Notice2023-25181
Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot 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
November 15, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Transit Administration
Abstract
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $4.7 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding under the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program. This funding opportunity seeks to improve coordination to enhance access and mobility to vital community services for older adults, people with disabilities, and people of low income. As required by Federal public transportation law, funds will be awarded competitively as grants to finance innovative mobility management capital projects that will improve the coordination of transportation services and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services. An additional $4.8 million is authorized for FY 2024 and FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the program prior to the announcement of project selections.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78457-78464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25181]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Innovative
Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the
opportunity to apply for $4.7 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding
under the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot
program. This funding opportunity seeks to improve coordination to
enhance access and mobility to vital community services for older
adults, people with disabilities, and people of low income. As required
by Federal public transportation law, funds will be awarded
competitively as grants to finance innovative mobility management
capital projects that will improve the coordination of transportation
services and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services. An
additional $4.8 million is authorized for FY 2024 and FTA may award
additional funding that is made available to the program prior to the
announcement of project selections.
DATES: Applicants must submit completed proposals for each funding
opportunity through the GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time February 13, 2024. Prospective applicants should register
as soon as possible on the GRANTS.GOV website to ensure they can
complete the application process before the submission deadline.
ADDRESSES: Application instructions are available on FTA's website at
<a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants">https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants</a> and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV.
The GRANTS.GOV funding opportunity ID for the ICAM is FTA-2024-006-TPM-
ICAM. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Destiny Buchanan, FTA Office of
Program Management; Phone: (202) 493-8018; Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f2b69781869b9c8bdcb087919a939c939cb2969d86dc959d84"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="480c2d3b3c212631660a3d2b2029262926082c273c662f273e">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 Contact
H. Other Information
A. Program Description
Section 3006(b) of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation
(FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94) authorizes FTA to award grants for ICAM
pilot projects that improve the coordination of transportation services
and NEMT services for transportation disadvantaged populations. The
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the ``Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law'' or ``BIL'') (Pub. L. 117-58) authorized funding for FY 2022
through FY 2026. Transportation disadvantaged populations include older
adults, people with disabilities, and people of low income.
In the FY 2024 program, FTA intends to target funding for regional
and statewide mobility management capital projects that support
coordination and enable comprehensive community access, including
access to NEMT, for underserved groups. In accordance with Performance
Measure 3.1.9 in the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
(CCAM)'s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan (https://www.transit.dot.gov/
[[Page 78458]]
regulations-and-programs/access/ccam/about/2023-2026-coordinating-
council-access-and-mobility), FTA has collaborated with the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure that this Notice of
Funding Opportunity (NOFO) includes a link to the 2023 CMS sub-
regulatory guidance [Assurance of Transportation: A Medicaid
Transportation Coverage Guide (<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/smd23006.pdf">https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/smd23006.pdf</a>)] to help inform potential applicants about
flexibilities within Medicaid NEMT. Applicants are encouraged to
coordinate with and engage their State Medicaid office (<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/state-profiles/index.html">https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/state-profiles/index.html</a>) to best
understand and navigate the Medicaid NEMT rules and regulations to
develop a successful ICAM pilot program application.
The CCAM consists of 11 Federal agencies and coordinates 130
Federal programs that may fund transportation (find the CCAM Program
Inventory at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ccam/about/ccam-program-inventory">https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ccam/about/ccam-program-inventory</a>). The CCAM's mission is to improve the
availability, accessibility, and efficiency of transportation for
targeted populations. The benefits of successful coordinated
transportation systems include providing greater access to funding and
enabling more cost-effective use of resources; reducing duplication and
overlap in human service agency transportation services; filling
service gaps in a community or geographic area; serving additional
individuals within existing budgets; and providing more centralized
management of existing resources.
The ICAM pilot program (Federal Assistance Listing 20.513) supports
FTA's strategic goals of improving equity and connecting communities by
providing funding for deployment of coordination technology, mobility
management, and other capital projects that: improve access and
mobility, positively affect social determinants of health, and improve
quality of life for disadvantaged communities.
