Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 251 / Thursday, December 31, 2020 / Notices 86983 

1 81 FR 75481. 

2 81 FR 94021. 

3 82 FR 13375. 

and there are no costs to respondents 

beyond the time spent completing the 

questionnaires. 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspects of this 

information collection, including (a) 

whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Department of Transportation, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed information collection, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

49 CFR 1.49; and DOT Order 1351.29. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Nanda Narayanan Srinivasan, 

Associate Administrator, Research and 

Program Development. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28904 Filed 12–30–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

[Docket No. DOT–OST–2016–0204] 

Exploring Industry Practices on 

Distribution and Display of Airline 

Fare, Schedule, and Availability 

Information 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Notice of withdrawal of request 

for information. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Transportation (‘‘Department’’ or 

‘‘DOT’’) is withdrawing a Request for 

Information (‘‘RFI’’) that solicited 

information on whether airline 

restrictions on the distribution or 

display of airline flight information 

harm consumers and constitute an 

unfair and deceptive business practice 

and/or an unfair method of competition. 

DATES: December 31, 2020. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kimberly Graber and Blane A. Workie, 

Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 

20590, 202–366–9342, 202–366–7152 

(fax), kimberly.graber@dot.gov or 

blane.workie@dot.gov. 

Electronic Access: You can view and 

download related documents and public 

comments by going to the website 

http://www.regulations.gov. Enter the 

docket number DOT–OST–2016–0204 

in the search field. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Department issued the RFI on October 

31, 2016 in response to concerns raised 

by certain online travel agencies 

(OTAs), metasearch entities that operate 

flight search tools, and other 

stakeholders involved in the 

distribution of flight information and 

sale of air transportation, as well as 

consumer advocates and some members 

of Congress regarding certain practices 

related to the distribution and display of 

airline fare, schedule, and availability 

information.1 The Department has also 

heard from airlines and other members 

of Congress opposing Departmental 

action in this area. On December 22, 

2016, DOT extended the response date 

of the RFI to March 31, 2017.2 On March 

10, 2017, the Department suspended the 

response period while it evaluated next 

steps.3

The issue of airline restrictions on the 

distribution or display of airline flight 

information on third-party travel 

websites is a complex issue with farreaching implications for consumers, 

airlines, ticket agents, and the various 

participants in the distribution chain. 

The Department recognizes that 

transparency is not only good for 

consumers but also good for 

competition in the airline industry. 

However, the Department also believes 

that airlines should be able to choose 

how and where they sell their products 

so long as they do not engage in unfair 

or deceptive practices. These two goals 

are not mutually exclusive. The 

Department does not consider its 

involvement at this time to be necessary 

to prevent unfair, deceptive, or 

anticompetitive practices. As such, the 

Department has decided to withdraw 

the RFI. 

Issued in Washington, DC, under authority 

delegated in 49 CFR 1.27(n). 

Christina G. Aizcorbe, 

Deputy General Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28927 Filed 12–30–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

Regional Infrastructure Accelerators 

Demonstration Program 

AGENCY: Build America Bureau, U.S. 

Department of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity 

(NOFO). 

SUMMARY: The Fixing America’s Surface 

Transportation (FAST) Act, enacted in 

December 2015, authorized the 

establishment of a Regional 

Infrastructure Accelerators 

Demonstration Program (the Program) to 

assist entities in developing improved 

infrastructure priorities and financing 

strategies for the accelerated 

development of a project that is eligible 

for funding under the Transportation 

Infrastructure Finance and Innovation 

Act (TIFIA) Program under Chapter 6 of 

Title 23, United States Code. The 

Further Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2020, enacted on December 20, 

2019, appropriated $5 million for this 

Program. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Build 

America Bureau (Bureau) is issuing this 

NOFO to implement the Program and 

solicit applications for designating and 

funding Regional Infrastructure 

Accelerators (RIA) that will: (1) Serve a 

defined geographic area; (2) act as a 

resource to qualified entities in the 

geographic area in accordance with 

Section 1441 of the FAST Act; and (3) 

demonstrate the effectiveness of an RIA 

to expedite the delivery of eligible 

projects through the TIFIA credit 

program and, to the extent applicable, 

the Railroad Rehabilitation and 

Improvement Financing (RRIF) credit 

program, Private Activity Bonds (PABs) 

and other innovative financing methods. 

Each section of this notice contains 

information and instructions relevant to 

the application process for the RIA 

grants. All applicants should read this 

notice in its entirety so that they have 

the information they need 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 

1. Background: The Bureau is 

responsible for driving transportation 


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1Public Law 114–94, 129 Stat. 1312, 1435. 

2Public Law 116–94, div. H, tit. I, H.R. 1865 at 

413 (as enrolled December 20, 2019). 3https://www.transportation.gov/rural. 

infrastructure development projects in 

the United States through innovative 

financing programs. Its mission is to 

provide access to the Bureau’s credit 

programs in a streamlined, expedient, 

and transparent manner. In 

accomplishing its mission, the Bureau 

also provides technical assistance and 

encourages innovative best practices in 

project planning, financing, delivery, 

and monitoring. The Bureau draws 

upon the full resources of DOT to best 

utilize the expertise of DOT’s Operating 

Administrations while promoting a 

culture of innovation and customer 

service. Section 1441 of the FAST Act 1

provided the authority to establish the 

Program, and the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2020,2 appropriated 

