FY 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning, 53585-53594 [2023-16894]

Agencies

• Federal Transit Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53585-53594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16894]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


FY 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Pilot Program for 
Transit-Oriented Development Planning

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 $13,460,978 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and FY 
2023 funding under the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development 
Planning (TOD Pilot Program). As required by Federal public 
transportation law and subject to funding availability, funds will be 
awarded competitively to support comprehensive planning or site-
specific planning associated with new fixed guideway and core capacity 
improvement projects. FTA may award additional funding that is made 
available to the TOD Pilot 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. October 10, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Prospective applicants should initiate the process by 
registering on the GRANTS.GOV website immediately 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/TODPilot and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. 
The GRANTS.GOV funding opportunity ID is FTA-2023-011-TPE-TODP. Mail 
and fax submissions will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: April McLean-McCoy, FTA Office of 
Planning and Environment, (202) 366-7429, or [email protected]. 
A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Information

A. Program Description

    Section 20005(b) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st 
Century Act (MAP-21; Pub. L. 112-141), as amended by section 30009 of 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58) (also 
called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)), authorizes FTA to 
award grants under the TOD Pilot Program in the amounts provided by 49 
U.S.C. 5338(a)(2)(B). This funding opportunity is occurring under 
Federal Assistance Listing number 20.500.
    This program supports FTA's priorities and objectives through 
investments that (1) renew our transit systems, (2) reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions from public transportation, (3) advance racial equity by 
removing transportation related disparities to all populations within a 
project area and increasing equitable access to project benefits, (4) 
maintain and create good-paying jobs with a free and fair choice to 
join a union, and (5) connect communities by increasing access to 
affordable transportation options. The TOD Pilot Program grants are 
competitively awarded to local communities to integrate land use and 
transportation planning with a new fixed guideway or core capacity 
improvement transit capital project as defined in Federal public 
transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5309(a)). (See Section C of this NOFO for 
more information about eligibility). FTA seeks to fund projects under 
the TOD Pilot Program that:
     Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation 
sector, incorporate evidence-based climate resilience measures and 
features, reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from the 
project materials, and avoid adverse environmental impacts to air or 
water quality, wetlands, and endangered species, and address the 
disproportionate negative environmental impacts of transportation on 
disadvantaged communities, consistent with Executive Order 14008, 
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (86 FR 7619).
     Create proportional impacts to all populations in a 
project area, remove transportation related disparities to all 
populations in a project area, and increase equitable access to project 
benefits, consistent with Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial 
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal 
Government (86 FR 7009).
     Address equity and environmental justice, particularly for 
communities that have experienced decades of underinvestment and are 
most impacted by climate change, pollution, and environmental hazards, 
consistent with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at 
Home and Abroad (86 FR 7619).
     Support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and 
fair choice to join a union and the incorporation of strong labor 
standards and training and placement programs, especially registered 
apprenticeships, in project planning stages, consistent with Executive 
Order 14025, Worker Organizing and Empowerment (86 FR 22829), and 
Executive Order 14052, Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act (86 FR 64335).
     Support wealth creation, consistent with the Department's 
Equity Action Plan, through the inclusion of local inclusive economic 
development and entrepreneurship such as the utilization of 
Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Minority-owned Businesses, Women-
owned Businesses, or 8(a) firms.
     Qualify for Transportation Infrastructure Finance and 
Innovation Act (TIFIA) 49 and Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement 
Financing (RRIF) TOD financing program(s) once the TOD planning study 
is complete.
    Additionally, in support of the Federal House America Initiative 
led by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, DOT, through 
this NOFO, is looking for opportunities to strongly prioritize TOD 
planning grants in areas of high incidence rates of homelessness, in 
the hope of providing opportunities

[[Page 53586]]

for localities to address housing affordability in these areas and 
homelessness holistically through their planning processes.
    The TOD Pilot Program intends to fund comprehensive planning that 
supports economic development, increased transit ridership and value 
capture multimodal connectivity, accessibility, increased transit 
access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and mixed-use and mixed-
income development near transit stations; delivers 40 percent of the 
overall benefits of the planning work to Historically Disadvantaged 
Communities (defined below), consistent with the Justice40 Initiative; 
and supports the development of affordable housing, mitigates climate 
change, and addresses challenges facing environmental justice 
populations, and homelessness. The TOD Pilot Program also encourages 
the identification of infrastructure needs and engagement with the 
private sector. FTA also encourages TOD in areas where communities are 
trying to preserve, protect, and increase the supply of affordable 
housing. For assets that were acquired with federal assistance and are 
no longer needed for the originally authorized purpose, the Fiscal Year 
2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Pub. L. 117-81) allows 
FTA to authorize the transfer of the asset to a local governmental 
authority, non-profit organization, or other third-party entity if, 
among other factors, it will be used for TOD that includes affordable 
housing (49 U.S.C. 5334(h)(1)).
    FTA is seeking comprehensive or site-specific planning projects 
that cover an entire transit capital project corridor. To ensure that 
any proposed planning work both reflects the needs and aspirations of 
the local community and results in concrete, specific deliverables and 
outcomes, transit project sponsors must partner with entities with land 
use planning authority in the transit project corridor to conduct the 
planning work.

