Tribal Transportation Program

September 16, 2020 
• What is the Tribal Transportation Program (formerly Indian 

Reservation Roads Program)?

• Laws, Regulations, Program Agreements, and Reporting

• Implementing the Tribal Transportation Program

Overview
What is the Tribal Transportation Program?
• What is the Tribal Transportation Program (formerly Indian 

Reservation Roads Program)?

• Laws, Regulations, Program Agreements, and Reporting

• Implementing the Tribal Transportation Program

Overview
• TTP = Tribal Transportation Program

• Largest Federal Lands Highway Program

• Bigger than programs for the National Park Roads, 

and Forest Service Roads

• Began in 1983 – as the Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) 

Program.

• Jointly managed and administered by BIA and FHWA

• Serves 574* Federally recognized Tribes.

* As of February 2020

What is the TTP?

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety
FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation

“Through mutual respect and understanding, enhance 

the quality of life in Tribal communities by supporting the 

Tribes’ delivery of transportation programs.”

BIA Department of Transportation

“To provide for and assist tribes in the development of 

their capacity to plan, construct and maintain safe and 

efficient transportation networks.”

Mission Statements

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety
Tribes, Tribal partners, and the Federal government work 

together to accomplish:

• Safe and adequate 

transportation for native 

villages, communities, 

reservations& Indian lands;

• Contribute to 

economic development, 

self-determination, and 

employment of Indians 

and Alaska Natives.

What is the purpose of the TTP?

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety
• Encourage Flexibility and Innovation;

• Government interprets regulations to the benefit 

of the Tribe;

• Recognize Tribal sovereignty, and the “Governmentto-Government” relationship.

Principles Guiding/Governing the TTP?

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety
• Most funding goes directly to Tribal Governments 

through a statutory formula

• The other parts are:

o 2% for Planning

o 3% for Bridge program.

o 2% for Safety program.

o 5 % PM&O – FHWA & BIA 

inherent federal functions.

o Obligation Limitation, 

not available for use, changes each year..

How much of the TTP Tribal shares go to 

Tribes?

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety
FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation Team

Director – Office of Tribal Transportation

Program Delivery Manager

Environmental 

Specialist

Tribal Coordinators

Management & 

Program Analyst Team

Finance Team

Bridge/Safety Program 

Managers

Field Team Leader 

#1

Program Administration 

Manager

Field Team Leader 

#2

Tribal Coordinators

Office of Tribal Transportation

https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs-tribal

Office of Tribal Transportation Contact Information:

https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs-tribal/contactinfo

Program Planning

Environment
Sign up for Email Updates (TTP Website)

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety TTP E-mail News and Updates Subscription
Sign up for Email Updates (Tribal Safety)

TTP Overview

• What is the TTP?

• Mission 

Statements

• Purpose

• Principles

• Funding

• FHWA

• Email Updates

• Tribal Safety

www.TribalSafety.org
Authorizations, Code of Laws, Regulations, 

Agreements, and Reporting Requirements
Questions???
• What is the Tribal Transportation Program (formerly Indian 

Reservation Roads Program)?

• Laws, Regulations, and Reporting

• Implementing the Tribal Transportation Program

Overview
Laws, Regulations, Program Agreements

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program Delivery 

Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit

Agreements

Regulations

Code of Laws

Transportation 

Authorizations (Law)

FAST Act

U.S. Code: 

Title 23

25 CFR 170

Program 

Agreement

MAP-21 SAFETEA

-LU
Laws, Regulations, Program Agreements

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program Delivery 

Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit

TTPA

Regulations 

(25 CFR 170)

Code of Laws 

(U.S. Code Title 23)

Transportation 

Authorization (FAST Act)
• Tribal Transportation Program

o Addresses surface transportation

o Implemented in accordance with ISDEAA

• Topics listed in order of when they occur.

25 CFR 170

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit
• BIA Direct Service

• BIA PL93-638 Contracts

• DOI Office of Self Governance

• BIA G2G Agreements

• FHWA Program Agreements

• US DOT Self Governance

TTP Delivery Options

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit
Indian Tribal governments choices in the delivery 

of the TTP program

US DOT

US DOI

BIA-Division of 

Transportation

Option 3: 

Tribal 

Transportation 

Program 

Agreements

Option 5: 

OST Office of 

Tribal Affairs

Self Governance 

Compacts

BIA Regional 

Offices

DOI

Office of Self 

Governance

Option 1: BIA 

Direct Services

Option 2: BIA 

PL93-638 

Contracts

Option 3: BIA 

Tribal 

Transportation 

Program 

Agreements

Option 4: Self 

Governance 

Funding 

Agreements
• Tribe agrees with BIA which activities will be delivered by the 

Region.

Option 1: BIA Direct Services
• Contracting with the Tribes for programs and services provided by 

Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Contracting with the Tribes for construction projects provided by 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Oversight of the audits submitted by the Tribes.

• Provide Technical Assistance to the Tribes in the region.

Option 2: BIA PL93-638 Contracts
• A Tribe with a TTPA administers its own Tribal Transportation Program 

(TTP).

• Transfer to the Tribe all the functions and duties that the Secretary 

would have performed with respect to a program or project under 

Chapter 2 of Title 23, other than those that cannot be legally 

transferred. 

• Tribe carry out the statutory requirements pursuant to the FAST Act.

• Provide the Tribe or its designee, under a Referenced Funding 

Agreement (RFA), its share of TTP funds pursuant to the FAST Act and 

25 CFR 170.

• Allows Tribes the option of working directly with the FHWA or BIA in 

the administration of their Tribal Transportation Program.

