Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program |
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Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
29 March 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17536-17543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07051]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2016-0005]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Advanced Transportation and
Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.
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SUMMARY: The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act directs
the DOT to establish an advanced transportation and congestion
management technologies deployment (ATCMTD) initiative. The initiative
provides grants to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites
for large scale installation and operation of advanced transportation
technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and
infrastructure return on investment. The ATCMTD program is funded for
fiscal years (FY) 2016 through 2020 at $60 million per FY from amounts
authorized under sections 6002(a)(1), 6002(a)(2), and 6002(a)(4) of the
FAST Act. This notice is the first of annual solicitations for the
ATCMTD program and seeks applications from eligible entities to
establish the initial set of model technology deployment sites. The DOT
intends for these model technology deployments to help demonstrate how
emerging transportation technologies, data, and their applications,
which also link to Beyond Traffic 2045, can be effectively deployed and
integrated with existing systems to provide access to essential
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services and other destinations. This also includes efforts to increase
connectivity to employment, education, services and other
opportunities; support workforce development; and contribute to
community revitalization, particularly for disadvantaged groups (e.g.,
low income groups, persons with visible or hidden disabilities, elderly
individuals, and minority populations). The DOT will make no fewer than
five and no more than 10 awards of up to $12 million each depending on
the number of awards and amounts set aside for DOT administrative
expenses.
DATES: Applications must be submitted by 3:00 p.m., e.t., on or by June
3, 2016. The Grants.gov ``Apply'' function will open by March 29, 2016.
Applications should be submitted through http://www.grants.gov.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov. Only
applicants who comply with all submission requirements described in
this notice and submit applications through www.grants.gov will be
eligible for award.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information concerning
this notice, please contact the FHWA via email at ATCMTD@dot.gov. For
questions about the ATCMTD program discussed herein, contact Mr. Robert
Arnold, Director, FHWA Office of Transportation Management, telephone
202-366-1285 or via email at Robert.Arnold@dot.gov; or Mr. Egan Smith,
Managing Director, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint
Program Office, telephone 202-366-9224 or via email at
Egan.Smith@dot.gov. For legal questions, please contact Mr. Adam
Sleeter, Attorney-Advisor, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, telephone
202-366-8839 or via email at Adam.Sleeter@dot.gov. Business hours for
the FHWA are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. A telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
is available at 202-366-3993. Additionally, the notice, answers to
questions, requests for clarification, and information about Webinars
for further guidance will be posted at http://www.grants.gov/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the
Federal Register Web site at http://www.archives.gov and the Government
Printing Office's database at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice solicits applications for the
ATCMTD program for FY 2016 from eligible entities to develop model
deployment sites for large scale installation and operation of advanced
transportation technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system
performance, and infrastructure return on investment. Each section of
this notice contains information and instructions relevant to the
application process for ATCMTD grants. The applicant should read this
notice in its entirety to submit eligible and competitive applications.
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Information
A. Program Description
Section 503(c)(4), title 23, United States Code (23 U.S.C.
503(c)(4)) directs the DOT to establish an ATCMTD initiative to provide
grants to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites for large
scale installation and operation of advanced transportation
technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and
infrastructure return on investment. This solicitation seeking
applications from eligible entities will establish the initial set of
model technology deployment sites. The deployment of technologies will:
Reduce costs and improve return on investments, including
through the enhanced use of existing transportation capacity;
deliver environmental benefits that alleviate congestion
and streamline traffic flow;
measure and improve the operational performance of the
applicable transportation network;
reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes and
increase driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety;
collect, disseminate, and use real time transportation-
related information to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and provide
for more efficient and accessible transportation;
monitor transportation assets to improve infrastructure
management, reduce maintenance costs, prioritize investment decisions,
and ensure a state of good repair;
deliver economic benefits by reducing delays, improving
system performance, and providing for the efficient and reliable
movement of goods and services; or
accelerate the deployment of vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-
to-infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and other technologies.
The DOT intends for these model technology deployments to help
demonstrate how emerging transportation technologies, data, and their
applications, which also link to Beyond Traffic 2045, can be
effectively deployed and integrated with existing systems to provide
access to essential services and other destinations.
