FY 2025 CMVOST NOFO.pdf.pdf

COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR SAFETY TRAINING

GRANT PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Table of Contents

SECTION A – BASIC INFORMATION

SECTION B – ELIGIBILITY

SECTION C – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION D – APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

SECTION E – SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

SECTION F – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION G – AWARD NOTICES

SECTION H – POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINSTRATION

SECTION I – OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX A – APPLICATION PACKAGE REQUIREMENT CHECKLIST

APPENDIX B – PROJECT NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

APPENDIX C – ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION

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SECTION A – BASIC INFORMATION

Notice of Funding Opportunity

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-25-001

Assistance Listing Number: 20.235

Key Date – Application Due Date: February 25, 2025 5:00 p.m. EST

Executive Summary The goals and objectives of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Program is to train future operators in the safe use of commercial motor vehicles. This NOFO focuses on training current and former members of the armed forces, including their families, to obtain a commercial driver’s license. FMCSA also gives special consideration to students from underserved and refugee communities.

Point of Contact: Programmatic application concerns:

Francisco Soto 202-366-6511 CDLgrants@dot.gov

Financial application concerns:

James Ross 202-960-5176 james.ross@dot.gov FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov mailto:CDLgrants@dot.gov mailto:FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov

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SECTION B – ELIGIBILITY

1 Eligible Applicants

1.1 Eligible Entities

CMVOST awards are available to the following entities, who meet the additional eligibility criteria in 1.2

- Educational Institutions and Training Providers, and 1.3 Entry-Level Driver Training Requirements below:

a. State Government

b. County Government

c. City or Township Government

d. Independent School District

e. Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

f. Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

g. Nonprofit with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (other than small business)

h. Small business

i. Hispanic Serving Institution

j. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

k. Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCUUs)

l. Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

1.2 Educational Institutions and Training Providers

All applicants must meet one of the two criteria listed below:

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

Department of Education will be considered for funding

b. 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.

1.3 Entry-Level Driver Training Requirements

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).

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2 Cost-Sharing and Matching Requirements FMCSA will not require a matching share for fiscal year 2025 awards.

3 Other The below are specific items that must be completed for your application package to move forward to the Merit Review process. (See Eligibility Criteria outlined in Section E. 1a.) If one of these items are not fulfilled the application will not be considered eligible.

A complete application includes:

• The application was submitted by the deadline.

• The application was submitted by an eligible applicant, as described in Section C. 1.

• The application has a completed Federal Assistance (SF-424) form.

• The application has a completed Budget information for Non-Construction form (SF-424A).

• The application has a completed Assurances for Non-Construction form (SF-424B).

• The application has a completed grant.gov Certification Regarding Lobbying form.

• The application has a completed Lobbying activities (SF-LLL) form, if applicable.

• The application includes a complete Budget Narrative.

• The application includes a complete Project Narrative.

• The application’s projects support the purpose of the CMVOST grant program and statutes.

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SECTION C – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1 Overview and Authorizing Statutes and Regulations The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 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 2025 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 anticipates awarding approximately $3,400,000, as authorized by BIL. Final funding amounts are subject to the availability of funding appropriated by Congress.

2 CMVOST Goals and Objectives Relevant Assistance Listing is 20.235

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 applications that train current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reservists. To that end, applications from training providers that train current or former members of the armed forces will be given priority for funding.

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 U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) strategic goals and the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS)

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

• Economic Strength & Global Competitiveness: Grow an inclusive and sustainable economy. Invest in our transportation system to provide American workers and businesses

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• Equity: Reduce inequities across our transportation systems and 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 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.

• Organizational Excellence: Strengthen our world-class organization. Advance the Department’s mission by establishing policies, processes, and an inclusive and innovative culture to effectively serve communities and responsibly steward the public’s resources.

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. The NRSS may be found at:

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-02/USDOT-National-Roadway-Safety- Strategy.pdf.

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 important information about the FY 2025 CMVOST program activities/projects and guidance related to preparing and submitting a grant application.

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 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 are subject to FMCSA’s minimum entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements. These individuals must complete a prescribed entry-level driver training program by an entity listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry. Applicants must meet the requirements for ELDT and be listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry when they submit an application. For more information on these requirements, please visit FMCSA’s website at: https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-02/USDOT-National-Roadway-Safety-Strategy.pdf https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-02/USDOT-National-Roadway-Safety-Strategy.pdf https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/

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3 FY 2025 CMVOST National Priorities The Department seeks to fund projects that advance Departmental priorities of safety, equity, climate and sustainability, and workforce development, job quality, and wealth creation as described in the USDOT Strategic Plan, Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan, and in executive orders.

