2023-08-17 Advanced Bridge Clearinghouse NOFO FINAL.docx

August 9, 2023

FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) www.grants.gov Opportunity No. FY2023ABTCNOFO Assistance Listing 20.947

Opening Date: August 18, 2023 Application Due: October 13, 2023

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590-0001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A: Program Description

Section E: Application Review Information 11

E.1 Criteria 11

E.2 Review and Selection Process 13

E.3 Risk Assessment 13

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information 13

F.1 Federal Award Notices 13

F.3 Reporting 16

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contact 17 August 18, 2023

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Introduction Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the USDOT seeks a competitively-selected cooperative agreement with an existing University Transportation Center (UTC) to develop an Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC), as set forth in House Appropriations Committee Report #117-99 accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 ((P. L. 117-103; March 15, 2022). This report, in part, stipulates:

“Bridge clearinghouse.--The Committee directs DOT to work with relevant UTCs to implement an Accelerated Bridge Technologies Clearinghouse to advance new and advanced transportation infrastructure techniques and materials for new innovations in bridge technology. The clearinghouse shall provide a platform for bridge and structure stakeholders to find technically robust and unbiased information and reports that evaluate innovations while facilitating the acceptance and implementation of new bridge and structure materials and technologies.” [footnoteRef:2] [2: House Appropriations Committee, House Report # 117-99, “Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2022,” dated July 20, 2021.]

Appropriated funds from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 of up to $5 million are available for the ABTC program under Assistance Listing Number 20.947, for a project spanning a five-year duration. This entire funding amount will be awarded, on a competitive and cost match basis, to a single UTC meeting the requirements set forth in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT or DOT) will manage the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC) project. To be eligible for award, the applicant must be a qualified University Transportation Center (UTC) selected under the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) UTC competition. The recipient will provide professional services for this project supported by a team consisting of one or more entities from academic, industrial, commercial, and non-profit or for-profit organizations.

U.S. DOT Safety Strategic Goal: The Department is committed to advancing safe, efficient transportation, including through the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse.

Objectives of the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC) Program The objectives of the ABTC program are to continuously identify, evaluate, prioritize, publish, and move new and advanced bridge approaches, technologies and materials to full practice (bridge areas from stem to stern).

Statement of Work for the ABTC Program The prospective recipient shall submit a technical, management and cost proposal, with cost matching of at least 50% of total project cost, to achieve the following tasks on at least an annual basis:

· Scan for new and advanced bridge approaches and technologies,

· Evaluate these approaches and technologies,

· Make these approaches and technologies, along with their evaluations, available to the public on technologically-advanced bridge clearinghouse platform with databases amenable to logical querying, and query input- result output protocols that may include elements of artificial intelligence (AI).

· Facilitate the adoption of these approaches and technologies, and

· Evaluate recipient success and performance in transitioning new and advance materials and other bridge approaches and technologies to practice.

Administration’s Priorities and US DOT’s Strategic Goals The work performed pursuant to this NOFO shall be in conformity with and fulfill the goals of the Administration and the US DOT, indicated below.

• Safety:

The Department is committed to advancing (transportation related) research to ensure safety to workers, passengers and the public in transportation activities, and the associated infrastructure. This goal applies to all information on designs, inspection protocols, and materials included in the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC) program and research and deployments which may be accomplished, as part of the development of ABTC.

• Climate Change and Sustainability:

The Department seeks to fund projects under the Advance Technology Bridge Clearinghouse Program that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, incorporate evidence-based climate resilience measures and features, reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from the project materials, and avoid adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, wetlands, and endangered species, and address the disproportionate negative environmental impacts of transportation on disadvantaged communities, consistent with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (86 FR 7619). Therefore, the scientific materials collected and cataloged in the ABTC program should include, in their description, how the implementation of any of the Bridge Technology designs, processes or inspections which may have effect on Climate Change and Sustainability.

Project Milestones The proposal shall include a milestone chart showing the beginning and ending periods of the individual tasks and sub-tasks, as well as proposed meeting schedules and submission of deliverables.

Project Deliverables The following deliverables are required, as part of this award:

1) Quarterly technical progress and reports,

2) Quarterly meetings via an on-line system,

3) Bi-annual, in person, meetings with the sponsors, in Washington, DC to present the technical progress and achievements to date, and

4) Draft final technical report followed by submission of the final technical report, computer programs and/or system architecture details.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

B.2 Number of Awards A single award to an existing University Transportation Center (UTC) is contemplated.

