Order 2014-6-17

Served: July 3, 2014

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 30th day of June, 2014

In the Matter of Grant Applications

SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

under 49 U.S.C. § 41743 et seq.

 Docket DOT-OST-2014-0113

 

ORDER SOLICITING

SMALL COMMUNITY GRANT PROPOSALS

By this order, the Department of Transportation (the Department or DOT) invites proposals from 

communities and/or consortia of communities interested in obtaining a federal grant under the 

Small Community Air Service Development Program (“Small Community Program” or 

“SCASDP”) to address air service and airfare issues in their communities. Applications of no 

more than 20 one-sided pages each (excluding the completed Application for Federal 

Domestic Assistance (SF424), Summary Information schedule, and any letters from the 

community or an air carrier showing support for the application), including all required 

information, must be submitted to www.grants.gov no later than 5:00 PM EDT on July 31,

2014. You are strongly encouraged to submit applications in advance of the deadline. 

Please be aware that you must complete the registration process before submitting an 

application, and that this process usually takes two to four weeks to complete. If interested 

parties experience difficulties at any point during the registration or application process, please 

call the grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726, Monday-Friday, from 

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Department will not accept late-filed applications. Additional 

information on applying through grants.gov is in Appendix A, including a notice regarding late 

submissions related to technical difficulties.
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This order is organized into the following sections:

I. Background

II. Selection Criteria and Guidance on Application of Selection Criteria

III. Evaluation and Selection Process

IV. How to Apply

V. Air Service Development Zone

VI. Grant Administration

VII. Questions and Clarifications

Appendix A – Additional Information on Applying Through www.grants.gov

Appendix B – Summary Information

Appendix C – Application Checklist

Appendix D – Confidential Commercial Information

I. BACKGROUND

The Small Community Program was established by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment 

and Reform Act for the 21st Century (Pub. L. No. 106-181) and reauthorized by the Vision 100-

Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. No. 108-176) and subsequently the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. No. 112-95) (FAA 2012). The program is 

designed to provide financial assistance to small communities in order to help them enhance their 

air service. The Department provides this assistance in the form of monetary grants that are 

disbursed on a reimbursable basis. Authorization for this program is codified at 49 U.S.C. 

§ 41743.

The Small Community Program is authorized to receive appropriations under 49 U.S.C. 

§ 41743(e)(2), as amended. Appropriations are provided for this program for award selection in 

FY 2014 pursuant to FAA 2012 and the FY 2014 Appropriations Act (Pub. L. No. 113-76). The 

Department has up to $7 million available for FY 2014 grant awards to carry out this program. 

There is no limit on the amount of individual awards, and the amounts awarded will vary 

depending upon the features and merits of the selected proposals. In past years, the 

Department’s individual grant sizes have ranged from $20,000 to nearly $1.6 million.

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are small communities that meet the following statutory criteria under

49 U.S.C. § 41743:

1. As of calendar year 1997, the airport serving the community was not larger than a 

small hub airport,1 and it has insufficient air carrier service or unreasonably high air 

fares; and

 

1 See, http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviation-policy/small-community-rural-air-service/SCASDP, for the FAA’s 1997 

list of Primary and Nonprimary Commercial Service Airports. 
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2. The airport serving the community presents characteristics, such as geographic 

diversity or unique circumstances that demonstrate the need for, and feasibility of, 

grant assistance from the Small Community Program.

No more than four communities or consortia of communities, or a combination thereof, from the 

same state may be selected to participate in the program in any fiscal year. No more than 40 

communities or consortia of communities, or a combination thereof, may be selected to 

participate in the program in each year for which the funds are appropriated.

Consortium applications: Both individual communities and consortia of communities are 

eligible for SCASDP funds. An application from a consortium of communities must be one that 

seeks to facilitate the efforts of the communities working together toward one joint grant project, 

with one joint objective, including the establishment of one entity to ensure that the joint 

objective is accomplished.

Multiple Applications: A community may file only one application for a grant, either 

individually or as part of a consortium.

Communities without existing air service: Communities that do not currently have 

commercial air service are eligible for SCASDP funds. 

Essential Air Service communities: Small communities that meet the basic SCASDP criteria 

and currently receive subsidized air service under the Essential Air Service (“EAS”) program are 

eligible to apply for SCASDP funds. However, grant awards to EAS-subsidized communities 

are limited to marketing or promotion projects that support existing or newly subsidized EAS. 

Grant funds will not be authorized for EAS-subsidized communities to support any new

competing air service. Furthermore, no funds will be authorized to support additional flights by 

EAS carriers or changes to those carriers’ existing schedules. These restrictions are necessary to 

avoid conflicts with the mandate of the EAS program.

B. Eligible Projects

The Department is authorized to award grants under 49 U.S.C. § 41743 to communities that seek 

to provide assistance to:

• an air carrier to subsidize service to and from an underserved airport for a period not to 

exceed 3 years;

• an underserved airport to obtain service to and from the underserved airport; and/or

• an underserved airport to implement such other measures as the Secretary, in 

consultation with such airport, considers appropriate to improve air service both in terms 

of the cost of such service to consumers and the availability of such service, including 

improving air service through marketing and promotion of air service and enhanced 

utilization of airport facilities.
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Applicants should also keep in mind the following statutory restrictions on eligible projects:

• An applicant may not receive an additional grant to support the same project from a 

previous grant (see Same Project Limitation, below); and

• An applicant may not receive an additional grant, prior to the completion of its previous 

grant (see Concurrent Grant Limitation, below).

