Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/04/08/02-8390/over-the-road-bus-accessibility-program-grants
Timestamp: 2017-08-19 17:30:38
Document Index: 284400512

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 37', 'art 1192', 'art 37', 'art 661', '§\u20095333', 'arts 18', 'art 24']

A Notice by the Federal Transit Administration on 04/08/2002
Complete applications for OTRB Accessibility Program grants must be submitted to the appropriate FTA regional office (see Appendix A) by the close of business June 14, 2002. The appropriate FTA regional office is that office which serves the state in which an applicant's headquarters office is located. FTA will announce grant selections in August 2002.
67 FR 16799
16799-16810 (12 pages)
02-8390
Summary of DOT's Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Rule
A. Buy America
B. Labor Protection
C. Competitive Procurement
E. Authority of Applicant and Its Representative
F. Standard Assurances
G. Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters for Primary Covered Transactions
H. Drug-Free Workplace Agreement
I. Intergovernmental Review Assurance
J. Nondiscrimination Assurance.
K. Assurance of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability
L. Certifications Prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (SF-424B and SF-424D)
M. Lobbying Certification for an Application Exceeding $100,000
III. Grant Application Review Process
Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Program Project Proposal Application
Intercity Fixed Route Service:
Other Service (Commuter, Charter, or Tour)
Appendix B—FTA Regional Offices
Region V—Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-8390 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-8390
Notice of availability of fiscal year 2002 funds; solicitation of grant applications.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of funds in fiscal year (FY) 2002 for the Over-the-road Bus (OTRB) Accessibility Program, authorized by Section 3038 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The OTRB Accessibility Program makes funds available to private operators of over-the-road buses to finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over-the-road bus accessibility final rule, published in a Federal Register Notice on September 24, 1998. The OTRB Accessibility Program calls for national solicitation of applications, with grantees to be selected on a competitive basis. FTA's FY 2002 Appropriations Act makes Federal funds available to intercity fixed-route providers and other OTRB providers at up to 90 percent of the project cost.
A total of $24.3 million is available for the program over the life of TEA-21. The guaranteed level of funding available for intercity fixed-route service was $2 million in FY 1999, $2 million in FY 2000, $3 million in FY 2001, and is $5.25 million in FY 2002 and FY 2003, for a total of $17.5 million. The guaranteed level of funding for other over-the-road bus services, including charter and tour bus, is $1.7 million per year from FY 2000 to FY 2003, for a total of $6.8 million.
For FY 2002, $5.25 million was appropriated for intercity fixed-route service providers and $1.7 million was appropriated for other over-the-road bus service providers. This announcement describes application procedures for the OTRB Accessibility Program and the procedures FTA will use to determine which projects it will fund.
This announcement is available on the Internet on the FTA website at: http://www.fta.dot.gov/​library/​legal/​federalregister/​2002/​index.html. FTA will announce final selections on the website and in the Federal Register.
Contact the appropriate FTA Regional Administrator (Appendix B) for application-specific information and issues. For general program information, contact Sue Masselink, Office of Program Management, (202) 366-2053, e-mail: sue.masselink@fta.dot.gov. A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
Appendix A OTRB Accessibility Program Application
Appendix B FTA Regional Offices
The program is authorized under Section 3038 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Funds have been appropriated for this program under the Department of Start Printed Page 16800Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002.
Over-the-road buses are used in intercity fixed-route service as well as other services, such as commuter, charter, and tour bus services. These services are an important element of the U.S. transportation system. TEA-21 authorized FTA's Over-the-road Bus Accessibility Program to assist over-the-road bus operators in complying with the Department's Over-the-road Bus Accessibility rule, “Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities” (49 C.F.R. Part 37) published in a Federal Register notice on September 24, 1998.
Deadlines for Acquiring Accessible Vehicles. Under the over-the-road bus accessibility rule, all new buses obtained by large (Class I carriers, i.e., those with gross annual operating revenues of $5.3 million or more), fixed-route carriers after October 30, 2000 must be accessible, with wheelchair lifts and tie-downs that allow passengers to ride in their own wheelchairs. The rule requires 50 percent of the fixed-route carriers' fleets to be accessible by 2006, and 100 percent of the vehicles in their fleets to be accessible by 2012. The buses acquired by small (gross operating revenues of less than $5.3 million annually) fixed-route providers after October 29, 2001 also are required to be lift-equipped, although they do not have a deadline for total fleet accessibility. Small providers also can provide equivalent service in lieu of obtaining accessible buses. Starting in 2001, charter and tour companies have to provide service in an accessible bus on 48 hours' advance notice. Fixed-route companies must also provide this kind of service on an interim basis until their fleets are completely accessible.
