[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54636-54643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14429]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


FY 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility 
Innovation

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the 
opportunity to apply for a total of $1,936,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 
Public Transportation Innovation funds in competitive cooperative 
agreement awards for projects that enhance mobility innovations for 
transit. Funds will be awarded for projects that advance emerging 
technologies, strategies, and innovations in traveler-centered mobility 
in two distinct areas. Of the total available funds, $968,000 is 
available for projects to accelerate innovations that improve mobility 
and enhance the rider experience with a focus on innovative service 
delivery models, creative financing, novel partnerships, and integrated 
payment solutions. Another $968,000 is available for projects to 
develop software solutions that facilitate the provision of integrated 
demand-response public transportation service that dispatches public 
transportation fleet vehicles through riders' mobile devices or other 
means. Projects will be selected based on the criteria outlined in this 
notice. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the 
program prior to the announcement of project selections.

DATES: Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the 
GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on August 30, 
2024.
    Prospective applicants should initiate the process by registering 
on the GRANTS.GOV website promptly to ensure completion of the 
application process before the submission deadline. Instructions for 
applying can be found on FTA's website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding 
opportunity ID is FTA-2024-010-TRI-EMI. Mail, fax, and email 
submissions will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Natalie Covill-Fontaine, FTA Office of 
Research, Demonstration and Innovation, phone: 202-366-7564, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Information

   Summary Overview of Key Information: Enhancing Mobility Innovation
                     Competitive Funding Opportunity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issuing Agency...............  Federal Transit Administration, U.S.
                                Department of Transportation.
Program Overview.............  The Enhancing Mobility Innovation
                                Competitive Funding Opportunity seeks
                                projects that advance emerging
                                technologies, strategies, and
                                innovations in traveler-centered
                                mobility in two areas:
                               Concepts development and/or demonstration
                                projects that improve mobility and
                                enhance the rider experience, with a
                                focus on innovative service delivery
                                models, creative financing, novel
                                partnerships, and integrated payment
                                solutions; and
                               Software development projects that
                                facilitate the provision of demand-
                                response public transportation services
                                that dispatch public transportation
                                fleet vehicles through riders' mobile
                                devices or other advanced means.
Eligible Applicants..........      Providers of public
                                   transportation, including public
                                   transportation agencies, state or
                                   local government DOTs, and federally
                                   recognized Indian tribes.

[[Page 54637]]

 
                                   Private for-profit and not-
                                   for-profit organizations incorporated
                                   in a jurisdiction of the United
                                   States, including shared-use mobility
                                   providers, private operators of
                                   transportation services, technology
                                   system suppliers and integrators, bus
                                   or vehicle manufacturers or
                                   suppliers, software and technology
                                   developers, financial institutions,
                                   consultants, research consortia, and
                                   industry organizations.
                                   State, city, or local
                                   government entities, including multi-
                                   jurisdictional partnerships and
                                   organizations such as Metropolitan
                                   Planning Organizations; or
                                   Institutions of higher
                                   education, including large research
                                   universities, particularly those with
                                   Minority Serving Institution status.
Eligible Projects............  Concepts Development and/or Demonstration
                                Projects:
                                   Activities may include all
                                   activities that advance promising
                                   technologies, practices, and
                                   strategies and accelerate innovations
                                   in mobility for transit, including,
                                   but not limited to, planning,
                                   acquiring essential equipment or
                                   services, project implementation, and
                                   evaluating project results.
                                   For projects that develop
                                   novel operational concepts without a
                                   demonstration component, activities
                                   may include data collection,
                                   technology scanning and feasibility
                                   analysis, engagement and outreach,
                                   benefits and costs analysis, and
                                   modeling forecasts of proposed
                                   concepts' climate and equity impacts.
                               Software Development Projects:
                                   Activities may include
                                   establishing user needs, defining
                                   system requirements, development,
                                   validation, and verification of the
                                   software, modeling, and simulation,
                                   and/or pilot implementation with a
                                   software solution that can be
                                   demonstrated to FTA.
Funding Amount...............  Concepts Development and/or Demonstration
                                Projects: $968,000.
                               Software Development Projects: $968,000.
                               Additional funds made available prior to
                                project selection may be allocated to
                                eligible projects.
Cost Share...................  The maximum Federal share of project
                                costs under this program is 80 percent.
Deadline.....................  August 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern
                                Time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

