FY18 CST Funding Announcment - FAQ.docx

Question: In the Funding Opportunity Announcement (HM-CST-18-001, FY 2018 Community Safety Funding Opportunity), PHMSA identifies eligible applicants as “nonprofit organizations that have the ability to train state and local personnel responsible for enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials; or develop best practice guidance on ways to connect with and increase awareness of state and local emergency responders, appropriate Federal, state, local and tribal government organizations, and the general public of hazardous materials being transported through communities.” Does PHMSA require applicants to have the ability to train state and local personnel and develop best practice guidance? Or can an applicants focus on one or the other?

Answer: No. PHMSA does not require applicants to have the ability to both train state and local personnel responsible for enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials and develop best practice guidance on ways to connect with and increase awareness of state and local emergency responders, appropriate Federal, state, local and tribal government organizations, and the general public of hazardous materials being transported through communities. Applicants are encouraged to apply for one or the other.

Question: How does DOT define public/private partnerships?

Answer: When PHMSA states "This competitive grant opportunity requests applications from nonprofit organizations representing regional public-private partnerships”, we are referring to nonprofit organizations that have the ability to reach a large audience through active public/private partnerships they have with the emergency response community.