The Department seeks to award projects under the ICAM pilot program
that will 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). The Department also seeks to award projects that 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).
The ICAM pilot program will improve State and regional coordination
by funding regional and statewide mobility management capital projects
that enable comprehensive community access, including NEMT, for
underserved groups. Successful projects will prioritize coordination,
including coordination with recipients of funding from Federal agencies
that are members of the CCAM (<a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/coordinating-council-access-and-mobility">https://www.transit.dot.gov/coordinating-council-access-and-mobility</a>), that enhances access and mobility to
vital community services for older adults, people with disabilities,
and people of low income.
Agencies often restrict their transportation services to clients of
a specific program and do not permit the vehicles or services to be
used by other programs or riders. This practice leads to inefficient
use of resources and unused capacity. These restrictions are often
attributed to Federal requirements but compliance with Federal
requirements can be achieved without such restrictions. Federally
funded vehicles and transportation resources can be shared with other
agencies that have a transportation role, as long as costs can be
allocated appropriately. The ICAM pilot program seeks to help promote
this coordination.
B. Federal Award Information
Federal public transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5338(a)(2)(E))
authorized $4,701,218 in FY 2023 funds for competitive grants under the
ICAM pilot program. FTA may cap the amount a single recipient or State
may receive as part of the selection process. There is no minimum or
maximum grant award amount; however, FTA intends to fund as many
meritorious projects as possible. An additional $4,823,972 is
authorized for FY 2024 and FTA may award additional funding made
available to the program prior to the announcement of the project
selections.
Due to funding limitations, projects selected for funding may
receive less than the amount originally requested. In those cases,
applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are
still viable, meet all eligibility requirements, and can be completed
with the amount awarded.
FTA will grant pre-award authority to incur costs for selected
projects beginning on the date project selections are announced on
FTA's website. Funds are available for obligation for two fiscal years
after the fiscal year in which the competitive awards are announced.
Funds are available only for eligible costs incurred after the date
project selections are announced. FTA intends to fund as many
meritorious projects as possible.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are entities eligible as direct or designated
recipients under the Section 5310 program, including: State departments
of transportation, designated recipients for Section 5310 funds, or
local governmental entities that operate a public transportation
service, or their eligible subrecipients that have the authority and
technical capacity to implement a regional or statewide cost allocation
pilot. Private entities that provide shared-ride on-demand service to
the general public on a regular basis are operators of public
transportation and are therefore eligible subrecipients. Organizations
that do not operate public transportation are not eligible applicants.
Applicants must serve as the lead agency of a regional or statewide
consortium that includes stakeholders from the transportation,
healthcare, human service, or other sectors. Applicants are encouraged
to coordinate with and engage their State Medicaid office (<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/state-profiles/index.html">https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/state-profiles/index.html</a>) to best
understand and navigate the Medicaid NEMT rules and regulations to
develop a successful ICAM pilot program application. Recently updated
Medicaid sub-regulatory guidance can be found in the aforementioned
Assurance of Transportation: A Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide.
Members of this consortium are eligible as subrecipients if they would
otherwise be eligible subrecipients of Section 5310 funds. Further,
applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project was planned
through an inclusive process with the involvement of the
transportation, healthcare, and human service sectors. An
implementation plan and schedule must be submitted as part of the
proposal.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
The maximum Federal share of projects selected under the ICAM pilot
program is 80 percent. The applicant must provide a non-Federal share
of at least 20 percent of the project cost and must document the source
of the non-Federal match in the grant application.
[[Page 78459]]
Federal funds may not be used as match for this program unless the
Federal program providing the funds expressly authorizes its funds to
fulfill the match requirement of another Federal program. Per 49 U.S.C.
5323(i), the Federal share may exceed 80 percent for certain projects
related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Clean
Air Act (CAA) compliance as follows:
(1) Vehicles. The Federal share is 85 percent of the net project
cost of the acquisition of vehicles (including clean-fuel or
alternative fuel vehicles) for purposes of complying with or
maintaining compliance with the ADA or CAA.