A. Program Description

    Under FTA's Public Transportation Innovation Program (49 U.S.C. 
5312(b)), FTA may make grants or enter into contracts or cooperative 
agreements for research, development, demonstration, and deployment 
projects of national significance to public transportation. FTA 
developed this NOFO (Federal Assistance Listing: 20.530) under this 
authority. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328) 
directs FTA to competitively fund $1,000,000 in cooperative agreements 
to accelerate innovations that improve mobility and enhance the rider 
experience and $1,000,000 in cooperative agreements for the development 
of software solutions to facilitate demand-response public 
transportation. After the required takedown of $32,000 per program, for 
$64,000 total for the two program areas, to support the U.S. Department 
of Transportation's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, 
a total of $1,936,000 is available under this notice.
    Specifically, FTA is seeking projects that advance emerging 
technologies, strategies, and innovations in traveler-centered mobility 
in two distinct areas: (a) to develop novel operational concepts and/or 
demonstrate innovations that improve mobility and enhance the rider 
experience, with a focus on innovative service delivery models, 
creative financing, novel partnerships, and integrated payment 
solutions; and (b) to develop software solutions that facilitate the 
provision of demand-response public transportation service that 
dispatches public transportation fleet vehicles through riders' mobile 
devices or other advanced means.
    These research efforts build upon over $46 million in prior FTA 
investments in mobility innovation through FTA's Mobility on Demand 
(MOD) Sandbox, the Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) Program, the 
Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) Challenge Grant Initiative, and 
the previous Enhancing Mobility Innovation (EMI) funding opportunity. 
The EMI program seeks to continue the momentum of the over 68 previous 
projects to provide safe, reliable, equitable, accessible, and carefree 
mobility for all travelers. This NOFO also advances the goals of 
Executive Order 13990, ``Protecting Public Health and the Environment 
and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis'' (86 FR 7037).

B. Federal Award Information

    To ensure the most impactful projects for each project area, FTA is 
seeking projects with a minimum award amount of $400,000. FTA 
anticipates awarding two to four projects under this funding 
opportunity. Due to funding limitations, applicants that are selected 
for funding may receive less than the requested amount. Only proposals 
from eligible recipients for eligible activities will be considered for 
funding.
    Pre-award authority is subject to FTA approval and is only 
available for costs incurred after the announcement of project 
selections on FTA's website. See the description of pre-award authority 
further down in this notice.
    Projects under this competition are for research and development 
efforts and, as such, FTA Research Circular 6100.1E (available at 
https://www.fta.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/research-technical-assistance-and-training-program) guidance will apply 
in administering the program.
    An applicant whose proposal is selected for funding will receive a 
cooperative agreement award with FTA to be administered according to 
Circular 6100.1E and as set forth in 31 U.S.C. 6305. FTA will have 
substantial involvement in the administration of the cooperative 
agreement. FTA's role includes the right to participate in decisions to 
redirect and reprioritize project activities, goals, and deliverables.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants under this notice are:
     Providers of public transportation, including public 
transportation agencies, state or local government DOTs, and federally 
recognized Indian tribes.
     Private for-profit and not-for-profit organizations 
incorporated in a jurisdiction of the United States, including shared-
use mobility providers, private operators of transportation services, 
technology system suppliers and integrators, bus or vehicle 
manufacturers or suppliers, software and technology developers,

[[Page 54638]]

financial institutions, consultants, research consortia, and industry 
organizations.
     State, city, or local government entities, including 
multi-jurisdictional partnerships, and organizations such as 
metropolitan planning organizations; or
    Institutions of higher education, including large research 
universities, particularly those with Minority Serving Institution 
status.
     Eligibility is limited to United States entities.
    On the application form, eligible applicants are encouraged to 
identify one or more project partners with a substantial interest and 
involvement in the project to participate in the implementation of the 
project. Eligible applicants that are not providers of public 
transportation are encouraged to identify in the application at least 
one provider of public transportation as a project partner.
    If an application that involves such a partnership is selected for 
funding, the competitive selection process will be deemed to satisfy 
the requirement for a competitive procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) 
for the named entities. Applicants are advised that any changes to the 
proposed partnership will require FTA written approval, must be 
consistent with the scope of the approved project, and may necessitate 
a competitive procurement. FTA encourages applicants to thoroughly vet 
potential partners before applying, as changes in key project partners 
could result in project termination.
    The applicant must be able to carry out the proposed agreement and 
procurements, if needed, with project partners in compliance with all 
applicable Federal, state, and local laws.
    To be considered eligible, applicants must be able to demonstrate 
the requisite legal, financial, and technical capabilities to receive 
and administer Federal funds under this program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    The maximum Federal share of project costs under this program is 80 
percent. Applicants may seek a lower Federal contribution. The 
applicant must provide the non-Federal share of the net project cost in 
cash or in-kind and must document in its application the source of the 
non-Federal match. Eligible sources of non-Federal match are detailed 
in FTA Circular 6100.1E.

