[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48797-48799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20083]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Conversion of Traveler Information Telephone Numbers to 511;
Request for Participation
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; request for participation.
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SUMMARY: This document requests applications from public agencies for
assistance in converting existing traveler information telephone
numbers to the common three-digit national access number, 511. This
assistance program provides Federal funding to public agencies to help
defray the costs of telephone service providers in converting traveler
information telephone numbers. Applications in response to this notice
will be assessed to determine: (1) The level of coordination of the
applicant with other agencies in the effected areas to reach agreement
on a conversion approach for all traveler information numbers in the
effected region; (2) the readiness of the applicant to convert traveler
information telephone numbers in a timely fashion; and (3) the quality
of the traveler information to be provided.
DATES: Applications to participate in the conversion of traveler
information telephone numbers to 511 will be accepted anytime.
Decisions regarding the acceptance of specific applications for funding
will be made within 60 business days of receipt.
ADDRESSES: Applications to participate in the conversion of traveler
information telephone numbers to 511 should be submitted directly to
the Federal Highway Administration, Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS) Joint Program Office, 511 Conversion, HOIT-1, 400 Seventh St.
SW., Room 3416, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. William S. Jones, ITS Joint
Program Office (HOIT-1), (202) 366-2128; Mr. Robert Rupert, Office of
Travel Management (HOTM-1), (202) 366-2194; or Mr. Wilbert Baccus,
Office of Chief Counsel (HCC-32), (202) 366-1346; Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem
and suitable communications software from
[[Page 48798]]
the Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at
(202) 512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal
Register's home page at http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government
Printing Office's web page at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.
The document may also be viewed at the DOT's ITS home page at
http://www.its.dot.gov.
Background
On March 8, 1999, the U.S. DOT petitioned the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt a new, national three-digit
telephone number to allow Americans on the move access to on-the-spot
transportation and traveler information, such as, road conditions and
bus schedules. The burgeoning traffic reporter industry reflects the
hunger that citizens have for more travel information, and the positive
role the government can play as a partner in providing that
information.
The nationwide three-digit number would utilize and significantly
advance the intelligent transportation infrastructure already in place
to assist some 45 States and cities in providing traveler information.
The traveler information would continue to be provided by private
companies or public/private partnerships already delivering this
service. The number would provide information about bad weather,
construction, or traffic jams that cause delays for businesses and the
general public, as well as information about the status of transit
buses, ferries, light rail, and other public transportation in local
communities. In addition, by directing drivers away from congestion and
hazardous conditions, the nationwide three-digit number would provide
better access for emergency vehicles responding to accidents.
The FCC placed the U.S. DOT's petition in its docket (File No. NSD-
L-99-24, CC Docket 92-105; 57 FR 22681, May 29, 1992), and comments
submitted to the FCC were favorable to adoption of a national three-
digit traveler information number. On July 21, 2000, the FCC assigned
511 as the nationwide traveler information telephone number.
In order to assist locations in converting existing telephone
access numbers and facilitate implementing the 511 telephone service,
the U.S. DOT developed a program of assistance to provide Federal
funding to help defray the costs to convert existing traveler
information telephone numbers to 511. This notice and request for
participation implements that assistance.
This is anticipated as a three-year program with a total of up to
$5 million of Federal funds available, and program funding beginning in
fiscal year (FY) 2000. The maximum amount of Federal funding provided
for any individual application is limited to $50,000. The number of
applications approved for funding each FY will depend upon the number
of applications submitted, the amount of assistance requested, and the
total funding available (anticipated to be up to $2 million) for each
FY.
Objectives of the Traveler Information Telephone Conversion Program
The goal of the Traveler Information Telephone Conversion Program
is to accelerate the implementation of telephone number 511 nationwide
for traveler information. Through this program, the U.S. DOT expects to
enable the approximately 300 existing telephone numbers used to access
traveler information around the country to be converted to 511, as
approved by the FCC for traveler information.
Applications for the Traveler Information Telephone Conversion
Program may be submitted by any public agency capable of receiving
Federal funds, entering into agreements with telephone service
providers, and acting on behalf of the effected parties in the
geographic area specified in the application.
Funding
It is anticipated that conversions selected for funding will begin
in FY 2000. Federal funding authority is derived from section
5001(a)(5) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-
21), Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, 419 (1998). Actual award of
funds will be subject to funding availability. The anticipated amount
of funding available in each FY is up to $2 million.
Federal ITS funding for the traveler information telephone
conversion program may be used to support:
1. System design;
2. Conversion support including software modifications and
necessary hardware changes; and
3. System and acceptance testing.
Matching Share/Cost Sharing
There is a twenty percent matching share that must be from non-
federally derived funding sources, as statutorily required, and must
consist of either cash, substantial equipment contributions that are
wholly utilized as an integral part of the project, or personnel
services dedicated full-time to the proposed integrated deployment for
a substantial period, as long as such personnel are not otherwise
supported with Federal funds. The non-federally derived funding may
come from State, local government, or private sector partners. Note
that funding identified to support continued operations, maintenance,
and management of the system will not be considered as part of the
partnership's cost-share contribution.