Same Project Limitation: Under 49 U.S.C. § 41743(c), a community may not receive an 

additional grant to support the same project for which it received a previous grant (Same Project 

Limitation).2 In assessing whether a previous grantee’s current application represents a new 

project, the Department will compare the goals and objectives of the previous grant, including 

the key components of the means by which those goals and objectives were to be achieved, to the 

current application. For example, if a community received an earlier grant to support a revenue 

guarantee for service to a particular destination or direction, a new application by that 

community for another revenue guarantee for service to the same destination or in the same 

direction is ineligible, even if the revenue guarantee were structured differently or the type of 

carrier were different. However, a new application by such a previous grantee for service to a 

new destination or direction using a revenue guarantee, or for general marketing of the airport 

and the various services it offers, is eligible. We recognize that not all revenue guarantees, 

marketing agreements, studies, etc. are of the same nature, and that if a subsequent application 

incorporates different goals or significantly different components, it may be sufficiently different 

to constitute a new project under 49 U.S.C. § 41743(c).

Concurrent Grant Limitation: A community or consortium may have only one SCASDP grant 

at any time. If a community or consortium applies for a subsequent SCASDP grant when its 

current grant has not yet expired, that community/consortium must notify the Department of its 

intent to terminate the current SCASDP grant, and, if the community/consortium is selected for a 

new grant, such termination must take place prior to entering into the new grant. In addition, for 

consortium member applicants, permission must be granted from both the grant sponsor and the 

Department to withdraw from the current SCASDP grant before that consortium member will be 

deemed eligible to receive a subsequent SCASDP grant.

Airport Capital Improvements Ineligible: Airport capital improvement projects, including, 

but not limited to, runway expansions and enhancements, the construction of additional aircraft 

gates, and other airport terminal expansions and reconfigurations are ineligible for funding under 

the Small Community Program. Airports seeking funding for airport capital improvement 

projects may want to consult with their local FAA Regional Office to discuss potential eligibility 

for grants under the Airport Improvement Program.

 2 This limitation applies for all projects contained in a previous grant agreement’s scope; thus, even if the 

community did not actively implement a project listed in the scope of an earlier grant agreement, it may not receive 

funding for that project in a subsequent round of SCASDP funding.
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II. SELECTION CRITERIA AND GUIDANCE ON APPLICATION OF SELECTION 

CRITERIA

SCASDP grants will be awarded based on the selection criteria as outlined below. There are two 

categories of selection criteria: Priority Selection Criteria and Secondary Selection Criteria. 

Applications that meet one or more of the Priority Selection Criteria will be viewed more 

favorably than those that do not meet any Priority Selection Criteria.

A. Priority Selection Criteria

The statute directs the Department to give priority consideration to those communities or 

consortia where the following criteria are met:

1. Air fares are higher than the national average air fares for all communities – The 

Department will compare the local community’s air fares to the national average air fares 

for all similar markets. Communities with market air fares significantly higher than the 

national average air fares in similar markets will receive priority consideration. The 

Department calculates these fares using data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics 

(BTS) Airline Origin and Destination Survey data. The Department evaluates all fares in 

all relevant markets that serve a SCASDP community and compares the SCASDP 

community fares to all fares in similar markets across the country. Each SCASDP 

applicant’s air fares are computed as a percentage above or below the national averages. 

The report compares a community’s air fares to the average for all other similar markets 

in the country that have similar density (passenger volume) and similar distance 

characteristics (market groupings). All calculations are based on 12-month ended periods 

to control for seasonal variation of fares. 

2. The community or consortium will provide a portion of the cost of the activity from local 

sources other than airport revenue sources – The Department will consider whether a 

community or consortium proposes local funding for the proposed project. Applications 

providing proportionately higher levels of cash contributions from sources other than 

airport revenues will be viewed more favorably. Applications that provide multiple 

levels of contributions (state, local, airport, cash and in-kind contributions) will also be 

viewed more favorably. See Additional Guidance – Cost Sharing and Local 

Contributions, in Subsection C below, for more information on the application of this 

selection criterion.

3. The community or consortium has established or will establish a public-private 

partnership to facilitate air carrier service to the public – The Department will consider a 

community or consortium’s commitment to facilitate air carrier service in the form of a 

public-private partnership. Applications that describe in detail how the partnership will 

actively participate in the implementation of the proposed project will be viewed more 

favorably.
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4. The assistance will provide material benefits to a broad segment of the traveling public, 

including businesses, educational institutions, and other enterprises, whose access to the 

national air transportation system is limited – The Department will consider whether the 

proposed project would provide, to a broad segment of the community’s traveling public, 

important benefits relevant to the community. Examples include service that would offer

new or additional access to a connecting hub airport, service that would provide 

convenient travel times for both business and leisure travelers that would help obviate the 

need to drive long distances, and service that would offer lower fares.

