Purpose of the award:this is a federal fiscal year (FFY) 2021 section 5307 ARP act grant application in the amount of $11049741

This $11 million Project Grant from the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration under the Federal Transit Formula Grants (CFDA 20.507) program will fund operating assistance and capital expenses for Manatee County Area Transit through March 2029. Key expenses covered by the grant include operating salaries and administrative costs, vehicle purchases and maintenance, facility repairs, and consulting services. As the major public transportation provider in Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County Area Transit will use these funds to support ongoing operations and replace aging vehicles, helping to ensure continued mobility for county residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period.

Activities

The approved program of projects expenses include but is not limited to operating assistance (salaries administrative leave personal protective equipment fuel and cleaning supplies) purchase of replacement and expansion heavy duty low floor clean diesel buses and medium duty paratransit vehicles supervisor support vehicles consulting/planning computer hardware software purchase/lease of miscellaneous support equipment contingency project administration.

Expected outcomes

This grant award will support the existing demand facility upkeep repairs needed at mcat facilities bus stop locations emergency operations emergency protective measures emergency repairs/permanent repairs and ensure continued operation of services required throughout all of its service areas at its current service level due to the covid-19 crisisintended beneficiaries:manatee county area transit (mcat) is the major public transportation provider in manatee county and strives to improve the quality of life for county residents and visitors by providing in a cost efficient manner a readily-accessible intermodal means of mobility by providing fixed-route and demand response public transportation services and by providing alternative means of transportation to minimize impacts of traffic congestion on major roads throughout manatee county.

Subrecipient activities

Manatee county and/or sub-grantee (when applicable) will follow all 3RD party procurement policies as defined in C4220.1F (third party contracting guidance).the FY 2021 section 5307 ARP act apportionment for the sarasota/bradenton FL UZA is $22099482 (table 2 ARP act apportionment section 5307 urbanized area formula) appropriated under the american rescue plan act (ARP act) (PUB. L. 117-2 MAR 11 2021). Based on the approved and executed inter-local agreement attached sarasota and manatee county split these funds 50/50; therefore manatee county will receive a total of $11049741 of the FY21 section 5307 apportionment. This section 5307 ARP act grant funding is provided at a federal share of 100%. Therefore there is no local match required for capital projects and operating assistance projects. The operational expenses requested in this application were determined by manatee county by performing an analysis of prior year(s) expenditures and developing a reasonable estimate cost for salaries administrative leave and other operating expenditures. Manatee county understands that the expenses requested in this application are subject to review for their reasonableness as part of the agencys next triennial/state management review. This project includes bus replacement and expansion emergency operations emergency protective measures and emergency repairs/permanent repairs with no functional location or capacity change. Therefore no tip/stip documentation is needed per ARP act requirements. Manatee county acknowledges understanding and acceptance of condition of award. The recipient certifies that IT and its subrecipients and contractors that are providers of public transportation have not furloughed any employees since march 27 2020 (the enactment date of the cares act).manatee county has not filled any insurance claims have not received any insurance proceeds nor has IT received any other federal funding to reimburse for transit related expenses contained in this application. Manatee county agrees that if IT receives federal funding from the federal emergency management agency (FEMA) a different federal agency or insurance proceeds for any portion of a project activity approved for FTA funding under this grant agreement IT will provide written notification to FTA and reimburse FTA for any federal share that duplicates funding provided by FEMA another federal agency or an insurance company.manatee county will ensure that all vehicles purchased are accessible purchased from an FTA approved TVM and reported to FTA within 30 days after contract is signed. Manatee county will check the current listing of transit vehicle manufacturers (TVM) (https://WWW.transit.DOT.GOV/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ADA/eligible-tvms-list) to ensure each is listed as a certified TVM in compliance with FTA regulations manatee county and/or sub-grantee (when applicable) will follow all 3RD party procurement policies as defined in C4220.1F (third party contracting guidance).manatee county will check the debarment and suspension list to ensure that all contractors doing work for manatee county are not on the list. In accordance with sections 5303 5304 and 5336 the sarasota/manatee metropolitan planning organization requests that the manatee county board of county commissioners (for manatee county area transit) and the sarasota county transportation authority (for sarasota county area transit) be the designated recipients of 5307 and 5339 formula funds for the sarasota-bradenton urbanized area. The florida department of transportation as the governors designee under chapters 20.05(1)(a) (b) 20.23(1)(a) and 341.051(1)(a) florida statutes concurs with this designation. The 5307 designated recipient letter resolution and opinion of counsel are attached in the trams recipient profile. The period for grant activity is MAR 12 2021 to MAR 30 2029.