(2) Vehicle-Related Equipment and Facilities. The Federal share is
90 percent of the net project cost for acquiring vehicle-related
equipment or facilities (including clean fuel or alternative fuel
vehicle-related equipment or facilities) for purposes of complying or
maintaining compliance with the ADA or CAA. FTA considers vehicle-
related equipment to be equipment on and attached to the vehicle. The
award recipient must itemize the cost of specific, discrete, vehicle-
related equipment associated with compliance with the ADA or CAA to be
eligible for the maximum 90 percent Federal share for these costs.
Eligible sources of non-Federal matching funds include:
i. Cash from non-governmental sources other than revenues from
providing transit services (such as fare revenues);
ii. Non-farebox revenues from the operation of public
transportation service, such as the sale of advertising and concession;
iii. Monies received under a service agreement with a State or
local social service agency or private social service organization;
iv. Undistributed cash surpluses, replacement, or depreciation cash
funds, reserves available in cash, or new capital;
v. In-kind contributions integral to the project;
vi. Revenue bond proceeds for a capital project, with prior FTA
approval; and
vii. Transportation Development Credits (formerly referred to as
Toll Revenue Credits).
3. Eligible Projects
Eligible projects are capital projects, as defined in 49 U.S.C.
5302(4). FTA intends to make grants to assist in financing innovative
projects for the transportation disadvantaged that improve the
coordination of transportation services and NEMT services, including:
regional or statewide mobility management projects; deployment of
coordination technology; and regional or statewide projects that create
or increase access to one-call/one-click centers. For purposes of this
NOFO, regional is defined as projects that cover more than one
community or area such as multiple cities, counties, or tribal areas.
FTA's goal for these pilot program grants is to identify and test
promising, innovative, coordinated mobility strategies other
communities can replicate. Only one project may be included in each
application. The ICAM grants will operate as pilots for up to 24
months. Within the first year, projects must be able to demonstrate
significant progress toward increased State interagency coordination.
ICAM funds must be used to implement a regional or statewide pilot of
coordinated service delivery, to demonstrate the benefits of
coordinated transportation. Projects funded under previous ICAM NOFOs
are not eligible.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
Applications must be submitted through GRANTS.GOV. Applicants can
find general information for submitting applications at GRANTS.GOV.
Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted. Applicants may also
attach additional supporting information. Failure to submit the
information as requested may delay or prevent review of the
application.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
i. Proposal Submission
A complete proposal submission consists of at least two forms, the
SF-424 Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form for the FY 2024
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (downloaded
from GRANTS.GOV or the FTA website at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants">https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants</a>).
The application must include responses to all sections of the SF-424
Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form unless a section is indicated
as optional. FTA will use the information on the Supplemental Form to
determine applicant and project eligibility for the program and to
evaluate the proposal against the selection criteria described in part
E of this notice. FTA will 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 States or other
applicants choose to submit separate proposals for individual
consideration by FTA, they must submit each proposal with a separate
SF-424 and Supplemental Form.
Applicants may attach additional supporting information to the SF-
424 submission, including, but not limited to the following examples:
letters of support, memorandums of understanding, interagency
agreements, coordinated plans, project budgets, fleet status reports,
or excerpts from relevant planning documents. Supporting documentation
must be described and referenced by file name in the appropriate
response section of the Supplemental Form, or it may not be reviewed.
Information such as applicant name, Federal amount requested, local
match amount, or description of areas served, may be 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. If applicants copy information into the Supplemental Form from
another source, they should verify that the Supplemental Form has fully
captured pasted text and that it has not truncated the text due to
character limits built into the form. Applicants should use both the
``Check Package for Errors'' and the ``Validate Form'' buttons on both
forms to check all required fields. Applicants should also ensure that
the Federal and local amounts specified are consistent.
ii. Application Content
The SF-424 Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form will prompt
applicants for the required information, including:
a. Applicant Name
b. Unique Entity Identifier
c. Key contact information (including contact name, address, email
address, and phone)
d. Congressional district(s) where project will take place
e. Project Information (including title, an executive summary, and
type)
f. A detailed description of the project
g. A detailed description of the need for the project
h. A detailed description of how the project will support the ICAM
pilot program goals to improve access to coordinated transportation
services; reduce duplication of service; and enhance efficiency of the
130 Federal programs (https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-
guidance/ccam/about/
[[Page 78460]]
ccam-program-inventory) that may fund human service transportation.
