Solicitation of Proposals for the National Rural Transit Assistance Program |
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K. Jane Williams
Federal Transit Administration
31 July 2019
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37385-37388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16301]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Solicitation of Proposals for the National Rural Transit
Assistance Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is soliciting
proposals under the agency's Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program to
select an entity to administer a National Rural Transit Assistance
Program (RTAP). The National RTAP will carry out activities to design
and implement training and technical assistance projects and other
support services tailored to meet the specific needs of transit
operators in rural areas, including Indian Country. Primary activities
will include the development of information and materials for use by
local operators and State administering agencies, and supporting
research and technical assistance projects of national interest.
DATES: Complete proposals for funding opportunity FTA-2019-005-TPM-
NRTAP must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV. All
applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on August 30,
2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marianne Stock, FTA Office of Program
Management, (202) 366-6508 or marianne.stock@dot.gov.
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
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
A. Program Description
The Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program, authorizes the
Secretary of Transportation to carry out a Rural Transportation
Assistance Program (RTAP) in rural areas.
FTA's National RTAP is funded under the Formula Grants for Rural
Areas Program to enhance the delivery of public transportation services
provided by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and operators of
rural public transportation. Since 1979, FTA has provided grants to
States under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program and its
predecessor programs to establish and maintain transit systems in
communities with populations of less than 50,000 individuals. Rural
transit systems and community transit drivers, dispatchers, maintenance
workers, managers, and board members need special skills and knowledge
to provide quality service to their diverse customers across large,
rural service areas. The National RTAP was created in 1997 to carry out
projects of a national scope that provide transportation assistance in
these areas.
The National RTAP provides for the development of information and
materials for use by local operators, State DOTs and State funded
transit agencies, and supports research and technical assistance
projects of national interest. The FTA carries out the objectives of
the National RTAP through a cooperative agreement that establishes and
provides financial assistance for these activities. FTA selected the
current recipient to administer the National RTAP in 2014. Consistent
with the Uniform Administrative Requirements of 2 CFR200, every 5 years
the FTA competes the administration of the National RTAP.
FTA also supports assistance for local RTAP activities through
funding apportionments to the States. The State RTAPs develop and
implement training and technical assistance in conjunction with the
State's administration of the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Formula
Program. The State RTAPs and National RTAP complement each other and
both are funded under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program.
The objectives of the National RTAP are:
Objective 1: To promote the delivery of safe, effective
and efficient public transportation in rural areas.
Objective 2: To support State and local governments in
addressing the training and technical assistance needs of the rural
transportation community.
Objective 3: To conduct research, including analysis of
data reported to FTA's National Transit Database, and to maintain
current profiles of the characteristics of rural transit as well as the
inventory of providers of rural, tribal and specialized transportation
providers.
Since its inception, the National RTAP has developed and
distributed training materials, provided technical assistance,
generated reports, published best practices, produced scholarships,
conducted research, and offered peer assistance with the goal of
improved mobility for the millions of Americans living in rural
communities. The National RTAP also has developed tools for use by
rural transit providers in providing their service, and provided access
to scholarship, research and training through sponsorship of and
participation in conferences attended by a variety of constituents with
interest in rural and tribal transit. For more information on the
various programs and services provided by the National RTAP, visit the
National RTAP website at: http://www.nationalrtap.org/AboutUs.aspx.
B. Federal Award Information
FTA is authorized to use two percent of funds appropriated for its
Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program for research, technical
assistance, training, and related support services in rural areas. Of
this amount, FTA expects to award the administration of the National
RTAP as a cooperative agreement. FTA will fund the cooperative
agreement for up to five (5) years, subject to availability of funds,
and the apportioned balance to the States to carry out State RTAP
activities.
FTA intends to fund the National RTAP with $1,936,904 in Fiscal
Year (FY) 2018 funds for the first year. FTA may extend funding for
this center for up to five (5) years; however, subsequent funding will
depend upon: (1) Future authorization and appropriations; (2) decisions
and program priorities established by the Secretary of Transportation
related to implementation of the National Rural Transportation
Assistance program; and (3) annual performance reviews. Congress
apportioned an additional $2,097,966 for National RTAP in FY 2019.
C. Eligibility Information
Eligible proposers are non-profit organizations with rural and
tribal transportation experience that have the capacity to provide
public transportation-related technical assistance and the ability to
deliver a national technical assistance and training program. There is
no local match or cost sharing requirement for this program.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address
Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV,
as described above. General information for registering and submitting
applications through GRANTS.GOV can be found at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html along with specific instructions for the
forms and attachments required for submission. Mail and fax submissions
will not be accepted. A complete proposal submission will consist of at
least two
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files: (1) The SF-424 Mandatory form (downloaded from GRANTS.GOV); and
(2) a narrative application document in Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat,
or compatible file format. The narrative application should be in the
format outlined in Section 2 below. Once completed, the narrative
application must be placed in the attachments section of the SF-424
Mandatory form. Proposers must attach the narrative application file to
their submission in GRANTS.GOV to successfully complete the proposal
process. A proposal submission may contain additional supporting
documentation as attachments.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals must be submitted in a Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, or
compatible file format, double-spaced using Times New Roman, 12-point
font. The proposal must contain the following components and adhere to
the specified maximum lengths:
a. Cover sheet (1 page).