5. The assistance will be used in a timely manner – The Department will consider whether a 

proposed project provides a well-defined strategic plan and reasonable timetable for use 

of the grant funds. In the Department’s experience, a reasonable timetable for use of 

grant funds includes a year to complete studies, two years for marketing and promotion 

of the airport, community, carrier, or destination, and three years for projects that target a 

revenue guarantee, subsidy, or other financial incentives. Applicants should describe 

how their projects can be accomplished within this timetable, including whether the 

airport and proposed air service provider have the requisite authorities and certifications 

necessary to carry out the proposed projects. In addition, because of this emphasis placed 

on timely use of funds, applicants proposing new service should describe the airport and 

whether it can support the proposed service, including whether the airport holds, or 

intends to apply for, an airport operating certificate issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 139. Air

service providers proposed for the new service must have met or be able to meet in a 

reasonably short period of time, all Department requirements for air service certification, 

including safety and economic authorities.

6. Multiple communities cooperate to submit a regional or multistate application to 

consolidate air service into one regional airport – The Department will consider whether 

a proposed project involves a consortium effort to consolidate air service into one 

regional airport. This statutory priority criterion was added pursuant to Section 429 of 

FAA 2012.

B. Secondary Selection Criteria

1. Innovation – The Department will consider whether an application proposes new and 

creative solutions to air transportation issues facing the community, including:

• the extent to which the applicant’s proposed solution(s) to solving the problem(s) 

is new or innovative, including whether the proposed project utilizes or 

encourages intermodal or regional solutions to connect passengers to the 

community’s air service (or, if the community cannot implement or sustain its 

own air services, to connect to a neighboring community’s air service (e.g., costeffective inter/intra city passenger bus service, or marketing of intermodal surface 

transportation options also available to air travelers; and

• whether the proposed project, if successfully implemented, could serve as a 

working model for other communities.
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2. Participation – The Department will consider whether an application has broad

community participation, including:

• whether the proposed project has broad community support; and

• the community’s demonstrated commitment to and participation in the proposed 

project.

3. Location – The Department will consider the location and characteristics of a community:

• the geographic location of each applicant, including the community’s proximity to 

larger centers of air service and low-fare service alternatives;

• the population and business activity, as well as the relative size of each 

community; and

• whether the community’s proximity to an existing or prior grant recipient could 

adversely affect either its proposal or the project undertaken by the other 

recipient.

4. Other Factors – The Department will also consider:

• whether the proposed project clearly addresses the applicant’s stated problems;

• the community’s existing level of air service and whether that service has been 

increasing or decreasing;

• whether the applicant has a plan to provide any necessary continued financial 

support for the proposed project after the requested grant award expires;

• the grant amount requested compared with total funds available for all 

communities;

• the proposed federal grant amount requested compared with the local share 

offered;

• any letters of intent from airline planning departments or intermodal surface 

transportation providers on behalf of applications that are specifically intended to 

enlist new or expanded air service or surface transportation service in support of 

the air service in the community;

• whether the applicant has plans to continue with the proposed project if it is not 

self-sustaining after the grant award expires; and 

• equitable and geographic distribution of available funds.

C. Additional Guidance

Market Analysis: Applicants requesting funds for a revenue guarantee/subsidy/financial 

incentive are encouraged to conduct and reference in their applications an in-depth analysis of 

their target markets. Target markets can be destination specific (e.g., service to LAX), a 

geographic region (e.g., northwest mountain region) or directional (e.g., hub in the southeastern 

United States or a point north, south, east, or west of the applicant community).

Complementary Marketing Commitment: Applicants requesting funds for a revenue 

guarantee/subsidy/financial incentive are encouraged to designate in their applications a portion 

of the project funds (federal, local or in-kind) for the development and implementation of a 

marketing plan in support of the service sought.
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Subsidies for a carrier to compete against an incumbent: The Department is reluctant to 

subsidize one carrier but not others in a competitive market. For this reason, a community that 

proposes to use the grant funds for service in a city-pair market that is already served by another 

air carrier must explain in detail why the existing service is insufficient or unsatisfactory, or 

provide other compelling information to support such a proposal.

Cost Sharing and Local Contributions: Applications must clearly identify the level of federal 

funding sought for the proposed project. Applications must also identify the community’s cash 

contributions to the proposed project, in-kind contributions from the airport, and in-kind 

contributions from the community. Non-federal funds will be applied proportionately to the 

entire scope of the project. Communities cannot use non-federal funds selectively to fund certain 

components of a project (see Section VI-Grant Administration-Payments for more information). 

Cash contributions from airport revenues must be identified separately from cash contributions 

from other community sources, and cash contributions from the state and/or local government 

should be separately identified and described.

Types of contributions. Contributions should represent a new financial commitment or new

financial resources devoted to attracting new or improved service, or addressing specific 

high-fare or other service issues, such as improving patronage of existing service at the 

airport. For communities that propose to contribute to the grant project, that contribution can 

be in the following forms:

Cash from non-airport revenues. A cash contribution can include funds from the state, 

the county or local government, and/or from local businesses, or other private 

organizations in the community. Contributions that are comprised of intangible non-cash 

items, such as the value of donated advertising, are considered in-kind contributions (see 

further discussion below). 