$5 million to fund the Program. The 

intent of this Program is to demonstrate 

and evaluate the viability and 

effectiveness of a small number of 

accelerators in expediting the 

development and delivery of specific 

transportation projects within the 

geographic area of each RIA designated 

by the Bureau. It is not the Bureau’s 

intention to provide RIA coverage 

nationwide. However, the Bureau is 

keenly interested in testing several RIA 

models to address needs based on 

common transportation infrastructure 

make-up and challenges within regions, 

particularly those with less capacity or 

experience in innovative financing and 

project delivery methods, and those 

supporting eligible entities that are 

likely to be first time users of the 

Bureau’s credit programs, such as the 

TIFIA credit program. Therefore, the 

Bureau plans to select approximately 

three, but not more than five, RIAs 

based on proposals submitted by 

eligible applicants in response to this 

notice. Ideally, at least one State/multiState application, one urban 

application, and one rurally focused 

application will be selected. However, 

flexibility exists to consider other 

proposed geographic configurations if 

the regional make-up is sound. For 

example, the Bureau would consider an 

RIA that has a corridor focus that does 

not entirely fit within one of the 

categories outlined in Regional 

Designation as follows: 

2. Regional Designation: For the 

purpose of this Program, the Bureau will 

consider regional designation as broadly 

defined in the following categories: 

a. State or Multi-State: An RIA that 

serves one State or a group of State 

entities with common interest in 

transportation projects being delivered. 

b. Urban or Metropolitan Planning 

Organization (MPO): An RIA that serves 

local government or group of local 

jurisdictions with transportation 

functions within a metropolitan area. 

For the purpose of this Program, if the 

RIA serves MPOs sharing State 

boundaries, it would be considered 

under this category. 

c. Rural: An RIA that serves a region 

of rural communities as defined in this 

notice. An RIA serving multiple rural 

communities across state lines would be 

considered under this category. To be 

considered a rural RIA, most of the 

projects listed in the proposal must 

meet the definition of rural in Section 

C.5 of this notice. 

d. Other: Any proposal that includes 

multiple jurisdictions with shared 

priorities and interest, such as a river 

basin, transportation corridor, etc. 

3. Program Goals: The primary intent 

for the RIAs is to provide projectspecific technical assistance for projects 

that are eligible for the TIFIA credit 

program. In addition, the Bureau is 

interested in identifying RIAs that can 

facilitate the acceleration of projects that 

are eligible for credit assistance through 

the RRIF credit program and PABs. This 

assistance can be in the form of any of 

the following, based on the needs of the 

project(s) that the applicant proposes to 

assist: 

a. Project planning; 

b. Studies and analysis, including 

feasibility, market analysis, project 

costs, cost-benefit analysis, value for 

money, public benefit, economic 

assessments, and environmental 

reviews; 

c. Revenue forecasting, funding and 

financing options analyses, application 

of best practices, innovative financing/ 

procurement, and public-private 

partnerships, where appropriate; 

d. Preliminary engineering and design 

work; 

e. Statutory and regulatory framework 

analyses; 

f. Evaluation of opportunities for 

private financing, project bundling and/ 

or phasing; 

g. Enhancement of rural project 

sponsors’ capacity to use the TIFIA 

credit program and to the extent 

applicable, the RRIF credit program, 

PABs, and other innovative financing 

methods, helping to bundle projects 

across multiple smaller jurisdictions to 

create a project at a scale that is more 

appropriate for the Bureau’s credit 

assistance, and pool the jurisdictions’ 

resources to apply for TIFIA credit 

assistance and, to the extent applicable, 

RRIF credit assistance and PABs, as well 

as leveraging DOT’s Rural Opportunities 

to Use Transportation for Economic 

Success (ROUTES) Initiatives’ 3

products and offerings; and 

h. Other direct, project-specific 

support as appropriate. 

Funding, in the form of and pursuant 

to a cooperative agreement, will be 

provided for a single year, with an 

option for a second year for RIA that 

meet or exceed agreed-upon 

performance targets. Competitive 

proposals that demonstrate long-term 

self-sustainability will be given greater 

consideration. The Bureau intends to 

work closely with grant recipients in 

developing and, as applicable, financing 

projects within the RIA’s geographic 

area. 

B. Federal Award Information 

1. The Bureau hereby requests 

applications from all interested parties 

to result in the award of several 

cooperative agreements, each containing 

substantial involvement on the part of 

the Federal government in accordance 

with Section 6305 of title 31, United 

States Code. The Bureau anticipates 

substantial Federal involvement 

between it and the recipient during this 

project will include among others: 

a. Technical assistance and guidance 

to the recipients; 

b. Close monitoring of performance; 

c. Involvement in technical decisions; 

and 

d. Participation in status meetings 

including kick off meeting and annual 

technical and budget reviews. 

2. Total amount of funding that the 

Bureau expects to award under this 

notice is $5 million. 

3. The Bureau will conduct the RIA 

selection based on principles of full and 

open competition. 

4. Program Funding and Awards: 

a. Number of Awards: The Bureau 

intends to select at least three but no 

more than five RIAs, based on the 

number and viability of applications. 

b. Size of Award: A total of $5 million 

is available for this demonstration 

program. The size of individual awards 

will be determined by the number of 

RIAs selected and the funding needed 

for each to meet the program objectives. 

5. Funding Period: The Bureau 

intends to award funds on a yearly basis 

for a period of two years under a 

cooperative agreement with the second 

year as an option year. A third option 

year of funding may be provided if the 

RIA is achieving agreed-upon 

performance objectives, subject to the 

availability of funds. 

C. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: To be selected 

as an RIA, an applicant must be an 


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eligible applicant. An eligible applicant 

is: A U.S. public entity, including a 

state, multi-state or multi-jurisdictional 

group, municipality, county, a special 

purpose district or public authority with 

a transportation function including a 

port authority, a tribal government or 

consortium of tribal governments, MPO, 

regional transportation planning 

organization (RTPO), Regional 

Transportation Commission, or a 

political subdivision of a State or local 

government, or combination of two or 

more of the foregoing. 

