40058 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 162 / Wednesday, August 23, 2017 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier 

Registration Plan Board of Directors 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Unified Carrier 

Registration Plan Board of Directors 

Meeting. 

TIME AND DATE: The meeting will be held 

on August 24, 2017, from 1:00 p.m. to 

5:00 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time. 

PLACE: The meetings will be open to the 

public at the Double Tree Suites Doheny 

Beach, 34402 Pacific Coast Highway, 

Dana Point, CA 92629, and via 

conference call. Those not attending the 

meeting in person may call 1–877–422– 

1931, passcode 2855443940, to listen 

and participate in the meeting. 

STATUS: Open to the public. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified 

Carrier Registration Plan Board of 

Directors (the Board) will continue its 

work in developing and implementing 

the Unified Carrier Registration Plan 

and Agreement and to that end, may 

consider matters properly before the 

Board. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified 

Carrier Registration Board of Directors at 

(505) 827–4565. 

Issued on: August 18, 2017. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy, Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2017–17903 Filed 8–21–17; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): 

Solicitation of Project Proposals for 

the Passenger Ferry Grant Program 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) announces the 

opportunity to apply for $30 million in 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Section 5307 

Urbanized Area Formula Program funds 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

#20.507) authorized for competitively 

selected passenger ferry projects. As 

required by Federal transit law and 

subject to funding availability, funds 

will be awarded competitively to 

designated recipients or eligible direct 

recipients of Section 5307 funds to 

assist in the financing of capital projects 

to support existing passenger ferry 

service, establish new ferry service, and 

to repair and modernize ferry boats, 

terminals, and related facilities and 

equipment. FTA may award additional 

funding made available to the program 

prior to the announcement of project 

selections. 

DATES: Complete proposals must be 

submitted electronically through the 

GRANTS.GOV ‘‘APPLY’’ function by 

11:59 p.m. EDT October 23, 2017. 

Prospective applicants should initiate 

the process by registering on the 

GRANTS.GOV Web site promptly to 

ensure completion of the application 

process before the submission deadline. 

Instructions for applying can be found 

on FTA’s Web site at http://

transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the 

‘‘FIND’’ module of GRANTS.GOV. The 

funding opportunity ID is FTA–2017– 

005–TPM–PF. Mail and fax submissions 

will not be accepted. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vanessa Williams, FTA Office of 

Program Management, (202) 366–4818, 

or Vanessa.williams@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

A. Program Description 

B. Federal Award Information 

C. Eligibility 

D. Application and Submission Information 

E. Application Review 

F. Federal Award Administration 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

H. Technical Assistance and Other Program 

Information 

Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions 

A. Program Description 

Section 5307(h) of Title 49, United 

States Code, as amended by the Fixing 

America’s Surface Transportation 

(FAST Act) (Pub. L. 114–94, Dec. 4, 

2015), authorizes FTA to award funds 

through a competitive process, as 

described in this notice, for capital 

projects to improve the condition and 

quality of existing passenger ferry 

services, support the establishment of 

new passenger ferry services, and to 

repair and modernize ferry boats, 

terminals, and related facilities and 

equipment. FTA recognizes that 

passenger ferries provide critical and 

cost-effective transportation links in 

urban areas throughout the United 

States but face a critical backlog of state 

of good repair and safety investments. 

B. Federal Award Information 5307(h) 

Passenger Ferry Grant Program 

Federal transit law authorizes $30 

million in FY 2017 for passenger ferry 

grants under 49 U.S.C. 5307(h) (Ferry 

program). FTA may supplement the 

total available with future 

appropriations. FTA will grant preaward authority to incur costs for 

selected projects beginning on the date 

that project selections are announced. 

Funds are only available for projects 

that have not already incurred costs and 

will be available for obligation until 

September 30, 2022. In FY 2015 and FY 

2016, the program received 21 proposals 

from 10 states and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands requesting $98.1 million in 

Federal funds. Eighteen projects were 

funded at a total of $58.9 million. 

C. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants 

Eligible applicants under this program 

must be designated recipients or eligible 

direct recipients of Section 5307 funds, 

which include public entities engaged 

in providing a public transportation 

passenger ferry service in urbanized 

areas. If the recipient is eligible to 

receive 5307 funds, but does not 

currently have an active grant with FTA, 

upon selection, the recipient will be 

required to work with the FTA regional 

office to establish its organization as an 

active grantee. This process may require 

additional documentation to support the 

organization’s technical, financial, and 

legal capacity to receive and administer 

Federal funds under this program. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching 

Projects funded under the Section 

5307(h) program are eligible for a 

maximum 80 percent Federal share, 

unless they qualify for one of the 

following exceptions: 

The Federal share is 85 percent for net 

project costs for acquiring vehicles 

(including Clean-fuel or alternative fuel) 

that are compliant with the Clean Air 

Act (CAA) or compliant with the 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 

of 1990. 

The Federal share is 90 percent for net 

project costs for vehicle-related 

equipment or facilities (including cleanfuel or alternative-fuel vehicle-related 

equipment or facilities) required by the 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 

of 1990, or for purposes of complying 

with or maintaining compliance with 

the Clean Air Act. 

The FTA considers vehicle-related 

equipment to be equipment on or 

attached to the vehicle. The award 

recipient may itemize the cost of 

specific, discrete, vehicle-related 


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equipment being purchased to be in 

compliance with ADA or CAA. 

After the appropriate Federal share is 

established, the applicant must provide 

the local share of the net project cost 

and must document in its grant 

application the source of the local 

match. The local match may include: 

i. Cash from non-governmental 

sources other than revenues from 

providing public transportation 

services; 

ii. Non-farebox revenues from the 

operation of public transportation 

service, such as the sale of advertising 

and concession revenues. A voluntary 

or mandatory fee that a college, 

university, or similar institution 

imposes on all its students for free or 

discounted transit service that is not 

farebox revenue; 

iii. Monies received under a service 

agreement with a State or local social 

service agency or private social service 

organization; 

iv. Undistributed cash surpluses, 

replacement or depreciation cash funds, 

reserves available in cash, or new 

capital; 

v. Amounts appropriated or otherwise 

made available to a department or 

agency of the Government (other than 

the U.S. Department of Transportation); 

vi. In-kind contribution such as the 

market value of in-kind contributions 

integral to the project may be counted 

as a contribution toward local share; 

vii. Revenue bond proceeds for a 

capital project, with prior FTA 

approval; and 

viii. Transportation Development 

Credits (TDC) (formerly referred to as 

Toll Revenue Credits). Please refer to 

FTA Circular 9030 for more information 

regarding the use of TDCs. 

Note: FTA will not retroactively approve 

TDCs as match if they are not included in the 

proposal submitted under this competition. 

3. Eligible Projects 

Eligible projects are capital projects 

for the purchase, replacement, or 

rehabilitation of ferries, terminals, 

related infrastructure, related equipment 

(including fare equipment and 

communication devices) and expansion. 

Projects are required to support a 

passenger ferry service that operates 

within an urbanized area, as defined 

under Federal transit law, but may 

include services that operate between an 

urbanized area and non-urbanized areas. 

Ferry systems that accommodate cars 

must also accommodate walk-on 

passengers in order to be eligible for 

funding. 

Recipients are permitted to use up to 

0.5 percent of their requested grant 

award for workforce development 

activities eligible under 49 U.S.C. 

5314(b) and an additional 0.5 percent 

for costs associated with training at the 

National Transit Institute. Applicants 

must identify the proposed use of funds 

for these activities in the project 

proposal and identify them separately in 

the project budget. 

C. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address To Request Application 

Package 

Applications must be submitted 

electronically through GRANTS.GOV. 

