Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Transit Standards Development, 71399-71404 [2022-25408]

Agencies

• Federal Transit Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71399-71404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25408]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Transit 
Standards Development

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the 
opportunity to apply for up to $3,000,000 under the Technical 
Assistance and Workforce Development Program for proposals to develop 
voluntary standards and standards-related best practices, guidance, and 
tools in safety, and other areas that improve public transportation by 
directly engaging and working with transit stakeholders.

DATES: Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the 
GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on January 23, 
2023.
    Prospective applicants should initiate the process by registering 
on the GRANTS.GOV website promptly to ensure completion of the 
application process before the submission deadline. Instructions for 
applying can be found on FTA's website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding 
opportunity ID is FTA-2023-004-TRI. Mail and fax submissions will not 
be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raj Wagley, FTA Office of Research, 
Demonstration, and Innovation, phone: (202) 366-5386, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

A. Program Description

[[Page 71400]]

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
H. Other Information

A. Program Description

    Under FTA's Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program 
(49 U.S.C. 5314), FTA may make grants, or enter into contracts or 
cooperative agreements, for the development of standards, best 
practices, guidance, and tools for the public transportation industry. 
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (Federal Assistance Listing: 
20.531) is issued under this authority.
    Transit standards are essential tools for public transportation 
agencies to consistently and efficiently deploy and operate their 
transit systems. Transit industry standards promote operating transit 
vehicles safely, implementing innovative mobility models consistently 
and efficiently, addressing rail/rail crossing safety, increasing 
resiliency, providing better information to travelers, ensuring data 
integration, supporting battery electric bus and charging systems 
interoperability, improving cybersecurity, implementing integrated fare 
payment systems, assisting in emergency response communication, 
improving worker safety, and enhancing performance in many other areas. 
Additionally, standards provide value to manufacturers of public 
transit products and services and to the transit agencies that purchase 
those products and services by ensuring they meet specific performance 
criteria and address interoperability and safety.
    Previous standards projects assessed gaps in standards, identified 
areas where standards were needed, and provided support to develop 
voluntary standards for bus and rail safety, zero emission vehicles and 
charging infrastructure, facility maintenance, training, operator 
safety, crashworthiness, and other important topics. Along with the 
innovations and emerging technologies, the previous work provides a 
foundation and need for exploring new standards or modification of 
existing standards. The main goal of this program is to identify 
industry needs for standards and develop voluntary standards in one or 
more areas.
    The selected recipient will perform an industry standards 
assessment and develop a priority list of standards that require 
immediate action. Upon direction from FTA, the recipient will develop 
or modify voluntary standards, best practices, guidance, and tools to 
help public transit agencies adopt those standards. Standards 
development must directly engage a broad group of transit stakeholders, 
including Federal, State, local, National, public, nonprofit, academic, 
and private sector representatives. Eligible standards areas can 
include, but are not limited to, bus and rail safety, mobility, fare 
collection, intelligent transportation systems, accessibility, 
equitable service standards, procurement, security, resiliency, asset 
management to maintain a state of good repair, operations, maintenance, 
zero emission vehicles, charging systems, maintenance facilities, bus 
workstations, traveler information, interoperable data standards, 
vehicle propulsion, emergency response communications, and vehicle 
electronics. FTA will create an internal FTA Standards Working Group 
(SWG), which will work with the selected applicant, its industry 
partners, working groups, and standards development organizations in 
the assessment, review, prioritization, and selection of transit 
standards to be developed or modified. One applicant will be 
competitively selected based on the criteria outlined in this NOFO.
    Key tasks for this NOFO include:
     Standards Assessment: Collect and analyze industry data to 
assess industry needs for areas of new standards development or 
modification of existing standards. This can include industry scans, 
listening sessions or surveys, review of current transit literature, 
and review of prior FTA standards development reports which can be 
found at: https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/fta-reports-and-publications;
     Propose Areas for Standards Development: Based on the 
results of the industry scan, identify potential areas for new 
standards development or modification of existing standards;
     Vet Proposed Standards Areas: Gather feedback from a broad 
set of public transit stakeholders on proposed standards areas--ensure 
there is alignment of industry standards needs and solutions with FTA 
priorities;
     Prioritize Standards with FTA: Engage with FTA's SWG in 
the prioritization and selection of standards. For all proposed 
standards, the recipient should ensure each proposed standards area has 
expected outcomes and impacts for how the standard will improve public 
transportation. FTA's SWG will then conduct a gate review, which 
involves FTA reviewing and approving proposed standards activities. 
Proposed standards activities may include the recipient: (1) presenting 
the results of industry scans and industry feedback to FTA; (2) noting 
the value/need for certain standards or standards related documents/
tools; (3) recommending ways to measure the utility of a proposed 
action(s); and (4) any other activity that provides FTA with enough 
information to approve and prioritize the work of this program. FTA's 
gate review will assign priorities, review expected outcomes, provide 
feedback to the applicant, and approve the proposed standards for 
development.
     Develop Standards and Implementation Resources: 
Collaborate with transit stakeholders, FTA SWG, and Standards 
Development Organizations (SDOs) to develop voluntary standards, 
guidance, best practice documents and tools following gate approval by 
FTA.
    Applicants must clearly describe in the application how they will 
accomplish the proposed key tasks. Additionally, applicants must 
describe how they will work with transit industry stakeholders, 
industry working groups and standards development organizations--
including FTA and its standards working group--in assessing and 
developing standards, best practices, guidance, and tools that improve 
public transportation.
    FTA's role will include the review and approval of proposed 
standards through its internal FTA Standards Working Group; development 
of project reports and review of documents; and participation in key 
decisions, including if there is a need to redirect and reprioritize 
project activities, goals, and deliverables.

