Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Notices 46243 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take 

comments to Docket Operations in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

• Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations at 202–493–2251. 

Privacy: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 

public to better inform its rulemaking 

process. DOT posts these comments, 

without edit, including any personal 

information the commenter provides, to 

http://www.regulations.gov, as 

described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at http://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy. 

Docket: Background documents or 

comments received may be read at 

http://www.regulations.gov at any time. 

Follow the online instructions for 

accessing the docket or go to the Docket 

Operations in Room W12–140 of the 

West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mark Forseth, AIR–673, Federal 

Aviation Administration, 2200 South 

216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198, 

phone and fax 206–231–3179, email 

mark.forseth@faa.gov; or Alphonso 

Pendergrass, ARM–200, Office of 

Rulemaking, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591, 

phone 202–267–4713, email 

Alphonso.Pendergrass@faa.gov. 

This notice is published pursuant to 

14 CFR 11.85. 

Issued in Renton, Washington. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Manager, Transport Standards Branch. 

Petition for Exemption 

Docket No.: FAA–2018–0746. 

Petitioner: The Boeing Company. 

Section(s) of 14 CFR Affected: Special 

Conditions No. 25–626A–SC. 

Description of Relief Sought: The 

Boeing Company seeks 18 months’ relief 

from the requirements of Special 

Conditions No. 25–626A–SC, as it 

relates to dynamic test requirements on 

the Model 787–9 airplane for singleoccupant oblique seats with or without 

airbags and 3-point restraints. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19792 Filed 9–11–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Notice of Funding Opportunity for 

Positive Train Control Systems Grants 

Under the Consolidated Rail 

Infrastructure and Safety 

Improvements Program 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity 

(NOFO or notice). 

SUMMARY: This NOFO details the 

application procedures and 

requirements to obtain remaining grant 

funding for eligible positive train 

control (PTC) system projects of the 

Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and 

Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program as 

provided by the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018, (2018 

Appropriation). The funding in this 

NOFO remains from the 2018 

Appropriation after DOT selected 

applications submitted in response to an 

initial NOFO for PTC systems 

deployment published on May 18, 2018. 

The opportunity described in this notice 

is made available under Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 

number 20.325, ‘‘Consolidated Rail 

Infrastructure and Safety 

Improvements.’’ 

DATES: Applications under this 

solicitation are due no later than 5 p.m. 

EDT, October 12, 2018. Applications for 

funding or supplemental material in 

support of such an application received 

after 5 p.m. EDT on October 12, 2018 

will not be considered for funding. 

Incomplete applications will not be 

considered for funding. See Section D of 

this notice for additional information on 

the application process. 

ADDRESSES: Applications must be 

submitted via www.Grants.gov. Only 

applicants who comply with all 

submission requirements described in 

this notice and submit applications 

through www.Grants.gov will be eligible 

for award. For any supporting 

application materials that an applicant 

is unable to submit via www.Grants.gov 

(such as oversized engineering 

drawings), an applicant may submit an 

original and two (2) copies to Ms. Amy 

Houser, Office of Program Delivery, 

Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36–412, 

Washington, DC 20590. However, due to 

delays caused by enhanced screening of 

mail delivered via the U.S. Postal 

Service, applicants are advised to use 

other means of conveyance (such as 

courier service) to assure timely receipt 

of materials before the application 

deadline. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information in this notice, please 

contact Ms. Amy Houser, Office of 

Program Delivery, Federal Railroad 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W36–412, 

Washington, DC 20590; email: 

amy.houser@dot.gov; phone: 202–493– 

0303. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Notice to applicants: FRA 

recommends that applicants read this 

notice in its entirety prior to preparing 

application materials. A list providing 

the definitions of key terms used 

throughout the NOFO is in Section A(2) 

below. These key terms are capitalized 

throughout the NOFO. There are several 

administrative prerequisites and 

specific eligibility requirements 

described herein that applicants must 

comply with to submit an application. 

Additionally, applicants should note 

that the required Project Narrative 

component of the application package 

may not exceed 25 pages in length. 

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 

A. Program Description 

1. Overview 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

applications for competitive PTC system 

project funding authorized under 

Section 11301 of the Fixing America’s 

Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, 

Public Law 114–94 (2015); 49 U.S.C. 

24407 and funded in the 2018 

Appropriation. Together with the FAST 

Act, the 2018 Appropriation provides 

funding made available under this 

NOFO to fund the deployment of PTC 

system technology for Intercity 

Passenger Rail Transportation, freight 

rail transportation and/or Commuter 

Rail Passenger Transportation. Projects 

selected under this NOFO for Commuter 

Rail Passenger Transportation may be 

transferred to the Federal Transit 

Administration for grant administration. 

Projects selected for Intercity Passenger 

Rail Transportation and freight rail 

transportation will be administered by 

the FRA. 

A railroad must fully implement a 

PTC system on all required route miles 

by December 31, 2018, unless a railroad 

qualifies for and obtains FRA approval 


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46244 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Notices 

1See 74 FR 53030, 53043 (August 24, 2011) 

available at https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/ 

reference/fedreg/fedregv76n164.pdf 

of an alternative schedule (i.e., a 

deadline no later than December 31, 

2020) under the Positive Train Control 

Enforcement and Implementation Act of 

2015 (PTCEI Act). The PTCEI Act 

authorizes, and requires, FRA to 

approve a railroad’s alternative schedule 

only if the railroad demonstrates in a 

written notification that it has met all 

statutory criteria for an alternative 

schedule, including that it has: (1) 

Installed, by December 31, 2018, all PTC 

system hardware consistent with the 

governing PTC Implementation Plan 

(PTCIP); (2) acquired, by December 31, 

2018, all spectrum necessary to 

implement its PTC system consistent 

with the governing PTCIP, and (3) made 

sufficient progress on employee 

training, revenue service demonstration, 

and other criteria as specified under 49 

U.S.C. 20157(a)(3)(B)(i)–(vii). 

