FY 2026 SDP NOFO Posting.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Fiscal Year 2026

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

NOFO Posted Date: May 18, 2026 Application Due Date: June 24, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST Questions Due Date: June 23, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST

Applicants must be registered at www.grants.gov to apply online. It is highly recommended that applicants begin the registration process as soon as possible to avoid delays in submission. Additionally, applicants must maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management at www.SAM.gov.

Furthermore, applicants are encouraged to register for an account with FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net before applying. FedConnect is a messaging platform where applicants can communicate directly with PHMSA. Your organization’s Marketing Partner ID number (MPIN), which can be retrieved from SAM, is required to create an account. For instructions on how it works, click on the link to access the FedConnect: Ready, Set, Go! Tutorial on the FedConnect home page.

Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA)

20.720 “State Damage Prevention Program Grants”

PHMSA NOFO Number:

693JK326NF0006

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fedconnect.net/

NOFO: 693JK326NF0006

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 2 of 15 Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A – BASIC INFORMATION

A.1 FUNDING

A.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

A.3 TYPE OF AWARD

SECTION B – ELIGIBILITY

B.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS – THE NINE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE DAMAGE

PREVENTION PROGRAM

B.2 COST SHARING OR MATCHING

B.3 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

SECTION C – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

C.1 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

C.2 STATUTE AND PROGRAM AUTHORITY

SECTION D – APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

D.1 ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

D.2 CONTENT AND STANDARD FORMS FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION

SECTION E – SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

E.1 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

E.2 UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM) . 9

SECTION F – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F.1 CRITERIA

F.2 REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

F.3 RISK REVIEW

SECTION G – AWARD NOTICES

G.1 ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT AND FEDERAL AWARD DATES

G.2 FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

SECTION H – POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

H.1 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

H.2 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 3 of 15 Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

SECTION A – BASIC INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Funding Opportunity Title: “Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity:

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program”

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: 693JK326NF0006

Assistance Listing Program Number: 20.720

NOFO Posted Date:

Application Due Date:

Questions Due Date:

May 18, 2026 June 24, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST June 23, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST

Executive Summary The purpose of the SDP Grant Program is to establish comprehensive State programs designed to prevent damage to underground pipelines in States that do not have such programs, and to improve damage prevention programs in States that do. This program is codified at 49 U.S.C. § 60134.

A.1 Funding

PHMSA may award up $1,500,001, under the FY 2026 SDP NOFO. The amount of each SDP grant may not exceed $100,000 per grant recipient. Recipients may request 100 percent of the total amount of the award upon execution of the grant agreement.

A.2 Period of Performance

The period of performance is 12 months. Applicants should only apply for funding that can be reasonably expended within this time frame and for projects that can be completed within the period of performance. For SDP grants awarded for FY 2026, PHMSA will extend the period of performance, as allowed in 2 CFR § 200.309.

A.3 Type of Award

This is a discretionary grant.

Agency Contact Information

Questions related to the content of this funding opportunity MUST be submitted via the Message Center in FedConnect if your organization is registered there.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.309

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 4 of 15

Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

For technical issues or questions related to FedConnect, e-mail fcsupport@unisonglobal.com.

Applicants can also submit questions through the portal on the website, or call 1-800-899-6665, option 2.

For technical issues or questions related to www.grants.gov, please e-mail support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518-4726.

Technical Primary Point of Contact Rex Evans

DOT/PHMSA

Phone: 217-801-8014 E-mail: Rex.evans@dot.gov

Grant Agreement Officer Tremayne W. Terry

DOT/PHMSA

Phone: 202-503-5041 E-mail: Tremayne.terry@dot.gov

SECTION B – ELIGIBILITY

B.1 Eligible Applicants

Any State authority designated by the Governor, including a municipality with respect to intrastate gas pipeline transportation, which is or will be responsible for protecting underground pipeline facilities from excavation damage, is eligible. Applicants must have the eligible State authority participate in the oversight of pipeline transportation pursuant to an annual 49 U.S.C.

