NSFLTPP_Webinar.Slidespptx.pptx

August 17, 2023 Presenters:

Frances Ramirez Jeff Mann Angela Jones Moderator: Lourdes Boulware

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Program

Disclaimer

Except for any statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this presentation do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind grant recipients in any way. This presentation is intended only to provide information and clarity on existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

This is a webinar for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 NSFLTP Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

FY23 NSFLTP NOFO

Funding Opportunity Number:

693JJ3-NSFTLP-FY23

Posted: July 6, 2023

Applications Due: November 6, 2023

NOFO Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=349112

NSFLTP Website Link: https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs/significant

NSFLTP Program Description What changed from the FY 2022 NSFLTP NOFO?

How much funding is available?

What projects are eligible?

What is a Sponsorship Coordinator?

How to apply?

How will applications be reviewed?

How will recipients be announced?

What are the reporting requirements?

Where can you find more information?

Important Websites Questions

Overview

Program purpose To provide funding for the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of nationally-significant projects on Federal or tribal lands.

Statutory citation FAST Act § 1123, IIJA § 11127 Eligible Applicants Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMA) Tribal Governments States and local transportation agencies may also apply, but only if sponsored by an FLMA or Tribal Government.

Minimum Project Construction Cost –$12,500,000.

50% of the available funds must go to Tribal transportation facilities Not less than one eligible project from National Park Service for a unit with 3,000,000 annual visitors or more shall receive funds Federal share 100% for Projects on Tribal transportation facilities 90% for other Projects not on Tribal transportation facilities Allows the use of Federal funding as match, including Title 23 and 49 funds Funding Availability 3 fiscal years following the fiscal year for which the amounts are appropriated.

Changes from the FY 2022 NSFLTP NOFO

The FY 2023 NOFO updated the funding available

Amendment #2 extended the application timeline from 60 to 120 days

FY 2023 NSFLTP funding available

The funding available for award in FY 2023 is $88,290,000

$44,145,000 Available for tribal transportation facilities

NSFLTP Eligibility Information A single continuous project on a Federal lands transportation facility, a Federal lands access transportation facility*, or a tribal transportation facility* *The facility is not required to be included in an inventory described in 23 U.S.C. sections 202 or 203 [FAST Act, section 1123(c)(1)];

NEPA must be complete, as demonstrated through— a record of decision with respect to the project;

a finding that the project has no significant impact; or a determination that the project is categorically excluded; and The project must have an estimated total project cost equal to or exceeding $12,500,000

NSFLTP Eligibility Information Eligible Activities Construction related costs only Design or preliminary engineering are not eligible activities/costs Eligible Applicants

FLMA

Tribal Governments States and local transportation agencies* may also apply, but the application must include documentation that an FLMA or Tribe supports the project *This includes States, local governments, political subdivisions of a State or local government, metropolitan planning organizations or MPOs, and special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function, including port authorities.

Sponsorship Coordinator Sponsorship Coordinator provides FHWA a list of sponsored applications, including their own.

Enough detail to match the projects with applications.

Each Tribe and FLMA should designate one person to be Sponsorship Coordinator.

A list of Sponsorship Coordinators can be obtained at: https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs/significant/list-sponsorship-coordinators

Sponsorship is not a rigorous process. To sponsor a project, an FLMA or Tribe only has to indicate support of the project. Because anyone can enter an application, FHWA will also consult with a Tribe or FLMA directly if sponsorship is not apparent in the application package

Application and Submission Information All applications must be submitted in Grants.gov Content and Form of Application Submission Standard Form 424, 424C, 424D, LLL, and Key Contacts Cover Page Narrative, including a project description, location, parties involved, funding, budgeting, project risks, and a discussion of how the project addresses Statutory and Discretionary criteria.

NEPA documentation, maps, letters of support NOFO’s link on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=349112 materials can be provided as attachments. Commonly, applicants will attach a map for the location.

Application Review Information, overview

FHWA reviews applications

Technical staff from FHWA Reviews projects for eligibility and rate applications against the selection criteria described in the NOFO.

Senior Team

Executive leaders from FHWA decide which applications are sent to the Administrator as Highly Rated

FHWA Administrator makes the final selections

Technical Review Team

FHWA reviews applications to ensure the materials are complete and responsive to the NOFO instructions.