Deadlines for Delivering Accessible Service. The rules for delivering accessible motorcoach service went into effect October 29, 2001 for large fixed-route, charter, tour and other demand-responsive motorcoach companies. The rules go into effect for small operators on October 28, 2002. After these dates, companies must provide service in an accessible coach to a passenger who requests it and gives 48 hours' advance notice. Small companies may provide equivalent service, instead of acquiring accessible coaches. This equivalent service may be provided in an alternate vehicle (e.g., a van), provided that the service allows passengers to travel in their own wheelchairs.
Specifications describing the design features that an over-the-road bus must have to be readily accessible to and usable by persons who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids required by the “Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles: Over-the-Road Buses' rule (36 CFR Part 1192) were published in another Federal Register Notice on September 28, 1998.
Grants will be made directly to operators of over-the-road buses. Intercity, fixed-route over-the-road bus service providers may apply for the $5.25 million available to intercity fixed-route providers in FY 2002. Other over-the-road bus service providers, including operators of local fixed-route service, commuter service, and charter or tour service may apply for the $1.7 million available in FY 2002 for these providers. OTRB operators who provide intercity, fixed-route service and another type of service, such as commuter, charter or tour, may apply for both categories of funds with a single application. Private for-profit operators of over-the-road buses are eligible to be direct applicants for this program. This is a departure from the other FTA programs for which the direct applicant must be a state or local public body.
Projects to finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over-the-road bus accessibility rule (49 CFR part 37) are eligible for funding. Incremental capital costs eligible for funding include adding lifts, tie-downs, moveable seats, doors and all labor costs associated with work on the vehicle needed to make vehicles accessible. Retrofitting vehicles with such accessibility components is also an eligible expense. Please see Buy America section for further determination of eligibility.
Funds may be awarded by FTA for costs already incurred by the applicants. Any new wheelchair accessible vehicles delivered since June 8, 1998, the date that the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century was effective, are eligible for funding under the program. Vehicles of any age that have been retrofitted with lifts and other accessibility components since June 8, 1998 are also eligible for funding.
Eligible training costs are those required by the final accessibility rule as described in 49 CFR 37.209. These activities include training in proper operation and maintenance of accessibility features and equipment, boarding assistance, securement of mobility aids, sensitive and appropriate interaction with passengers with disabilities, and handling and storage of mobility devices. The costs associated with developing training materials or providing training for local providers of over-the-road bus services for these purposes are eligible expenses. Start Printed Page 16801
FTA will not fund the incremental costs of acquiring used wheelchair accessible OTRBs, as it may be impossible to verify whether or not FTA funds were already used to make the vehicles accessible. Also, it would be difficult to place a value on the accessibility features based upon the depreciated value of the vehicle. FTA wishes to increase the number of wheelchair accessible over-the-road buses available to persons with disabilities throughout the country, and the purchase of used accessible vehicles, whether or not they were previously funded by FTA, does not further this objective.
FTA has sponsored the development of accessibility training materials for public transit operators. FTA-funded Project Action is a national technical assistance program to promote cooperation between the disability community and the transportation industry. Project Action provides training, resources and technical assistance to thousands of disability organizations, consumers with disabilities, and transportation operators. It maintains a resource center with the most up-to-date information on transportation accessibility. Project Action may be contacted at: Project Action, 700 Thirteenth Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20590, Phone: 1-800-659-6428, Internet address: http://www.projectaction.org/​.
These are the statutory criteria upon which funding decisions will be made. In addition to these criteria, FTA may also consider other factors, such as the size of the applicant's fleet and the level of FTA funding that may already have been awarded to applicants in prior years.
Applicants selected for funding must include documentation necessary to meet the requirements of FTA's Nonurbanized Area Formula program (Section 5311 under Title 49, United States Code). Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available from each FTA regional office. The regional offices will contact those applicants selected for funding regarding procedures for making the required certifications and assurances to FTA before grants are made.