The competitive ATCMTD program will promote the use of innovative
transportation solutions. The deployment of these technologies will
provide Congress and DOT with valuable real life data and feedback to
inform future decisionmaking. The DOT will make no fewer than five and
no more than 10 awards of up to $12 million each depending on the
number of awards and amounts set aside for DOT administrative expenses.
B. Federal Award Information
Per 23 U.S.C. 503(c)(4)(I), for each fiscal year from 2016 through
2020, a maximum of $60 million, less up to $2 million for DOT
administrative expenses, will be available to make five to 10 awards
not exceeding $12 million each depending on the number of awards and
the amount set aside for DOT administrative expenses. The planned award
type is a cost-reimbursable cooperative agreement or an allocation to a
State department of transportation (State DOT). The ATCMTD awards may
be used for:
Advanced traveler information systems;
Advanced transportation management technologies;
Infrastructure maintenance, monitoring, and condition
assessment;
Advanced public transportation systems;
Transportation system performance data collection,
analysis, and dissemination systems;
Advanced safety systems, including vehicle-to-vehicle and
vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, technologies associated with
autonomous vehicles, and other collision avoidance technologies,
including systems using cellular technology;
Integration of intelligent transportation systems with the
Smart Grid and other energy distribution and charging systems;
Electronic pricing and payment systems; or
Advanced mobility and access technologies, such as dynamic
ridesharing and information systems to
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support human services for elderly and disabled individuals.
The DOT recognizes that each location has unique attributes, and
each location's proposed deployment will be tailored to their vision
and goals. Applications may be submitted for deploying any eligible
technology. However, this section provides a framework for applicants
to consider in the development of a proposed deployment by presenting
the DOT's vision, goals, and focus areas.
The DOT's vision for the ATCMTD initiative is the deployment of
advanced technologies and related strategies to address issues and
challenges in safety, mobility, sustainability, economic vitality, and
air quality that confront transportation systems owners and operators.
The advanced technologies are integrated into the routine functions of
the location or jurisdiction, and play a critical role in helping
agencies and the public address their challenges. Management systems
within transportation and across other sectors (e.g., human services,
energy, and logistics) share information and data to communicate
between agencies and with the public. These management systems provide
benefits by maximizing efficiencies based on the intelligent management
of assets and the sharing of information using integrated technology
solutions. The advanced technology solutions and the lessons learned
from their deployment are used in other locations, scaled in scope and
size, to increase successful deployments and provide widespread
benefits to the public and agencies.
The DOT's goals for the ATCMTD initiative include:
Reduced costs and improved return on investments,
including through the enhanced use of existing transportation capacity;
Delivery of environmental benefits that alleviate
congestion and streamline traffic flow;
Measurement and improvement of the operational performance
of the applicable transportation networks;
Reduction in the number and severity of traffic crashes
and an increase in driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety;
Collection, dissemination and use of real time
transportation related information to improve mobility, reduce
congestion, and provide for more efficient and accessible
transportation, including access to safe, reliable, and affordable
connections to employment, education, healthcare, freight facilities,
and other services;
Monitoring transportation assets to improve infrastructure
management, reduce maintenance costs, prioritize investment decisions,
and ensure a state of good repair;
Delivery of economic benefits by reducing delays,
improving system performance and throughput, and providing for the
efficient and reliable movement of people, goods, and services;
Accelerated deployment of vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-
infrastructure, automated vehicle applications, autonomous vehicles,
and other advanced technologies;
Integration of advanced technologies into transportation
system management and operations;
Demonstration, quantification, and evaluation of the
impact of these advanced technologies, strategies, and applications
towards improved safety, efficiency, and sustainable movement of people
and goods; and
Reproducibility of successful systems and services for
technology and knowledge transfer to other locations facing similar
challenges.
Although proposals are not limited to DOT priorities, the DOT is
particularly interested in deployment programs and projects in the
following areas:
Transportation elements associated with Smart Cities: A
Smart City is one that uses technology to connect transportation assets
into an interactive network that allows communities to reduce
congestion, support efficient goods movements, provide multimodal
choices, keep travelers and freight logistics safe, reduce fuel
consumption, protect the environment, respond to climate change,
connect underserved communities, and support economic vitality. This
focus area is for transportation technology deployments that would lead
to a wider Smart City environment.
