[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37175-37184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15913]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
FY 2011 Discretionary Sustainability Funding Opportunity Transit
Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) Program
and Clean Fuels Grant Program, Augmented With Discretionary Bus and Bus
Facilities Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of FTA environmental sustainability
program funds: Solicitation of project proposals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the
availability of discretionary funds in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 for the
Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER)
program and Clean Fuels Grant program, augmented with Section 5309 Bus
and Bus Facilities program funds. These discretionary program funds
will be distributed in accordance with the mission of each program and
in support of the U. S. Department of Transportation's (DOT)
environmental sustainability efforts.
This notice includes priorities established by FTA for these
discretionary funds, the criteria FTA will use to identify meritorious
projects for funding, and describes how to apply for funding under each
discretionary program. This announcement is available on the FTA Web
site at: http://www.fta.dot.gov. FTA will announce final selections on
the Web site and in the Federal Register. Additionally, a synopsis of
each funding opportunity will be posted in the FIND module of the
government-wide electronic grants Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
DATES: Complete proposals for both the Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus
Facilities and TIGGER discretionary grant programs must be submitted by
August 23, 2011. All proposals must be submitted electronically through
the GRANTS.GOV APPLY function. Any agency intending to apply should
initiate the process of registering on the GRANTS.GOV site immediately
to ensure completion of registration before the submission deadline.
Instructions for applying can be found on FTA's Web site at http://fta.dot.gov/tigger and http://fta.dot.gov/cleanfuels and in the
``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the appropriate FTA Regional
Administrator (Appendix A) for proposal-specific information and
issues. For general program information on the TIGGER program, contact
Walter Kulyk, Office of Mobility Innovation, (202) 366-4995, e-mail:
[email protected]. For program information on the Clean Fuels/Bus
and Bus Facilities Program; contact Vanessa Williams, Office of Program
Management, (202) 366-4818, e-mail: [email protected]. A TDD is
available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
[[Page 37176]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. FTA Sustainability Program Overview
II. Sustainability Program Information
A. Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction
(TIGGER) Program
1. Program Purpose
2. Eligible Applicants
3. Eligible Projects
4. Cost Sharing or Matching
5. Application Content
6. Evaluation Criteria
7. Award Administration Information
B. Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities Program
1. Program Purpose
2. Eligible Applicants
3. Eligible Projects
4. Cost Sharing or Matching
5. Application Content
6. Evaluation Criteria
III. Technical Assistance
Appendix A FTA Regional Offices
Appendix B Glossary of Terms (TIGGER Program)
Appendix C Discretionary Program Timeline
Appendix D Program Matrix
I. FTA Sustainability Program Overview
A. Authority
These programs are authorized under Section 5308, 5309(b) (as
amended by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)) August 10, 2005, and
Section 2223 of the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing
Appropriations Act, 2011(enacted April 15, 2011).
B. Policy Priority
Among the goals of the Obama Administration is one to improve our
Nation's environment and to secure its energy future. Effective
provision of public transportation is a key part of this goal. The
Administration believes that we must commit ourselves to an economic
future in which the strength of our economy is not tied to the
unpredictability of oil markets. We must make the investments in clean
energy sources that will both enhance the environment through improved
air quality and curb our dependence on fossil fuels, making America
energy independent by:
Breaking Dependence on Oil. Promote the next generation of
vehicles and the fuels they use and provide alternate modes of
transportation that minimize the use of fossil fuels.
Producing More Energy at Home. Enhance U.S. energy
supplies through responsible development of domestic renewable energy,
fossil fuels, advanced biofuels and nuclear energy.
Promoting Energy Efficiency. Promote investments in the
transportation, electricity, industrial, building and agricultural
sectors that reduce energy bills.
FTA advances these energy and environmental goals by funding
projects that:
Enhance the quality of public transportation services.
Assist nonattainment and maintenance areas in achieving or
maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality standards for ozone and
carbon monoxide.
Support emerging Clean Fuel and advanced propulsion
technologies for transit buses and markets for those technologies.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions of public transportation
systems.