In the event that more than one public 

entity is applying in a single proposal, 

one of the entities must be designated as 

the lead applicant. Such applicant will 

be authorized to negotiate and enter into 

a cooperative agreement with the 

Government on behalf of the entities, 

will be responsible for performance, and 

will be accountable for Federal funds. 

Applications will be accepted from a 

partnership between one or more 

eligible applicants and another U.S. 

party, such as a private entity, 

consulting or engineering firms, etc., as 

long as one of the eligible public entities 

is designated as the lead applicant and 

that entity will enter into the 

cooperative agreement, with the shared 

goal of establishing and operating the 

RIA. The location of all RIA application 

parties, their entire jurisdictions and all 

proposed projects must be located solely 

in the United States and its territories. 

Proposed projects and project sponsors 

(prospective borrowers) must meet the 

eligibility requirements for TIFIA and 

RRIF credit assistance as further defined 

in Chapter 3 of the Bureau’s Credit 

Program Guide (https://

www.transportation.gov/sites/ 

buildamerica.dot.gov/files/2019-08/ 

Bureau%20Credit%20Programs

%20Guide_March_2017.pdf#page=29). 

In addition, the Bureau will consider 

the extent to which an applicant 

demonstrates the capacity to accelerate 

projects eligible for the TIFIA credit 

program and, to the extent applicable, 

the (RRIF) credit program and (PABs). 

2. Cost sharing or Matching: There is 

no requirement for cost sharing or 

matching the grant funds. 

3. Other: For the purposes of this 

program, the following terms apply: 

a. Rural Infrastructure Project: 

Consistent with the definition of ‘‘rural 

infrastructure project’’ for the TIFIA 

credit program, ‘‘rural’’ for the purposes 

of this notice is defined as a surface 

transportation infrastructure project 

located outside of an urbanized area 

with a population greater than 150,000 

individuals, as determined by the 

Bureau of the Census. 

b. A proposed region whose 

geographic authority is in both an urban 

and a rural area will be designated as 

urban if the majority of the projects 

listed in the proposal are located in 

urban areas. Conversely, a proposed 

region located in both an urban area and 

a rural area will be designated as rural 

if the majority of the projects listed in 

the proposal are in rural areas. 

c. Urban/Rural Project determination: 

A project located in both an urban and 

a rural area will be designated as urban 

if less than 1⁄2 of the project’s costs are 

spent in a rural area. If 2⁄3 or more of a 

project’s costs are spent in a rural area, 

the project will be designated as rural. 

For projects where between 1⁄2 and 2⁄3 of 

their costs are in a rural area, the project 

will be designated as rural if the 

applicant demonstrates that 2⁄3 or more 

of the project’s benefits accrue to users 

in rural areas; if the applicant does not 

make such demonstration, the project 

will be designated as urban. 

D. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address to Request Application 

Package: Applicants must submit all 

applications through www.Grants.gov. 

Instructions for submitting applications 

can be found at https://

www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/ 

financing/tifia/regional-infrastructureaccelerators-program. 

2. Content and Form of Application: 

The application must include the 

Standard Form 424 (Application for 

Federal Assistance), cover page, and the 

application narrative. 

A. Cover Page: Each application 

should include a cover page that 

contains, at minimum, name of the 

applicant and sponsor, if applicable, the 

location; the region of designation; 

category of designation for which the 

applicant is to be considered; and RIA 

budget amount. 

B. Application Narrative: The 

application narrative should follow the 

basic outline below to address the 

program requirements and assist 

evaluators in locating relevant 

information. 

Section Section 

explained 

I. Applicant ................................ See D.2.I. 

II. Description of Proposed Geographic/Jurisdictional Region.See D.2.II. 

III. Accelerator Proposal ........... See D.2.III. 

IV. Budget, Sources and Uses 

for Full Accelerator Funds.

See D.2.IV. 

V. Selection Criteria ................. See D.2.V. 

The application narrative should 

include the information necessary for 

the Bureau to determine that the 

applicant(s) proposed regional focus, 

the overall accelerator proposal, list of 

intended projects, budget, and other 

information satisfy the eligibility 

requirements set forth in this notice as 

described in Section C and to assess the 

selection criteria specified in Section 

E.1. To the extent practicable, 

applicants should provide supporting 

data and documentation in a form that 

is directly verifiable by the Bureau. The 

Bureau may ask any applicant to 

supplement data in its application but 

expects applications to be complete 

upon submission. 

In addition to the information 

requested elsewhere in this notice, the 

proposal should include a table of 

contents, maps, and graphics, as 

appropriate, to make the information 

easier to review. The Bureau 

recommends that the proposal be 

prepared with standard formatting 

preferences (a single-spaced document, 

using a standard 12-point font such as 

Times New Roman, with 1-inch 

margins). The proposal narrative may 

not exceed 30 pages in length, excluding 

cover pages and table of contents. The 

only substantive portions that may 

exceed the 30-page limit are documents 

supporting assertions or conclusions 

made in the 30-page project narrative. If 

possible, applicants should provide 

website links to supporting 

documentation rather than copies of 

these supporting materials. If supporting 

documents are submitted, applicants 

should clearly identify within the 

project narrative the relevant portion of 

the project narrative that each 

supporting document supports. The 

Bureau recommends using 

appropriately descriptive file names 

(e.g., ‘‘Project Narrative,’’ ‘‘Maps,’’ 

‘‘Memoranda of Understanding’’ and 

‘‘Letters of Support,’’ etc.) for all 

attachments. 