Cash from airport revenues. This includes contributions from funds generated by airport 

operations. Airport revenues may not be used for revenue guarantees to airlines, per 49 

U.S.C. §§ 47107 and 47133. Applications that include local contributions based on 

airport revenues do not receive priority consideration for selection.

In-kind contributions from the airport. This can include such items as waivers of landing 

fees, ground handling fees, terminal rents, fuel fees, and/or vehicle parking fees.

In-kind contributions from the community. This can include such items as donated 

advertising from media outlets, catering services for inaugural events, or in-kind trading, 

such as advertising in exchange for free air travel. Travel banks and travel 

commitments/pledges are considered to be in-kind contributions.

Cash vs. in-kind contributions. Communities that include local contributions made in cash 

will be viewed more favorably.
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III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

The Department will first review each application to determine whether it has satisfied the 

following eligibility requirements:

1. The applicant is an eligible applicant;

2. The application is for an eligible project (including compliance with the Same Project 

Limitation); and

3. The application is complete (including submission of a completed SF424 and all of the 

information listed in Contents of Application, in Section IV below).

To the extent that the Department determines that an application does not satisfy these eligibility 

requirements, the Department will deem that application ineligible and not consider it further.

The Department will then review all eligible applications based on the selection criteria outlined 

above in Section II. The Department will not assign specific numerical scores to projects based 

on the selection criteria. Rather, ratings of “highly recommended,” “recommended,” 

“acceptable,” or “not recommended” will be assigned to applications. Applications that align 

well with one or more of the Priority Selection Criteria will be viewed more favorably than those 

that do not align with any Priority Selection Criteria. The Department will consider the 

Secondary Selection Criteria when comparing and selecting among similarly-rated projects. 

The Department reserves the right to award funds for a part of the project included in an 

application, if a part of the project is eligible and aligns well with the selection criteria specified 

in this Order. In addition, as part of its review of the Secondary Selection Criterion “Other 

Factors,” the Department will consider the geographical distribution of the applications to ensure 

consistency with the statutory requirement limiting awards to no more than four communities or 

consortia of communities, or a combination thereof, from the same state. The final selections

will be limited to no more than 40 communities or consortia of communities, or a combination 

thereof. 

Grant awards will be made as promptly as possible so that selected communities can complete 

the grant agreement process and implement their plans. Given the competitive nature of the 

grant process, the Department will not meet with applicants regarding their applications. All 

non-confidential portions of each application, all correspondence and ex-parte communications, 

and all orders will be posted in the above-captioned docket on www.regulations.gov.

The Department will announce its grant selections in a Selection Order that will be posted in the 

above-captioned docket, served on all applicants and all parties served with this Solicitation 

Order, and posted on the Department’s SCASDP website at http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviationpolicy/small-community-rural-air-service/SCASDP.
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IV. HOW TO APPLY

Required Steps:

• Determine eligibility;

• Register with www.grants.gov (see Registration with www.grants.gov, below);

• Submit an Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF424);

• Submit a completed “Summary Information” schedule. This is your application cover 

sheet (see Appendix B);

• Submit a detailed application of up to one-sided 20 pages (excluding the completed 

SF424, Summary Information schedule, and any letters from the community or an 

air carrier showing support for the application) that meets all required criteria (see

Appendix C); 

• Attach any letters from the community or an air carrier showing support for the 

application to the proposal, which should be addressed to Brooke Chapman, Associate 

Director, Small Community Air Service Development Program; and

• Provide separate submission of confidential material, if requested. (see Appendix D)

An application will not be complete and will be deemed ineligible for a grant award until and 

unless all required materials, including SF424, have been submitted through www.grants.gov

and time-stamped by 5:00 PM EDT on July 31, 2014 (the “Application Deadline”). 

An application consisting of more than 20 pages will be accepted by the Department, but the 

content in the additional pages past page 20 will not be evaluated or considered by the 

Department. The Department would prefer that applicants use one-inch margins and a font size 

not less than 12 point type. 

Late Application Notice: Applicants who are unable to successfully submit their application 

package through grants.gov prior to the Application Deadline due to technical difficulties outside 

their control must submit an email to SCASDPgrants@dot.gov with the information described 

in Appendix A.

Registration with www.grants.gov: Communities must be registered with www.grants.gov in 

order to submit an application for funds available under this program. For consortium 

applications, only the Legal Sponsor must be registered with www.grants.gov in order to submit 

its application for funds available under this program. See Appendix A for additional 

information on applying through www.grants.gov.

Contents of Application: There is no set format that must be used for applications. Each 

application should, to the maximum extent possible, address the selection criteria set forth in 

Section II, above, including a clear description of the air service needs/deficiencies and present 

plans/strategies that directly address those needs/deficiencies. At a minimum, however, each 

application must include the following information:

• A description of the community’s air service needs or deficiencies, including information 

about: (1) major origin/destination markets that are not now served or are not served 

adequately; (2) fare levels that the community deems relevant to consideration of its 
11

application, including market analyses or studies demonstrating an understanding of local 

air service needs; and (3) any air service development efforts over the past three years 

and the results of those efforts (including marketing and promotional efforts).