Systemic applied pedestrian crossing technology:
Pedestrian crossing technology encompasses crossing treatments with
advanced equipment such as automated detectors that can sense
pedestrians and provide them with safer crossing opportunities (e.g.,
extending crossing times or activating infrastructure or in-vehicle
based displays and warnings). Such technologies offer significant
benefits at midblock locations, which are particularly risky for
pedestrians. Because pedestrian fatalities do not necessarily cluster
in particular locations, it will likely be more effective to use a
systemic application of pedestrian crossing improvements to improve
safety. The DOT is interested in these technologies because pedestrians
account for over 14 percent of annual roadway fatalities and over 70
percent of these fatalities occur in urban environments.
Multimodal Integrated Corridor Management (ICM): ICM is
the coordination of individual network operations of adjacent
facilities across all government or other operations agencies that
creates a unified, interconnected, and multimodal system capable of
sharing cross-network travel management. All corridor transportation
assets and information services (i.e., State, regional, county, and
local) are brought to bear when congestion events beyond nominal
threshold conditions trigger alerts. Through an ICM approach,
transportation professionals manage the corridor as a multimodal system
and make operational decisions for the benefit of the corridor as a
whole. The DOT is interested in increasing deployment of ICM.
Traffic signal data acquisition, analysis, and management:
Deployment of technology that actively impacts the management,
operation, and maintenance of traffic signal systems through real time
data collection and signal control to meet congestion management and
system responsiveness objectives. Data collection could be from
infrastructure sensors and cameras, mobile and connected sources (in-
vehicle and portable devices), or other external sources. Performance
driven management of traffic systems is a proven approach to shifting
resources from reactive to proactive processes to produce improved
outcomes for internal and external stakeholders. The DOT has been
working to accelerate the implementation of technologies that advance
these strategies.
Unified fare collection and payment system across
transportation modes and jurisdictions: Technological advancements in
payment systems allow convergence across both publicly-delivered and
privately-delivered mobility services. However, field implementations
have been achieved only sparingly and in small projects. Convergence
will enhance consumer payment options and mode choices and forge
partnerships among providers to achieve a seamless, accessible, and
flexible transportation network across the Nation. The DOT is engaged
in efforts which will assist in identifying technical, institutional,
and policy solutions to achieve unified transportation payment systems.
Incorporation of connected vehicle (CV) technology in
public sector and first responder fleets: The use of CV technologies in
infrastructure and integrated into public sector and first responder
fleets can provide valuable system performance data, increased
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safety and response time via signal preemption capabilities and routing
information, and better fleet operation. The DOT is interested in early
deployment opportunities of CV technologies that increase safety and
has public benefit.
Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) facilities for advanced data
collection: WIM technology allows for the capture and recording of
heavy vehicles axle and gross weights while traveling at normal traffic
speed without requiring the vehicle to stop. These deployments, either
existing or new, would be capable of high-quality and shareable data as
part of its standard operation to support infrastructure and safety
management needs. They would provide strategic coverage for a State's
highway freight network. The DOT is interested in this technology to
provide more efficient movement of goods through the collection and
sharing of data needed to make better policy decisions at the State and
national level.
Dynamic ridesharing: Dynamic ridesharing deploys the
latest communications technologies and social network structures to
bring drivers and riders together quickly and efficiently. This
strategy can reduce the number of single passenger trips which reduces
overall fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The DOT
considers dynamic ridesharing as a potential step-change improvement to
carpooling when brought up to scale.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
To be selected for an ATCMTD award, an applicant must be an
eligible applicant. Eligible applicants are State or local governments,
transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPO)
representing a population of over 200,000, or other political
subdivisions of a State or local government (such as publicly owned
toll or port authorities), or a multijurisdictional group or consortia
of research institutions or academic institutions. Partnership with the
private sector or public agencies, including multimodal and
multijurisdictional entities, research institutions, organizations
representing transportation and technology leaders, or other
transportation stakeholders is encouraged.
