CLEAN_FMC-E-220318-001_-_Supporting_-_FMC-E-220318-001 NOFO - FO edits.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary Information

Federal Agency Name:

U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Grants Management Office (GMO); MC-BG 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE West Building Washington, DC 20590

Funding Opportunity Title:

Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Training and Support Grant Program, also known as the High Priority Safety Enforcement Training (HP-SET) Grant Program

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FM-ETS-22-001

Assistance Listing: 20.243

Key Dates: Application Due Date – August 19, 2022 5:00pm EST

Point of Contact:

Financial Application Questions Thomas Martin 202-366-8768 Thomas.martin@dot.gov

Programmatic Application Questions Ron Crampton 202-697-3305 Ron.Crampton@dot.gov

SECTION A - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

mailto:Thomas.martin@dot.gov mailto:Ron.Crampton@dot.gov

1. Overview and Authorizing Statutes and Regulations

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Enforcement Training and Support Grant Program, also known as the High Priority Safety Enforcement Training (HP-SET) Grant Program, Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications from eligible entities to support HP-SET program activities.

The HP-SET grant program is governed by 49 U.S.C. §§ 31102(l)(5) and 31104, as modified by Sections 23001(b) and 23005of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law Number 117-58 (2021).

FMCSA intends to make an award under this opportunity as a cooperative agreement as defined under 2 CFR § 200.24.

2. HP-SET Purpose and Eligibility

The Federal Assistance Listing is 20.243

As the lead government agency responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles (CMV), FMCSA may award HP-SET funds for the development and delivery of motor carrier safety training to non-Federal employees.

The objective of the HP-SET grant program is to train non-Federal employees who conduct CMV enforcement activities in accordance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Out-of-Service criteria1; and to develop related training materials to increase awareness and education on CMV safety and otherwise improve CMV safety.

These activities are supported in alignment with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic objectives of:

a. Safety: Make our transportation system safer for all people. Advance a future without transportation-related serious injuries and fatalities.

b. Economic Strength & Modernization: Grow an inclusive and sustainable economy.

Invest in our transportation system to provide American workers and businesses reliable and efficient access to resources, markets, and good-paying jobs.

c. Equity: Reduce inequities across our transportation systems and the communities they affect. Support and engage people and communities to promote safe, affordable, accessible, and multimodal access to opportunities and services while reducing transportation-related disparities, adverse community impacts, and health effects.

1 As required by Section 5202 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, FMCSA has adopted via policy the roadside inspectors’ certification standards as developed and maintained by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Operational Policy 4 – Inspector Training and Certification.

Where appropriate, applicants should demonstrate how proposed projects address the objectives of climate change/sustainability outlined in Executive Order 14008 and support/advance equity in transportation, particularly in underserved communities, as outlined in Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (86 FR 7009). FMCSA will evaluate each application regarding how, to the extent possible, activities and approaches to address these Executive Orders were included.

As the lead government agency responsible for regulatory and safety oversight of CMVs, FMCSA may award HP-SET funds to nonprofit organizations that have:

a. Expertise in conducting CMV enforcement and compliance training program for non-

Federal employees; and

b. Ability to influence and involve a target population of CMV safety enforcement employees in a training program.

This NOFO provides important information about the HP-SET program, highlighting the critical required information related to preparing and submitting an application.

3. HP-SET Award Performance Goals and Indicators

The FMCSA will measure the effectiveness of the HP-SET award’s performance by analyzing data indicators against performance goals. Data indicators will be drawn from, but not limited to, surveys, instructor evaluations, and exam scores.

Performance indicators will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• CMV Safety Improvement: Indicators to include the number of training courses conducted and number of personnel certified to conduct CMV safety and enforcement efforts (inspections, investigations, audits, etc.).

• Innovative Approach: Indicators include metrics for a variety of instructional delivery methods (in-person, virtual, etc.) pertinent to adult learners and the effectiveness of novel techniques and approaches (program design, use of technology assets, etc.) to enhance learning and knowledge retention.

4. Consideration for Funding

HP-SET funds are awarded through a competitive grant process and no assurance of funding is implied, nor should it be inferred.

FMCSA will consider applications for funding that demonstrate and document how the applicants will provide comprehensive training to non-Federal personnel in the CMV safety areas identified within this Notice. Funds under the HP-SET will only be awarded to non-profit entities, as defined in this document; no for-profit businesses may apply under this Notice.

a. General

Applicants seeking funding under the HP-SET must include detailed descriptions outlining the following components within their application.