• A strategic plan for meeting those needs under the Small Community Program, including 

the community’s specific project goal(s) and detailed plan for attaining such goal(s). If 

the application is selected, DOT will work with the grantee to incorporate the relevant 

elements of the application’s strategic plan into the grant agreement’s project scope. 

Applicants should note that, once a grant agreement is signed, the agreement cannot be 

amended in a way that would alter the project scope. Applicants also are advised to 

obtain firm assurances from air carriers proposing to offer new air services if a grant is 

awarded. Strategic plans should:

o for applications involving new or improved service, explain how the service will 

become self-sufficient;

o fully and clearly outline the goals and objectives of the project; and

o fully and clearly summarize the actual, specific steps (in bullet form, with a 

proposed timeline) that the community intends to take to bring about these goals 

and objectives.

• A detailed description of the funding necessary for implementation of the proposed

project (including federal and non-federal contributions).

• An explanation of how the proposed project differs from any previous projects for which 

the community received SCASDP funds (see Same Project Limitation, above).

• Designation of a legal sponsor responsible for administering the proposed project. The 

legal sponsor of the proposed project must be a government entity, such as a state, 

county, or municipality. The legal sponsor must be legally, financially, and otherwise 

able to execute the grant agreement and administer the grant, including having the 

authority to sign the grant agreement and to assume and carry out the certifications, 

representations, warranties, assurances, covenants and other obligations required under

the grant agreement with the Department and to ensure compliance by the grant recipient 

with the grant agreement and grant assurances. If the applicant is a public-private 

partnership, a public government member of the organization must be identified as the 

community’s sponsor to receive project cost reimbursements. A community may 

designate only one government entity as the legal sponsor, even if it is applying as a 

consortium that consists of two or more local government entities. Private organizations 

may not be designated as the legal sponsor of a grant under the Small Community 

Program. The community has the responsibility to ensure that the legal sponsor and grant 

recipient of any funding has the legal authority under state and local laws to carry out all 

aspects of the grant, and the Department may require an opinion of the legal sponsor’s 

attorney as to its legal authority to act as a sponsor and to carry out its responsibilities 

under the grant agreement. The applicant should also provide the name of the 

signatory party for the legal sponsor.
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V. AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT ZONE DESIGNATION

The statute authorizing the Small Community Program also provides that the Department will 

designate one of the grant recipients in the program as an Air Service Development Zone 

(ASDZ). A current grant recipient remains active as the ASDZ designee. As a result, the 

Department is not currently soliciting applications for selection as an ASDZ designee.

VI. GRANT ADMINISTRATION

Grant Agreements: Communities awarded grants are required to execute a grant agreement 

with the Department before they begin to expend funds under the grant award. Applicants 

should not assume they have received a grant, nor should they obligate or expend local funds 

prior to receiving and fully executing a grant agreement with the Department. Expenditures 

made prior to the execution of a grant agreement, including costs associated with preparation of 

the grant application, will not be reimbursed. Moreover, there are numerous assurances that 

grant recipients must sign and honor when federal funds are awarded. All communities 

receiving a grant will be required to accept and meet the obligations created by these assurances 

when they execute their grant agreements. Copies of assurances are available online at 

http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviation-policy/small-community-rural-air-service/SCASDP, (click 

on “SCASDP Grant Assurances”).

Payments: The Small Community Program is a reimbursable program; therefore, communities 

are required to make expenditures for project implementation under the program prior to seeking 

reimbursement from the Department. Project implementation costs are reimbursable from grant 

funds only for services or property delivered during the grant term. Reimbursement rates are 

calculated as a percentage of the total federal funds requested divided by the federal funds plus 

the local cash contribution (which is not refundable). The percentage is determined by: 

(SCASDP Grant Amount) ÷ (SCASDP Grant Amount + Local Cash Contribution + State Cash

Contribution, if applicable). Payments/ expenditures in forms other than cash (e.g., in-kind) are 

not reimbursable. For example, if a community requests $500,000 in federal funding and 

provides $100,000 in local contributions, the reimbursement rate would be 83.33 percent: 

((500,000) / (500,000 + 100,000)) = 83.33.

Grantee Reports: Each grantee must submit quarterly reports on the progress made during the 

previous quarter in implementing its grant project. In addition, each community will be required 

to submit a final report on its project to the Department, and 10 percent of the grant funds will 

not be reimbursed to the community until such a final report is received. Additional information 

on award administration for selected communities will be provided in the grant agreement.

VII: QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

For further information concerning the technical requirements set out in this Order, please 

contact Brooke Chapman at Brooke.Chapman@dot.gov or (202) 366-0577. A TDD is available 

for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at (202) 366-3993. The Department may post 

answers to questions and other important clarifications in the above-captioned docket on 

www.regulations.gov and on the program website at 

http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviation-policy/small-community-rural-air-service/SCASDP.
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This Order is issued under authority delegated in 49 CFR § 1.25a(b).