i. Evidence that the project is consistent with State and regional
planning documents including consistency with the Coordinated Public
Transportation-Human Services Transportation Plan
j. A detailed description of all project partners and their
specific role in the eligible project
k. Specific performance measures the project will use to quantify
actual outcomes against expected outcomes
l. Evidence that the applicant can provide the non-Federal cost
share and details on the non-Federal match
m. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity of
the applicant
n. A detailed project budget (up to 24 months). The project budget
should show how different funding sources will share in each activity
and present those 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, ICAM (Federal),
and other Federal with specific amounts from each funding source
o. An explanation of the scalability of the project (if
applicable)--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.
p. A detailed project timeline
q. Address all the applicable criteria and priority considerations
identified in Section E.
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 during which the applicant has an
active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by
FTA. FTA may not make an award until the applicant has complied with
all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time FTA
is ready to make an award, FTA may determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for
making a Federal award to another applicant. These requirements do not
apply if the applicant has an exception approved by FTA under 2 CFR
25.110(c) or (d). SAM registration takes approximately 3-5 business
days, but FTA recommends allowing ample time, up to several weeks, for
completion of all steps. For additional information on obtaining a
unique entity identifier, please visit <a href="https://www.sam.gov">https://www.sam.gov</a>.
FTA will provide further instructions on registration through an
introductory applicant training session. Dates and times for the
training session will be posted on FTA's website.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time February 13, 2024. Late
applications will not be accepted. Mail and fax submissions will not be
accepted.
FTA urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior
to the due date to allow time to correct any problems that may have
caused either GRANTS.GOV or FTA systems to reject the submission.
Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled website maintenance.
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the
GRANTS.GOV website.
Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the
applicant should receive an email message from GRANTS.GOV with
confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV. If a notice of
failed validation or incomplete materials is received, the applicant
must address the reason for the failed validation, as described in the
email notice, and resubmit before the submission deadline. If making a
resubmission for any reason, include all original attachments
regardless of which attachments were updated and check the box on the
supplemental form indicating this is a resubmission.
Applicants are encouraged to begin the process of registration on
the GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of the submission deadline.
Registration is a multi-step process, which may take several weeks to
complete before an application can be submitted. Registered applicants
may still be required to update their registration before submitting an
application. Registration in SAM is renewed annually and persons making
submissions on behalf of the Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) must be authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make submissions.
5. Funding Restrictions
Funds made available under the ICAM pilot program may only be used
for capital expenditures, including mobility management, that are
included in the State Transportation Improvement Plan/Transportation
Improvement Plan. Eligible projects are capital projects, as defined in
49 U.S.C. 5302(4). 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.
Funds awarded under this notice cannot be used to reimburse
recipients for expenses incurred prior to FTA issuing pre-award
authority. FTA intends to issue pre-award authority pursuant to 2 CFR
200.458 to incur costs for selected projects beginning on the date FTA
announces recipients of the FY 2024 awards on FTA's website. Funds are
only available for projects that have not incurred costs prior to the
announcement of project selections on FTA's website and the
corresponding issuance of pre-award authority.
6. Other Submission Requirements
FTA encourages applicants to identify scaled funding options in the
event that insufficient funding is available to fund a project at the
fully 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 a reduced award would
affect the project. FTA may award a lesser amount regardless of whether
the applicant provides a scalable option.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
FTA will evaluate proposals submitted according to the following
criteria: (a) demonstration of need; (b) demonstration of benefits; (c)
planning and partnerships; (d) local financial commitment; (e) project
implementation strategy; and (f) technical, legal, and financial
capacity. Each applicant is encouraged to provide a succinct, logical,
and orderly response to all criteria referenced in this NOFO.