1. Curriculum Development: Describe how the development of curricula and supporting materials will be accomplished for each delivery platform as part of a submitted application.

2. Delivery Methods: Describe the delivery method(s) for each course, including whether the course will be offered via Instructor Led Training (ILT), Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT), Web-based training (WBT), or a combination of these options (blended approach). Applicants are highly encouraged to propose multiple methods of course delivery for each of the course offerings identified in this Notice.

3. Key Personnel and Instructors: Applications must include the experience and subject matter expertise of core personnel in the design, development, and delivery of curricula and instructional materials for adult learners across course delivery methods (ILT, VILT, WBT).

b. Required and Optional Courses

Organizations submitting proposals in response to this NOFO may refer to Appendix C to obtain additional information and resources on course objectives, curriculum design standards, and the style guides for current training and certification courses provided by FMCSA via its National Training Center (NTC).

1. Required Courses

The training of non-Federal personnel is crucial to the effectiveness of national CMV safety enforcement and compliance efforts. In order to ensure that non-Federal personnel conducting safety activities are properly trained and comply with Federal certification and recertification requirements referenced in 49 CFR 350.207(a)(6), applicants are strongly encouraged to submit proposals that comprehensively address all training needs including, but not limited to, inspections, motorcoaches, hazardous materials, new entrant safety audits, and investigatory activities. FMCSA’s current certification requirements may be found at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/certification.

FMCSA has traditionally offered 13 courses covering the three knowledge categories of Inspections, Hazardous Materials and Investigative/Audit. Awardees may use the currently available FMCSA course materials listed below, modifying existing FMCSA materials, or develop their own materials (adhering to the terminal objectives already established).

Applicants should detail in their proposal which option they choose to use to provide accurate budget estimates. Please note that prior FMCSA approval will be required before changes are made to the current FMCSA materials, or new material is developed, by the applicant following after the award. The full list of FMCSA certification courses may be found in the table below.

When developing activity and budget estimates relating to training courses, organizations must consider the volume and frequency of training needed to adequately address demand.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/certification

As a reference point, the table below outlines the number of course offerings (mostly in-person) conducted by FMCSA in fiscal year 2019 for the 13 courses covering the previously identified training categories.

Inspection Courses North American Standard Part A North American Standard Part B

In FY 2019, 198 courses offered with 3,230 total students enrolled For FY 2019 179 offerings with 2,543 students https://www.fmcsa.lms.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-a https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-b

North American Standards Part A (Alaska) https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-alaska

Passenger Carrier Vehicle Inspection

For FY 2019 56 offerings with 723 students https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/passenger-carrier-vehicle-inspection-pcvi

Hazardous Materials Courses

General Hazardous Materials Other Bulk Packaging For FY 2019 105 offerings with 1,367 students For FY 2019 46 offerings with 692 students https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/general-hazardous-materials https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/advanced-explosives

Cargo Tank Inspection Advanced Explosives

For FY 2019 72 offerings with 1,069 students No state students for FY 2019 https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/ https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/advanced-explosives cargo-tank-inspection

Cargo Tank Facility Review Advanced Hazardous Waste and Substances No state students for FY 2019 No state students for FY 2019 https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/ https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/advanced-hazardous-wastesubstances cargo-tank-facility-review

Advanced Roadside for Hazardous Materials For FY2019 2 offerings with 23 students https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/ advanced-roadside-hm

Investigative Courses Investigative Safety Analysis New Entrant Safety Audit https://www.fmcsa.lms.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-a https://www.fmcsa.lms.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-a https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-b https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-standard-part-b https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/north-american-https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/passenger-carrier-vehicle-inspection-pcvi https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/passenger-carrier-vehicle-inspection-pcvi https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/general-hazardous-materials https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/general-hazardous-materials https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/ https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/cargo-tank-facility-review https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/cargo-tank-facility-review https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/advanced-roadside-hm

For FY 2019 16 offerings with 150 students For FY 2019 10 offerings with 117 students https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/new-entrant-safety-audit-course investigative-safety-analysis

2. Optional Courses

In addition to the above required certification courses, applicants may propose training covering other areas relating to CMV safety and enforcement efforts. For example, organizations may include submissions for the creation and deployment of training in the areas of human trafficking, CMV traffic enforcement, interdiction, or other areas as identified by the applicant. When proposing additional training offerings, applicants must include relevant data to support the need for these additional training courses and be sure to create a direct connection between the additional course and CMV and/or public safety.