ACCORDINGLY,

1. Applications for funding under the Small Community Air Service Development Program 

should be submitted via www.grants.gov as an attachment to the SF424 by 5:00 PM EDT, 

July 31, 2014; and

2. This Order will be published in the Federal Register, posted on www.grants.gov and 

www.regulations.gov, and served on the United States Conference of Mayors, the National 

League of Cities, the National Governors Association, the National Association of State Aviation 

Officials, County Executives of America, the American Association of Airport Executives, and

the Airports Council International-North America.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2014

By:

Brandon Belford

 Deputy Assistant Secretary for

 Aviation and International Affairs

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available

online at www.regulations.gov.
APPENDIX A

Page 1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON APPLYING THROUGH WWW.GRANTS.GOV

Applications must be submitted electronically through 

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. To apply for funding 

through www.grants.gov, applicants must be properly registered. The Grants.gov/Apply 

feature includes a simple, unified application process that makes it possible for applicants to 

apply for grants online. There are five “Get Registered” steps for an organization to complete at 

Grants.gov. Complete instructions on how to register and apply can be found at

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp. If applicants experience 

difficulties at any point during registration or application process, please call the

www.grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726, Monday–Friday from 7:00 AM

to 9:00 PM EDT. 

Registering with www.grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur 

and it can take up to several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user 

password. It is highly recommended that applicants start the registration process as early as 

possible to prevent delays that may preclude submitting an application by the deadlines 

specified. Applications must be submitted and time-stamped not later than 5:00 PM EDT on 

July 31, 2014 (the Application Deadline), and, as set forth below, failure to complete the 

registration process before the Application Deadline is not a valid reason to permit late 

submissions.

In order to apply for SCASDP funding through 

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html, all applicants are required to 

complete the following:

1. DUNS Requirement. The Office of Management and Budget requires that all 

businesses and nonprofit applicants for federal funds include a Dun and Bradstreet Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in their applications for a new award or 

renewal of an existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence 

recognized as the universal standard for identifying and keeping track of entities 

receiving federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking purposes and to validate 

address and point of contact information for federal assistance applicants, recipients, and 

sub-recipients. The DUNS number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. The 

DUNS number must be included in the data entry field labeled “Organizational DUNS” 

on the SF-424 form. Instructions for obtaining DUNS number can be found at the 

following website: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organizationregistration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html.

2. System for Award Management. In addition to having a DUNS number, applicants 

applying electronically through Grants.gov must register with the federal System for 

Award Management (SAM). Step-by-step instructions for registering with SAM can be 

found here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step2-register-with-sam.html. All applicants must register with SAM in order to apply 

online. Failure to register with the SAM will result in your application being rejected by 

Grants.gov during the submissions process. 
APPENDIX A

Page 2

3. Username and Password. Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) 

and a www.grants.gov username and password. Complete your AOR profile on 

www.grants.gov and create your username and password. You will need to use your 

organization’s DUNS Number to complete this step. For more information about 

creating a profile on Grants.gov visit:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-3-usernamepassword.html.

4. After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) – a 

representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM – will receive an 

email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. 

The E-Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an applicant as the AOR, 

thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR 

Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organizationregistration/step-4-aor-authorization.html. To track an AOR status visit:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aorstatus.html. 

Applicants are, therefore, encouraged to register early. The registration process can take 

up to four weeks to be completed. Thus, registration should be done in sufficient time to 

ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. You will be 

able to submit your application online any time after you have approved as an AOR.

5. Electronic Signature. Applications submitted through Grants.gov constitute a 

submission as electronically signed applications. The registration and account creation 

with Grants.gov with E-Biz POC approval establishes an Authorized Organization 

Representative (AOR). When you submit the application through Grants.gov, the name 

of your AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. Applicants 

must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the 

applicant organization as the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR);

6. Search for the Funding Opportunity on www.grants.gov. Please use the following 

identifying information when searching for the SCASDP funding opportunity on 

www.grants.gov. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this 

solicitation is 20.930, titled Payments for Small Community Air Service Development.

7. Submit an application addressing all of the requirements outlined in this funding 

availability announcement. Within 24–48 hours after submitting your electronic 

application, you should receive an email validation message from www.grants.gov. The 

validation message will tell you whether the application has been received and validated 

or rejected, with an explanation. You are urged to submit your application at least 72 

hours prior to the due date of the application to allow time to receive the validation 

message and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.
APPENDIX A

Page 3

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission. Proof of timely 

submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic timestamp is 

generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. 

The applicant will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number from 

Grants.gov with successful transmission of the application. Applicants should print this 

receipt and save it, as a proof of timely submission.

9. Grants.gov allows applicants to download the application package, instructions and forms 

that are incorporated in the instructions, and work offline. In addition to forms that are 

part of the application instructions, there will be a series of electronic forms that are 

provided utilizing Adobe Reader. 

a. Adobe Reader. Adobe Reader is available for free to download from on the 

Download Software page: http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp. 