General information for submitting 

applications through GRANTS.GOV can 

be found at www.fta.dot.gov/howtoapply 

along with specific instructions for the 

forms and attachments required for 

submission. Mail and fax submissions 

will not be accepted. A complete 

proposal submission consists of at least 

two forms: The SF424 Mandatory Form 

(downloaded from GRANTS.GOV) and 

the supplemental form for the FY 2017 

Passenger Ferry Grant Program 

(downloaded from GRANTS.GOV or the 

FTA Web site at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/ 

passenger-ferry-grant-program-section5307). Failure to submit the information 

as requested can delay review or 

disqualify the application. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

i. Proposal Submission 

A complete proposal submission 

consists of at least two forms: (1) The 

SF424 Mandatory Form; and (2) the 

supplemental form for the FY 2017 

Passenger Ferry Grant Program. The 

application must include responses to 

all sections of the SF424 Mandatory 

Form and the supplemental form, unless 

indicated as optional. The information 

on the supplemental form will be used 

to determine applicant and project 

eligibility for the program, and to 

evaluate the proposal against the 

selection criteria described in part E of 

this notice. 

An applicant may submit multiple 

project proposals in a single submission, 

but must include all project proposals 

on a single supplemental form. To add 

additional projects, select the ‘‘add 

project’’ button and complete a separate 

‘‘project detail’’ section for each project. 

FTA will only accept one supplemental 

form per submission. 

The supplemental form must be 

submitted as an attachment to the SF424 

Mandatory Form. All project proposals 

will be evaluated separately, regardless 

of whether they are submitted as a 

single submission. 

An applicant may submit additional 

supporting documentation for each 

project proposal as attachments. Any 

supporting documentation must be 

described and referenced by file name 

in the appropriate response section of 

the supplemental form, or it may not be 

reviewed. 

Information such as proposer name, 

Federal amount requested, local match 

amount, description of areas served, etc. 

may be requested in varying degrees of 

detail on both the SF424 form and 

Supplemental Form. Proposers must fill 

in all fields unless stated otherwise on 

the forms. If information is copied into 

the supplemental form from another 

source, applicants should verify that 

pasted text is fully captured on the 

supplemental form and has not been 

truncated by the character limits built 

into the form. Proposers should use both 

the ‘‘Check Package for Errors’’ and the 

‘‘Validate Form’’ validation buttons on 

both forms to check all required fields 

on the forms, and ensure that the 

Federal and local amounts specified are 

consistent. 

ii. Application Content 

The SF424 Mandatory Form and the 

Supplemental Form will prompt 

applicants for the required information, 

including: 

a. Applicant Name 

b. Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data 

Universal Numbering System 

(DUNS) number 

c. Key contact information (including 

contact name, address, email 

address, and phone) 

d. Congressional district(s) where 

project will take place 

e. Project Information (including title, 

an executive summary, and type) 

f. A detailed description of the need for 

the project 

g. A detailed description on how the 

project will support the Ferry 

program objectives 

h. Evidence that the project is consistent 

with local and regional planning 

documents 

i. Evidence that the applicant can 

provide the local cost share 

j. A description of the technical, legal, 

and financial capacity of the 

applicant 

k. A detailed project budget 

l. An explanation of the scalability of 

the project 

m. Details on the local matching funds 

n. A detailed project timeline 

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System 

for Award Management (SAM) 

Each applicant is required to: (1) Be 

registered in SAM before submitting an 


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application; (2) provide a valid unique 

entity identifier in its application; and 

(3) continue to maintain an active SAM 

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. These requirements do not 

apply if the applicant: (1) Is an 

individual; (2) is excepted from the 

requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or 

(c); or (3) has an exception approved by 

FTA under 2 CFR 25.110(d). FTA may 

not make an award until the applicant 

has complied with all applicable unique 

entity identifier and SAM 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. 

All applicants must provide a unique 

entity identifier provided by SAM. 

Registration in SAM may take as little 

as 3–5 business days, but since there 

could be unexpected steps or delays (for 

example, if you need to obtain an 

Employer Identification Number), 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 www.sam.gov. 

4. Submission Dates and Times 

Project proposals must be submitted 

electronically through GRANTS.GOV by 

11:59 p.m. EDT on October 23, 2017. 

GRANTS.GOV attaches a time stamp to 

each application at the time of 

submission. Proposals submitted after 

the deadline will only be considered 

under extraordinary circumstances not 

under the applicant’s control. Mail and 

fax submissions will not be accepted. 