2. Definitions of Key Terms 

a. ‘‘Benefit-Cost Analysis’’ (‘‘BCA’’ or 

‘‘Cost-Benefit Analysis’’) is a systematic, 

data driven, and transparent analysis 

comparing monetized project benefits 

and costs, using a no-build baseline and 

properly discounted present values, 

including concise documentation of the 

assumptions and methodology used to 

produce the analysis; a description of 

the baseline, data sources used to 

project outcomes, and values of key 

input parameters; basis of modeling 

including spreadsheets, technical 

memos, etc.; and presentation of the 

calculations in sufficient detail and 

transparency to allow the analysis to be 

reproduced and sensitivity of results 

evaluated by FRA. Please refer to the 

Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for 

Discretionary Grant Programs prior to 

preparing a BCA at https://

www.transportation.gov/office-policy/ 

transportation-policy/benefit-costanalysis-guidance. In addition, please 

also refer to the BCA FAQs on FRA’s 

website for some rail specific examples 

of how to apply the BCA Guidance for 

Discretionary Grant Programs to CRISI 

applications. 

b. ‘‘Commuter Rail Passenger 

Transportation’’ means short-haul rail 

passenger transportation in 

metropolitan and suburban areas 

usually having reduced fare, multiple 

ride, and commuter tickets and morning 

and evening peak period operations. See 

49 U.S.C. 24102(3). 

c. ‘‘Construction’’ means the 

production of fixed works and 

structures or substantial alterations to 

such structures or land and associated 

costs. 

d. ‘‘Final Design’’ (‘‘FD’’) means 

design activities following Preliminary 

Engineering, and at a minimum, 

includes the preparation of final 

Construction plans, detailed 

specifications, and estimates sufficiently 

detailed to inform project stakeholders 

(designers, reviewers, contractors, 

suppliers, etc.) of the actions required to 

advance the project from design through 

completion of Construction. 

e. ‘‘Intercity Rail Passenger 

Transportation’’ means rail passenger 

transportation, except Commuter Rail 

Passenger Transportation. See 49 U.S.C. 

24401(3). In this notice, ‘‘Intercity 

Passenger Rail Service’’ and ‘‘Intercity 

Passenger Rail Transportation’’ are 

equivalent terms to ‘‘Intercity Rail 

Passenger Transportation.’’ 

f. ‘‘National Environmental Policy 

Act’’ (‘‘NEPA’’) is a Federal law that 

requires Federal agencies to assess the 

environmental impacts of a proposed 

action in consultation with appropriate 

federal, state, and local authorities, and 

with the public. The NEPA class of 

action depends on the nature of the 

proposed action, its complexity, and the 

potential impacts. For purposes of this 

NOFO, NEPA also includes all related 

Federal laws and regulations including 

Section 4(f) of the Department of 

Transportation Act, Section 7 of the 

Endangered Species Act, and Section 

106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act. (See FRA’s 

Environmental Procedures at: https://

www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L02561.) 

g. ‘‘Positive Train Control system’’ 

(‘‘PTC system’’) is defined by 49 CFR 

270.5 to mean a system designed to 

prevent train-to-train collisions, 

overspeed derailments, incursions into 

established work zone limits, and the 

movement of a train through a switch 

left in the wrong position, as described 

in 49 CFR part 236, subpart I. 

h. ‘‘Preliminary Engineering’’ (‘‘PE’’) 

means engineering design to: (1) Define 

a project, including identification of all 

environmental impacts, design of all 

critical project elements at a level 

sufficient to assure reliable cost 

estimates and schedules, (2) complete 

project management and financial plans, 

and (3) identify procurement 

requirements and strategies. The PE 

development process starts with specific 

project design alternatives that allow for 

the assessment of a range of rail 

improvements, specific alignments, and 

project designs—to be used concurrent 

with NEPA and related analyses. PE 

occurs prior to FD and Construction. 

i. ‘‘Rail Carrier’’ means a person 

providing common carrier railroad 

transportation for compensation, but 

does not include street, suburban, or 

interurban electric railways not 

operated as part of the general system of 

rail transportation. See 49 U.S.C. 

10102(5). 

j. ‘‘Rural Project’’ means a project in 

which all or the majority of the project 

(determined by the geographic location 

or locations where the majority of the 

project funds will be spent) is located in 

a Rural Area. 

k. ‘‘Rural Area’’ is defined in 49 

U.S.C. 24407(g)(2) to mean any area not 

in an urbanized area as defined by the 

Census Bureau. The Census Bureau 

defines ‘‘Urbanized Area’’ (‘‘UA’’) as an 

area with a population of 50,000 or 

more people.1 Updated lists of UAs as 

defined by the Census Bureau are 

available on the Census Bureau website 

at http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/ 

dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/. 

B. Federal Award Information 

1. Available Award Amount 

The total funding available for awards 

under this NOFO is $46,301,702 for 

eligible PTC system projects under 49 

U.S.C. 24407(c)(1). Should FRA identify 

additional funding available under the 

2018 Appropriation after the release of 

this NOFO, FRA may elect to award 

such additional funds to projects 

submitted under this NOFO. At least 25 

percent of CRISI funding made available 

in the 2018 Appropriation will be 

available for Rural Projects as required 

in 49 U.S.C. 24407(g). 

2. Award Size 

There are no predetermined minimum 

or maximum dollar thresholds for 

awards. FRA anticipates making 

multiple awards with the available 

funding. FRA may not be able to award 

grants to all eligible applications, nor 

even to all applications that meet or 

exceed the stated evaluation criteria (see 

Section E, Application Review 

Information). Projects may require more 

funding than is available. FRA 

encourages applicants to propose 

projects or components of projects that 

have operational independence that can 

be completed and implemented with the 

level of funding available together with 

other sources. 

FRA strongly encourages applicants to 

identify and include other state, local, 

public, or private funding or financing 

to support the proposed project. 

3. Award Type 

FRA will make awards for projects 

selected under this notice through grant 

agreements and/or cooperative 

agreements. Grant agreements are used 

when FRA does not expect to have 


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2See Section D(2)(a)(iv) for supporting 

documentation required to demonstrate eligibility 

under this eligibility category. 

substantial Federal involvement in 

carrying out the funded activity. 

Cooperative agreements allow for 

substantial Federal involvement in 

carrying out the agreed upon 

investment, including technical 

assistance, review of interim work 

products, and increased program 

oversight. The funding provided under 

these grant agreements and cooperative 

agreements will be made available to 

recipients on a reimbursable basis. 

