Notice2021-13980
Fiscal Year 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Areas of Persistent Poverty Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Transit Administration
Abstract
Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 123 (Wednesday, June 30, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34838-34843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13980]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Fiscal Year 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program
SUMMARY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
SUMMARY: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the
opportunity to apply for $16,259,614 in funding from Fiscal Year (FY)
2020 ($39,614) and FY 2021 ($16,220,000) for the Areas of Persistent
Poverty Program (Federal Assistance Listing: 20.505). As required by
law, funds will be awarded competitively for planning, engineering, or
development of technical or financing plans for projects that assist
areas of persistent poverty. FTA may award additional funds if they are
made available to the program prior to the announcement of project
selections.
DATES: Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the
GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 30,
2021. 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 <a href="http://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply">http://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply</a> and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding
opportunity ID is FTA-2021-005-TPE. Mail and fax submissions will not
be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tonya P. Holland, FTA Office of
Planning and Environment, 202-493-0283, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89fde6e7f0e8a7e1e6e5e5e8e7edc9ede6fda7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d1a5bebfa8b0ffb9bebdbdb0bfb591b5bea5ffb6bea7">[email protected]</span></a>. 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
The Areas of Persistent Poverty Program provides funds to eligible
recipients or subrecipients under Title 49 U.S.C. Sections 5307, 5310,
or 5311 located in areas of persistent poverty. Funding to implement
the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program was appropriated by the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94, Dec. 20, 2019)
and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260, Dec.
27, 2020), and will be awarded through a competitive process, as
described in this notice. This funding opportunity is occurring under
Federal Assistance Listing number 20.505.
FTA will award grants to eligible applicants for planning,
engineering, or development of technical or financing plans for
projects eligible under Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code.
Applicants are encouraged to work with non-profits or other entities of
their choosing to develop an eligible project. An eligible project for
this NOFO is defined as a planning study (including a planning and
environmental linkages study that advances the environmental analysis
and review process as part of the metropolitan planning process), an
engineering study, a technical study, or a financial plan.
This program supports FTA's strategic goals and objectives through
the timely and efficient investment in public transportation. This
program also supports the Biden-Harris Administration's agenda to
mobilize American ingenuity to build modern infrastructure and an
equitable, clean energy future. By supporting increased transit access
for environmental justice (EJ) populations (see FTA Circular 4703.1),
equity-focused community outreach, public engagement of underserved
communities, adoption of equity-focused policies, reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, and addressing the effects of climate change, FTA's
Areas of Persistent Poverty Program advances the goals of Executive
Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities Through the Federal Government; Executive Order 13990:
Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to
Tackle the Climate Crisis; and Executive Order 14008: Tackling the
Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
FTA seeks to use the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program to
encourage racial equity in two areas: (1) Planning and policies related
to racial equity and barriers to opportunity; and (2) engineering, or
development of technical or financing plans, for project investments
that either proactively addresses racial equity and barriers to
opportunity, including automobile dependence as a form of barrier, or
redress prior inequities and barriers to opportunity.
B. Federal Award Information
FTA intends to award all available funding (approximately $16.26
million) in the form of grants to selected applicants responding to
this NOFO. Additional funds made available for this program prior to
project selection may be allocated to eligible projects. Funds will
remain available for obligation for four fiscal years, not including
the year in which the funds are allocated to projects.
Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities
will be considered for funding. FTA anticipates a maximum grant award
not to exceed $850,000.
In response to a NOFO that closed on May 4, 2020, FTA received
applications for 28 eligible projects requesting a total of
$11,062,307. Of the 28 projects, 25 projects were selected and funded
for a total of $8.46 million.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include States, tribes, and designated or
direct recipients eligible under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 49 U.S.C. 5310, or 49
U.S.C. 5311 that are located in areas of persistent poverty. State
departments of transportation may apply on behalf of eligible
applicants within their States. Applicants are also encouraged to work
with non-profit organizations.