B. Federal Award Information

    FTA intends to award all available funding in the form of grants to 
selected applicants responding to this NOFO. A total of $13,460,978 
will be made available through this NOFO. The authorized funding level 
in BIL is $13,432,051 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funds, with an 
additional $28,927 remaining from the FY 2022 appropriation. Additional 
funds made available prior to project selection may be allocated to 
eligible projects. Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible 
activities will be considered for funding. Due to funding limitations, 
applicants that are selected for funding may receive less than the 
amount originally requested and are thus encouraged to identify a 
scaled funding request in their application.
    In response to the FY 2022 NOFO (87 FR 32069, which closed on July 
25, 2022), the TOD Pilot Program received applications for 23 eligible 
projects requesting a total of $17,332,094. Of the 23 eligible 
applications received, 19 projects were funded at a total of 
$13,131,094.
    FTA will grant pre-award authority, consistent with 2 CFR 200.458, 
for selected projects to incur costs beginning on the date FY 2023 
project selections are announced on FTA's website. Funds are available 
for obligation for four fiscal years after the fiscal year in which the 
competitive awards are announced. Funds are available only for projects 
that have not incurred costs prior to the announcement of project 
selections.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants
    Applicants to the TOD Pilot Program must be a State or States, U.S. 
Territory, or local governmental authority, and an FTA grant recipient 
(i.e., existing direct or designated recipients) as of the publication 
date of this NOFO. An applicant must be the project sponsor of an 
eligible transit capital project as defined below in Section C, 
subsection 3, or an entity with land use planning authority in the 
project corridor of an eligible transit capital project. Except in 
cases where an applicant is both the sponsor of an eligible transit 
project and has land use authority in at least a portion of the transit 
project corridor, the applicant must partner with the relevant transit 
project sponsor or at least one entity in the project corridor with 
land use planning authority. Documentation of this partnership must be 
included with the application; see Section D, subsection 2 of this NOFO 
for further information.
    Only one application per transit capital project corridor may be 
submitted to FTA. Multiple applications submitted for a single transit 
capital project corridor indicate that partnerships are not in place, 
and FTA may reject all of the applications. FTA will accept multiple 
applications for the same corridor if each application is a site-
specific application, the applications are submitted by separate 
applicants with different land-use authorities, and a given application 
does not overlap with any other application that would cover the same 
site.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
    In general, the maximum Federal funding share for proposals is 80 
percent. Proposals that support planning activities that assist parts 
of an urbanized area or rural area with lower population density or 
lower average income levels compared to the applicable area or 
adjoining areas are eligible to receive a Federal funding share of no 
less than 90 percent and applicants may request a share up to 100 
percent (see the March 21, 2023 Dear Colleague letter: https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-programs/dear-colleague-letters/dear-colleague-letter-increased-federal-share-under). Proposals that 
address three or more activities related to the development of 
affordable housing (see section C.3.ii.v) will receive a Federal 
funding share of 100 percent.
    Eligible sources of non-Federal match include the following: cash 
from non-Federal sources (other than revenues from providing public 
transportation services); revenues derived from the sale of advertising 
and concessions; amounts received under a service agreement with a 
State or local social service agency or private social service 
organization; revenues generated from value capture financing 
mechanisms; funds from an undistributed cash surplus; replacement or 
depreciation cash fund or reserve; or new funding. In-kind 
contributions are permitted. Transportation Development Credits 
(formerly referred to as Toll Revenue Credits) may not be used to 
satisfy the non-Federal match requirement.
3. Other Eligibility Criteria
i. Eligible Transit Projects
    Any comprehensive or site-specific planning work proposed for 
funding under the TOD Pilot Program must be associated with an eligible 
transit capital project. To be eligible, the proposed transit capital 
project must be a new fixed guideway project or a core capacity 
improvement project, as defined by Federal public transportation law 
(49 U.S.C. 5302(8)).
    A fixed guideway is a public transportation facility:
    (A) Using and occupying a separate right-of-way for the exclusive 
use of public transportation;
    (B) Using rail;
    (C) Using a fixed catenary system;
    (D) For a passenger ferry system; or
    (E) For a bus rapid transit system.
    A new fixed guideway capital project is defined in (49 U.S.C. 
5309(a)) to be:
    (A) A new fixed guideway project that is a minimum operable segment 
or

[[Page 53587]]