I. Applicant: This section of the 

narrative should include information 

describing the organizational structure 

and formal/informal relationships 

between parties associated with the RIA 

application. It should directly address 

the eligibility requirements discussed in 

section C.1 of this notice. The applicant 

should use this section to explain the 

organization’s history, qualifications, 

and experience of key individuals who 

will be working in the proposed RIA. 

This section should also include 

descriptions of previous projects 

relevant to the RIA’s activities 

envisioned in this notice that the 

organization or its individuals 

completed. The narrative should place 

the projects into a broader context of 

transportation infrastructure 


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investments being pursued by the 

proposed RIA and its sponsors, and how 

it will benefit communities within the 

region. 

II. Description of Proposed 

Geographic/Jurisdictional Region: This 

portion of the narrative should precisely 

identify the geographic region, the 

jurisdictions, and the agencies the RIA 

would serve and identify which of the 

four categories of RIA identified in 

Section A.2 that this proposal falls 

under, and explain why. The narrative 

should explain the commonalities and 

shared interests of parties in the 

proposed region as the rationale for 

establishing a region of this construct, 

along with the affiliations within the 

proposed region. Consistent with the 

Department’s ROUTES Initiative 

(https://www.transportation.gov/rural), 

the Department encourages applicants 

to describe how activities proposed in 

their application would address the 

unique challenges facing rural 

transportation networks, regardless of 

the geographic location of those 

activities. 

III. Accelerator Proposal: This section 

of the narrative should explain how the 

applicant(s) propose to establish the RIA 

and the concept of how it would 

operate, and provide the project-specific 

services identified in Section A of this 

notice, along with a proposed timeline 

for establishing the RIA, with key 

milestones and suggested performance 

targets during its operational phase. 

The applicant should describe, in 

sufficient detail, the applicant’s 

approach to identifying and building the 

pipeline of projects to be undertaken 

and how they will develop such projects 

utilizing their experience and expertise, 

and identify an initial pipeline of 

projects that are eligible for TIFIA credit 

assistance and, to the extent applicable, 

RRIF credit assistance, PABs and other 

innovative financing methods. The 

narrative should also contain a list of 

projects that the applicant(s) propose to 

assist under the RIA. This list, to the 

extent possible, should include, at a 

minimum: 

(a) Project name and location; 

(b) Project sponsor; 

(c) Description; 

(d) Bureau program most likely to 

apply (TIFIA, RRIF, PABs); 

(e) Support activities the applicant 

envisions the RIA would provide 

(f) Project costs; and 

(g) Project timeline. 

The prospective applicant should 

describe in their proposal to the extent 

possible and, where applicable, if the 

project will (1) decrease transportation 

costs and improve access, especially for 

rural communities or communities in 

Opportunity Zones, through reliable and 

timely access to employment centers 

and job opportunities; (2) improve longterm efficiency, reliability or costs in the 

movement of workers or goods; (3) 

increase the economic productivity of 

land, capital, or labor, including assets 

in Opportunity Zones; (4) result in longterm job creation and other economic 

opportunities; or (5) help the United 

States compete in a global economy by 

facilitating efficient and reliable freight 

movement. Projects that bridge gaps in 

service in rural areas, and projects that 

attract private economic development, 

all support local or regional economic 

competitiveness. The Department 

intends to collect Opportunity Zones 

information to advance other 

Department activities related to 

Opportunity Zones, but the Department 

does not consider projects located in an 

Opportunity Zone to be more 

competitive for an RIA award than 

projects located outside an Opportunity 

Zone. 

IV. Budget, Sources, and Uses for Full 

Accelerator Funds: The applicant 

should include a proposed financial 

plan and budget including the Federal 

grant amount requested, non-federal 

matching funds, in-kind contributions 

and other sources. The proposed plan 

should also include a list of activities 

and projects as well as all associated 

costs of the proposed RIA. For nonFederal matching funds, the application 

should identify the sources as well as 

supporting documentation indicating 

the degree to which those funds are 

committed and dates of their 

availability. If the applicant proposes 

that the RIA will reach a point of longterm self-sustainability, the narrative 

should include a description of how this 

would happen, and where the long-term 

funds would be generated. 

V. Selection Criteria: This section of 

the application should demonstrate how 

the application aligns with the criteria 

described in Section E.1 of this notice. 

The Bureau intends to select and 

designate RIA that demonstrate in their 

proposal the ability to effectively assist 

entities in developing improved 

infrastructure priorities and financing 

strategies for the accelerated 

development of one or more projects 

eligible for funding under the TIFIA 

program. DOT will consider the extent 

to which an RIA is likely to effectively 

promote investment in eligible projects, 

develop a pipeline of regional 

transportation projects, and result in the 

implementation of projects with 

innovative financing methods. 

The Bureau encourages applicants to 

either address each criterion or 

expressly state that the project does not 

address the criterion. Applicants are not 

required to follow a specific format, but 

the outline suggested addresses each 

criterion separately and promotes a 

clear discussion that assists project 

evaluators. To minimize redundant 

information in the application, the 

Bureau encourages applicants to crossreference from this section of their 

application to relevant substantive 

information in other sections of the 

application. The guidance in this 

section is about how the applicant 

should organize their application. 

Guidance describing how the Bureau 

will evaluate projects against the 

Selection Criteria is in Section E.1 of 

this notice. Applicants also should 

review that section before considering 

how to organize their application. 

