90816 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2024 / Notices 

2Persons interested in submitting an OFA must 

first file a formal expression of intent to file an 

offer, indicating the type of financial assistance they 

wish to provide (i.e., subsidy or purchase) and 

demonstrating that they are preliminarily 

financially responsible. See 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2)(i). 

3The Board will grant a stay if an informed 

decision on environmental issues (whether raised 

by a party or by the Board’s Office of Environmental 

Analysis (OEA) in its independent investigation) 

cannot be made before the exemption’s effective 

date. See Exemption of Out-of-Serv. Rail Lines, 5 

I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). Any request for a stay should 

be filed as soon as possible so that the Board may 

take appropriate action before the exemption’s 

effective date. 

4Filing fees for OFAs and trail use requests can 

be found at 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25) and (27), 

respectively. 

Provided no formal expression of 

intent to file an offer of financial 

assistance (OFA) has been received,2

this exemption will be effective on 

December 18, 2024, unless stayed 

pending reconsideration. Petitions to 

stay that do not involve environmental 

issues 3 must be filed by November 27, 

2024. Formal expressions of intent to 

file an OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2) 

and interim trail use/rail banking 

requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 must be 

filed by November 29, 2024.4 Petitions 

to reopen and requests for public use 

conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must 

be filed by December 9, 2024. 

All pleadings, referring to Docket No. 

AB 55 (Sub-No. 818X), must be filed 

with the Surface Transportation Board 

either via e-filing on the Board’s website 

or in writing addressed to 395 E Street 

SW, Washington, DC 20423–0001. In 

addition, a copy of each pleading must 

be served on CSXT’s representative, 

Louis E. Gitomer, Law Offices of Louis 

E. Gitomer, LLC, 600 Baltimore Avenue, 

Suite 301, Towson, MD 21204. 

If the verified notice contains false or 

misleading information, the exemption 

is void ab initio. 

CSXT has filed a combined 

environmental and historic report that 

addresses the potential effects, if any, of 

the abandonment on the environment 

and historic resources. OEA will issue a 

Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft 

EA) by November 22, 2024. The Draft 

EA will be available to interested 

persons on the Board’s website, by 

writing to OEA, or by calling OEA at 

(202) 245–0294. If you require an 

accommodation under the Americans 

with Disabilities Act, please call (202) 

245–0245. Comments on environmental 

or historic preservation matters must be 

filed within 15 days after the Draft EA 

becomes available to the public. 

Environmental, historic preservation, 

public use, or trail use/rail banking 

conditions will be imposed, where 

appropriate, in a subsequent decision. 

Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 

1152.29(e)(2), CSXT shall file a notice of 

consummation with the Board to signify 

that it has exercised the authority 

granted and fully abandoned the Line. If 

consummation has not been effected by 

CSXT’s filing of a notice of 

consummation by November 18, 2025, 

and there are no legal or regulatory 

barriers to consummation, the authority 

to abandon will automatically expire. 

Board decisions and notices are 

available at www.stb.gov. 

Decided: November 13, 2024. 

By the Board, Valerie O. Quinn, Acting 

Director, Office of Proceedings. 

Stefan Rice, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26797 Filed 11–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

Fiscal Year 2025 Competitive Funding 

Opportunity: Bus Safety and 

Accessibility Research Program 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity 

(NOFO). 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) announces the 

opportunity to submit applications for 

the Bus Safety and Accessibility 

Research Program for up to $10,000,000 

under the Public Transportation 

Innovation Program in multiple fiscal 

years. The strategic goal for this program 

is to make existing and new buses safer 

for their operators and vulnerable road 

users, and safer and more accessible for 

their passengers. The Bus Safety and 

Accessibility Research Program seeks 

proposals to research standard bus 

designs, safety innovations and systems, 

and bus compartments that support 

these safety and accessibility goals. 

Additionally, this NOFO will require 

the development of detailed design 

specifications and production of a 

prototype that is available through a 

retrofit on existing buses and for 

installation in new buses. 

DATES: Complete proposals must be 

submitted electronically through the 

grants.gov ‘‘APPLY’’ function by 11:59 

p.m. eastern time on January 17, 2025. 

Prospective applicants should initiate 

the process by registering on the 

grants.gov website promptly to ensure 

completion of the application process 

before the submission deadline. 

Instructions for applying can be found 

on FTA’s website at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in 

the ‘‘FIND’’ module of grants.gov. The 

funding opportunity ID is FTA–2025– 

003–TRI. Mail and fax submissions will 

not be accepted. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Maria Roell, FTA Office of Research, 

Demonstration, and Innovation, phone 

(202) 366–9214, or email: maria.roell@

dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF KEY INFORMATION: FTA BUS SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY RESEARCH COMPETITIVE FUNDING

OPPORTUNITY

Issuing Agency .............. Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. 

Program Overview ........ To establish a Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program under 49 U.S.C. 5312 to research standard designs 

and prototypes to make existing and new buses safer for their operators and vulnerable road users, and safer and 

more accessible for their passengers. 

Eligible Applicants ......... Departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government, including Federal laboratories; State and local governmental entities; providers of public transportation; private or non-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and technical and community colleges. 

Eligible Project .............. Engineering, design, and protype production of a bus or bus components that improve safety of operator and VRUs 

and increases accessibility for passengers. 

Funding Amount ............ $10,000,000. Additional funds made available prior to project selection may be allocated to eligible projects. 

Deadline ........................ January 17, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. 

Cost share ..................... The maximum Federal share of project costs under this program is 80 percent. 


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Table of Contents 

A. Program Description 

B. Federal Award Information 

C. Eligibility Information 

D. Application and Submission Information 

E. Application Review Information 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

H. Other Information 

A. Program Description 

Under FTA’s Public Transportation 

Innovation Program (49 U.S.C. 5312), 

FTA may make grants or enter into 

contracts or cooperative agreements for 

research, development, demonstration, 

and deployment projects and evaluation 

of research and technology of national 

significance to public transportation. 

This notice of funding opportunity 

(NOFO) (Federal Assistance Listing: 

20.531) is issued under this authority. 

The Bus Safety and Accessibility 

Research Program addresses critical 

safety issues and technology 

opportunities in public transit vehicle 

design. For this program accessibility 

refers to the ability of people with 

disabilities to: independently ascertain 

if an arriving bus is the one they intend 

to take; board; pay any fares or scan 

Paratransit ID cards; identify a seat or 

wheelchair accessible spot; secure any 

mobility equipment on the bus; receive 

any visual or audible stop 

announcements; identify the correct 

stop at which they intend to deboard; 

indicate by pressing buttons or 

communicating verbally with the driver 

that they would like to deboard at the 

next stop; and exit the vehicle without 

encountering any physical, 

communication, or attitudinal barriers. 