§ 60105 certification or a 49 U.S.C. § 60106 agreement in effect with PHMSA.

To qualify for funding under this program, a State may not provide any exemptions to municipalities, State agencies, or their contractors from One-Call notification system requirements. See 49 U.S.C. § 60134(a)(3).

Other Eligibility Requirements – The Nine Elements of Effective Damage Prevention Program

PHMSA may award a grant to an eligible State authority only if the State has an effective damage prevention program or demonstrates that it has made substantial progress toward establishing an effective damage prevention program. An effective damage prevention program includes the nine elements listed in 49 U.S.C. § 60134(b).

B.2 Cost Sharing or Matching

There are no requirements for cost-sharing or matching.

mailto:fcsupport@unisonglobal.com https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2012-title49-section60105&num=0&edition=2012 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2012-title49-section60105&num=0&edition=2012 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-1994-title49-section60106&num=0 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 5 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

B.3 Funding Restrictions

• Funds may not be used for expenses counted as match funds toward another Federal program.

• Funds may not be used for any additional costs disallowed or stated as ineligible in 2 CFR Part 200.

• Funds may only be used to pay the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities that the State authority reasonably requires for the calendar year covered by the grant to develop or carry out its damage prevention program in accordance with 49 U.S.C.

§ 60134(b). 49 U.S.C. § 60134(e).

• Funds may not be used for lobbying or in direct support of litigation. 49 U.S.C.

§ 60134(g).

• Funding for equipment, as defined in 2 CFR § 200.1, may not exceed $5,000.

• Funds may not be used to cover costs associated with regulatory compliance programs for pipeline operators.

• Construction is not an allowable activity under this announcement.

• Funds provided under this grant may not be used to fund membership dues or professional activity costs.

• Funds may not be used for general sponsorship of events where the primary purpose is not damage prevention.

• Funds should not be used to cover costs associated with the normal operations of the One-Call Center. This includes database maintenance, improvements, or replacement of outdated systems.

• Funds may not be used on research and development projects.

• Funding for projects depending on passage of State legislation is not allowed.

• Reimbursement of Federal pre-award costs is not allowed unless explicitly approved in writing by PHMSA.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 6 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

SECTION C – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

C.1 Statement of Purpose

This funding opportunity is associated with Assistance Listing 20.720. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) purpose is to establish or improve State excavation damage prevention programs, and to protect underground pipeline facilities from excavation damage. PHMSA data shows that excavation damage has historically been a leading cause of pipeline accidents that result in fatality or injury.

The State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program fosters improved damage prevention programs by supporting projects such as the enforcement of State excavation damage prevention laws, stakeholder education about digging safely, technologies to improve efficiencies, and other related excavation safety initiatives. The funding is available to State authorities to help them align with one or more of nine elements that are considered characteristic of effective damage prevention programs. The nine elements are outlined at 49 U.S.C. § 60134(b). SDP grants provide funding to help eligible States establish a comprehensive program to prevent damage to underground pipelines in States that do not have such programs, and to improve damage prevention programs in States that do.

C.2 Statute and Program Authority

The SDP Grant Program is codified at 49 U.S.C. § 60134.

SECTION D – APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

D.1 Address to Request Application Package

PHMSA requires applicants for this funding opportunity to apply electronically through grants.gov. Applicants must download the application package associated with this funding opportunity.

The application package contains the required electronic forms and the ability to upload attachments for the budget narrative, budget justification, project narrative, assurances, and certifications. The applicant must submit the information outlined in the Application Guide in addition to the program-specific information below.

If you are a hearing-impaired person, please contact FR/TTY at 1-800-877-8339 or e-mail PHMSA-Accessibility@dot.gov.