Option 3: Tribal Transportation Program 

Agreements
• The Office is responsible for implementation of the Tribal Self 

Governance Act of 1994.

• The Office provides financial management, budgeting, accounting 

and contracting services for funds that are allocated or awarded to 

self-governance tribes

• The Office works with tribal governments to protect and support 

tribal sovereignty within a Government-to-Government partnership 

and to advocate for the transfer of Federal programmatic 

authorities and resources to tribal governments in accordance with 

tribal self-governance statutes and policies.

Option 4: DOI Office of Self Governance
• The Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program (TTSGP) 

provides federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations with 

greater control, flexibility, and decision-making authority over 

federal funds used to carry out tribal transportation programs

• The TTSGP was authorized by Section 1121 of the Fixing America’s 

Surface Transportation Act, Pub. L. 114-94. Section 1121 is codified 

at 23 U.S.C. § 207. As directed by 23 U.S.C. 207, the Department 

developed the TTSGP regulation through a negotiated rulemaking 

with Tribe and Tribal organization representatives under the 

procedures of the Negotiated Rulemaking Act. 

• The TTSGP final rule becomes effective on October 1, 2020. 

Option 5: Tribal Transportation Self-Governance 

Program

(TTSGP)
TTP Delivery Options

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit

BIA 638

35%

BIA G2G

32%

FHWA PA

24%

DOI OSG

5%

BIA Direct Service

4%
• Tribal Transportation Program

o Addresses surface transportation

o Implemented in accordance with ISDEAA

• Topics listed in order of when they occur.

25 CFR 170

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program Delivery 

Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit
• Transfer to the Tribe all the functions 

and duties that the Secretary of the 

Interior would have performed with respect to a 

program or project under Chapter 2 of Title 23, other 

than those that cannot be legally transferred;

• To carry out the statutory requirements pursuant 

to the current transportation authorization; and

• To provide the Tribe or its designee, under a 

Referenced Funding Agreement (RFA), its share of 

TTP funds pursuant to the current transportation 

authorization and 25 CFR 170.

FHWA Program Agreement

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program Delivery 

Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit
• Provides procedural guidelines 

to eligible Tribes entering into, 

or already having, a Tribal Transportation Program 

Agreement (TTPA) with FHWA.

• Expands on the terms, roles and responsibilities, and 

provisions for the Tribes and FHWA as outlined in the 

TTPA.

• https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/guide/

Program Delivery Guide

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program 

Delivery Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit
• Reporting Responsibilities

• Transportation Planning

• Preliminary Engineering – NEPA and Other 

Environmental Requirements

• Preliminary Engineering – Project Package

• Preliminary Engineering – Right-of-Way and Utilities

• Procurement, Construction Bid Advertisement and 

Award

• Construction and Construction Engineering

• Maintenance

• TTP Bridge and Safety Program

Program Delivery Guide

Topics

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Program 

Agreements, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTPA

• Program 

Delivery Guide

• Reporting

• Mid-Year

• Single Audit
• Year-end reports (Financial, Non-Construction, 

Projects)

• Single Agency Audits

• Construction Project Closeout Report (discussed later)

Reporting Requirements

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit
• Reporting period October 1 – September 30 (due 

December 30)

• Important terms/information

o Reporting Keychain (created from current TTIP)

o Program Online Reporting Tool (PORT)

o TTP Annual Report

Reporting Requirements

Year-end reports

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit
• Required if a Tribe expends more than $750,000 total 

of Federal funds in a fiscal year.

Reporting Requirements

Single Audit

Laws, 

Regulations, 

Reporting

• Overview

• 25 CFR 170

• TTP Delivery 

Options

• Reporting

• Year-end

• Single Audit
When Can I Spend Money?
• What is the Tribal Transportation Program (formerly Indian 

Reservation Roads Program)?

• Laws, Regulations, and Reporting

• Implementing the Tribal Transportation Program

Overview
• Eligible use of TTP funds

• When/If Hiring a Consultant or Contractor

• Transportation Planning

• Preliminary Engineering (Design, Environmental, Right-of-Way)

• Construction

• Maintenance

Implementation Topics
• Allowable activities can be found in 25 CFR 170, Appendix A to 

Subpart B and include:

o Administration

o Transportation Planning

o Preliminary Engineering (Design or Project Development)

o Construction (and Construction Engineering)

o Transit

o Maintenance

o Research

• A route (road) must be in “Official” status on the NTTFI

• A Tribe may request new uses of TTP funds in writing to BIA or 

FHWA.

Eligible use of TTP funds

• Eligible 

Activities

• Hiring a 

Consultant or 

Contractor

• Planning

• Design

• Construction

• Maintenance
• A Tribe that proposes new uses of TTP funds must 

ask BIA or FHWA in writing whether the proposed 

use is eligible under Federal law. 

• 25USC eligibility questions are addressed by BIA

• 23USC and TTP eligibility questions are addressed 

by FHWA

New use of funds and eligibility
• To the extent practical BIA and FHWA must consult 

with the TTP Coordinating Committee.

• Final determination should be provided to the Tribe 

within 45 days.

• Tribes may appeal a denial of a proposed use by BIA 

or FHWA. 
If hiring a Consultant/Contractor, follow the Tribe’s 

Procurement Policy and Procedures when hiring for:

o Planning

o Design

o Environmental Service

o Construction Contractor

o Construction Engineer/Manager

o Anytime your hire for services

When/If Hiring A Consultant/Contractor

• Eligible Activities

• Hiring a 

Consultant or 

Contractor

• Planning

• Design

• Construction

• Maintenance
Questions???