B.3 Program Funding The expected one-time funding amount is $5,000,000. This amount is based on the authorized amount of funding in FY 2022. The Awardee therefore should plan its budget to fulfill all requirements of the project, research, demonstration, and deployment.

Through this competitive U.S. DOT Notice of Funding Opportunity, this ABTC cooperative agreement is a fixed amount to ensure Eligible Entities are evaluated in a fair process.

SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 Eligible Entity Eligible applicant must be a current DOT-funded University Transportation Center (UTC) with capabilities in research and technology transfer related to bridge materials, approaches and technologies and associated sciences of a scope that covers the requested services. Additionally, only those UTCs which are currently funded by U.S. DOT under the provisions and budget authorization of the Infrastructure Improvements and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are eligible to submit proposals.

In addition, the UTC must have demonstrable knowledge and experience performing the following responsibilities: 1) scan for new and advanced bridge approaches and technologies, 2) evaluate these approaches and technologies, 3) make these approaches and technologies along with their evaluations available to the public on the bridge clearinghouse, 4) facilitate the adoption of these approaches and technologies, and 5) evaluate ABTC success and performance in transitioning new and advance materials and other bridge approaches and technologies to practice.

The language in the Congressional House Appropriations Committee Report # 117-99 budget authorization limits the award to only “relevant” UTCs. (see the italicized language below)

“Bridge clearinghouse.--The Committee directs DOT to work with relevant UTCs to implement an Accelerated Bridge Technologies Clearinghouse….”

Therefore, the eligible UTC should demonstrate that it currently has the capability and responsibility (under the BIL UTC program) to perform a substantive role in carrying out the cooperative agreement activities.

The recipient Eligible Entity, UTC, will be the direct and primary recipient of the U.S. DOT funds and must perform a substantive role in carrying out the cooperative agreement activities; it may not serve primarily as a conduit for awards to another party.

C.2 Cost Sharing Applicants are required to provide matching funds of at least 50 percent of the total eligible project costs of the cooperative agreement. In other words, under an agreement for which DOT will provide the recipient $5 million, the recipient must provide a local non-federal matching share of, at least, $5 million with a total project cost of $10 million. Funds with a federal source including from non-U.S. DOT Departments and Agencies, are not eligible to be counted toward the cost match requirement.

The non-Federal matching funds may be cash or in-kind and must be used to accomplish (i) the program objectives, and (ii) the purpose of the cooperative agreement. The non-Federal matching funds must be fully documented in the Eligible Entity’s records. The recipient Eligible Entity will have the duration of the cooperative agreement period to obtain and to spend the full amount of the required matching funds. Any restrictions under the agreement or in Federal grant regulations 2 CFR Part 200 on allowability of costs apply to matching funds as well as the Federal funds.

Applicants should identify matching fund commitments in the text of the application. Letters of commitment(s) need to be preserved for audit purposes but are not required to be presented in the application. Any attached letters will count toward the application’s page limit.

SECTION D: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

D.1 Address to request application package Applications may be accessed on Grants.gov. Applicants may view this Notice of Funding Opportunity and other supporting materials on www.grants.gov. Applicants should log onto that system and search for Assistance Listing (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) number 20.947 for this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

All applications in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity must be submitted through Grants.gov. Any application not submitted through Grants.gov will not be considered for funding.

To submit an application through Grants.gov, an applicant must register to obtain a Grants.gov user ID and password. Applicants are advised they must complete the registration process through Grants.gov, prior to submitting an application.

D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission & Sharing of Application Information

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.

Proposals that do not meet the stated requirements will not be considered for review or award.

D.2.1 Content of Application The proposal must:

· Include the signature of the principal investigator/manager of the project on the first page of the proposal.

· Address the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity.

· Indicate budgets and financial information in U.S. dollars.

· Provide documents on 8 ½ x 11 paper format; all pages must be numbered sequentially.

· Be submitted in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Technical proposal shall be single-spaced, 12- point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

· Not to exceed 30 pages in length.

· Proposal Summary: Provide a short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

· Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Program Methods and Design: Describe how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

· Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: Include the proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

· Introduction to the Organization Applying: Provide a description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including summary information on past research work with similar requirements as in this NOFO.