Please note that all courses funded under this NOFO must adhere to Federal requirements regarding accessibility by persons with disabilities. Applicants must ensure that this effort and cost is included in their proposal.

3. Delivery Methods

Please see Appendix C for additional information on course delivery methods.

Web-based learning – for the purpose of this NOFO, is defined as training that uses the internet for self-paced study as the instructional delivery method. Curriculum and related materials developed for this method will be considered as new development only.

Instructor Led Training – for the purpose of this NOFO, this methodology involves face-to-face, in-person training delivered in a classroom, in the presence of an instructor or facilitator. The delivery method may be either hands-on use of a computer workstation or academic-style lecture and discussion. This methodology may be used as a component in a “blended” approach utilizing alternative methodologies.

Virtual Instructor Led - For the purpose of this NOFO, this methodology involves face-to-face instructor-led training delivered virtually, in the presence of an instructor or facilitator. The delivery method may be either hands-on use of a computer workstation or academic-style lecture and discussion. This methodology may be used as a component in a “blended” approach utilizing alternative methodologies.

c. Curriculum Development

Curriculum development is defined as the process of selecting, organizing, executing, and evaluating learning experiences on the basis of the needs, abilities, and interest of learners.

Organizations seeking funding under HP-SET must describe the instructional design process that will be utilized in the development, delivery, and assessment of courses funded under this Notice. In addition, applicants must describe the method of course evaluation that will be employed to assess the student reaction to, and effectiveness of, each course https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/investigative-safety-analysis https://fmcsa.lms.dot.gov/course/investigative-safety-analysis included within the application. Examples of instructional system design and program evaluation are provided below. Applicants may elect to use these, or other equivalent models, to achieve the required objectives within this Notice.

• ADDIE Model of Design: https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/addiemodelsop/

• Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation: https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/kirkpatrick/

Regardless of the model utilized, applicants must be sure to clearly identify, explain and justify their approach in the proposal. Please see Appendix C for additional resources pertaining to curriculum development.

d. Key Personnel and Instructors Qualifications

1. Key Personnel

Applicants must list the key personnel (program manager, instructional designer, multi-media developer and exam administrator) responsible for execution of the proposed activities, including details on their qualifications and responsibilities in relation to the project. These key personnel must include, at a minimum, individuals with sufficient experience in instructional system design, multimedia development, audio/visual production, and exam administration. Resumes outlining professional qualifications of these individuals may be attached to the application in lieu of descriptions in the narrative. Applicants must ensure this information includes key personnel’s experience with ILT, VILT, and/or WBT content delivery methodologies.

Sample job descriptions are available for reference at https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/position-job-descriptions/. Applicants may use their own position definitions as long as the core requirements indicated above are met.

2. Instructor Qualifications

Instructor training and qualifications are critical to the success of any training program.

To ensure that students are being provided the best possible learning environment, applicants must outline the process that will be utilized to select instructors, instructor trainers, and other staff responsible for the delivery of learning content. This description should also explain how the grantee will consider continuing instructor education and learning.

Instructor candidates hired by the grantee must complete (or be graduates of) the FMCSA Instructor Development Program (IDP). The IDP is Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) certified. Selected awardees will coordinate with FMCSA regarding IDP scheduling for their staff post award. For more information on FLETA, visit https://www.fleta.gov/. For more information on FMCSA’s IDP, visit .

Organizations have the option of utilizing non-Federal instructors who currently possess active certification via an IDP. Applicants must explain if they will be utilizing new instructors, hiring certified non-Federal instructors, or exercising both options. Grantees wishing to use currently certified individuals will receive a current list from FMCSA post-award. Applicants utilizing instructors certified via a non-FMCSA IDP must https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/addiemodelsop/ https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/kirkpatrick/ https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/position-job-descriptions/ https://www.fleta.gov/ https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/idp-prgrm-manual-v2-1/ provide the certification course information post-award to ensure appropriate national standards are met.

e. Student Examinations, Record Retention, and Reporting

An assessment and/or examination to measure a student’s knowledge, skill, and ability upon completion of instructional courses is essential. In addition, the safe and secure retention of appropriate student records and reporting of measurable outcomes are crucial to the successful execution of an award.

1. Student Examination

Applicants must articulate within their proposal how student examinations and assessments (upon completion of a course) will be designed, developed, implemented, and delivered. Organizations must include options for a secure on-line exam platform for each course within their proposal. Examination definitions specific to this NOFO include:

• Course Exam – written examination taken at the completion of the course to demonstrate proficiency. To align with current requirements for Federal personnel, non-Federal students must score a minimum of 80% in order to successfully pass an exam.

