October 27, 2022

RAIL

MOVING AMERICA FORWARD

Presented by:

Sergio Coronado

FY22 CRISI Grant Program NOFO Office Hours ––

Project Narrative Best Practices
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Presenter

Sergio Coronado

Transportation Industry Analyst, 

Rail Program Policy and 

Performance Division
3

Agenda

1. Overview of the competitive grant process

2. Components of the narrative

• Cover Page to Environmental Readiness

3. Tools and resources

4. Questions

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2

3

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FRA Competitive/Discretionary Grant Review Process 

• Is this project 

eligible?

• Is the applicant 

eligible?

• What are the 

project benefits? 

Does it improve 

safety, economic 

vitality, access to 

emergency 

services?

• Is the applicant 

capable of 

carrying out this 

project?

• Projects are 

selected based 

on their ability to 

meet selection 

and evaluation 

criteria.

• FRA press 

release 

announces 

selections 4 to 

5 months 

following the 

application due 

date.

INTAKE EVALUATION SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 Structure your project narrative 

in accordance with the outline 

specified in the NOFO

 Include all elements identified in 

the outline

 Follow the instructions for 

each element

 Adhere to 25-page limit – Cover 

Page does not count against limit

Project Narrative Outline

I. Cover Page

II. Project Summary

III. Project Funding

IV. Applicant Eligibility

V. Project Eligibility

VI. Detailed Project Description

VII. Project Location

VIII. Evaluation and Selection Criteria

IX. Project Implementation and Management

X. Planning Readiness for Tracks 2 and 3

XI. Design Readiness for Track 3

XII. Environmental Readiness

XIII. Strategic Goals
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

Use a table or create a list:

 Project Title

 Funding Requested

 Proposed Match

 Sources 

 In-kind?

 Other Federal Funding – only if it applies

 Total Project Cost

 Did you submit an application for a previous 

grant? Tell us which program.

 City/State Location

Cover Page

 Congressional District

 Planning Documents – State Rail Plan, State Action Plan, State 

Freight Plan, Transportation Improvement Plan, State Transportation 

Improvement Plan, MPO Long Range Transportation Plan, State Long 

Range Transportation Plan?

 Other

 Is this a rural project? State percentage of total project cost

 Does this project support development of new intercity passenger 

rail services routes including alignments for existing routes?

 Does the project support development and implementation of 

measures to prevent trespassing and reduce associated injuries and 

fatalities?

 If Yes: Is this project located in a county with the most 

pedestrian trespasser casualties identified in FRA’s National 

Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property?

 Is project seeking funds for Maglev?
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

Project Summary

 Briefly describe the project in 4 to 6 sentences

 Tell us what your project is, where it is, how much 

money you are requesting and why

 Keep it simple

 Don’t frontload all your information

 Examples – FY21 CRISI Press Release

!
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 TABLES are always welcome

 Only include eligible costs

 Specify each source of 

non-Federal match

 Supporting documentation

 Provide details about in-kind match

 Indicate public- vs. private-sector match

 Identify if the proposed match will not be available until a 

certain date or if funds must be spent by a deadline

 State Competitive Funding or other competitive 

federal sources

Project Funding

Task/Component Cost Percentage

Preliminary 

Engineering $XX 50%

NEPA $XX 50%

Total Cost $XXX 100%

Funding Source Amount Percentage

CRISI Grant Request $XX 80%

Local Funding $XX 10%

State Funding $XX 5%

Railroad Co. 

Funding - Private $XX 5%

Total Match $XXX 100%
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

Applicant and Project Eligibility 

Look at the

NOFO

• Match Project to eligible 

project type

• Match Applicant to eligible 

applicant type

Make Your 

Case

• Describe how your project 

meets the criteria and how 

you meet the criteria

References • Supporting documentation

• Citations and hyperlinks
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 Thoroughly discuss the transportation challenges and 

benefits

 Include data to support project benefits

 Describe how project components are related and will 

be sequenced

 Include photographs or diagrams

 Identify all host railroads, operators, and beneficiaries

 Identify proposed performance measures 

Detailed Project Description – General

VI. Detailed Project Description

Picture of Project

Location of Project 

Area

Simple description of challenges and 

proposed solution. Relevant history 

of specific project.

• These XX grade crossings are 

dangerous, and we want to create an 

overpass.

• This project will improve congestion 

along X rail route decreasing trip time 

by X minutes.

Summary of Qualitative and Quantitative 

benefits of this project.

• XXX reduction in emissions

• How and Why

Summary of who benefits.

• Town residents

• Emergency Services

• Freight

Host Railroad – status of negotiations

• Draft negotiation document

• Summary of ongoing conversations, 

demonstration of support

Don’t let this be the 

only time you talk ! about project benefits
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Best Practices – Project Narrative 

 Grade Crossing Information

 Crossing #, Infrastructure Owner, State HighwayRail Grade Crossing Action Plan reference

 Heavily Traveled Rail Corridor Information

 PTC Information

 Workforce Development and Training Information

 Trespassing and Injury and Fatality Prevention and 

Reduction

 Emissions Reduction Information

 Community Emergency Plans

 Maglev Grants 

Detailed Project Description – Set-Aside Specifics

V. Project Description

Picture of Project

Picture of Project

Simple description of challenges and 

proposed solution. Relevant history 

OF project.

• Our Community Emergency plan will 

create a safe environment to 

transport hazardous materials by 

coordinating with X,Y,Z agencies.