Critical safety issues include rising 

operator assaults, continued 

accessibility issues for people with 

disabilities in and around transit buses, 

the need to increase operator visibility 

and minimize blind spots to ensure 

safety around a bus for passengers, 

pedestrians, bicyclists, and all who 

encounter a transit vehicle. It addresses 

FTA’s strategic goal of enhancing the 

safety of transit fleets. According to 

safety performance data reported to the 

National Transit Database (NTD), major 

event injuries per 100 million vehicle 

revenue miles are rising with non-rail 

modes having 273.94 injuries in 2022 

and 302.82 injuries in 2023. It is 

essential that action is taken to reverse 

this trend. 

The strategic goal for this program is 

to make existing and new buses safer for 

their operators and vulnerable road 

users, and safer and more accessible for 

their passengers. The program objectives 

include research on bus designs, 

innovations, and technologies, as well 

as production of a prototype that is 

available through a retro fit on existing 

buses and for installation in new buses. 

The program’s key focus areas are: 

• Driver Safety Systems—Changes 

made to the transit vehicle and 

technology upgrades that protect the 

operator and enhance the safety of those 

outside of the vehicle including VRUs. 

• Passenger Safety Systems—Changes 

made to the transit vehicle and 

technology upgrades that protect and 

increase accessibility of the passengers. 

All applicants will also be expected to 

produce results that follow three major 

principles. These principles represent 

the values on which FTA will judge 

whether objectives have been met. 

• Partnerships: 

Æ Recipients will collaborate across 

multiple industry sectors including all 

or some of these priority groups: 

D Transit Vehicle Manufacturers (TVMs) 

D Transit Agencies 

D Transit Labor Unions 

D Disability Organizations 

D Transit riders 

D Domestic and International Research 

Groups 

D Component Manufacturers 

• Widely Implementable: 

Æ Proposals are encouraged to be 

innovative but must consider risks to 

implementation and interoperability to 

ensure nationwide relevancy and 

adoption. Proposals should be able to be 

adopted quickly, on a wide scale. 

Æ Deliverables should be applicable 

to current and new 35- and 40-ft or 

articulated bus models that have passed 

Altoona testing, comply with all other 

applicable Federal requirements, and 

are manufactured by companies eligible 

to compete for FTA-funded contracts. 

• Economic Vitality 

Æ Recipients will support the U.S. 

industrial base by complying with Buy 

America. Recognizing Executive Order 

14005, ‘‘Ensuring the Future Is Made in 

All of America by All of America’s 

Workers’’ (86 FR 7475); proposed 

projects must support economic vitality 

at the national and regional level, 

including advancing domestic industry 

and promoting domestic development of 

intellectual property. 

Applicants must note how they will 

incorporate the key focus areas, meet 

program objectives, and follow program 

principles. Applications should include 

performance standards and measures for 

ensuring the success of each key focus 

area with a specific, measurable, 

attainable, relevant, and time-bound 

task plan. These measures should show 

minimum performance specifications 

and a quality assurance surveillance 

plan to ensure quality. Applicants must 

show a detailed understanding of the 

needs and opportunities of this 

program. 

Building on Previous Research 

This NOFO seeks innovations that 

will lead to a safer more accessible bus, 

as well as a design and production of a 

prototype that is available through a 

retrofit on existing buses and for 

installation in new buses. It builds upon 

previous research by FTA and the 

Transit Cooperative Research Program, 

especially regarding increasing 

protection for bus operators through 

secure bus compartments. 

The Bus Operator Compartment 

Redesign Program (BCP) was awarded in 

2020 to improve operator and public 

safety. Key findings included issues 

with current bus operator compartment 

designs, such as ineffective barriers, 

large blind spots, and poor ergonomics 

for operators. The installation of barriers 

led to an increased feeling of safety for 

some operators. FTA also held a 

listening session in 2023 to receive 

stakeholder input on bus design 

including accessibility, safety, and 

emerging bus technologies. Major 

themes of the feedback included bus 

operator health and safety, road safety, 

accessibility, and passenger 

compartment enhancements. Resources, 

including available reports and listening 

session documentation, are available on 

the Bus Safety and Accessibility 

Research Program website (https://

www.transit.dot.gov/researchinnovation/bus-future-redesign-transitbus-operator-compartment-improvesafety-operational). 

Additionally, the Transportation 

Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) 

finalized a bus compartment study titled 

‘‘Bus Operator Barrier Design: 

Guidelines and Considerations’’. The 

report on that study, TCRP Report 249, 

is available for download at the 

following link: https://

nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/ 

27877/bus-operator-barrier-designguidelines-and-considerations. 

B. Federal Award Information 

This notice makes available up to 

$10,000,000 in Public Transportation 

Innovation Program (49 U.S.C. 5312) 

funds for a single cooperative 

agreement. Only proposals from eligible 

recipients for eligible activities will be 

considered for funding. 

FTA seeks a project that can begin 

implementation within two months of 

award of the cooperative agreement. The 

maximum period of performance 

allowed for the work covered by the 


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award should not exceed two years from 

the date of award. FTA may, at its 

discretion, provide additional funding 

under this notice from FTA’s Public 

Transportation Innovation (49 U.S.C. 

5312), subject to the availability of 

funds. 

Pre-award authority is subject to FTA 

approval and is only available for costs 

incurred after the announcement of 

project selection on FTA’s website. 

The project selected under this 

competition is for research and 

development and, as such, FTA 

Research Circular 6100.1E (available at 

https://www.fta.dot.gov/regulationsand-guidance/fta-circulars/researchtechnical-assistance-and-trainingprogram) guidance will apply in 

administering the program. 

An applicant whose proposal is 

selected for funding will enter into a 

cooperative agreement with FTA, to be 

administered according to Circular 

6100.1E. FTA will have substantial 

involvement in the administration of the 

cooperative agreement. FTA’s role in the 

cooperative agreement will include 

meeting at least quarterly with the 

recipient and key stakeholders engaged 

in the program; assistance with outreach 

on achievement of successful results; 

review and approval of proposed 

designs; and participation in key 

decisions, including if there is a need to 

redirect or reprioritize project activities, 

goals, and deliverables. 

C. Eligibility Information 

Eligible Applicants 

Eligible applicants under this notice 

are: 

• Departments, agencies, and 

instrumentalities of the Federal 

Government, including Federal 

laboratories; 

• State and local governmental 

entities, including multi-jurisdictional 

partnerships, and organizations such as 

Metropolitan Planning Organizations; 

• Providers of public transportation; 

• Private for-profit or not-for-profit 

organizations incorporated in a 

jurisdiction of the United States; and 

• Institutions of higher education and 

technical and community colleges. 

