FY 2021 CMVOST Funding Conf QandAs.pdf

Commercial Driver’s License Division

February 2021

Fiscal Year 2021 Commercial Vehicle Operator Safety

Training (CMVOST) Funding Conference Q&As

On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA)

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Division held its annul funding conference for potential grantees. The purpose of the funding conference was to:

▪ Provide an overview of the CMVOST grant program;

▪ Update participants on the Title VI Compliance Program requirements;

▪ Outline important information from the fiscal year (FY) 2021 CMVOST Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO);

▪ Outline the application and submission information;

▪ Review the Project Template (Appendix B);

▪ Supply participants with available resources and contact information; and

▪ Answer any outstanding questions.

During the funding conference, FMCSA answered several questions. Below are the answers that were provided during the funding conference.

1. Since you are looking to make 10 awards and the limit is $200K and the total is $2M, does that mean all awards will be $200K?

Answer: No, the maximun limit per award is $200,000 per application and your application should not exceed this limit. Applicants should apply for what they plan to accomplish within the established period of performance.

2. Do you anticipate FY 2021 awards overlapping with the FY 2020 grant awards given the pandemic?

Answer: If an applicant has a FY 2020 award and that award was extended, and is later awarded grant funding for FY 2021, then there is the likelihood that an applicant would have two awards open at the same time.

3. If you applied last year and was awarded a CMVOST grant, can we reapply?

Answer: Yes, applicants can apply every year for the CMVOST grant program.

4. What happens to funds that may be left over?

Answer: If a grant recipient does not expend the full amount that is awarded within the period of performance, then the funds are deobligated and returned to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Commercial Driver’s License Division

February 2021

5. If the institution's indirect cost rate does not usually include student tuition payments in their calculation, can we calculate indirect costs on other related program activities, such as the cost to us of recruitment and enrollment?

Answer: Please refer to Section D. 6. – Funding restrictions, of the FY 2021 CMVOST NOFO, for more information on eligible CMVOST grant costs. Eligible costs for FY 2021 include tution and indirect costs based on an approved Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) or De minimus (10%).

6. Are indirect costs eligible or not eligible for reimbursement?

Answer: Yes, indirect costs are eligible based on the approved indirect cost rate from a cognizant agency. Please refer to Section D. 6. – Funding restrictions, of the FY 2021 CMVOST NOFO, for more information on eligible CMVOST grant costs.

7. We have a list of program costs that are publically published, which includes all of the relevant costs (tuition, fees, skills test, etc.). The published tuition rate is the standard rate for all credit programs. Can we use the published program costs?

Answer: Eligible program costs include the applicant’s published tuition rate. “The tuition may include such costs for DOT physicals, required DOT drug testing fees, and skills testing fees, if they are standard published elements that are included in the published tuition rate.” Please refer to Section D.

6. – Funding restrictions, of the FY 2021 CMVOST NOFO, for more information on eligible CMVOST grant costs.