extension to an existing fixed guideway system; or
    (B) A fixed guideway bus rapid transit project that is a minimum 
operable segment or an extension to an existing bus rapid transit 
system.
    A fixed guideway bus rapid transit project is defined in (49 U.S.C. 
5309(a)) as a bus capital project:
    (A) In which the majority of the project operates in a separated 
right-of-way dedicated for public transportation use during peak 
periods;
    (B) That represents a substantial investment in a single route in a 
defined corridor or subarea; and
    (C) That includes features that emulate the services provided by 
rail fixed guideway public transportation systems, including:
    (i) Defined stations;
    (ii) Traffic signal priority for public transportation vehicles;
    (iii) Short headway bidirectional services for a substantial part 
of weekdays and weekend days; and
    (iv) Any other features the Secretary may determine are necessary 
to produce high-quality public transportation services that emulate the 
services provided by rail fixed guideway public transportation systems.
    A core capacity improvement project is defined by 49 U.S.C. 5309(a) 
to mean a substantial corridor-based capital investment in an existing 
fixed guideway system that increases the capacity of the corridor by 
not less than 10 percent. The term does not include project elements 
designed to maintain a state of good repair of the existing fixed 
guideway system.
    Comprehensive or site-specific planning work in a corridor for a 
transit capital project that does not meet the statutory definitions 
above of either a new fixed guideway project or a core capacity 
improvement project is not eligible under the TOD Pilot Program.
ii. Eligible Activities
    As outlined in the Application Review Information section below, 
any comprehensive or site-specific planning funded under the TOD Pilot 
Program must address all six factors set forth in section 20005(b)(2) 
of MAP-21, as amended by section 30009 of BIL. Additionally, the 
comprehensive or site-specific planning effort must advance the 
metropolitan planning organization's metropolitan transportation plan. 
Applicants must establish performance criteria for the planning effort.
    The following are examples of the types of substantial deliverables 
that may result from the comprehensive or site-specific planning work. 
Substantial deliverables are reports, plans, and other materials that 
represent the key accomplishments of the comprehensive planning effort 
and that must be submitted to FTA as each is completed. Substantial 
deliverables may include, but are not restricted to, the following:
    i. A comprehensive plan report that includes corridor development 
policies and station development plans comprising the corridor or the 
specific site, a proposed timeline, and recommended financing 
strategies for these plans;
    ii. A strategic plan report that includes corridor specific 
planning strategies and program recommendations to support 
comprehensive planning;
    iii. Revised TOD-focused zoning codes and/or resolutions;
    iv. A report evaluating and recommending financial tools to 
encourage TOD implementation such as land banking, value capture, and 
development financing;
    v. Affordable Housing:
    1. Policies that reduce regulatory barriers to the development of 
affordable housing such as inclusionary zoning that specifies a 
percentage of new units affordable for targeted incomes or the 
provision of density bonuses for the creation of affordable housing 
units;
    2. Policies that support affordable rental opportunities;
    3. Policies that reduce parking standards;
    4. Policies that support permanent affordable housing for 
disadvantaged groups in areas with high incidence rates of 
homelessness; and
    5. Policies that encourage streamlined permitting for affordable 
housing units;
    vi. Policies to encourage TOD, including actions that reduce 
regulatory barriers that unnecessarily raise the costs of housing 
development or impede the development of affordable housing;
    vii. Policies to encourage TOD, including actions that increase 
access to environmental justice populations, reduces greenhouse gas 
emissions, and the effects of climate change;
    viii. Local or regional resolutions to implement TOD plans and/or 
establish TOD funding mechanisms;
    ix. Policies to prioritize TOD in areas with high incidence rates 
of homelessness for localities to address homelessness holistically 
through their planning processes.
iii. Ineligible Activities
    FTA will not make awards for the following activities:
    i. Transit project development activities that would be 
reimbursable under an FTA capital grant, such as project planning, the 
design and engineering of stations and other facilities, environmental 
analyses needed for the transit capital project, or costs associated 
with specific joint development activities; and
    ii. Capital projects, such as land acquisition, construction, and 
utility relocation.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package
    Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV. 
The application is only available on GRANTS.GOV and must be submitted 
electronically through GRANTS.GOV. General information for submitting 
applications through GRANTS.GOV can be found at https://www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply along with specific instructions for the 
forms and attachments required for submission. The Standard Form (SF) 
424, Application for Federal Assistance, which must be included with 
every application, can be downloaded from GRANTS.GOV. The supplemental 
form for the FY 2023 TOD Pilot Program can be downloaded from 
GRANTS.GOV or the FTA website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/TODPilot. 
The GRANTS.GOV funding opportunity ID is FTA-2023-011-TPE-TODP.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
    Failure to submit information as requested can delay review or 
disqualify the application. Proposals must include a completed SF-424 
Mandatory form and the following attachments to the completed SF-424:
    i. A completed Applicant and Proposal Profile supplemental form for 
the TOD Pilot Program (supplemental form) found on the FTA website at 
https://www.transit.dot.gov/TODPilot. 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;
    ii. A map of the proposed study area showing the transit project 
alignment and stations, major roadways, major landmarks, and the 
geographic boundaries of the proposed comprehensive planning 
activities;
    iii. Documentation of a partnership between the transit project 
sponsor and an entity in the project corridor with land use planning 
authority to conduct the comprehensive planning work, if the

[[Page 53588]]