Adobe Reader allows applicants to read the electronic files in a form format so 

that they will look like any other Standard form. The Adobe Reader forms have 

content sensitive help. This engages the content sensitive help for each field you 

will need to complete on the form. The Adobe Reader forms can be downloaded 

and saved on your hard drive, network drive(s), or CDs. 

b. NOTE: For the Adobe Reader, Grants.gov is compatible with versions 8.1.1 and 

later versions. Always refer to the Download Software page for compatible 

versions for the operating system you are using. Please do not use lower versions 

of the Adobe Reader.

c. Mandatory Fields in Adobe Forms. In the Adobe Reader forms, you will note 

fields that will appear with a background color on the data fields to be completed. 

These fields are mandatory fields and they must be completed to successfully 

submit your application. 

NOTE: When uploading attachments please use generally accepted formats such as .pdf, .doc, 

and .xls. While you may imbed picture files such as .jpg, .gif, .bmp, in your files, please do not 

save and submit the attachment in these formats. Additionally, the following formats will not be 

accepted: .com, .bat, .exe, .vbs, .cfg, .dat, .db, .dbf, .dll, .ini, .log, .ora, .sys, and .zip.

Experiencing Unforeseen www.grants.gov Technical Issues

Late Application Notice: Applicants who are unable to successfully submit their application 

package through grants.gov prior to the Application Deadline due to technical difficulties outside 

their control must submit an email to SCASDPgrants@dot.gov with the following information:

• The nature of the technical difficulties experienced in attempting to submit an 

application;

• A screenshot of the error;

• The Legal Sponsor’s name; and

• The Grants.Gov tracking number (e.g. GRANT12345678).

DOT will consider late applications on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right to reject late 

applications that do not meet the conditions outlined in the Order Soliciting Small Community 
APPENDIX A

Page 4

Grant Proposals. Late applications from applicants that do not provide DOT an email with the 

items specified above will not be considered.

If you experience unforeseen www.grants.gov technical issues beyond your control that prevent 

you from submitting your application by the Application Deadline, you must contact us at 

[SCASDPgrants@dot.gov or] Vince.Corsaro@dot.gov or (202) 366-1842 by 5:00 PM EDT the 

day following the deadline and request approval to submit your application after the deadline has 

passed. At that time, DOT staff will require you to provide your DUNS number and your 

www.grants.gov Help Desk tracking number(s). After DOT staff review all of the information 

submitted and contact the www.grants.gov Help Desk to validate the technical issues you 

reported, DOT staff will contact you to either approve or deny your request to submit a late 

application through www.grants.gov. If the technical issues you reported cannot be validated, 

your application will be rejected as untimely.

To ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are not 

valid reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to complete the registration process before 

the deadline date; (2) failure to follow www.grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply 

as posted on its website; (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the funding availability

notice; and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant’s computer or information

technology (IT) environment.
APPENDIX B

Page 1

APPLICATION UNDER 

SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

DOCKET DOT-OST-2014-0133

SUMMARY INFORMATION1

All applicants must submit this Summary Information schedule, as the application 

coversheet, a completed standard form SF424 and the full application proposal on 

www.grants.gov.

For your preparation convenience, this Summary Information schedule is located at 

http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviation-policy/small-community-rural-air-service/SCASDP

A. PROVIDE THE LEGAL SPONSOR AND ITS DUN AND BRADSTREET (D&B) DATA UNIVERSAL 

NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER, INCLUDING +4, EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 

(EIN) OR TAX ID.

Legal Sponsor Name: 

Name of Signatory Party for Legal Sponsor:

DUNS Number:

EIN/Tax ID:

B. LIST THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY OR CONSORTIUM OF COMMUNITIES APPLYING:

1.____________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________

C. PROVIDE THE FULL AIRPORT NAME AND 3-LETTER IATA AIRPORT CODE FOR THE 

APPLICANT(S) AIRPORT(S) (ONLY PROVIDE CODES FOR THE AIRPORT(S) THAT ARE ACTUALLY 

SEEKING SERVICE).

1. 2.

3. 4.

 

1 Note that the Summary Information does not count against the 20-page limit of the SCASDP application.
APPENDIX B

Page 2

DOES THE AIRPORT SEEKING SERVICE HOLD AN AIRPORT OPERATING CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY 

THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION UNDER 14 CFR PART 139? (IF “NO”, PLEASE 

EXPLAIN WHETHER THE AIRPORT INTENDS TO APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE OR WHETHER AN 

APPLICATION UNDER PART 139 IS PENDING.)

Yes No (explain)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

D. LIST THE 2-DIGIT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CODE APPLICABLE TO THE SPONSORING 

ORGANIZATION, AND IF A CONSORTIUM, TO EACH PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY.

1. 2.

3. 4.