B. Federal Award Information

    This notice makes available up to $3,000,000 of FTA Technical 
Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. 5314) funds for 
a cooperative agreement to support the assessment of need and 
development of voluntary public transportation standards as well as 
appropriate best practices, guidance, and tools to implement those 
standards to provide public transportation service effectively and 
efficiently.
    FTA may award additional funds if they are made available to the 
program prior to the announcement of the project selection. If 
additional funds are made available during project execution and can be 
added to the selected project, FTA would require an amendment to the 
existing award. Only proposals from eligible applicants for eligible 
activities will be considered for funding. FTA may cap the amount a 
recipient may receive as part of the selection process.

[[Page 71401]]

    Pre-award authority is subject to FTA approval and is only 
available for costs incurred after the announcement of project 
selections on FTA's website.
    Projects under this competition are for standards development 
efforts and, as such, FTA Circular 6100.1E (available at https://www.fta.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/research-technical-assistance-and-training-program) will apply in administering 
the program.
    An applicant whose proposal is selected for funding will receive a 
cooperative agreement with FTA, to be administered according to 
Circular 6100.1E, and as set forth in 31 U.S.C. 6305. FTA will have 
substantial involvement in the administration of the cooperative 
agreement.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants under this notice include the following:
    (1) Providers of public transportation, including public 
transportation agencies, State or local government DOTs, and federally 
recognized Indian tribes;
    (2) Private for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, or 
consultants;
    (3) State, city, or local government entities, including multi-
jurisdictional partnerships, and organizations such as Metropolitan 
Planning Organizations;
    (4) Other organizations, including research consortia, not-for-
profit industry organizations, and institutions of higher education, 
including large research universities, particularly those with Minority 
Serving Institution status; or
    (5) Standard Development Organizations (SDOs).
    On the application form, eligible applicants are strongly 
encouraged to identify one or more project partners with a substantial 
interest and involvement in the project activities or objectives to 
participate in the implementation of the project. If an application 
that involves such a partnership is selected for funding, the 
competitive selection process will be deemed to satisfy the requirement 
for a competitive procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named 
entities. Applicants are advised that any changes to the proposed 
partnership after the award will require FTA written approval and must 
be consistent with the scope of the approved project. Post-award 
changes usually will be subject to ordinary procurement standards.
    The applicant must be able to carry out the proposed agreement and 
procurements, if needed, with project partners in compliance with all 
applicable Federal, State, and local laws.
    To be considered eligible, applicants must be able to demonstrate 
the requisite legal, financial, and technical capabilities to receive 
and administer Federal funds under this program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    The eligible Federal share for the cooperative agreement that will 
be awarded for this program is 100 percent. No non-Federal cost sharing 
is required; however, applicants may offer a non-Federal share of 
costs. Applications that offer a non-Federal share of costs will be 
given additional consideration. For guidance related to cost sharing, 
please see FTA Circular 6100.1E.

