Application Notes:

Applications must be submitted during the following submission windows:

• FY 2024: July 17, 2024, to 11:59 p.m. ET on October 16, 2024
• FY 2025: May 1, 2025, to 11:59 p.m. ET on August 1, 2025
• FY 2026: May 1, 2026, to 11:59 p.m. ET on August 1, 2026

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.

Applications must include:

• SF 424
• SF 424C
• Certification regarding lobbying
• SF LLL
• Cover page
• Documentation of completed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA activities
• Project narrative (10 pages max)
• Supporting documents supporting assertions or conclusions of the project narrative (optional), including:
  • Documents that are compliant with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (recommended)

The project narrative is recommended to be formatted on single-spaced pages with one-inch margins using a standard 12-point font, such as Times New Roman. If possible, supporting documentation should be submitted as website links. The entire application is limited to 200 MB in size.

The program officer stated that application documents submitted in .pdf format are preferred.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
• SAM (System for Award Management) registration

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.

Optional webinars will be held for this program as follows:

September 4, 2024
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET
URL: teams.microsoft.com
Meeting ID: 219 061 877 289
Passcode: CGUqae

September 10, 2024
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET
URL: teams.microsoft.com
Meeting ID: 259 198 131 209
Passcode: EVpJ2Z

Applications will be evaluated according to the following primary merit criteria:

• Funding agency goals
• Improvement of condition of critical transportation facilities
• Need for project
• Matched costs
• Projects included, or eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of Historic Places
• New technologies and innovations
• Support to construct, maintain, and operate the facility
• Projects spanning two or more states
• Projects serving land owned by multiple federal agencies or Indian tribes

After evaluating applications based on the above primary merit criteria, the funding agency will evaluate applications based on the following secondary merit criteria:

• Equity
• The Justice40 Initiative
• Climate change and sustainability
• Workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation

Project readiness will also be considered during the application evaluation process. Refer to pages 37-39 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding the application evaluation process.

Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.

Match Notes:

Matching requirements will vary according to project type, as follows:

• Projects on a tribal transportation facility: matching funds are not required; however, applicants that provide additional cash and/or in-kind contributions will receive a higher rating during the application evaluation process
• Projects on all other facilities: applicants must provide at least 10 percent of the total project costs via cash and/or in-kind contributions

Projects that demonstrate a greater percentage of matching funds will receive a higher rating during the application evaluation process.

Eligible types of matching contributions include:

• Other federal funds
• Other private or public sources
• Donations of funds, materials, services, right-of-way acquisition, or utility relocation

Applicants may seek the same award amounts from multiple U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) discretionary opportunities or seek a combination of funding from multiple DOT opportunities. Applicants must detail any other DOT programs and opportunities they intend to apply for, or use if the federal funding is already available to the applicant, and what award amounts they will be seeking in the application.

Award recipients are encouraged to show on each request for reimbursement that at least 10 percent of the invoiced cost will count towards the match.

The following may not be used as a match:

• Previously incurred costs or previously expended or encumbered funds
• Preliminary engineering and project design activities

Funding Notes:

Up to approximately $165 million is expected to be available to support awards through this program. The total funding available through this program will be allocated according to fiscal year, as follows:

• FY 2024: up to approximately $47.74 million is expected to be available to support awards for FY 2024
• FY 2025: up to approximately $55 million is expected to be available to support awards for FY 2025
• FY 2026: up to approximately $55 million is expected to be available to support awards for FY 2026

There are no maximum or minimum award amounts; however, all eligible projects must have an estimated total eligible project cost of at least $12.5 million based on the results of preliminary engineering.

Applicants are encouraged to identify scaled funding options in case insufficient funding is available to fund a project at the full requested amount. If the applicant advises 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 total funding available for each fiscal year will be allocated as follows:

• 50 percent of the total funding available for each fiscal year will be allocated for eligible projects on federal lands transportation facilities and federal lands access transportation facilities, including at least one project that are in a unit of the National Park System with at least 3 million annual visitors
• 50 percent of the total funding available for each fiscal year will be allocated for eligible projects on tribal transportation facilities

Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Award recipients will not generally receive lump-sum cash disbursements at the time of award announcement or the obligation of funds.

Funds will be obligated upon the execution of the award agreement. The type of award agreement issued through this program will vary according to applicant type, as detailed on page 8 of the NOFA file.

Funds provided for this program will remain available for a period of three fiscal years following the fiscal year for which the amounts are appropriated. Funds must be obligated by one of the following dates:

• FY 2024: September 30, 2027
• FY 2025: September 30, 2028
• FY 2026: September 30, 2029

Obligation of an award will occur when the award recipient enters into an award agreement with the funding agency and the funding agency authorizes the project to proceed. Refer to page 9 of the NOFA file for project period information according to applicant type.

Funds may not be used for:

• Activities covered by a previous award under this program
• Maintenance activities that are not construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation activities
• Developmental phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering, design, and other pre-construction activities
• Costs incurred prior to the obligation of funds for the project, unless authorized by the funding agency in writing
• Supporting or opposing union organizing, whether directly or as an offset for other funds

For FY 2023, a total of $88 million was distributed via five awards ranging from $11 million to $24.1 million through this program. For FY 2022, a total of $130,548,129 was distributed via seven awards ranging from $8,346,271 to $30,567,037. For FY 2021, two awards of $45,722,000 and $54,278,000 were distributed. Refer to the Award file for details.

August 27, 2024
Information regarding the scheduling of optional webinars for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

July 22, 2024
The program officer provided clarification regarding the application formatting requirements for this program. The Application section has been updated accordingly.