Formula Grant IN2022010

APPLICATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARYTHIS APPLICATION IS TO REQUEST FFY 2021 SECTION 5307 ARP FUNDS APPORTIONED TO THE INDIANAPOLIS UZA IN THE AMOUNT OF $350000 REPRESENTING 100% FEDERAL SHARE OF THE TOTAL ELIGIBLE AMOUNT. PURPOSE:THE CENTRAL INDIANA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AIMS TO SERVE THESE NEW AND UPCOMING WAREHOUSE DISTRICTS WITH ADEQUATE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS TO THOUSANDS OF OPEN JOBS IN THESE DISTRICTS AND AS INDIVIDUALS ARE RETURNING TO WORK CIRTAS SERVICE CAN HELP FILL THESE POSITIONS BY REMOVING TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS. MOST OF THESE POSITIONS DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE CONDUCTED FROM HOME OR OFF-SITE AND REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO BE FULLY ON-SITE.CIRTA HAVE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL INDUSTRIAL SECTORS ACROSS THE INDIANAPOLIS REGION WHICH HAVE LARGE INVESTMENTS INTO WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION. THE AGENCY UNDERSTANDS THAT BUSINESSES POST PANDEMIC HAVE ADOPTED AN INTEREST IN FASTER DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAINS RELYING ON A CENTRALIZED LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTRY TO OPTIMIZE DELIVERIES. INDIANAPOLIS SERVES AS ONE OF FOUR METROPOLITAN AREAS WHERE NEARLY 2/3RDS OF THE POPULATION CAN BE SERVED WITHIN 24 HOURS. THIS ARP GRANT WILL HELP PREVENT PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS BY CREATING MORE USEFUL EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS; HELPING DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS TO HELP TRANSPORT WORKERS TO THESE LARGE DISTRIBUTION HUBS ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN REGION.AS PART OF CIRTAS ONGOING EFFORTS TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATE FUNDING OPTIONS AND LONG-TERM STABILITY OF WORKFORCE CONNECTOR SERVICES THE AGENCYS INTENT IS TO AID IN THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EIDS FOR AREAS NEEDING THESE SERVICES. ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (EIDS) ARE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN WHICH LOCAL PROPERTY AND BUSINESS OWNERS ELECT TO MAKE A COLLECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES NEEDED ALLOWING EMPLOYEE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE EID AREA. EIDS PROVIDE A UNIQUE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOOL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE THEY ALLOW TARGETED CONTROL FINANCING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS WITHOUT CREATING AN ADDITIONAL FINANCING BURDEN ON TAXING UNITS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THIS GRANT WILL UTILIZE ALL THE ARP FUNDS TO BE UTILIZED FOR THE STUDY/ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING OF MULTIPLE EIDS WITHIN THE CENTRAL REGION. CIRTA ANTICIPATES ESTABLISHING A FORMAL IFB FOR EID STUDY REVIEW ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES TO IDENTIFY EID NEEDS BY COUNTY/TOWNSHIP; REVIEWING WORK FORCE ROUTE OPTIONS TO DETERMINE QUALIFIED AREAS WITHIN THOSE COUNTIES AND TOWNSHIPS.CIRTA ANTICIPATES CREATING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL IFB CONDUCTING TEN EID ASSESSMENTS AT A FIXED RATE ACROSS THE INDIANAPOLIS UZA. A CONTRACT WOULD THEN BE AWARDED AT THE AGENCYS DISCRETION FUNDING AND DESIGNATING THE EID DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN ANY COMMUNITY. THE AGENCY AIMS TO COMPLETE TEN EID ASSESSMENTS BY THE CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE NOTED IN THE MILESTONES FOR THIS APPLICATIONEXPECTED OUTCOMES AND INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:AS CIRTA SEES MULTIPLE COUNTIES WITH GROWING NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES THE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN EIDS IS CRITICAL TO PROMOTE ACCESSIBLE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND SUSTAINABILITY LOCAL ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY. CIRTA HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH THREE COMMUNITIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THREE EIDS TO DATE AND SERVE AS THE DESIGNATED RECIPIENT OF 5307 FUNDING. THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW US TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE GROWTH IN POTENTIAL EID DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTIES ALLOWING US TO ASSESS AND DETERMINE VIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS EFFORTS IN THESE AREAS. THIS WILL IN EFFECT ATTEMPT TO REDUCE REGIONWIDE UNEMPLOYMENT AND PROVIDE CITIZENS WITH LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW THE AGENCY TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE CONNECTOR PROGRAMS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PLACES AND OPPORTUNITIES.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:AS PART OF CIRTAS EID INITIATIVE THE MOBILITY MANAGER CONDUCTS ALL ADMINISTRATIVE WORK FOR THE CONNECTORS SUCH AS NTD AND PMTF REPORTING HOLDING RESPONSIBILITY FOR VERIFYING AND APPROVING INVOICES STAYING ENGAGED WITH BUSINESSES WITHIN THE EID FOR ANY ROUTE UPDATES NECESSARY ADMINISTRATING MIS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING AND ENSURING FTA MEASURES ARE FOLLOWED BY BUS PROVIDERS AND ENSURING ALL OTHER COMPLIANCE MEASURES ARE MET IN ACCORDANCE TO FTA AND INDOT REGULATIONS. THE AGENCY WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS TO SUPPORT EID LEGISLATION AT THE LOCAL COUNTY AND STATE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. CIRTA WILL WORK WITH ECONOMIC PLANNING DEPARTMENTS IN ESTABLISHING ASSESSMENT REVIEW GOALS AND OBJECTIVES; DEVELOPING A TIMELINE FOR ASSESSMENT COMPLETION AND EID IMPLEMENTATION. FROM THERE A REVIEW OF STUDY/ASSESSMENT FINDINGS VIA THIRD PARTY AND OR COMBINATION OF COUNTY STAFF WILL FINALIZE AND PROCEED WITH EID APPROVALS BUDGETING AND IMPLEMENTATION. ALL WORKFORCE CONNECTOR ROUT DETAILS WILL ALSO BE FINALIZED IN THIS PROCESS WITH ESTABLISHED SHORT-TERM FUNDING NEEDS UNTIL THE EID RECEIVES FULL FUNDING. THE AIM FOR THE EID IS TO FULLY FUND THE CONNECTOR AFTER 3 OR 4 YEARS OF ESTABLISHING THE ROUTE TO PROMOTE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND NEGATE THE NEED FOR STATE/FEDERAL FUNDING.CERTIFICATION:ATTACHED TO THIS APPLICATION INCLUDES THE COMPLETE SIGNED SPLIT LETTER DATED 10/12/2021 FOR FUNDING AUTHORIZATION FOR THIS PROJECT FROM AS WELL AS THE MPO Q4 APPROVAL WHICH ADDS THIS PROJECT TO THE TIP ON DECEMBER 15TH OF 2021. GRANT WILL BE UTILIZED UNTIL ALL FUNDS HAVE BEEN DRAWN. IN THE EVENT THERE ARE FUNDS REMAINING AT THE PROPOSED END DATE THOSE REMINING FUNDS WILL BE REQUESTED IN A REVISED AMENDMENT ACCORDINGLY.THE CENTRAL INDIANA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 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). THE SPLIT/SUBALLOCATION LETTER(S) DATED 12/15/2021 AND UPWP FEDERAL APPROVAL LETTER DATED 03/30/2022 IS ATTACHED IN TRAMS.. PER ARP THE PROJECT(S) IN THIS APPLICATION IS/ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE PROGRAMMED IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION PLAN OR STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMTHE CENTRAL INDIANA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AGREES THAT IF IT RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) OR THROUGH A PASS-THROUGH ENTITY THROUGH THE ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT A DIFFERENT FEDERAL AGENCY OR INSURANCE PROCEEDS FOR ANY PORTION OF A PROJECT OR 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.