On the application form, eligible 

applicants are strongly encouraged to 

identify one or more project partners 

with a substantial interest and 

involvement in the project activities or 

objectives to participate in the 

implementation of the project, including 

partners from Minority Serving 

Institutions. 

An application may be submitted in 

partnership with other eligible entities, 

including eligible subrecipients, bus 

manufacturers, or component 

manufacturers that intend to participate 

in the implementation of the project. If 

an application with such a partnership 

is selected for funding, the competitive 

selection process will be deemed to 

satisfy the requirement for a competitive 

procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for 

the named entities. Applicants are 

advised that any changes to the 

proposed partners after the award will 

require FTA written approval and must 

be consistent with the scope of the 

approved project. Post-award changes to 

vendors will be subject to ordinary 

procurement standards. 

The applicant must be able to carry 

out the proposed agreement and 

procurements, if needed, with project 

partners in compliance with all 

applicable Federal, State, and local 

laws. 

To be considered eligible, applicants 

must be able to demonstrate the 

requisite legal, financial, and technical 

capabilities to receive and administer 

Federal funds under this program. 

Cost Sharing or Matching 

The maximum Federal share of 

project costs under this program is 80 

percent. Applicants may seek a lower 

Federal contribution. The applicant 

must provide the non-Federal share of 

the net project cost in cash or in-kind 

and must document in its application 

the source of the non-Federal match. 

Eligible sources of non-Federal match 

are detailed in FTA Circular 6100.1E. 

Eligible Projects 

This notice solicits applications to 

assess the need and develop public 

transportation vehicle designs as well as 

appropriate best practices, guidance, 

and tools to produce those designs to 

provide better public transportation 

services. Proposed tasks and activities 

must adhere to Federal regulations 

regarding eligible costs. 

FTA has identified a list of elements 

for projects divided into ‘‘required’’ and 

‘‘desired.’’ Required elements are the 

ones that will be considered for the 

evaluation criteria. Applicants must 

demonstrate knowledge or experience in 

addressing these elements. Additional 

knowledge or experience with desired 

elements will yield additional 

consideration. Applicants are 

encouraged to add other elements that 

will further the program goal— 

especially elements that can be adopted 

quickly on a wide scale, to be 

considered in the evaluation. The 

elements are noted below. 

Required: 

• All projects must ensure highly 

reliable and accurate data especially 

where it can impact the safety of the 

operator, passengers, or VRU including, 

but not limited to sensors, vehicle 

location, battery condition, vehicle 

maintenance, or other advanced 

diagnostic indicators. 

• Driver Safety Systems: 

Æ Standardization of the operator 

compartment: ergonomics of chair/seat, 

operator barrier. The recipient under 

this program must produce a functional 

prototype of the operator compartment 

improvements. 

Æ Standardization of design and 

component placement to eliminate 

blind spots: A-pillar, mirrors, cameras, 

fareboxes, etc. Designs should be 

prescriptive about safety requirements 

(e.g., mirror placement). 

Æ VRU safety sensors: Focus on 

reliable and simplified user interface for 

the bus operator. 

• Passenger Safety Systems: 

Æ Accessible passenger compartment 

design: Entry and egress for riders with 

mobility devices and strollers, 

consideration of minimizing fare 

collection footprint. 

Æ Constraint systems: Ability for 

riders using a wheelchair to be more 

safely, efficiently, and, if possible, 

independently secured in the vehicle. 

Æ Standardization of emergency call 

buttons. 

Desired: 

• Advanced Driver Assistance 

Systems (ADAS): 

Æ Lane departure 

Æ Collision avoidance 

Æ Pedestrian alerts 

D. Application and Submission 

Information 

Address To Request Application 

A complete proposal submission 

consists of four forms and their 

supporting attachments. The Forms are: 

(1) Standard Form-424 ‘‘Application for 

Federal Assistance’’; (2) SF–424A 

‘‘Budget Information for NonConstruction Programs’’; (3) SF–424B 

‘‘Assurances for Non-Construction 

Programs’’; and (4) the supplemental 

form for the Bus Safety and 

Accessibility Research NOFO. Forms are 

downloadable from grants.gov or the 

FTA website at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/notices-funding/ 

fiscal-year-2025-bus-safety-andaccessibility-research-notice-funding. 

All applications must be submitted 

electronically through grants.gov by the 

deadline below. FTA will not accept 

applications by mail, email, or any other 

delivery method. 


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Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

a. Proposal Submission 

i. The SF–424 provides basic 

information about the applicant and the 

project, including details such as the 

applicant’s name, unique entity 

identifier (UEI), key contact 

information, and a summary of the 

project. The SF–424A form is used to 

present a detailed budget for the project, 

ensuring that all financial aspects are 

accounted for and justified. The SF– 

424B form outlines the assurance that 

the applicant agrees to comply with the 

terms and conditions set forth by the 

Federal Government. 

ii. For the budget, applicants must 

provide a summary and a high-level 

overview of estimated activity costs, 

organized by major cost elements. The 

budget should clearly differentiate 

between the Federal funding share and 

non-Federal share funds, including the 

value of any in-kind contributions. The 

budget form must not include 

previously incurred expenses or costs 

incurred before the award time. All 

budget information must be presented 

using the SF–424A form. 

iii. In addition to these standard 

forms, the proposal must include a 

supplemental form, a project narrative, 

and a summary budget narrative. The 

supplemental form and project overview 

should be prepared in Microsoft Word, 

PDF, or another compatible file format 

and must address all required elements 

outlined in the notice of funding 

opportunity (NOFO). 

The narrative proposal should be in 

the format outlined in the ‘‘Proposal 

Preparation and Content’’ section below. 

A narrative proposal submission may 

contain additional supporting 

documentation as attachments. Once 

completed, the narrative proposal and 

any supporting documents must be 

placed in the ‘‘Attachments’’ section of 

the SF–424. The applicant must attach 

the narrative proposal file to its 

submission in grants.gov to successfully 

complete the application process. The 

applicant must respond to all sections of 

the SF–424 Application for Federal 

Assistance and the requirements of this 

Notice. The information in the narrative 

proposal will be used to determine 

applicant and project eligibility for the 

program and to evaluate the proposal 

against the selection criteria described 

in this notice. The applicant should 

carefully review the criteria noted in 

Section E and ensure its proposal 

addresses the factors listed. 

