FY16 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission Grant Programs; 5339(b) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program and 5339(c) Low or No Emission Program--Correction

Matthew J. Welbes
Federal Transit Administration
12 April 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 21659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08295]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


FY16 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus 
Facilities and Low or No Emission Grant Programs; 5339(b) Grants for 
Buses and Bus Facilities Program and 5339(c) Low or No Emission 
Program--Correction

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; correction.

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SUMMARY: On March 29, 2016, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 
published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Federal 
Register announcing the availability of approximately $211 million for 
Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities and $55 million for Low or No 
Emission Grants. The notice provided incomplete information regarding 
FTA's Buy America and Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) 
requirements. Additionally, the NOFO was missing information in one 
place about how to submit applications through www.grants.gov. This 
notice corrects the March 29 notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Bus Program, contact Sam 
Snead, FTA Office of Program Management, 202-366-1089, or 
samuel.snead@dot.gov. For the Low-No Program, contact Tara Clark, same 
office, 202-366-2623, or tara.clark@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Need for Correction

    The FTA notice published in the Federal Register on March 29, 2016 
(81 FR 17553), FR Doc. 2016-07027, contained errors. In subsection F. 
Federal Award Administration, iii. Administrative and National Policy 
Requirements, iii. Buy America and iv. Disadvantaged Business 
Enterprise, the notice provides incomplete information and refers to 
projects that involve passenger ferries, which are not eligible for 
funding under the Bus Program or Low-No Program. In section G. 
Technical Assistance and Other Program Information, the NOFO is missing 
the date by which applications must be submitted through 
www.grants.gov.
    Therefore, FR Doc. 2016-07027 is corrected as follows:
    1. On page 17560, in the 2nd column, subsection F. Federal Award 
Administration, iii. Administrative and National Policy Requirements, 
iii. Buy America is corrected to read as shown below:
iii. Buy America
    The FTA requires that all capital procurements meet FTA's Buy 
America requirements, which require that all iron, steel, or 
manufactured products be produced in the U.S. These requirements help 
create and protect manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The Bus Program and 
Low-No Program will have a significant economic impact toward meeting 
the objectives of the Buy America law. The FAST Act amended the Buy 
America requirements to provide for a phased increase in the domestic 
content for rolling stock. For FY16 and FY17, the cost of components 
and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 60 
percent of the cost of all components. For FY18 and FY19, the cost of 
components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more 
than 65 percent of the cost of all components. For FY20 and beyond, the 
cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must 
be more than 70 percent of the cost of all components. There is no 
change to the requirement that final assembly of rolling stock must 
occur in the United States. FTA will be issuing guidance on the 
implementation of the phased increase in domestic content in the near 
future. Any proposal that will require a waiver 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, nor 
should applicants assume that selection of a project under the Low-No 
Program that includes a partnership with a manufacturer, vendor, 
consultant, or other third party constitutes a waiver of the Buy 
America requirements for rolling stock applicable at the time the 
project is undertaken.
    2. On page 17560, in the 2nd column, subsection F. Federal Award 
Administration, iii. Administrative and National Policy Requirements, 
iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise is corrected to read as shown 
below:
iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
    The FTA requires that its recipients receiving planning, capital 
and/or operating assistance that will award prime contracts exceeding 
$250,000 in FTA funds in a Federal fiscal year comply with the 
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program regulations at 49 CFR 
part 26. Applicants should expect to include any funds awarded, 
excluding those to be used for vehicle procurements, in setting their 
overall DBE goal. Note, however, that projects including vehicle 
procurements remain subject to the DBE program regulations. The rule 
requires that, prior to bidding on any FTA-assisted vehicle 
procurement, entities that manufacture vehicles, perform post-
production alterations or retrofitting must submit a DBE Program plan 
and goal methodology to FTA. The FTA will then issue a transit vehicle 
manufacturer (TVM) concurrence/certification letter. Grant recipients 
must verify each entity's compliance with these requirements before 
accepting its bid. A list of compliant, certified TVMs is posted on 
FTA's Web page at https://www.fta.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/eligible-tvms-list. Please note, that this list is 
nonexclusive and recipients must contact FTA before accepting bids from 
entities not listed on this web-posting. Recipients may also establish 
project specific DBE goals for vehicle procurements. The FTA will 
provide additional guidance as grants are awarded. For more information 
on DBE requirements, please contact Jennifer Riess, Office of Civil 
Rights, 202-366-3084, email: jennifer.riess@dot.gov.
    3. On page 17560, in the 3rd column, section G. Technical 
Assistance and Other Program Information is corrected to insert a 
deadline for complete applications of 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 13, 2016.

Matthew J. Welbes,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-08295 Filed 4-11-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-57-P