PKG00257607-instructions.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary Information

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:

High Priority Program – Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD)

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FM-MHP-20-2002

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

20.237

Key Dates: Application Due Date – February 24, 2020 5:00pm EST

Point of Contact:

Financial/Application:

James Ross 202-366-0133 James.ross@dot.gov

Programmatic:

Bettina Conroy 518-810-2985 Bettina.conroy@dot.gov mailto:Bettina.conroy@dot.gov

SECTION A - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1) Overview.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 High Priority grant program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications from eligible entities to support the High Priority - Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD) activities.

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Pub. L. No. 114-94, § 5101 (2015) authorized FY 2019 HP-ITD program funding, and 49 U.S.C. §§ 31102(l) and 31104 and 49 C.F.R. part 350 govern the HP-ITD financial assistance program.

As the lead government agency responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles (CMV), FMCSA awards HP-ITD funds to support innovative and impactful projects that advance its mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. Funding is available for the support of innovative projects that improve safety and compliance with CMV regulations, are national in scope, demonstrate new technologies, and reduce the number of CMV crashes.

These activities are supported in alignment with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goals of:

• SAFETY: Reduce transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries across the transportation system.

• INFRASTRUCTURE: Invest in infrastructure to ensure safety, mobility and accessibility and to stimulate economic growth, productivity and competitiveness for American workers and businesses.

• INNOVATION: Lead in the development and deployment of innovative practices and technologies that improve the safety and performance of the Nation’s transportation system.

• ACCOUNTABILITY: Serve the Nation with reduced regulatory burden and greater efficiency, effectiveness and accountability.

This NOFO provides important information about the HP-ITD safety priorities, highlighting the critical information related to preparing and submitting an application.

2) Project Type.

HP-ITD projects include the deployment of intelligent transportation system applications for CMV operations; support/maintenance of CMV information systems/networks, the linking of FMCSA and State information systems, the improvement of safety and productivity of CMVs and commercial drivers and the reduction of costs associated with CMV operations and regulatory requirements.

Note: A project consists of one or more activities that work towards achieving a defined goal and objective(s). If an applicant chooses to propose multiple HP-ITD projects within a single application, each application must contain separate and distinct project narratives, budget narratives, line item budgets, and project subtitles for each subproject proposed in that

3) National Priorities Descriptions.

Below are descriptions of the programmatic activities listed in order of priority.

Please note that additional information regarding cost eligibility may be found within the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Grant Comprehensive Policy (MCP). An electronic copy of the MCP may be found at:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy

i) General

States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible to apply for this program.

The HP-ITD program provides financial assistance to advance technological capability and promote the deployment of intelligent transportation system applications. Projects funded under ITD support FMCSA’s safety initiatives for CMV operations, commercial drivers, and carrier-specific information systems and networks; support and maintain CMV information systems and networks; link FMCSA information systems with State CMV information systems; improve the safety and productivity of CMVs and drivers; and reduce the costs associated with CMV operations, and Federal and State CMV regulatory requirements.

ii) Consideration for Funding.

The applications received for HP-ITD projects will be given consideration for funding as follows:

a) Applications received from State agencies to meet Core compliance (as defined within Section 6 of the MCSAP Comprehensive Policy), which includes, but is not limited to, a Commercial Vehicle Information Exchange Window (CVIEW), and/or the development or updating of a Program Plan/Top Level Design (PP/TLD) that describes the various systems and networks that must be refined, revised, upgraded or built to accomplish Core capabilities as defined in the MCP.

CVIEW is a key mechanism to share CMV credential and safety information within the State and with other jurisdictions across the country. This interstate data exchange enables numerous critical safety programs to check for high risk motor carriers and Federal out-of-service orders. This also provides real-time electronic screening of interstate vehicles for safety, International Fuel Tax Agreement, International Registration Plan, oversize/overweight permits, and other compliance information critical to a State’s safety program.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy

b) Applications that improve credentialing data quality when information is uploaded from the State to FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) system. Grant application should include projects that ensure CVIEW systems capture updates sent to and from the SAFER system in real-time, or near real-time. Such applications should describe the performance measures used to ensure the accuracy and quality of the data exchanged, promote efficient system communication, and prevent system corruption or performance degradation, and the ability to tie the electronic screening of CVIEW data to inspection results. All Core ITD performance measures related to electronic credential administration and safety information exchange must be maintained to remain Core certified.

c) Applications for Innovative Technologies for States that have met

Core ITD requirements that include, but are not limited to:

(1) Deploying a work-zone and/or incident electronic notification system that will safely notify the driver within the cab of the CMV of an active work zone, traffic congestion, or an incident ahead. The alert system must be able to be safely broadcasted through the CMVs’ transponders, electronic on-board systems, cell phones, and/or motor carrier routing and dispatching systems.