Failure to submit the information as 

requested can delay review or disqualify 

the application. 

b. Proposal Preparation and Content 

i. Consolidated Budget Form: The 

Consolidated Budget Form must align 

with the dollar amount specified in the 

SF–424 and meet the eligible use 

requirements outlined in the notice of 

funding opportunity (NOFO). It 

includes a budget narrative and a 

detailed budget spreadsheet, with costs 

consistent with project scope and 

allowable under relevant regulations. If 

indirect costs are included, 

documentation such as a negotiated 

indirect cost rate agreement is required. 

ii. Allowable costs are determined in 

accordance with the cost principles 

identified in 2 CFR part 200, including 

Subpart E of such regulations, and in 48 

CFR part 31 for commercial 

organizations. The detailed budget 

spreadsheet must reflect the cost 

categories that appear on the SF–424A 

and include itemized calculations for 

each cost placed under those categories. 

If indirect costs are included in the 

proposed budget, the applicant must 

provide a copy of its approved 

negotiated indirect cost rate agreement 

if this rate was negotiated with a 

cognizant Federal agency or otherwise 

document those indirect costs 

consistent with 2 CFR 200.414. 

iii. Required Standard Federal 

Financial Assistance Forms and 

Documentation: The applicant must 

submit the SF–424, SF–424A, and SF– 

424B forms, along with any Negotiated 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement and Data 

Management Plan. 

iv. The SF–424 and supplemental 

form prompt applicants for essential 

information such as applicant details, 

project description, and budget 

breakdown. This includes a detailed 

project budget specifying Federal and 

local shares, funding sources, and 

matching funds. Additionally, it covers 

descriptions of project benefits, 

implementation strategy, scalability, 

and a detailed project timeline. 

v. The project overview, submitted as 

a one-page document, should include a 

header with project title and lead 

applicant, along with brief description 

of innovation, benefits, team and 

partners, and approach. The format 

aligns with templates available on 

grants.gov and the FTA web page. 

vi. Budget Narrative: The budget 

narrative provides detailed explanations 

of proposed costs, aligning with the 

detailed budget spreadsheet and only 

including allowable expenses within the 

project scope. It should describe each 

cost item and its basis, including the 

Federal share, non-Federal share, and 

any in-kind contributions. Any indirect 

costs must be accompanied by relevant 

documentation. The narrative also 

explains leveraged resources and 

ensures consistency with SF–424 and 

SF–424A forms. 

vii. Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of 

Project Funds- Project budgets should 

show how different funding sources will 

share in each activity and present the 

data in dollars and percentages. The 

budget should identify other Federal 

funds the applicant is applying for, has 

been awarded, or intends to use. 

Funding sources should be grouped into 

three categories: non-Federal, current 

application, and other Federal with 

specific amounts for each funding 

source. 

The applicant must submit one 

electronic file for Proposals in a 

Microsoft Word, PDF, or compatible file 

format, double-spaced using Times New 

Roman, 12-point font. The proposal 

must contain the following components 

and adhere to the specified maximum 

lengths: 

(1) Cover Sheet (not to exceed 1 page): 

The cover sheet must include the entity 

submitting the proposal, principal’s 

name, title, and contact information 

(e.g., address, office and mobile phone, 

and email). The cover sheet must also 

include name and contact information 

for the entity’s point of contact for all 

cooperative agreement administrative 

activities (if different from principal). 

(2) Abstract (not to exceed 1 page): 

The Abstract must include background, 

purpose, methodology, intended 

outputs, outcomes, impacts, and plan 

for accomplishing the goals and 

objectives as outlined in this Notice. 

(3) Table of Contents (not to exceed 1 

page): The Table of Contents must list 

each section of the proposal (including 

Appendices) by title and page number. 

(4) Project Budget (not to exceed 5 

pages): Project budgets should show 

how different funding sources will share 

in each activity and present those data 

in dollars and percentages. The budget 

should identify other Federal funds the 

applicant is applying for or has been 

awarded, if any, that the applicant 

intends to use. The proposed project 

budget must account for multiple years 

and outline the total cost of all services 

and products, including salaries and 

fringe benefits, supplies, travel, 

equipment, and proposed contractual 

arrangements (e.g., subcontracts, 

consultant services) and how these 

estimated costs are connected to the 

project scope. 

(5) Project Work Plan (not to exceed 

10 pages total): The proposed project 

work plan must include the following 

information: 

a. Methodology—Provide a 

methodology for addressing the goals 


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described above and under Section A of 

this Notice. 

b. Statement of Work—Provide 

proposed work tasks for the project and 

how the goals will be accomplished 

with a detailed set of objectives and 

activities. Include the tasks for proposed 

activities, resources, milestones, with a 

timeline that also notes critical path 

milestones. Note in the proposal how 

risk management related to barriers to 

deployment will be addressed. Please 

also note a sustainability strategy for 

how this work will be maintained in the 

future. 

c. Staffing Plan—Describe the 

approach for managing the project team, 

including the distribution of 

responsibilities among project partners, 

and what activities each project team 

member will perform. 

d. Coordination with FTA—Identify 

the plan for coordinating the project 

team’s activities and deliverables with 

the FTA’s Research office including 

suggesting a methodology for a regular 

review of research results and a process 

to select research ready for deployment. 

e. Research and Data Collection— 

Identify activities and the plan for 

electronic collection, maintenance, 

storage, and dissemination of data for 

use by the project team, stakeholders, 

FTA, and other customers. 

f. Communication Plan—Provide a 

plan for communication of project 

results. The plan should identify 

innovative communication strategies 

including, but not limited to, the 

following: webinars, in-person 

presentations at industry events, social 

media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, 

YouTube), text alerts, email, website 

publication, and toll-free telephone 

numbers. 

g. Performance Measures—Identify 

multiple performance measures that 

FTA should use to assess the Program’s 

overall effectiveness. 

h. Deliverables—Provide a list of 

proposed deliverables (e.g., guides, 

plans, reports, services, prototypes, 

etc.). Include quarterly reports, financial 

forms, guidance documents, and final 

reports to be submitted to FTA. 

(6) Staff Qualifications (not to exceed 

5 pages total): 

a. Organizational Capacity—Provide a 

narrative that briefly describes the 

structure of the applicant, including its 

history and experience in R&D, 

prototype construction, technology 

transfer, and the national deployment of 

research findings, preferably in the 

transportation sector. Include a 

narrative of the proposer’s 

understanding of the activities in this 

solicitation and its responsibility for the 

data collection and results deployment 

called for in this Notice. Include the 

proposer’s organization chart. 

b. Project Team Structure—Provide a 

narrative that briefly describes the 

structure and makeup of the project 

team. Provide resumes or biographies of 

key staff to highlight the relevant skills 

and experience of the proposed team. 

The applicant is encouraged to identify 

in its proposal one or more project 

partners with a substantial interest and 

involvement in the project activities or 

objectives. 

Applications submitted in response to 

this NOFO become the records of FTA 

and may be subject to Freedom of 

Information Act requests. Please 

segregate and clearly mark any portions 

of the application containing 

confidential or privileged trade secrets 

or commercial or financial information. 