3. Unique Entity Identifier and 

System for Award Management (SAM) 

Each applicant must: (1) Be registered 

in SAM before submitting its 

application; (2) provide a valid unique 

entity identifier in its application; and 

(3) continue to maintain an active SAM 

registration with current information at 

all times during which it has an active 

Federal award or an application or plan 

under consideration by a Federal 

awarding agency. The Department may 

not make an RIA grant to an applicant 

until the applicant has complied with 

all applicable unique entity identifier 

and SAM requirements and, if an 

applicant has not fully complied with 

the requirements by the time the 

Department is ready to make a grant, the 

Department may determine that the 

applicant is not qualified to receive a 

grant and use that determination as a 

basis for making a grant to another 

applicant. 

4. Submission Dates and Timelines 

a. Deadline: Applications in response 

to this NOFO must be submitted 

through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EST 

90 days after publication of this notice. 

The Grants.gov ‘‘Apply’’ function will 

open on the date of publication. The 

Bureau may hold NOFO information 

session(s) before the due date. 

To submit an application through 

Grants.gov, applicants must: 

(1) Obtain a Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number; 

(2) Register with the System Award 

for Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov; 

and 

(3) Create a Grants.gov username and 

password; and 

(4) The E-business Point of Contact 

(POC) at the applicant’s organization 

must also respond to the registration 

email from Grants.gov and login at 

Grants.gov to authorize the POC as an 

Authorized Organization Representative 


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(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 that the 

Department will not consider late 

applications that are the result of failure 

to register or comply with Grants.gov 

applicant requirements in a timely 

manner. For information and instruction 

on each of these processes, please see 

instructions at http://www.grants.gov/ 

web/grants/applicants/applicantfaqs.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 

1(800) 518–4726, Monday-Friday from 

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST. 

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. 

c. Late Applications 

Applications received after the 

deadline will not be considered except 

in the case of unforeseen technical 

difficulties outlined in Section D.4.d. 

d. Late Application Policy 

Applicants experiencing technical 

issues with Grants.gov that are beyond 

the applicant’s control must contact 

RIA@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 website; (3) failure to follow all the 

instructions in this notice of funding 

opportunity; and (4) technical issues 

experienced with the applicant’s 

computer or information technology 

environment. After the Department 

reviews all information submitted and 

contacts the Grants.gov Help Desk to 

validate reported technical issues, 

USDOT 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. 

5. Applications under this NOFO are 

not subject to the State review under 

E.O. 12372. 

6. Funding Restrictions: The DOT will 

not reimburse any pre-award costs or 

application preparation costs under this 

proposed agreement. Construction of 

any project being contemplated or aided 

by the proposed RIA is not an allowable 

activity under this grant. All nondomestic travel must be approved in 

writing by the DOT designated 

agreement officer prior to incurring 

costs. Travel requirements under the 

cooperative agreement will be met using 

the most economical form of 

transportation available. If economy 

class transportation is not available, the 

request for payment vouchers must be 

submitted with justification for use of 

higher class travel indicating dates, 

times, and flight numbers. 

E. Application Review Information 

1. Criteria: This section specifies the 

criteria that the Bureau will use to 

evaluate and award applications for 

Program grants. The criteria incorporate 

statutory eligibility requirements. For 

each proposed RIA, the Bureau will 

review the application for the criteria 

described in this section. The Bureau 

does not consider any criterion more 

important than the others. 

A. Experience/Qualifications: The 

Bureau will assess whether and to what 

extent the applicant(s): 

(1) Possess the ability to evaluate and 

promote innovative financing methods 

for local projects including the use of 

TIFIA and RRIF and other Federal 

assistance programs where applicable; 

(2) Possess the ability to provide 

technical assistance on best practices 

with respect to financing projects; 

(3) Have experience in increasing 

transparency with respect to 

infrastructure project analysis and using 

innovative financing for public 

infrastructure projects; 

(4) Have experience in deploying 

predevelopment capital programs 

designed to facilitate the creation of a 

pipeline of infrastructure projects 

available for investment; 

(5) Have a history of successfully 

bundling smaller-scale and rural 

projects into larger proposals that may 

be more attractive for private 

investment; 

(6) Have demonstrated success in 

reducing transaction costs for public 

project sponsors; and 

(7) Demonstrate the capacity to 

accelerate projects eligible for the TIFIA 

credit program and, to the extent 

applicable, the Railroad Rehabilitation 

and Improvement Financing (RRIF) 

credit program and Private Activity 

Bonds (PABs). 

B. Partnerships: The Bureau will 

consider the extent to which 

applicant(s) demonstrate strong 

collaboration among a broad range of 

stakeholders in the proposed geographic 

area of the RIA. Applications with 

strong partnerships typically involve 

multiple partners in project 

development, funding, and finance. The 

Bureau will consider applicants that 

partner with State, local, and private 

entities for the development, funding, 

financing, and delivery of transportation 

projects to have strong partnerships. 

Evaluators will also consider the 

relationship of the RIA with its 

constituencies and authorities granted 

by them. The Bureau will assess the 

ability of the proposed RIA to quickly 

and effectively develop projects by 

having the support of its members and 

working across jurisdictions. 

C. Regional Viability: The Bureau will 

evaluate the proposed region, 

geographically, organizationally, and 

functionally, as well as its jurisdictional 

relevance. In evaluating this criterion, 

the Bureau will consider the geographic 

make-up of the proposed RIA and the 

transportation needs of the region. 

D. Business Model: The Bureau will 

assess the thoroughness, viability, and 

efficiency that the applicant(s) can 

establish the RIA, commence 

operations, and deliver project-specific 

outcomes. In conducting this 

assessment, evaluators will consider: 

(1) The effort, cost, and actions 

necessary to initially establish the 

proposed RIA, including workspaces, 

fixed and variable costs, staffing, and 

the development of relationships 

necessary to function effectively in the 

proposed region. 