(2) Deploying a CMV parking project that safely demonstrates real-time dissemination to a CMV driver of parking space availability by using dynamic message signs, interactive voice recognition, smartphone app, or other proven technology.

(3) Deploying electronic screening technology used in detecting Federal Out-of-Service (OOS) orders; vehicle out-of-service issues, including, but not limited to; inoperable, defective, or deficient brakes, tires, exhaust systems, or any defect that may cause an unsafe condition. This electronic screening technology would be used while the vehicle is in motion and would provide the ability to alert or provide an indicator to an electronic screening system.

d) Other typical projects and costs associated with HP-ITD funded by

FMCSA are outlined in section 6 and Appendix H of the MCP. Any innovative technology solutions meeting the goals established within the ITD program, but not listed in the MCP, may be submitted for consideration if the particular project is in the approved PP/TLD. A project in an approved PP/TLD is not an indication that any funding requested for that project within an application will be approved.

ii) Cost Matching under this Priority.

FMCSA will reimburse approved costs at the rate of 100 percent (no match/cost-share required) in the deployment of an HP-ITD CVIEW for States that have not achieved Core ITD certification and have not been reimbursed for a CVIEW project previously by FMCSA. All other approved projects will be reimbursed at the rate of 85 percent of eligible costs, requiring a match/cost share of 15 percent.

Any award for funds to develop or revise an ITD PP/TLD shall not exceed $150,000 of Federal funding.

SECTION B – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1) Funding and Number of Awards.

FMCSA anticipates making approximately 35 award(s) totaling $20,000,000 subject to the availability of funds, as a result of this Notice of Funding Opportunity. The FMCSA reserves the right to allocate additional funds for awards based on the volume and quality of applications. Awards under the HP-ITD program are subject to the availability of funds under the Continuing Resolution or FY 2020 Appropriation Act.

2) Type of Award.

The planned award type(s) under this Notice will be issued as a grant or cooperative agreement. The FMCSA will determine the appropriate award type based on the proposed project.

These award types are for new FMCSA awards only. Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing awards are not eligible.

3) Period of Performance.

The period of performance is the Federal fiscal year in which the award is made plus four additional fiscal years.

4) Degree of Federal Involvement.

i) Cooperative Agreement: In accordance with 31 U.S.C. § 6305, FMCSA will award a cooperative agreement when substantial involvement between FMCSA and the recipient is anticipated when carrying out the activity outlined in the Notice of Grant Agreement. FMCSA will outline the degree and nature of Federal involvement at the time of award (e.g., the degree in which FMCSA employees are directly participating in the award activities).

ii) Grant: Substantial involvement is not expected between FMCSA and the recipient when carrying out the activity outlined in the agreement. FMCSA provides financial assistance, technical expertise, and oversight. Recipients provide the effort and expertise necessary to carry out the approved activities to improve CMV safety. FMCSA recipients are responsible for achieving the work described in their grant award, complying with the grant requirements laid out in the grant award’s terms and conditions, the local administration of the grant, and monitoring and oversight of any sub-recipients and/or sub-contractors.

SECTION C – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION.

1) Eligible Applicants. The following section includes the applicants eligible for award.

The HP-ITD awards are available to States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FMCSA may award HP-ITD funds to eligible applicants that have an approved program plan as outlined in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Individuals and businesses are not eligible to apply for HP-ITD funding.

To be eligible for HP-ITD funding, the State applicant must:

a) Certify that they are the lead agency responsible for the Program Plan and Top-level Design (PP/TLD), or the applicant has a Memorandum of Understanding, or other agreement with the ITD lead agency.

b) If the applicant is not the ITD lead agency as outlined in the approved PP/TLD, the applicant must confirm that they have coordinated with the ITD lead agency regarding all projects requested in the application to ensure State-wide effectiveness and efficiency and to avoid any duplication of effort or other wastefulness in Federal funding initiatives.

c) Each HP-ITD applicant shall submit a Program Plan approval letter indicating the Program Plan previously approved includes the projects in which funds are being requested.