By this notice, FTA announces the availability of at least $101.4
million in FY 2011 discretionary resources to help promote the usage
and development of energy efficient technologies that reduce energy
use, greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Projects funded as
a result of this notice will further the Department's environmental
sustainability efforts. As each program has separate eligibility and
program requirements, FTA encourages applicants to carefully consider
which program to apply under. FTA will provide $49.9 million under the
TIGGER program. This program is intended for projects of innovative and
national significance with a minimum project cost of $1 million. To
complement TIGGER, FTA also will award approximately $51.5 million
under the Clean Fuels Grant program. FTA also intends to further our
environmental sustainability goals by allowing applicants in attainment
areas that are not eligible under the Clean Fuels Grant program to
apply for projects which promote the use of clean fuels and fund those
projects with Bus and Bus Facilities program funds as appropriate.
Please refer to Appendix C for information on additional availability
of FTA funds.
II. Sustainability Program Information
A. TIGGER Program
The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations
Act, 2011 (Pub. L. 112-10), appropriated $49.9 million for grants to
public transit agencies for capital investments that will reduce the
energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions of their public
transportation systems, referred to as the Transit Investments for
Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program. In the previous
two years a total of $175 million was provided for TIGGER in the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and The
Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act 2010 and thus awarded by FTA.
Based on lessons learned in the application, review, and
implementation processes from the previous two years of the TIGGER
program, FTA is altering some of the application procedures for the FY
2011-funded TIGGER program to continue to simplify the process and
provide greater efficiency, documentation, and transparency.
Additionally, given the availability of other FTA discretionary
programs in FY 2011, such as the Clean Fuels Grant program, FTA will
rate more favorably innovative technologies of national significance
and other forward-looking technologies, not normally funded out of
other FTA programs.
This notice announces the availability of the grant program
funding, application requirements, and deadlines for submitting
proposals for funding.
1. Program Purpose
There are two eligible purposes for TIGGER grants: (1) For capital
investments that will assist in reducing the energy consumption of a
transit system; or (2) for capital investments that will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions of a public transportation system. Project
proposals may be submitted under either or both categories. FTA has
established a range of funding that will be considered for approval.
Each submitted proposal must request a minimum of $1,000,000 and must
not exceed a maximum of $15,000,000. Proposals that include projects
less than $1,000,000 may be applied for if they are part of a
consolidated proposal submitted by the State Department of
Transportation (State DOT) or a consortium of smaller agencies working
in tangent that, in total, meets or exceeds the $1,000,000 threshold.
FTA may decide to provide only partial funding for certain proposals to
maximize the impact of this program. Detailed budget proposals and a
minimum value needed to achieve project results are expected in all
proposals. FTA encourages applicants with projects that are not
technologically innovative, or which do not meet these funding
thresholds to apply under the Clean Fuels program which has simpler
application criteria.
2. Eligible Applicants
Under TIGGER, only public transportation agencies, Federally
recognized Tribes or State DOTs may apply. A public transportation
agency
[[Page 37177]]
may apply for one or multiple projects in one proposal. Likewise,
public transportation agencies working in a consortium to meet the
minimum funding threshold may also submit a proposal detailing
individual projects. Additionally, a State DOT may submit a
consolidated proposal for multiple projects from one or more transit
agencies in order to meet the $1,000,000 threshold. Consolidated
proposals from either State DOTs or agency consortia must contain
individual project level information, as described in Section 5
Application Content, for each project included in the consolidated
proposal. Grant awards will be made for a particular project directly
to public transportation agencies, Tribes, or State Departments of
Transportation on behalf of a public transportation agency.
3. Eligible Projects
Eligible expenses must meet the following criteria: (1) The expense
must be an eligible capital expense as defined under 49 U.S.C.
5302(a)(1); and (2) the project will assist in the reduction of the
energy consumption of a public transportation system and/or the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of a public transportation
system.
4. Cost Sharing or Matching
The expected Federal share for TIGGER grants is 90 percent,
although applicants may request a different Federal share. A proposed
Federal share can be less than 90 percent, or up to 100 percent.
However, applicants requesting a lower Federal share may be given a
higher rating in the evaluation process, all else being equal.
5. Application Content
a. Proposal Submission Process
Project proposals must follow the submission guidelines that are
provided at http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger. A synopsis of this
announcement will is also posted in the ``FIND'' module of the
GRANTS.GOV. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.
Complete proposals for the TIGGER program must be submitted
electronically through the GRANTS.GOV Web site by August 23, 2011.