Within 48 hours after submitting an 

electronic application, the applicant 

should receive three email messages 

from GRANTS.GOV: (1) Confirmation of 

successful transmission to 

GRANTS.GOV, (2) confirmation of 

successful validation by GRANTS.GOV, 

and (3) confirmation of successful 

validation by FTA. If confirmations of 

successful validation are not received or 

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. 

FTA urges proposers to submit 

applications at least 72 hours prior to 

the due date to allow time to receive the 

validation messages and to correct any 

problems that may have caused a 

rejection notification. GRANTS.GOV 

scheduled maintenance and outage 

times are announced on the 

GRANTS.GOV Web site. Deadlines will 

not be extended due to scheduled Web 

site maintenance. 

Proposers are encouraged to begin the 

process of registration on the 

GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of 

the submission deadline. Registration is 

a multi-step process, which may take 

several weeks to complete before an 

application can be submitted. Registered 

proposers may still be required to take 

steps to keep their registration up to 

date before submissions can be made 

successfully: (1) Registration in the 

System for Award Management (SAM) 

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 make 

submissions. 

5. Funding Restrictions 

Funds made available under the Ferry 

program may not be used to fund 

operating expenses, planning, or 

preventive maintenance. 

6. Other Submission Requirements 

Applicants are encouraged to identify 

scaled funding options in case 

insufficient funding is available to fund 

a project at the full requested amount. 

If an applicant indicates that a project 

is scalable, the applicant must provide 

an appropriate minimum funding 

amount that will fund an eligible project 

that achieves the objectives of the 

program and meets all relevant program 

requirements. The applicant must 

provide a clear explanation of how the 

project budget would be affected by a 

reduced award. FTA may award a lesser 

amount whether or not a scalable option 

is provided. 

E. Application Review Information 

i. Criteria: Projects will be evaluated 

primarily on the responses provided in 

the supplemental form. Additional 

information may be provided to support 

the responses; however, any additional 

documentation must be directly 

referenced on the supplemental form, 

including the file name where the 

additional information can be found. 

FTA will evaluate project proposals for 

competitive passenger ferry grants based 

on the criteria described in this notice. 

1. Demonstration of Need 

Applications will be evaluated based 

on the quality and extent to which they 

demonstrate how the proposed project 

will address an unmet need for capital 

investment in passenger ferry vehicles, 

equipment, and/or facilities. FTA will 

also evaluate the project’s impact on 

service delivery and whether the project 

represents a one-time or periodic need 

that cannot reasonably be funded from 

FTA formula program allocations or 

State and/or local resources. In 

evaluating applications, FTA will 

consider, among other factors, certain 

project-specific criteria as outlined 

below: 

i. For vessel replacement or 

rehabilitation projects: 

• The age of the asset to be replaced 

or rehabilitated by the proposed project, 

relative to its useful life. 

• Condition and performance of the 

asset to be replaced by the proposed 

project, as ascertained through 

inspections or otherwise, if available. 

ii. For infrastructure (facility) 

improvements or related-equipment 

acquisitions: 

• The age of the facility or equipment 

to be rehabilitated or replaced relative to 

its useful life. 

• The degree to which the proposed 

project will enable the agency to 

improve the maintenance and condition 

of the agency’s fleet and/or other related 

ferry assets. 

iii. For expansion or new service 

requests (vessel or facility-related): 

• The degree to which the proposed 

project addresses a current capacity 

constraint that is limiting the ability of 

the agency to provide reliable service, 

meet ridership demands, or maintain 

vessels and related-equipment. 

• The degree the proposed new 

service is supported by ridership 

demand. 

iv. Additional consideration will be 

given to projects in which the 

beneficiary of the award contributes a 

greater share of the total project costs. 

2. Demonstration of Benefits 

Applications will be evaluated based 

on how the ferry project will improve 

the safety and state of good repair of the 

system or provide additional 

transportation options to potential 

riders within the service area. FTA will 

consider potential benefits such as 

increased reliability of service, 

improved operations or maintenance 

capabilities, or expanded mobility 

options, intermodal connections, and 

economic benefits to the community. 