Note: The above does not apply if the applicant is requesting funding to develop a Program Plan only.

2) Cost-Sharing and Matching Requirements.

Applicants are reminded that FMCSA has identified certain items as reimbursable at 100 percent (requiring no matching funds) and others at the level of 85 percent (requiring a 15 percent match on the part of the awardee) for projects in Section A (3) under National Priorities, and any other projects that fall within the scope of the ITD program. As such, applicants should pay close attention to matching requirements when completing their HP-ITD proposals.

Cash, in-kind and third-party contributions are acceptable in meeting the matching share if they represent necessary, reasonable, allowable and allocable costs as established by 2 C.F.R. part 200 and FMCSA policy.

SECTION D - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1) Submission Website Address.

The applicants must complete and submit all forms included in this Notice at www.grants.gov.

When completing the Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 form, applicants must indicate the application type is “HP-ITD” in box 15, “Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.”

Each application must contain separate and distinct project and budget narratives, and line item budget and project subtitles for each subproject proposed within the

2) Content and Form of Application Submission.

The application must follow the format and limitation stated below:

• Application must be prepared on 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper;

• Margins (Top, Bottom, Right and Left) no smaller the 1” (Header and Footer are allowed in the margins) on all pages;

• Time New Romans 12pt must be used for all text, including tables and graphs;

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

• Attach an approval letter indicating the Program Plan (PP/TLD) was approved by the Secretary as outlined in FAST Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94); and

• The application narrative is limited to 35 total pages. FMCSA will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process. NOTE: The 35-total page limit will apply to this section only. Submission of documentation and forms described in Appendix A will not count against the application page limit.

Application packages must contain the below elements and all documentation described in Appendix A to be considered for an award. Appendix B contains example formats that may, but are not required to be used.

i) Brief Introduction. 5-page maximum

Include 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 outputs the application proposes to achieve. For each goal identified, the applicant must provide a problem statement, performance objective, program activity plan, and performance measurement plan.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://our.dot.gov/office/fmcsa.mc-e/State%20Programs/FY2019/FY%202019%20High%20Priority%20Grant/NOFO/HP-CMV%20-%20DRAFT%20NOFO%20-%20FY2019%20High%20Priority.docx#_bookmark1 http://our.dot.gov/office/fmcsa.mc-e/State%20Programs/FY2019/FY%202019%20High%20Priority%20Grant/NOFO/HP-CMV%20-%20DRAFT%20NOFO%20-%20FY2019%20High%20Priority.docx#_bookmark2

ii) Problem Statement. 5-page maximum

A quantitative description of the identified problem. Include details on the data used to identify the problem and to establish the baseline (include data source, date, and explain how the applicant collects, maintains, and analyzes the data). Data should support proposed project(s).

iii) Performance Objective. 5-page maximum

A description of the applicant’s quantifiable goal(s) related to the above problem statement. This can be measured in numbers, percentages, or other forms that accurately measure the outputs and outcomes the applicant anticipates will result from implementing the strategies and activities proposed.

iv) Program Activity Plan. 5-page maximum

A description of the activities the applicant believes will help mitigate the problem. Description should include details such as number and frequency of activities.

v) Performance Measurement Plan. 5-page maximum

A description of how the applicant will measure progress towards the performance objective goal, such as quantifiable and measurable outputs (hours, carrier contacts, inspections, etc.) and in terms of performance outcomes. The measure must include specific benchmarks that can be reported on in the quarterly progress report, if practicable, or as annual outcomes.

vi) Monitoring and Reporting Plan. 5-page maximum

A description of the applicant’s method for ongoing monitoring of the progress of the project. This should include who will conduct the monitoring, the frequency with which it will be carried out, and how and to whom reports will be made.

vii) Budget Narrative. 5-page maximum

A budget narrative is a description, by budget category (object class), that details the costs necessary to complete the proposed projects. A well-written budget narrative ensures that the applicant has properly documented proposed costs. The level of detail must be sufficient to justify the funding requested. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the sample budget narrative format included in Appendix B.