Applicants 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. In addition to the
Mandatory SF424 Form that will be downloaded from GRANTS.GOV, FTA
requires applicants to complete the Supplemental FTA Form to enter
descriptive and data elements of individual program proposals for these
discretionary programs. These supplemental forms provide guidance and a
consistent format for applicants to respond to the criteria outlined in
this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and described in detail on
the FTA Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger. Applicants must use
this Supplemental Form and attach it to their submission in GRANTS.GOV
to successfully complete the application process. Within 24-48 hours
after submitting an electronic application, the applicant should
receive an e-mail validation message from GRANTS.GOV. The validation
will state whether GRANTS.GOV found any issues with the submitted
application. As an additional notification, FTA's system will notify
the applicant if there are any problems with the submitted Supplemental
FTA Form. If making a resubmission for any reason, include all original
attachments regardless of which attachments were updated. Complete
instructions on the application process can be found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger. Important: FTA urges applicants to submit their
applications at least 72 hours prior to the due date to allow time to
receive the validation message and to correct any problems that may
have caused a rejection notification.
b. Proposal Content
Proposals from public transit agencies may contain multiple
projects. Agencies may submit multiple proposals, but each proposal
must be clearly defined. Additionally, a proposal may contain multiple
projects, but each project much be clearly defined as a separate
project within the Supplemental Form provided on http://fta.dot.gov/tigger.
Proposals from State DOTs may also contain multiple projects from
one or more transit agencies in order to meet the $1,000,000 threshold.
Consolidated proposals must contain individual project level
information, as described below, for each project included in the
consolidated proposal.
Project Summary--The applicant is requested to enter summary
information about the proposed project into a project Supplemental Form
to be attached with the SF 424 Mandatory Form provided on GRANTS.GOV.
Additional guidelines for application procedures, further instructions,
and application tools will be located on FTA's Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger. Information that should be considered essential
for project evaluation includes, but is not limited to:
(1) Applicant Information.
This addresses basic identifying information, including:
i. Applicant name;
ii. Contact information (including contact name, address, e-mail
address, phone and fax number;
iii. Description of services provided by the agency, including
areas served;
iv. Congressional district(s) served by the proposed project.
v. If the project proposal includes vehicles, provide existing
fleet information, such as a current rail or bus fleet management plan,
if not already on file with the FTA Regional Office, and
vi. A description of the technical, legal and financial capacity of
the project sponsor.
(2) Project Information.
Every proposal must:
i. Include a project management plan to be utilized to implement
the proposed project.
ii. Address whether the project is to be evaluated under energy
reduction or greenhouse gas reduction criteria, or both criteria;
iii. Include the project scope, including descriptions of the
proposed capital investment as well as the existing system, subsystem,
facility, vehicle, or component that the investment will replace or be
applied to. The project scope determines where measurement of energy
reductions or greenhouse gas emissions reductions will take place and
must be directly related to the actual capital investment. It should be
determined in a manner that permits measurement before and after the
investment to determine either the energy savings or greenhouse gas
reductions, or both;
iv. Include a line-item budget for the project and its total cost.
For scalable projects, a scaling plan describing the minimum amount
necessary for a feasible project and the energy or greenhouse gas
reduction impacts of a reduced funding level;
v. State the expected useful life of the investment based on
accepted FTA and industry practices;
vi. Provide a project time-line outlining steps from project
development through completion, including significant milestones such
as date of contract awards and dates of project implementation; and
vii. Include the proposed location of the project. For facilities
and other infrastructure this means the city or county where the
infrastructure will be located. For transit vehicles it means the
cities or counties where transit services are likely to be provided.
(3) Project Measurement Information
i. Proposals must provide a narrative describing how the greenhouse
gas and/
[[Page 37178]]
or energy saving estimates were calculated. Proposals also must
identify the process the agency will use to determine the actual energy
savings and/or greenhouse gas emission reductions realized once the
investment is implemented. FTA will post on its Web site (http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger) the information or other application tools that
may be used to develop these calculations.
ii. Project Measurement Criteria for Energy Reduction Projects: The
proposal must include:
(A) Project's Current Annual Energy Use.
(B) Project's Estimated Annual Energy Use.
(C) Project's Estimated Annual Energy Savings.
(D) Project's Total Estimated Energy Savings Over Its Useful Life.