Additional information may be
[[Page 78461]]
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.
a. Demonstration of Need
FTA will evaluate proposals based on how the proposed project will
address the need for a regional or statewide capital project that
enables comprehensive community access, including NEMT access, for
underserved groups. FTA will consider the scope of the overall need or
challenge as described. Applications should address how the need is
related to one or both of the following goals:
(1) A need to coordinate multiple funding sources that can fund
transportation (i.e. CCAM Program Inventory (<a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ccam/about/ccam-program-inventory">https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ccam/about/ccam-program-inventory</a>) which includes aging/disability programs (<a href="https://acl.gov/programs">https://acl.gov/programs</a>), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (<a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf">https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf</a>),
Medicaid (<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/learn-how-apply-for-coverage/index.html">https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/learn-how-apply-for-coverage/index.html</a>), etc.);
(2) A need to improve transportation services for the targeted
disadvantaged community.
b. Demonstration of Benefits
FTA will evaluate proposals on the benefits provided by the
proposed project. Benefits will be tied to the ICAM pilot program goals
and project elements:
Goals:
(1) Improve access to coordinated transportation services;
(2) Reduce duplication of service; and
(3) Enhance efficiency of the 130 Federal programs that may fund
human service transportation.
Project Elements:
(1) Develop an inter-agency transportation coordinating work group
at the regional or state-level;
(2) The adoption of:
a. Consistent driver and vehicle standards,
b. Cost allocation rate(s) when clients of different programs use a
single transportation service, (increasing efficiency by using the same
vehicles to transport passengers whose trips are funded via different
Federal programs),
c. Rate-setting methodology based on the cost allocation rate of
providing transportation (allows costs to be billed or allocated
appropriately to the transportation user, facilitating a more efficient
use of transportation resources), and
d. Cost allocation technology (enables costs to be shared equitably
among participating agencies who receive funding from a variety of
Federal agencies); and
(3) Implementation of a regional or statewide pilot of coordinated
service delivery to demonstrate the benefits of coordinated
transportation.
Proposals for projects that will not directly address the ICAM
objectives or project elements should describe how the ICAM objectives
or project elements are already met in the state or region.
c. Planning and Partnerships
Applicants must describe the eligible project and identify project
partners and their specific role in the project (e.g., vendor,
subrecipient, state agency). Successful projects will work
collaboratively and leverage partnerships with agencies that are
funding recipients of the Federal agencies that are members of the
CCAM, such as the Department of Health and Human Services'
Administration for Community Living, Health Resources and Services
Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A
full list of CCAM agencies may be accessed by going to <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/ccam/about/agencies">https://www.transit.dot.gov/ccam/about/agencies</a>. Partners also may include
transportation providers as well as private and nonprofit entities
involved in the coordination of NEMT for the transportation
disadvantaged. Applicants should provide evidence of strong commitment
from key partners, including memoranda of agreement or letters of
support from relevant State agency stakeholders and partner
organizations. Any changes to the proposed partnerships will require
FTA's advance approval and must be consistent with the scope of the
approved project. Projects may be derived from a locally developed,
coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan.
Inclusion in the locally developed coordinated public transit-human
service transportation plan, local and/or regional long range planning
documents, and/or local government priorities will demonstrate local/
regional prioritization.
FTA will evaluate the project based on the extent to which it was
developed inclusively, incorporating meaningful involvement from key
stakeholders including consumer representatives of the target groups
and providers from the healthcare, transportation, and human services
sectors, among others. The applicant must show significant, ongoing
involvement of the project's target population.
d. Local Financial Commitment
Applicants must identify the source of the non-Federal 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 non-Federal share as evidence of
local financial commitment to the project.
e. Project Implementation Strategy
FTA will evaluate the project on the proposed schedule, the
applicant's demonstrated ability to implement the proposed project, and
the applicant's ability to provide impact data during and after the
pilot project. Applicants should indicate the short-term, mid-term, and
long-term goals for the project. Proposals must provide specific
performance measures the eligible project will use to quantify actual
outcomes against expected outcomes.