FTA may share application information 

within the Department of 

Transportation or with other Federal 

agencies if FTA determines that sharing 

is relevant to the respective program’s 

objectives. 

Unique Entity Identifier and System for 

Award Management (SAM) 

Each applicant is required to: (1) be 

registered in SAM.GOV before 

submitting an application; (2) provide a 

valid unique entity identifier in its 

application; and (3) maintain an active 

SAM.GOV registration with current 

information at all times during which 

the applicant has an active Federal 

award or an application or plan under 

consideration by FTA. FTA may not 

make an award until the applicant has 

complied with all applicable unique 

entity identifier and SAM.GOV 

requirements. If an applicant has not 

fully complied with the requirements by 

the time FTA is ready to make an award, 

FTA may determine that the applicant 

is not qualified to receive an award and 

use that determination as a basis for 

making a Federal award to another 

applicant. These requirements do not 

apply if the applicant has an exception 

approved by FTA or the U.S. Office of 

Management and Budget under 2 CFR 

25.110(c) or (d). SAM registration takes 

approximately 3–5 business days, but 

FTA recommends allowing ample time, 

up to several weeks, for completion of 

all steps. For additional information on 

obtaining a unique entity identifier, 

please visit https://www.sam.gov. 

Submission Dates and Times 

Project proposals must be submitted 

electronically through grants.gov by 

11:59 p.m. Eastern time on January 17, 

2025. Grants.Gov attaches a time stamp 

to each application at the time of 

submission. Mail and fax submissions 

will not be accepted. 

FTA urges applicants to submit 

applications at least 72 hours prior to 

the due date to allow time to correct any 

problems that may have caused either 

grants.gov or FTA systems to reject the 

submission. Grants.gov attaches a time 

stamp to each application at the time of 

submission. Proposals submitted after 

the deadline will be considered only if 

lateness was due to extraordinary 

circumstances not under the applicant’s 

control. Grants.gov scheduled 

maintenance and outage times are 

announced in advance on the grants.gov 

website. Deadlines will not be extended 

due to scheduled website maintenance. 

Within 48 hours after submitting an 

electronic application, the applicant 

should receive an email message from 

grants.gov with confirmation of 

successful transmission to grants.gov. If 

a notice of failed validation or 

incomplete materials is received, the 

applicant must address the reason for 

the failed validation, as described in the 

email notice, and resubmit before the 

submission deadline. If making a 

resubmission for any reason, include all 

original attachments regardless of which 

attachments were updated, and check 

the box on the supplemental form 

indicating this is a resubmission. 

Applicants are encouraged to begin 

the registration process on the 

grants.gov site well before the 

submission deadline. Registration is a 

multi-step process, which may take 

several weeks or months to complete 

before an application can be submitted. 

Registered applicants may still be 

required to take steps to keep their 

registration up to date before 

submissions can be made successfully: 

(1) registration in sam.gov is renewed 

annually, and (2) persons making 

submissions on behalf of the Authorized 

Organization Representative (AOR) 

must be authorized in grants.gov by the 

AOR to submit. 

Funding Restrictions 

Funds available under this NOFO 

cannot be used to reimburse applicants 

for otherwise eligible expenses incurred 

prior to FTA issuing pre-award 

authority for the selected applicant. 

Refer to section C.3., Eligible Projects, 

for information on activities that are 

allowable. Allowable direct and indirect 

expenses must be consistent with the 

Governmentwide Uniform 

Administrative Requirements and Cost 

Principles (2 CFR part 200) and the 

current version of FTA Circular 5010. 


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E. Application Review Information 

Criteria 

Applications will be evaluated on the 

responses provided in the supplemental 

form and the attached program 

summary and statement of objectives. 

Additional information may be 

provided to support the responses. All 

additional documentation, including the 

file names, must be directly referenced 

on the supplemental form. The 

applicant must complete the 

supplemental form and the program 

attachments. FTA will evaluate 

proposals based on the criteria 

described in this notice. 

a. Demonstration of Transit Vehicle 

Design Experience 

The application should provide 

evidence of the applicant’s experience 

developing transit vehicle designs or 

manufacturing transit vehicles or their 

component parts. The proposal should 

detail the applicant’s knowledge of 

general transit vehicle components, 

subsystems and systems, functionalities, 

standards, general experience, and 

knowledge of transit vehicle design 

development and testing, including 

awareness of potential barriers or 

challenges to production. 

b. Demonstration of Understanding in 

Emerging Transit Needs and Demands 

The application should clearly 

demonstrate a thorough understanding 

of existing conditions in a wide range of 

topics and areas in transit. This includes 

the required and desired design 

elements listed in the Section A. 

Program Description. It may also 

include understanding of industry 

safety and the safe systems approach, 

mobility, and operation needs; 

accessibility and usability of systems to 

comply with the Americans with 

Disabilities Act and Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act; process improvement in 

training, maintenance, and 

procurement; or work experience or 

familiarity with new and emerging 

safety technologies. 

c. Key Personnel Experience and 

Organizational Capacity 

The application should note the 

individuals who will be involved in the 

project, specifically identifying its 

proposed key personnel. The 

application should include details of 

relevant experience of leadership in 

managing multi-stakeholder projects 

and the technical expertise of the 

project team. The application should 

explain how the applicant will ensure 

the key personnel will have enough 

time and expertise to carry out project 

objectives to assess data, coordinate 

with stakeholders, develop designs, and 

oversee prototype productions in the 

program duration. 

d. Program Implementation Strategy 

The application will be evaluated on 

an overall program implementation 

strategy, including proposed workplan 

tasks, schedule, and interim 

deliverables. In assessing whether the 

proposed implementation plans are 

reasonable and complete, FTA will 

review the proposed program work 

plan, including all necessary milestones 

and the overall program timeline. FTA 

will consider the risks to program 

implementation and the extent to which 

the program implementation strategy 

addresses these risks. Potential risks 

include the capacity to implement the 

program within two years after receiving 

an award and the ability to complete the 

program. FTA will also consider if the 

program’s implementation addresses 

how the project will support USDOT’s 

data collection, sharing policies, and 

meeting the data management plan 

requirement (see below). 

e. Technical, Legal, and Financial 

Capacity 

The applicant must demonstrate the 

financial and organizational capacity 

and managerial experience to oversee 

and implement this program 

successfully. FTA may review relevant 

oversight assessments and records to 

determine whether any outstanding 

legal, technical, or financial issues with 

the applicant would affect the outcome 

of the proposed program. An applicant 

with outstanding legal, technical, or 

financial compliance issues from an 

FTA compliance review or Federal 

Transit Administration grant-related 

Single Audit finding must explain how 

corrective actions will mitigate negative 

impacts on the proposed program. For 

applications that include named project 

partners, FTA will also consider the 

proposed partners’ technical, legal, and 

financial capacity. 