D.2 Content and Standard Forms for Application Submission

Each application must consist of the following required documents:

1. Standard Form (SF)-424: Application for Federal Assistance Standard Form https://sam.gov/fal/71d95040668340fca3eeb828ec694b87/view https://sam.gov/fal/71d95040668340fca3eeb828ec694b87/view https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://grants.gov/ mailto:PHMSA-Accessibility@dot.gov

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 7 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

2. SF-424A: Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs

3. Certification Regarding Lobbying

4. Standard Title VI/Non-Discrimination Assurances

5. Project Narrative

6. Budget Narrative and Estimates

Applications should be well written, single-spaced, 12-point standard font (e.g., Times New Roman) and free of mathematical errors in the line-item budget and budget narrative. Project narratives should have the sections clearly identified and follow the structure requested in this

NOFO.

The application forms and templates are available on grants.gov in the Forms Package and under the “Related Documents” tab with detailed instructions on the application process. For this grant, applicants must provide a letter, signed by the Governor, designating the applicant as the State authority eligible to receive the grant. Applicants should also review Section F, Application Review Information, to ensure the narratives contain all information on which PHMSA will evaluate.

Budget Narrative Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds – This budget must list the amount and percent of both the total Federal funding requested and any additional non-Federal funds, if any, that will be used to pay for the project.

Applicants may apply for more than one project but should submit one budget per application. If a project fits into more than one element of 49 U.S.C. § 60134(b), the applicant should select the element that most closely aligns with the project.

The amounts requested for each budget category must be justified in a budget section under each project in applicant responses to this announcement. Budget narratives must address the following items:

• If your budget includes personnel costs, please include a complete breakdown, including personnel title/position, hourly rate, and the number of hours expected to be spent by each person on the proposed project.

• If your proposal includes travel costs, please include adequate details on how the cost has been calculated including travel fare, etc.

• If your proposal includes equipment costs, please include adequate details on how the cost has been calculated, including information on each specific equipment piece(s) required and their individual costs.

Applications that contain a request for indirect costs should include a budget narrative detailing the proposal for indirect costs, where allowable. The budget narrative should include a signed https://grants.gov/ https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 8 of 15 Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program copy of the applicant’s approved negotiated rate agreement that is valid as of the date of the application, if this is not already on file with PHMSA State Programs Division. If the applicant does not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement, the applicant may be eligible to charge a de minimis rate of up to 15 percent as provided by 2 CFR § 200.414.

Sharing of Application Information - Except for the information properly marked, PHMSA may share application information within the Department or with other Federal agencies if it is determined that sharing is relevant to the respective program’s objectives. Click here for more information.

SECTION E – SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

E.1 Submission Dates and Times

Complete applications must be received electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m.

EST on June 24, 2026. Applications received after this deadline may not be considered.

Applications will only be accepted via grants.gov. PHMSA will accept only one application from each applicant. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.

Questions Due Date and Time: June 23, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. EST.

NOTE: All questions can be submitted via the Message Center in FedConnect or send questions to the Technical Point of Contact in Section A of this NOFO. PHMSA is not responsible for answering questions that are received after the Questions Due Date and Time.

To begin the process, applicants must be registered with grants.gov to apply. It is highly recommended that applicants begin the registration process as soon as possible to avoid delays with submission. Failure to comply with the prescribed application requirements as described in this section may result in the rejection of the application.

Accessing Grants.gov

1. Grants.gov. For new users, go to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration or go to the main page at https://www.grants.gov/ and select “Register.” New user registrations for grants.gov can take up to two weeks to complete. For additional questions on how to register, contact grants.gov support at 800-518-4726 or e-mail at support@grants.gov.

2. FedConnect. Applicants are encouraged to register for an account with FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net before applying. Your organization’s Marketing Partner ID Number (MPIN), which can be retrieved from SAM, is required to create an account. For instructions on how to register in FedConnect and how it works, click on the link to access the FedConnect: Ready, Set, Go! Tutorial. For other technical issues or questions, either e-mail fcsupport@unisonglobal.com or call 1-800-899-6665, option 2. The https://www.ecfr.gov/search?flag=invalid_reference&hierarchy=%7B%22title%22%3A%222%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22A%22%2C%22chapter%22%3A%22II%22%2C%22part%22%3A%22200%22%2C%22subpart%22%3A%22D%22%2C%22section%22%3A%22200.309%22%7D&prior_hierarchy=%7B%22title%22%3A%222%22%2C%22subtitle%22%3A%22A%22%2C%22chapter%22%3A%22II%22%2C%22part%22%3A%22200%22%2C%22subpart%22%3A%22D%22%2C%22section%22%3A%22200.309%22%7D&search%5Bquery%5D=200.414 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/about-phmsa/working-phmsa/grants/sharing-application-information-and-protection-confidential https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/about-phmsa/working-phmsa/grants/sharing-application-information-and-protection-confidential http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.205 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.205 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI https://www.fedconnect.net/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-A/part-21 mailto:HMEP.grants@dot.gov