(E) Project's Total Energy Savings as a Percentage of the Agency's
Total Annual Energy Use. This can be reported as less than one percent
or the proposal must include:
(A) Total Annual Energy Consumption of the Public Transportation
Agency.
(B) The Project's Total Energy Savings as a Percentage of the Total
Annual Energy Consumption of the Public Transportation Agency.
iii. Project Measurement Criteria for Greenhouse Gas Emission
Reduction Projects: Proposals must include:
(A) Project's Current Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
(B) Project's Estimated Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
(C) Project's Estimated Annual Greenhouse Gas Savings.
(D) Project's Total Estimated Greenhouse Gas Savings Over the
Project's Useful Life.
(4) Proposed Deviations From FTA Circular 5010.
FTA's capital program includes the introduction of new technology,
through innovative and improved products, into public transportation as
an eligible expense. FTA intends to apply 49 U.S.C. 53 requirements and
FTA Circular 5010.1.D Grant Management Requirements issued on November
1, 2008 to this program. This Circular may be found at: http://www.fta.dot.gov/laws/circulars/leg_reg_8640.html. The applicant
should identify any waivers to these requirements it anticipates it may
need that would affect its ability to introduce new technology.
However, FTA is disinclined to grant any Buy America waivers.
(5) A project proposal should address each of the evaluation
criteria separately, except for geographic diversity which need not be
addressed by the applicant.
c. Funding Restrictions
Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities
will be considered for funding (see Section II of this Notice).
6. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated for their ability to reduce energy
consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions of the transit agency. An
applicant will be evaluated under both criteria if it provides the
necessary project measurement information.
a. Evaluation Criteria for Energy Consumption Reduction Projects
FTA will evaluate proposals on total energy consumption savings
projected to result from the project, and projected energy savings of
the project as a percentage of the total energy usage of the public
transit agency. Refer to Appendix B for definitions.
b. Evaluation Criterion for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Projects
FTA will evaluate proposals based on the total amount of greenhouse
gas reductions projected to result from the project.
c. Evaluation Criteria for All Projects
In addition, FTA will evaluate all proposals on the following
criteria:
(1) Project Innovation.
The project identifies a unique, significant, or innovative
approach to reducing energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions.
FTA encourages qualified projects that will demonstrate innovative
technologies leading to operational efficiencies and other approaches
to reducing energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions. FTA will
give some priority consideration to these projects if all other project
evaluation criteria are comparable.
Examples of innovation include:
i. On-Board Vehicle Energy Management (energy storage, regenerative
braking, fuel cells, turbines, engine auto start/stop, etc.).
ii. Electrification of Accessories (air conditioning, air
compressor, power steering, etc.).
iii. Bus Design (lightweight materials, component packaging,
maintainability, etc.).
iv. Rail Transit Energy Management (energy storage, regenerative
braking, solar propulsion engine systems, power load-leveling, etc.)
v. Locomotive Design (energy storage, regenerative braking, fuel
cells, turbines, engine auto start/stop, lightweight material, etc).
vi. Innovative Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) involving
bus or rail operations such as transit signal priority, wireless engine
monitoring devices, and dynamic dispatching systems.
vii. Other innovative approaches to reduce energy consumption or
greenhouse gas emissions.
(2) National Applicability. The national applicability of the
project as an example of energy savings or greenhouse gas reductions,
including whether the project could be replicated by other transit
agencies regionally or nationally and is consistent with FTA livability
and environmental sustainability goals should be demonstrated.
(3) Project Readiness. FTA will evaluate the proposed timeframe of
the project for timeliness and reasonableness.
(4) Project Management. The applicant demonstrates the capacity to
carry out the project.
i. The applicant is in a fundable status for the FTA grant program.
ii. The applicant's project team demonstrates the technical
capacity to carry out the project, including the project approach or
project management plan.
iii. The applicant has the ability to collect information and
demonstrate the results of the project for at least one year following
project implementation.
(5) Return on Investment. This factor addresses the energy savings
and/or greenhouse gas reduction relative to the total project cost,
including the proposed Federal and local shares.
(6) Geographic Diversity. To provide the ability to evaluate
technologies in a wide variety of conditions, FTA may select projects
to ensure there is sufficient geographic diversity.
d. Review and Selection Process
Proposals first will be screened by a technical review committee.