3. Eligible Projects

    This notice solicits applications in two topical areas: (a) 
projects that develop novel operational concepts and/or demonstrate 
innovations that improve mobility and enhance the rider experience, 
with a focus on innovative service delivery models, creative financing, 
novel partnerships, integrated payment solutions, or other innovative 
solutions; and (b) projects that develop software to facilitate the 
provision of demand-response public transportation service that 
dispatches public transportation fleet vehicles through riders' mobile 
devices or other advanced means. Applicants must clearly indicate on 
the supplemental form the topical area for which the application is 
seeking funding.
    FTA seeks applications for projects that enhance the current state 
of mobility innovation research or build on existing successful 
projects and partnership efforts, including previously awarded 
Enhancing Mobility Innovation projects.
    For illustrative purposes, some examples of project research areas 
include novel data approaches for improved service delivery; data-
driven tools and strategies to predict and influence traveler behavior; 
projects that encourage climate-smart choices and/or provide 
personalized mobility options to travelers; payment systems and 
solutions that enhance integrated mobility management and 
interoperability across a variety of modes; mobility payment 
integration with dynamic pricing strategies; and novel approaches for 
providing more effective transportation and mobility options in 
underserved communities.
a. Concepts Development and/or Demonstration Projects
    For this topical area, eligible activities may include all 
activities that advance promising technologies, practices, and 
strategies and accelerate innovations in mobility for transit, 
including, but not limited to, planning, acquiring essential equipment 
or services, project implementation, and evaluating project results.
    For projects that develop novel operational concepts without a 
demonstration component, eligible project activities may include data 
collection, technology scanning and feasibility analysis, engagement 
and outreach, benefits and costs analysis, and modeling forecasts of 
proposed concepts' climate and equity impacts.
b. Software Development Projects
    For this topical area, eligible activities may include establishing 
user needs, defining system requirements, development, validation, and 
verification of the software, modeling, and simulation, and/or pilot 
implementation with a software solution that can be demonstrated to 
FTA. Software products developed will be subject to the provisions of 
FTA's most recent Master Agreement available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/sample-fta-agreements/fta-grant-agreements and may be disseminated to public transit agencies 
for their use. Software developed under this program should be 
interoperable, adaptable, secure, and able to be seamlessly integrated 
into other transportation and transit management systems. The project 
team should also consider how the development effort supports the 
development or use of open standards, specifications, or protocols. FTA 
will evaluate the potential for software developed under this NOFO to 
be shared for use by public transportation agencies.
    FTA intends to advance innovations that are of national 
significance and can benefit transit agencies, cities, and communities 
across the United States. As such, project teams should consider how to 
structure development efforts to ensure the resulting research outputs 
are broadly relevant and can lead to adoption or use by other transit 
agencies or transportation providers.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application

    Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV. 
General information for submitting applications through GRANTS.GOV can 
be found at https://www.transit.dot.gov/howtoapply. Applications must 
be made using the Standard Form 424 (SF-424), which can be downloaded 
from GRANTS.GOV. The supplemental form for the FY 2024 Enhancing 
Mobility Innovation NOFO and the project overview template can be 
downloaded from GRANTS.GOV or the FTA website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/EMI. Failure to submit the 
information as requested can delay review or disqualify the 
application.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Proposal Submission
    General information for submitting applications, along with 
specific instructions for the forms and attachments required for 
submission, can be found at GRANTS.GOV. A complete proposal submission 
must consist of (1) the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, (2) 
the supplemental form, and (3) the project overview in Microsoft Word, 
PDF, or a compatible file format that addresses the required elements 
contained in this notice. The

[[Page 54639]]