· Key Personnel: Include the names, titles, roles, and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. Also include a brief description of proportion of key personnel time that will be devoted to this project.

· Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations, universities, and sub-awardees.

· Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Indicate how the activities will be monitored to ensure they are being executed in a timely manner, and how the program performance will be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the agreement, throughout the duration period of the agreement.

· Future Funding or Sustainability Describe how the results and developments in this project can be sustained in future efforts either by the government or by the industry.

D.2.3 Administration and Departmental priorities The following issues are priorities for US DOT and the Administration. The applicant should address how the issues below will be complied with in the conduct of the project. If any one of the issues is not relevant in the performance of the project, justification should be provided as to why they are not necessary to consider in the conduct of the program.

· Safety:

Applicants must address how their project provides substantial safety benefits. Prior to receiving funds, all projects are expected to, at a minimum, identify and mitigate to the extent practicable any significant safety risks that could result after the project completion. Applicants should include how their project will not negatively impact the overall safety of the traveling public.

· Climate Change and Sustainability Applicants must address how the project will consider climate change and environmental justice in the planning stage and in project delivery. In particular, applicants must address how the project will evaluate whether the collected scientific information on Bridge Technology designs, procedures, materials, inspections, etc., address the impact of Advanced Bridge Technology Science on (reducing) greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, incorporate evidence-based climate resilience measures and features, and reduces the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from the project materials. Applicants also must address the extent to which the data collected and cataloged addresses the avoidance of adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, wetlands, and endangered species, as well as address disproportionate negative impacts of climate change and pollution on disadvantaged communities, including natural disasters, with a focus on prevention, response, and recovery.

The total number of pages of the Technical Proposal/Application (including the cover page and attachments, if any) shall not exceed 25 pages.

D.2.4 The Cost Proposal The Cost Proposal must include the following details and documents:

1. Cost breakdown to perform the project, indicated for each task in the technical proposal, including professional time, direct and indirect costs, negotiated indirect cost rate (per any agreement with government audit agency), travel and other direct expenses, etc. It should also show the cost share/match details.

2. Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds Project budgets should show how different funding sources will share in each activity and present those data in dollars and percentages. The budget should identify other Federal funds the applicant is applying for or has been awarded, if any, that the applicant intends to use. Funding sources should be grouped into three categories: non-Federal, Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse Program, and other Federal with specific amounts from each funding source.

3. Mandatory application forms

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals)

· SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov)

· Form SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying activities.

4. Attachments

· Copy of letter of the latest Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) in a PDF file format. (These indirect charges must be used in the cost proposal).

· Cost match/share funding sources.

· Any other information of relevance to the cost proposal.

There are no limits placed on the number of pages or the format for the cost proposal. However, reasonableness is to be exercised in the submitted document size.

D.3 Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Eligible Entities must have or must secure a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI, formerly DUNS number). The Unique Entity Identifier is a unique, 12-character alphanumeric value that identifies your organization. Each applicant’s Unique Entity Identifier will be maintained as part of the applicant’s profile. This number can be obtained through the Federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM).

In summary, each applicant is required to:

· Submit all applications/proposals through Grants.gov.

· Register in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting the application/proposal.

· Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the active Federal award or application or plan is under consideration by the federal awarding agency. This applies to all applicants and awardees. DOT may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DOT is ready to make a Federal award, DOT may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

D.4 Submission Deadline A Technical Proposal and a Cost Proposal must be submitted to be considered for review.

Your Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC) application/proposal must be submitted, electronically, to www.grants.gov no later than 11:59 PM EDT, OCTOBER 13, 2023. www.grants.gov will provide you with an acknowledgement of your submission.

Applications will be considered complete as initially received by OST-R. All changes after submission may be made by first withdrawing the application and resubmitting the entire modified application before the due date. Any materials submitted after the due date will not be considered in the review process unless OST-R specifically requests such material to complete the review of your application.

All documentation and data submitted as part of the application package should be current as of the date of application submission. All application submitted through www.grants.gov must be signed electronically by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).

D.5. Funding Restrictions The funds intended for award under this Notice of Funding Opportunity do not apply to, and may not be used for, construction activities or projects.