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 applications that fund tuition expenses and other reimbursable educational expenses for students who meet the definition of “Qualified Students.” Special consideration will also be given to “students of underserved communities,” including women, and refugees, as defined below.

All applications must support the public purpose of the CMVOST grant program, which is to: Train individuals in the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles. Grant applications for programs to train current and former members of the armed forces in the safe operation of such vehicles will be given priority.

“Qualified Students” include current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard members and Reserve members, and 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 those that are defined in Federal Executive Order 13985 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 that have abandoned their country as a result of major wars, persecution, torture, or genocide consistent with the intent of Executive Order 14013.

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.

https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-01/USDOT%20RDT%20Strategic%20Plan%20FY22-26_010523_508.pdf

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SECTION D – APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

1 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.

1.1 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.

c. Header and Footer are allowed in the margins.

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

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

f. 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 those examples are not required to be used.

1.2 Project Plan Narrative Requirements

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 sections below only. Submission of documentation and forms described in Appendix A will not count against the application page limit.

All applicants must provide:

• The number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to be recruited;

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

• The number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to obtain a CDL;

• The number of qualified students/students of underserved communities/refugees expected to be placed in CDL driver positions;

• The duration and curriculum of the training for the students;

• Job placement and retention services/resources for the students following graduation;

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• An overview on how monitoring and evaluating protocols will be used to measure success and performance outcomes;

• Proof that the institution is either accredited or certified to accept WIOA grants; and

• Proof that the institution is listed on the Training Provider Registry.

Applicants must provide the following information, if applicable:

• Proximity to a military installation or other nearby opportunities to reach veterans and/or members of underserved communities/refugees;

• Confirmation that the applicant has an on-campus Recruitment Office,

• Veterans Affairs Office, and Job Placement Office;

• 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);

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

• If and how the applicant will address the challenges faced by students of underserved communities and refugees.

a. Brief Introduction (Project Narrative and Organizational Capacity)

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. For priority consideration, 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, including women, 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.

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b. Problem Statement and Performance Objective)

A description of the goal(s) of the application and the applicable program priority(s) met by the application’s projects. Include in this introduction 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.

c. Program Activity Workplan

A description of the applicant’s quantifiable goal related to the above problem statement.

This must be measured in three activity areas:

• Activity 1 – Recruiting Qualified Students and/or Underserved Students: 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, including women. 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.

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

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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 – attach a copy of the course catalog for the program with all requirements and tuition costs that are published for the general public). 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.

• 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.

d. Program Evaluation and Monitoring Plan (Performance Measurement Plan) A description of how the applicant will measure progress towards the performance goals and objectives by using quantifiable measures to capture performance outcomes. The outcomes must include number of students recruited, enrolled, graduated, obtained a CDL, placement in transportation industry (e.g., driving position). 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 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, number of students who obtained their CDL, and the number placed in the trucking industry.

e. Budget Narrative 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.

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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.

The budget narrative must reflect the allocability of project activities to the grant. Budgets must reflect the appropriate Federal amounts, as stated under the priorities in subsection (A)(4). FMCSA may adjust the applicant’s budget, which will require the submission of an updated SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative.

1.3 SF-424 and SF-424A

SF-424, Field 12 – Must reflect the Funding Opportunity Number and the title of the opportunity under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement.

SF-424, Field 18 – Box (a) – 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). The value of in-kind contributions should be included on the appropriate lines, as applicable. All costs must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

SF-424A – Section A – Budget Summary – Must reflect the Federal share in column €, and the total cost per project in column (g). Each project in the application will be shown on lines 1-4 as applicable with the Total for each column on line 5. Note line 5 column €, (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 that match the title in Section A and the project plan. 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.

1.4 Requirements When One or More Projects are Proposed

A project consists of one or more priorities, which work towards achieving a defined goal objective(s).

If an applicant chooses to propose multiple projects within a single application, each project must contain separate and distinct project narratives, budget narratives, line-item budgets, and titles for each project proposed within that application package.

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When an application contains multiple projects, each project must include the following sections in consecutive order: Brief Introduction, Problem Statement, Performance Objectives, Performance Activity Plan, Performance Measurement Plan, Monitoring Plan, and Budget Narrative. For example, in an application containing multiple projects, Project 1 would include the above sections in consecutive order, followed by Project 2, which would also include the above sections in consecutive order.

Applications with multiple projects must also contain a comprehensive or summary budget that includes expenses per project/per line item. The comprehensive budget must match the application’s SF-424 and SF424A.

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SECTION E – SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

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

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 Questions about the NOFO For questions about this NOFO, please contact FMCSA’s Grants Management Office as listed below:

Email: FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov

Telephone: (202) 366-0621 (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

Office hours: 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., Eastern Time

3 Unique entity identifier and System of Award (SAM) requirement

The applicant must:

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

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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.

iii. Accept the financial assistance certifications and representations required for (non-federal entities) during the SAM.gov registration process and/or renewal per 2 CFR 200.209.