For the funding made available in FY 2021, eligible projects must
be located: (1) In a county that had greater than or equal to 20
percent of the population living in poverty over the 30-year period
preceding the date of enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2021 (Pub. L. 116-260, December 27, 2020), as measured by the 1990 and
2000 decennial census and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty
Estimates, or (2) in a census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20
percent as measured by the 2014-2018 five-year data series available
from the American Community Survey of the Bureau of the Census; or (3)
in any territory or possession of the United States. Use this link to
confirm that your proposed project is in an Area of Persistent Poverty
and document that in the Supplemental Form to the application--<a href="https://datahub.transportation.gov/stories/s/tsyd-k6ij">https://datahub.transportation.gov/stories/s/tsyd-k6ij</a>.
[[Page 34839]]
For the funding made available in FY 2020, eligible projects must
be located: (1) In a county that consistently had 20 percent or more of
the population living in poverty over the 30-year period preceding the
date of enactment of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020
(Pub. L. 116-94, Dec. 20, 2019), as measured by the 1990 and 2000
decennial census and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty
Estimates, or (2) in a census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20
percent as measured by the 2013-2017 five-year data series available
from the American Community Survey of the Bureau of the Census.
Given the small amount of FY 2020 funding available, eligible
applicants for FY 2020 funds must also meet the eligibility
requirements for funding in FY 2021 in order to receive available FY
2020 funding. Eligible applicants must be able to demonstrate the
requisite legal, financial, and technical capabilities to receive and
administer Federal funds under this program.
As described in the Appropriations Acts, applicants are encouraged
to work with non-profits or other entities of their choosing to develop
planning, technical, engineering, or financing plans, and applicants
are encouraged to partner with non-profits that can assist with making
projects low or no emissions. If an application that involves such a
partnership is selected for funding, the selection process for the non-
profit or other nongovernmental partners must satisfy the requirements
for a competitive procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a). A competitive
selection process conducted by the applicant prior to applying for an
Area of Persistent Poverty award will be deemed to satisfy the
requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named entities. Applicants
are advised that any changes to the proposed partnership will require
written FTA approval, must be consistent with the scope of the approved
project, and may necessitate a competitive procurement.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
The minimum Federal share for projects selected under the Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program is 90 percent of the net total project cost
(i.e., the local share will be no more than 10 percent of the net total
project cost, not 10 percent of the requested grant amount).
Eligible sources of local match include the following: Cash from
non-Government 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; or funds from an undistributed cash surplus; replacement or
depreciation cash fund or reserve; or new capital. In addition,
transportation development credits or documentation of in-kind match
may be used as local match if identified and documented in the
application.
3. Eligibility Criteria
i. Eligible Activities
Under the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program, eligible projects
are planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing
plans for projects eligible under Chapter 53 of title 49, United States
Code. For example, these activities may include planning, engineering,
or development of technical or financing plans for improved transit
services; new transit routes; engineering for transit facilities and
improvements to existing facilities; innovative technologies; low or no
emission buses or a new bus facility or intermodal center that supports
transit services; integrated fare collections systems; or coordinated
public transit human service transportation plans to improve transit
service in an area of persistent poverty or to provide new service such
as transportation for services to address the opioid epidemic, as well
as increase access to environmental justice populations, while reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change. An eligible
project also may be a planning and environmental linkages study that
advances the environmental analysis and review process as part of the
metropolitan planning process.
ii. Ineligible Activities
It is important to note that capital, maintenance, or operating
costs of any type are, not eligible for funding under the Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program. Procurement of vehicles or equipment and
support of the operation and maintenance of systems also are ineligible
activities.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
The application package may be obtained from GRANTS.GOV.
Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV.
General information for submitting applications through GRANTS.GOV can
be found at <a href="https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html">https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html</a>, along
with specific instructions for the forms and attachments required for
submission. The Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Application for Federal
Assistance, which must be included with every application, can be
downloaded from GRANTS.GOV. Mail and fax submissions will not be
accepted.