f. Planning and Partnerships 

The applicant must identify all 

program partners and their specific 

roles. FTA will evaluate the extent to 

which the program contains strong, 

cohesive partnerships and the 

collaboration necessary to implement 

the proposed program successfully. The 

application should describe how 

program partners will work 

collaboratively and should show 

evidence of strong commitment and 

cooperation among program partners 

through letters of support, 

memorandums of understanding, or 

agreements among the partners. For a 

proposed program that will require 

formal coordination, approvals, or 

permits from government agencies or 

program partners, the applicant must 

demonstrate coordination with these 

organizations and their support for the 

program. 

g. Financial Commitment 

The applicant must identify the 

source of the non-Federal cost share and 

describe whether such funds are 

currently available for the program or 

will need to be secured if the program 

is selected for funding. FTA will 

consider the availability of the nonFederal cost share as evidence of the 

applicant’s financial commitment to the 

program. Additional consideration may 

be given to those programs with a higher 

non-Federal share of costs and for 

which non-Federal funds have already 

been made available or reserved. The 

applicant should submit evidence of the 

availability of funds for the program, for 

example, by including a board 

resolution, a letter of support from the 

State, a budget document highlighting 

the line item or section committing 

funds to the proposed program, or other 

documentation of the source of nonFederal funds. 

Review and Selection Process 

An FTA technical evaluation 

committee will evaluate proposals based 

on the published evaluation criteria and 

rating guidance specific to this NOFO. 

Members of the technical evaluation 

committee may request additional 

information from applicants if 

necessary. Based on the technical 

evaluation committee review, the FTA 

Administrator will determine the final 

selection for program funding. 

Performance and Integrity 

Prior to making an award, FTA is 

required to review and consider any 

information about the applicant that is 

in the Federal Awardee Performance 

and Integrity Information System 

(FAPIIS) accessible through SAM.GOV. 

An applicant may review and comment 

on any information about itself that a 

Federal awarding agency previously 

entered. FTA 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 the Office of Management 

and Budget’s Uniform Requirements for 

Federal Awards (2 CFR 200.206). 


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F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

Federal Award Notices 

FTA will notify the successful 

applicant and may announce the 

selection on its website, https://

www.transit.dot.gov. Following 

notification, the successful applicant 

will be required to submit an 

application through the FTA Transit 

Award Management System (TrAMS). 

Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

a. Pre-Award Authority 

At the time the program selection is 

announced, FTA may extend pre-award 

authority for the selected program. 

There is no blanket pre-award authority 

before the announcement. FTA will 

issue specific guidance to the recipient 

regarding pre-award authority at the 

time of selection. FTA does not consider 

requests for pre-award authority for 

these competitive funds until after a 

program recipient is selected, and 

additional Federal requirements must be 

met before costs are incurred. For more 

information about FTA’s policy on preaward authority, please see the most 

recent Apportionments, Allocations, 

and Program Information Notice at 

https://www.transit.dot.gov. 

b. Cooperative Agreement Requirements 

If selected, the recipient will apply for 

a cooperative agreement through FTA’s 

Transit Award Management System 

(TrAMS). The successful applicant must 

be prepared to submit a final statement 

of work and complete the application in 

TrAMS within 60 days of notification of 

selection. The recipient must follow the 

requirements of FTA Circular 6100.1E. 

Technical assistance regarding these 

requirements is available from FTA. 

c. Data Management Plan 

FTA seeks to improve public 

transportation for America’s 

communities by sharing digital data or 

source code collected or developed 

through its research with the public. 

This allows research organizations, 

public transportation agencies, State 

DOTs, and other stakeholders to learn 

from and expand upon the insights 

developed from FTA-funded research. 

An award made pursuant to this 

Notice will be subject to the latest 

version of FTA’s Master Agreement 

(available at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/funding/ 

granteeresources/sample-ftaagreements/fta-grant-agreements), 

including Section 17 Patent Rights and 

Section 18 Rights in Data and 

Copyrights. All work conducted under 

this award must follow the Department 

data policies outlined in the USDOT 

Public Access Plan at: https://

ntl.bts.gov/public-access/how-comply. 

The recipient is required to include 

these obligations in any sub-awards or 

other related funding agreements. 

Public Data Access requirements 

include developing a Data Management 

Plan (DMP) and submitting the DMP for 

FTA review. A DMP is a document that 

describes how the recipient plans to 

handle digital datasets, software, or 

code generated over the course of a 

research project pursuant to Federal and 

Departmental requirements. A DMP 

must be provided as a condition of 

receiving FTA funds under the Section 

5312 Research Program and should 

adequately identify: (1) The data to be 

collected; (2) how the data will further 

the goals of this effort; (3) how the data 

will be made accessible; and (4) how the 

data will be stored. DMPs can be 

updated over time if the scope of the 

project or the type of data that will be 

collected changes. FTA staff is available 

to assist recipients with complying with 

public data access requirements. 

FTA expects recipients to remove 

confidential business information (CBI) 

and Personally Identifiable Information 

(PII) before providing public access to 

project data. Recipients must ensure the 

appropriate data are accessible to FTA 

or the public for a minimum of five 

years after the award’s performance 

period expires. 

Recipients must make available to the 

Department copies of all work 

developed in performance of a project 

funded under this notice, including but 

not limited to software and data. Data 

rights must be in accordance with 2 CFR 

200.315, Intangible Property, and the 

latest version of FTA’s Master 

Agreement, available at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/ 

files/2024-05/FTA-Master-Agreementv31-05-02-2024.pdf. 

d. Buy America and Domestic 

Preferences for Infrastructure Projects 

As expressed in Executive Order 

14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in 

All of America by All of America’s 

Workers (86 FR 7475), the Executive 

Branch should maximize, consistent 

with law, the use of goods, products, 

and materials produced in, and services 

offered in, the United States. Therefore, 

all procurements must comply with 

FTA’s Buy America requirements (49 

U.S.C. 5323(j) and 49 CFR part 661), 

which require that all iron, steel, and 

manufactured products, including 

rolling stock, be produced in the United 

States. In addition, any award must 

comply with the Build America, Buy 

America Act (BABA) (Pub. L. 117–58, 

sections 70901–70927). BABA provides 

that none of the funds provided under 

an award made pursuant to this notice 

may be used for a project unless all iron, 

steel, manufactured products, and 

construction materials are produced in 

the United States. FTA’s Buy America 

requirements are consistent with BABA 

requirements for iron, steel, and 

manufactured products. 