Typically, a consortium is a meaningful arrangement with all
members involved in planning the overall direction of the group's
activities and participating in most aspects of the group. The
consortium is a long-term relationship intended to last the full life
of the grant. Any application submitted by a sole research or academic
institution that is not part of a consortium will not be considered for
selection.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Cost sharing or matching is required, with the maximum Federal
share being 50 percent of future eligible costs. Therefore, a minimum
non-Federal cost share of 50 percent is required. Cost sharing or
matching means the portion of project costs not paid by Federal funds.
For a more complete definition, please see the Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards at part 200, title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR 200),
including section 200.306 on cost sharing or matching. Other Federal
funds using their appropriate matching share may be leveraged for the
deployment but cannot be considered as part of the ATCMTD matching
funds, unless otherwise supported by statute.
3. Other
The ATCMTD recipients may use not more than five percent of the
funds awarded each fiscal year to carry out planning and reporting
requirements for the project.
The DOT encourages applicants to identify any project components
that have independent utility and separately detail the costs and
requested ATCMTD funding for each component in their applications. If
the application identifies one or more independent project components,
the application should clearly identify how each independent component
addresses the selection criteria and produces benefits on its own, and
describe how the full proposal, of which the independent component is a
part, addresses the selection criteria.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address
Applicants may obtain application forms at grants.gov under the
Notice of Funding Opportunity Number cited herein. The applicant must
complete and submit all forms included in the application package for
this notice as contained at www.grants.gov.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
The application must include the Standard Form (SF) 424
(Application for Federal Assistance), SF 424A (Budget Information for
Non-Construction Programs), SF 424B (Assurances for Non-Construction
Programs), Grants.gov Lobbying Form, cover page, and the project
narrative. The SFs are available online at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html. More detailed information about the
cover page and project narrative follows.
a. Cover Page Including the Following Table:
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Project name
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Previously Incurred Project Cost........... $
Future Eligible Project Cost............... $
Total Project Cost......................... $
ATCMTD Request............................. $
Total Federal Funding (including ATCMTD)... $
Are matching funds restricted to a specific Yes/No.
project component? If so, which one?.
State(s) in which the project is located... ...........................
Is the project currently programmed in the: Yes/No--please specify in
Transportation Improvement Program which plans the project is
(TIP). currently programmed.
Statewide Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP).
MPO Long Range Transportation Plan
State Long Range Transportation
Plan.
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b. Project Narrative
The application must include information required for the DOT to
determine that the project satisfies project requirements described in
sections A, B, and C and to assess the selection criteria specified in
section E.1. To the extent practicable, applicants should provide data
and
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evidence of project merits in a form that is verifiable or publicly
available. The DOT may ask any applicant to supplement data in its
application, but expects applications to be complete upon submission.
The DOT recommends that the project narrative adhere to the
following basic outline of a project description, staffing description,
and funding description to clearly address the program requirements and
make critical information readily apparent. In addition to a detailed
statement of work, detailed project schedule, and detailed project
budget, the project narrative should include a table of contents, maps,
and graphics as appropriate to make the information easier to review.
The DOT recommends that the project narrative be prepared with standard
formatting preferences (i.e., a single-spaced document, using a
standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman, with 1-inch margins).
The project narrative may not exceed 25 pages in length, excluding
cover pages and the table of contents. The only substantive portions
that may exceed the 25-page limit are documents to support assertions
or conclusions made in the project narrative or r[eacute]sum[eacute]s
of key staff described in the project narrative. If supporting
documents are submitted, applicants must clearly identify within the
project narrative the relevant portion of the project narrative that
each supporting document supports.
c. Project description that includes the following:
(1) An introduction that provides a one- to two-page summary of the
proposed technology deployment(s).
(2) A description of the entity that will be entering into the
agreement with FHWA including:
(a) Membership of any partnership or entity proposed to carry out
the deployment; and
(b) a description of how the entity will manage the program
including project funding.