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3. Planning and Local/Regional 

Prioritization 

Applications will be evaluated based 

on whether the proposed project is 

consistent with local and regional 

planning documents and identified 

priorities. In particular, FTA will 

evaluate applications based on the 

quality and extent to which they assess 

whether the project is consistent with 

the transit priorities identified in the 

long-range transportation plan and/or 

the State and Metropolitan 

Transportation Improvement Program 

(STIP/TIP). Proposers should note if the 

project could not be included in the 

financially constrained STIP or TIP due 

to lack of funding; however, if selected, 

the project must be in the federally 

approved STIP before grant award. 

FTA encourages applicants to 

demonstrate local support by including 

letters of support from State 

Departments of Transportation, local 

transit agencies and other relevant 

stakeholders. In an area with both ferry 

and other public transit operators, FTA 

will evaluate whether project proposals 

demonstrate coordination with and 

support of other related projects within 

the proposer’s Metropolitan Planning 

Organization (MPO) or the geographic 

region within which the proposed 

project will operate. 

4. Project Readiness 

FTA will evaluate the extent to which 

the project is ready to be implemented. 

This will involve assessing whether the 

project is a Categorical Exclusion (CE) or 

if required environmental work has 

been initiated or completed for 

construction projects requiring an 

Environmental Assessment (EA) or 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). 

FTA will consider whether project 

implementation plans are ready, 

including initial design of facility 

projects, the TIP/STIP can be amended 

(evidenced by MPO/State endorsement), 

whether local match is available, 

whether the project funds can be 

obligated within 12 months from time of 

selection, and whether the project will 

require a Buy America waiver. 

5. Technical, Legal, and Financial 

Capacity 

Applicants must demonstrate that 

they have the technical, legal and 

financial capacity to undertake the 

project. FTA will review relevant 

oversight assessments and records to 

determine whether there are any 

outstanding legal, technical, or financial 

issues with the applicant that would 

affect the outcome of the proposed 

project. 

6. Connectivity to Other Modes of 

Transportation 

FTA will evaluate the degree to which 

the ferry service to be supported by the 

proposed project provides service that is 

integrated with other regional modes of 

transportation, including but not limited 

to: Rail, bus, intercity bus, and private 

transportation providers. Supporting 

documentation should include data that 

demonstrates the number of trips 

(passengers and vehicles), the number of 

walk-on passengers, and the frequency 

of transfers to other modes (if 

applicable). 

ii. Review and Selection Process 

In addition to other FTA staff that 

may review the proposals, a technical 

evaluation committee will evaluate 

proposals based on the published 

evaluation criteria. Members of the 

technical evaluation committee and 

other FTA staff may request additional 

information from applicants, if 

necessary. Based on the findings of the 

technical evaluation committee, the 

FTA Administrator will determine the 

final selection of projects for program 

funding. FTA may consider geographic 

diversity, diversity in the size of the 

transit systems receiving funding, 

and/or the applicant’s receipt of other 

competitive awards in determining the 

allocation of program funds. FTA may 

give additional consideration to projects 

in which the beneficiary of the award 

contributes a greater share of the total 

project costs. FTA may consider 

capping the amount a single applicant 

may receive. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

1. Federal Award Notices 

Subsequent to an announcement by 

the FTA Administrator of the final 

project selections, which will be posted 

on the FTA Web site, FTA will publish 

a list of the selected projects, Federal 

award amounts, and recipients in the 

Federal Register. Project recipients 

should contact their FTA Regional 

Offices for additional information 

regarding allocations for projects under 

the Ferry program. 

At the time the project selections are 

announced, FTA will extend pre-award 

authority for the selected projects. There 

is no blanket pre-award authority for 

these projects before announcement. 

2. Award Administration 

Funds under the Ferry program are 

available to designated recipients or 

eligible direct recipients of Section 5307 

funds. There is no minimum or 

maximum grant award amount; 

however, FTA intends to fund as many 

meritorious projects as possible. Only 

proposals from eligible recipients for 

eligible activities will be considered for 

funding. Due to funding limitations, 

proposers that are selected for funding 

may receive less than the amount 

originally requested. In those cases, 

applicants must be able to demonstrate 

that the proposed projects are still 

viable and can be completed with the 

amount awarded. 

3. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

i. Pre-Award Authority 

FTA will issue specific guidance to 

recipients regarding pre-award authority 

at the time of selection. FTA does not 

provide pre-award authority for 

competitive funds until projects are 

selected and even then there are Federal 

requirements that must be met before 

costs are incurred. For more information 

about FTA’s policy on pre-award 

authority, please see the FY 2017 

Apportionment Notice published on 

January 19, 2017. https://www.gpo.gov/ 

fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-01-19/pdf/2017- 

01194.pdf. 

ii. Grant Requirements 

If selected, awardees will apply for a 

grant through FTA’s Transit Award 

Management System (TrAMS). All Ferry 

recipients are subject to the grant 

requirements of Section 5307 Urbanized 

Area Formula Grant program, including 

those of FTA Circular 9030.1. All 

recipients must follow the Award 

Management Requirements Circular 

5010.1E, and the labor protections of 49 

U.S.C. 5333(b). All competitive grants, 

regardless of award amount, will be 

subject to the congressional notification 

and release process. Technical 

assistance regarding these requirements 

is available from each FTA regional 

office. 

iii. Buy America 

FTA requires that all capital 

procurements meet FTA’s Buy America 

requirements that require all iron, steel, 

or manufactured products be produced 

in the U.S., to help create and protect 

manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The 

Ferry program will have a significant 

economic impact toward meeting the 

objectives of the Buy America law. The 

FAST Act amended the Buy America 

requirements, 49 U.S.C. 5323(j), to 

provide for a phased increase in the 

domestic content for rolling stock. For 

FY 2016 and FY 2017, the cost of 

components and subcomponents 

produced in the United States must be 

more than 60 percent of the cost of all 

components. For FY 2018 and FY 2019, 


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the cost of components and 

subcomponents produced in the United 

States must be more than 65 percent of 

the cost of all components. For FY 2020 

and beyond, the cost of components and 

subcomponents produced in the United 

States must be more than 70 percent of 

the cost of all components. There is no 

change to the requirement that final 

assembly of rolling stock must occur in 

the United States. The Buy America 

requirements can be found in 49 CFR 

part 661 and additional guidance on the 

implementation of the phased increase 

in domestic content can be found at 81 

FR 60278 (Sept. 1, 2016). Any proposal 

that will require a waiver 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. 

iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise 

Projects that include ferry 

acquisitions are subject to the 

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise 

(DBE) program regulations at 49 CFR 

part 26 and ferry manufacturers must be 

certified Transit Vehicle Manufacturers 

(TVMs) to be eligible to bid on an FTAassisted ferry procurement. The rule 

requires that, prior to bidding on any 

FTA-assisted vehicle procurement, 

entities that manufacture ferries must 

submit a DBE Program plan and annual 

goal methodology to FTA. The FTA will 

then issue a TVM concurrence/ 

certification letter. Grant recipients 

must verify each entity’s compliance 

before accepting its bid. A list of 

certified TVMs is posted on FTA’s Web 

page at http://www.fta.dot.gov/ 

civilrights/12891.html. Recipients 

should contact FTA before accepting 

bids from entities not listed on this 

Web-posting. In lieu of using a certified 

TVM, recipients may also establish 

project specific DBE goals for ferry 

purchases. The FTA will provide 

additional guidance as grants are 

awarded. For more information on DBE 

requirements, please contact Janelle 

Hinton, Office of Civil Rights, 202–366– 

9259, email: janelle.hinton@dot.gov. 

v. Planning 

FTA encourages proposers to notify 

the appropriate State Departments of 

Transportation and MPOs in areas likely 

to be served by the project funds made 

available under these initiatives and 

programs. Selected projects must be 

incorporated into the long-range plans 

and transportation improvement 

programs of States and metropolitan 

areas before they are eligible for FTA 

funding. 

vi. Standard Assurances 

The applicant assures 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 grant. The applicant 

acknowledges that it is under a 

continuing obligation to comply with 

the terms and conditions of the grant 

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 applicant agrees that the most 

recent Federal requirements will apply 

to the project, unless FTA issues a 

written determination otherwise. The 

applicant must submit the Certifications 

and Assurances before receiving a grant 

if it does not have current certifications 

on file. 

