Federal Transit Administration March 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $211 million of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funds for the Section 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program (Bus Program) and approximately $55 million for 5339(c) Low or No Emission Bus Competitive Grant Program (Low-No Program). Funds awarded for the Bus Program will finance capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, purchase or lease buses and related equipment and to rehabilitate, purchase, construct or lease bus-related facilities, including programs of bus and bus-related projects for subrecipients that are public agencies, private companies engaged in public transportation, or private non-profit organizations. Funds awarded for the Low-No Program will finance the purchase or lease of low or no emission vehicles that use advanced technologies, including related equipment or facilities, for transit revenue operations. Projects may include costs incidental to the acquisition of buses or to the construction of facilities, such as the costs of related workforce development and training activities, and project development. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the program prior to the announcement of project selections.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received a request from the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IPTC) for a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of a Horizontal Lifeline Fall Protection Maintenance Tie Back System (System). IPTC is constructing a new Downtown Transit Center, and according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, must provide fall protection for employees performing maintenance on the building. IPTC seeks a waiver for the system because there are no domestic manufacturers of the system that meet the Buy America requirements. 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2) and 49 CFR 661.7(c)(2). IPTC issued a request for proposals (RFPs) for procurement of the system, and two firms were identified and showed an interest in providing the system. Neither firm, however, was Buy America-complaint. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA is providing notice of the non-availability waiver request and seeks public comment before deciding whether to grant the request. If granted, the waiver would apply to a one-time procurement only for the specific fall arrest system identified in the waiver request.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received requests from the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IPTC) for a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of an Enviroair inverter-driven ductless mini-split system air conditioner, from the York Adams Transportation Authority (YATA) for ductless split system air conditioning units, from Key West Transit (KWT) for a ductless mini-split mechanical system for the City of Key West Public Transportation Facility, and from the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) for ductless mini-split air conditioners for the Union Station Regional Intermodal Transportation Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. IPTC is constructing its Downtown Transit Center which is expected to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and will incorporate many sustainable and energy efficient elements. The Enviroair inverter-driven ductless mini-split system air conditioner will contribute to the building's efficiency and is essential to achieving silver LEED certification. YATA is currently constructing a new Operations and Maintenance Facility in York, Pennsylvania and seeks to install several ductless air conditioning units at the facility. KWT is finishing construction on the bus transit operation and maintenance facility, which is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED project. The building contains many sustainable and efficient elements, including a variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. KWT seeks a waiver for this VRF ductless mini-split mechanical system because there is no domestic manufacturer. The SRA seeks a waiver for ductless mini-split air conditioners as part of the renovation of the existing Terminal Building and the construction of a six story garage at the Union Station Regional Intermodal Transportation Center, because there is no domestic manufacturer. IPIC, YATA, KWT, and SRA seek waivers for these air conditioner systems because there are no domestic manufacturers. 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2) and 49 CFR 661.7(c)(2). In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA is providing notice of the non-availability waiver requests and seeks public comment before deciding whether to grant the requests. If granted, the waivers would apply to one-time procurements only for the specific air conditioning systems identified in the waiver request.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received a request from the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) for a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of two special trackwork turnout switch components (switch). The existing switches were installed as original equipment in 1987 and designed to European standards, using AREMA 115RE rail throughout the turnout with a special 60E1A1 switch point section. The proper operation of the switch is essential for the continued, safe operations of DTC vehicles. DTC seeks a waiver for the switch because there are no domestic manufacturers of the switch. In addition, European design and the proprietary nature of the equipment means that alternative proposers would need to first familiarize themselves with European standards, design, construction, and installation procedures to provide a replacement switch. DTC issued two requests for proposals (RFPs) for procurement of the switch, and received only one proposal, which was not Buy America-complaint. 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2) and 49 CFR 661.7(c)(2). In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA is providing notice of the non-availability waiver request and seeks public comment before deciding whether to grant the request. If granted, the waiver would apply for the switch identified in the waiver request.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $5 million in funding provided by the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit Program (TTP)), as authorized by 49 U.S.C. 5311(j), as amended by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST), Public Law 114-94 (December 4, 2015). This notice is a national solicitation for project proposals and includes the selection criteria and program eligibility information for Fiscal Year 2016 projects. FTA may choose to fund the program for more or less than the announcement amount, including applying other funding toward projects proposed in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This announcement is available on the FTA Web site at: https:// www.fta.dot.gov/grants/15926_3553.html. Additionally, a synopsis of the funding opportunity will be posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at https://www.grants.gov.

This notice announces the availability of the Federal Transportation Administration's (FTA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Annual List of Certifications and Assurances for FTA Grants and Cooperative Agreements, which can be found at FTA's Web site, www.fta.dot.gov/ certs. This notice provides a condensed list of the pre-award Certifications and Assurances that may apply to an Applicant to FTA for federal assistance and the Award that may be made in FY 2016. This notice also describes both the Applicant and FTA's responsibilities with respect to the Certifications and Assurances and highlights the differences between the FY 2016 Certifications and Assurances and those published for FY 2015. Each Applicant to FTA for federal assistance must submit the Certifications and Assurances that apply to it and any Award for which it seeks federal assistance during FY 2016. An Applicant to FTA typically acts through its authorized representative (You). You, as the Applicant's Authorized Representative, must have the authority to sign the Applicant's Certifications and Assurances and to bind your Applicant's compliance with the Certifications and Assurances you select on its behalf. Your Certifications and Assurances must be affirmed by your Applicant's attorney. This notice provides instructions on how and when you should submit your Applicant's Certifications and Assurances for FY 2016.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for projects in West Sacramento and Sacramento, CA; Chapel Hill and Durham, NC; North Charleston, SC; and cities along the San Francisco to San Jose, CA corridor. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject projects and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.