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.

4 Submission Dates and Times

4.1 Deadline

FULL AND COMPLETE APPLICATIONS for Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grants ARE February 25, 2025, 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.

4.2 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.

4.3 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.

http://www.grants.gov/

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5 Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

The CMVOST grant program and this funding opportunity are subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372.

Applicants with a Single Point of Contact (SPOC), and therefore required to comply with E.O. 12372, are listed in the Office of Management and Budget's website at: www.whitehouse.gov/omb.

6 Funding and Number of Awards FMCSA anticipates making approximately 25 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 2025 Appropriations Act.

7 Type of Awards The planned award type is a grant.

8 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.

9 Degree of Federal Involvement Substantial federal 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.

10 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.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb

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All coursework, including classroom and range time, and placement services that are 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. Pre-award costs are not eligible for reimbursement.

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 15% of modified total direct costs, which may be used indefinitely. No documentation is required to justify the 15% 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

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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. 2 CFR part 200, Subpart E: 2 CFR

200.403 – 200.405.

11 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.

Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds

Project budgets should show how different funding sources will share in each activity and present the data in dollars and percentages. The budget should identify other Federal funds the applicant is applying for, has been awarded, or intends to use. Funding sources should be grouped into three categories: non-Federal, current application <Insert Program Name>, and other Federal with specific amounts for each funding source.

Sharing of Application Information

The Department may share application information within the Department or with other Federal agencies if the Department determines that sharing is relevant to the respective program’s objectives.

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

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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.

Before a grant award can be issued to a recipient the applicant must receive approval of their FMCSA Title VI Program Compliance Plan and Title VI Program Assurance. The Applicant must submit a draft Plan, or an updated previously approved Plan to the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights (OCR), with their application, for review, comments, and/or 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. The Applicant will then upload the FMCSA OCR-approved Title VI Program Compliance Plan and Title VI Program Assurance for the present Federal Fiscal Year into Grants.gov along with the funding application.

FMCSA requests NEW APPLICANTS to contact FMCSA’s Office of Civil Rights to coordinate the development of a draft Title VI Program Compliance Plan for the current Federal Fiscal Year as soon as possible. Returning Applicants will coordinate with the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights to update and submit to the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights a final Title VI Program Compliance Plan for approval for the current Federal Fiscal Year. If the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights determines during the Intake Review phase that an Applicant does not have a FMCSA Office of Civil Rights’ approved Title VI Program Compliance Plan for the current Federal Fiscal Year or has not uploaded to the funding application a draft Title VI Program Compliance Plan using the current Title VI Program Compliance Plan Checklist for the current Federal Fiscal Year, FMCSA will afford an opportunity to the Applicant to submit within a specified timeframe a draft Title VI Program Compliance Plan using the current Federal Fiscal Year’s Title VI Program Compliance Plan Checklist to the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights for its’ review and comments/edits. To begin coordination with the FMCSA Office of Civil Rights, please contact the FMCSA National Title VI Program Manager Lester Finkle at lester.finkle@dot.gov.

The Title VI Program Assurance template and plan checklist are available in 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 2 in the Plan, or may be referenced in Section 2 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 for FMCSA OCR to review.

mailto:lester.finkle@dot.gov

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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.

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SECTION F - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1 Criteria

1.1 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. Does the application include a complete Budget Narrative?

12. Does the application include a complete Project Narrative?

13. Was the accreditation documentation submitted with the application?

14. Does the application include a FMCSA Office of Civil Rights’ approved Title VI

Program Compliance Plan for the current Federal Fiscal Year or a draft Title VI Program Compliance Plan using the current Title VI Program Compliance Plan Checklist for the current Federal Fiscal Year? See the Standard Title VI/Non- Discrimination Program Assurance and Plan Title VI Assessments section of this NOFO for more information.

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

1.2 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.

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1.2.1 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.

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 adjustments, if necessary, which enables FMCSA to monitor performance and progress toward successful completion.

1.2.2 Budget Review/Cost Analysis Criteria

1. 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.

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

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

a. 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.

b. Budget costs are allowable, allocable, necessary and reasonable per the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards;

c. 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;

d. 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 activities included in the project plan;

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e. 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;

f. 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

g. 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.

1.2.3 Program-Specific Criteria

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 Federal 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, including women.

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

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

1.2.4 Past Performance Criteria

Past performance is considered to be a possible indicator of future performance. Applicants that have previously received FMCSA grant funding will be evaluated in part on their ability to complete prior…