applicant does not have both of these responsibilities. Documentation 
may consist of a memorandum of agreement or letter of intent signed by 
all parties that describes the parties' roles and responsibilities in 
the proposed comprehensive planning project; and
    iv. Documentation of any funding commitments for the proposed 
comprehensive or site-specific planning work.
    Information such as the applicant's name, Federal amount requested, 
local match amount, and description of the study area, are requested in 
varying degrees of detail on both the SF-424 form and supplemental 
form. Applicants must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on the 
forms. Applicants should use both the ``Check Package for Errors'' and 
the ``Validate Form'' buttons on both forms to check all required 
fields and ensure that the Federal and local amounts specified are 
consistent. In the event of errors with the supplemental form, FTA 
recommends saving the form on your computer and ensuring that 
JavaScript is enabled in your PDF reader. The information listed below 
must be included on the SF-424 and supplemental forms for TOD Pilot 
Program funding applications.
    The SF-424 and supplemental form will prompt applicants to address 
the following items:
    1. Provide the name of the lead applicant and, if applicable, the 
specific co-sponsors submitting the application.
    2. Provide the applicant's Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), assigned 
by SAM.gov.
    3. Provide contact information including: Contact name, title, 
address, phone number, and email address.
    4. Specify the Congressional district(s) where the planning project 
will take place.
    5. Identify the project title and project scope to be funded, 
including anticipated substantial deliverables and the milestones at 
which they will be provided to FTA.
    6. Identify and describe an eligible transit project that meets the 
requirements of Section C, subsection 3 of this notice.
    7. Provide evidence of a partnership between the transit project 
sponsor and at least one agency with land use authority in the transit 
capital project corridor, as described earlier in this subsection.
    8. Address the six factors set forth in MAP-21 Section 20005(b)(2).
    9. Provide evidence of a partnership between transit project 
sponsor and an entity in the project corridor and those that support 
unhoused populations and address affordable housing, such as cities, 
municipalities, non-profit organizations, and housing authority.
    10. Address each evaluation criterion separately, demonstrating how 
the project responds to each criterion as described in Section E.
    11. Provide a line-item budget for the total planning effort, with 
enough detail to indicate the various key components of the 
comprehensive planning project.
    12. Identify the Federal amount requested.
    13. Document the matching funds, including amount and source of the 
match (may include local or private sector financial participation in 
the project). Describe whether the matching funds are committed or 
planned and include documentation of the commitments.
    14. Provide explanation of the scalability of the project.
    15. Address whether other Federal funds have been sought or 
received for the comprehensive or site-specific planning project.
    16. Provide a schedule and process for the development of the 
comprehensive plan that includes anticipated dates for incorporating 
the planning work effort into the region's unified planning work 
program, completing major tasks and substantial deliverables, and 
completing the overall planning effort.
    17. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
advances the metropolitan transportation plan of the metropolitan 
planning organization.
    18. Propose performance criteria for the development and 
implementation of the comprehensive or site-specific planning work.
    19. Identify potential State, local, or other impediments to the 
implementation of the comprehensive plan or site-specific plan, and how 
the work will address them.
    20. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
addresses climate change and elevates challenges facing environmental 
justice populations
    21. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
allows 40 percent of the overall benefits to flow to Historically 
Disadvantaged Communities (defined below).
    22. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
prioritizes TOD plans in areas with high incidence rates of 
homelessness and addresses homelessness holistically through their 
planning processes. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific 
planning work prioritizes TOD plans in areas with high incidence rates 
of homelessness and addresses housing affordability holistically 
through their planning processes.
    23. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
addresses the historic displacement of historically disadvantaged 
populations and how it seeks to mitigate the displacement or improve 
the conditions for populations at risk of displacement, if possible. In 
addition, describe how local residents surrounding the comprehensive or 
site-specific planning work will be included in community engagement, 
especially those who have been historically excluded.
    24. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
includes value capture elements.
    25. Describe the community input process for your comprehensive or 
site-specific planning work.
    26. Identify infrastructure needs associated with the eligible 
project.
    27. Describe how the comprehensive or site-specific planning work 
incorporates affordable housing or other mixed-income elements.
    28. Applicants must address how the project will consider climate 
change and environmental justice in the planning stage and in project 
delivery. In particular, applicants must address how the project 
reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, 
incorporates evidence-based climate resilience measures and features, 
and reduces the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from the project 
materials. Applicants also must address the extent to which the project 
avoids adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, wetlands, 
and endangered species, as well as address disproportionate negative 
impacts of climate change and pollution on disadvantaged communities, 
including natural disasters, with a focus on prevention, response, and 
recovery.
    29. Applicants must address how their project will include an 
equity assessment that evaluates whether a project will create 
proportional impacts and remove transportation related disparities to 
all populations in a project area. Applicants must demonstrate how 
meaningful public engagement will occur throughout a project's life 
cycle. Applicants must address how project benefits will increase 
affordable transportation options, improve safety, connect Americans to 
good-paying jobs, fight climate change, and/or improve access to 
resources and quality of life.
    30. Applicants must address all the applicable criteria and 
priority considerations identified in Section E.
    FTA will also give priority consideration to projects that support 
the Justice40 initiative. In support of

[[Page 53589]]