A complete proposal submission consists of two forms: The SF-424
Application for Federal Assistance (downloaded from GRANTS.GOV) and the
Supplemental Form for the FY 2021 Areas of Persistent Poverty Program
(downloaded from GRANTS.GOV or the FTA website at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov">https://www.transit.dot.gov</a>). Failure to submit the information as requested
can delay review or disqualify the application.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals must include a completed SF-424 Application for Federal
Assistance form and the following attachments to the completed SF-424:
i. A completed Applicant and Proposal Profile supplemental form for
the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program (Supplemental Form) found on
the FTA website at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov">https://www.transit.dot.gov</a>. 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 with which to confirm
alignment between the proposed study area and areas of persistent
poverty;
iii. Documentation of any partnerships between the applicant and
other organizations to carry out the proposed activities. 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 project; and
iv. Documentation of any funding commitments for the proposed work.
FTA will accept only one Supplemental Form per SF-424 submission.
FTA encourages States and other applicants to consider submitting a
single Supplemental Form that includes multiple activities to be
evaluated as a consolidated proposal. If a State or other applicant
chooses to submit separate proposals for individual consideration by
FTA, each proposal must be submitted using a separate SF-424 and
Supplemental Form.
Applicants may attach additional supporting information to the SF-
424 submission, including but not limited to letters of support,
project budgets, fleet
[[Page 34840]]
status reports, or excerpts from relevant planning documents.
Supporting documentation must be described and referenced by file name
in the appropriate response section of the Supplemental Form, or it may
not be reviewed.
Information such as 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 to 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 editor. The information listed below
MUST be included on the SF-424 and Supplemental Form for Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program funding applications.
The SF-424 Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form will prompt
applicants for 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 Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number.
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 for
when they will be provided to FTA.
6. Identify and describe the eligible project that meets the
requirements of Section C, subsection 3 of this notice, including a
detailed description of the need for planning, engineering, or
development of technical, or financial planning activities.
7. Address each evaluation criterion separately, demonstrating how
the project responds to each criterion as described in Section E and
how the project will support the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program
objectives.
8. Provide a line-item budget for the project, with enough detail
to indicate the various key components of the project.
9. Identify the Federal amount requested.
10. Document the matching funds, including the 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.
11. Provide an explanation of the scalability of the project.
12. Address whether other Federal funds have been sought or
received for the comprehensive planning project.
13. Provide a schedule and process for the project that includes
anticipated dates for incorporating the project into the region's
unified planning work program, completing major tasks and substantial
deliverables, and completing the project.
14. Describe how the proposed project advances the metropolitan
transportation plan of the metropolitan planning organization or the
statewide long-range plan prepared by the State department of
transportation.
15. Propose performance criteria for the development and
implementation of the proposed activities funded under the Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program.
16. Identify potential State, local, or other impediments to the
deliverables of the Areas of Persistent Poverty-funded work and their
implementation, and how the impediments will be addressed.
17. Describe how the proposed activities address climate change.
Applicants should identify any air quality nonattainment or maintenance
areas under the Clean Air Act in the planning or study area.
Nonattainment or maintenance areas should be limited to the following
applicable National Ambient Air Quality Standards criteria pollutants:
Carbon monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter 2.5 and 10. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Green Book (available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/green-book">https://www.epa.gov/green-book</a>) is a publicly-available resource for
nonattainment and maintenance area data. This consideration will
further the goals of Executive Order 13990: Protecting Public Health
and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,
and Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and
Abroad.
18. Describe how the proposed activities address environmental
justice populations, racial equity, and barriers to opportunity.
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 identifiers 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 an
individual or has an exemption approved by FTA or the U.S. Office of
Management and Budget pursuant to 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 <a href="https://www.sam.gov">https://www.sam.gov</a>.
Non-Federal entities that have received a Federal award are
required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative
proceedings to SAM (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and
Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) to ensure registration
information is current and to comply with federal requirements.
Applicants should refer to 2 CFR 200.113 for more information.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. eastern time August 30, 2021. GRANTS.GOV
attaches a timestamp to each application at the time of submission.