• Our Workforce Program will partner 

with X Union and Trains USA to 

develop realistic training scenarios. 
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 Identify city, county, and state where project is 

located

 Congressional district of project location

 Include a map of the project – multiple, if 

necessary 

 Identify railroad mileposts

 Geospatial data – longitude and latitude 

Project Location
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

Evaluation Criteria

Project 

Benefits

Effects on system and service performance

Effects on safety, competitiveness, reliability, trip or transit time, and resilience

Efficiencies from improved integration with other modes

Technical 

Merits

SOW tasks and subtasks outlined are appropriate

Demonstrates strong project readiness

Technical qualifications and experience of personnel

Participation in the financing, construction, or operation of the proposed project.

Project will use innovative technologies, project delivery, incentivize the use of 

innovative financing

Legal, financial, and technical capacity to carry out the proposed project and satisfactory 

continuing control

Consistent with planning guidance and documents set forth by DOT

 Quantitative and Qualitative

 Relevant benefits only –

don’t digress to other 

projects

 Address each component

 Address it again!

 Separate out each section –

don’t bunch

!
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

Additional Considerations

Selection 

Preferences

Proposed Federal share of total project costs 

does not exceed 50 percent

Net benefits of the grant funds will be maximized considering the 

Benefit-Cost Analysis, including anticipated private and public 

benefits relative to the costs of the proposed project

Projects for the development and implementation of measures to 

prevent trespassing and reduce associated injuries and fatalities that 

are located in the top 25 counties with the most pedestrian casualties 

– only applies to research projects – eligibility #11

DOT Strategic 

Goals –

Section XIII

Safety

Equitable Economic 

Strength and Improving 

Core Assets 

Infrastructure Investment and Job Creation

Supporting Resilient Supply Chain and Economic Opportunity 

Equity and Barriers to Opportunity

Climate Change and Sustainability.

Transformation

 Quantitative and Qualitative

 Relevant Benefits only –

don’t digress to other 

projects

 Address each component

 Address it again!

 Separate out each section –

don’t bunch

!
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 Highlight applicant’s past experiences managing and overseeing 

similar projects, including FRA- or DOT-funded projects

 RAISE (TIGER, BUILD) or CRISI

 Federal Transit Administration or Federal Highway 

Administration grants

 State grants

 Management of local funding

 Describe expected arrangements for project contracting, 

contract oversight, change-order management, risk 

management, and conformance with Federal requirements 

for progress reporting

 Status of a Project Management Plan

 Experience counts – don’t leave it out

Project Implementation and Management

Assume your 

reviewer has never ! heard of you!

RAISE: Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 Provide us with information about 

the Systems Planning and Project 

Planning processes that ultimately 

led to the proposed capital project

 Cite sources – Service 

Development Plan, State or 

Regional Rail Plan or similar 

planning document!

Planning Readiness for Tracks 2 and 3

 Provide us with information to 

demonstrate the maturity of project 

design including completion of 

Preliminary Engineering 

 Cite sources – Website links or 

additional documentation 

Design Readiness for Track 3
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Best Practices – Project Narrative

 If NEPA is complete: Provide copy 

of NEPA document or link

 If NEPA is not started: Provide 

detailed project description and 

description of setting/land use, 

with visuals

 If NEPA is underway: Provide 

current status, expected 

completion date, and type of 

document

Environmental Readiness for Track 3

 Provide as much known information about project 

description, project location, anticipated impacts, 

anticipated local/state/federal permits as possible 

 FRA reviewers will be determining environmental readiness 

based only on the information provided with the application

 Provide more environmental information than less

 Describe project planning done to date 

 Document any past or present environmental studies 

associated with your proposed project in the grant 

application, including: 

 Any previously approved FRA, FTA, or FHWA project 

related to the grant proposal 

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In summary... help your reviewer

• Keep it simple and straight forward

o More information is good....as long as it’s relevant

 Supporting Documentation – submission vs. hyperlink

o Repetition is key – don’t sell yourself short

o No detective work

o Benefits, costs, scope, project stage

o Qualitative and Quantitative

• No Assumptions

o Location

o Technical experience

o Project
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Narrative Tools

I. Cover Page 

o NOFO

II. Project Summary

o FY21 CRISI Press Release

III. Project Funding

o NOFO 

o CFR § 200.306 on 

In-Kind contributions 

and matching

o FRA SOW –

Budget Template

IV. Applicant Eligibility

o NOFO

V. Project Eligibility

o NOFO

VI. Detailed Project Description

o NOFO 

VII. Project Location

o Justice40 Census Tracts 

o Congressional Districts 

o Rural Eligibility

o FRA Safety GIS Map

VIII. Evaluation and Selection Criteria

o Grade Crossing Inventory

IX. Project Implementation and Management

o FRA Reporting

o FRA Statement of Work Templates 
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Narrative Tools

X. Planning Readiness for Tracks 2 and 3

o NOFO

o Relevant Planning Documents

XI. Design Readiness for Track 3 

(FD/Construction)

o NOFO

XII. Environmental Readiness

o FRA CE Worksheet

o FRA CE Companion Guide

o FRA NEPA Procedures 

o FRA YouTube Recording on NEPA and 

Competitive Grants

XIII. Strategic Goals

XIII. NOFO

XIV. FY2022-26 U.S DOT Strategic Plan
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QUESTIONS?
Contact Us

Federal Railroad Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Connect with us USDOTFRA

FRA Office of Rail Program Policy and Evaluation

General mailbox: FRA-NOFO-Support@dot.gov

Douglas Gascon - Chief

Douglas.Gascon@dot.gov

Deborah Kobrin

Deborah.Kobrin@dot.gov

Sergio Coronado

Sergio.Coronado@dot.gov

617-571-1213

Elena Gonzalez

Elena.Gonzalez@dot.gov

Mariam Ouhamou

mariam.ouhamou@dot.gov

Natalie Williford

natalie.williford@dot.gov