• Re-Exam – to take a written examination to demonstrate proficiency when a student has not successfully passed the written examination with a score of 80% or higher in combination with completing the applicable course. The student may attempt the exam one more time to pass the written examination with a score of 80% or higher. A student who does not successfully pass the re-exam must complete the course again and pass the written examination with a score of 80% or higher.

• Challenge – To take a written examination to demonstrate proficiency when a student has allowed their certification to lapse by not maintaining the certification for that discipline. Student may challenge for each specific discipline one time.

If the student does not pass the written examination with a score of 80% or higher, the student will be required to complete the course and pass the written examination with a score of 80% or higher.

Applicants are encouraged to propose an examination and assessment process that aligns with the current FMCSA model for certification courses. A list of learning objectives, item matrices, and other information pertinent to this model may be found in Appendix C. Please note that any course examination must receive final approval from FMCSA prior to administration.

2. Record Retention Requirements

The retention of comprehensive student records in a secure, but accessible, electronic format is a requirement under this NOFO. FMCSA must be aware of individuals who have passed the necessary courses relevant to the CMV safety activity that they will be performing, as access to pertinent FMCSA information systems and processes by these individuals will be required. As such, electronic training records, for the purpose of this NOFO, must be maintained and made available to FMCSA upon request.

In developing proposals in response to this NOFO, applicants must detail how they will address this requirement. A list of potential training record content is included in Appendix C as a reference. Applicants who are awarded funds under this Notice will be required to submit a record retention policy to FMCSA for approval post-award.

3. Reporting

The successful awardee must collect and report data in accordance with specific performance measures.

Organizations will be expected to submit reports on a schedule outlined post-award.

Applicants must ensure that the systems and processes they propose within their application are capable of providing data in areas including, but not limited to, the number of courses, registrations, students, exam results (passing and failing), certifications/re-certifications approved and other areas as identified by FMCSA-post-award.

SECTION B – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Funding and Number of Awards

The FMCSA anticipates making approximately 3 awards totaling $5,000,000 subject to the availability of funds, as a result of applications in response to this NOFO.

FMCSA will limit Federal funding to a maximum total amount of $5,000,000.00.

2. Type of Award

Awards under this NOFO will be issued as a cooperative agreement.

3. Degree of Federal Involvement

In accordance with 31 U.S.C. § 6305, FMCSA will award a cooperative agreement when substantial involvement between FMCSA and the recipient is anticipated when carrying out the activity.

For this funding opportunity, substantial involvement includes, but is not limited to:

• FMCSA will administer an Instructor Development Program. In addition, FMCSA will monitor and retain all documentation for certified instructors. Applicants have the option of using alternate IDPs as described previously in the NOFO.

• Project initiation meeting to establish broad objectives and timetables to complete activities as provided in the original application.

• Joint development and FMCSA’s advance approval of education materials, reports, etc. as listed in the original application and as part of an approved project.

• FMCSA will assign Subject Matter Experts to monitor courses and conduct Master Instructor evaluations.

• FMCSA must have access to the recipient’s Learning Management System and file-sharing system specific to this NOFO.

• Joint development and FMCSA’s advance approval of grantee policies relating to waivers from class attendance, examinations, or other special circumstances.

Under a cooperative agreement, FMCSA may assign a subject matter expert to provide technical assistance to the recipient; assist with the exchange of ideas and information as necessary and permissible; and perform other actions relating to the monitoring of performance activities under this award.

The recipient also agrees to designate a project manager or key point of contact to work with FMCSA and act as a liaison between the awardee and the Federal Government.

FMCSA will further outline the nature of Federal involvement at the time of award and include additional details, as relevant, in the award documentation.

4. Period of Performance

The period of performance is the Federal fiscal year in which the award is made, plus four additional fiscal years.

5. Standard Title VI/Non-Discrimination Program Assurance and Plan Title VI

Assessments

The FMCSA Title VI Program Grant requirements shall be met by a Title VI Program Compliance Plan, which includes a CEO-signed/dated Title VI Program Assurance. The Title VI Program Assurance commits the grant applicant to complying with Title VI and related nondiscrimination authorities to ensure that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, low income, or Limited English Proficiency, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity for which the applicant receives Federal financial assistance from FMCSA. Prior to the grant program application submission deadline, the applicant will complete these items:

• Title VI Program Assurance – The Applicant will fill in where prompted the name of the Applicant’s organization on pages #1-4 of the plan template and the Applicant’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will sign and date page #4 of the document. The Assurance will then be inserted as section two of the Plan or may be referenced in section two of the Plan and attached at the end of the Plan.