Proposals submitted after the deadline will be considered only under
extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's control. Mail 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
[[Page 34841]]
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. 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 in GRANTS.GOV is a multi-step process, which may take
several weeks to complete before an application can be submitted.
Applicants who are already registered in GRANTS.GOV may be required to
take steps to keep their registration up to date before submissions can
be made successfully: (1) Registration in the System for Award
Management (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.
Funds under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse applicants for
otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to an FTA award of a grant
agreement unless FTA has issued pre-award authority for selected
projects. Refer to Section C.3 of this NOFO (Eligible Projects) for
information on activities that are eligible for funding under 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
The minimum Federal share for projects selected under the Areas of
Persistent Poverty Program is 90 percent of the net total project cost
(i.e., the local share will be no more than 10 percent of the net total
project cost, not 10 percent of the requested grant amount). 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 either (1) a minimum Federal funding amount (not less than 90
percent of the net total project cost); or (2) a reduced net total
project cost and minimum Federal funding amount (not less than 90
percent of the reduced net total project cost) 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 would be affected by a reduced award.
FTA may award a lesser amount 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, and Section D.4.,
Submission Dates and Times.
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. Demonstration of Need
Applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to
which they demonstrate how the proposed activities will support
planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans
that would result in a project eligible for funding under Chapter 53 of
Title 49, United States Code.
b. Demonstration of Benefits
Applications will be evaluated based on how well they describe how
the proposed planning, engineering, or development of technical or
financing plans address the existing condition of the transit system,
improve the reliability of transit service for its riders, enhance
access and mobility within the service area, accelerate innovation in
areas of persistent poverty to serve unmet needs, promote emissions
reductions, reduce barriers to affordable housing, address racial
equity and reduce barriers to opportunity, and support environmental
justice populations. The following factors will be considered:
i. System Condition. FTA will evaluate the potential for the
planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans
to lead to an improvement in the condition of the transit system in
areas of persistent poverty.
ii. Service Reliability. FTA will evaluate the potential for the
planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans
to lead to a reduction in the frequency of breakdowns or other service
interruptions caused by the age and condition of the agency's transit
vehicle fleet, and improve system reliability.
iii. Enhanced Access and Mobility. FTA will evaluate the potential
for the planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing
plans to lead to improved access and mobility for the transit riding
public, such as through increased reliability, improved headways,
creation of new transportation choices, or eliminating gaps in the
current route network.
iv. Accelerating Innovation. FTA will evaluate the potential for
the planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing
plans to accelerate the introduction of innovative technologies or
practices such as integrated fare payment systems permitting complete
trips or advancements to propulsion systems. Innovation can also
include practices such as new public transportation operational models,
financial or procurement arrangements, or value capture strategies.
v. Emissions Reductions. FTA will evaluate the potential for the
planning study, engineering study, or development of technical or
financing plans to identify proposed actions that will reduce
greenhouse gas and other harmful pollutants and/or improve resilience
to climate change.
vi. Barriers to Low Income Housing. FTA will evaluate the degree to
which the planning study, engineering study, or development of
technical or financial plans identify proposed actions that reduce
regulatory barriers that unnecessarily raise the costs of housing
development or impede the development of affordable housing.
vii. Racial Equity and Barriers to Opportunity. FTA will evaluate
the extent to which the planning study, engineering study, or
development of technical or financial plans either
[[Page 34842]]
proactively address racial equity and barriers to opportunity,
including automobile dependence as a form of barrier, or redress prior
inequities and barriers to opportunity. FTA also will consider the
extent to which applications incorporate such activities as equity-
focused community outreach and public engagement of underserved
communities in the planning process, and adoption of an equity and
inclusion program/plan or equity-focused policies.
viii. Environmental Justice. FTA will evaluate the extent to which
the planning study, engineering study, or development of technical or
financial plans will support increased access to transit for
environmental justice populations and engages such populations in plan
or study development. See FTA Circular 4703.1, ``Environmental Justice
Policy Guidance For Federal Transit Administration Recipients.''