In an ITS partnership, as with other U.S. DOT cost-sharing grants,
it is inappropriate for a fee to be included in the proposed budget as
part of a partner's contribution to the project. This does not prohibit
appropriate fee payments to vendors or others that may provide goods or
services to the partnership. It also does not prohibit business
relationships with the private sector, which result in revenues from
the sale or provision of ITS products or services. U.S. DOT regulations
require grant income to be deducted from expenditures before billing.
Given prior approval, grant income can be used either as match or cost
share.
The U.S. DOT and the Comptroller General of the United States have
the right to access all documents pertaining to the use of Federal ITS
funds and non-Federal contributions. Non-Federal partners must maintain
sufficient documentation to substantiate these costs. Such items as
direct labor, fringe benefits, material costs, consultant costs, public
involvement costs, subcontractor costs, and travel costs should be
included in that documentation.
Instructions to Applicants
An application to participate in the conversion of traveler
information telephone numbers to 511 shall consist of three parts:
Regional Coordination Arrangements, a Technical Plan, and a Financial
Plan that together describe the proposed conversion approach. The
complete application shall not exceed 20 pages in length, including the
Regional Coordination Arrangements, the Technical Plan, the Financial
Plan, the title page, index, and tables. A page is defined as one side
of an 8\1/2\ by 11-inch paper, with a type font no smaller than 12
point.
Applications shall be submitted in an electronic format compatible
with Microsoft Office 1997. The cover sheet or title page of the
application shall include the name, address, and phone number of an
individual to whom correspondence and questions about the application
may be directed. Any portion of the application or its contents that
may contain proprietary information shall be clearly indicated;
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otherwise, the application and its contents shall be non-proprietary.
Selection Criteria
Applicants must submit acceptable Regional Coordination, Technical,
and Financial Plans that together provide sound evidence that the
proposed conversion can successfully be completed in a timely fashion.
Proposals should be organized into the following three sections:
1. Regional Coordination Arrangements
The proposed conversion should demonstrate a coordination among
affected agencies and firms in reaching agreement to convert existing
traveler information telephone numbers to 511. Letters of agreement,
memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and other documents shall be
referenced and included as appropriate.
(a) The application should discuss current working relationships,
existing cooperation, and information sharing among State, local, and
other relevant public agencies, and the private sector for the
dissemination of travel information services. The proposed conversion
should demonstrate a commitment to cooperation among agencies,
jurisdictions, and the private sector.
(b) The application should discuss any institutional or
organizational issues that arose during discussions with affected
parties, and the resolution of these issues. Any key decisions related
to the timely implementation of the conversion shall be identified,
especially if the decisions have not been made prior to application
submittal.
(c) Memorandums of understanding, or other appropriate
documentation, that clearly define the responsibilities and
relationships of all parties, including institutional relationships and
financial agreements needed to support the conversion, should be
attached to the application.
2. Technical Plan
The Technical Plan shall describe how the proposed conversion will
take place and describe the quality of the traveler information to be
provided. The Technical Plan shall demonstrate that the appropriate
telephone service providers have provided detailed plans and schedules
for telephone number conversions.
In addition, an acceptable Technical Plan should:
(a) Contain an operational concept and technical approach that
demonstrate how the proposed conversion will be fully implemented, as
well as any incremental stages leading to full implementation. The
specific roles and responsibilities of the all parties should be
defined.
(b) Contain a technical approach that responds to traveler
information needs of the entire affected area. A description of the
affected area, including geographic size and major jurisdictions
served. Any data or information exchanges among traveler information
services and/or telephone service providers should be described along
with implementation schedules.
(c) Describe the type(s) of information that will be available to a
caller, and the method that will be used to access information.
Descriptions of the information will include how frequently it is
updated, any variations in details provided across the affected
geographic area, any variations in coverage or details based on the
time of the day, and the primary source(s) of the information, e.g.,
construction schedules, transit schedules, transportation management
systems, enforcement dispatch systems.
(d) Demonstrate that the proposed system follows the privacy
principles developed by ITS America. For further information, see
``References and Note to Applicants'' below. Where the privacy
principles conflict with applicable Federal and State law, the latter
shall prevail.
References and Note to Applicants: The ITS privacy principles
are available from ITS AMERICA, 400 Virginia Avenue SW., Suite 800,
Washington, DC 20024, telephone (202) 484-4847. The document is also
available on the Internet at http://www.itsa.org.
3. Financial Plan
The Financial Plan should demonstrate that sufficient funding is
available to successfully complete all aspects of the proposed
conversion as described in the Technical Plan. The Financial Plan
should also provide the financial information described under the
heading, Matching Share/Cost Sharing.
An acceptable Financial Plan should:
(a) Provide a clear identification of the proposed funding for the
conversion of traveler information telephone numbers to 511, and a
commitment that no more than 80 percent of the total cost will be
supported by these Federal ITS funds. All financial commitments, from
both the public and private sectors, should be documented in signed
MOUs, or other appropriate documents.
(b) Describe how the conversion will be implemented and how the
traveler information service(s) will be operated to ensure the timely
implementation and the continued, long-term operations of the system.
(c) Include documented evidence of continuing fiscal capacity and
commitment from anticipated public and private sources.
(d) Include corresponding public and/or private investments that
minimize the relative percentage and amount of Federal ITS funds.
Authority: sec. 5001(a)(5), Pub. L. 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, 420;
23 U.S.C. 315; and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: August 1, 2000.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-20083 Filed 8-8-00; 8:45 am]
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