FTA requires each successful applicant to report progress toward
meeting project objectives on a quarterly basis and a final report at
the end of the project. FTA will use this data to produce the required
Annual Report to Congress that contains a detailed description of the
activities carried out under the pilot program, and an evaluation of
the program, including an evaluation of the performance measures
described.
f. Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity
FTA will evaluate proposals on the capacity of the lead agency and
any partners to successfully execute the pilot effort. The lead agency
must have the authority and technical capacity to implement a regional
or statewide cost allocation pilot project. The applicant should have
no outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues that would make
this a high-risk project. FTA will evaluate each proposal (including
the business plan, financial projections, and other relevant data) for
feasibility and longer-term sustainability of both the pilot project as
well as the proposed project at full deployment. Applicants should
discuss and include any supporting information demonstrating the lead
agency has successfully executed a similar project or grant. FTA
intends to select projects with a high likelihood of long-term success
and sustainability.
2. Review and Selection Process
A technical evaluation committee made up of Federal staff will
evaluate proposals based on the published evaluation criteria. FTA may
request additional information from applicants,
[[Page 78462]]
if necessary. Based on the review of the technical evaluation
committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final selection of
projects for program funding. In determining the allocation of program
funds, FTA may also consider geographic diversity, diversity in the
size of the transit systems receiving funding, and the applicant's
receipt of other competitive awards.
After applying the above criteria, FTA will give priority
consideration to projects that support the Justice40 initiative,
<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/equity-Justice40">https://www.transportation.gov/equity-Justice40</a>. In support of
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 the Interim Guidance for
the Justice40 Initiative, Historically Disadvantaged Communities
include (a) certain qualifying census tracts identified as
disadvantaged due to categories of environmental, climate, and
socioeconomic burdens, as identified by the Climate and Economic
Justice Screening Tool, and (b) any Federally Recognized Tribes or
Tribal entities, whether or not they have land.\1\ Applicants should
use the 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 overall
benefits from certain Federal investments reach disadvantaged
communities. Applicants should use CEJST as the primary tool to
identify disadvantaged communities (Justice40 communities). Applicants
are strongly encouraged to supplement their use of the CEJST by
employing the USDOT Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer
to understand how their community or project area is 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. <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/justice40/etc-explorer">https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/justice40/etc-explorer</a>. Additionally, in support of
the Justice40 Initiative, the applicant also should provide evidence of
any 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 either mapping tool, please contact <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#16515b595672796238717960"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5f1812101f3b302b71383029">[email protected]</span></a>.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ <a href="https://whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf">https://whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf</a>.
\2\ See also <a href="https://static-data-screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/data-versions/1.0/data/score/downloadable/CEQ-CEJST-Instructions.pdf">https://static-data-screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/data-versions/1.0/data/score/downloadable/CEQ-CEJST-Instructions.pdf</a>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If an applicant is proposing to implement autonomous vehicles or
other innovative motor vehicle technology, the application should
demonstrate that all vehicles will comply with applicable safety
requirements, including those administered by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA). Specifically, the application should show that
vehicles acquired for the proposed project will comply with applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). If the vehicles may not comply, the
application should either (1) show that the vehicles and their proposed
operations are within the scope of an exemption or waiver that has
already been granted by NHTSA, FMCSA, or both agencies or (2) directly
address whether the project will require exemptions or waivers from the
FMVSS, FMCSR, or any other regulation and, if the project will require
exemptions or waivers, present a plan for obtaining them. If
applicable, FTA will also consider the extent to which the application
presents a plan to address workforce impacts of autonomous vehicles or
other innovative motor vehicle technology.
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 FAPIIS, 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 Notices
FTA will announce the final project selections on the FTA website.
Project recipients should contact their FTA Regional Office for
additional information regarding allocations for projects under each
program. At the time the project selections are announced, FTA expects
to extend pre-award authority for the selected projects. There is no
pre-award authority for these projects before announcement.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
i. Grant Requirements
Selected applicants will submit a grant application through FTA's
Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) and adhere to FTA grant
requirements. All competitive grants will be subject to the
congressional notification and release process. All ICAM awards are
subject to the requirements of the Formula Grants for the Enhanced
Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (49 U.S.C. 5310),
including those of FTA Circular ``Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and
Individuals with Disabilities Program Guidance and Application
Instructions'' (FTA.C.9070.1). All recipients must accept the FTA
Master Agreement and follow the Award Management Requirements
(FTA.C.5010.1E) and the labor protections required by Federal public
transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5333(b)). Technical assistance regarding
these requirements is available from each FTA Regional Office.
