NOFO 693JJ322NF00006 - Q&A from TTAP Informational Webinar.pdf

NOFO 693JJ322NF00006

Amendment 4

Questions & Answers from Informational Webinar Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. 693JJ3NF00006

Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) Center

The following is a summary of the Questions received during and shortly after the Informational Webinar for the subject NOFO (hosted 2/22/2022 via ZoomGov), as well as FHWA’s responses to each.

Question 1: Eastern TTAP Regional Center will cover 30 states. Could some LTAP centers form a team to apply the TTAP regional center?

FHWA Response(s) to Question 1: The applicant needs to meet the requirements, including key staff. How the applicant intends to meet those requirements, including partnering, is at the applicant’s discretion, assuming the approach adheres to applicable federal requirements and the requirements of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Question 2: Please clarify the overlap in AZ in the Western and SW TTAP regions. Is the part of Navajo Nation located in UT included in the SW region?

FHWA Response to Question 2: As defined on page 9 of the NOFO, the Southwest (SW) TTAP Center Region encompasses the Navajo and Southwest BIA regions and associated Tribes and States that fall within those regions.

Question 3: What type of training is preferred or required, in-person, online or both?

FHWA Response to Question 3: Page 22 of the NOFO defines training services to be delivered by TTAP Centers.

Question 4: What is the intent of the "grow tribal workforce" goal? Will this be tied to performance measures? Usually the decision to hire or contract functions is a matter of tribal budget.

FHWA Response(s) to Question 4:

a. Workforce development is meant to grow the individual capabilities Tribal members in the transportation industry (e.g. EDC 6- Highway Construction Workforce Partnership).

b. This is an objective not a performance measure, as stated in the NOFO and defined on page 11.

i. Grow the Tribal Workforce

ii. Developing a TTAP Center Annual Work Plan that addresses Agency and Tribal priorities.

iii. Collaborating with FHWA and other Partners on the development of training, technical assistance and technology transfer services, and then lead the delivery at the Tribal level.

iv. Developing educational programs to encourage and motivate interest in transportation careers among Native American students.

Question 5: Will FLH subject matter experts and facilities (labs, testing equipment) be available to TTAP centers for training and TA?

FHWA Response(s) to Question 5: Yes, they are a resource like other federal resources (e.g. TTP, BIA, FHWA Resource Center, NHI, EDC) that can be leveraged to support core TTAP Center services (training, technical assistance, technology transfer) as part of the Annual Work Plan and reflected in the Bi-Annual Needs Assessment.

Ref. Stakeholder Coordination & Partnering (pages 25-26 of the NOFO) Coordinate with transportation Agencies including Federal, State, and local on the implementation and enhancement of other programs (e.g. LTAP Centers and Every Day Counts (EDC) (504 A (i) (ii-iii)).

Question 6: Please provide more details on each of technical merit rating criteria.

FHWA Response to Question 6: Technical merit rating criteria is defined on pages 62-64 of the NOFO.

Question 7: Our company represents some tribal agencies, they are having some concern with the NOFO stating that grant selection panel is government or a panel of Agency experts, will this selection panel be open to have tribal representation?

FHWA Response to Question 7: The Federal Selection Committee is comprised of an inclusive and well-rounded group with significant experience with the TTAP services and Tribal transportation programs.

Question 8: May letters of support be included in Volume II?

FHWA Response to Question 8: Yes, letters of support may be provided as a part of Volume II.

Question 9: In Volume I - would the cover page and table of contents count towards the 25-page limit?

FHWA Response to Question 9: No, the cover page and table of contents will not count toward the page limitation for Volume I.

Question 10: What indirect rate should be used for the budget calculation, state or federal rate?

FHWA Response to Question 10: Applicants should use their institution/organization’s approved indirect rate(s) for which they would normally use under a federal award. If that rate has been reviewed or audited by a state, local, or federal agency, please provide any supporting documentation regarding the approval of that rate (e.g. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement).