Executive Order 14008, DOT has been developing a geographic definition 
of Historically Disadvantaged Communities as part of its implementation 
of the Justice40 Initiative. Consistent with OMB's Interim Guidance for 
the Justice40 Initiative, Historically Disadvantaged Communities 
include (a) certain qualifying census tracts, (b) any Tribal land, or 
(c) any territory or possession of the United States. Applicants are 
encouraged to use Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), a 
new tool by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 
that aims to help Federal agencies identify disadvantaged communities. 
Applicants should use CEJST as the primary tool to identify 
disadvantaged communities. This tool can be found at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov. Alternatively, applicants may also use 
the USDOT Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/0920984aa80a4362b8778d779b090723/page/Homepage/) to understand how their community or project area is 
experiencing disadvantages related to lack of transportation 
investments or opportunities. Use of either mapping tool is optional; 
applicants may provide an image from the map tool outputs, or 
alternatively, consistent with OMB's Interim Guidance, applicants can 
supply quantitative, demographic data of their ridership demonstrating 
the percentage of their ridership that meets the criteria for 
disadvantage described in Executive Order 14008. Examples of indicators 
for Historically Disadvantaged Communities that an applicant could 
address using geographic or demographic information include percentages 
of low income, high or persistent poverty, high unemployment and 
underemployment, racial and ethnic residential segregation, linguistic 
isolation, high housing cost burden and substandard housing, and high 
transportation cost burden and/or low transportation access. 
Additionally, in support of the Justice40 Initiative, the applicant 
also should provide evidence of strategies that the applicant has used 
in the planning process to seek out and consider the needs of those 
historically disadvantaged and underserved by existing transportation 
systems. For technical assistance using the mapping tool, please 
contact [email protected].
    Project budgets must show how different funding sources will share 
in each activity and present the data in dollars and percentages. The 
budget should identify other Federal funds the applicant is applying 
for or has been awarded, if any, that the applicant intends to use. 
Funding sources should be grouped into three categories: non-Federal, 
the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning request, 
and other Federal, with specific amounts from each funding source 
provided.
    Due to funding limitations, projects that are selected for funding 
may receive less than the amount originally requested, even if an 
application did not present a scaled project option. In those cases, 
applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are 
still viable and can be completed with the amount awarded.
    Sharing of Application Information--The Department may share 
application information within the Department or with other Federal 
agencies if the Department determines that sharing is relevant to the 
respective program's objectives.
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. 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 is excepted 
from registration per 2 CFR 25.110. 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 https://www.GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time October 10, 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. 
Applications are time and date stamped by GRANTS.GOV upon successful 
submission. Mail, email, and fax submissions will not be accepted.
    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. FTA will then 
validate the application and will attempt to notify any applicants 
whose applications could not be validated. If the applicant does not 
receive confirmation of successful validation or a notice of failed 
validation or incomplete materials, 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. An application that is submitted at 
the deadline and cannot be validated will be marked as incomplete, and 
such applicants will not receive additional time to re-submit.
    FTA urges applicants to submit their applications at least 96 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 at https://www.GRANTS.GOV. 
Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled maintenance or outages.
    Applicants are encouraged to begin the registration process 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
    See Section C of this NOFO for detailed eligibility requirements. 
FTA emphasizes that any comprehensive or site-specific planning 
projects funded through the TOD Pilot Program must be associated with 
an eligible transit

[[Page 53590]]

project, specifically a new fixed guideway project or a core capacity 
improvement project as defined in Federal transit statute, 49 U.S.C. 
5309(a). Projects are not required to be funded through the Capital 
Investment Grants Program. Funds must be used only for the specific 
purposes requested in the application. Funds under this NOFO cannot be 
used to reimburse projects for otherwise eligible expenses incurred 
prior to FTA's announcement of project selections and issuance of pre-
award authority. Refer to Section C.3., Eligible Projects, for 
information on activities that are allowable in this grant program. 
Allowable direct and indirect expenses must be consistent with the 
Government-wide 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 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 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 or by fax, email, or other means. 
For information on application submission requirements, please see 
Section D.1., Address to Request Application and Section D.4., 
Submission Dates and Times.
    FTA encourages applicants to:
     Demonstrate whether they have considered climate change, 
housing affordability, and environmental justice in terms of the 
transportation planning process or anticipated design components with 
outcomes that address climate change (e.g., resilience or adaptation 
measures).
     Describe what specific climate change, affordable housing, 
or environmental justice activities have been incorporated, including 
whether a project supports a Climate Action Plan, whether an equitable 
development plan has been prepared, and whether tools such as the 
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) EJSCREEN at: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen or DOT's Historically Disadvantaged Community tool 
at: https://usdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/d6f90dfcc8b44525b04c7ce748a3674a have been applied in project planning.
     Address how a project is related to housing or land use 
reforms to increase density, and helps to reduce climate impacts. The 
application should also describe specific and direct ways the project 
will mitigate or reduce climate change impacts including any components 
that reduce emissions, promote energy efficiency, incorporate 
electrification or low emission or zero emission vehicle 
infrastructure, increase resilience, recycle or redevelop existing 
infrastructure or if located in a floodplain be constructed or upgraded 
consistent with the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, to the 
extent consistent with current law.
    In addition, FTA will consider benefits to Environmental Justice 
(EJ) populations (E.O. 12898) when reviewing applications received 
under this program.
     Identify any EJ populations located within the proposed 
service area and describe anticipated benefits to that population(s) 
should the applicant receive a grant under this program. A formal EJ 
analysis that is typically included in transportation planning or 
environmental reviews is not requested.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria
    Project proposals 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. 
Applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to which 
the following evaluation criteria are addressed.
a. Project Factors
    Whether the project funded under the TOD Pilot Program addresses 
all six factors set forth in Section 20005(b)(2) of MAP-21, as amended 
by section 30009 of BIL:
    i. enhances economic development, ridership, and other goals 
established during the project development and engineering processes;
    ii. facilitates multimodal connectivity and accessibility;
    iii. increases access to transit hubs for pedestrian and bicycle 
traffic;
    iv. enables mixed-use development;
    v. encourages affordable housing, particularly in areas with high 
incidence rates of homelessness;
    vi. identifies infrastructure needs associated with the eligible 
project; and
    vii. includes private sector participation.
b. Demonstrated Need
    FTA will evaluate each project to determine the need for funding 
based on the following factors:
    i. How the proposed work will advance TOD implementation in the 
corridor and region;
    ii. Justification as to why Federal funds are needed for the 
proposed work;
    iii. Extent to which the transit project corridor could benefit 
from TOD planning;
    iv. Extent to which TOD planning will address climate change, 
affordable housing, and challenges facing environmental justice 
populations.
c. Strength of the Work Plan, Schedule and Process
    FTA will evaluate the strength of the work plan, schedule, and 
process included in the application based on the following factors:
    i. Potential state, local, or other impediments to the 
implementation of the comprehensive or site-specific plan, and how the 
workplan will address them;
    ii. Extent to which the schedule contains sufficient detail, 
identifies all steps needed to implement the work proposed, and is 
achievable;
    iii. The proportion of the project corridor covered by the work 
plan;
    iv. Extent of partnerships, including how community stakeholders 
will engage and consider the needs of those traditionally underserved 
by existing transportation systems, such as low-income and minority 
households, and unhoused populations, who may face challenges accessing 
employment and other services.
    v. The partnerships' technical capability to develop, adopt, and 
implement the comprehensive plans, based on FTA's assessment of the 
applicant's description of the policy formation, implementation, and 
financial roles of the partners, and the roles and responsibilities of 
proposed staff;
    vi. Extent to which this TOD planning effort increases access for 
environmental justice populations and allows them to participate in 
this TOD planning effort;
    vii. Extent to which the TOD planning effort increases affordable 
housing supply;
    viii. Extent to which the comprehensive planning work will reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change;
    ix. How the performance measures identified in the application 
relate to the