The cover sheet must include the name of the entity submitting the
proposal, the principal's name, title, and contact information (e.g.,
address, phone, fax, and email), and the name and contact information
for the key point of contact for all five activities (if different from
principal).
b. Abstract (not to exceed 4 pages).
The abstract must include the following sections: background,
purpose, methodology, intended outcomes, and plan for evaluation.
c. Detailed budget proposal and budget narrative (not to exceed 3
pages).
d. Project narrative (not to exceed 25 pages)
The project narrative must include the following information:
i. The methodology for addressing the goals and objectives;
ii. Objectives, activities, deliverables, milestones, timeline and
intended outcomes for achieving the goals outlined in the scope for the
first year;
iii. The existing and future capacity of the organization to
address the issues outlined in the proposal and the organization's
ability to implement goals and objectives;
iv. A detailed plan for communication, technical assistance, and
outreach at the State and local levels;
v. A plan to work with stakeholders and build partnerships at the
national level and;
vi. Staff qualifications, including: (1) Prior experience providing
technical assistance, especially related to public transit in rural
areas, (2) prior experience implementing the other tasks outlined in
this solicitation, (3) staff members' knowledge of issues related to
public transit in rural areas, and (4) a one-page biographical sketch
for each staff member.
e. Plan for evaluation of National RTAP activities and performance
measures (not to exceed 5 pages).
f. Supplemental materials, such as bios and letters of support, can
be included in an appendices section that is beyond the page limits
above but may not exceed 15 additional pages.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant must: (1) Register in SAM before applying; (2)
provide a valid unique SAM 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. These requirements
do not apply if the applicant: (1) Is excepted from the requirements
under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c); or (2) has an exception approved by FTA
under 2 CFR 25.110(d). The 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. 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 www.sam.gov.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV and must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on August
30, 2019. GRANTS.GOV attaches a time stamp to each application at the
time of submission. Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be
considered under extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's
control. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.
Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the
applicant should receive two email messages from GRANTS.GOV: (1)
Confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV; and (2)
confirmation of successful validation by GRANTS.GOV. If confirmation of
successful validation is not received or 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.
The FTA urges applicants to submit proposals at least 72 hours
prior to the due date to allow time to receive the validation messages
and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection
notification. GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are
announced on the GRANTS.GOV website. Deadlines will not be extended due
to scheduled website maintenance.
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
still may be required to take steps to keep their registration up to
date before submissions can be made successfully: (1) Registration in
the SAM is renewed annually; and (2) persons making submissions on
behalf of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be
authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make submissions. How to
Register to Apply through Grants.gov. To register and for detailed
instructions, please see the ``APPLICANTS'' tab in Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html). To be eligible to apply for
this opportunity, organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) Number, active SAM registration, and an established
Grants.gov account. Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed
online in minutes, but DUNS and SAM registrations may take several
weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in
sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to
meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization
instructions can be found on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.
E. Application Review Information
Proposals will be evaluated by an internal review team based on
each applicant's response to the following criteria: (1) Methodology to
Meet the
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Goals of the National RTAP; (2) Qualifications of Key Personnel,
Experience, and Knowledge; (3) Communication, Technical Assistance, and
Outreach Strategy; (4) Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity; (5)
Ability to Work with Stakeholders and Build Parternships at the
National Level; and (6) Plan to Evaluate the NRTAP activities. The
criteria are explained below:
1. Methodology To Meet the Goals of the National RTAP
The FTA is seeking innovative and effective approaches and
strategies to accomplish the project objectives. Proposals will be
evaluated based on the proposed methodology for addressing the goals
and objectives of the National RTAP, as well as the capacity of the
organization to address the issues outlined in the proposal. The
proposal should clearly explain the objectives, activities,
deliverables, milestones, timeline and intended outcomes for achieving
the goals outlined in the scope for the first year, and how the
organization intends to implement them.
2. Qualifications of Key Personnel, Experience, and Knowledge
The proposal should demonstrate that key personnel have the
appropriate skills and experience to carry out the activities. The FTA
will evaluate the qualifications and experience of the key staff
detailed in the proposal for their: (1) Prior experience providing
technical assistance, especially related to public transit in rural
areas, (2) prior experience implementing the other tasks outlined in
this solicitation, (3) knowledge of issues related to public transit in
rural areas.