During the process, FTA may seek clarifications or corrections to some
proposals to ensure adequate information is available to evaluate the
proposal. After evaluating proposals based on the established criteria,
FTA will publish the list of all selected projects and funding levels
in the Federal Register.
7. Award Administration Information
a. Award
Once proposals have been reviewed and projects have been selected,
successful applicants will apply for and FTA will award grant funding
through FTA's Transportation Electronic Award and Management (TEAM)
grant
[[Page 37179]]
management system. These grants will be administered and managed by FTA
regional offices in accordance with the applicable Federal requirements
of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53.
Depending on award amount, FTA may require a scope and project
budget reduction before a grant is submitted in TEAM.
b. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
(1) Grant Requirements
If selected, project sponsors will apply for a grant through TEAM
and adhere to the customary FTA grant requirements of 49 U.S.C. Chapter
53, including those identified in FTA Circular 5010.1D and the FTA
Master Agreement, unless otherwise specified in the grant agreement.
Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available from the
corresponding FTA regional office.
Applicants must sign and submit current Certifications and
Assurances before receiving a grant. If the applicant has already
submitted the annual Certifications and Assurances in TEAM, they do not
need to be resubmitted. The Applicant assures that it will comply with
all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, 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.
(2) Planning
Applicants are encouraged to notify the appropriate State DOT and
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in areas likely to be served
by the project funds made available under this program. Incorporation
of funded projects in the long-range plans and transportation
improvement programs of States and metropolitan areas is required of
all funded projects. FTA cannot obligate grant funds unless the project
is contained in a Federally approved State Transportation Improvement
Plan (STIP).
Similarly, all environmental requirements must be complete before
FTA can obligate and award a grant in TEAM.
c. Reporting Requirements
FTA reporting requirements include standard reporting requirements
identified in FTA Circular 5010.1D, and the Master Grant Agreement. In
addition, the TIGGER program has additional reporting requirements. A
recipient of TIGGER funds must report on an annual basis:
(1) Actual annual energy consumed within the project scope
attributable to the investment for energy consumption reduction
projects;
(2) Actual greenhouse gas emissions within the project scope
attributable to the investment for greenhouse gas reduction projects;
and
(3) Actual annual reductions or increases in operating costs
attributable to the investment for all projects.
B. Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities Program
The Clean Fuels Grant program was first established as the Clean
Fuels Formula Grant program in Section 3008 of the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century, Public Law 105-178, June 9, 1998 (now
codified at 49 U.S.C. Sec. 5308). The program was developed to assist
non-attainment or maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and carbon monoxide
(CO). Additionally, the program supported emerging clean fuel and
advanced propulsion technologies for transit buses and markets for
those technologies. FY 2011 unallocated funding provides $51.5 million
dollars in discretionary Clean Fuels Grant program resources.
Additionally, FTA is expanding the eligible applicant pool and may fund
projects that meet the Clean Fuels Grant program objectives in
attainment areas using a portion of discretionary Bus and Bus
Facilities program resources that are available.
1. Program Purpose
The Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities program has a two-fold
purpose. First, the Clean Fuels Grant program was developed to assist
nonattainment and maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and CO. The second
program purpose is to support emerging clean fuel and advanced
propulsion technologies for transit buses and markets for those
technologies.
2. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants under the FY 2011 Clean Fuels Grant program
are:
a. Designated recipients in maintenance or non-attainment areas for
ozone or CO, which are entities designated to receive Federal urbanized
formula funds under 49 U.S.C. 5307.
b. FTA will also accept applications from direct recipients,
tribes, and State Departments of Transportation in attainment areas.
3. Eligible Projects
Section 5308 grants authority to the Secretary to make grants under
this section to assist recipients to finance eligible projects such as
the following: (1) Purchasing or leasing clean fuel buses, including
buses that employ a lightweight composite primary structure and vans
for use in revenue service. The purchase or lease of non-revenue
vehicles is not an eligible project; (2) Constructing or leasing clean
fuel bus facilities or electrical recharging facilities and related
equipment; (3) Projects relating to clean fuel, biodiesel, hybrid
electric, or zero emissions technology buses that exhibit equivalent or
superior emissions reductions to existing clean fuel or hybrid electric
technologies.