[[Page 53591]]

goals of the comprehensive planning work.
d. Funding Commitments
    FTA will assess the status of local matching funds for the planning 
work. In general, the maximum Federal funding share for proposals is 80 
percent. Proposals that support planning activities that assist parts 
of an urbanized area or rural area with lower population density or 
lower average income levels compared to the applicable area or 
adjoining areas will receive a Federal funding share of no less than 90 
percent and applicants may request a share up to 100 percent (see the 
March 21, 2023, Dear Colleague letter: https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/2023-03/Dear-Colleague-Letter-Non-Federal-Share-Waiver-for-Complete-Streets-Planning.pdf). Proposals that address 
three or more activities related to the development of affordable 
housing (see section C.3.ii.v) will receive a Federal funding share of 
100 percent.
    Applications demonstrating that matching funds for the proposed 
comprehensive planning work are already committed will receive higher 
ratings from FTA on this factor. Proposed comprehensive planning 
projects for which matching funding sources have been identified, but 
are not yet committed, will be given lower ratings under this factor by 
FTA, as will proposed comprehensive planning projects for which in-kind 
contributions constitute the primary or sole source of match.
2. Review and Selection Process
    An FTA technical evaluation committee will verify each proposal's 
eligibility and evaluate proposals based on the published evaluation 
criteria. FTA may request additional information from applicants, if 
necessary.
    After completing the merit review, among projects of similar merit, 
DOT will prioritize projects that:
    1. Significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the 
transportation sector, such as through utilizing fiscally responsible 
land use; increasing the use of energy efficient modes of 
transportation like transit, rail, and active transportation; 
transitioning to clean vehicles and fuels, including through 
electrification; and/or incorporating carbon-reducing uses of the 
right-of-way or other carbon reduction strategies.
    2. Incorporate evidence-based climate resilience measures or 
features, such as using best-available climate data sets, information 
resources, and decision-support tools (including USDOT and other 
federal resources) to assess the climate-related vulnerability and risk 
of the project; developing and deploying resilience solutions to 
address those risks; incorporating nature-based solutions; constructing 
or upgrading infrastructure using the Federal Flood Risk Management 
Standard, consistent with current law; and monitoring performance of 
climate resilience measures.
    3. Address the disproportionate negative environmental impacts of 
transportation on disadvantaged communities; such as considering the 
benefits and burdens a project may create, and what communities would 
be most affected.
    4. Avoid adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, 
wetlands, and endangered species; such as through reduction in Clean 
Air Act criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases, improved stormwater 
management, or improved habitat connectivity.
    5. Enable all people within the multimodal transportation networks 
to reach their desired destination safely, affordably, and with a 
comparable level of efficiency and ease.
    6. Reconnect communities and mitigate neighborhood bifurcation 
through land bridges, caps, lids, linear parks, investments in walking, 
biking and rolling assets, and other solutions.
    7. Address the disproportional impacts of crashes on underserved 
communities, including individuals with disabilities.
    8. Expand access to critical community services such as education 
and healthcare through mass transit services.
    9. Increase housing supply, particularly location-efficient 
affordable housing, locally-driven land use and zoning reform, rural 
main street revitalization, growth management, and transit-oriented 
development.
    10. Address the unique challenges rural and Tribal communities face 
related to mobility and economic development, including isolation, 
transportation cost burden, and traffic safety (pursuant to DOT's Rural 
Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) 
initiative).
    11. Encourage an increase in housing supply, particularly location-
efficient affordable housing, locally-driven land use and zoning 
reform, rural main street revitalization, growth management, and 
transit-oriented development, pursuant to the White House Housing 
Supply Action Plan (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/16/president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-ease-the-burden-of-housing-costs/).
    12. Incorporate and support integrated land use, economic 
development, and transportation planning to improve the movement of 
people and goods and local fiscal health, and to facilitate greater 
public and private investments and strategies in land-use productivity, 
including rural main street revitalization or an increase in the 
production or preservation of location-efficient housing.
    13. Provide the plan to conduct meaningful public involvement that 
includes underserved communities throughout the project lifecycle and 
uses a meaningful public involvement process. Additionally, consider 
the benefits and potential burdens a project may create, who would 
experience them, and how they may be measured over time, with a 
specific focus on how the benefits and potential burdens will impact 
underserved/disadvantaged communities.
    14. Benefit underserved/Historically Disadvantaged Communities, 
including benefits that would accrue to underserved/Historically 
Disadvantaged Communities outside of the specific project area. Use 
DOT's Transportation Disadvantaged Census Tracts (arcgis.com) tool to 
identify whether the project impact area encompasses disadvantaged 
communities. A screenshot of the results is encouraged. Furthermore, 
applicants are encouraged to use equity screening tools such as DOT's 
STEAP (Screening Tool for Equity Analysis of Projects) (https://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/fhwagis/buffertool/) as a resource for developing 
equity assessments.
    In support of Executive Order 14008, and consistent with OMB's 
Interim Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative, Historically 
Disadvantaged Communities include (a) certain qualifying census tracts, 
(b) any Tribal land, or (c) any territory or possession of the United 
States. Applicants are encouraged to use Climate & Economic Justice 
Screening Tool (CEJST), a new tool by the White House Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ), that aims to help Federal agencies 
identify disadvantaged communities as part of the Justice40 initiative 
to accomplish the goal that 40 percent of benefits from certain federal 
investment reach disadvantaged communities. Applicants should use CEJST 
as the primary tool to identify disadvantaged communities (Justice40 
communities). Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the USDOT 
Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer to understand how 
their community or project area is