(2) How the proposed RIA will 

operate once established, including 

costs, organization, efficiency, 

availability of the technical expertise 

and resources needed to accelerate 

project delivery, work plan, and time 

required to achieve operational status. 

E. Pipeline: The Bureau will consider 

the proposed pipeline of projects and 

assess whether and to what extent they 


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are likely to be eligible projects and 

appropriate for development activities 

as set forth in this notice. The proposed 

pipeline must include one or more 

projects likely to be eligible for TIFIA 

credit assistance. In evaluating this 

criterion, the Bureau will consider the 

number of eligible projects in the 

pipeline, the degree of local/regional 

support of the projects, and the project 

status and timeline as they relate to the 

likelihood the RIA can impact the 

project during the performance period 

of the cooperative agreement. Evaluators 

will also assess the degree to which the 

skills/experience of the applicant(s) are 

appropriate for the proposed projects. 

The Bureau will also evaluate the 

viability and proposed approach the 

applicant(s) have developed for 

attracting new projects into the RIA’s 

pipeline of projects and how they 

propose to assist and monitor the 

development of those projects. 

F. Readiness: The Bureau will 

consider the extent to which the 

proposed RIA is prepared to commence 

operations and begin achieving projectspecific results. Evaluators will also 

assess the viability of the proposed 

budget as it relates to the establishment 

and successful operations of the RIA as 

proposed. In considering this criterion, 

evaluators will also determine the 

likelihood that proposed milestones will 

be subject to delay and/or cost overruns 

and the risk that key milestones might 

be missed due to internal or external 

factors. Evaluators will also consider the 

readiness of the proposed RIA to 

commence operations, including but not 

limited to: 

(1) Availability of facilities and 

equipment necessary to function; 

(2) Existing governance structure as 

compared to proposed future structure; 

and 

(3) Ability of existing relationships to 

rapidly deliver results. 

G. Value: The Bureau will evaluate 

the relative value of the proposal to 

individual projects and the taxpayer, 

including but not limited to: the number 

of projects likely to measurably be 

accelerated as a result of the proposed 

technical assistance of the RIA, the 

number of projects reasonably expected 

to receive Bureau financing, and the 

asset class(es) most prevalent in the 

proposed project portfolio. In 

considering this criterion, evaluators 

will also consider the applicant’s 

proposed performance targets (Section 

III of the application) and how they 

compare to the overall proposed cost of 

the RIA (Section IV of the application). 

H. Rural Assistance: Where 

applicable, the Bureau will evaluate the 

degree to which the proposal can 

support individual rural project 

sponsors. The Bureau will consider 

opportunities proposed to overcome 

common barriers to using TIFIA and 

RRIF credit assistance and other 

innovative financing methods for rural 

project sponsors, such as project size or 

type, financial or institutional 

capabilities, and other issues. Consistent 

with the Department’s ROUTES 

Initiative (https://

www.transportation.gov/rural), the 

Department recognizes that rural 

transportation networks face unique 

challenges. To the extent that those 

challenges are reflected in the merit 

criteria listed in this section, the 

Department will consider how the 

activities proposed in the application 

will address those challenges, regardless 

of the geographic location of those 

activities. This can include delivering 

innovative technical assistance and 

leveraging the DOT ROUTES Initiative 

to provide user-friendly information and 

other assistance to rural project 

sponsors. 

I. Self-Sustainability: The Bureau will 

consider whether and to what extent the 

proposed RIA will achieve selfsustainability during the Program’s 

effective period of receipt of Federal 

funding. In the event that a proposed 

RIA will not achieve self-sustainability, 

the Bureau will evaluate the extent to 

which the termination of the RIA might 

deliver long-term benefits as the result 

of projects delivered during the funding 

period. 

J. Risk: The Bureau will assess the 

risks to successful implementation and 

operation of the proposed RIA, and the 

degree to which proposed mitigation 

activities might address/offset those 

risks. Evaluators will also assess the 

practicality of proposed mitigation 

activities in terms of cost, complexity, 

and time required to implement the 

actions. 

2. Review and Selection Process: A 

Review Team will review all eligible 

applications received by the deadline. 

This Review Team will consist of Modal 

Liaisons from the Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), Federal 

Railroad Administration (FRA) and 

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 

and two Bureau employees appointed 

by the Executive Director. The Program 

grants review and selection process 

consists of two steps: (1) The Review 

Team will evaluate each proposal and 

make a determination of eligibility 

based on criteria outlined in Section C.1 

of this notice and, if deemed eligible; (2) 

the Review Team will evaluate the 

proposal based on the Selection Criteria 

in Section E.1 of this notice. The Review 

Team will make recommendations to 

the Executive Director. The Executive 

Director will finalize those 

recommendations and present the 

recommendations to the Secretary. The 

final decisions as to recipients will be 

made by the Secretary of 

Transportation. 

3. Additional Information 

Prior to award, each selected 

applicant will be subject to a risk 

assessment as required by 2 CFR 

200.205. The Department 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 

Department will consider 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. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

1. Federal Award Notice 

Following the evaluation process 

outlined in Section E.2, the Secretary 

will announce awarded projects by 

posting a list of selected RIA at https:// 

www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/ 

financing/tifia/regional-infrastructureaccelerators-program. Notice of 

selection is not authorization to begin 

performance or to incur costs for the 

proposed RIA. Following that 

announcement, the Bureau will contact 

the point of contact listed in the SF 424 

to initiate negotiation of the cooperative 

agreement. 