project overview should be in the format outlined in the ``Application 
Content'' section. The supplemental form, project overview, and any 
supporting documents must be attached to the ``Attachments'' section of 
the SF-424. The application must include responses to all sections of 
the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, the supplemental form, 
and the project overview unless indicated as optional.
    The information on the supplemental form and project overview will 
be used to determine applicant and project eligibility for the program 
and to evaluate the proposal against the selection criteria described 
in Section E of this notice. If an applicant chooses to apply for both 
topical areas ((a) concepts development and/or demonstration, and (b) 
software development), the applicant must submit separate proposals for 
individual consideration by FTA, with a separate SF-424 supplemental 
form, and project overview for each project area.
    FTA will accept only one supplemental form and one project overview 
per SF-424 submission. Applicants may attach additional supporting 
information to the SF-424 submission, including but not limited to 
letters of support, project budgets, visual aids, excerpts from 
relevant planning documents, or project narratives. Any supporting 
documentation must be described and referenced by file name in the 
appropriate response section of the supplemental form, or it may not be 
reviewed.
    Information such as applicant name, Federal amount requested, local 
match amount, and description of areas served may be requested in 
varying degrees of detail on both the SF-424 and supplemental form. 
Applicants must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on the 
forms. If information is copied into the supplemental form from another 
source, applicants should verify that pasted text is fully captured on 
the supplemental form and has not been truncated by the character 
limits built into the form. Applicants should use both the ``Check 
Package for Errors'' and the ``Validate Form'' validation buttons on 
both forms to check all required fields on the forms and ensure that 
the Federal and local amounts specified are consistent.
b. Application Content
    The SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance and the supplemental 
form will prompt applicants for required information, including:
    1. Applicant name.
    2. Unique entity identifier (UEI) (generated by SAM.GOV)
    3. Key contact information (including name, address, email address, 
and phone).
    4. Congressional district(s) where the project will take place.
    5. Project information (including title, executive summary, and 
type).
    6. Information on areas served by the project, including the 
current state of public transportation and mobility in the area served.
    7. A detailed description of the project and how it will either (a) 
advance innovative mobility technologies that focus on innovative 
service delivery models, creative financing, novel partnerships, 
integrated payment solutions, or other innovative solutions or (b) 
develop interoperable software solutions to facilitate the provision of 
demand-response public transportation service.
    8. A description of each innovative technology, practice, or 
strategy proposed as part of the project scope.
    9. A description of project benefits, including the national 
significance of the project to advance innovative, carefree mobility 
solutions and how the project may advance climate-smart solutions and 
equity.
    10. Information on any project partners, their roles, and 
anticipated contributions.
    11. A description of the project implementation strategy, including 
a description of the approach to data, data access, and project 
evaluation, and how the project will support the Department of 
Transportation's public data access requirements.
    12. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity 
of the applicant and all named partners.
    13. A detailed project budget specifying Federal and local share. 
Project budgets should show how different funding sources will share in 
each activity and present the data in dollars and percentages. The 
budget should identify other Federal funds the applicant is applying 
for, has been awarded, or intends to use. Funding sources should be 
grouped into three categories: non-Federal, current application 
Enhancing Mobility Innovation, and other Federal with specific amounts 
for each funding source.
    14. Information on source of matching funds for the project's local 
cost share.
    15. A description of the scalability of the project, including 
minimum Federal Funds necessary to complete the project in case of 
limited funding.
    16. A detailed project timeline, including all proposed project 
milestones.
    The project overview should be submitted as a one-page document in 
Microsoft Word, PDF, or other compatible file format and should follow 
the template that can be downloaded at GRANTS.GOV and https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/EMI. The project overview should 
include a header with the project title and lead applicant and a brief 
description (two to three sentences or bullet points) of the following 
four project areas: (1) innovation, including how the proposed 
innovative technology, strategy, or practice compares to state of the 
art; (2) benefits and potential impact; (3) team and partners, 
including the roles of key personnel and project partners; and (4) 
approach, including expected project accomplishments and proposed 
measures of success.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

    Each applicant is required to (1) be registered in SAM.GOV before 
submitting an application; (2) provide a valid unique entity identifier 
in its application; and (3) continue to always maintain an active 
SAM.GOV registration with current information while the applicant has 
an active Federal award, application, or plan under consideration by 
FTA. FTA may not award until the applicant has complied with all 
applicable unique entity identifier and SAM.GOV requirements. If an 
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time FTA 
is ready to make an award, FTA may determine that the applicant is not 
qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for 
making a Federal award to another applicant. These requirements do not 
apply if the applicant has an exception approved by FTA or the U.S. 
Office of Management and Budget under 2 CFR 25.110(c) or (d).
    SAM.GOV registration takes approximately 3-5 business days, but FTA 
recommends allowing ample time, up to several weeks, for completion of 
all steps. For additional information on obtaining a unique entity 
identifier, please visit https://www.sam.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times

    Project proposals must be submitted electronically through 
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 30, 2024. GRANTS.GOV 
attaches a time stamp to each application at the time of submission. 
Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered

[[Page 54640]]

under extraordinary circumstances and not under the applicant's 
control. Mail, fax, and email submissions will not be accepted.
    FTA urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior 
to the due date to allow time to receive the validation messages and to 
correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the 
GRANTS.GOV website. Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled 
website maintenance.
    Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the 
applicant should receive an email message from GRANTS.GOV with 
confirmation of successful transmission. If a notice of failed 
validation or incomplete materials is received, the applicant must 
address the reason for the failed validation, as described in the email 
notice, and resubmit before the submission deadline. If making a 
resubmission for any reason, the applicant must include all original 
attachments regardless of which attachments were updated and check the 
box on the supplemental form indicating this is a resubmission.
    Applicants are encouraged to begin the registration process on the 
GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of the submission deadline. 
Registration is a multi-step process, which may take several weeks to 
complete before an application can be submitted. Registered applicants 
may still be required to take steps to keep their registration up to 
date before submissions can be made successfully: (1) registration in 
SAM must be renewed annually, and (2) persons making submissions on 
behalf of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be 
authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make submission. If the 
applicant encounters system problems or technical difficulties using 
the GRANTS.GOV website, the applicant should address those technical 
issues to GRANTS.GOV.