[[Page 53592]]

experiencing disadvantage related to lack of transportation investments 
or opportunities. Through understanding how a community or project area 
is experiencing transportation-related disadvantage, applicants are 
able to address how the benefits of a project will reverse or mitigate 
the burdens of disadvantage and demonstrate how the project will 
address challenges and accrued benefits. Use of the map tool(s) is 
optional; applicants may provide an image of the map tool outputs or, 
alternatively, consistent with OMB's Interim Guidance, applicants can 
supply quantitative, demographic data of their ridership demonstrating 
the percentage of their ridership that meets the criteria described in 
Executive Order 14008 for disadvantage. Examples of Historically 
Disadvantaged Communities that an applicant could address using 
geographic or demographic information include low income, high and/or 
persistent poverty, high unemployment and underemployment, racial and 
ethnic residential segregation, linguistic isolation, or high housing 
cost burden and substandard housing. Additionally, in support of the 
Justice40 Initiative, the applicant also should provide evidence of 
strategies that the applicant has used in the planning process to seek 
out and consider the needs of those traditionally disadvantaged and 
underserved by existing transportation systems. For technical 
assistance using the mapping tool, please contact [email protected].
    FTA will evaluate the proposals to determine the extent that the 
proposed project will address affordable housing needs, provide 
equitable housing choices for environmental justice populations, and 
avoid displacement of low-income households and existing small 
businesses.
    Among the factors in determining the allocation of program funds, 
FTA may consider geographic diversity, diversity in the size of the 
grantees receiving funding, or the applicant's receipt of other 
competitive awards. Additionally, taking into consideration the 
findings of the technical evaluation committee, the FTA Administrator 
will determine the final selection of projects for program funding.
3. Integrity and Performance Review
    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. 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 200.205).

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices
    The FTA Administrator will announce the final project selections on 
the FTA website. Project recipients should contact their FTA Regional 
Offices for additional information regarding allocations for projects 
under the TOD Pilot Program.
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. Funds under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse applicants 
for otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA award of a Grant 
Agreement until FTA has issued pre-award authority for selected 
projects, or unless FTA has issued a ``Letter of No Prejudice'' for the 
project before the expenses are incurred. For more information about 
FTA's policy on pre-award authority, please see the most recent 
Apportionment Notice at: FTA Fiscal Year 2023 Apportionments, 
Allocations and Program Information [verbar] US Department of 
Transportation (https://www.transportation.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/regulations/2023-07761).
ii. Grant Requirements
    If selected, awardees will apply for a grant through FTA's Transit 
Award Management System (TrAMS). Recipients of TOD Pilot Program funds 
are subject to the grant requirements of the Section 5303 Metropolitan 
Planning program, including those of FTA Circular 8100.1C (https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/program-guidance-metropolitan-planning-and-state-planning-a-0) and Circular 
5010.1E (https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/award-management-requirements-circular-50101e). 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.
    Additionally, recipients of TOD Pilot Program funds are required to 
participate in a briefing on the USDOT-Build America Bureau, TIFIA/RRIF 
financing program.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Planning
    FTA encourages applicants to notify the appropriate metropolitan 
planning organizations in areas likely to be served by the funds made 
available under this program. Selected projects must be incorporated 
into the unified planning work programs of metropolitan areas before 
they are eligible for FTA funding or pre-award authority.
ii. 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 (https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/certifications-and-assurances/certifications-assurances) before receiving a grant if it does not have current 
certifications on file.
iii. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
    FTA requires that its recipients receiving planning, capital, and/
or operating assistance that will award prime contracts exceeding 
$250,000 in FTA funds in a Federal fiscal year comply with Department 
of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program 
regulations (49 CFR part 26). Applicants should expect to include any 
funds awarded, excluding those to be used for vehicle procurements, in 
setting their overall DBE goal.