Applicants that are multijurisdictional groups or consortia of
research or academic institutions do not necessarily have to be an
existing organization or coalition but should show evidence that a
cooperative agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other
organizational mechanism can be executed in a reasonable timeframe
after selection. (Note: A multijurisdictional group is any combination
of State governments, local governments, metropolitan planning
agencies, transit agencies, or other political subdivisions of a State
for which each member of the group has signed a written agreement to
implement the advanced transportation technologies deployment
initiative across jurisdictional boundaries, and is an eligible entity
under this paragraph.)
(3) A description of the geographic area or jurisdiction the
deployment will service.
(4) A description of the real world issues and challenges to be
addressed by the proposed technology deployments. Applicants should
discuss how the proposed technology deployments address the goals of
the initiative and any applicable technology focus area. Applicants
should highlight any proposed linkages to Ladders of Opportunity
pathways to jobs and economic opportunities as described in section B.
(5) A description of transportation systems and services to be
included in project.
(6) A plan to deploy and provide for the long-term operation and
maintenance of advanced transportation and congestion management
technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and
return on investment.
(7) A description of any challenges in the regulatory, legislative,
or institutional environments or other obstacles to deployment.
(8) Quantifiable system performance improvements, such as:
(a) Reducing traffic-related crashes, congestion, and costs;
(b) optimizing system efficiency; and
(c) improving access to transportation services.
(9) Quantifiable safety, mobility, and environmental benefit
projections such as data-driven estimates of how the project will
improve the region's transportation system efficiency and reduce
traffic congestion.
(10) Vision, goals, and objectives of the applicant for the
technology deployment, including any future related deployments;
(11) Vision of the organization and goals, objectives, and
activities to be pursued in addressing the identified issues and
challenges.
(12) A plan for partnering with the private sector or public
agencies, including multimodal and multijurisdictional entities,
research institutions, organizations representing transportation and
technology leaders, or other transportation stakeholders.
(13) A plan to leverage and optimize existing local and regional
advanced transportation technology investments.
(14) A schedule for conducting the technology deployment and for
completion of all proposed activities.
(15) Any support or leveraging of the ITS program or innovative
technology initiatives (DOT ITS initiatives are described online at
http://www.its.dot.gov).
d. Staffing description that includes the following:
(1) A description of the organization of staffing to manage and
conduct the project, including identification of key personnel,
organization, role, and responsibility.
(2) A primary point of contact (POC) and provide complete contact
information for this individual.
e. Funding Description
Applications must include a breakdown of estimated costs across
project work areas or tasks, including an identification of funding
sources and amounts.
(Note: The maximum amount of funding requested from the ATCMTD
program cannot exceed $12 million per year nor exceed 50 percent of
the total cost of the activities proposed to be funded. The maximum
amount that will be awarded will depend on the number of awards and
the amount reserved for DOT administrative expenses. Selection of an
application to receive grant funding in one fiscal year is not a
commitment of any future funding. Applications will be solicited
annually for competitively selecting grant recipients for that
funding year.)
f. Additional Organization Information
In addition to the forms noted above, provide answers to the
following organizational information questions in a pdf format:
(1) Identify any exceptions to the anticipated award terms and
conditions as contained in section F (Federal Award Administration
Information). Identify any preexisting intellectual property that you
anticipate using during award performance, and your position on its
data rights during and after the award period of performance.
(2) The use of a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number is required on all applications for Federal grants or
cooperative agreements. Please provide your organization's DUNS number
in your budget application.
(3) A statement to indicate whether your organization has
previously completed an A-133 Single Audit and, if so, the date that
the last A-133 Single Audit was completed.
(4) A statement regarding conflicts of interest. The applicant must
disclose in writing any actual or potential personal or organizational
conflict of interest in its application that describes in a concise
manner all past, present or planned organizational, contractual or
other interest(s), which may affect the applicants' ability to perform
the
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proposed project in an impartial and objective manner. Actual or
potential conflicts of interest may include but are not limited to any
past, present or planned contractual, financial, or other
relationships, obligations, commitments or responsibilities, which may
bias the applicant or affect the applicant's ability to perform the
agreement in an impartial and objective manner. The Agreement Officer
(AO) will review the statement(s) and may require additional relevant
information from the applicant. All such information, and any other
relevant information known to DOT, will be used to determine whether an
award to the applicant may create an actual or potential conflict of
interest. If any such conflict of interest is found to exist, the AO
may disqualify the applicant or determine that it is otherwise in the
best interest of the United States to contract with the applicant and
include appropriate provisions to mitigate or avoid such conflict in
the agreement pursuant to 2 CFR 200.112.