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 9 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

FedConnect Support Center is staffed Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. EST, except Federal holidays.

E.2 Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

PHMSA may not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time PHMSA is ready to make an award, PHMSA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. PHMSA recommends that applicants review the SAM database at https://sam.gov/content/home to ensure that their UEI number is updated and “active.”

Each applicant is required to:

● Register in SAM (SAM.gov) before submitting their application.

● Provide a valid UEI in their application.

● Maintain an active SAM registration and UEI with current information when it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

SECTION F – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F.1 Criteria

When identifying projects, applicants should consider how the project will increase safety.

PHMSA will evaluate applications through administrative, technical, and programmatic reviews based on the evaluation criteria below.

Merit Criteria

PHMSA developed merit criteria to rate and select competing applications. Submission of an application is not a guarantee of award. PHMSA will evaluate the SDP grant applications using the evaluation criteria below to rate and select competing applications. PHMSA may, at its discretion, award a grant based on an application in its entirety, award only portions of a grant based on its application, or not award a grant at all.

Criterion 1. Relevance to the Nine Elements:

This criterion will be used to evaluate proposed work under each element addressed in the application and will be used to evaluate whether proposed projects:

• Clearly link results to one or more of the nine elements referenced in Section B.1.

• Have merit for implementation or support of the nine elements within the State. If a project fits into more than one element of 49 U.S.C. § 60134(b), the applicant https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/dimp-damage-prevention-assistance-program-dpap-strengthening-state-damage-prevention-systems-2008 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 10 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program should select the element that most closely aligns with the project.

• Align with the meaning and intent of the nine elements, as described in PHMSA’s Damage Prevention Assistance Program (DPAP) Guide (available at DPAP-Guide- FirstEdition-20080911.pdf).

Criterion 2. Costs, Results, and Schedule:

This criterion will be used to evaluate proposed work under each element addressed in the application and will be used to evaluate whether proposed projects will:

• Produce tangible results within the proposed project period.

• For each planned project prepare a separate narrative that includes the Project Title, and the project area. Then provide a brief description of the project and expected benefits with the header table as follows:

State Damage Prevention Grant: Planned Output Measures

Planned Output Measure Project Area(s) Planned Projects Cost

Project Title Select one or more from pull down menu

1. Enhanced communication between operators and excavators

2. Fostering support and partnership of all stakeholders

3. Operator’s Use of Performance

Measures for Locators

4. Partnership in Employee Training

5. Partnership in Public Education

6. Enforcement Agencies’ Role to Help

Resolve Issues

7. Fair and Consistent Enforcement of the Law

8. Use of Technology to Improve the

Locating Process

9. Data Analysis to Continually

Improve Program Effectiveness

Number of planned completions

Expected Cost

• Have deliverables that do not overlap with the deliverables of any other PHMSA grant award to the State.

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/technical-resources/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/66006/strengtheningstatedamagepreventionprograms.pdf chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/technical-resources/pipeline/gas-distribution-integrity-management/66006/strengtheningstatedamagepreventionprograms.pdf

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 11 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

• Use funds efficiently and effectively.

Criterion 3. State’s Commitment to the Nine Elements:

This criterion will be used to evaluate the applicant’s description of the past performance of existing damage prevention activities as they relate to the nine elements. This criterion will be used to evaluate applications that demonstrate that the State has made substantial progress toward, or has clear and concrete plans for, implementing the nine elements.