[[Page 53593]]

iv. Civil Rights and Title VI
    As a condition of a grant award, grant recipients must demonstrate 
that the recipient has a plan for compliance with civil rights 
obligations and nondiscrimination laws, including Title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations (49 CFR part 21), the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act, all other civil rights requirements, and 
accompanying regulations. This should include a current Title VI plan, 
completed Community Participation Plan, and a plan to address any 
legacy infrastructure or facilities that are not compliant with ADA 
standards. DOT's and FTA's Office of Civil Rights may work with awarded 
grant recipients to ensure full compliance with Federal civil rights 
requirements.
v. Performance and Program Evaluation
    Recipients and subrecipients are also encouraged to incorporate 
program evaluation including associated data collection activities from 
the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully 
document and measure their progress towards meeting an agency priority 
goal(s). Title I of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act 
of 2018 (Evidence Act), (Public Law 115-435) urges Federal awarding 
agencies and Federal assistance recipients and subrecipients to use 
program evaluation as a critical tool to learn, to improve equitable 
delivery, and to elevate program service and delivery across the 
program lifecycle. Evaluation means ``an assessment using systematic 
data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and 
organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency'' 
(5 U.S.C. 311). Credible program evaluation activities are implemented 
with relevance and utility, rigor, independence and objectivity, 
transparency, and ethics (OMB Circular A-11, Part 6, Section 290).
    For grant recipients receiving an award, evaluation costs are 
allowable costs (either as direct or indirect), unless prohibited by 
statute or regulation, and such costs may include the personnel and 
equipment needed for data infrastructure and expertise in data 
analysis, performance, and evaluation (2 CFR part 200).
3. Reporting
    Post-award reporting requirements include submission of Federal 
Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports in FTA's electronic 
grants management system on a quarterly basis. Applicants should 
include any goals, targets, and indicators referenced in their 
application to the project in the Executive Summary of the TrAMS 
application. Awardees must also submit copies of the substantial 
deliverables identified in the work plan to the FTA regional office at 
the corresponding milestones.
    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.
    It is the policy of the United States to strengthen the security 
and resilience of its critical infrastructure against both physical and 
cyber threats. Each applicant selected for Federal funding under this 
notice must demonstrate, prior to the signing of the grant agreement, 
effort to consider and address physical and cyber security risks 
relevant to the transportation mode and type and scale of the project. 
Projects that have not appropriately considered and addressed physical 
and cyber security and resilience in their planning, design, and 
project oversight, as determined by the Department and the Department 
of Homeland Security, will be required to do so before receiving funds 
for construction, consistent with Presidential Policy Directive 21--
Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience and the National 
Security Presidential Improving Cybersecurity for Critical 
Infrastructure Control Systems.
    As expressed in Executive Order 14005, `Ensuring the Future Is Made 
in All of America by All of America's Workers' (86 FR 7475), the 
executive branch should maximize, consistent with law, the use of 
goods, products, and materials produced in, and services offered in, 
the United States. Funds made available under this notice are subject 
to the domestic preference requirements:
    (a) Except as provided in 49 CFR 661.7 and 661.11, no funds may be 
obligated by FTA for a grantee project unless all iron, steel, 
manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project 
are produced in the United States.
    (b) All steel and iron manufacturing processes must take place in 
the United States, except metallurgical processes involving refinement 
of steel additives.
    (c) The steel and iron requirements apply to all construction 
materials made primarily of steel or iron and used in infrastructure 
projects such as transit or maintenance facilities, rail lines, and 
bridges. These items include, but are not limited to, structural steel 
or iron, steel or iron beams and columns, running rail and contact 
rail. These requirements do not apply to steel or iron used as 
components or subcomponents of other manufactured products or rolling 
stock, or to bimetallic power rail incorporating steel or iron 
components.
    (d) For a manufactured product to be considered produced in the 
United States:
    (1) All of the manufacturing processes for the product must take 
place in the United States; and
    (2) All of the components of the product must be of U.S. origin. A 
component is considered of U.S. origin if it is manufactured in the 
United States, regardless of the origin of its subcomponents.
    The Department expects all applicants to comply with that 
requirement.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    For program-specific questions, please contact April McLean-McCoy, 
Office of Planning and Environment, (202) 366-7429, email: 
[email protected]. A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/
FIRS). Any addenda that FTA releases on the application process will be 
posted at https://www.transit.dot.gov/TODPilot. To ensure applicants 
receive accurate information about eligibility or the program, the 
applicant is encouraged to contact FTA directly, rather than through 
intermediaries or third parties. FTA staff may also conduct briefings 
on the FY 2023 competitive grants 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]. Contact information 
for FTA's regional offices can be found on FTA's website at https://www.transit.dot.gov.

H. Other Program Information

    This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372,

[[Page 53594]]

``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-16894 Filed 8-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P