2. Administration and National Policy 

Requirements 

Performance under the cooperative 

agreement will be governed by and in 

compliance with the following 

requirements as applicable to the type of 

organization of the recipient and any 

applicable sub-recipients: 

All awards will be administered 

pursuant to the Uniform Administrative 

Requirements, Cost Principles and 

Audit Requirements for Federal Awards 

found in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted by 

DOT at 2 CFR part 1201. 

Other terms and condition as well as 

performance requirements will be 

addressed in the cooperative agreement 

with the recipient. The full terms and 

conditions of the resulting cooperative 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 251 / Thursday, December 31, 2020 / Notices 86989 

agreements may vary and are subject to 

discussions and negotiations. 

In connection with any program or 

activity conducted with or benefiting 

from funds awarded under this notice, 

recipients of funds must comply with 

all applicable requirements of Federal 

law, including, without limitation, the 

Constitution of the United States 

statutory, regulatory, and public policy 

requirements, including without 

limitation, those protecting free speech, 

religious liberty, public welfare, the 

environment, and prohibiting 

discrimination; the conditions of 

performance, non-discrimination 

requirements, and other assurances 

made applicable to the award of funds 

in accordance with regulations of the 

Department of Transportation; and 

applicable Federal financial assistance 

and contracting principles promulgated 

by the Office of Management and 

Budget. In complying with these 

requirements, recipients must ensure 

that no concession agreements are 

denied or other contracting decisions 

made on the basis of speech or other 

activities protected by the First 

Amendment. If the Bureau determines 

that a recipient has failed to comply 

with applicable Federal requirements, 

the Bureau may terminate the award of 

funds and disallow previously incurred 

costs, requiring the recipient to 

reimburse any expended award funds. 

Additionally, Executive Order 13858 

directs the Executive Branch 

Departments and agencies to maximize 

the use of goods, products, and 

materials produced in the United States 

through the terms and conditions of 

Federal financial assistance awards. If 

selected for an award, grant recipients 

must be prepared to demonstrate how 

they will maximize the use of domestic 

goods, products, and materials, as 

applicable, in establishing and operating 

the RIA. 

3. Reporting 

A. Progress Reporting on Grant 

Activities 

Each applicant selected for RIA grant 

funding must submit semi-annual 

progress reports as agreed to in the 

cooperative agreement to monitor RIA 

progress and ensure accountability and 

financial transparency in the RIA grant 

program. 

B. Performance Reporting 

Each applicant selected for RIA grant 

funding must collect and report to the 

Bureau information on the RIA’s 

performance. The specific performance 

information and reporting period will be 

determined on an individual basis. It is 

anticipated that the Bureau and the 

grant recipient will hold monthly 

progress meetings or calls during which 

the Bureau will review project activities, 

schedule, and progress toward mutually 

agreed upon performance targets in the 

cooperative agreement. If the award is 

greater than $500,000 over the period of 

performance, applicants must adhere to 

the post award reporting requirements 

reflected in 2 CFR part 200 Appendix 

XII—Award Term and Condition for 

Recipient Integrity and Performance 

Matters. 

C. Reporting of Matters Related to 

Recipient 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 $10,000,000 

for any period of time during the period 

of performance of this Federal award, 

then the applicant during that period of 

time must maintain the currency of 

information reported to the SAM that is 

made available in the designated 

integrity and performance system 

(currently FAPIIS) about civil, criminal, 

or administrative proceedings described 

in paragraph 2 of this award term and 

condition. 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. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

For further information concerning 

this notice please contact the Bureau via 

email at RIA@dot.gov, or call Sam 

Beydoun at 202–366–0198. A TDD is 

available for individuals who are deaf or 

hard of hearing at 202–366–3993. In 

addition, the Bureau will post answers 

to questions and requests for 

clarifications on the Bureau’s website at 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

buildamerica/financing/tifia/regionalinfrastructure-accelerators-program. To 

ensure applicants receive accurate 

information about eligibility or the 

program, the applicant is encouraged to 

contact the Bureau directly, rather than 

through intermediaries or third parties, 

with questions. Bureau staff may also 

conduct briefings on the Program grant 

selection and award process upon 

request. 

H. Other Information 

1. Protection of Confidential Business 

Information 

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. If 

the applicant submits information that 

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 cross-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, indicate whether the 

CBI is information the applicant keeps 

private and is of the type of information 

the applicant regularly keeps private. 

The Bureau/DOT will protect 

confidential information complying 

with these requirements to the extent 

required under applicable law. If the 

Bureau receives a Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) request for the 

information that the applicant has 

marked in accordance with this section, 

the Bureau will follow the procedures 

described in its FOIA regulations at 49 

CFR 7. 29. 

2. Publication/Sharing of Application 

Information 

Following the completion of the 

selection process and announcement of 

awards, the Bureau intends to publish a 

list of all applications received along 

with the names of the applicant 

organizations and funding amounts 

requested. Except for the information 

properly marked as described in Section 

H.1, the Bureau may make application 

narratives publicly available or share 

application information within DOT or 

with other Federal agencies if DOT 

determines that sharing is relevant to 

the respective program’s objectives. 

3. Department Feedback on Application 

The Bureau strives to provide as 

much information as possible to assist 

applicants with the application process. 

The Bureau will not review applications 

in advance, but Bureau staff are 

available for technical questions and 

assistance. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
86990 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 251 / Thursday, December 31, 2020 / Notices 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

17, 2020. 