5. Funding Restrictions

    Refer to Section C.3., Eligible Projects, for information on 
allowable activities. Allowable direct and indirect expenses must be 
consistent with the Governmentwide Uniform Administrative Requirements 
and Cost Principles (2 CFR part 200) and FTA Circular 5010.1E (https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/circular-5010).
    Funds available under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse 
applicants for otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA 
issuing pre-award authority for selected projects.

6. Scaled Funding Options

    Applicants are encouraged to identify scaled funding options in 
case insufficient funding is available to fund a project at the full 
requested amount. If an applicant indicates that a project is scalable, 
the applicant must provide an appropriate minimum funding amount that 
will fund an eligible project that achieves the objectives of the 
program and meets all relevant program requirements. The applicant must 
provide a clear explanation of how the project budget would be affected 
by a reduced award. FTA may award a lesser amount regardless of whether 
a scaled option is provided.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

    Projects will be evaluated primarily on the responses provided in 
the supplemental form and project overview. Additional information may 
be provided to support the responses; however, any additional 
documentation must be directly referenced on the supplemental form, 
including the file name where the additional information can be found. 
FTA will evaluate proposals based on the criteria described in this 
notice.
    If an applicant is proposing to deploy autonomous vehicles or other 
innovative motor vehicle technology, the application should demonstrate 
that all vehicles will comply with applicable safety requirements, 
including those administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (FMCSA). Specifically, the application should show that 
vehicles acquired for the proposed project will comply with applicable 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). If the vehicles do not comply, the 
application should either (1) show that the vehicles and their proposed 
operations are within the scope of an exemption or waiver that has 
already been granted by NHTSA, FMCSA, or both agencies or (2) directly 
address whether the project will require exemptions or waivers from the 
FMVSS, FMCSR, or any other regulation and, if the project will require 
exemptions or waivers, present a plan for obtaining them.
a. Demonstration of Innovation
    FTA is seeking projects focused on the next iteration of the most 
promising technologies, practices, and strategies to accelerate 
innovations in mobility for public transportation. Projects will be 
evaluated on the extent to which they develop and deploy novel, 
innovative, or transformative mobility technologies and solutions and 
advance the state of the practice. A proposal should clearly identify a 
specific innovative premise and should provide a description of how it 
compares to the current state of the art. FTA will assess the extent to 
which the applicant uses innovative strategies, including (i) 
innovative technologies, (ii) innovative financing, or (iii) innovative 
operations to advance mobility innovation that produces climate-smart 
and equitable outcomes.
b. Demonstration of Benefits
    The application should demonstrate how the proposed project will 
accelerate the transit industry's ability to implement new 
technologies, operational innovations, approaches, or service models 
that support safe, equitable, and climate-smart mobility options for 
all travelers. FTA will evaluate proposals based on their capacity to 
accelerate the development and adoption of innovative technologies, 
practices, and service models to improve mobility and enhance the rider 
experience, better position transit agencies to adapt to unprecedented 
operational challenges, and meet evolving traveler expectations.
    FTA will consider the extent to which each proposal will advance 
the transit industry by producing knowledge of national significance 
that advances the state of the practice for public transportation in 
the United States; advances technologies, innovations, practices, or 
partnership models that are relevant and replicable; leverages private 
sector innovation; advances robust, replicable business models and 
sustainable public private partnerships; and advances tools or 
approaches that enable transportation system carbon reductions and 
promote equity.
    FTA welcomes integrated mobility projects that embrace a holistic 
view of multimodal mobility that centers and supports public 
transportation. FTA encourages applicants to consider integrated 
mobility from the perspectives of system owners, operators, and 
travelers. FTA seeks projects that produce novel, bold, and yet 
realistic concepts to accelerate the transformation of integrated 
mobility and public transportation, influence traveler behavior, and 
produce meaningful and lasting impacts on climate and equity.
    For software development projects, FTA will consider the extent to 
which the development results in robust,