By submitting a grant application, 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, including the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and
3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR
part 5, ``Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering
Federally Financed and Assisted Construction''). Further, 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
[[Page 78463]]
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.
As authorized by Section 25019 of the BIL, applicants are
encouraged to implement a local or other geographical or economic
hiring preference relating to the use of labor for construction of a
project funded by the grant, including pre-hire agreements, subject to
any applicable State and local laws, policies, and procedures.
ii. Made in America
A project funded under this NOFO must comply with FTA's Buy America
(49 U.S.C. 5323(j)) and the Build America, Buy America Act's domestic
preference requirements for infrastructure projects (Sec. Sec. 70901-
70927 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. 117-58),
which together require that all iron, steel, manufactured goods, and
construction materials used in the project be produced in the United
States and set minimum domestic content and final assembly requirements
for rolling stock.
Any proposal that will require a waiver of any domestic preference
standard must identify the items for which a waiver will be sought in
the application. Applicants should not proceed with the expectation
that waivers will be granted.
iii. Civil Rights Requirements
Applications should 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, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and
accompanying regulations. This should include a current Title VI
Program Plan and a completed Community Participation Plan
(alternatively called a Public Participation Plan and often part of the
overall Title VI program plan), if applicable. Applicants who have not
sufficiently demonstrated the conditions of compliance with civil
rights requirements will be required to do so before receiving funds.
Recipients of Federal transportation funding will be required to
comply fully with the DOT's regulations and guidance for the ADA and
all relevant civil rights requirements. The Department's and FTA's
Office of Civil Rights will work with awarded grant recipients to
ensure full compliance with Federal civil rights requirements.
iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Recipients of planning or capital assistance that will award prime
contracts, the cumulative total of which exceeds $250,000 in FTA funds
in a Federal fiscal year, must have a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) program that complies with the U.S. Department of
Transportation's DBE regulation (49 CFR part 26).
To be eligible to bid on any FTA-assisted vehicle procurement,
entities that manufacture transit vehicles or perform post-production
alterations or retrofitting must be certified Transit Vehicle
Manufacturers (TVM). If a vehicle remanufacturer is responding to a
solicitation for new or remanufactured vehicles with a vehicle to which
the remanufacturer has provided post-production alterations or
retrofitting (e.g., replacing major components such as engine to
provide a ``like new'' vehicle), the vehicle remanufacturer must be a
certified TVM.
v. Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
It is the policy of the United States to strengthen the security
and resilience of its critical infrastructure against both physical and
cyber threats. TSA issued Security Directive 1582-21-01B, ``Enhancing
Public Transportation and Passenger Railroad Cybersecurity'' on October
23, 2023. The Security Directive, which applies to all public passenger
rail owners and operators identified in 49 CFR 1582.101 and other TSA-
designated owner/operators, requires four critical actions:
1. Designate a cybersecurity coordinator who is required to be
available to TSA and the DHS's CISA at all times (all hours/all days)
to coordinate implementation of cybersecurity practices, and manage of
security incidents, and serve as a principal point of contact with TSA
and CISA for cybersecurity-related matters;
2. Report cybersecurity incidents to CISA;
3. Develop a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan to reduce the
risk of operational disruption should their Information and/or
operational technology systems be affected by a cybersecurity incident;
and
4. Conduct a cybersecurity vulnerability assessment using the form
provided by TSA and submit the form to TSA. The vulnerability
assessment will include an assessment of current practices and
activities to address cyber risks to information and operational
technology systems, identify gaps in current cybersecurity measures,
and identify remediation measures and a plan for the owner/operator to
implement the remediation measures to address any vulnerabilities and
gaps.