Any proposal that will require a 

waiver of any domestic preference 

standard must identify the items for 

which a waiver will be sought in the 

application. Applicants should not 

proceed with the expectation that 

waivers will be granted. 

e. Americans With Disabilities Act 

All FTA recipients must comply with 

Department of Transportation 

regulations implementing the 

transportation provisions of the 

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

(ADA), codified at 49 CFR parts 27, 37, 

38, and 39. Compliance is required 

regardless of the receipt of Federal 

funding, but is also a condition of 

eligibility for Federal funding. All 

vehicles and vehicle components must 

comply with the standards for 

accessibility for buses and vans found in 

49 CFR part 38. Additionally, recipients 

for this program should account for the 

updated standards issued by the U.S. 

Access Board at 36 CFR part 1192. 

Of particular note is the requirement 

under 49 CFR 37.165(f), which requires 

personnel to assist individuals with 

disabilities with the use of securement 

systems, ramps and lifts, and requires 

personnel to leave their seats to provide 

such assistance if necessary. It will 

therefore be important to ensure that 

any bus driver compartments not only 

do not interfere with the boarding and 

disembarking of persons with 

disabilities, including wheelchair users, 

but that they not do so when in the open 

or closed position. Designs for 

autonomous vehicles should presume 

the presence of on-board personnel. 

f. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise 

FTA requires that its recipients 

receiving planning, capital, or operating 

assistance that will award prime 

contracts exceeding $670,000 in FTA 

funds in a Federal fiscal year comply 

with the U.S. Department of 

Transportation’s Disadvantaged 

Business Enterprise (DBE) program 

regulations (49 CFR part 26). If an 

applicant also receives FTA planning, 

capital, or operating assistance, it 

should expect to include any funds 

awarded, excluding those to be used for 

vehicle procurements, in setting its 


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overall DBE goal. Note, however, that 

projects, including vehicle 

procurements, remain subject to the 

DBE program regulations. 

f. Rehabilitation Act 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office 

of Federal Contract Compliance 

Programs (OFCCP) is charged with 

enforcing Executive Order 11246, 

section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ 

Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. 

OFCCP has a Mega Construction Project 

Program through which it engages with 

project sponsors as early as the design 

phase to help promote compliance with 

non-discrimination and affirmative 

action obligations. OFCCP will identify 

projects that receive an award under 

this notice and are required to 

participate in OFCCP’s Mega 

Construction Project Program from a 

wide range of Federally assisted projects 

over which OFCCP has jurisdiction and 

that have a project cost above $35 

million. Under that partnership, OFCCP 

will ask these project sponsors to make 

clear to prime contractors in the pre-bid 

phase that project sponsor’s award 

terms will require their participation in 

the Mega Construction Project Program. 

Additional information on how OFCCP 

makes their selections for participation 

in the Mega Construction Project 

Program is outlined under ‘‘Scheduling’’ 

on the Department of Labor website: 

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/ 

faqs/construction-compliance. 

g. Automated Vehicle Safety 

If an applicant is proposing to 

implement automated vehicles or other 

innovative motor vehicle technology, 

the application should demonstrate that 

all vehicles will comply with applicable 

safety requirements, including those 

administered by the National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 

and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA). Specifically, 

the application should show that 

vehicles acquired for the proposed 

project will comply with applicable 

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 

(FMVSS) and Federal Motor Carrier 

Safety Regulations (FMCSR). If the 

vehicles may not comply, the 

application should either (1) show that 

the vehicles and their proposed 

operations are within the scope of an 

exemption or waiver that has already 

been granted by NHTSA, FMCSA, or 

both agencies or (2) directly address 

whether the project will require 

exemptions or waivers from the FMVSS, 

FMCSR, or any other regulation and, if 

the project will require exemptions or 

waivers, present a plan for obtaining 

them. If applicable, FTA will also 

consider the extent to which the 

application presents a plan to address 

workforce impacts of automated 

vehicles or other innovative motor 

vehicle technology. 

h. Standard Assurances 

If an applicant receives an award, the 

applicant must ensure that it will 

comply with all applicable Federal 

statutes, regulations, executive orders, 

directives, FTA circulars, and other 

Federal administrative requirements in 

carrying out any project supported by 

the FTA award. The applicant 

acknowledges that it will be under a 

continuing obligation to comply with 

the terms and conditions of the 

agreement issued for its project with 

FTA. The applicant understands that 

Federal laws, regulations, policies, and 

administrative practices might be 

modified from time to time and may 

affect the implementation of the project. 

The most recent Federal requirements 

will apply to the project unless FTA 

issues a written determination 

otherwise. The applicant must submit 

the most recent FTA Certifications and 

Assurances before receiving an award if 

it does not have current certifications on 

file. 

i. External Communications 

The recipient must communicate with 

the FTA Program Manager prior to 

engaging in any external 

communications regarding the program. 

This includes any work developing 

news or magazine stories with media 

organizations, including print, video, 

online, or otherwise. Additionally, the 

FTA program manager must be notified 

and approve if project information, 

including results and metrics, will be 

shared during a webinar or other 

presentation open to the public by the 

recipient or another organization. The 

recipient should consult with the FTA 

Program Manager at the beginning of the 

agreement to discuss and plan any 

external communications about the 

program. 

j. Intellectual Property Provisions 

Any intellectual property developed 

as a part of this solicitation will be 

subject to provisions of 2 CFR 200.315 

Intangible Property and FTA’s Master 

Agreement related to patent rights and 

rights in data and copyrights and may 

be disseminated to the public for its use. 

k. FTA Funds Reimbursement 

If selected, the recipient must 

disburse funds from its cooperative 

agreement using DOT’s Delphi system. 

Drawdowns using ECHO are prohibited. 

FTA staff are available to assist recipient 

with gaining access and using the 

Delphi system. 

l. Termination for Failure To Make 

Progress on an Award 

After providing written notice to the 

recipient of a project selected for 

funding, FTA may withdraw its support 

for the selected project (if a cooperative 

agreement has not yet been awarded) or 

suspend or terminate all or any part of 

the Federal assistance for the award if 

the recipient has failed to make 

reasonable progress implementing the 

project. FTA may withdraw its support 

for a project or terminate an award 

agreement if, among other reasons: 

1. A recipient has not completed its 

application for funding in TrAMS 

within 60 days of the date FTA 

announces project selection. 

2. A recipient has not begun its 

demonstration project within one year 

after funding was awarded in TrAMS. 

3. A recipient has not delivered a 

project evaluation to FTA within one 

year of completing its demonstration 

project. 