Applicants must certify that their 

expenditures are allowable, allocable, 

reasonable, and necessary to the 

approved project before seeking 

reimbursement from FRA. Additionally, 

the recipient is expected to expend 

matching funds at the required 

percentage alongside Federal funds 

throughout the life of the project. See an 

example of standard terms and 

conditions for FRA grant awards at: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/ 

L19057. 

4. Concurrent Applications 

As DOT and FRA are concurrently 

soliciting applications for transportation 

infrastructure projects for several 

financial assistance programs, 

applicants may submit applications 

requesting funding for a particular 

project to one or more of these 

programs. In the application for PTC 

system project funding, applicants must 

indicate the other programs to which 

they submitted or plan to submit an 

application for funding the entire 

project or certain project components, as 

well as highlight new or revised 

information in the PTC system project 

application that differs from the 

application(s) for other federal financial 

assistance programs. 

C. Eligibility Information 

This section of the notice explains 

applicant eligibility, cost sharing and 

matching requirements, project 

eligibility, and project component 

operational independence. Applications 

that do not meet the requirements in 

this section will be ineligible for 

funding. Instructions for submitting 

eligibility information to FRA are 

detailed in Section D of this NOFO. 

1. Eligible Applicants 

The following entities are eligible 

applicants: 

a. A State; 

b. A group of States; 

c. An Interstate Compact; 

d. A public agency or publicly 

chartered authority established by one 

or more States; 2

e. A political subdivision of a State; 

f. Amtrak or another Rail Carrier that 

provides Intercity Rail Passenger 

Transportation (as defined in 49 U.S.C. 

24102); 

g. A Class II railroad or Class III 

railroad (as those terms are defined in 

49 U.S.C. 20102); 

h. Any Rail Carrier or rail equipment 

manufacturer in partnership with at 

least one of the entities described in 

paragraph (a) through (e); 

i. The Transportation Research Board 

together with any entity with which it 

contracts in the development of railrelated research, including cooperative 

research programs; 

j. A University transportation center 

engaged in rail-related research; or 

k. A non-profit labor organization 

representing a class or craft of 

employees of Rail Carriers or Rail 

Carrier contractors. 

Applications must identify an eligible 

applicant as the lead applicant. The lead 

applicant serves as the primary point of 

contact for the application, and if 

selected, as the recipient of the PTC 

system grant award. Eligible applicants 

may reference entities that are not 

eligible applicants in an application as 

a project partner. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching 

The Federal share of total costs for 

projects funded under this notice will 

not exceed 80 percent, though FRA will 

provide selection preference to 

applications where the proposed 

Federal share of total project costs is 50 

percent or less. The estimated total cost 

of a project must be based on the best 

available information, including 

engineering studies, studies of economic 

feasibility, environmental analyses, and 

information on the expected use of 

equipment and/or facilities. 

Additionally, in preparing estimates of 

total project costs, applicants should 

refer to FRA’s cost estimate guidance 

documentation, ‘‘Capital Cost 

Estimating: Guidance for Project 

Sponsors,’’ which is available at: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0926. 

The minimum 20 percent non-Federal 

match may be comprised of public 

sector (e.g., state or local) and/or private 

sector funding. FRA will not consider 

any Federal financial assistance, nor any 

non-Federal funds already expended (or 

otherwise encumbered) that do not 

comply with 2 CFR 200.458 toward the 

matching requirement. FRA is limiting 

the first 20 percent of the non-Federal 

match to cash contributions only. FRA 

will not accept ‘‘in-kind’’ contributions 

for the first 20 percent in matching 

funds. Eligible in-kind contributions 

may be accepted for any non-Federal 

matching beyond the first 20 percent. 

In-kind contributions, including the 

donation of services, materials, and 

equipment, may be credited as a project 

cost, in a uniform manner consistent 

with 2 CFR 200.306. 

Amtrak or another Rail Carrier may 

use ticket and other non-Federal 

revenues generated from its operations 

and other sources as matching funds. 

Applicants must identify the source(s) 

of its matching and other funds, and 

must clearly and distinctly reflect these 

funds as part of the total project cost. 

Before applying, applicants should 

carefully review the principles for cost 

sharing or matching in 2 CFR 200.306. 

See Section D(2)(a)(iii) for required 

application information on non-Federal 

match and Section E for further 

discussion of FRA’s consideration of 

matching funds in the review and 

selection process. FRA may approve 

pre-award costs for reimbursement and 

matching contributions consistent with 

2 CFR 200.458, as applicable. See 

Section D(6). 

3. Other 

a. Project Eligibility 

Projects eligible for funding under 

this NOFO must be used to deploy PTC 

systems technology for Intercity 

Passenger Rail Transportation, freight 

rail transportation, and/or Commuter 

Rail Passenger Transportation. Eligible 

projects include: Back office systems; 

wayside, communications and onboard 

hardware equipment; software; 

equipment installation; spectrum; any 

component, testing and training for the 

implementation of PTC systems; and 

interoperability. Maintenance and 

operating expenses incurred after a PTC 

system is placed in revenue service are 

ineligible. Applicants considering more 

comprehensive projects that include 

both PTC elements and other passenger/ 

freight improvements are directed to 

request only the PTC element under this 

NOFO or submit applications for the 

more comprehensive project under the 

subsequent NOFO, which FRA will 

soon be issuing for the remainder of the 

2018 CRISI funding. Applicants are not 

limited in the number of projects for 

which they seek funding. 

Applicants must complete all 

necessary Planning, PE and NEPA 

requirements for projects funded under 

this NOFO. Projects for FD must: 


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Resolve remaining uncertainties or risks 

associated with changes to design scope; 

address procurement processes; and 

update and refine plans for financing 

the project or program to reflect 

accurately the expected year-ofexpenditure costs and cash flow 

projections. Applicants selected for 

funding under this NOFO must 

demonstrate the following to FRA’s 

satisfaction: 

i. PE is completed for the proposed 

project, resulting in project designs that 

are reasonably expected to conform to 

all regulatory, safety, security, and other 

design requirements, including those 

under the Americans with Disabilities 

Act (ADA); 

ii. NEPA is completed for the 

proposed project; 

iii. Signed agreements with key 

project partners, including 

infrastructure-owning entities; and 

iv. A project management plan is inplace for managing the implementation 

of the proposed project, including the 

management and mitigation of project 

risks. 

b. Project Component Operational 

Independence 

If an applicant requests funding for a 

project that is a component or set of 

components of a larger project, the 

project component(s) must be attainable 

with the award amount, together with 

other funds as necessary, obtain 

operational independence, and must 

comply with all eligibility requirements 

described in Section C. 