• Title VI Program Compliance Plan Checklist – The Applicant will use the Checklist as the format for the draft Plan. If the Applicant already has a Plan that was developed using the Checklist and previously approved by FMCSA, the Applicant will update the Plan by having the Applicant’s CEO re-sign/re-date the Policy Statement and the Program Assurance and will update the remainder of the Plan by providing the status on any sections under development and/or any procedural changes. The Applicant will submit the draft/revised draft Plan to FMCSA’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for review, comments as appropriate, and approval.

To begin this coordination, please contact Mr. Lester Finkle, FMCSA National Title VI Program Manager, at lester.finkle@dot.gov.

Please do not upload the Title VI Plan with the application. The Plan must be submitted directly to Lester Finkle (Lester.Finkle@dot.gov) by the application due date.

mailto:lester.finkle@dot.gov mailto:Lester.Finkle@dot.gov

SECTION C – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The HP-SET award is available to a nonprofit organization that has:

• expertise in conducting a training program for non-Federal employees; and

• the ability to reach and involve in a training program a target population of commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement and compliance employees.

For Profit Organizations are NOT eligible entities.

In general, nonprofit organization entities may apply for HP-SET projects related to training non-Federal employees who conduct commercial motor vehicle enforcement activities and development of related training materials.

2. Cost-Sharing and Matching Requirements

The FMCSA will not require a matching share for fiscal year 2022 awards.

SECTION D - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

Potential applicants may obtain all forms at www.Grants.gov.

Applicants may also request paper copies of materials at:

Telephone: (202) 366-0621 (FMCSA Grants Management Help Desk)

Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Grants Management Office (MC-BG), 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE, West Building Washington, DC 20590.

2. Content and Form of Application Submissions

Application packages must contain the below elements and all applicable documentation described in Appendix A to be considered for an award. Appendix B contains example formats that may be, but are not required to be, used.

i. Formatting

The application must follow the format and limitations stated below:

a. Application must be prepared in 8 1/2 x 11-inch format.

b. Margins (Top, Bottom, Right and Left) no smaller than 1” on all pages (Header and Footer are allowed in the margins).

c. Times New Roman 12pt. font must be used for all text, including tables and graphs.

d. Application must be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word, Excel, or in text searchable PDF formats (as applicable).

e. The application narrative is limited to 30 total pages (5-page limit per narrative section, NOT per project). FMCSA will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process. NOTE: The 30-page total limit will apply to the narrative section only. Submission of documentation and forms described in Appendix A will not count against the application page limit.

http://www.grants.gov/

ii. Narrative Section Requirements

Application narrative packages are limited to 30 total pages (5-page limit for each section listed below.) This requirement is per application, not per project. Submission of all required SF forms, key contacts, attachment forms, and indirect cost agreements do not count against the page limitation.

The application must include the following sections in consecutive order for each of the proposed projects:

a. Brief Introduction – Provide a description of the purpose(s) for the project and reference the applicable priority(s) being met as described in Section A, National Priority Descriptions. This section must include the intended outcome(s) of the proposed projects.

b. Performance Objective – Provide a description of the applicant’s anticipated quantifiable objective(s). This may be measured in numbers, percentages, or other forms that accurately measure the outputs and outcomes the applicant anticipates will result from implementing the strategies and activities proposed based on NOFO requirements. Objectives must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. Please note that applicants must include expected performance objectives for each project included in the application.

When creating performance objectives in response to the NOFO, applicants should consider objective examples for each of the courses that will be delivered. Examples include but are not limited to the number of students trained in each course, what development projects will be undertaken, etc.

c. Project Activity Plan – Provide a description of the activities the applicant will conduct to address the training requirements identified within the proposal and how the performance objective(s) and outcome(s) will be achieved. The description must include specific strategies relating to course development, implementation, evaluation, and other areas highlighted in Section A. Information must include: (1) Personnel summary inclusive of the number of personnel assigned to the project, their percentage of time dedicated to the project, and total number of hours needed to complete the project. (2) Level of effort summary inclusive of the number and frequency of activities, number of courses provided, types of courses provided, and a project timeline including dates, tasks, milestones, and project end-date associated with meeting the performance objectives. Please note that applicants must carefully read Section A to ensure that all required areas are addressed within their Project Activity Plan.

d. Performance Measurement Plan – Provide a description of how the applicant will measure progress towards achieving the performance objective(s). The measurement must include quantifiable and measurable outcomes and outputs (for example number of students trained, number of courses offered, number pass/failed, etc.). The measures must include specific targets/benchmarks that can be reported in the quarterly progress report and annual outcomes which will gauge the progress being made on achieving the objectives and activities identified for each project.

e. Reporting Plan – Provide a description of the applicant’s method for ongoing monitoring of the progress of the project. This should include who will conduct the monitoring, the frequency with which it will be carried out, and how and to whom reports will be made as defined in Section A under “Reporting.”

Each report shall provide concise statements concerning activities relevant to the project, including activity and performance metrics directly relating to the performance of grant activities during that period. Applicants must state, as specifically as possible, what metrics they anticipate reporting within this section of their application.

f. Budget Narrative – For each project provide a justification by budget category for the expenses entered in the application’s SF-424a. The narrative must include detailed justification for the requested expenses to complete the proposed project. The level of detail should be sufficient for the reviewer to evaluate whether expenses are allowable, allocable, reasonable and necessary as established by 2 CFR § 200. All line items must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the budget narrative template included in the HP-SET application package on Grants.gov.

iii. SF-424 and SF-424A forms

SF 424 Field 18 box (a) - Estimated Funding – Must reflect the total estimated Federal funding requested to complete the project plan. As no match/cost sharing is required, enter “0” in Box (b). Box (g) should equal the total project amount, which is the sum of boxes (a) and (b). All costs must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

SF-424A – Section A – Budget Summary – Must reflect the Federal share in column (e), and the total cost per project in column (g). Each project in the application must be shown on lines 1-4 as applicable with the Total for each column on line 5. Note line 5 column (e)(f) and (g) must reconcile with SF-424 field 18, as described above. All costs must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

Section B – Budget Categories – Capture the total amount per object class categories, as applicable. In the column headings (1) through (4), enter the titles, that match narrative title, for each of the proposed projects. Please note, the SF-424A covers the life of the project costs, and not just the first year (as stipulated in the SF-424A instructions). Section B must be completed. All costs must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

For full instructions on completing these forms, please go to:

https://www.Grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

3. SAM.Gov Requirement

The applicant must:

a. Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application at https://www.sam.gov; and

b. Effective April 1, 2022, entities will be required to use a unique entity identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov.

The applicant must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration. To remain registered in the SAM database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update the registration at least every 12 months from the date of initial registration or subsequently update its information in the SAM database to ensure it is current, accurate, and complete.

If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency 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.

4. Submission Dates and Times

a. Deadline

FULL AND COMPLETE APPLICATIONS FOR HP-SET Financial Assistance ARE DUE ON August 19, 2022 by 5:00 pm EST. Once Grants.gov has received your submission, you will receive email messages to advise you of the progress of your application through the system. Over the next two business days, you should receive two emails: 1) confirming application receipt by the Grants.gov system; and 2) indicating that the application has either been successfully validated by Grants.gov prior to transmission to FMCSA or has been rejected due to errors. The applicant assumes all responsibility for a timely and complete application submission. Click here for more information.

b. Consideration of Applications

Only applicants who comply with all submission deadline requirements described in this NOFO and electronically submit valid applications through Grants.gov will be eligible for consideration of award. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make submissions well in advance of the deadline.

c. Late Applications

The FMCSA will not consider a late application except under extraordinary circumstances.

A late application will be accepted only if there is a large-scale natural disaster or a significant Grants.gov system issue that threatens the timely submission of a grant application. Problems with computer systems at the applicant organization (excluding https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html verified cyberattacks), failure to follow the application instructions, or failure to submit or complete the program application or complete required registrations by the submission deadline are not considered system issues.

5. Intergovernmental Review

The HP-SET Program and this funding opportunity are subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” The States with a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and therefore a requirement to comply with E.O. 12372 are listed at the Office of Management and Budget’s website:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/

6. Funding Restrictions

HP-SET funds will be awarded through a competitive evaluation process and are not guaranteed. All funding decisions will be made based on meeting the requirements of the NOFO, FMCSA’s HP-SET priorities, and the merits of the respective applications.

All cost elements of an application must be necessary, reasonable, allocable, and allowable to accomplish the objective(s) of the project. Cost eligibility standards are described in the applicable cost principles and administrative requirements:

• 2 CFR part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards; and

• The FMCSA’s MCP, as revised (available from FMCSA's Division Offices) and on FMCSA’s MCSAP Website.

In accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR §§ 350.415 & 350.417 and the Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements Cost Principles, additional guidance on eligible expenses under HP-SET is included in the MCP. The eligibility of all expenditures is subject to review by

FMCSA.

FMCSA is not obligated to approve costs incurred outside the award period of performance.

These costs are incurred at the sole risk of the applicant and impose no obligation on FMCSA to make an award or to increase the amount of the approved budget.

FMCSA will not provide reimbursement for indirect costs if an approved indirect cost rate (IDC) agreement was not in place for the period of time the indirect cost expenses were incurred. If claiming indirect cost charges, the grant recipient must include an active approved IDC agreement with the application submitted for funding. Should the grant recipient fail to provide an approved agreement during the pre-award phase and a grant is awarded, the grant recipient will have 90 days from the date of award acceptance to provide a copy of the IDC agreement. If we do not receive the required documentation within the allocated time frame, the grant recipient will not be reimbursed for indirect charges for that fiscal year. Once an approved rate is provided to FMCSA, the grant recipient will then, be allowed to claim indirect cost in the fiscal following the fiscal year of the award. 2 CFR § 200.414(c).

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Any non-Federal entity that does not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate, except for those non-Federal entities described in appendix VII of 2 CFR part 200, may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs, which may be used indefinitely. No documentation is required to justify the 10% de minimis indirect cost rate. See 2 CFR § 200.414(f).

All FMCSA grant programs are cost-reimbursable, which means that grant recipients must first incur costs before submitting a request for reimbursement to FMCSA for costs associated with approved activities identified in the grant agreement. Recipients will be reimbursed by FMCSA for actual costs incurred, provided that the costs are reasonable, approved, allowable, and allocable in accordance with the OMB regulations and FMCSA policy, within the approved budget, and supported by documentation. Recipients must request reimbursement at least once each quarter.

Recipients must submit requests for reimbursement electronically through the Delphi eInvoicing System (iSupplier). Additional information is available at:

https://www.transportation.gov/cfo/delphi-einvoicing-system

FMCSA will not provide reimbursement for salary-related bonus payments, either as a direct or indirect cost. Bonus costs are not a necessary expense under FMCSA awards. See 2 CFR part 200, Subpart E; 2 CFR §§ 200.403 – 200.405

7. Other Submission Requirements

Applications must be submitted electronically via https://www.Grants.gov as described above in this section. In the event of system problems or technical difficulties with the application submittal, please call Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or e-mail support@grants.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal holidays).

To submit an application through Grants.gov, applicants must:

• Create a username and password.

• Establish an E-Business point of contact (POC) in order to respond to the registration emails.

• Establish at least one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); more than one AOR can be established.

Please note the registration process in Grants.gov usually takes 2-4 business weeks to complete. The FMCSA will not consider late applications due to failure to register or comply with Grants.gov requirements.

In addition, applicants should also state within their Project Activity Plan narrative whether the proposed project(s) is/are located in a qualified opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 1400Z-1.

https://www.transportation.gov/cfo/delphi-einvoicing-system https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov

SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

a. Eligibility Criteria

FMCSA will first screen all applications received by the due date to determine if the application is eligible. In addition to the eligibility criteria under Section C, FMCSA will review the application for the following below criteria.

Application Eligibility Criteria Instructions Deadline submission was met Section D.4, E.2.i Applicant eligibility was met Section A & C.1

SAM Registration Section D.3 SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance Section A, Section D.2.iii

SF-424 includes a UEI Section D.3 SF-424 lists any cost sharing or match amounts on line 18b Section D.2.iii, iv

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section A, D.2.ii, iii Budget Narrative Section A, D.2.ii, iv

Application/Project Narrative Section A, D.2.ii Any other applicable Grants.gov document or attachment listed in Appendix A Appendix A

b. Merit Evaluation Criteria

FMCSA subject matter experts will review all eligible applications using the following Merit Evaluation Criteria: Technical Merit Criteria; Budget Cost Analysis Criteria;

Program-Specific Criteria; Past Performance Criteria; and Other Review Information.

• Technical Merit

The criteria are related to the technical and programmatic merit of an application.

FMCSA will consider the extent to which the applications:

1) Utilize a data-driven approach to clearly articulate the problem(s) the project(s) seek to address;

2) Include components that address specific HP-SET national priorities;

3) Include proposed methodology that meets the stated objectives of the NOFO;

4) Propose work that identifies and/or makes progress on new/existing concepts;

5) Propose work that fully addresses the national training needs of non-Federal personnel and is based on sound principles to measure performance and gauge project success;

6) Include staffing resource allocations sufficient to achieve the program objectives;

7) Demonstrate appropriateness, rationale, and completeness of the proposed statement of project objectives;

8) Clearly identify quantifiable performance objectives and measurements, such as the number and types of courses to be offered, frequency of course offerings, student enrollment targets, pass/fail rates, etc.

9) Employ a diversity of technical approaches and support innovation in course delivery methods.

10) Include efforts that are complementary and not duplicative, which, when taken together, will best achieve the programs objectives; and

11) Represent different kinds and sizes of organizations to provide a balanced programmatic effort and a variety of different technical perspectives.

• Budget/Cost Analysis Criteria

These criteria involve the budget: whether costs are allowable in accordance with Federal grant requirements, including the appropriateness and reasonableness of the budget estimate and the resources to be dedicated to the project; and the reasonableness and feasibility of the schedule relative to the application timeline.

The budget should describe specific activities that support the objective(s) of the program.

FMCSA will evaluate applications and other information, including, but not limited to the following:

1) Elements of work included in the application have associated budget costs and, conversely, all elements in the applicant’s budget have corresponding work elements included in the application;

2) Costs are allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable per 2 CFR part 200;

3) Costs in a particular cost category have been properly identified as allowable, with the necessary detail for its use, and are not duplicative to the other budget line items;

4) The appropriate match (if required) is correctly calculated and is documented, as applicable;

5) All equipment, training, and travel components are clearly linked to the project objective(s) and are necessary to adequately compensate, equip, train, and enable personnel to conduct the activities included in the project plan.

• Program-Specific Criteria

The application must indicate how the applicant organization intends to carry out training activities that address the certification needs of non-Federal personnel responsible for CMV safety and enforcement activities in alignment with FMCSA safety priorities and statutory requirements that will likely achieve successful completion within the award’s period of performance.

This relates to program-specific policy areas such as statutory references, published policy documents, etc., that may factor into an award recommendation.

HP-SET program-specific factors may include but are not limited to:

1. The extent to which the project(s) proposes and supports the delivery of training courses that comprehensively address the certification and training requirements of all non-Federal personnel engaged in commercial motor vehicle safety inspections, hazardous materials enforcement and investigatory activities.

2. The extent to which the project proposes a method(s) of curriculum design and course evaluation that meets or exceeds industry best practices for adult learners in a professional certification course.

3. The extent to which a project proposes multiple methods of course delivery and evaluation, supported by appropriately qualified and experienced key personnel.

4. The extent to which any contractors or sub-awardees that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort are similarly qualified and experienced in implementing projects of similar design or magnitude.

5. The extent to which an application demonstrates an effective approach to instructor selection, training and evaluation.

6. The extent to which a proposal describes an applicant’s approach to course assessment, student examination, and record retention that adheres to Federal and industry standards/best practices, and is responsive to the need for data sharing and regular communication between the applicant and the grantor.

• Past Performance Criteria

Applicants that have previously received FMCSA grant funding will be evaluated in part on their past ability to complete prior awards on time, their compliance with those grant terms and conditions, including review of any financial and performance quarterly reports, and the results of any FMCSA grant monitoring activities, to include budget execution, original budget vs. final budget, and unexpended balances.

Applicants that have not previously received grant funding from FMCSA are not subject to this review, and their applications will not be eliminated from funding consideration for failure to show past performance.

For applicants with past performance history, FMCSA will evaluate applications in consideration of past performance to determine the extent to which:

1) The applicant used Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as a guide to review prior personnel and budgetary practices to judge if the proposed expenditures are reasonable and necessary to conduct the proposed projects and if costs are allowable under applicable Federal regulations;

2) The applicant successfully performs and manages current (or prior) project tasks (e.g., within budget and on schedule);

3) There are any issues or findings from monitoring activities (e.g., audit, program or process reviews) where the applicant violated the grant terms and conditions;

4) The applicant’s previous performance and financial reports were submitted late, incomplete, or incorrectly; and/or the applicant has consistently requested additional time to complete the reports; and

5) The recipient has high undelivered order (UDO) balances from prior grants awarded for similar activities.

• Other Review Information

After applying the above criteria, FMCSA will take into account the following key Departmental objectives to the extent possible:

1) Supporting economic vitality at the national and regional level;

2) Using innovative approaches to improve learning and ensure adequate course delivery;

3) Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance and achieving…