4. The proposed activities are no 

longer needed, or the recipient has 

violated the terms of FTA’s Annual 

Agreement. 

m. Performance and Program Evaluation 

As a condition of grant award, grant 

recipients may be required to participate 

in an evaluation undertaken by DOT or 

another agency or partner. The 

evaluation may take different forms 

such as an implementation assessment 

across grant recipients, an impact and/ 

or outcomes analysis of all or selected 

sites within or across grant recipients, or 

a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of 

return on investment. DOT may require 

applicants to collect data elements to 

aid the evaluation and/or use 

information available through other 

reporting. As a part of the evaluation, as 

a condition of award, grant recipients 

must agree to: (1) make records available 

to the evaluation contractor or DOT 

staff; (2) provide access to program 

records, and any other relevant 

documents to calculate costs and 

benefits; (3) in the case of an impact 

analysis, facilitate the access to relevant 

information as requested; and (4) follow 

evaluation procedures as specified by 

the evaluation contractor or DOT staff. 

Recipients and subrecipients are also 

encouraged to incorporate program 

evaluation including associated data 

collection activities from the outset of 

their program design and 

implementation to meaningfully 

document and measure their progress 

towards meeting an agency priority 


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goal(s). Title I of the Foundations for 

Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 

2018 (Evidence Act), (Pub. L. 115–435) 

urges Federal awarding agencies and 

Federal assistance recipients and 

subrecipients to use program evaluation 

as a critical tool to learn, to improve 

equitable delivery, and to elevate 

program service and delivery across the 

program lifecycle. Evaluation means ‘‘an 

assessment using systematic data 

collection and analysis of one or more 

programs, policies, and organizations 

intended to assess their effectiveness 

and efficiency.’’ 5 U.S.C. 311. Credible 

program evaluation activities are 

implemented with relevance and utility, 

rigor, independence and objectivity, 

transparency, and ethics (OMB Circular 

A–11, part 6 section 290). 

Reporting and Payment 

Post-award reporting requirements 

include the electronic submission of 

Federal Financial Reports and Milestone 

Progress Reports in TrAMS quarterly. 

Documentation is required for payment. 

Additional reporting may be required 

specific to the program prescribed in 

this Notice, and the recipient may be 

expected to participate in events or peer 

networks related to the goals and 

objectives of the program. The Federal 

Financial Accountability and 

Transparency Act (FFATA) requires 

data entry at the FFATA Sub Award 

Reporting System (https://

www.FSRS.gov) for all sub-awards and 

sub-contracts issued for $30,000 or 

more, as well as addressing executive 

compensation for both award recipients 

and sub-award organizations. The 

recipient will be required to disburse 

via Delphi and E-invoicing. 

The successful applicant should 

include any goals, targets, and 

indicators referenced in its application 

in the Executive Summary of the 

TrAMS application. 

As part of completing the annual 

certifications and assurances required of 

FTA grant recipients, a successful 

applicant must report on the suspension 

or debarment status of itself and its 

principals. 

If the recipient’s active grants, 

cooperative agreements, and 

procurement contracts from all Federal 

awarding agencies exceed $10,000,000 

for any period during the period of 

performance of an award made pursuant 

to this Notice, the recipient must 

comply with the Recipient Integrity and 

Performance Matters reporting 

requirements described in appendix XII 

to 2 CFR part 200. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

For further information concerning 

this notice, please contact the Bus 

Safety and Accessibility Research 

Program Manager, Maria Roell, in the 

FTA Office of Infrastructure, Safety and 

Asset Innovation, by email at 

maria.roell@dot.gov. A TDD is available 

for individuals who are deaf or hard of 

hearing at 800–877–8339. In addition, 

FTA will post answers to questions and 

requests for clarifications on FTA’s 

website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/ 

notices-funding/fiscal-year-2025-bussafety-and-accessibility-research-noticefunding. 

To ensure applicants receive accurate 

information about eligibility or the 

program, applicants are encouraged to 

contact FTA directly with questions 

rather than through intermediaries or 

third parties. FTA staff may also 

conduct briefings on the competitive 

applications selection and award 

process upon request. 

For issues with grants.gov, please 

contact grants.gov by phone at 1–800– 

518–4726 or by email at support@

grants.gov. 

H. Other Information 

This program is not subject to 

Executive Order 12372, 

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs.’’ There are resources 

available that may help in responding to 

this Notice, as listed below. The FTA 

website has information about FTA, 

application forms, statutory and 

administrative requirements, etc. 

Applicants are encouraged to use the 

FTA link provided and other 

information, as listed, as much as is 

needed. 

Veronica Vanterpool, 

Deputy Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26835 Filed 11–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

[Docket No. FTA–2024–0007] 

Notice of Extension of Partial Buy 

America Waiver for Vans and Minivans 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of extension of Buy 

America waiver. 

SUMMARY: Following consideration of 

comments, and because the Federal 

Transit Administration (FTA) has been 

unable to identify any manufacturer of 

non-Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA)-accessible vans and minivans 

that fully complies with Buy America, 

FTA is extending its partial, timelimited, general nonavailability waiver 

from the requirements of Buy America 

for a period of five years, or upon 

publication of a recission notice if FTA 

determines that a fully Buy Americacompliant vehicle has become available, 

whichever occurs first. The waiver 

terms are described in this notice. 

DATES: The waiver extension is 

applicable on November 18, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Luebbers, FTA Attorney-Advisor, 

at (202) 366–8864 or jason.luebbers@

dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice grants an extension of FTA’s 

October 25, 2022, partial general 

nonavailability waiver for massproduced, unmodified vans and 

minivans (87 FR 64534). The waiver 

extension will expire after five years, or 

upon publication of a recission notice if 

FTA determines that a fully Buy 

America-compliant vehicle has become 

available, whichever occurs first. 

Background 

On November 15, 2021, President 

Biden signed into law the Build 

America, Buy America Act (BABA), 

enacted as title IX of the Infrastructure 

Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 

117–58, div. G, sections 70901–70927). 

BABA requires Federal agencies 

periodically to review existing general 

applicability waivers of Buy America 

requirements by publishing in the 

Federal Register a notice that: (i) 

describes the justification for a general 

applicability waiver and (ii) requests 

public comments for a period of not less 

than 30 days on the continued need for 

the general applicability waiver. BABA 

section 70914(d). 

FTA is issuing this waiver extension 

following its review of comments 

received in response to its Notice of 

FTA’s Review of Its Partial Waiver of 

Buy America Requirements for Vans 

and Minivans and Request for 

Comment, published in the Federal 

Register on August 22, 2024 (89 FR 

68027). 

Partial General Buy America Waiver 

for Vans and Minivans 

Under FTA’s Buy America statute (49 

U.S.C. 5323(j)), FTA may obligate funds 

for a project to procure rolling stock 

only if the cost of components and 

subcomponents produced in the United 

States is more than 70 percent of the 

cost of all components of the rolling 

stock, and final assembly of the rolling 


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