In addition, the component(s) must be 

capable of independent analysis and 

decision making, as determined by FRA, 

under NEPA (i.e., have independent 

utility, connect logical termini, if 

applicable, and not restrict the 

consideration of alternatives for other 

reasonably foreseeable rail projects.) 

c. Rural Project 

FRA will consider a project to be in 

a Rural Area if all or the majority of the 

project (determined by geographic 

location(s) where the majority of the 

project funds will be spent) is located in 

a Rural Area. However, in the event 

FRA elects to fund a component of the 

project, then FRA will reexamine 

whether the project is in a Rural Area. 

D. Application and Submission 

Information 

Required documents for the 

application are outlined in the following 

paragraphs. Applicants must complete 

and submit all components of the 

application. See Section D(2) for the 

application checklist. FRA welcomes 

the submission of additional relevant 

supporting documentation, such as 

planning, engineering and design 

documentation, and letters of support 

from partnering organizations that will 

not count against the Project Narrative 

25-page limit. 

1. Address To Request Application 

Package 

Applicants must submit all 

application materials for PTC system 

projects in their entirety through 

www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. 

EDT, on October 12, 2018. FRA reserves 

the right to modify this deadline. 

General information for submitting 

applications through Grants.gov can be 

found at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/ 

P0270. 

For any supporting application 

materials that an applicant cannot 

submit via Grants.gov, such as oversized 

engineering drawings, an applicant may 

submit an original and two (2) copies to 

Ms. Amy Houser, Office of Program 

Delivery, Federal Railroad 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W36–412, 

Washington, DC 20590. However, due to 

delays caused by enhanced screening of 

mail delivered via the U.S. Postal 

Service, FRA advises applicants to use 

other means of conveyance (such as 

courier service) to assure timely receipt 

of materials before the application 

deadline. Additionally, if documents 

can be obtained online, providing 

instructions to FRA on how to access 

files on a referenced website may also 

be sufficient. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

FRA strongly advises applicants to 

read this section carefully. Applicants 

must submit all required information 

and components of the application 

package to be considered for funding. 

Additionally, applicants selected to 

receive funding must generally satisfy 

the grant readiness checklist 

requirements on https://

www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0268 as a 

precondition to FRA issuing a grant 

award, as well as the requirements in 49 

U.S.C. 24405 explained in part at 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/page/P0185. If a 

project is selected for PTC systems in 

Commuter Rail Passenger 

Transportation under 49 U.S.C. 

24407(c)(1) and such funds are 

transferred in the Secretary’s discretion, 

applicants will be required to comply 

with chapter 53 of Title 49 of the United 

States Code. 

Required documents for an 

application package are outlined in the 

checklist below. 

i. Project Narrative (see D.2.a) 

ii. Statement of Work (see D.2.b.i) 

iii. Benefit-Cost Analysis (see D.2.b.ii) 

iv. SF424—Application for Federal 

Assistance 

v. Either: SF 424A—Budget Information for 

Non-Construction projects or SF 424C— 

Budget Information for Construction 

vi. Either: SF 424B—Assurances for NonConstruction projects or SF 424D— 

Assurances for Construction 

vii. FRA’s Additional Assurances and 

Certifications 

viii. SF LLL—Disclosure of Lobbying 

Activities 

a. Project Narrative 

This section describes the minimum 

content required in the Project Narrative 

of the grant application. The Project 

Narrative must follow the basic outline 

below to address the program 

requirements and assist evaluators in 

locating relevant information. 

I. Cover Page .................................................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.i. 

II. Project Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.ii. 

III. Project Funding .......................................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.iii. 

IV. Applicant Eligibility .................................................................................................................................................................. See D.2.a.iv. 

V. Project Eligibility ........................................................................................................................................................................ See D.2.a.v. 

VI. Detailed Project Description ..................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.vi. 

VII. Project Location ........................................................................................................................................................................ See D.2.a.vii. 

VIII. Evaluation and Selection Criteria .......................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.viii. 

IX. Project Implementation and Management ............................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.ix. 

X. PTC Readiness ............................................................................................................................................................................ See D.2.a.x. 

XI. Environmental Readiness .......................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.a.xi. 

The above content must be provided 

in a narrative statement submitted by 

the applicant. The Project Narrative may 

not exceed 25 pages in length 

(excluding cover pages, table of 

contents, and supporting 


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documentation). FRA will not review or 

consider for award applications with 

Project Narratives exceeding the 25-page 

limitation. If possible, applicants should 

submit supporting documents via 

website links rather than hard copies. If 

supporting documents are submitted, 

applicants must clearly identify the 

page number(s) of the relevant portion 

in the Project Narrative supporting 

documentation. The Project Narrative 

must adhere to the following outline. 

i. Cover Page: Include a cover page 

that lists the following elements in a 

table: 

Project Title.

Lead applicant.

Was a Federal grant application previously submitted for this project? ...................................................... Yes/no. 

If yes, state the name of the Federal grant program and title of the project in the previous application .. Federal Grant Program: 

Project Title: 

Is this a Rural Project? What percentage of the project cost is based in a Rural Area? ............................... Yes/no. 

Percentage of total project cost: 

City(ies), State(s) where the project is located.

Urbanized Area where the project is located.

Population of Urbanized Area.

ii. Project Summary: Provide a brief 

4–6 sentence summary of the proposed 

project and what the project will entail. 

Include challenges the proposed project 

aims to address, and summarize the 

intended outcomes and anticipated 

benefits that will result from the 

proposed project. 

iii. Project Funding: Indicate in table 

format the amount of Federal funding 

requested, the proposed non-Federal 

match, identifying contributions from 

the private sector if applicable, and total 

project cost. Describe the non-Federal 

funding arrangement. Include funding 

commitment letters outlining funding 

agreements, as attachments or in an 

appendix. Identify any specific project 

components that the applicant proposes 

for partial project funding. If all or a 

majority of a project is located in a Rural 

Area, identify the Rural Area(s) and 

estimated percentage of project costs 

that will be spent in the Rural Area. 

