
section committing funds to the proposed project. Applicants that
request a Federal share greater than 80 percent must clearly explain
why the project is eligible for the proposed Federal share.
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 and whether
the applicant's proposed implementation plans are reasonable and
complete.
In assessing whether the project is ready to implement within a
reasonable period of time, FTA will consider whether the project
qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion (CE), or whether the required
environmental work has been initiated or completed for projects that
require an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended. The proposal must also state whether grant funds
can be obligated within 12 months from time of award, if selected, and
indicate 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.
Additional consideration will be given to projects for which grant
funds can be obligated within 12 months from time of award.
In assessing whether the proposed implementation plans are
reasonable and complete, FTA will review the proposed project
implementation plan, including all necessary project milestones and the
overall project timeline. For projects that will require formal
coordination, approvals, or permits from other agencies or project
partners, the applicant must demonstrate 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.
Applicants with outstanding legal, technical, or financial compliance
issues from a FTA compliance review or FTA grant-related Single Audit
finding must explain how corrective actions taken will mitigate
negative impacts on the project.
F. 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. After applying the above preferences,
the FTA Administrator will consider the following key Departmental
objectives:
Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite
project delivery;
Supporting economic vitality at the national and regional
level;
Utilizing alternative funding sources and innovative
financing models to attract non-Federal sources of infrastructure
investment;
Accounting for the life-cycle costs of the project to
promote the state of good repair; and
Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance
and achieving specific, measurable outcomes identified by grant
applicants.
Prior to making an award, FTA is required to review and consider
any information about the applicant that is in the Federal Awardee
Performance and Integrity Information Systems (FAPIIS) accessible
through SAM. An applicant may review and comment on information about
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered.
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. In addition, FTA may consider capping the
amount a single applicant may receive. Projects that have a higher
local match commitment may also be prioritized.
G. Federal Award Administration
1. Federal Award Notices
Final project selections will be posted on the FTA website. Project
recipients should contact their FTA Regional Offices for additional
information regarding allocations for projects under the Ferry program.
2. Award Administration
Funds under the Ferry program are available to 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, projects 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.
3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
i. Pre-Award Authority
FTA will issue specific guidance to recipients regarding pre-award
authority at the time of selection. 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 2018 Apportionment Notice published on
July 16, 2018 that can be accessed at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-07-16/pdf/2018-14989.pdf.
ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a grant through FTA's Transit
Award Management System (TrAMS). All Ferry recipients are subject to
the grant requirements of Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Grant
program, including those of FTA Circular 9030. All recipients must
follow the Award Management Requirements Circular 5010.1E, and the
labor protections of 49 U.S.C. 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
FTA requires that all capital procurements meet FTA's Buy America
[[Page 3541]]
requirements that require all iron, steel, or manufactured products be
produced in the United States, to help create and protect manufacturing
jobs in the United States. The Ferry program will have a significant
economic impact toward meeting the objectives of the Buy America law.
The FAST Act amended the Buy America requirements, 49 U.S.C. 5323(j),
to provide for a phased increase in the domestic content for rolling
stock. For FY 2019, the cost of components and subcomponents produced
in the United States must be more than 65 percent of the cost of all
components. For FY 2020 and beyond, the cost of components and
subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 70
percent of the cost of all components. There is no change to the
requirement that final assembly of rolling stock must occur in the
United States. The Buy America requirements can be found in 49 CFR part
661 and additional guidance on the implementation of the phased
increase in domestic content can be found at 81 FR 60278 (Sept. 1,
2016). 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 and ferry manufacturers must be certified Transit Vehicle
Manufacturers (TVMs) to be eligible to bid on an FTA-assisted ferry
procurement. 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 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. In
lieu of using a certified TVM, 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 Janelle Hinton, Office of Civil Rights,
202-366-9259, email: janelle.hinton@dot.gov.
v. Planning
FTA encourages applicants 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, directives, 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.
4. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements include the electronic submission
of Federal Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
For further information concerning this notice, please contact the
Ferry program manager, Vanessa Williams, by phone at 202-366-4818, or
by email at vanessa.williams@dot.gov. A TDD is available for
individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at 800-877-8339. In
addition, FTA will post answers to questions and requests for
clarifications on FTA's website at: https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/passenger-ferry-grant-program-section-5307. To ensure
receipt of accurate information about eligibility or the program, the
applicant is encouraged to contact FTA directly, rather than through
intermediaries or third parties.
H. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' 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. EST on April 15, 2019. For issues with
GRANTS.GOV, please contact GRANTS.GOV by phone at 1-800-518-4726 or by
email at support@grants.gov.
Contact information for FTA's regional offices can be found on
FTA's website at www.fta.dot.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-01951 Filed 2-11-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P