[[Page 54641]]

interoperable, and adaptable software-based solutions for demand-
response transit service dispatched through riders' mobile devices or 
other advanced means. Additionally, software development projects will 
be assessed on the extent to which the development effort will support 
strategies for the use of open standards, specifications, or protocols 
and would permit the software to be shared for use by public 
transportation agencies.
c. Project Team and Partnerships
    The application should identify the team that will carry out the 
proposed project, including key personnel and all project partners. FTA 
will evaluate the extent to which the project team has the necessary 
expertise, collaboration, and capacity to successfully implement the 
project and to which the project contains strong, cohesive 
partnerships.
    Applicants must identify all project partners and their specific 
roles. Applications should describe how project partners plan to work 
collaboratively and should show evidence of strong commitment and 
cooperation among project partners through letters of support or 
agreements among the partners. Applications should describe how 
partners will participate in each aspect of project planning, 
implementation, and evaluation. FTA will also evaluate the experience, 
capacity, and demonstrated commitment of the named project partners as 
pertains to successful implementation of the proposed project. 
Applicants are advised to submit information on the partners' 
qualifications and experience as a part of the application. Applicants 
that are not providers of public transportation are encouraged to 
identify in the application at least one provider of public 
transportation as a project partner. Entities who will be involved in 
the project but not named in the application will be required to be 
selected through a competitive procurement unless an exception to 
competition requirements applies.
d. Local Financial Commitment
    Applicants must identify the source of the non-Federal cost share 
and describe whether such funds are currently available for the project 
or will need to be secured if the project is selected for funding. FTA 
will consider the availability of the non-Federal cost share as 
evidence of the applicant's financial commitment to the project, 
including whether non-Federal funds have already been made available or 
reserved. Applicants should submit evidence of the availability of 
funds for the project, for example, by including a board resolution, a 
letter of support from the State, a budget document highlighting the 
line item or section committing funds to the proposed project, or other 
documentation of the source of non-Federal funds.
e. Project Implementation Strategy
    The application should explain the applicant's approach to carrying 
out the project, including all necessary project milestones and the 
overall project timeline. Projects will be evaluated based on the 
extent to which the applicant's proposed implementation plans are 
reasonable and complete. To assess whether the implementation plans are 
reasonable and complete, FTA will review and consider the project 
milestones, timeline, budget, risks to implementation, and how well the 
project implementation plan addresses these risks. FTA will also 
consider if the project's implementation strategy addresses how the 
project will support data access and sharing of project results and 
project evaluation against mobility-specific metrics. For projects that 
will require formal coordination, approvals, or permits from government 
agencies or project partners, the applicant must demonstrate 
coordination with these organizations and their support for the 
project, such as through letters of support.
f. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity
    FTA will evaluate proposals on the capacity of the project 
applicant and all partners to successfully execute the project. 
Demonstrated experience by the project applicant or project partners in 
successfully implementing a mobility innovation development and 
demonstration project will be considered.
    FTA may review relevant oversight assessments and records to 
determine whether the applicant has any outstanding legal, technical, 
or financial issues that would affect the proposed project's outcome. 
Applicants with outstanding legal, technical, or financial compliance 
issues from an FTA compliance review or grant-related Single Audit 
finding must explain how corrective actions will mitigate negative 
impacts on the proposed project.
    For applications that include named project partners, FTA will also 
consider the technical, legal, and financial capacity of the partner to 
successfully implement the proposed project. Applicants are advised to 
submit information on the partners' qualifications and experience as 
part of the application.

2. Review and Selection Process

    A technical evaluation committee made up of federal staff will 
evaluate proposals based on the published evaluation criteria. FTA may 
request additional information from applicants if necessary. Based on 
the findings of the technical evaluation committee, the FTA 
Administrator will determine the final selection of projects for 
funding.
    Consistent with Executive Order 13990, which aims to promote clean 
energy, conservation, and environmental justice; emphasizes scientific 
integrity and evidence-based decision-making; and aligns with goals to 
mitigate climate change and prioritize environmental sustainability, 
the selecting official will consider applications that may promote 
these key priorities as part of the application review.
    In determining the allocation of program funds, FTA may consider 
geographic diversity, diversity in the size of the grant recipients 
receiving funding, or the applicant's receipt of other competitive 
awards, among other factors. FTA may also consider capping the amount a 
single applicant may receive.
    Prior to making an award, FTA is required to review and consider 
any information about the applicant that is in the Federal Awardee 
Performance Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) accessible through 
SAM. An applicant may review and comment on any information about 
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. FTA will 
consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other 
information in the designated integrity and performance system, in 
making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and 
record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review 
of risk posed by applicants as described in the Office of Management 
and Budget's Uniform Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200.205).