F.2 Review and Selection Process

Please thoroughly read through the Review and Selection Process.

The Department intends to apply principles from DOT Order 2100.7 (Ensuring Reliance Upon Sound Economic Analysis in DOT’s Policies, Programs and Activities) and DOT Order 2100.9 (Ensuring Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Department of Transportation Policies, Programs, and Activities) when evaluating applications and making award selections. To the maximum extent permitted by law, DOT will prioritize projects that are in alignment with the principles outlined in DOT Orders 2100.7 and 2100.9.

The Department seeks to fund projects that advance the priorities of this Administration as described in DOT’s mission statement and across executive orders.

Please note that to comply with the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E, PHMSA’s Agreement Officer and Grant Specialist may request additional information pertaining to your application during the application review and evaluation process.

F.3 Risk Review

Prior to making an award, PHMSA is required to review and consider any information about the responsibility and qualification of the applicant that is accessible through SAM (see 41 U.S.C. § 2313). An applicant 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. PHMSA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to any other information available in SAM, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards as part of the risk review required by 2 CFR § 200.206.

SECTION G – AWARD NOTICES

G.1 Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

Applicants chosen for funding will receive electronic notification of the Federal award. Upon notification, the applicant’s Authorized Representative must sign and return the award within the timeframe prescribed by PHMSA. PHMSA plans to make awards no later than September 30, 2026, with a proposed period of performance start date on the award agreement.

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/about-phmsa/working-phmsa/grants/f2-review-and-selection-process https://www.transportation.gov/mission/ensuring-reliance-upon-sound-economic-analysis-department-transportation-policies-programs https://www.transportation.gov/mission/ensuring-reliance-upon-sound-economic-analysis-department-transportation-policies-programs https://www.transportation.gov/mission/ensuring-nondiscrimination-and-equal-opportunity-department-transportation-policies https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 12 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

G.2 Federal Award Notices

PHMSA’s grant awarding official will award grants to responsible and eligible applicants, at its discretion, whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures outlined in this NOFO. Funds will be administered on a reimbursement basis. All funds provided by PHMSA must be expended solely for the purpose for which the funds are awarded in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable Federal cost principles, and the Department’s financial assistance regulations.

PHMSA intends to award multiple grants under this NOFO, subject to application quality and amounts requested. PHMSA can fund all or part of the application or reject it entirely.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their application was not selected for funding.

The grant award agreement, signed by both the PHMSA Agreement Officer and the Recipient’s Authorized Representative, is the authorizing document and will be provided through electronic means to the Authorized Representative. The grant award agreement will provide pertinent instructions and information including, at a minimum, the following:

1. The legal name and address of the recipient.

2. Title of project.

3. Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN) assigned by PHMSA.

4. Period of Performance, specifying the duration of the project.

5. Total amount of financial assistance approved for the project.

6. Legal authority(ies) under which the award is issued.

7. Assistance Listing Program (formerly CFDA) number and name.

8. Applicable award terms and conditions.

9. Approved budget plan for categorizing allocable project funds to accomplish the stated purpose of the award.

10. Other information or provisions deemed necessary by PHMSA.

SECTION H – POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

H.1 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The administration of this award by PHMSA and the Recipient will be based on the following Federal statutory and regulatory requirements:

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 13 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

1. 49 U.S.C § 60134 - State Damage Prevention programs.

2. 2 CFR Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

3. 49 CFR Part 20, "New Restrictions on Lobbying.” - 49 CFR Part 20 will be incorporated by reference into any award under this program and is available at www.ecfr.gov/ by clicking on Title 49 CFR Part 20.

4. Civil Rights and Title VI - As a condition of a grant award, grant recipients should demonstrate that the recipient has a plan for compliance with civil rights obligations and nondiscrimination laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations (49 CFR Part 21) (including any amendments thereto), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, all other civil rights requirements, and accompanying regulations. This should include a current Title VI plan. DOT’s and the applicable Operating Administrations’ Office of Civil Rights may work with awarded grant recipients to ensure full compliance with Federal civil rights requirements. See “Standard Title VI/Non-Discrimination Assurances” for the form by the same name that must be completed and returned by the grant applicant.