4. Reporting 

Post-award reporting requirements 

include the electronic submission of 

Federal Financial Reports and Milestone 

Progress Reports in FTA’s electronic 

grants management system. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

For further information concerning 

this notice, please contact the Ferry 

program manager Vanessa Williams by 

phone at 202–366–4818, or by email at 

vanessa.williams@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 Web site at https://

www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/ 

passenger-ferry-grant-program-section5307. To ensure applicants receive 

accurate information about eligibility or 

the program, the applicant is 

encouraged to contact FTA directly, 

rather than through intermediaries or 

third parties. FTA staff may also 

conduct briefings on the FY 2017 

competitive grants selection and award 

process upon request. 

H. Technical Assistance and Other 

Program Information 

This program is not subject to 

Executive Order 12372, 

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs.’’ FTA will consider 

applications for funding only from 

eligible recipients for eligible projects 

listed in Section C. Complete 

applications must be submitted through 

GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. EDT on 

October 23, 2017. For issues with 

GRANTS.GOV please contact 

GRANTS.GOV by phone at 1–800–518– 

4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. 

Contact information for FTA’s 

regional offices can be found on FTA’s 

Web site at www.fta.dot.gov. 

Matthew J. Welbes, 

Executive Director. 

Appendix A 

Ferry Program 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is a designated recipient? 

Answer: A designated recipient is an entity 

designated by the governor of a state, 

responsible local official, and publicly 

owned operators of public transportation to 

receive and apportion amounts under Section 

5336 to urbanized areas of 200,000 or more 

in population, or a state or regional authority, 

if the authority is responsible under the laws 

of a state for a capital project and for 

financing and directly providing public 

transportation. 

2. What is a direct recipient? 

Answer: A direct recipient is an eligible 

entity authorized by a designated recipient or 

state to receive Urbanized Area Formula 

Program funds directly from FTA. 

3. Is there a list of designated recipients 

under Section 5307? 

Answer: Contact the FTA regional office 

for help with identifying the 5307 designated 

recipient in your area. The regional office 

contact information can be found at 

www.fta.dot.gov. 

4. How can an entity determine whether it 

operates within the area of a Censusdesignated urbanized area? 

Answer: Contact the FTA regional office to 

determine the designated urbanized area. The 

regional contact information can be found at 

www.fta.dot.gov. 

5. Can I apply if I am not currently a direct 

recipient? 

Answer: Yes, FTA will accept applications 

from entities in urbanized areas that are 

eligible to be direct recipients, even if they 

are currently not a direct recipient. 

6. How can I apply if I am not an eligible 

direct recipient or designated recipient? 

Answer: Coordinate the project with the 

designated or eligible direct recipient for that 

entity to apply on your behalf. However, if 

your project is selected for an award, the 

designated or eligible direct recipient would 

obligate the funds. 

7. Can State DOTs apply on behalf of 

public agencies within the state in which 

they administer FTA funds? 

Answer: Yes, as long as the service is 

within an urbanized area. 

8. If an agency previously received 5307 

funds but now receives 5311 funds, can they 

still apply? 

Answer: No, Section 5311 rural providers 

are not eligible to apply for the Passenger 

Ferry Grant Program. Applicants must be 

eligible designated or direct recipients of 

Section 5307. 

9. Is a new start eligible under the Ferry 

program? 

Answer: Capital for new systems is eligible 

if the project is not in the planning phase. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 162 / Wednesday, August 23, 2017 / Notices 40063 

Planning activities are not eligible under this 

competition. 

10. Are public car-ferries eligible? 

Answer: Ferry systems that accommodate 

cars must also accommodate walk-on 

passengers in order to be eligible. 

11. Is the construction of a ferry 

maintenance facility an eligible capital 

project? 

Answer: Yes. 

12. Is a new vessel construction funded by 

FTA grants considered a public work or 

rolling stock and therefore subject to Davis 

Bacon? 

Answer: Yes, a new vessel construction is 

rolling stock. Davis Bacon applies to 

construction, alteration, or repairs of public 

buildings or public works, but it does not 

apply to rolling stock. 

13. Does the term ‘‘terminals & related 

infrastructure’’ projects include the floating 

docks and access ramps where the passengers 

board? 