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

    FTA will announce the final project selections on the FTA website. 
Due to funding limitations, applicants that are selected for funding 
may receive less than the amount originally requested. In those cases, 
applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are 
still viable and can be completed with the amount awarded.

[[Page 54642]]

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Pre-Award Authority
    At the time the project selections are announced, FTA may extend 
pre-award authority for the selected projects. There is no blanket pre-
award authority for these projects before announcement. FTA will issue 
specific guidance to recipients regarding pre-award authority at the 
time of selection. FTA does not consider requests for pre-award 
authority for competitive funds until after projects are selected, and 
additional Federal requirements must be met before costs are incurred. 
For more information about FTA's policy on pre-award authority, please 
see the most recent Apportionments, Allocations, and Program 
Information Notice at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/apportionments.
b. Cooperative Agreement Requirements
    If selected, awardees will apply for a cooperative agreement 
through FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS). Successful 
applicants must be prepared to submit a complete statement of work and 
application in TrAMS within 90 days of notification of award. All 
recipients must follow the requirements of FTA Circular 6100.1E. 
Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available from 
FTA.
    Awardees must disburse funds from their cooperative agreement using 
DOT's Delphi system. Drawdowns using ECHO are prohibited. FTA staff are 
available to assist awardees in gaining access to and using the Delphi 
system.
c. Buy America and Domestic Preferences for Infrastructure Projects
    As expressed in Executive Order 14005, ``Ensuring the Future Is 
Made in All of America by All of America's Workers'' (86 FR 7475), the 
Executive Branch should maximize, consistent with law, the use of 
goods, products, and materials produced in, and services offered in, 
the United States. Therefore, all capital procurements must comply with 
FTA's Buy America requirements (49 U.S.C. 5323(j)), which require that 
all iron, steel, and manufactured products be produced in the United 
States. In addition, any award must comply with the Build America, Buy 
America Act (BABA) (Pub. L. 117-58, sections 70901-27). BABA provides 
that none of the funds provided under an award made pursuant to this 
notice may be used for a project unless all iron, steel, manufactured 
products, and construction materials are produced in the United States. 
FTA's Buy America requirements are consistent with BABA requirements 
for iron, steel, and manufactured products.
    Any proposal that will require a waiver of any domestic preference 
standard must identify the items for which a waiver will be sought in 
the application. Applicants should not proceed with the expectation 
that waivers will be granted.
d. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
    FTA requires that its recipients receiving planning, capital, or 
operating assistance that will award prime contracts exceeding $250,000 
in FTA funds in a Federal fiscal year comply with the U.S. Department 
of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program 
regulations (49 CFR part 26). If an applicant also receives FTA 
planning, capital, or operating assistance, it should expect to include 
any funds awarded, excluding those to be used for vehicle procurements, 
in setting its overall DBE goal. Note, however, that projects, 
including vehicle procurements, remain subject to the DBE program 
regulations.
e. Standard Assurances
    If an applicant receives an award, the applicant must assure that 
it will comply with all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, 
executive orders, directives, FTA circulars, and other Federal 
administrative requirements in carrying out any project supported by 
the FTA award. The applicant acknowledges that it will be under a 
continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the 
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 most recent Federal requirements will apply to the 
project unless FTA issues a written determination otherwise. The 
applicant must submit the most recent FTA Certifications and Assurances 
before receiving an award if it does not have current certifications on 
file.
f. Data Access and Data Sharing
    FTA seeks to improve America's communities through public 
transportation by sharing digital data or source code collected or 
developed through its research with the public. This allows research 
organizations, public transportation agencies, state DOTs, and others 
to learn from and expand upon the insights developed from FTA-funded 
research.
    An award made pursuant to this NOFO will be subject to the latest 
version of FTA's Master Agreement (available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/sample-fta-agreements/fta-grant-agreements), including Section 17 Patent Rights and Section 
18 Rights in Data and Copyrights. All work funded under this NOFO must 
follow the Department's data collection and sharing policies outlined 
in the DOT Public Access Plan at: https://www.transportation.gov/mission/open/official-dot-public-access-plan-v11. Recipients are 
required to include these obligations in any sub-awards or other 
related funding agreements.
    Public Data Access requirements include developing a Data 
Management Plan (DMP) and submitting the DMP for FTA review. A DMP is a 
document that describes how recipients plan to handle digital datasets, 
software, or code generated over the course of a research project 
pursuant to Federal and Departmental requirements. A DMP must be 
provided as a condition of receiving FTA funds under the Section 5312 
Research Program and should adequately identify (1) the data to be 
collected, (2) how the data will further the goals of this effort, (3) 
how the data will be made accessible, and (4) how the data will be 
stored. DMPs can be updated over time if the scope of the project or 
the type of data that will be collected changes.
    FTA staff is available to assist recipients with complying with 
public data access requirements.
g. External Communications
    Recipients must communicate with their FTA project manager prior to 
engaging in any external communications regarding their project. This 
includes any work developing news or magazine stories with media 
organizations, including print, video, online, or otherwise. 
Additionally, the FTA project manager must be notified if project 
information, including results and metrics, will be shared during a 
webinar or other presentation open to the public, produced either by 
the recipient itself or another organization. Recipients should consult 
with their FTA project manager at the beginning of their agreement to 
discuss and plan any external communications about their project.
h. Independent Evaluation
    Projects funded under this announcement may be subject to 
evaluation by an independent evaluator selected by FTA. Recipients may 
be required to coordinate with the