(5) A statement to indicate whether a Federal or State organization
has audited or reviewed the applicant's accounting system, purchasing
system, and/or property control system. If such systems have been
reviewed, provide summary information of the audit/review results to
include as applicable summary letter or agreement, date of audit/
review, Federal or State POC for such review.
(6) Terminated Contracts. List any contract/agreement that was
terminated for convenience of the Government within the past 3 years,
and any contract/agreement that was terminated for default within the
past 5 years. Briefly explain the circumstances in each instance.
(7) The applicant is directed to review 2 CFR 170 (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr170_main_02.tpl), dated September 14, 2010, and Appendix A thereto;
on reporting of information on subawards and executive total
compensation. The applicant is directed to acknowledge in its
application that it understands the requirement, has the necessary
processes and systems in place, and is prepared to fully comply with
the reporting described in the term if it receives funding resulting
from this notice. The text of Appendix A will be incorporated in the
award document as a General Term and Condition as referenced under
section F (Federal Award Administration Information).
(8) Disclose any violations of Federal criminal law involving
fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations. Failure to make required
disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR
200.338 (remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or
debarment). (See also 2 CFR part 180 and 31 U.S.C. 3321.)
3. Unique Identifier and System for Award (SAM)
The applicant is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before
submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity
identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active
SAM registration with current information while it has an active
Federal award, application, or plan under consideration by a Federal
awarding agency.
The Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an
applicant 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 the Federal awarding agency
is ready to make a Federal award, it may determine that the applicant
is not qualified and use that determination as a basis for awarding
another applicant.
4. Submission Dates and Times
a. Deadline
Applications must be submitted through www.Grants.gov by 3:00 p.m.,
e.t., on or by June 3, 2016, which is the date and time by which the
FHWA must receive the full and completed application, including all
required sections.
To submit an application through Grants.gov, applicants must:
(1) Obtain a DUNS number:
(2) Register with the SAM at www.sam.gov;
(3) Create a Grants.gov username and password; and
(4) The E-business Point of Contact (POC) at the applicant's
organization must respond to the registration email from Grants.gov and
login to authorize the POC as an Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR). Please note that there can only be one AOR per organization.
Please note that the Grants.gov registration process usually takes
2-4 weeks to complete and late applications that are the result of
failure to register or comply with Grants.gov applicant requirements in
a timely manner will not be considered. For information and instruction
on each of these processes, please see instructions at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html. If interested
parties experience difficulties at any point during the registration or
application process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Service
Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., e.t.,
Monday through Friday.
b. Consideration of Application
Only applicants who comply with all submission deadlines described
in this notice and submit applications through Grants.gov will be
eligible for award. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make
submissions in advance of the deadline.
Applicants interested in applying are encouraged to email
ATCMTD@dot.gov no later than May 13, 2016, with applicant name, State
in which project is located, approximate total project cost, amount of
the ATCMTD grant request, and a two- to three-sentence project
description. The DOT seeks this early notification of interest to
inform its allocation of resources for application evaluations and to
facilitate timely and efficient awards.
c. Late Applications
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered
except in the case of unforeseen technical difficulties outlined below.
d. Late Application Policy
Applicants experiencing technical issues with Grants.gov that are
beyond the applicant's control must contact ATCMTD@dot.gov prior to the
application deadline with the user name of the registrant and details
of the technical issue experienced. The applicant must provide:
(1) Details of the technical issue experienced;
(2) Screen capture(s) of the technical issues experienced along
with corresponding Grants.gov grant tracking number;
(3) The legal business name for the applicant that was provided in
the SF-424;
(4) The AOR name submitted in the SF-424;
(5) The DUNS number associated with the application; and
(6) The Grants.gov Help Desk Tracking Number.