Answer: Yes. 

14. Is there a difference between the FTA’s 

Passenger Ferry Grant Program and FHWA’s 

Ferry Boat Formula Grant Funding Program? 

Answer: There may be subtle differences 

between FTA’s and FHWA’s programs. 

However, FHWA no longer has a competitive 

program. It is now a formula program. Please 

refer to FHWA’s page for more information: 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/. 

15. What is the grant process after an entity 

is selected? 

Answer: An agency would work with the 

FTA regional office to apply for the funds in 

FTA’s electronic management system. The 

Federal Register announcing selection will 

also provide grant-making instructions. 

[FR Doc. 2017–17814 Filed 8–22–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Bureau of the Fiscal Service 

Proposed Collection of Information: 

U.S. Treasury Auction Submitter 

Agreement 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of the 

Treasury, as part of its continuing effort 

to reduce paperwork and respondent 

burden, invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to take this 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

Currently the Bureau of the Fiscal 

Service within the Department of the 

Treasury is soliciting comments 

concerning Automatic Enrollment 

Individual Retirement Accounts (AutoIRAs). 

DATES: Written comments should be 

received on or before October 23, 2017 

to be assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

and requests for additional information 

to Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Bruce A. 

Sharp, 200 Third Street A4–A, 

Parkersburg, WV 26106–1328, or 

bruce.sharp@fiscal.treasury.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Resolution for Transactions 

Involving Treasury Securities. 

OMB Number: 1530–0056. 

Transfer of OMB Control Number: The 

Bureau of Public Debt (BPD) and 

Financial Management Service (FMS) 

have consolidated to become the Bureau 

of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service). 

Information collection requests 

previously held separately by BPD and 

FMS will now be identified by a 1530 

prefix, designating Fiscal Service. 

Form Number: FS Form 5441. 

Abstract: The information is 

requested from entities wishing to 

participate in U.S. Treasury Securities 

auctions via TAAPSLink. 

Current Actions: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Type of Review: Regular. 

Affected Public: Depository 

Institutions, Brokers/Dealers, 

Assessment Management Companies, 

Pension Funds, and other Institutional 

Investors. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1000. 

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 5 

minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 80. 

Request for Comments: Comments 

submitted in response to this notice will 

be summarized and/or included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. Comments are invited on: 

1. Whether the collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; 2. the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

collection of information; 3. ways to 

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 

of the information to be collected; 4. 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology; 

and 5. estimates of capital or start-up 

costs and costs of operation, 

maintenance, and purchase of services 

to provide information. 

Dated: August 18, 2017. 

Bruce A. Sharp, 

Bureau Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–17815 Filed 8–22–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–AS–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0670] 

Agency Information Collection Activity 

Under OMB Review: Fiduciary 

Statement in Support of Appointment 

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 

1995, this notice announces that the 

Veterans Benefits Administration 

(VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, 

will submit the collection of 

information abstracted below to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and comment. The 

PRA submission describes the nature of 

the information collection and its 

expected cost and burden and it 

includes the actual data collection 

instrument. 

DATES: Written comments and 

recommendations on the proposed 

collection of information should be 

received on or before September 22, 

2017. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information through 

www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, Attn: 

VA Desk Officer; 725 17th St. NW., 

Washington, DC 20503 or sent through 

electronic mail to oira_submission@

omb.eop.gov. Please refer to ‘‘OMB 

Control No. 2900–0670’’ in any 

correspondence. During the comment 

period, comments may be viewed online 

through the FDMS. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Enterprise 

Records Service (005R1B), Department 

of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 

Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, 

(202) 461–5870 or email cynthia.harveypryor@va.gov. Please refer to ‘‘OMB 

Control No. 2900–0670’’ in any 

correspondence. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority: Public Law 104–13; 44 

U.S.C. 3501–3521. 

Title: Fiduciary Statement in Support 

of Appointment (VA Form 21P–0792). 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0670. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: VA Form 21P–0792 will be 

completed by individuals who are 

seeking to be appointed as fiduciaries of 

VA beneficiaries. The information will 

be used by VA field examiners to 


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