3. Communication, Technical Assistance, and Outreach Strategy
The proposal should demonstrate the ability to execute a technical
assistance program with a national scope, as well as strategies for
delivering targeted assistance to State, regional, and local
stakeholders. Proposing organizations are encouraged to think
innovatively about this technical assistance delivery.
The proposal also should demonstrate the ability to carry out
outreach, dissemination, and information management activities. These
activities will include capturing and sharing useful and best practices
in rural transportation operations, as well as supporting activities
related to FTA's tribal transit program. The proposal should
demonstrate innovative approaches, such as the use of communication
that is accessible through social media and other information
technologies, to accomplish effective stakeholder strategies that both
manage and plan the engagement. Rural and tribal communities have
unique needs, and the proposal should reflect engagement touchpoints
and the ability to meaningfully engage with these communities in other
to produce successful transportation outcomes.
4. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
The proposal must include an effective project management plan to
administer and manage the National RTAP and must demonstrate that the
applicant has the technical, legal, and financial capacity to carry out
the plan. FTA will evaluate the applicant's:
a. Technical capacity to administer and manage the services
proposed;
b. Total budget and staffing; and
c. Evidence of understanding of the National RTAP mission and
comprehensive technical approach to delivering the National RTAP.
The proposal should indicate a strong organizational capability to
address the issues and activities outlined in the proposal. In
addition, the proposal should indicate experience in managing and
monitoring sub-recipients and contractors, if any are included in the
proposal. The recipient selected must be an eligible recipient for a
cooperative agreement with FTA and able to sign the required
certifications and assurances.
5. Ability To Work With Stakeholders and Build Partnerships at the
National Level
The proposal must include a plan for effective and meaningful
stakeholder engagement. The proposal will be evaluated based in the
quality and effectiveness of the plan for engaging and supporting
stakeholder engagement to drive the activities of the National RTAP.
6. Plan To Evaluate the National RTAP Activities
FTA will evaluate the effectiveness of proposed performance
measures and the plan for collecting and reporting on data related to
the National RTAP's products activities, and outcomes.
F. Federal Award Administration
1. Federal Award Notices
Final award decisions will be made by the FTA Administrator. In
making these decisions, the Administrator will take into consideration:
a. Recommendations of the review panel;
b. past performance of the applicant regarding programmatic and
grants management compliance;
c. the reasonableness of the estimated cost to the government
considering the available funding and anticipated results; and
d. the likelihood that the proposed project will result in the
transportation outcomes expected.
The FTA will notify the successful organization and may announce
the selection on its website https://www.transit.dot.gov. Following
notification, the successful entity will be required to submit its
application through the FTA Transit Award Management System (TrAMS).
The FTA will work with the successful applicant to develop a detailed
cooperative agreement and may require modifications to the proposal
before a cooperative agreement is awarded. The FTA will award and
manage a cooperative agreement through TrAMS.
2. Award Administration
(A) Grant Requirements
The successful applicant will apply for a cooperative agreement
through TrAMS and adhere to the customary FTA grant requirements of
Section 5311(b)(3)(C).
(B) Competitive grants and cooperative agreements greater than
$500,000 will go through the Congressional notification and release
process. Assistance regarding these requirements is available from FTA.
(C) Standard Assurances
The applicant assures that it will comply with all applicable
Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, FTA circulars, and
other Federal administrative requirements in carrying out any project
supported by the FTA grant. The applicant acknowledges that it is under
a continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the
cooperative agreement issued for its project with the FTA. The
applicant understands that Federal laws, regulations, policies, and
administrative practices might be modified from time to time and that
modifications may affect the implementation of the project. The
applicant agrees that the most recent Federal requirements will apply
to the project, unless FTA issues a written determination otherwise.
The applicant must submit the Certifications and Assurances before
receiving a cooperative agreement if it does not have current
certifications on file.
3. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements include submission of Federal
Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports
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in TrAMS on a quarterly basis. Documentation is required for payment.
Additional reporting may be required specific to the National Rural
Transportation Assistance Program and the recipient may be expected to
participate in events or peer networks related to rural transit. The
Federal Financial Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) requires
data entry at the FFATA Sub Award Reporting System (http://www.FSRS.gov) for all sub-awards and sub-contracts issued for $25,000
or more, as well as addressing executive compensation for both grantee
and sub-award organizations.
Additionally, FTA may evaluate and report on the success of the
program. Applicants may be required to provide information for this
purpose indicating the need, problem, or opportunity addressed by
activities of the program. The national significance and relevance to
the public transportation industry must also be clearly demonstrated.
4. Legal Capacity
Applicants must certify that there are no legal issues which would
impact their eligibility and authority to apply for FTA funds, or
prevent their acceptance of FTA funds.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning this notice, please contact the
Technical Assistance program manager Marianne Stock by phone at 202-
366-2677, or by email at marianne.stock@dot.gov. A TDD is available for
individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at 800-877-8339.
Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-16301 Filed 7-30-19; 8:45 am]
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