E. APPLICANT INFORMATION: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Not a Consortium Interstate Consortium Intrastate Consortium

Community currently receives subsidized Essential Air Service

Community (or Consortium member) previously received a Small Community Air 

Service Development Program Grant

If previous recipient: Provide year of grant(s):_______________________________; and,

the text of the grant agreement section(s) setting forth the scope of the grant project:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

F. PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: (LIST ORGANIZATION NAMES)

PUBLIC PRIVATE

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.
APPENDIX B

Page 3

G. PROJECT PROPOSAL:

1. GRANT GOALS: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Launch New Carrier Secure Additional Service Upgrade Aircraft

First Service New Route Service Restoration

Regional Service Surface Transportation Professional Services2

Other (explain below)

2. FINANCIAL TOOLS TO BE USED: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

Marketing (including Advertising): promotion of the air service to the public

Start-up Cost Offset: offsetting expenses to assist an air service provider in setting up a 

new station and starting new service (for example, ticket counter reconfiguration)

Revenue Guarantee: an agreement with an air service provider setting forth a minimum 

guaranteed profit margin, a portion of which is eligible for reimbursement by the 

community

Recruitment of Air Carrier: air service development activities to recruit new air service, 

including expenses for airport marketers to meet with air service providers to make the 

case for new air service

Fee Waivers: waiver of airport fees, such as landing fees, to encourage new air service; 

counted as in-kind contributions only

Ground Handling Fee: reimbursement of expenses for passenger, cabin, and ramp (below 

wing) services provided by third party ground handlers

Travel Bank: travel pledges, or deposited monetary funds, from participating parties for 

the purchase of air travel on an air carrier, with defined procedures for the subsequent use 

of the pledges or the deposited funds; counted as in-kind contributions only

 

2 “Professional Services” involve a community contracting with a firm to produce a product such as a marketing 

plan, study, air carrier proposal, etc.
APPENDIX B

Page 4

Other (explain below)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

H. EXISTING LANDING AIDS AT LOCAL AIRPORT:

Full ILS Outer/Middle Marker Published Instrument Approach

Localizer Other (specify)

I. PROJECT COST: DO NOT ENTER TEXT IN SHADED AREA

LINE DESCRIPTION SUB TOTAL TOTAL AMOUNT

1 Federal amount requested

2 State cash financial contribution

Local cash financial contribution

3a Airport cash funds

3b Non-airport cash funds

3 Total local cash funds (3a + 3b)

4 TOTAL CASH FUNDING (1+2+3)

In-Kind contribution

5a Airport In-Kind contribution**

5b Other In-Kind contribution**

5 TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION 

(5a + 5b)

6 TOTAL PROJECT COST (4+5)

J. IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS**

For funds in lines 5a (Airport In-Kind contribution) and 5b (Other In-Kind contribution), please 

describe the source(s) of fund(s) and the value ($) of each.
APPENDIX B

Page 5

K. IS THIS APPLICATION SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY AN AFFECTED STATE UNDER EXECUTIVE 

ORDER 12372 PROCESS?

a. This application was made available to the State under the Executive Order 12372 

Process for review on (date) _____________.

b. Program is subject to E.O. 12372, but has not been selected by the State for review.

c. Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.

L. IS THE LEAD APPLICANT OR ANY CO-APPLICANTS DELINQUENT ON ANY FEDERAL DEBT?

(IF “YES”, PROVIDE EXPLANATION)

No Yes (explain) 

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX C

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

INCLUDED? ITEM

For Immediate Action

Determine Eligibility

New Grants.gov users must register with www.grants.gov.

Existing Grants.gov users must verify existing www.grants.gov account has not expired

and the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is current.

For Submission by 5:00 PM EDT on July 31, 2014

Communities with active SCASDP grants: notify DOT/X50 of intent to terminate 

existing grant in order to be eligible for selection in FY2014 

Complete Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF424) via www.grants.gov

Summary Information schedule complete and used as cover sheet (see Appendix B)

Application of up to 20 one-sided pages (excluding any letters from the 

community or an air carrier showing support for the application), to include:

• A description of the community’s air service needs or deficiencies.

• A strategic plan for meeting those needs under the Small Community Program.

• A detailed description of the funding necessary for implementation of the 

community's project.

• An explanation of how the proposed project differs from any previous projects 

for which the community received SCASDP funds (if applicable).

• Designation of a legal sponsor responsible for administering the program.

• A motion for confidential treatment (if applicable) – see Appendix D below.
APPENDIX D

Confidential Commercial Information

Applicants will be able to provide certain confidential business information relevant to their 

proposals on a confidential basis. Under the Department’s Freedom of Information Act 

regulations (49 C.F.R. § 7.17), such information is limited to commercial or financial 

information that, if disclosed, would either likely cause substantial harm to the competitive 

position of a business or enterprise or make it more difficult for the Federal Government to 

obtain similar information in the future.

Applicants seeking confidential treatment of a portion of their applications must segregate the 

confidential material in a sealed envelope marked “Confidential Submission of X (the applicant) 

in Docket DOT-OST-2014-0113” and include with that material a request in the form of a 

motion seeking confidential treatment of the material under 14 C.F.R. § 302.12 (“Rule 12”) of 

the Department’s regulations. The applicant should submit an original and two copies of its 

motion and an original and two copies of the confidential material in the sealed envelope. 

The confidential material should not be included with the original of the applicant’s proposal that 

is submitted via www.grants.gov. The applicant’s original submission, however, should indicate 

clearly where the confidential material would have been inserted. If an applicant invokes 

Rule 12, the confidential portion of its filing will be treated as confidential pending a final 

determination. All confidential material must be received by 5:00 PM EDT, July 31, 2014, and 

delivered to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Aviation Analysis, 8th Floor, Room 

W86-307, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590.