Identify any previously incurred costs, 

as well as other sources of Federal funds 

committed to the project and any 

pending Federal requests. Also, note if 

the requested Federal funding under 

this NOFO or other programs must be 

obligated or spent by a certain date due 

to dependencies or relationships with 

other Federal or non-Federal funding 

sources, related projects, law, or other 

factors. If applicable, provide the type 

and estimated value of any proposed inkind contributions, and demonstrate 

how the in-kind contributions meet the 

requirements in 2 CFR 200.306. 

Example Project Funding Table: 

Task No. Task name/project 

component Cost Percentage of total cost 

1 

2 

Total Project Cost 

Federal Funds Received from Previous Grant 

Federal Funding Request 

Non-Federal Funding/Match Cash: 

In-Kind: 

Portion of Non-Federal Funding from the Private Sector 

Portion of Total Project Costs Spent in a Rural Area 

Pending Federal Funding Requests 

iv. Applicant Eligibility: Explain how 

the applicant meets the applicant 

eligibility criteria outlined in Section C 

of this notice, including references to 

creation or enabling legislation for 

public agencies and publicly chartered 

authorities established by one or more 

States. 

v. Project Eligibility: Explain how the 

project meets the project eligibility 

criteria. 

vi. Detailed Project Description: 

Include a detailed project description 

that expands upon the brief project 

summary. This detailed description 

should provide, at a minimum, 

background on the challenges the 

project aims to address; the expected 

users and beneficiaries of the project, 

including all railroad operators; the 

specific components and elements of 

the project; and any other information 

the applicant deems necessary to justify 

the proposed project. If applicable, 

explain how the project will benefit 

communities in Rural Areas. Applicants 

must also: 

(A) Document submission of a revised 

Positive Train Control Implementation 

Plan (PTCIP) to FRA as required by 49 

U.S.C. 20157(a); 

(B) Document that it is a tenant on 

one or more host railroads that 

submitted a revised PTCIP to FRA as 

required by 49 U.S.C. 20157(a), which 

states the tenant railroad is equipping 

its rolling stock with a PTC system and 

provides all other information required 

under 49 CFR 236.1011 regarding the 

tenant railroad; or 

(C) Document why the applicant is 

not required to submit a revised PTCIP 

as required by 49 U.S.C. 20157(a), and 

whether the proposed project will assist 

in the deployment (i.e., installation and/ 

or full implementation) of a PTC system 

required under 49 U.S.C. 20157. 


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For all projects, applicants must 

provide information about proposed 

performance measures, as discussed in 

Section F(3)(c) and required in 2 CFR 

200.301 and 49 U.S.C. 24407(f). 

vii. Project Location: Include 

geospatial data for the project, as well as 

a map of the project’s location. On the 

map, include the Rural Area boundaries, 

if applicable, in which the project will 

take place. 

viii. Evaluation and Selection Criteria: 

Include a thorough discussion of how 

the proposed project meets all the 

evaluation criteria and selection criteria, 

as outlined in Section E of this notice. 

If an application does not sufficiently 

address the evaluation and selection 

criteria, it is unlikely to be a competitive 

application. 

ix. Project Implementation and 

Management: Describe proposed project 

implementation and project 

management arrangements. Include 

descriptions of the expected 

arrangements for project contracting, 

contract oversight, change-order 

management, risk management, and 

conformance to Federal requirements 

for project progress reporting (see 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0274). 

Describe past experience in managing 

and overseeing similar projects. 

x. PTC Readiness: If the railroad is 

subject to the statutory PTC mandate or 

if the railroad is a tenant railroad that 

operates on PTC-equipped territory and 

must equip its locomotives and other 

controlling rolling stock under 49 CFR 

236.1006(a), provide a brief summary 

about the railroad’s current progress 

toward fully implementing a PTC 

system under 49 CFR part 236, 

subpart I. For such railroads and for any 

other railroad, provide information 

about the railroad’s progress towards 

completing all hardware installation 

required for implementation of a PTC 

system, testing the PTC system 

(including field testing and revenue 

service demonstration), training 

personnel under 49 CFR 236.1041– 

236.1049, conducting interoperability 

testing with any other railroads that 

operate on the same main line, and 

operating an FRA-certified PTC system 

in revenue service. In addition, and if 

applicable, applicants may refer to their 

most recent Quarterly PTC Progress 

Report (FRA Form F 6180.165) to 

provide additional details. 

xi. Environmental Readiness: If the 

NEPA process is complete, an applicant 

should indicate the date of completion, 

and provide a website link or other 

reference to the documents 

demonstrating compliance with NEPA, 

which might include a final CE, Finding 

of No Significant Impact, or Record of 

Decision. If the NEPA process is not yet 

underway or is underway, but is not 

complete, the application should detail 

the type of NEPA review underway, 

where the project is in the process, and 

indicate the anticipated date of 

completion of all NEPA and related 

milestones. If the last agency action 

with respect to NEPA documents 

occurred more than three years before 

the application date, the applicant 

should describe why the project has 

been delayed and include a proposed 

approach for verifying, and if necessary, 

updating this information in accordance 

with applicable NEPA requirements. 

Additional information regarding FRA’s 

environmental processes and 

requirements are located at https://

www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L05286. 

b. Additional Application Elements 

Applicants must submit: 

i. A Statement of Work (SOW) 

addressing the scope, schedule, and 

budget for the proposed project if it 

were selected for award. The SOW must 

contain sufficient detail so FRA, and the 

applicant, can understand the expected 

outcomes of the proposed work to be 

performed and monitor progress toward 

completing project tasks and 

deliverables during a prospective grant’s 

period of performance. Applicants must 

use FRA’s standard SOW template to be 

considered for award. The SOW 

template is located at https://

www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L18661. 

When preparing the budget as part of 

the SOW, the total cost of a project must 

be based on the best available 

information as indicated in cited 

references that include engineering 

studies, studies of economic feasibility, 

environmental analyses, and 

information on the expected use of 

equipment or facilities. 

ii. A Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA), as 

an appendix to the Project Narrative for 

each project submitted by an applicant. 

The BCA must demonstrate in economic 

terms the merits of investing in the 

proposed project. The project narrative 

should summarize the project’s benefits. 

Benefits may apply to existing and 

new rail users, as well as users of other 

modes of transportation. In some cases, 

benefits may be applied to populations 

in the general vicinity of the project 

area. Improvements to shared-use rail 

corridors may benefit all users involved. 