Question 11: Which section on Grants.gov do we upload the volumes I and II?

FHWA Response to Question 11: Applications can be submitted via the “Package” tab in the NOFO’s page on grants.gov. Please refer to grants.gov’s FAQ’s regarding submitting an application through a “workspace” via the link below for more information.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace

Question 12: What is the best way to submit an intent to submit a proposal?

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace

FHWA Response to Question 12: Applicants may submit their intent to submit an application in response to this NOFO via email to Morgan.Malley@dot.gov and Robin.Hobbs@dot.gov.

Question 13: Email an intent?

FHWA Response to Question 13: Please see the response to Question 12 above.

Question 14: Does the summary budget plan have to be uploaded in excel format?

FHWA Response to Question 14: Per page 53 of the NOFO in the section titled “Section II – Summary Budget Plan”:

“The summary budget plan will consist of the following:

1. Detailed excel (or compatible) workbook containing spreadsheets/tabs (formatted to be printed out) and supporting information clearly delineating and supporting all estimated costs:

with columns for Federal Share and Total Costs (per year and in summary form)…”

Question 15: How much budget detail is required for sub-awardees?

FHWA Response to Question 15: Please refer to pages 53 – 54 of the NOFO in the section titled “Section III

– Sub-Award Information” for the full list of required data elements for sub-awards or sub-contracts.

Question 16: Is there flexibility in the allocation of funds according to the time/labor cost estimates in Appendix I? Is Appendix I required or recommended?

FHWA Response to Question 16: Applicants may propose an alternative labor mix (labor categories & hours) to the one provided via Appendix I of the NOFO. The information in Appendix I is based on current Local Technical Assistance Centers, and FHWA estimates that the mix of labor categories and labor hours in Appendix I will be sufficient for performance of these requirements on an annual basis. However, as long as an applicant can provide a sufficient explanation as to why an alternative labor mix will be sufficient for accomplishing the operations and activities of the center, then FHWA will consider that proposal.

Question 17: The two points listed under Summary Budget Plan seems to be very similar. Do we need to provide an excel sheet AND separate detailed budget plan using the DOT format form 4220.44?

FHWA Response to Question 17: Yes, per page 53 of the NOFO, the Summary Budget Plan consists of two

(2) parts, both of which include spreadsheets.

Question 18: Page 51 refers to Director(s); Is it permissible to have co-directors but equal to 1 FTE?

FHWA Response to Question 18: Yes, per page 51 of the NOFO (section 2.1.2):

Applicants are permitted to identify multiple individuals to perform the duties assigned to the TTAP Center Director. For example, one member of the key staff may be designated to act on behalf of the TTAP Center Director for conducting day- to-day operations and project oversight that the Director would otherwise be mailto:Morgan.Malley@dot.gov mailto:Robin.Hobbs@dot.gov responsible for. For purposes of management and oversight, FHWA requires one full-time equivalent be identified as TTAP Center Director.

Question 19: May bibliographic references or links to external data referenced in Volume I be included as an attachment or enclosure in Volume II of the application? Also, if these references are included as footnotes in Volume I, may 10-point font be used for the purposes of those footnotes?

FHWA Response to Question 19: Bibliographic references may either be included as an enclosure/attachment to Volume II of an application, or through footnotes in the Volume I document.

Inclusion as a footnote in the Volume I document where the reference is contained would be preferable for ease of access, but if there are a substantial amount of references/links in that document and there is concern about their inclusion due to the page limitation, then an enclosure in Volume II would be permissible. Please note that any direct links contained in Volume I would also need to ensure they follow the Volume I submission requirements, such as the prohibition on including cost/price data in Volume I.

Permission to include bibliographic references for items in Volume I as a part of Volume II does not permit applicants to supplement the Volume I page limitations or bypass Volume I’s submission requirements.

In the case of footnotes for Volume I, 10-point font may be used, but only for those footnotes.