3. Eligible Projects

    This notice solicits applications to support the assessment of need 
and development of voluntary public transportation standards as well as 
appropriate best practices, guidance, and tools to implement those 
standards to provide public transportation service more effectively and 
efficiently. The eligible areas for standards development include, but 
are not limited to, bus and rail safety, fare collection, intelligent 
transportation systems, accessibility, equitable service standards, 
procurement, security, resiliency, asset management to maintaining a 
state of good repair, operations, maintenance, zero emission vehicles, 
charging systems, maintenance facilities, bus workstations, traveler 
information, interoperable data standards, vehicle propulsion, 
emergency response communications, and vehicle electronics. One 
critical component of the project is to engage with FTA's own Standards 
Working Group (SWG) in the decision and prioritization of standard 
development activities.
    Eligible activities are all activities noted in the required tasks 
and any other appropriate actions that lead to development of transit 
standards, best practices, guidance, and tools, including but not 
limited to:
     industry scans, listening sessions or surveys, case 
studies, and data collection on industry needs;
     new and emerging technology specifications and standards;
     identification of innovations to provide more effective 
and efficient systems using public-private partnerships with non-
traditional transportation providers;
     industry literature reviews on transit needs and gaps, 
domestic and international;
     surveys on systems and products in other industries that 
could be applicable to public transit systems;
     data analytics;
     establishing various use cases for emerging and innovation 
deployment;
     defining system requirements;
     modeling and simulation;
     development, validation, and verification of the data and 
specification; and
     development of new standards and standards documents for 
transit innovations and solutions to share with the transit industry, 
including transit bus manufacturers.
    Standards or standards-related best practices, guidance, and tools 
developed or modified will be disseminated on a standard development 
organization website, FTA website, or through public organizations for 
transit agencies and transit industry for their use. Standards or 
standards-related best practices, guidance, and tools developed under 
this program must not negatively impact interoperability, 
integrability, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of the transit 
systems, process, and devices. Further, the recipient should consider 
how this standard development effort could support the development or 
use of additional standards, specifications, or protocols as 
appropriate.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application

    Applications must be accessed and submitted electronically through 
GRANTS.GOV. General information for submitting applications through 
GRANTS.GOV can be found at www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply. A complete 
proposal submission consists of two forms and their supporting 
attachments. The Forms are: (1) an SF-424 ``Application for Federal 
Assistance,'' and (2) the supplemental form for the Transit Standards 
Development NOFO. Both forms are downloadable from GRANTS.GOV or the 
FTA website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/standards-development-program.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Proposal Submission
    A complete proposal submission consists of the two forms (SF-424 
and the supplemental form) and their supporting documents. The 
supporting documents and attachments shall provide a detailed project 
approach and proposed scope of work.

[[Page 71402]]

    The supplemental form and supporting documents must be added to the 
``Attachments'' section of the SF-424. The application must include 
responses to all sections of the SF-424 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 section E of this 
notice.
    FTA will accept only one supplemental form per SF-424 submission. 
Applicants may attach additional supporting information to the SF-424 
submission, including but not limited to a detailed project approach, 
the project background, a proposed scope of work and major tasks, a 
proposed timeline, proposed project budgets, technical information and 
approach, visual aids, excerpts from relevant planning documents, 
letters of support, or project narratives. Any supporting documentation 
must be described and referenced by file name in the appropriate 
response section of the supplemental form, or it may not be reviewed.
    Information such as applicant name, Federal amount requested, and 
local match amount (if match is being proposed), may be requested on 
both the SF-424 and supplemental form. Applicants must fill in all 
fields unless stated otherwise on the forms. 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.
b. Application Content
    The SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance and the supplemental 
form will prompt applicants for the required information, including:
    1. Applicant name.
    2. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in https://www.sam.gov. The 
Federal government stopped using the Data Universal Numbering System 
(DUNS) number to identify entities as of April 4, 2022.
    3. Key contact information (including name, address, email address, 
and phone).
    4. Congressional district(s) where project will take place.
    5. Project information (including title, and an executive summary).
    6. Project description (including attachments if necessary) of how 
it will: (a) collect and analyze industry data to assess industry needs 
for the development of standards; (b) align industry standards needs 
and solutions with FTA priorities; (c) coordinate with industry 
stakeholders and working groups; (d) engage with FTA's SWG in the 
prioritization and selection of standards for short-term and long-term 
development; and in a potential subsequent phase to (e) collaborate and 
facilitate with Standard Development Organizations (SDOs) to develop 
standards, best practices guidance and tools in the short term.
    7. A detailed history of current efforts to establish public 
transportation standards.
    8. Information on any project partners, their role, and anticipated 
contributions.
    9. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity of 
the applicant, its key personnel, and any partners.
    10. A detailed project budget, specifying Federal and local share 
when applicable.
    11. A detailed project timeline, including key milestones and 
interim deliverables.
    Please refer to section E.1 for additional guidance on information 
applicants should provide. Applicants may also attach additional 
supporting information and other materials or information relevant to 
transit standards development such as letters of support from key 
stakeholders.