Use of award funds, including funds and in-kind contributions provided by the university and its consortia members and by any external partners as the grant’s required matching funds, for the purchase of equipment with a unit value of $5,000 or more, will require advance approval from OST-R after the award, before such expenses may be incurred.

Pre-award costs, incurred from the date the US DOT announces the identity of the selected awardee, are those incurred directly pursuant to the applicant’s proposed budget and in anticipation of the Federal award where such costs are necessary for the efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. Such costs are only eligible if the recipient provides written request to DOT before incurring such costs, and DOT approves the request, consistent with 2 CFR 200.458. Such costs are incurred at the recipient’s own risk.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1 Criteria DOT will evaluate the UTC team’s experience in (i) bridge technologies and materials including, knowledge of designs of different types of bridges and modeling bridge behaviors, experience in bridge inspections and associated technologies, bridge maintenance and repair protocols, and knowledge of other technologies that are relevant establishing an Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse, (ii) research & transportation issues assessment, (iii) computerized database and AI architecture design, (iv) remote inspection technology capabilities, (v) use of drones and robotics for inspections and maintenance, (vi) evaluating environmental effects (on bridges), and (vii) other scientific disciplines of relevance to the Advanced Bridge Technology issues.

Specifically, the technical proposal will be evaluated on:

1) The relevance of the UTC to NOFO area (make-up of the UTC team, expertise of the team members, and the roles and breadth of the current proposed UTC in carrying out the duties of requested services).

2) The explanation provided, in understandable terms, on the architecture of the proposed Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse, the types of information it will house, the robustness of the information and data that will populate the database, design of data storage systems, ease of data retrieval (i.e., the I/O features and ease of use), how the retrieved data or knowledge is presented, tailormade to the level of query, and information sought.

3) The approach the UTC will use to at least annually: 1) scan for new and advanced bridge approaches and technologies, 2) evaluate these approaches and technologies, 3) make these approaches and technologies along with their evaluations available to the public on the bridge clearinghouse, 4) facilitate the adoption of these approaches and technologies, and 5) evaluate its success and performance in transitioning new and advance materials and other bridge approaches and technologies to practice.

4) Past experience of the UTC recipient in leading such multi-disciplinary teams and outcomes of development projects similar to the one sought.

The cost proposal will be evaluated on:

1) Cost reasonableness

2) Cost matching of at least 50% of total cost

3) Budget controls to achieve the work objectives

Additional Evaluation Criteria

The following additional criteria will be used to evaluate and rate each application.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Federally-funded Projects: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has internal controls in place to manage federal funds.

Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Partners: Applicant demonstrates how selected partners will participate in the activities.

Fulfilling Policy Priorities of US DOT: The Applicant has considered the impact of the technical research work under this program on the following important elements of the DOT priorities, namely,

(i) Safety: Promoting safety through “inherently safe” designs of both components and systems.

(ii) Climate Change and Sustainability: Reducing the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from materials (identified in the project), manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and/or disposal of materials.

Cost matching over the minimum 50% of the total cost required will be considered favorably but is less important than the technical proposal and how the proposed work meets the objectives of the program.

E.2 Review and Selection Process A review committee comprised of USDOT subject matter experts will evaluate all eligible applications and make recommendations to the Director, University Grants Programs (OST-R). Applications will be rated as highly recommended, recommended, and not recommended. Only highly recommended applications will be considered for final selection. After completing the merit review, among projects of similar merit, DOT will prioritize the highly recommended proposal applications based on an assessment of the clarity with which the objectives of the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse project are addressed and the specific details by which objectives will be fulfilled and how the needs of DOT will be met. The Director, University Grants Programs (OST-R), will be the final authority on the selection of an awardee.

E.3 Risk Assessment Prior to award, each selected applicant will be subject to a risk assessment as required by 2 CFR § 200.206. DOT must review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM. An applicant may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. DOT will consider comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, 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.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

F.1 Federal Award Notices The cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the agreement award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of Transportation has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of Transportation.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

F.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F.2.1 National policy considerations The applicant should ensure that the following National Policy considerations are adhered to and implemented, when relevant, in executing the work to be performed under the Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse Project.

· Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience It is the policy of the United States to strengthen the security and resilience of its critical infrastructure against both physical and cyber threats. Each applicant selected for Federal funding under this notice must demonstrate, prior to the signing of the grant agreement, effort to consider and address physical and cyber security risks relevant to the transportation mode and type and scale of the project. Projects that have not appropriately considered and addressed physical and cyber security and resilience in their planning, design, and project oversight, as determined by the Department and the Department of Homeland Security, will be required to do so before receiving funds for construction, consistent with Presidential Policy Directive 21 - Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience and the National Security Presidential Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Control Systems.”

· Domestic Preference Requirements 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. Funds made available under this notice are subject to the domestic preference requirements. The Department expects all applicants to comply with this requirement.

· Civil Rights and Title VI As a condition of a grant award, grant recipients should demonstrate that the recipient has a plan for compliance with civil rights obligations and nondiscrimination laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations (49 CFR § 21), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, all other civil rights requirements, and accompanying regulations. This includes a current Title VI plan, completed Community Participation Plan, and a plan to address any legacy infrastructure or facilities that are not compliant with ADA standards. DOT’s and the applicable Operating Administrations’ Office of Civil Rights may work with awarded grant recipients to ensure full compliance of Federal civil rights requirements.

· Federal Contract Compliance As a condition of grant award and consistent with EO 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity (30 FR 12319, and as amended), all Federally assisted contractors are required to make good faith efforts to meet the goals of 6.9 percent of construction project hours being performed by women, in addition to goals that vary based on geography for construction work hours and for work being performed by people of color. Under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and its implementing regulations, affirmative action obligations for certain contractors include an aspirational employment goal of 7 percent workers with disabilities.

· Performance and Program Evaluation As a condition of grant award, grant recipients may be required to participate in an evaluation undertaken by DOT or another agency or partner. The evaluation may take different forms such as an implementation assessment across grant recipients, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across grant recipients, or a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investment. DOT may require applicants to collect data elements to aid the evaluation and/or use information available through other reporting. As a part of the evaluation, as a condition of award, grant recipients must agree to: (1) make records available to the evaluation contractor or DOT staff; (2) provide access to program records, and any other relevant documents to calculate costs and benefits; (3) in the case of an impact analysis, facilitate the access to relevant information as requested; and (4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the evaluation contractor or DOT staff.

Recipients and subrecipients are also encouraged to incorporate program evaluation including associated data collection activities from the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully document and measure their progress towards meeting an agency priority goal(s). Title I of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), Pub. L. No. 115-435 (2019) urges Federal awarding agencies and Federal assistance recipients and subrecipients to use program evaluation as a critical tool to learn, to improve equitable delivery, and to elevate program service and delivery across the program lifecycle. Evaluation means “an assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency.” 5 U.S.C. § 17. Credible program evaluation activities are implemented with relevance and utility, rigor, independence and objectivity, transparency, and ethics (OMB Circular A-11, Part 6 Section 290).

For grant recipients receiving an award, evaluation costs are allowable costs (either as direct or indirect), unless prohibited by statute or regulation, and such costs may include the personnel and equipment needed for data infrastructure and expertise in data analysis, performance, and evaluation. (2 CFR Part 200).

· Data Management Plans (DMPs) In accordance with the U.S. DOT Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research, and the U.S. DOT Departmental Data Release Policy (DOT Order 1351.34, adopted March 28, 2011) research cooperative agreement recipients are required to create a Data Management Plan (DMP). In the DMP, an Eligible Entity must propose program-level strategies to deposit Digital Data Sets resulting from U.S. DOT-funded scientific research in a repository that enables and allows for public access and sharing. The DMP will be reviewed and must be approved by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology following the award of a cooperative agreement.

F.2.2 Other Administrative Considerations

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply with the following additional requirements under the Administrative and National Policy.

· 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

· 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

· 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

· 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

· 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of Transportation will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following:

· Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR Part 200), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

· Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205),

· Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216),

· Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O. 13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341),

· Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and

· Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340).

F.3 Reporting Recipients will be required to submit within 15 days after the end of each calendar quarter a financial report and a technical progress report. The reports should include a timeline of activities completed and expected future activities together with the corresponding total cost for past and future activities. The narrative should be succinct; however, if significant technical progress has been made more details can be provided. The report should include photos, press clips, social media postings and success stories from the project team.

Applicants should be aware of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

If you have any questions about the agreement application process, please contact:

Caesar.Singh@dot.gov, Tel: 202-366-3252 image1.png