ix. Regional Support. Applicants should provide evidence of
regional or local support for the proposed project. Documentation may
include support letters from local and regional planning organizations,
local governmental officials, public agencies, and/or non-profit or
private sector partners attesting to the need for the project.
c. Funding Commitments
Applicants must identify the source of the non-Federal cost-share
and describe whether such funds are currently available for the
project, or will need to be secured if the project is selected for
funding. FTA will consider the availability of the local cost-share as
evidence of local financial commitment to the project. Additional
consideration will be given to those projects for which local funds
have already been made available or reserved. Applicants should submit
evidence of the availability of funds for the project (e.g., by
including a board resolution, letter of support from the State, a
budget document highlighting the line item or section committing funds
to the proposed project, or other documentation of the source of non-
Federal funds).
d. Project Implementation Strategy
FTA will evaluate the strength of the work plan, schedule, and
process included in an application based on the following factors:
i. Extent to which the schedule contains sufficient detail,
identifies all steps needed to implement the work proposed, and is
achievable;
ii. Extent of partnerships, including with non-public sector
entities; and
iii. The partnerships' technical capability to develop, adopt, and
implement the 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.
e. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the technical, legal,
and financial capacity to undertake the project. FTA will review
relevant oversight assessments and records to determine whether there
are any outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues with the
applicant that would affect the outcome of the proposed project.
Applicants with unresolved legal, technical or financial compliance
issues from an FTA compliance review or Federal grant-related Single
Audit finding must explain how corrective actions taken will mitigate
negative impacts on the proposed project.
2. Review and Selection Process
In addition to other FTA staff that may review the proposals, a
technical evaluation committee will verify each proposal's eligibility
and evaluate proposals based on the published evaluation criteria.
Members of the technical evaluation committee and other FTA staff may
request additional information from applicants, if necessary. Taking
into consideration the findings of the technical evaluation committee,
the FTA Administrator will determine the final selection of projects
for program funding.
Among the factors in determining the allocation of program funds,
FTA may consider geographic diversity and the applicant's receipt of
other competitive awards. FTA may also consider capping the amount a
single applicant may receive.
3. Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System Check
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 2 CFR 200.206 Federal
awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notice
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 Areas of Persistent Poverty 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: <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov">https://www.transit.dot.gov</a>.
ii. Grant Requirements
If selected, awardees will apply for a grant through FTA's Transit
Award Management System (TrAMS). Recipients of Areas of Persistent
Poverty Program funds are subject to the grant requirements of the
Section 5303 Metropolitan Planning program, including those of FTA
Circular 8100.1D and Circular 5010.1E. All competitive grants,
regardless of the award amount, will be subject to the Congressional
Notification and release process. Technical assistance regarding these
requirements is available from each FTA regional office.
When applying for an award under this Program, eligible applicants
and sub-recipients who are not direct recipients, or who have limited
experience or access to FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS),
must secure the commitment of an active FTA direct recipient to apply
for funding on their behalf through TrAMS if they are selected for an
Areas of Persistent Poverty funding award. Documentation of such a
commitment must be included in the application.
[[Page 34843]]
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 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.
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 exceed
$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 program-specific questions, please contact Tonya P. Holland,
Office of Planning and Environment, (202) 493-0283, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="44102b2a3d256a0c2b2828252a2004202b306a232b32">[email protected]</a>. A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FRS).
Any addenda that FTA releases on the application process will be posted
at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov">https://www.transit.dot.gov</a>. 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 2021
competitive grants selection and award process upon request. Contact
information for FTA's regional offices can be found on FTA's website at
<a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/regional-offices/regional-offices">https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/regional-offices/regional-offices</a>.
H. Other Program Information
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
For assistance with GRANTS.GOV please contact GRANTS.GOV by phone
at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a6d5d3d6d6c9d4d2e6c1d4c7c8d2d588c1c9d0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c9babcb9b9a6bbbd89aebba8a7bdbae7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>.
Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-13980 Filed 6-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 30, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.