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) 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. 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. These requirements do not 
apply if the applicant has an exception approved by FTA or the U.S. 
Office of Management and Budget under 2 CFR 25.110(c) or (d). 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 https://www.sam.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times

    Project proposals must be submitted electronically through 
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on January 23, 2023. GRANTS.GOV 
attaches a time stamp to each application at the time of submission. 
Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered under 
extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's control. Mail and 
fax submissions will not be accepted.
    FTA urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior 
to the due date to allow time to receive the validation messages and to 
correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the 
GRANTS.GOV website. Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled 
website maintenance. Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic 
application, the applicant should receive an email message from 
GRANTS.GOV with confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV. 
If 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 submission.

5. Funding Restrictions

    Funds available under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse 
applicants

[[Page 71403]]

for otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA issuing pre-award 
authority for the selected applicant.
    Refer to section C.3., Eligible Projects, for information on 
activities that are allowable. Allowable direct and indirect expenses 
must be consistent with the Governmentwide Uniform Administrative 
Requirements and Cost Principles (2 CFR part 200) and FTA Circular 
5010.1E.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    Applicants are encouraged to identify scaled funding options in 
case funding is not available to fund the program 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 regardless of whether a 
scalable option is provided.
    All applications must be submitted via the GRANTS.GOV website. FTA 
does not accept applications on paper, by fax machine, email, or other 
means. For information on application submission requirements, please 
see section D.1., Address to Request Application.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

    Applications will be evaluated on the responses provided in the 
supplemental form and the attached project summary. Additional 
information may be provided to support the responses. All additional 
documentation, including the file names, must be directly referenced on 
the supplemental form. Applicants must complete the supplemental form 
and the project attachments.
    FTA will evaluate proposals based on the criteria described in this 
notice.
a. Knowledge of Standards and Standards Development
    Applications should provide evidence of applicant's experience 
developing and disseminating industry standards, particularly for the 
public transit industry. The proposal should detail the applicant's 
knowledge of general transit industry standards, general experience and 
knowledge of transit standards development, including awareness of 
potential barriers or challenges to standard development and 
application.
b. Knowledge of Subject Areas, Emerging Needs, and Demands in Transit
    Applications should clearly demonstrate applicants' knowledge in a 
wide range of topics and areas in transit. This may include 
understanding of industry safety, mobility, and operation needs; 
accessibility and usability of systems to comply with the Americans 
with Disabilities Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act; process 
improvement in training, maintenance, and procurement; or work 
experience or familiarity of new and emerging technologies such as low 
and no emission vehicles, systems, and devices, including battery 
electric, fuel cell technologies and automation.
c. Key Personnel Experience and Organizational Capacity
    Applications should note the individuals who will be involved in 
the project and how the applicant will ensure they will have enough 
time and expertise to carry out project objectives to assess data, 
coordinate with stakeholders, and develop standards in the program 
duration of four years. Additionally, applicants should discuss 
proposed personnel's successful completion of similar or relevant 
projects, case studies, references, etc.
d. Project Approach
    Applications will be evaluated on an overall project approach, 
including proposed workplan tasks, schedule, and interim deliverables. 
In assessing whether the proposed implementation plans are reasonable 
and complete, FTA will review the proposed project work plan, including 
all necessary milestones and the overall project timeline. Applicants 
must demonstrate their ability to enter into a cooperative agreement in 
FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) and begin project 
activities within 45 days if selected for award. FTA uses the TrAMS 
system for cooperative agreement awards.
e. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
    The applicant must demonstrate the financial and organizational 
capacity and managerial experience to successfully oversee and 
implement this project. FTA may 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 an FTA compliance review 
or Federal Transit grant-related Single Audit finding must explain how 
corrective actions will mitigate negative impacts on the proposed 
project.
    For applications that include named project partners, FTA will also 
consider the technical, legal, and financial capacity of the proposed 
partners.