All benefits claimed for the project must 

be clearly tied to the expected outcomes 

of the project. Please refer to the BenefitCost Analysis Guidance for 

Discretionary Grant Programs prior to 

preparing a BCA at https://

www.transportation.gov/office-policy/ 

transportation-policy/benefit-costanalysis-guidance. In addition, please 

also refer to the BCA FAQs on FRA’s 

website for some rail specific examples 

of how to apply the Benefit-Cost 

Analysis Guidance for Discretionary 

Grant Programs to CRISI applications. 

iii. SF 424—Application for Federal 

Assistance; 

iv. SF 424A—Budget Information for 

Non-Construction or SF 424C—Budget 

Information for Construction; 

v. SF 424B—Assurances for NonConstruction or SF 424D—Assurances 

for Construction; 

vi. FRA’s Additional Assurances and 

Certifications; and 

vii. SF LLL—Disclosure of Lobbying 

Activities. 

Forms needed for the electronic 

application process are at 

www.Grants.gov. 

c. Post-Selection Requirements 

See subsection F(2) of this notice for 

post-selection requirements. 

3. Unique Entity Identifier, System for 

Award Management (SAM), and 

Submission Instructions 

To apply for funding through 

Grants.gov, applicants must be properly 

registered. Complete instructions on 

how to register and submit an 

application can be found at 

www.Grants.gov. Registering with 

Grants.gov is a one-time process; 

however, it can take up to several weeks 

for first-time registrants to receive 

confirmation and a user password. FRA 

recommends that applicants start the 

registration process as early as possible 

to prevent delays that may preclude 

submitting an application package by 

the application deadline. Applications 

will not be accepted after the due date. 

Delayed registration is not an acceptable 

justification for an application 

extension. 

FRA may not make a grant award to 

an applicant until the applicant has 

complied with all applicable Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

and SAM requirements. (Please note 

that if a Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number 

must be obtained or renewed, this may 

take a significant amount of time to 

complete.) Late applications that are the 

result of a failure to register or comply 

with Grants.gov applicant requirements 

in a timely manner will not be 

considered. If an applicant has not fully 

complied with the requirements by the 

submission deadline, the application 

will not be considered. To submit an 

application through Grants.gov, 

applicants must: 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
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a. Obtain a DUNS Number 

A DUNS number is required for 

Grants.gov registration. The Office of 

Management and Budget requires that 

all businesses and nonprofit applicants 

for Federal funds include a 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 the government in 

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 subrecipients. The DUNS number will be 

used throughout the grant life cycle. 

Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, 

one-time activity. Applicants may 

obtain a DUNS number by calling 1– 

866–705–5711 or by applying online at 

http://www.dnb.com/us. 

b. Register With the SAM at 

www.SAM.gov 

All applicants for Federal financial 

assistance must maintain current 

registrations in the SAM database. An 

applicant must be registered in SAM to 

successfully register in Grants.gov. The 

SAM database is the repository for 

standard information about Federal 

financial assistance applicants, 

recipients, and sub recipients. 

Organizations that have previously 

submitted applications via Grants.gov 

are already registered with SAM, as it is 

a requirement for Grants.gov 

registration. Please note, however, that 

applicants must update or renew their 

SAM registration at least once per year 

to maintain an active status. Therefore, 

it is critical to check registration status 

well in advance of the application 

deadline. If an applicant is selected for 

an award, the applicant must maintain 

an active SAM registration with current 

information throughout the period of 

the award. Information about SAM 

registration procedures is available at 

www.sam.gov. 

c. Create a Grants.gov Username and 

Password 

Applicants must complete an 

Authorized Organization Representative 

(AOR) profile on www.Grants.gov and 

create a username and password. 

Applicants must use the organization’s 

DUNS number to complete this step. 

Additional information about the 

registration process is available at: 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/ 

applicants/organizationregistration.html. 

d. Acquire Authorization for Your AOR 

From the E-Business Point of Contact 

(E-Biz POC) 

The E-Biz POC at the applicant’s 

organization must respond to the 

registration email from Grants.gov and 

login at www.Grants.gov to authorize the 

applicant as the AOR. Please note there 

can be more than one AOR for an 

organization. 

e. Submit an Application Addressing 

All Requirements Outlined in This 

NOFO 

If an applicant experiences difficulties 

at any point during this process, please 

call the Grants.gov Customer Center 

Hotline at 1–800–518–4726, 24 hours a 

day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal 

holidays). For information and 

instructions on each of these processes, 

please see instructions at: http://

www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/ 

apply-for-grants.html. 

Note: Please use generally accepted formats 

such as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx and .ppt, 

when uploading attachments. While 

applicants may embed picture files, such as 

.jpg, .gif, and .bmp, in document files, 

applicants should not submit attachments 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. 

4. Submission Dates and Times 

Applicants must submit complete 

applications for PTC system projects to 

www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. 

EDT, October 12, 2018. FRA reviews 

www.Grants.gov information on dates/ 

times of applications submitted to 

determine timeliness of submissions. 

Late applications will be neither 

reviewed nor considered. Delayed 

registration is not an acceptable reason 

for late submission. In order to apply for 

funding under this announcement, all 

applicants are expected to be registered 

as an organization with Grants.gov. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

apply early to ensure all materials are 

received before this deadline. 

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 Grants.gov 

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 instructions in this 

NOFO; and (4) technical issues 

experienced with the applicant’s 

computer or information technology 

environment. 

5. Intergovernmental Review 

Executive Order 12372 requires 

applicants from State and local units of 

government or other organizations 

providing services within a State to 

submit a copy of the application to the 

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC), if 

one exists, and if this program has been 

selected for review by the State. 

Applicants must contact their State 

SPOC to determine if the program has 

been selected for State review. 

6. Funding Restrictions 

Consistent with 2 CFR 200.458, as 

applicable, FRA will only approve preaward costs if such costs are incurred 

pursuant to the negotiation and in 

anticipation of the grant agreement and 

if such costs are necessary for efficient 

and timely performance of the scope of 

work. Under 2 CFR 200.458, grant 

recipients must seek written approval 

from the administering agency for preaward activities to be eligible for 

reimbursement under the grant. 

Activities initiated prior to the 

execution of a grant or without written 

approval are not eligible for 

reimbursement and will not be counted 

toward a recipient’s matching 

contribution. 