[[Page 54643]]

independent evaluator to assist in developing an evaluation plan and 
collecting, storing, and managing data required to fulfill that 
evaluation plan.
i. Mobility Metrics
    Projects funded under this notice will be required to support the 
efforts of FTA or its designee to evaluate the project and its outcomes 
against mobility-specific metrics. FTA will work with the project team 
to implement evaluation plans that are consistent with FTA's mobility-
specific metrics as detailed in the FTA report, Mobility Performance 
Metrics (MPM) For Integrated Mobility and Beyond (February 2020), 
available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/research-innovation/147791/mobility-performance-metrics-integrated-mobility-and-beyond-fta-report-no-0152.pdf.
j. Software Provisions
    Any software developed as a part of this solicitation will be 
subject to provisions of FTA's Master Agreement related to patent 
rights and rights in data and copyrights and may be disseminated to 
public transit agencies for their use.

3. Reporting

    Post-award reporting requirements include the electronic submission 
of Federal Financial Reports and Milestone Progress Reports in FTA's 
electronic grants management system, TrAMS. Applicants should include 
any goals, targets, and indicators referenced in their application in 
the Executive Summary of the TrAMS application.
    As part of completing the annual certifications and assurances 
required of FTA grant recipients, a successful applicant must report on 
the suspension or debarment status of itself and its principals. If the 
award recipient's active grants, cooperative agreements, and 
procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceed 
$10,000,000 for any period during the period of performance of an award 
made pursuant to this Notice, the recipient must comply with the 
Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters reporting requirements 
described in Appendix XII to 2 CFR part 200.

4. Termination for Failure To Make Progress on an Award

    After providing written notice to the recipient of a project 
selected for funding, FTA may withdraw its support for the selected 
project if a cooperative agreement has not yet been awarded or suspend 
or terminate all or any part of the federal assistance for the award if 
the recipient has failed to make reasonable progress implementing the 
project.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    For further information concerning this notice, please contact 
Natalie Covill-Fontaine, FTA Office of Research, Demonstration, and 
Innovation, by phone at 202-366-7564 or by email at 
[email protected]. A TDD is available for individuals who are 
deaf or hard of hearing at 800-877-8339. In addition, FTA may post 
answers to questions and requests for clarifications on FTA's website 
at https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/EMI. To ensure applicants 
receive accurate information about eligibility or the program, 
applicants are encouraged to contact FTA directly rather than through 
intermediaries or third parties. FTA staff may also conduct briefings 
on the FY 2024 competitive grants selection and award process upon 
request.
    For issues with GRANTS.GOV, please contact GRANTS.GOV by phone at 
1-800-518-4726 or by email at [email protected].

H. Other Information

    This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
    The Department may share application information within the 
Department or with other Federal agencies if the Department determines 
that sharing is relevant to the respective program's objectives. All 
applications and supporting materials submitted to FTA will become the 
records of FTA. If an applicant submits information the applicant 
considers to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial 
information, the applicant must provide that information in a separate 
document, which the applicant may cross-reference from the application 
narrative or other portions of the application. For the separate 
document containing confidential information, the applicant must state 
on the cover of the document that it ``Contains Confidential Business 
Information (CBI),'' mark each page that contains confidential 
information with ``CBI,'' and highlight or otherwise identify the 
confidential content on each page. FTA will protect confidential 
information, complying with these requirements to the extent required 
under applicable law. If FTA receives a Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) request for the information that the applicant has marked in 
accordance with this section, FTA will follow the procedures described 
in U.S. DOT's FOIA regulation at 49 CFR 7.29. Only information that is 
in the separate document, marked in accordance with this section, and 
ultimately determined to be confidential under section 7.29 will be 
exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

Veronica Vanterpool,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-14429 Filed 6-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P