2. Review and Selection Process

    The competitive application review process consists of an initial 
screen for eligibility followed by a two-phase review process: a 
technical review and a senior leadership review. An FTA technical 
evaluation committee will evaluate proposals based on the published 
evaluation criteria and a rating guidance specific to this NOFO. 
Members of the technical evaluation committee may request additional 
information from applicants, if necessary. The second phase is a senior 
leadership review. Based on the review of the technical evaluation 
committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final selection for 
project funding.

3. Performance and Integrity

    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 System (FAPIIS) accessible 
through UEI (SAM). An applicant may review and comment on any 
information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously 
entered. FTA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition 
to the other information in the designated integrity and performance 
system, 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 as described in the Office of 
Management and Budget's Uniform Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 
200.206).

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

    FTA will announce the final applicant selection on the FTA website. 
Due to funding limitations, the applicant selected for funding may 
receive less than the amount originally requested. In this case the 
applicant must be able to demonstrate that the proposed project is 
still viable and can be completed with the amount awarded.

[[Page 71404]]

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Pre-Award Authority
    At the time the project selection is announced, FTA may extend pre-
award authority for the selected project. There is no blanket pre-award 
authority for the project before announcement. FTA will issue specific 
guidance to the recipient regarding pre-award authority at the time of 
selection. FTA does not provide pre-award authority for competitive 
funds until a project is 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 
most recent Apportionments, Allocations and Program Information Notice 
at 87 FR 25362, 25386.
b. Cooperative Agreement Requirements
    If selected, the awardee will apply for a cooperative agreement 
through FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS). The successful 
applicant must be prepared to submit a complete statement of work and 
application in TrAMS and begin project activities within 45 days of 
notification of award. All recipients must follow the requirements of 
FTA Circular 6100.1E. Technical assistance regarding these requirements 
is available from FTA.
c. Standard Assurances
    If an applicant receives an award, the applicant must assure 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 award. The applicant acknowledges that it will be under a 
continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the 
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 most recent Federal requirements will apply to the 
project unless FTA issues a written determination otherwise. The 
applicant must submit the most recent FTA Certifications and Assurances 
before receiving an award if it does not have current certifications on 
file.
d. Data Access and Data Sharing
    Recipients, including a recipient that is an institution of higher 
education, will be subject to the restriction on publishing subject 
data contained in section 18(b) of the latest version of FTA's master 
agreement available on FTA's website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/sample-fta-agreements/fta-grant-agreements. A 
recipient must receive written approval from FTA prior to publishing or 
presenting subject data in any form. FTA must approve the standards, 
best practices, guidance, or tools developed under this NOFO before 
that information can be published. A recipient should consult with its 
FTA Program Manager prior to accepting an award to discuss any plan for 
external communications about the project. FTA seeks to improve public 
transportation for America's communities by sharing project data and 
information collected or developed through its research with the 
public. This allows research organizations, transit agencies, and other 
stakeholders to learn from and expand upon the insights developed from 
FTA-funded research. Any standards, guidance, tools, or software 
developed as a part of this solicitation will be evaluated by FTA for 
the potential to be shared for use by public transportation agencies 
and others.

3. Reporting

    Post-award reporting requirements include the electronic submission 
of Federal Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports in FTA's 
electronic grants management system.
    Applicants should include any goals, targets, and indicators 
referenced in their application in the Executive Summary of the TrAMS 
application.
    As part of completing the annual certifications and assurances 
required of FTA grant recipients, a successful applicant must report on 
the suspension or debarment status of itself and its principals. If the 
award recipient's active grants, cooperative agreements, and 
procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceeds 
$10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of 
an award made pursuant to this Notice, the recipient must comply with 
the Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters reporting requirements 
described in appendix XII to 2 CFR part 200.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    For further information concerning this notice, please contact Raj 
Wagley, in the FTA Office of Infrastructure, Safety and Asset 
Innovation, by email at [email protected]. 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/research-innovation/standards-development-program. To ensure applicants 
receive accurate information about eligibility or the program, 
applicants are encouraged to contact FTA directly with questions, 
rather than through intermediaries or third parties. FTA staff may also 
conduct briefings on the competitive applications selection and award 
process upon request.
    For issues with GRANTS.GOV, please contact GRANTS.GOV by phone at 
1-800-518-4726 or by email at [email protected].

H. Other Information

    This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2022-25408 Filed 11-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P