7. Other Submission Requirements 

If an applicant experiences difficulties 

at any point during this process, please 

call the Grants.gov Customer Center 

Hotline at 1–800–518–4726, 24 hours a 

day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal 

holidays). For information and 

instructions on each of these processes, 

please see instructions at: http://

www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/ 

apply-for-grants.html. 

E. Application Review Information 

1. Criteria 

a. Eligibility and Completeness Review 

FRA will first screen each application 

for applicant and project eligibility 

(eligibility requirements are outlined in 

Section C of this notice), completeness 

(application documentation and 

submission requirements are outlined in 

Section D of this notice), and the 20 

percent minimum match in determining 

whether the application is eligible. 

FRA will then consider the 

applicant’s past performance in 

developing and delivering similar 

projects and previous financial 

contributions, and previous competitive 

grant technical evaluation ratings that 

the proposed project received under 

previous competitive grant programs 

administered by the DOT if applicable. 


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b. Evaluation Criteria 

FRA subject-matter experts will 

evaluate all eligible and complete 

applications using the evaluation 

criteria outlined in this section to 

determine project benefits and technical 

merit. 

i. Project Benefits: FRA will evaluate 

the Benefit-Cost Analysis of the 

proposed project for the anticipated 

private and public benefits relative to 

the costs of the proposed project and the 

summary of benefits provided in 

response to subsection D(2)(a)(ii) 

including— 

(A) Effects on system and service 

performance; 

(B) Effects on safety, competitiveness, 

reliability, trip or transit time, and 

resilience; 

(C) Efficiencies from improved 

integration with other modes; and 

(D) Ability to meet existing or 

anticipated demand. 

ii. Technical Merit: FRA will evaluate 

application information for the degree to 

which— 

(A) The tasks and subtasks outlined in 

the SOW are appropriate to achieve the 

expected outcomes of the proposed 

project. 

(B) Applications indicate strong 

project readiness and meet project 

requirements. 

(C) The technical qualifications and 

experience of key personnel proposed to 

lead and perform the technical efforts, 

and the qualifications of the primary 

and supporting organizations to fully 

and successfully execute the proposed 

project within the proposed timeframe 

and budget are demonstrated. 

(D) The proposed project’s business 

plan considers potential private sector 

participation in the financing, 

construction, or operation of the 

proposed project. 

(E) The applicant has, or will have the 

legal, financial, and technical capacity 

to carry out the proposed project; 

satisfactory continuing control over the 

use of the equipment or facilities; and 

the capability and willingness to 

maintain the equipment or facilities. 

(F) If applicable, the proposed project 

is consistent with planning guidance 

and documents set forth by DOT, 

including those required by law or State 

rail plans developed under Title 49, 

United States Code, Chapter 227. 

c. Selection Criteria 

In addition to the eligibility and 

completeness review and the evaluation 

criteria outlined in this subsection, the 

FRA Administrator will select projects 

applying the following selection criteria: 

i. The FRA Administrator will give 

preference to projects for which the: 

(A) Proposed Federal share of total 

project costs is 50 percent or less; and 

(B) Net benefits of the grant funds will 

be maximized considering the BCA, 

including anticipated private and public 

benefits relative to the costs of the 

proposed project, and factoring in the 

other considerations in 49 U.S.C. 

24407(e). 

ii. After applying the above 

preferences, the FRA Administrator will 

take into account the following key 

Departmental objectives: 

(A) Supporting economic vitality at 

the national and regional level; 

(B) Leveraging Federal funding to 

attract other, non-Federal sources of 

infrastructure investment, as well as 

accounting for the life-cycle costs of the 

project; 

(C) Using innovative approaches to 

improve safety and expedite project 

delivery; and, 

(D) Holding grant recipients 

accountable for their performance and 

achieving specific, measurable 

outcomes identified by grant applicants. 

2. Review and Selection Process 

FRA will conduct a three-part 

application review process, as follows: 

a. Screen applications for 

completeness and eligibility; 

b. Evaluate eligible applications 

(completed by technical panels applying 

the evaluation criteria); and 

c. Select projects for funding 

(completed by the FRA Administrator 

applying the selection criteria). 

Prior to making a Federal award with 

a total amount of Federal share greater 

than the simplified acquisition 

threshold, FRA is required to review 

and consider any information about the 

applicant that is in the designated 

integrity and performance system 

accessible through SAM (currently 

FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313). An 

applicant, at its option, may review 

information in the designated integrity 

and performance systems accessible 

through SAM and comment on any 

information about itself that a Federal 

awarding agency previously entered and 

is currently in the designated integrity 

and performance system accessible 

through SAM. FRA will consider any 

comments by the applicant, in addition 

to the other information in the 

designated integrity and performance 

system, 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 as 

described in 2 CFR 200.205. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

1. Federal Award Notice 

FRA will announce applications 

selected for funding in a press release 

and on the FRA website after the 

application review periods. FRA will 

contact applicants with successful 

applications after announcement with 

information and instructions about the 

award process. This notification is not 

an authorization to begin proposed 

project activities. A formal cooperative 

agreement or grant agreement signed by 

both the recipient and the FRA, 

including an approved scope, schedule, 

and budget, is required before the award 

is obligated and complete. 

For all projects, obligation occurs 

when a selected applicant and FRA 

enter a written project specific 

cooperative agreement or grant 

agreement and is after the applicant has 

satisfied applicable requirements. For 

FD/Construction projects, these 

requirements may include 

transportation planning, PE and 

environmental reviews. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

Due to funding limitations, projects 

that are selected for funding may receive 

less than the amount originally 

requested. In those cases, applicants 

must be able to demonstrate the 

proposed projects are still viable and 

can be completed with the amount 

awarded. 

Recipients and entities receiving 

funding from the recipient, must 

comply with all applicable laws and 

regulations. Examples of administrative 

and national policy requirements 

include: 2 CFR part 200; procurement 

standards; compliance with Federal 

civil rights laws and regulations; 

requirements for disadvantaged 

business enterprises, debarment and 

suspension requirements, and drug-free 

workplace requirements; FRA’s and 

OMB’s Assurances and Certifications; 

Americans with Disabilities Act; safety 

requirements including those applicable 

to PTC projects; NEPA; environmental 

justice requirements; performance 

measures under 49 U.S.C. 24407(f); 49 

U.S.C. 24405, including the Buy 

America requirements and the provision 

deeming operators rail carriers and 

employers for certain purposes. Grants 

for PTC system projects selected under 

49 U.S.C. 24407(c)(1) for Commuter Rail 

Passenger Transportation, if transferred 

to FTA, must comply with the 

requirements of chapter 53 of Title 49. 