Funds made available under this program cannot be used to fund
operating expenses or preventive maintenance. The purchase or lease of
non-revenue vehicles is not an eligible project. Funds made available
under this program cannot be used to reimburse projects that have
incurred prior eligible expenses without a Letter of No Prejudice
(LONP) issued by FTA for the project before the costs are incurred.
4. Cost Sharing or Matching
For projects awarded funding, costs will be shared as follows:
(1) Vehicles--90 percent FTA/10 percent local contribution for the
net incremental cost of the clean fuels component (not the whole
vehicle). For administrative simplicity, FTA allows recipients to apply
an 83 percent Federal share for the whole vehicle. The 83 percent share
is a blended figure representing 80 percent of the vehicle and 90
percent of the vehicle-related equipment to be acquired in compliance
with the Clean Air Act (CAA).
(2) Facilities--The 83 percent Federal share does not apply to
facilities, for which the costs are more variable. The Federal share is
90 percent of the cost of the CAA elements of the facility.
(3) The FY 2011 Appropriations Act allows a 90 percent Federal
share for the total cost of a biodiesel bus.
(4) The FY 2011 Appropriations Act allows a 90 percent Federal
share for the net capital cost of factory installed hybrid electric
propulsion systems and any equipment related to such a system. For
administrative simplicity, FTA
[[Page 37180]]
allows recipients to compute the Federal share at 83 percent for
eligible vehicle purchases.
(5) FTA will not approve deferred local share.
5. Application Content
a. Proposal Submission Process
(1) Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
http://www.grants.gov and a synopsis of this announcement will be
available in the ``FIND'' module. The Mandatory SF424 Form must be
completed. Use the Supplemental FTA form (Applicant and Proposal
Profile) to address proposal content and evaluation criteria specified
in this notice. Please refer to the ``Dates'' section in this notice
for more information on application instructions.
Complete proposals for the Clean Fuels program must be submitted
electronically through the GRANTS.GOV Web site by August 23, 2011.
Applicants 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. In addition to the
Mandatory SF424 Form that will be downloaded from GRANTS.GOV, FTA
requires applicants to complete the Supplemental FTA Form to enter
descriptive and data elements of individual program proposals for these
discretionary programs. These supplemental forms provide guidance and a
consistent format for applicants to respond to the criteria outlined in
this NOFA and described in detail on the FTA Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/cleanfuels. Applicants must use this Supplemental Form
and attach it to their submission in GRANTS.GOV to successfully
complete the application process. Within 24-48 hours after submitting
an electronic application, the applicant should receive an e-mail
validation message from GRANTS.GOV. The validation will state whether
GRANTS.GOV found any issues with the submitted application. As an
additional notification, FTA's system will notify the applicant if
there are any problems with the submitted Supplemental FTA Form. If
making a resubmission for any reason, include all original attachments
regardless of which attachments were updated. Complete instructions on
the application process can be found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/cleanfuels. Important: FTA urges applicants to submit their
applications at least 72 hours prior to the due date to allow time to
receive the validation message and to correct any problems that may
have caused a rejection notification.
(2) Applicants can only apply for funds currently available for
allocation. However, an applicant may propose a project that would
expend money over multiple years. The project, however, should be ready
to implement and should be completed in a reasonable period of time. In
sum, the period of performance of the award is separate from the year
that funds are awarded. Funds allocated under this program will remain
for obligation available during the FY year selections are announced
awarded plus two additional years.
b. Proposal Content
(1) Applicant Information
This addresses basic identifying information, including:
i. Proposer's name,
ii. Applicant eligibility, whether the applicant's area is
attainment, non- attainment, or maintenance for ozone or CO,
iii. Description of services provided by the agency, including
areas served.
(2) Eligibility Information
Every proposal must:
i. Describe the project to be funded and include with the proposal
any necessary supporting documentation. Example: Information on the age
of the current fleet, MPO concurrence letters, ridership information.
6. Evaluation Criteria for Clean Fuels Grant Program
a. Project Evaluation Criteria
Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
(1) Planning and prioritization at local/regional level
i. Project is consistent with the transit priorities identified in
the long range plan and/or contingency/illustrative projects. The
project could not be included in the financially constrained
Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP)/STIP due to lack of funding (if
selected, project must be in federally approved STIP before grant
award).
ii. Local support is demonstrated by availability of local match
for this and/or related projects and letters of support.
iii. In an area with more than one transit operator, the
application demonstrates coordination with and support of other transit
operators, or other related projects within the applicant's MPO or the
geographic region within which the proposed project will operate.