Application Review Information, Statutory Criteria Statutory criteria Applications will be evaluated against the nine criteria provided in statute and in the NOFO:

Furthers the Department’s goals, including state of good repair, economic competitiveness, quality of life, and safety;

Improves the condition of critical transportation facilities, including multimodal transportation facilities;

Needs construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation;

Has matching funds (projects with a greater percentage of matching funds rank higher than projects with a lesser percentage of matching funds);

Application Review Information, Statutory Criteria Is included on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places Uses new technologies and innovations to increase project efficiency;

Is supported (whether for construction or for operation and maintenance) by funds other than those received under this program;

Spans two or more States; and Serves land owned by multiple Federal agencies or Indian tribes.

Statutory criteria continues

Application Review Information, Discretionary Criteria Discretionary criteria Applies to all applications:

The project’s demonstrated project readiness.

Applies only to applications on Federal lands access transportation facilities or on Federal land transportation facilities (not on Tribal transportation facilities):

Is the project located in an underserved community? as defined in Executive Order 13985;

The extent to which the project reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves environmental justice;

The extent to which the project will advance the Racial Equity and Barriers to Opportunity Program objective; and The extent to which the project will advance the Job Quality, Workforce Development, and Workforce Equity objective.

Application Review Information, application rating guidelines Recommended, and Highly Recommended applications are sent to the FHWA Administrator as Highly Rated.

FHWA Administrator makes the final selections

Highly Recommended

The project aligns extremely well with the objectives of the statutory criteria.

Recommended

The project aligns well with the objectives of the statutory criteria.

Acceptable

Projects with 4 or more criteria rated as Strong Alignment

Or Projects with all the statutory criteria rated as Alignment

Projects with at least1 criterion rated as Strong Alignment or Projects with most of the statutory criteria (5 or more) rated as Alignment

Not Recommended

The project that aligns with the objectives of the statutory criterion under consideration.

Projects with no criteria rated as Strong Alignment but with several criteria rated as Alignment

The project does not align well with objectives of the statutory criterion under consideration or does not align with eligibility criteria.

Federal Award Administration Information Notification of Selection The FHWA will announce awarded projects by posting a list of selected projects at https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/significant/ Following the announcement, FHWA will call the point of contact listed in form SF-424 to initiate negotiation of a project-specific agreement The selection announcement is not an authorization to start work and incur cost.

Recipients can only do work and incur costs after a grant/project agreement is in place

Federal Award Administration Information Reporting Recipients of NSFLTP Program funding are responsible for meeting reporting requirements Federal Financial Report (SF-425) on the financial condition of the project bi-annually Annual Budget Review and Program Plan to monitor the use of Federal funds and ensure accountability and financial transparency in the NSFLTP Program FHWA reserves the right to request additional information, if deemed needed, to better understand the status of the project.

Reporting - FHWA reserves the right to request additional information, if deemed needed, to better understand the status of the project. The successful applicant will provide additional financial reporting beyond the semi-annual reporting if such statements are necessary to address FHWA’s Stewardship and Oversight responsibility of the funds. The successful applicant also agrees to allow periodic project inspections and FHWA will provide notice for such inspections.

Important Websites There are several websites mentioned in the NOFO, including Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343073 SAM.gov https://sam.gov/content/home NSFLTP website https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs/significant

Websites: Grants.gov Grants.gov

Video on how to register, set up a profile, and navigate grants.gov: https://youtu.be/sj3X2XPAQ5g https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html You can enter NSFLTP and search Applicants can select this link for How To Apply and Applicant Resources Training Videos, User Guide and Support Center Get Started https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html You can enter NSFLTP and search Applicants can select this link for How To Apply and Applicant Resources Training Videos, User Guide and Support Center Get Started

Grants.gov Support Center FAQs Grants Learning Center Online Help

Direct Link to grants.gov support center: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

Helpdesk 1-800-518-4726 (U.S.)

1-606-545-5053 (International) Email: support@grants.gov Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding Federal holidays) Grants.gov Online Help: https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm

Websites: SAM.gov What’s SAM.gov? System for Award Management is the website where you register to do business with the U.S. Government How do you sign up?

Create a user account.

Register your entity to do business.

What if we are Tribe or Alaskan Native Village? Yes, you must be registered in SAM.gov to receive a Federal award

Must be registered in SAM.gov Must have an UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) (replaces DUNS Number) These processes can take several weeks to complete, so should be started well before the application deadline.

Direct Link to SAM: https://sam.gov/content/home or https://sam.gov

1. https://sam.gov/content/home or sam.gov

2. How to obtain an UEI

Websites: NSFLTP NSFLTP website This website contains information specific to the NSFLTP Program.

Program background Previously selected projects Frequently asked questions Link to the NOFO on Grants.gov https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs/significant

Email us at:

NSFLTP-Program@dot.gov

Questions?

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