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under subsection (a) to nonprofit institutions of 
higher learning to establish and operate—
‘(A) 10 regional university transportation 
centers; and 
‘(B) 10 Tier I university transportation 
centers. 
‘(2) TIER II CENTERS.—For each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2009, the Secretary shall make grants 
under subsection (a) to nonprofit institutions of 
higher learning to establish and operate 10 Tier II 
university transportation centers. 
‘(3) LOCATION OF REGIONAL CENTERS.—One 
regional university transportation center shall be lo-
cated in each of the 10 United States Government 
regions that comprise the Standard Federal Re-
gional Boundary System. 
‘(4) LIMITATION.—A nonprofit institution of 
higher learning may not directly receive a grant 
under this section for a fiscal year for more than 
one university transportation center. 
‘(d) COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS.—
‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—In order to be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit insti-
tution of higher learning shall submit to the Sec-
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retary an application that is in such form and con-
tains such information as the Secretary may require. 
‘(2) GENERAL
SELECTION
CRITERIA.—Except 
as otherwise provided by this section, the Secretary 
shall select each recipient of a grant under this sec-
tion through a competitive process on the basis of 
the following: 
‘(A) The demonstrated research and exten-
sion resources available to the recipient to carry 
out this section. 
‘(B) The capability of the recipient to pro-
vide leadership in making national and regional 
contributions to the solution of immediate and 
long-range transportation problems. 
‘(C) The recipient’s demonstrated commit-
ment of at least $400,000 each year in regu-
larly budgeted institutional amounts to support 
ongoing transportation research and education 
programs. 
‘(D) The recipient’s demonstrated ability 
to disseminate results of transportation re-
search and education programs through a state-
wide or regionwide continuing education pro-
gram.
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‘(E) The strategic plan the recipient pro-
poses to carry out under the grant. 
‘(e) REGIONAL UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CEN-
TERS.—
‘(1) COMPETITION.—Not later than August 31, 
2005, and not later than March 31st of every 4th 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall complete a com-
petition among nonprofit institutions of higher 
learning for grants to establish and operate the 10 
regional university transportation centers referred to 
in subsection (c)(1)(A). 
‘(2) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In conducting a 
competition under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
select a nonprofit institution of higher learning on 
the basis of—
‘(A) the criteria described in subsection 
(d)(2); 
‘(B) the location of the center within the 
Federal region to be served; and 
‘(C) whether or not the institution (or, in 
the case of a consortium of institutions, the 
lead institution) can demonstrate that it has a 
well-established, nationally recognized program 
in transportation research and education, as 
evidenced by—
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‘(i) not less than $2,000,000 in high-
way or public transportation research ex-
penditures each year for each of the pre-
ceding 5 years; 
‘(ii) not less than 10 graduate degrees 
awarded in professional fields closely re-
lated to highways and public transpor-
tation for year for each of the preceding 5 
years; and 
‘(iii) not less than 5 tenured or ten-
ure-track faculty members who specialize 
on a full-time basis in professional fields 
closely related to highways and public 
transportation who, as a group, have pub-
lished a total at least 50 refereed journal 
publications on highway or public transpor-
tation research during the preceding 5 
years. 
‘(3) GRANT
RECIPIENTS.—After selecting a 
nonprofit institution of higher learning as a grant 
recipient on the basis of a competition conducted 
under this subsection, the Secretary shall make a 
grant to the recipient to establish and operate a re-
gional university transportation center in each of the
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first 4 fiscal years beginning after the date of the 
competition. 
‘(4) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
FISCAL
YEARS
2004 
AND 2005.—For each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, 
the Secretary shall make a grant under this section 
to each of the 10 nonprofit institutions of higher 
learning that were competitively selected for grants 
by the Secretary under this section in July 1999 to 
operate regional university transportation centers. 
‘(5) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—For each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2009, a grant made by the Sec-
retary to a nonprofit institution of higher learning 
for a fiscal year to establish and operate a regional 
university transportation center shall not exceed 
$3,500,000. 
‘(f) TIER I UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CEN-
TERS.—
‘(1) COMPETITION.—Not later than March 31, 
2006, and not later than March 31st of every 4th 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall complete a com-
petition among nonprofit institutions of higher 
learning for grants to establish and operate the 10 
Tier I university transportation centers referred to 
in subsection (c)(1)(B).