See an example of standard terms and 

conditions for FRA grant awards at 


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https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/ 

L19057. 

3. Reporting 

a. Progress Reporting on Grant Activity 

Each applicant selected for a grant 

will be required to comply with all 

standard FRA reporting requirements, 

including quarterly progress reports, 

quarterly Federal financial reports, and 

interim and final performance reports, 

as well as all applicable auditing, 

monitoring and close out requirements. 

Reports may be submitted 

electronically. 

b. Performance Reporting 

Each applicant selected for funding 

must collect information and report on 

the project’s performance using 

measures mutually agreed upon by FRA 

and the recipient to assess progress in 

achieving strategic goals and objectives. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

For further information regarding this 

notice and the grants program, please 

contact Ms. Amy Houser, Office of 

Program Delivery, Federal Railroad 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W36–412, 

Washington, DC 20590; email: 

amy.houser@dot.gov; phone: 202–493– 

0303. 

H. Other 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 is accepted by industry practice and 

standards, to the extent possible. If the 

application includes information the 

applicant considers to be a trade secret 

or confidential commercial or financial 

information, the applicant should do the 

following: (1) Note on the front cover 

that the submission ‘‘Contains 

Confidential Business Information 

(CBI)’’; (2) mark each affected page 

‘‘CBI’’; and (3) highlight or otherwise 

denote the CBI portions. 

DOT protects such information from 

disclosure to the extent allowed under 

applicable law. In the event DOT 

receives a Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) request for the information, DOT 

will follow the procedures described in 

its FOIA regulations at 49 CFR 7.17. 

Only information that is ultimately 

determined to be confidential under that 

procedure will be exempt from 

disclosure under FOIA. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Ronald Louis Batory, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19740 Filed 9–11–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

Pilot Program for Expedited Project 

Delivery 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, 

DOT. 

ACTION: Notice; request for expressions 

of interest to participate. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) is soliciting 

expressions of interest for the Expedited 

Project Delivery Pilot Program (Pilot 

Program) authorized by the Fixing 

America’s Surface Transportation Act 

(FAST). The Pilot Program is aimed at 

expediting delivery of new fixed 

guideway capital projects, small starts 

projects, or core capacity improvement 

projects that utilize public-private 

partnerships, are planned to be operated 

and maintained by employees of an 

existing public transportation provider, 

and have a Federal share not exceeding 

25 percent of the project cost. It is also 

aimed at increasing innovation, 

improving efficiency and timeliness of 

project implementation, and 

encouraging new revenue streams. The 

law specifies that not more than eight 

projects can be awarded grants under 

the Pilot Program. FTA intends to work 

with selected project sponsors to further 

define the steps that must be completed 

before a construction grant can be 

awarded under the Pilot Program, 

including expedited FTA reviews of 

technical capacity, local financial 

commitment, and project justification. 

This announcement is available on the 

FTA’s website at: www.transit.dot.gov/ 

funding/grants/expedited-projectdelivery-capital-investment-grants-pilot3005b. 

DATES: Expressions of interest to become 

one of the participants in the Pilot 

Program for Expedited Project Delivery 

must be submitted to FTA by mail, 

email or facsimile by 11:59 p.m. EDT 

November 13, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Mail submission must be 

addressed to the Office of Planning and 

Environment, Federal Transit 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room E45–119, 

Washington, DC 20590 and postmarked 

no later than November 13, 2018. Email 

submissions must be sent to 

ExpeditedProjectDelivery@dot.gov by 

11:59 p.m. EDT on November 13, 2018. 

Facsimile submissions must be 

submitted to the attention of Expedited 

Project Delivery Pilot Program at 202– 

493–2478 by 11:59 p.m. EDT ON 

November 13, 2018. If there are 

insufficient candidate projects that FTA 

determines meet the requirements of the 

Pilot Program, FTA may conduct 

additional requests for expressions of 

interest in the future. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Eddy, FTA Office of Planning and 

Environment, telephone (202) 366–5499 

or email Susan.Eddy@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Background 

FTA, together with its transit industry 

partners, invests billions of dollars in 

capital projects designed to improve 

public transportation by reinvesting in 

existing assets to expand capacity or by 

increasing the extent and quality of 

public transportation service by making 

new investments. These projects take 

considerable time to plan, develop, 

design, approve, and deploy. While it is 

important for FTA to ensure that it 

selects only well-conceived projects that 

are implemented in the most efficient 

and effective manner, a lengthy process 

delays the delivery of the intended 

benefits to the riding public. 

2. Pilot Program 

Section 3005(b) of the FAST Act, 

Public Law 114–94 (December 4, 2015), 

authorizes the Pilot Program for FTA to 

make not more than eight grants for new 

fixed guideway capital projects, small 

starts projects, or core capacity 

improvement projects that have not yet 

entered a construction grant agreement 

with the FTA. The law defines these 

types of eligible projects for the Pilot 

Program in a manner similar to, but not 

entirely the same as, the CIG program. 

Thus, FTA encourages project sponsors 

to review closely the definitions found 

in Section 3005(b) to ensure the 

project’s eligibility. 

Eligible applicants to the Pilot 

Program are state or local government 

authorities. Proposed projects must 

utilize public-private partnerships; be 

operated and maintained by employees 

of an existing provider of fixed 

guideway or bus rapid transit public 

transportation in the service area of the 

project, or if none exists, by employees 

of an existing public transportation 

provider in the service area; and have a 

Federal share not exceeding 25 percent 

of the net capital project cost. Project 

sponsors also must have financial 

advisors providing guidance to them on 

the terms and structure of the project 

that are independent from investors in 

the project. Sponsors must further 

certify that the existing public 

transportation system is in a state of 

good repair as defined by law. (See Pub. 

L. 114–94, 129 STAT. 1458; 49 U.S.C. 

5302; 49 U.S.C. 5326(b)(1); 49 CFR 

625.5.) 


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