Federal requirements apply only to the incremental cost of adding the wheelchair accessibility features, either to new vehicles or when retrofitting existing vehicles. Training costs are not subject to all requirements. For example, labor protections, and Buy America are not applicable to training assistance.
Those applicants selected for funding will be required to certify compliance with all of the Federal requirements applicable to the OTRB Accessibility Program, provided in the comprehensive compilation below. All applicants are advised to read the entire list of requirements to be confident of their responsibilities and commitments for compliance.
The authority for these requirements are provided by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, Pub. L. 105-178, June 9, 1998, as amended by the TEA-21 Restoration Act 105-206, 112 Stat. 685, July 22, 1998, 49 U.S.C. chapter 53, Title 23, United States Code, U.S. DOT and FTA regulations at 49 CFR, and FTA Circulars.
In the OTRB Accessibility program, FTA's Buy America regulations, 49 CFR part 661, apply to the incremental capital cost of making vehicles accessible. Those regulations do not apply to associated labor costs. The following discussion relates to the contract between the grantee and the prime contractor.
Three exceptions to the general requirements can be found at 49 CFR 661.7: first, a waiver may be requested when the application of the regulation is not in the public interest; second, the general requirements will not apply if materials and products being procured are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; and third, a price differential waiver will be available under this program only if the grantee conducts a competitive procurement (see Competitive Procurement Section, below). FTA approval must be received by the recipient of FTA funds prior to the execution of contract.
It should also be noted that FTA has issued a general public interest waiver for all purchases under the Federal “small purchase” threshold, which is currently set at $100,000. This waiver can be found in 49 CFR 661.7, Appendix A(e). In Section 3038(b) of TEA-21, Congress authorized FTA financing of the incremental capital costs of compliance with DOT's OTRB accessibility rule. Consistent with this provision, the small purchase waiver applies only to the incremental cost of the accessibility features FTA is funding. Where more then one bus is purchased, the grantee must consider the incremental cost increase for the entire procurement when determining if the small purchase waiver applies. For example, if $30,000 is the incremental cost for the accessibility features eligible under this program per bus (regardless of the Federal share contribution), then a procurement of three buses with a total such cost of $90,000, would qualify for the small purchase waiver. No special application to FTA would be required.
The Buy America regulations can be found at www.fta.dot.gov/​library/​legal/​49661.htm. Start Printed Page 16802
Before FTA may award a grant for capital assistance, 49 USC 5333(b) requires that fair and equitable arrangements must be made to protect the interests of transit employees affected by FTA assistance. Those arrangements must be certified by the Secretary of Labor as meeting the requirements of the statute. When a labor organization represents a group of affected employees in the service area of an FTA project, the employee protective arrangement is usually the product of negotiations or discussions with the union. The grant applicant can facilitate Department of Labor (DOL) certification by identifying in the application any previously certified protective arrangements that have been applied to similar projects undertaken by the grant applicant, if any. Receiving funds under the OTRB Accessibility program, however, will not require the grantee's employees to be represented by organized labor. Nothing in the labor protection provisions in 49 U.S.C § 5333(b) requires a motorcoach operator to become a union carrier or encourages union organizing in any manner. Upon receipt of a grant application requiring employee protective arrangements, FTA will transmit the application to DOL and request certification of the employee protective arrangements. In accordance with DOL guidelines, DOL notifies the relevant unions in the area of the project that a grant for assistance is pending and affords the grant applicant and union the opportunity to agree to an arrangement establishing the terms and conditions of the employee protections. If necessary, DOL furnishes technical and mediation assistance to the parties during their negotiations. The Secretary of Labor may determine the protections to be certified if the parties do not reach an agreement after good faith bargaining and mediation efforts have been exhausted. DOL will also set the protective conditions when affected employees in the service area are not represented by a union. When DOL determines that employee protective arrangements comply with labor protection requirements, DOL will provide a certification to FTA. The grant agreement between FTA and the grant applicant incorporates by reference the employee protective arrangements certified by DOL.