Elaine L. Chao, 

Secretary of Transportation. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28284 Filed 12–30–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

[OST Docket No. DOT–OST–2011–0170] 

Notice of Submission of Proposed 

Information Collection to OMB; Agency 

Request for Revision of BTS Form 251 

and Renewal of OMB Control Number 

2138–0018: Part 250 of the 

Department’s Economic Regulations— 

Oversales 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), this Notice confirms the 

Department of Transportation’s 

(Department) intention to renew and 

revise an Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) control number as related 

to the Department’s Bureau of 

Transportation Statistics (BTS) Form 

251, Report of Passengers Denied 

Confirmed Space. A 60-day comment 

period soliciting comments on the 

information collection was published on 

March 3, 2020. Three comments were 

received. The Department addresses 

those comments in this Notice and is 

seeking to renew the current OMB 

control number by forwarding the 

Information Collection Request (ICR) 

abstracted below to OMB. The ICR 

renames Form 251 to Form 250 and 

revises the form to reduce the burden on 

airlines, better clarify the instructions 

for completing the form, and provide 

more relevant information to 

consumers. 

DATES: Comments on this Notice must 

be received by February 1, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding 

the burden estimate, including 

suggestions for reducing the burden, to 

the Office of Management and Budget, 

Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of 

the Secretary of Transportation, 725 

17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. 

Comments may also be sent via email to 

OMB at the following address: oira_

submissions@omb.eop.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stuart Hindman, (202) 366–9342, 

Stuart.Hindman@dot.gov, Office of 

Aviation Consumer Protection (C–70), 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

OMB Control Number: 2138–0018. 

Title: Report of Passengers Denied 

Confirmed Space Due to an Oversale 

Situation. 

Type of Request: Request to Revise 

and Rename Form 251 and Renew OMB 

Control Number. 

Abstract/Background: BTS Form 251 

is a one-page report that U.S. reporting 

carriers submit to the Department on a 

quarterly basis. Among other things, the 

form contains the following 

information: (1) The number of 

passengers denied seats on flights that 

they hold confirmed spaces, either 

voluntarily or involuntarily, (2) the 

numbers of passengers involuntarily 

denied boarding (bumped passengers) 

who qualified for compensation and 

were or were not provided alternate 

transportation, (3) the number of 

passengers voluntarily or involuntarily 

denied boarding who received 

compensation and the amounts of the 

compensation paid to them, and (4) the 

total number of enplanements at a U.S. 

airport relating to flights that are subject 

to the oversales rule. For the purpose of 

Form 251, reporting carriers are U.S. air 

carriers that account for at least 0.5 

percent of domestic scheduled-service 

passenger revenues. These reporting 

carriers must submit Form 251 for all 

flights operated on aircraft with a 

designed passenger capacity of 30 or 

more seats which depart a U.S. airport. 

Carriers do not report data from 

inbound international flights to the 

United States because the protections of 

14 CFR part 250 Oversales do not apply 

to these flights. In addition, reporting 

carriers must file a separate form for all 

scheduled flight segments originating in 

the United States that are operated by a 

codeshare partner of the reporting 

carrier that is a certificated air carrier or 

commuter air carrier using aircraft that 

have a designed passenger capacity of 

30 or more seats, and marketed only 

under one U.S. carrier’s code. As of 

January 1, 2020, there are 5 such 

reporting carriers. 

The Department uses Form 251 to 

monitor the level of oversales activity by 

each reporting carrier, the impact on 

passengers, and the effectiveness of the 

Department’s oversales rule. Certain 

information collected from Form 251 is 

made available to the public in the 

Department’s monthly publication, the 

Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), at: 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

individuals/aviation-consumerprotection/air-travel-consumer-reports. 

The ATCR is a widely cited source of 

information for newspapers, magazines 

and trade journals. A review of the Form 

251 data reveals that the overall 

involuntarily denied-boarding rate has 

consistently decreased in recent years, 

while passenger enplanements are 

increasing. For example, compared to 

the annual involuntary denied boarding 

rate of 4.38 per 10,000 passengers in 

1980, this rate has been reduced to 0.24 

per 10,000 passengers in 2019. 

Publishing individual carrier’s denied 

boarding rates publicly serves to 

diminish the need for more intrusive 

regulations by disincentivizing carriers 

from setting unreasonable overbooking 

rates—resulting in a market based 

mechanism that is more efficient than 

direct regulation. In addition, a carrier’s 

denied boarding rate provides an insight 

into that carrier’s operational principles 

and customer service practices. For 

instance, a rapid sustained increase in 

the rate of denied boarding may indicate 

operational difficulties. Because the rate 

of denied boarding is released quarterly, 

travelers and travel agents concerned 

about being bumped can select carriers 

with lower incidences of denied 

boardings. 

In 2016, the Department issued a final 

rule that, in part, revised the oversales 

reporting requirements. In conjunction 

with that rulemaking, on May 23, 2014 

the Department published a 60-day FR 

Notice (79 FR 29970), and, on November 

3, 2016, a 30-day FR Notice (81 FR 

76800) to renew and revise the OMB 

control number regarding oversales 

information collection (2138–0018). On 

October 12, 2017, OMB approved the 

control number authorizing these new 

collections of information until October 

31, 2020. The Department received an 

emergency extension of the current 

OMB control number until December 

31, 2020. 

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA) and its 

implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 

1320, require Federal agencies to issue 

two notices seeking public comment on 

information collection activities before 

OMB may approve paperwork packages. 

44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 

1320.8(d)(1), 1320.12. On March 3, 

2020, the Department published a 60- 

day Notice in the Federal Register 

soliciting comment on ICRs for which 

the agency was seeking OMB approval 

(85 FR 12664). A line-by-line summary 

of the proposed changes to the form 

with an explanation for each change 

was published in the 60-day Notice. The 

Department received three comments, 

one from an industry trade organization, 

one from a U.S. airline, and one from a 

member of the public. The Department’s 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES