CMVOST NOFO 1-30-23 for grants.gov.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 Operator Safety Training Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FM-DTG-23-001

Assistance Listing Number: 20.235

Key Date – Application Due Date:

April 3, 2023

5:00 p.m. EST

Point of Contact:

Financial application concerns: James Ross

202-366-0133 james.ross@dot.gov

Programmatic application concerns: Francisco

Soto 202-366-6511 Francisco.soto@dot.gov mailto:james.ross@dot.gov mailto:Francisco.soto@dot.gov

Table of Contents

SECTION A – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION B – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

SECTION C – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

SECTION D – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION F - FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

SECTION G - FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT(S)

SECTION H - OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX A – APPLICATION PACKAGE REQUIREMENT CHECKLIST

APPENDIX B – PROJECT AND BUDGET NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

APPENDIX C – ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION

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SECTION A - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Overview and Authorizing Statutes and Regulations

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration (FMCSA) announces its Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Commercial Motor Vehicle

Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) grant program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications from organizations that provide commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operator training, including accredited public or private colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, post-secondary educational institutions, truck driver training schools, associations, and State and local governments, including Federally recognized Native

American Tribal governments. FMCSA will also accept applications from non-accredited institutions that are approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as eligible training providers to accept Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants and approved by the State Approving Agencies (SAAs) and the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) to accept VA benefits.

The FY 2023 CMVOST grant program is authorized under 49 U.S.C. 31103, as modified by

Section 23001(b) of Public Law 117-58 (2021), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

FMCSA anticipating awarding approximately $3,200,000, as authorized by BIL. Final funding amounts are subject to the availability of funding appropriated by Congress.

CMVOST Goals and Objectives

FMCSA’s mission is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. FMCSA’s program of awarding grants for operator safety training furthers that mission.

The CMVOST grant program supports the Secretary’s strategic goals. Its purpose is to train individuals in the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles. This program will prioritize training for current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reservists.

FMCSA provides financial assistance under the CMVOST grant program to organizations that provide CMV operator training.

CMVOST financial assistance awards are aligned with the following DOT strategic goals and the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS):

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

• 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.

• Equity: Reduce inequities across our transportation systems and communities they affect. Support and engage people and communities to promote safe, affordable, Page | 2 accessible, and multimodal access to opportunities and services while reducing transportation-related disparities, and adverse community impact health effects.

• Climate & Sustainability: Tackle the climate crisis by ensuring that transportation plays a central role in the solution. Substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transportation-related pollution and build more resilient and sustainable transportation systems to benefit and protect communities.

• Transformation: Design for the future. Invest in purpose-driven research and innovation to meet the challenge of the present and modernize a transportation system of the future that serves everyone today and in the decades to come.

The NRSS is a comprehensive plan to work with stakeholders across the country to significantly reduce injuries and deaths on America’s roadways using a safe system approach. This approach lowers risks by building in multiple layers of protection: safer roads, safer people, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and better post-crash care.

https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS.

Applicants, where appropriate, 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.

This NOFO provides information about the FY 2023 CMVOST program activities/projects and guidance related to preparing and submitting a grant application. The Federal Financial

Assistance Listing 20.235 provides additional CMVOST grant program information.

CMVOST grant funds are awarded through a competitive grant process. No assurance of funding is implied, nor should it be inferred.

Training providers should be aware that FMCSA established new minimum training requirements for individuals applying for their CDL for the first time; an upgrade of a CDL;

or a hazardous materials, passenger, or school bus endorsement for the first time. These individuals are subject to the entry-level driver training requirements and must complete a prescribed program by an entity that is listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.

Applicants must also be an approved training provider at the time of submission. The compliance date of this new requirement was February 7, 2022. For more information on these requirements, please visit FMCSA’s website at: https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.

2. FY 2023 CMVOST National Priorities

All applications must support the public purpose listed below. FMCSA may not award grant funding to individuals for personal gain, such as individual requests for obtaining specialized training required for CDL licensing, or to any private business for direct financial gain or profit. FMCSA will prioritize grant funds for tuition expenses for students who meet the definition of “Qualified Students.” Special consideration will be given to “students of underserved communities” and the refugee community as defined below.

http://www.transportation.gov/NRSS https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/

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All applications must support the purpose of the CMVOST grant program, which is: i) to train individuals in the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles, and ii) to assist current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and

Reservists, as well as certain family members, to obtain a CDL.

“Qualified Students” include current and former members of the armed forces including their children and spouses of service members. All such family member students are eligible for training, with or without the service member. Service members will receive priority for funding.

“Students of underserved communities” are who are defined in Executive Order 13985

(86 FR 7009)and include people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

“Refugees” are those individuals who have abandoned their country as a result of major wars, persecution, torture, or genocide under Executive Order 14013 (86 FR 8839).

i. All applicants must provide:

a. the number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to be recruited;

b. the number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to complete the training/course curriculum;

c. the number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to obtain a CDL;

d. the number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to be placed in CDL driver positions;

e. the duration and curriculum of the training for the students;

f. job placement and retention services/resources for the students following graduation;

g. an overview on how monitoring and evaluating protocols will be used to measure success and performance outcomes;

h. proof that the institution is either accredited or certified to accept WIOA grants;

and

i. proof that the institution is listed on the Training Provider Registry.

ii. Applicants must provide the following information, if applicable:

a. proximity to a military installation or other nearby opportunities to reach

Page | 4 veterans and/or members of underserved communities/refugees;

b. confirmation that the applicant has an on-campus Recruitment Office, Veterans Affairs Office, and Job Placement Office;

c. a copy of the published all-inclusive tuition and other costs a student would be required to pay to obtain a CDL, broken down by type (e.g., student activity fees, range fees, Medical Certificate, DMV fees and miscellaneous expenses);

d. whether published tuition cost includes any of the following: DOT physicals, required DOT drug testing fees, driver licensing fees, etc.; and

e. if and how the applicant will address the challenges faced by students of underserved communities and refugees.

Beginning February 7, 2022, an entry-level driver is only permitted to take the relevant

CDL skills or knowledge test after completing the training required by the Entry Level

Driver Training (ELDT) regulations from a provider listed on the Training Provider

Registry. All applicants must meet the requirements for ELDT and be register and listed in the Training Provider Registry prior to submitting an application.

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SECTION B – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Funding and Number of Awards

FMCSA anticipates making approximately 15 awards as a result of applications in response to this NOFO. FMCSA reserves the right to allocate additional funds for awards based on the number and quality of applications.

Note: FMCSA will limit Federal funding to a total amount of $200,000 per award. All funding amounts are subject to the availability of funds under the FY 2023

Appropriations Act.

2. Type of Awards

The planned award type is a grant.

3. Period of Performance

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 31104(f)(5), as modified by Section 23001(b) of Public Law 117-

58 (2021), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CMVOST grant awards have a period of performance that is the fiscal year of award plus two additional fiscal years. The period of performance begins upon the award date.

4. Degree of Federal Involvement

Grant:

Substantial involvement is not expected between FMCSA and the recipient when carrying out the activity outlined in the agreement. FMCSA provides financial assistance, technical assistance, and oversight. Recipients provide the effort and expertise necessary to carry out the approved activities to improve CMV safety.

Recipients are responsible for achieving the work described in their grant award, complying with the grant requirements in the grant award and the Terms and

Conditions, as well as the local administration of the grant, and monitoring and oversight of any sub-recipients or sub-contractors.

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SECTION C – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

Educational institutions accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education will be considered for funding.

Non-accredited institutions that are approved by the DOL as eligible training providers and who accept WIOA grants; and approved by the SAAs, and the VA to accept VA benefits will also be considered for funding.

All applicants must meet the requirements for ELDT and be listed on the Training

Provider Registry. Additionally, applicants must submit documentation to support that the entity meets the eligibility requirements (see Appendix C).

2. Cost-Sharing and Matching Requirements

FMCSA will not require a matching share for fiscal year 2023 awards.

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SECTION D - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

The applicants must complete and submit all forms included in this NOFO at www.grants.gov.

When completing the Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 form, applicants must indicate the application type is a “CMVOST” in box 15, “Descriptive Title of Applicant’s

Project.”

If you require paper copies of materials, you may request copies at:

Email: FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov

Telephone: (202) 366-0621 (Grant 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 Submission

The application package must contain the elements listed below and all documentation described in Appendix A to be considered for an award. Appendix B contains examples for formatting purposes only but are not required to be used.

i. Formatting

The application must follow the format and limitation stated below:

a. Application must be prepared on 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 12 pt. 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 25 total pages. FMCSA will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process. NOTE: The 25 total page limit will apply to the narrative section only.

Submission of documentation and forms described in Appendix A will not http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov

Page | 8 count against the application page limit.

ii. Brief Introduction (Project Narrative and Organizational Capacity)

(5-page maximum)

This section demonstrates that the applicant has the expertise to successfully implement the stated strategies and achieve its stated goal(s). This section includes information related to the applicant’s training program, its ability to conduct recruitment and career placement, and its ability to successfully manage a Federal financial assistance award. It should also include the proximity to military bases and the established business relationships that have made the entity successful in recruiting qualified students, and/or those that are underserved, in the past. In addition, applicants that have received previous CMVOST grant funding should provide a brief narrative about any operational obstacles they encountered that may have prevented them from meeting the approved performance metrics.

Example: The Applicant has been providing CDL training since 1986 and is the preferred training provider for several large government and for-profit organizations. The training and recruitment are within 60 miles of a major military base and a VA hospital. The Applicant maintains an on-campus Office of Veterans Affairs and is recognized by GI Jobs Magazine as a military-friendly program. Its experience includes training drivers in the safe operation of all commercial vehicles, including passenger vehicles and tankers. The Applicant is currently registered on the FMCSA ELDT Training Registry for in-person training and has x locations registered to provide training.

iii. Problem Statement and Performance Objective (5-page maximum)

A description of the goal(s) of the application and the applicable program priority(s) met by the application’s projects. Include in this section specific information about the outcomes/results the applicant proposes to achieve with the funding requested.

Example: The demand for financial assistance to provide CDL training continues to grow. This application will fund at least 20 individuals by providing commercial motor vehicle operator safety training. The Training will assist in reducing the severity and number of crashes on U.S. roads involving commercial motor vehicles.

Specifically, to recruit current and former members of the United States Armed

Forces (including National Guard members and Reservists) and their spouses or children (Qualified Students), provide them with superior safety-focused training, and offer placement services to assist them in becoming employed in the transportation industry. In support of Federal Executive Order 13985, recruit people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

iv. Program Activity Workplan (5-page maximum)

A description of the applicant’s quantifiable goal related to the above problem statement. This must be measured in three activity areas:

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a. Activity 1 – Recruiting Qualified Students and/or Underserved

Students/Refugees: applicant must describe the entity’s current recruitment practices focused on the defined “qualified students”

Example: Applicant has a wide recruitment network that concentrates on outreach to veteran and military applicants, and/or those that are underserved. Applicant’s recruiting staff uses existing veteran organizations, visits to military bases, public advertising and promotion, and job fairs in coordination with local workforce training agencies to achieve focused recruiting of current and/or former members of the military.

b. Activity 2 – Training Qualified Students and/or Underserved

Students/Refugees: applications must clearly describe the entity’s established

CMV training program; must project the number of students who will graduate/successfully complete the course curriculum; and must project the number of students who will be issued/obtain a CDL. Please ensure it includes the number of hours for the established training curriculum and the training meets the requirement under ELDT. Attach a copy or provide a hyperlink to the course program requirements and tuition costs that are published for the general public.

Example: The CDL training program takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete and includes 105 hours of classroom instruction, 25 hours of off-road training and 44 hours of behind-the-wheel training; the curriculum is as follows (insert course listing here –). Based upon historical graduation rates, we project that 95% of all enrolled students will complete all required hours of training in order to pass/graduate, and of those students who graduated, we project that 98% of those students will obtain their

CDL.

c. Activity 3 – Providing Students with Post-Graduation Job Placement

Assistance: include the projected number of students who will be offered a

CDL position.

Example: Concurrent with training, students are given numerous opportunities to speak with on-site recruiters; students are given guidance in interviewing strategies for achieving employment; students are provided with assistance and counseling in evaluating pay, benefits, lifestyle, and location pros and cons.

v. Program Evaluation and Monitoring Plan (Performance Measurement Plan) (5-page maximum):

A description of how the applicant will measure progress towards the performance goals and objectives by using quantifiable measures to capture performance outcomes. In addition, the applicant must include how it plans to determine if a driver was retained in the industry at the end of the period of performance. The measurement must include specific benchmarks that can be reported on in the quarterly progress report, as appropriate. These should include all the activities listed

Page | 10 in the project plan.

Example: All academic and skills training for each student will be documented weekly and compared to current baseline training data to determine the effectiveness of training activities and program administration; data will be maintained for each course on the number of students recruited, qualified, enrolled, and graduated, the number of students who passed the CDL test, and the number placed in the trucking industry.

vi. Budget Narrative (5-page maximum)

A budget narrative is a description by budget category (object class or type of expense) that details the costs necessary to complete the proposed projects. The budget narrative ensures that the applicant has properly documented proposed costs.

The level of detail should be sufficient to justify the funding requested.

Only tuition and indirect cost are eligible under this grant. Tuition expenses must be broken down to include all elements included in the published rate. If the published rate includes the cost of the medical certification, books, and first skills testing fee, it should be listed with the standard cost that is inclusive of the tuition rate. If a student drops out prior to completing the course curriculum, FMCSA will reimburse the recipient based on its written refund policy for students minus any expenses that the recipient did not incur (e.g., cost of commercial learner’s permit, cost of commercial driver’s license, cost of medical certification). General Grant Guidance on how to develop an application budget narrative is included in Appendix B. All costs in the budget narrative, SF-424 and SF-424A must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount. Do not include cents for Federal and Recipient cost share or match on SF-424, SF-424A and budget narrative.

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

The applicant must:

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

ii. Entities are required to obtain and 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 FMCSA is ready to make a Federal award, FMCSA 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.

https://www.sam.gov/

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4. Submission Dates and Times

i) Deadline

FULL AND COMPLETE APPLICATIONS for Commercial Motor Vehicle

Operator Safety Training Grants are DUE ON April 3, 2023 by 5:00 p.m. 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.

Within two business days of receipt of your submission, 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 responsibility for a timely and complete submission. Go to www.grants.gov for more information.

ii. Consideration of Applications

Only applicants who comply with all submission deadlines 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 in advance of the deadline.

iii. Late Applications

FMCSA will not consider a late application except under extraordinary circumstances. A late application will only be accepted if there is a large-scale natural disaster or a Grants.gov system issue that threatens the timely submission of a grant application. Problems with computer systems at the applicant organization, 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 of Federal Programs.

The CMVOST grant program and this funding opportunity are subject to Executive

Order 12372. Applicants with a Single Point of Contact, and therefore required to comply with Executive Order 12372, are listed in the Office of Management and

Budget's (OMB) website at: www.whitehouse.gov/omb.

6. Funding Restrictions

FMCSA will not fund any costs that are not a part of the training entity’s published tuition rate. Example of these non-funded costs are instructors or recruiters or administrative support salaries or other general recurring expenses associated with the applicant’s daily operations.

All coursework, including classroom and range time, and placement services that are http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb

Page | 12 being requested for reimbursement under this application must be completed prior to the period of performance end date. Proper planning is critical for fulfilling the grant objectives within the period of performance. FMCSA will not pro-rate costs.

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 increase the amount of the approved budget.

All costs must be allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary to achieve the stated goals, and must comply with the cost principles in 2 CFR part 200. Compliance with these requirements is the responsibility of the recipient of Federal funds. Costs must also be consistently applied and documented. These standards are described in the applicable cost principles and administrative requirements in 2 CFR 200.400 through

200.475. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in reimbursements under the award being deemed improper and subsequently disallowed.

Eligible CMV operator grant program costs are limited to:

i. The applicant’s published tuition rate. The tuition may include such costs for

DOT physicals, required DOT drug testing fees, and driver licensing fees, if they are standard published elements that are included in the published tuition rate.

ii. Indirect Costs (IDC) based upon the approved IDC rate from a cognizant agency.

FMCSA will not approve reimbursement requests for IDC if an approved IDC rate agreement is not in force for the period of time that the IDC expenses are incurred.

If claiming IDC 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 allotted time frame, the grant recipient will not be reimbursed for IDC charges for that fiscal year. Once an approved rate is provided to FMCSA, the grant recipient will then, be allowed to claim IDC in the following fiscal year of the award. 2 CFR

200.414(c).

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. 2 CFR 200.414(f).

All FMCSA grant programs are cost reimbursable, which means that grant recipients must first expend their own money before vouchering by submitting an invoice 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

Page | 13 documentation. The 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://einvoice.esc.gov/

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. 2 CFR 200.403 through 200.405

7. Other Submission Requirements

Applications must only 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 at 1-800-518-4726 or e-mail at support@grants.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal holidays).

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

i. Create a username and password.

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

iii. Establish at least one Authorized Organization Representative (AOR).

Please note the registration process in Grants.gov usually takes 2-4 business weeks to complete. FMCSA will not consider applications that are late 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.

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

Assessments

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.

The FMCSA Title VI Program grant requirement consists of an approved Title VI

Program Compliance Plan and Title VI Program Assurance. These documents are required to be approved and must be uploaded with the grant application. FMCSA strongly urges that applicants contact the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights (OCR) as soon as the decision is made to apply for a grant opportunity. This is critical to initiate the

Title VI review process and obtaining guidance on submission requirements. To begin http://www.dot.gov/cfo/delphi-einvoicing-system https://einvoice.esc.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov

Page | 14 this coordination, please contact Mr. Lester Finkle, FMCSA National Title VI Program

Manager, at lester.finkle@dot.gov.

The Title VI Program Assurance template and plan checklist are available on

Grants.gov under the “Related Documents” tab. A technical assistance webinar was recorded and is available at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/grantswebinars as an additional resource to assist with completing the following required documents:

• Title VI Program Assurance: The applicant must fill in the name of the applicant’s organization on pages #1-4 of the template. The Assurance will then be inserted as section two in the Plan, or may be referenced in section two of the Plan and then attach it to 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 has a FMCSA previously approved Plan that was developed using the Checklist, the applicant must update the Plan by having the applicant’s CEO re-sign/re-date the Policy

Statement and Assurance. The remainder of the Plan will be updated by providing the status of any sections under development and/or any procedural changes to include updating any outdated information.

The Applicant must submit a draft Plan, or an updated previously approved Plan, to the

FMCSA OCR for review and comments/edits. After the applicant addresses the comments/edits, the final Plan/final updated Plan must be submitted to the FMCSA

OCR for review and approval.

mailto:lester.finkle@dot.gov https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/grantswebinars

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SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

i. 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.

Eligibility Requirement

1. Was the application submitted by the deadline?

2. Was the application submitted by an eligible applicant?

3. Is this application a duplicate submission as confirmed by the applicant?

4. Was the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) completed?

5. Was the Budget information for Non-Construction form (SF-424A) completed?

6. Was the Assurances for Non-Construction form (SF-424B) completed?

7. Was the grants.gov Certification Regarding Lobbying form completed?

8. Was the Disclosure of Lobbying activities form (SF-LLL) completed?

9. Do the Key Contact forms include PI/PD and ADO contact information?

10. Was a current Indirect Cost Rate agreement included in the application?

11. Was the accreditation documentation submitted with the application?

12. Does the application include the approved FMCSA Office of Civil

Rights-Title VI Program Compliance Plan for FY 2023 including the FMCSA Title VI Program Assurance?

13. Does the application include supporting documentation verifying the applicant is an approved training provider?

ii. 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; Racial Equity, Climate Change & Sustainability Criteria; and Other Review Information. All of these criteria are further explained below.

a. Technical Merit Criteria

FMCSA will evaluate CMVOST applications to determine the extent to which:

1. The application meets the CMVOST program’s priorities and statutory requirements that will likely achieve success. The application includes clearly identified performance goals and measurements, supported by data, as appropriate, and includes benchmarks and timelines.

Page | 16

2. The costs linked to the project’s goals are reasonable and necessary for the project’s success.

3. The proposed approach appears to be reasonable in scope, addresses existing and emerging CDL safety issues, and is likely to be successful within the period of performance.

4. The applicant explained how it has effectively managed project tasks in the past to stay within budget and on schedule.

5. The application includes clearly identified performance goal(s), objectives, and activities with baseline and benchmark data to measure outcomes and outputs.

6. The application includes a monitoring and evaluation component that indicates how the recipient will continuously evaluate performance and outcomes and make adjustment, if necessary, which enables FMCSA to monitor performance and progress toward successful completion.

b. Budget Review/Cost Analysis Criteria

This category of criteria involves 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.

The budget evaluation helps identify project-related risks that must be considered prior to recommendation, in addition to those risks arising from technical uncertainty.

1. FMCSA will evaluate CMVOST applications and other information, including, but not limited to:

i) 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.

ii) Budget costs are allowable, allocable, necessary and reasonable per the

OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards;

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

2. All tuition components are clearly linked to the project’s goal(s) and are necessary to adequately equip, train, and enable personnel to conduct the

Page | 17 activities included in the project plan;

3. A suspension and debarment review that included a review of the applicant’s administrative capability self-certification form and a check against the records in SAM (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information

System). Please note that an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;

4. Any applicant included comments, which FMCSA will review, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, 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 as described in 2 CFR 200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants; and

5. An evaluation of the applicant’s Single Audit in accordance with the Single

Audit Act, if applicable. FMCSA may, at its discretion, request further information and/or conduct an audit to confirm compliance as indicated on the

SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form, as provided for in the United

States Code or the Code of Federal Regulations.

c. Program-Specific

The application must include clearly identified performance goals and measurements that are supported by an appropriate and identified data source and that include benchmarks and timelines that will facilitate evaluating the applicant’s progress towards project completion.

FMCSA will evaluate CMVOST applications to determine the extent to which:

1. The project supports the NOFO’s priority of recruiting and training qualified students.

2. The project supports the priority to advance equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality, as outlined in the

Executive Order 13985.

3. The project complements the applicant’s existing program or enhances its capabilities to serve the qualified students and/or underserved students.

4. The applicant capabilities for serving the qualified students and/or underserved students are articulated sufficiently to support their recruitment and training efforts.

5. The tuition costs and documentation support the costs and are reasonable and

Page | 18 allocable.

d. Past Performance Criteria

Past performance is considered to be a possible indicator of future performance.

Applicants that have previously received

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 on this basis.

FMCSA will evaluate applications and past performance to determine the extent to which the applicant had any problems related to programmatic management and whether any issues have been noted related to project management, compatibility, adherence to project timelines, programmatic reporting, etc.

FMCSA will determine if any organizational, financial, or business management practices, such as vouchering, financial reporting, cost allocation, debt rating, Subpart F (formerly A-133) Single Audit findings, etc., exist.

Based on the applicant’s past performance, FMCSA will determine how well the application demonstrates that the:

1) Proposed project/program is reasonable in scope and likely to succeed within the period of performance.

2) Proposed expenditures are reasonable and necessary to conduct the proposed projects.

3) Milestones and timelines are measurable to allow performance to be monitored;

and

4) Current project tasks are successfully performed and managed (e.g., within budget and on schedule).

e. Racial Equity, Climate Change & Sustainability Criteria

FMCSA will evaluate each application regarding climate change/sustainability and racial equity/barriers to opportunity, to the extent possible, evaluating whether:

1. The project promotes energy efficiency;

2. The project avoids adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, wetlands, and endangered species;

3. The applicant has adopted an equity and inclusion program/plan or has otherwise instituted equity-focused policies to ensure racial equity in the overall project delivery and implementation;

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4. The project improves access to or provides economic growth opportunities for underserved, overburdened, or rural communities; and

5. The project demonstrates consideration was given to climate change and sustainability, as applicable in Executive Order 14008.

6. In support of Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for

Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (86 FR 7009), FMCSA encourages applicants to consider how the project(s) will address the challenges faced by individuals and underserved communities in rural areas, if applicable

f. Other Review Information

After applying the above criteria, FMCSA will take into account the following key Departmental objectives, if applicable:

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

2) Utilizing alternative funding sources and innovative financing models to attract non-Federal sources of infrastructure investment;

3) Accounting for the life-cycle costs of the project to promote the state of good repair;

4) Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite project delivery;

5) Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance and achieving specific, measurable outcomes identified by grant applicants;

6) Consistent with the Department's R.O.U.T.E.S. Initiative

(https://www.transportation.gov/rural), the Department recognizes that rural transportation networks face unique challenges. To the extent that those challenges are reflected in the merit criteria listed in this section, the

Department will consider how the activities proposed in the application will address those challenges, regardless of the geographic location of those activities.