To ensure a fair competition of limited discretionary funds, the
following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions:
(1) Failure to complete the registration process before the deadline;
(2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and
apply as posted on its Web site; (3) failure to follow all of the
instructions in this notice; and (4) technical issues experienced with
the applicant's computer or information technology environment. After
DOT staff review all information submitted
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and contact the Grants.gov Help Desk to validate reported technical
issues, DOT staff will contact late applicants to approve or deny a
request to submit a late application through Grants.gov. If the
reported technical issues cannot be validated, late applications will
be rejected as untimely.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
The DOT will evaluate applications on the following criteria, which
are of equal importance:
Technical Merit Criteria:
Degree to which the proposed technology deployment aligns
with program requirements and DOT goals.
Maturity or readiness of the proposed technology(ies) to
be deployed, and the likelihood of success of the applicant to deploy
and sustain the proposed technology(ies), including the proposed
approaches to addressing any regulatory and other obstacles to
deployment.
Scalability or portability of the proposed technology
deployment to other jurisdictions.
Commitment to evaluate the effectiveness (i.e., cost-
benefit) of activities proposed.
Clarity, quality, and completeness of the proposal.
Staffing Criteria:
Degree to which the application includes a program/project
management structure or organization that will successfully oversee the
proposed technology deployment.
Expertise and qualifications of key personnel for managing
or conducting appropriate aspects of the proposed technology deployment
through the period of performance.
The DOT will prioritize projects that also enhance personal
mobility and accessibility. Such projects include, but are not limited
to (1) investments that better connect people to essential services
such as employment centers, health care, schools, education facilities,
healthy food, and recreation; (2) remove physical barriers to access;
(3) strengthen communities through neighborhood redevelopment; (4)
mitigate the negative impacts of freight movement on communities; and
(5) support workforce development, particularly for disadvantaged
groups (e.g., low-income groups, the disabled, elderly individuals, and
minority populations). The DOT may consider whether a project's design
is likely to generate benefits for all users, including non-driving
members of a community adjacent to or affected by the project.
2. Review and Selection Process
The DOT will review all eligible applications received before the
application deadline. The ATCMTD process consists of a technical
evaluation phase and senior review. In the technical evaluation phase,
teams will determine whether each project satisfies statutory
requirements and rate how well it addresses selection criteria. The
senior review team will consider the applications and the technical
evaluations to determine which projects to advance to the Secretary for
consideration. Evaluations in both the technical evaluation and senior
review phases will place projects into rating categories, not assign
numerical scores. The Secretary will select the projects for award. The
DOT reserves the right to use outside expertise and/or contractor
support to perform application evaluation. A panel of Agency experts
will conduct a risk assessment of the applicant prior to award.
The DOT will award the applications that are considered the most
advantageous using the criteria cited above, subject to the results of
an applicant risk assessment. In addition, per 23 U.S.C.
503(c)(4)(D)(i) and (ii), the DOT shall ensure, to the extent
practicable, that grant recipients represent diverse geographic areas
of the United States, including urban and rural areas, and that grant
recipients represent diverse technology solutions.
3. Other Information
Prior to award, each selected applicant will be subject to a risk
assessment required by 2 CFR 200.205. The DOT must review and consider
any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity
and performance system accessible through SAM (currently the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). An
applicant may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any
information about itself. The DOT will consider comments by the
applicant, in addition to 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 risk
assessment. The DOT reserves the right to deny an award based on the
results of the risk assessment.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices
Following the evaluation outlined in section E, the DOT will notify
the selected applicants and announce the selected projects. Notice that
an applicant has been selected as a recipient does not constitute
approval of the application as submitted. Before the award, the DOT
will contact the POC listed in the SF 424 to initiate negotiation of a
project specific agreement. If the negotiations do not result in an
acceptable submittal, the DOT reserves the right to terminate the
negotiation and decline to fund the applicant.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All awards will be administered pursuant to the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards found in 2 CFR 200, as adopted by DOT at 2 CFR 1201.
