Cooperative Agreement IL2022001

PURPOSE: THE FAIR TRANSIT PROGRAM LOCATED IN SOUTH COOK COUNTY WILL SUPPORT THE GOALS OF THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA) AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (USDOT)S ACCELERATING INNOVATIVE MOBILITY (AIM) PROGRAM THROUGH A PILOT THAT WILL REDUCE FARES IMPROVE SERVICE AND ALLOW SEAMLESS TRANSIT USE ACROSS PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THE REGION. THE PROGRAM WILL BETTER CONNECT RESIDENTS TO JOBS AND KEY DESTINATIONS ADDRESS THE DECLINING RIDERSHIP OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ALONG THE METRA ELECTRIC AND ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT COMMUTER RAIL LINES AND FOSTER POST-COVID-19 RECOVERY. THE COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS (CCDOTH) WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH METRA PACE AND THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY (CTA) ON THE PROJECT. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: A KEY INITIATIVE WILL BE TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN COOK AND WILL COUNTIES MOST LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM THESE ENHANCED TRANSIT SERVICES BEFORE AND DURING THE PILOT TO TRACK KEY METRICS NEEDED TO DETERMINE OVERALL SUCCESS. THE INITIATIVE NAMED ENGAGING SOUTH COOK RESIDENTS TO ADVANCE FAIR TRANSIT WILL DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE AND ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN; DEPLOY A SERIES OF SURVEYS TO COLLECT DATA; TRACK THE PERFORMANCE OF COVID-19 RECOVERY STRATEGIES; AND EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THE IMPACTS OF THE THREE-YEAR FAIR TRANSIT PILOT AND THE IMPACTS OF POST COVID-19 RECOVERY STRATEGIES ON RIDERSHIP. THE ROBUST OUTREACH STRATEGY WILL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS THROUGH:RESIDENT EDUCATION AND MARKETING OUTREACH EVENTS DEPLOYMENT OF VIRTUAL AND PAPER-BASED SURVEY TOOLS PAID MEDIA ADVERTISEMENTSEVALUATION AND ITERATION OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND REPORTING AND SHARING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PROJECT. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: BY ENGAGING WITH PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND DURING THE PILOT CCDOTH WILL EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT WHICH COULD INCLUDE: INCREASED EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT THROUGH REDUCED FARES AND FARE INTEGRATION BETWEEN PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCIES;IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSIT EFFICIENCY THROUGH IMPROVED SERVICE;GROWING PARTICIPATION BY COMMUNITY RESIDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT; ANDA GREATER INCREASE IN TRANSIT RIDERSHIP OVER THE COVID-19 RECOVERY WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA COMPARED TO THE REGION.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BENEFIT LOWER-INCOME BLACK AND LATINX TRANSIT USERS FOR WHOM FARES ARE RELATIVELY UNAFFORDABLE AND FOR WHOM AVAILABLE TRANSIT SERVICE IS INCONVENIENT. THIS APPLICATION INCLUDES FUNDS FOR RESEARCH AND/OR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. FEDERAL ROLE: THE FTA WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ATTENDING REVIEW MEETINGS COMMENTING ON TECHNICAL REPORTS AND MAINTAINING FREQUENT CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL PROJECT MANAGER. FTA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RE-DIRECT PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT SUPPORTED UNDER THIS AWARD AND THEIR RELATED ACTIVITIES. RECIPIENT ROLE: THE COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS ALONG WITH THEIR PROJECT PARTNERS WILL MANAGE THE PROJECT AS OUTLINED IN THE STATEMENT OF WORK INCLUDING PREPARATION OF TECHNICAL STATUS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SUBMITTING DELIVERABLES TO FTA. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONESPECIAL CONDITIONSALL VEHICLES USED IN A FIXED ROUTE SERVICE MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO AND USABLE BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDING WHEELCHAIR USERS ACCORDING TO 49 CFR PART 38. PER 49 CFR 37.77(B) INACCESSIBLE VEHICLES MAY BE ACQUIRED FOR AND USED IN A DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE ONLY WHEN EQUIVALENT SERVICE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDING WHEELCHAIR USERS CAN BE PROVIDED ACCORDING TO THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED UNDER 49 CFR 37.77(C). THE PROJECT MUST ADHERE TO BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENTS.LOCAL SHARETHE LOCAL SHARE OF THIS AWARD MAY BE DEFERRED AS NECESSARY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROJECT MILESTONE SCHEDULE. THE RECIPIENT WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR ACTUAL COSTS AS DETAILED IN THE PROJECT MILESTONE SCHEDULE AND PROJECT BUDGET. THE RECIPIENT AGREES THAT IT WILL MAINTAIN ADEQUATE COST RECORDS TO SUPPORT ANY PAYMENT REQUEST TO FTA AND THAT THE PAYMENT REQUESTED WILL NOT EXCEED THE FEDERAL SHARE OF THE COSTS ACTUALLY INCURRED FOR THE MILESTONE. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER FEDERAL PROVISIONSTHE RECIPIENT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FTA CIRCULAR 6100.1E RESEARCH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAM: APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES HTTPS://WWW.TRANSIT.DOT.GOV/SITES/FTA.DOT.GOV/FILES/DOCS/FTA_CIR_6100.1E.DOCX_4.08.2015_%282%29_0.PDF .THE RECIPIENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AWARDING OR MANAGING ANY THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTS OR PARTNERING ARRANGEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FTA CIRCULAR 4220.1F THIRD PARTY CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.