2. Review and Selection Process

i. Review Process

FMCSA will review all eligible applications received by the application deadline according to the merit evaluation criteria outlined in Section 1 above. The review and selection process will consist of an intake/eligibility criteria review, a technical and budget review, a program office review, and final selection. During the technical and budget review, FMCSA technical and financial staff members evaluate and analyze https://www.transportation.gov/rural

Page | 20 applications applying the evaluation criteria and submit their assessments to the program office. Then, the program office will gather and consider the results of the evaluations according to the technical merit, budget review/cost analysis, program-specific, past performance, and other review criteria, described in subsection (1) above, and assign ratings, consistent with the descriptions in this NOFO. The program office will recommend the initial selection of projects for the FMCSA

Administrator’s review. Finally, the FMCSA Administrator will select awards for the

Secretary’s review.

ii. Ratings

FMCSA prioritizes applications using the ratings shown below based on the applicability of the merit criteria and other preferences to the application.

a. Highly Responsive: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criteria, convincingly demonstrates that it will meet the Government's performance requirements and demonstrates minimal or no weaknesses.

b. Responsive: Applicant addresses most aspects of the criteria and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements but contains weaknesses. These weaknesses may be addressed by recommending the award and including a specific programmatic or administrative post-award term and condition or a reduction to requested funding. Applicant otherwise fully addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the likelihood of meeting the Government's expectations and requirements.

c. Not Responsive: Applicant does not sufficiently address the criteria and/or failed to submit required documentation. For example, the application is missing a budget, the project narrative lacks a clearly defined problem statement, missing objectives/goals, etc. The information that the applicant has presented indicates a strong likelihood of failure to meet the Government’s requirements and/or adherence to application submission requirements.

iii. Additional Applicant Information

As determined necessary to support the evaluation and selection process, FMCSA may conduct discussions with applicants to clarify elements of the technical and budget applications, seek additional information as to whether the project can be completed with a reduced award, and request additional detailed and itemized cost information

3. Additional Information: Risk Assessment

Prior to award, each selected applicant will be subject to a risk assessment, as required by

2 CFR 200.206. Depending on the level and severity of FMCSA’s risk assessment findings, FMCSA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive the award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. FMCSA may also impose additional grant award terms and conditions above its customary general

Page | 21 terms and conditions.

The risk assessment is conducted in several parts:

i. A suspension and debarment review that includes a review of the applicant’s administrative capability self-certification form and a check against the records in

SAM (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information

System);

• An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;

ii. FMCSA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, 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 as described in 2 CFR 200.206; and

iii. An evaluation of the applicant’s Single Audit in accordance with the Single Audit

Act, if applicable. FMCSA may, at its discretion, request further information and/or conduct an audit to confirm compliance as indicated on the SF-LLL – Disclosure of

Lobbying Activities form, as provided for in the United States Code or the Code of

Federal Regulations.

NOTE: In accordance with 2 CFR part 200 subpart F, grantees shall provide copies of the audit reports to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (see 2 CFR part 200.512(b). This is only applicable and Federally mandated to recipients that expended $750,000 or more in

Federal awards during their fiscal year.

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SECTION F – FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

Following the evaluation outlined in Section E, the Notice of Grant Agreement (NGA) signed by the FMCSA Grant Officer is the authorizing financial assistance document and will be sent through GrantSolutions. It must be accepted by the recipient before the end of

FY 2023.

FMCSA may approve all or partial funding of a grant application. The NGA issued to the recipient will specify that the award is a grant and will include any special award terms and conditions, if applicable.

After the application review process, FMCSA may find it necessary to contact the applicant with additional questions or for clarification of the application’s components.

FMCSA also reserves the right to determine the amount of awarded funding, including but not limited to factors such as reductions in the scope of work, funding level, period, or method of support prior to recommending any project for funding. Although the process is intended to be collaborative, FMCSA reserves the right to make final decisions on all awards. If selected for funding, applicants may be required to submit a supplemental budget or project narrative based on a partial or modified grant recommendation. FMCSA expects to contact applicants, if necessary, during the Spring of 2023. This contact between applicants and FMCSA does not constitute any assurance that funding will be awarded.

Applicants chosen for grant funding are formally notified electronically by FMCSA’s grant management system (GrantSolutions, www.grantsolutions.gov) before the grant’s execution. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by electronic mail. FMCSA cannot award grants or release information concerning applications recommended for funding until approval is obtained from the Secretary of Transportation.