DOL issued a Federal Register notice addressing the new TEA-21 programs, including the OTRB Accessibility Program, “Amendment to Section 5333(b) Guidelines to Carry Out New Programs Authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)”; Final Rule, dated July 28, 1999. FTA issued a “Dear Colleague” letter, dated December 5, 2000, addressing DOL processing of grant applications. Attached to the letter is an application checklist which provides information that DOL must have in order to review and certify FTA grant applications. This letter and attachment can be found at: http://www.fta.dot.gov/​office/​public/​c0019.html. Questions concerning protective arrangements and related matters pertaining to transit employees should be addressed to the Division of Statutory Programs, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5411, Washington, D.C. 20210; telephone (202) 693-0126, fax (202) 219-5338.
Federal procurement requirements apply to FTA funds awarded to state and local governments and private nonprofit agencies under 49 CFR parts 18 and 19. To the extent a direct recipient of FTA funds under this program is a private for-profit entity, the Federal procurement requirements do not apply.
Applicants are encouraged to notify the appropriate state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) in areas likely to be served by equipment made accessible through funds made available in this program. Those organizations, in turn, should take appropriate steps to inform the public, and individuals requiring fully accessible services in particular, of operators' intentions to expand the accessibility of their services. Incorporation of funded projects in the plans and transportation improvement programs of states and metropolitan areas by states and MPOs also is encouraged, but is not required.
As required by U.S. DOT regulations on Government-wide Debarment and Start Printed Page 16803Suspension (Nonprocurement) at 49 CFR 29.510:
(3) Making it a requirement that each of its employees be engaged in the performance of the grant be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (1) above;
(a) Abide by the terms of the statement, and
(3) The Applicant assures that it will promptly take the necessary actions to effectuate this assurance, including notifying the public that complaints of discrimination in the provision of Start Printed Page 16804transportation-related services or benefits may be filed with U.S. DOT or FTA. Upon request by U.S. DOT or FTA, the Applicant assures that it will submit the required information pertaining to its compliance with these requirements.
(6) Will comply, or has complied, with the requirements of Titles II and III of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Start Printed Page 16805Act of 1970, as amended, (Uniform Relocation Act) 42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq., which provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or whose property is acquired as a result of Federal of federally-assisted programs. These requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for project purposes regardless of Federal participation in purchases. As required by U.S. DOT regulations, “Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally Assisted Programs,” at 49 CFR 24.4, and sections 210 and 305 of the Uniform Relocation Act, 42 U.S.C. 4630 and 4655, the Applicant assures that it has the requisite authority under applicable state and local law and will comply or has complied with the requirements of the Uniform Relocation Act, 42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq., and U.S. DOT regulations, “Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally Assisted Programs,” 49 CFR part 24 including, but not limited to the following:
(12) Will assist FTA in assuring compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 470f, Executive Order No. 11593 (identification and protection of historic properties), 16 U.S.C. 470 note, and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 469a-l et seq.
(14) Will not dispose of, modify the use of, or change the terms of the real property title, or other interest in the site and facilities on which a construction project supported with FTA assistance takes place without Start Printed Page 16806permission and instructions from the awarding agency.
(19) Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq. pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by FTA assistance.
(1) As required by U.S. DOT regulations, “New Restrictions on Lobbying,” at 49 CFR 20.110, the Applicant's authorized representative certifies to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that for each application for a Federal assistance exceeding $100,000:
(a) No Federal appropriated funds have been or will be paid, by or on behalf of the Applicant, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress pertaining to the award of any Federal assistance, or the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal assistance agreement; and
(b) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with any application to FTA for Federal assistance, the Applicant assures that it will complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,” including the information required by the form's instructions, which may be amended to omit such information as permitted by 31 U.S.C. 1352.