(2) The project is ready to implement.
i. Any required environmental work has been initiated for
construction projects requiring an Environmental Assessment (EA).
ii. Implementation plans are ready, including initial design of
facilities projects.
iii. TIP/STIP can be amended (evidenced by MPO/State endorsement).
iv. Project can be obligated and begin implementation quickly, if
selected.
(3) The applicants demonstrate the technical, legal, and financial
capacity to carry out the project. This criterion refers to
implementation of the particular project proposed.
i. The applicant has the technical capacity to administer the
project
ii. The acquisition is consistent with the bus fleet management
plan
iii. There are no outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues
with the grantee that would make this a high-risk project.
iv. Source of local match is identified and is available for prompt
project implementation if selected (no deferred local share will be
allowed).
(4) Demonstrated Need
i. Project represents a one-time or periodic need that cannot
reasonably be funded from formula allocations or State and/or local
revenues.
ii. Other Federal funds have not been made available for this
project.
iii. The project will have a positive impact on air quality.
iv. The project is consistent with the applicant's bus fleet
management plan.
v. The project is a transportation control measure in an approved
State Implementation Plan (if applicable).
(5) The applicant demonstrates the benefits of the proposed project
in reducing transportation related pollutants.
(6) The proposed project supports emerging clean fuels technologies
or advanced technologies for transit buses.
(7) Geographic Diversity. To provide the ability to evaluate
technologies in a wide variety of conditions, FTA may select projects
to ensure there is sufficient geographic diversity.
(8) Budget Information
i. Provide a line-item budget for the project and its total cost.
ii. Provide the Federal amount requested for each purpose for which
funds are sought.
iii. Document matching funds, including amount and source of the
match.
iv. Provide project time-line, including significant milestones
such as date or contract for purchase of vehicle(s), actual or expected
delivery date of vehicles and contract award and completion of facility
improvements.
v. Congressional district(s): Place of performance of the proposed
project.
[[Page 37181]]
c. Funding Restrictions
Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities
will be considered for funding. Due to funding limitations, applicants
that are selected for funding may receive less than the amount
requested.
III. Technical Assistance
FTA will post answers to commonly asked questions about the TIGGER
program as well as provide information to assist in calculations at
http://www.fta.dot.gov/tigger. Commonly asked questions about the FY
2011 Clean Fuels Grant program can be found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/grants/grants_financing_3560.html. Technical assistance
regarding these requirements is available from each FTA regional office
listed in Appendix A. The regional offices will contact those
applicants selected for funding regarding grants and reporting
requirements and will provide assistance in preparing the documentation
necessary for the grant award.
Contact the appropriate FTA Regional or Metropolitan Office for
application-specific information and issues. For general TIGGER program
information, contact Walter Kulyk, Office of Mobility Innovation, (202)
366-4995, e-mail: [email protected].
For program information on the Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities
Program; contact Vanessa Williams, Office of Program Management, (202)
366-4818, e-mail: [email protected] A TDD is available at 1-
800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
Issued in Washington, DC, this 21st day of June, 2011.
Peter Rogoff,
Administrator
Appendix A
FTA Regional and Metropolitan Offices
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Beth Mello, Regional Robert C. Patrick, Regional
Administrator, Region 1--Boston, Administrator, Region 6--Ft.
Kendall Square, 55 Broadway, Suite Worth, 819 Taylor Street, Room
920, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093, 8A36, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, Tel.
Tel. 617-494-2055. 817-978-0550.
States served: Connecticut, Maine, States served: Arkansas, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.
Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Brigid Hynes-Cherin, Regional Mokhtee Ahmad, Regional
Administrator, Region 2--New York, Administrator, Region 7--Kansas
One Bowling Green, Room 429, New City, MO, 901 Locust Street, Room
York, NY 10004-1415, Tel. 212-668- 404, Kansas City, MO 64106, Tel.
2170. 816-329-3920.
States served: New Jersey, New States served: Iowa, Kansas,
York. Missouri, and Nebraska.
New York Metropolitan Office,
Region 2--New York, One Bowling
Green, Room 428, New York, NY
10004-1415, Tel. 212-668-2202.