TSA issued IC-2021-01, ``Enhancing Surface Transportation
Cybersecurity'', dated December 31, 2021, which applies to each
passenger railroad, public transportation agency, or rail transit
system owner/operator not specifically covered under Security Directive
1582-21-01. This circular provides the same four recommendations for
enhancing cybersecurity practices listed above. While this document is
guidance and does not impose any mandatory requirements, TSA strongly
recommends the adoption of the measures set forth in the circular.
vi. Planning
FTA encourages applicants to engage the appropriate State
departments of transportation, Regional Transportation Planning
Organizations, or Metropolitan Planning Organizations in areas to be
served by the project funds available under these programs.
vii. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements include submission of Federal
Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports in FTA's electronic
grants management system. An independent evaluation of the pilot
program may occur at various points in the deployment process and at
the end of the pilot project. In addition, FTA is responsible for
producing an annual report to Congress evaluating the program,
including an evaluation of the performance and outcome measures
identified by the applicants. All applicants must develop a final
report evaluating their performance measures and measuring the success
or failure of their projects. FTA will provide successful applicants
with technical assistance through the National Aging and Disability
Transportation Center. The technical assistance will focus on the
detailed development of project performance measures that are linked to
project outcomes. FTA may request data and reports to support the
independent evaluation and annual report. Applicants should also
include any goals, targets, and indicators referenced in their
application to the project in the Executive Summary of the TrAMS
application.
FTA is committed to making evidence-based decisions guided by the
best available science and data. In accordance with the Foundations for
Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), FTA may use
information submitted in discretionary
[[Page 78464]]
funding applications; information in FTA's Transit Award Management
System (TrAMS), including grant applications, Milestone Progress
Reports (MPRs), Federal Financial Reports (FFRs); transit service,
ridership and operational data submitted in FTA's National Transit
Database; documentation and results of FTA oversight reviews, including
triennial and state management reviews; and other publicly available
sources of data to build evidence to support policy, budget,
operational, regulatory, and management processes and decisions
affecting FTA's grant programs.
As part of completing the annual certifications and assurances
required of FTA grant recipients, a successful applicant must report on
the suspension or debarment status of itself and its principals. If the
award recipient's active grants, cooperative agreements, and
procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceeds
$10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of
an award made pursuant to this notice, the recipient must comply with
the Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters reporting requirements
described in Appendix XII to 2 CFR part 200.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact
For questions about applying to the pilot program outlined in this
notice, please contact the FTA Program Manager, Destiny Buchanan,
phone: (202) 493-8018, or email, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#43072630372a2d3a6d0136202b222d222d03272c376d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0e4c5d3d4c9ced98ee2d5c3c8c1cec1cee0c4cfd48ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>. A TDD is
available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDDFIRS). Additionally, you may visit
FTA's website for this program at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants">https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/access-and-mobility-partnership-grants</a>.
To ensure that applicants receive accurate information about
eligibility or the program, applicants are encouraged to contact FTA
directly with questions, rather than through intermediaries or third
parties. FTA staff also may conduct briefings on the FY 2024
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/">https://www.transit.dot.gov/</a>.
H. Other Information
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
All information submitted as part of or in support of any
application shall use publicly available data or data that can be made
public and methodologies that are accepted by industry practice and
standards, to the extent possible. 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. If an applicant submits information the applicant
considers to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial
information, the applicant must provide that information in a separate
document, which the applicant may reference from the application
narrative or other portions of the application. For the separate
document containing confidential information, the applicant must do the
following: (1) state on the cover of that document that it ``Contains
Confidential Business Information (CBI);'' (2) mark each page that
contains confidential information with ``CBI;'' (3) highlight or
otherwise denote the confidential content on each page; and (4) at the
end of the document, explain how disclosure of the confidential
information would cause substantial competitive harm. FTA will protect
confidential information complying with these requirements to the
extent required under applicable law. If FTA receives a Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for the information that the applicant
has marked in accordance with this section, FTA will follow the
procedures described in DOT's FOIA regulations at 49 CFR 7.29. Only
information that is in the separate document, marked in accordance with
this section, and ultimately determined to be confidential will be
exempt from disclosure under FOIA.
Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-25181 Filed 11-14-23; 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 November 15, 2023.
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.