(2) The Applicant understands that this certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance is placed and that submission of this certification is a prerequisite for providing Federal assistance for a transaction covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. The Applicant also understands that any person who fails to file a required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
FTA is conducting a national solicitation for applications under the OTRB Accessibility program. Grant awards will be made on a competitive basis. Applicants should submit 3 copies of their project proposal application, consistent with the application format provided at Appendix A, to the appropriate regional office. Project proposal applications must be received by FTA no later than June 14, 2002. The OTRB operators should submit the application to the office in the region in which its headquarters office is located (see Appendix B). The application should provide information on all items for which you are requesting funding in FY 2001. The application must include the following elements:
b. Contact information for notification of project selection: Contact name, address, fax and phone number
c. Description of services provided by company
d. For fixed-route carriers, whether you are a large (Class I, with gross annual operating revenues of $5.3 million or more) or small (gross operating revenues of less than $5.3 million annually) carrier
e. Existing fleet and employee information, including number of over-the-road buses used for intercity fixed-route service and other service and number of employees
f. Estimate of the proportion of service, if any, that is intercity fixed-route
g. Description of your technical, legal, and financial capacity to implement the proposed project.
a. Provide the Federal amount requested for each purpose for which funds are sought.
b. How intercity fixed-route service meets the definition of intercity fixed-route service, including how service makes meaningful connections with scheduled intercity bus service to more distant points.
c. Document matching funds, including amount and source.
d. Describe project, including components to be funded, i.e., lifts, tie-downs, movable seats, etc., and/or training.
e. Provide project time-line, including significant milestones such as date or contract for purchase of vehicle(s), and actual or expected delivery date of vehicles.
f. Address each of the five statutory evaluation criteria.
g. Complete Standard Form 424, “Federal Assistance.”Start Printed Page 16807
Applications are to be submitted to the appropriate FTA Regional Office by the close of business on June 14, 2002. FTA will screen all applications to determine whether all required eligibility elements, as described in Section 2 of the application, are present. An FTA evaluation team will evaluate each application according to the criteria described in this announcement.
FTA expects to notify all applicants, both those selected for funding and those not selected, in August 2001. Projects selected for funding will be published in a Federal Register notice.
Issued on: April 2, 2002.
B. For Notification of Project Selection Contact:
C. Describe Services Provided by Company, including Areas Served:
D. Intercity Fixed-Route Carriers:
_____Large/Class I (gross annual operating revenues of $5.3 Million or more)
_____Small (gross annual revenues of less than $5.3 Million)
E. Existing Fleet and Employee Information:
#___Over-the-road Buses in fleet used for Intercity Fixed-route Service
#___Over-the-road have lifts buses currently
#___Over-the-road Buses in fleet used for Other Service, e.g., Charter, Tour, & Commuter
#___Over-the-road Buses currently have lifts
#___Employees
F. If you provide both intercity fixed-route service and another type of service, such as commuter, charter or tour service, please provide an estimate of the proportion of your service that is intercity
___% of services is intercity fixed-route
G. Describe your technical, legal, and financial capacity to implement the proposed project.
A. Federal Amount Requested (Up to 90% Federal Share):
$___ for #___New Over-the-road Buses
$___for #___Retrofits
$___for #___Employees—Training
If funds are being requested for intercity fixed-route services, please describe how the service meets the definition of intercity fixed-route service, including how the service makes meaningful connections with scheduled intercity bus service to more distant points.
$___for #___New Over-the-road Buses
B. Document Matching Funds, including Amount and Source:
C. Describe Project, including Components to be funded, i.e., Lifts, Tie-downs, Moveable Seats, etc. and/or Training:
D. Provide Project Time Line, including Significant Milestones such as Date of Contract for Purchase of Vehicle(s), and actual or expected delivery date of vehicles:
E. Project Evaluation Criteria—Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
The identified need for over-the-road bus accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas served by the applicant. (20 points)
The extent to which the applicant demonstrated innovative strategies and financial commitment to providing access to over-the-road buses to persons with disabilities. (20 points)
The extent to which the over-the-road bus operator acquired equipment required by DOT's over-the-road bus accessibility rule prior to the required time-frame in the rule. (20 points)
The extent to which financing the costs of complying with DOT's rule presents a financial hardship for the applicant. (20 points)
The impact of accessibility requirements on the continuation of over-the-road bus service with particular consideration of the impact of the requirements on service to rural areas and for low-income individuals. (20 points)
F. OMB Standard Form 424, “Federal Assistance”
Richard H. Doyle
(617) 494-2055
26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940
New York, NY 10278-0194
(212) 264-8162
(215) 656-7100
61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 17T50
(404) 562-3500
Mokhtee Ahmad
Lee Waddleton
216 16th Street, Suite 650
BILLING CODE 4910-5-C
[FR Doc. 02-8390 Filed 4-5-02; 8:45 am]