Letitia Thompson, Regional Terry Rosapep, Regional
Administrator, Region 3-- Administrator, Region 8--Denver,
Philadelphia, 1760 Market Street, 12300 West Dakota Ave., Suite 310,
Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19103- Lakewood, CO 80228-2583, Tel. 720-
4124, Tel. 215-656-7100. 963-3300.
States served: Delaware, Maryland, States served: Colorado, Montana,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah,
Virginia, and District of and, Wyoming.
Columbia.
Philadelphia Metropolitan Office,
Region 3--Philadelphia, 1760
Market Street, Suite 500,
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4124, Tel.
215-656-7070.
Washington, D.C. Metropolitan
Office, 1990 K Street, NW, Room
510, Washington, DC 20006, Tel.
202-219-3562.
Yvette Taylor, Regional Leslie T. Rogers, Regional
Administrator, Region 4--Atlanta, Administrator, Region 9--San
230 Peachtree Street, NW Suite Francisco, 201 Mission Street,
800, Atlanta, GA 30303, Tel. 404- Room 1650, San Francisco, CA 94105-
865-5600. 1926, Tel. 415-744-3133.
States served: Alabama, Florida, States served: American Samoa,
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii,
North, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Nevada, and the Northern Mariana,
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Islands.
Virgin Islands.
Los Angeles Metropolitan Office,
Region 9--Los Angeles, 888 S.
Figueroa Street, Suite 1850, Los
Angeles, CA 90017-1850, Tel. 213-
202-3952.
Marisol Simon, Regional Rick Krochalis, Regional
Administrator, Region 5--Chicago, Administrator, Region 10--Seattle,
200 West Adams Street, Suite 320, Jackson Federal Building, 915
Chicago, IL 60606, Tel. 312-353- Second Avenue, Suite 3142,
2789. Seattle, WA 98174-1002, Tel. 206-
220-7954.
States served: Illinois, Indiana, States served: Alaska, Idaho,
Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, and Washington.
Wisconsin.
Chicago Metropolitan Office, Region
5--Chicago, 200 West Adams Street,
Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60606, Tel.
312-353-2789.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix B
Tigger Program Glossary of Terms
Energy Use of the Public Transportation System is the sum of the
lower (net) heating value of fuels purchased directly by the public
transportation system plus electricity purchased directly by the
public transportation system. It includes energy used to perform
both revenue and non revenue operations directly operated by the
agency, but not energy used by purchased services. It includes fuels
used by an agency to generate energy, but not energy generated by an
agency. As an example, an applicant would count the lower heating
value of the diesel fuel used to operate a diesel generator by an
agency but not the electricity produced by the generator. Energy
produced on-site using solar or wind power is also not counted as
part of consumption.
Expected Useful Life is the expected lifetime of project
property, or the acceptable period of use in service, based on
standard industry practices such as those defined in FTA Circular
9300.1B. If a useful life is claimed that differs from standard
industry practices, or for which no standard practice exists, the
assumed useful life of a project should be justified using
appropriate citations or well-documented assumptions and reasoning.
Greenhouse Gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere
expressed in Carbon Dioxide (C02)-equivalent mass. The
principal greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere because of
human activities are: Carbon Dioxide (CO2); Methane
(CH4); Nitrous Oxide (N2O); and Fluorinated
Gases (Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur
hexafluoride).
Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the Public Transportation Agency are
greenhouse gas emissions from public transportation systems vehicles
or facilities, otherwise known as direct emissions. It does not
include indirect emissions (e.g., from third-party power plants) or
displaced emissions (e.g.,
[[Page 37182]]
emissions from manufacturing transit equipment, waste disposal,
emissions released by upstream processes prior to purchase of the
fuel or electricity by the transit agency, etc.).
Project is the proposed capital investment as well as the
existing system, subsystem, facility, vehicle, or component that the
investment will replace or be applied to. The project scope
determines where measurement of energy reductions or emissions
reductions will take place and must be directly related to the
actual capital investment.
Total Project Energy Savings is the estimated annual project
energy savings multiplied by the expected useful life of the
investment.
Total Project Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions is the
estimated annual project greenhouse gas emission reductions
multiplied by the expected useful life of the investment.
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24JN11.017
[[Page 37183]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24JN11.018
[[Page 37184]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24JN11.019
[FR Doc. 2011-15913 Filed 6-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-C