Applicable Federal laws, rules, and regulations set forth in 23 U.S.C.
and 23 CFR also apply. For a list of the applicable laws, rules,
regulations, executive orders, polices, guidelines, and requirements
related to ATCMTD projects, please see http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/aaa/generaltermsconditions.cfm.
3. Reporting
a. Progress Reporting on Grant Activity
Each applicant selected for an ATCMTD grant must submit the Federal
Financial Report (SF-425) on the financial condition of the project,
its progress, and an Annual Budget Review and Program Plan to monitor
the use of Federal funds and ensure accountability and financial
transparency in the ATCMTD program.
b. Reporting of Matters Related to Integrity and Performance
If the total value of a selected applicant's currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all
Federal awarding agencies exceeds $10 million at any time during the
period of performance, then the applicant must maintain the currency of
information reported to the SAM and made available in the FAPIIS about
civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings described in paragraph 2
of the award terms and conditions. This is a statutory requirement
under section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313).
As required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information
posted in the designated integrity and performance system on or after
April 15, 2011, except past performance reviews required for Federal
procurement contracts, will be publicly available.
[[Page 17543]]
c. Reporting to the Secretary
Per 23 U.S.C. 503(c)(4)(F), not later than 1 year after receiving
an ATCMTD grant, and each year thereafter, the recipient shall submit a
report to the Secretary that describes:
(1) Deployment and operational costs of the project compared to the
benefits and savings the project provides; and
(2) how the project has met the original expectations projected in
the deployment plan submitted with the application, such as:
(a) Data on how the project has helped reduce traffic crashes,
congestion, costs, and other benefits of the deployed systems;
(b) data on the effect of measuring and improving transportation
system performance through the deployment of advanced technologies;
(c) the effectiveness of providing real time integrated traffic,
transit, and multimodal transportation information to the public to
make informed travel decisions; and
(d) lessons learned and recommendations for future deployment
strategies to optimize transportation efficiency and multimodal system
performance.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information or questions concerning this notice, please
contact the FHWA via email at ATCMTD@dot.gov. For questions about the
ATCMTD program discussed herein, contact Mr. Robert Arnold, Director,
FHWA Office of Transportation Management, telephone 202-366-1285 or via
email at Robert.Arnold@dot.gov; or Mr. Egan Smith, Managing Director,
ITS Joint Program Office, telephone 202-366-9224 or via email at
Egan.Smith@dot.gov. A TDD is available at 202-366-3993. Additionally,
the notice, answers to questions, requests for clarification, and
information about Webinars for further guidance will be posted at
http://www.grants.gov/.
H. Other Information
1. Public Comment
The ATCMTD program is funded through FY 2020. This notice solicits
applications for FY 2016 only. Because this is the first year
implementing the ATCMTD program, FHWA invites interested parties to
submit comments about this notice's contents, the FHWA's implementation
choices within the legal bounds of the program, and suggestions for
clarification in future ATCMTD solicitations. The FHWA seeks input on
whether the information requested in applications is reasonable and
clear and if additional merit criteria should be considered. The FHWA
may consider the submitted comments and suggestions when developing
subsequent ATCMTD notices and program guidance, but they will not
affect the program's evaluation and selection process for FY 2016
awards. Applications or comments about specific projects should not be
submitted to the docket. Any application submitted to the document will
not be reviewed. Comments should be sent to docket number FHWA-2016-
0005 by July 1, 2016. To the extent practicable, FHWA will consider
late-filed comments.
2. Protection of Confidential Business Information
To the extent possible, 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. If the application includes information the
applicant considers to be a trade secret, confidential commercial
information, or financial information, the applicant should do the
following: (1) Note on the front cover that the submission ``Contains
Confidential Business Information (CBI)''; (2) mark each affected page
``CBI''; and (3) highlight or otherwise denote the CBI portions. The
DOT protects such information from disclosure to the extent allowed
under applicable law. In the event DOT receives a Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for the information, it will follow the
procedures described in its FOIA regulations at 49 CFR 7.17. Only
information that is ultimately determined to be confidential under that
procedure will be exempt from disclosure under FOIA.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 503(c)(4).
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-07051 Filed 3-28-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P