5. 49 CFR Part 32 – “Governmentwide Requirements for Drug Free Workplace (Financial Assistance),” which implements the requirements of Public Law 100-690, Title Subtitle D, “Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.” 49 CFR Part 32 will be incorporated by reference into any award under this program and is available at: www.ecfr.gov/ by clicking on Title 49 CFR Part 32.

6. Compliance with Federal Law and Policies - The applicant assures and certifies, with respect to any application and awarded Project under this NOFO, that it will comply with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, executive orders, policies, guidelines, and requirements as they relate to the application, acceptance, and use of Federal funds.

7. Federal Anti-Discrimination - Except where prohibited by court order, pursuant to Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, as a condition of grant award, each Recipient must agree that its and its regulations’ compliance in all respects with the equal protection principles of the U.S Constitution and all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws and regulations is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code.

Except where prohibited by court order, pursuant to Section 3(b)(iv)(B) of Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, , as a condition of grant award, each Recipient must certify that it does not operate any programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that violate the U.S. Constitution or any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. To the extent a court order bars the implementation or enforcement of one or more of the provisions https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section60134&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-A/part-20 http://www.ecfr.gov/ mailto:Carla.Sheppard@dot.gov http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-110 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-110 http://www.ecfr.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 14 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program with respect to a particular applicant or recipient, the Department will not implement or enforce the relevant provision(s) against that applicant or recipient for as long as the order remains in place.

To the extent a court order bars the implementation or enforcement of one or more of the provisions with respect to a particular applicant or recipient, the Department will not implement or enforce the relevant provision(s) against that applicant or recipient for as long as the order remains in place.

H.2 Reporting Requirements

Final Reports - Grant recipients must submit a Final Progress Report and Final Financial Status Report (Standard Form 425) no later than 120 days after the end of the grant period of performance.

The Final Progress Report will include the following information:

• A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives established for the period.

• A description of how the funds were used to improve the State damage prevention program.

• The reasons for delays or missed milestones if established objectives were not met, if applicable.

• Documentation of actual expenses and detailed cost breakdown to support SF-425 submission.

See chart below, as a template, of the summary activities and outputs that may take place during the period of performance:

State Damage Prevention Grant: Outputs Report

Output Measure Project Type Actuals Supporting Documentation

Project Title Select one or more from pull down menu

1. Enhanced communication between operators and excavators

2. Fostering support and partnership of all stakeholders

Number of project completions

Grantee will keep records evidencing project completion such as post project evaluations, publication of events completed, and evaluations.

U.S. DOT/PHMSA Page| 15 of 15

State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant Program

3. Operator’s Use of Performance Measures for Locators

4. Partnership in Employee Training

5. Partnership in Public Education

6. Enforcement Agencies’ Role to Help Resolve Issues

7. Fair and Consistent Enforcement of the Law

8. Use of Technology to Improve the Locating Process

9. Data Analysis to Continually Improve Program Effectiveness

All applications and reports will be made available to the public upon request.

Performance and Program Evaluation: Program Evaluation is an assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency (5 U.S.C. § 311). Recipients and subrecipients are encouraged to incorporate program evaluation including associated data collection activities from the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully document and measure their progress. Allowable data and evaluation costs are specified in 2 CFR 200.455(c).1 As a condition of grant award, grant recipients may be required to participate in an evaluation undertaken by DOT or another agency or partner. The evaluation may take different forms such as an implementation assessment across grant recipients, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across grant recipients, or a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investment. DOT may require applicants to collect data elements to aid the evaluation and/or use information available through other reporting. Grant recipients must agree to: (1) make records available to the evaluation contractor or DOT agency staff; (2) facilitate and provide access to program records, and any other relevant documents to calculate costs and benefits; (3) in the case of an impact analysis, facilitate the access to relevant information as requested; and (4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the evaluation contractor or DOT agency staff.

1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group- ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.455.