All costs in the budget narrative, SF-424 and SF-424-A must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

http://our.dot.gov/office/fmcsa.mc-e/State%20Programs/FY2019/FY%202019%20High%20Priority%20Grant/NOFO/HP-CMV%20-%20DRAFT%20NOFO%20-%20FY2019%20High%20Priority.docx#_bookmark2

Consistent with the Department's R.O.U.T.E.S. Initiative (https://www.transportation.gov/rural), the Department encourages applicants to describe how activities proposed in their application would address the unique challenges facing rural transportation networks, regardless of the geographic location of those activities.

3) SAM.Gov requirement.

The applicant must:

1) Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application at https://www.sam.gov; and

2) Provide a valid Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number on the SF-

424. If you do not have a DUNS number you can get one free through the D&B website:

https://fedgov.dnbd.com/webform/displayHomePage.do .

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.

If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency 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. i) Deadline.

FULL AND COMPLETE APPLICATIONS FOR High Priority Program – ITD Financial Assistance ARE DUE ON February 24, 2020 by 5:00 pm 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. Over the next two business days, you should receive two emails: 1) confirms application receipt by the Grants.gov system; and 2) indicates 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 all responsibility for a timely and complete application submission. Click here for more information.

https://www.sam.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

ii) Consideration of Applications.

Only applicants who comply with all submission deadlines described in this notice and electronically submit valid applications through Grants.gov will be eligible for consideration of award. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make submissions well in advance of the deadline.

iii) Late Applications.

The 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.

5) Intergovernmental Review.

The High Priority Program and this funding opportunity are subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” The States with a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and therefore a requirement to comply with E.O. 12372 are listed in the Office of Management and Budget's Web site.

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

6) Funding Restrictions.

HP funds are awarded through a competitive evaluation process and are not guaranteed.

All funding decisions will be made based on the Agency’s priorities and the merits of the respective applications.

All cost elements of an application must be necessary, reasonable, allocable, and allowable to accomplish the goals of the project. Cost eligibility standards are described in the applicable cost principles and administrative requirements:

i) 2 C.F.R. part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; and

ii) The FMCSA’s MCP, as revised in March 2018 (available from FMCSA's Division Offices) and on the FMCSA MCSAP Website at:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy.

In accordance with the provisions of 49 C.F.R. § 350.311 and the Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements Cost Principles, additional guidance on eligible expenses under MCSAP is included in the MCP. The eligibility of all expenditures is subject to review by FMCSA.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-grant-comprehensive-policy

The FMCSA is not obligated to approve costs incurred outside the award period of performance. These costs are incurred at the risk of the applicant and impose no obligation on FMCSA to make an award or to increase the amount of the approved budget.

The FMCSA will not approve reimbursement requests for indirect costs if an approved indirect cost rate agreement was not in place for the period the indirect cost expenses were incurred.

All FMCSA grant programs are cost reimbursable, which means that grant recipients must first expend their own money before submitting a request for reimbursement to FMCSA for approved 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 by documentation. Recipients must request reimbursement at least once each quarter.

Recipients must submit requests for reimbursement electronically through the Delphi eInvoicing System (iSupplier). Additional information is available at:

http://www.dot.gov/cfo/delphi- einvoicing-system.

7) 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 Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or e-mail 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) in order to response to the registration emails.

iii. Establish an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); more than one AOR can be established.

Please note the registration process in Grants.gov usually takes 2-4 business weeks to complete. FMCSA will not consider late applications due to failure to register or comply with Grant.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.

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

SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1) Initial Intake Review - Eligibility Criteria.

All applications received by the due date will undergo an initial intake review to determine if the application is eligible for a Merit Evaluation Review. The application eligibility criteria are listed below.

Application Requirement Instructions Deadline submission was met Section D.4(i) Applicant eligibility was met Section C.1

SAM Registration Section D.3 SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance Section D.1

SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section D.3 SF-424 lists any cost sharing or match amounts on line 18b Section C.2

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section D.1 Budget Narrative Section D.2 (vii)

Application/Project Narrative Section D.2 (i-vi) Any other applicable Grant.gov document or attachment listed in Appendix A.

Appendix A

Applications that meet the eligibility criteria are then subject to a Merit Evaluation Review process where each complete application is evaluated by multiple organizations within FMCSA including: a technical review panel (TRP), grant specialists, program officers, and FMCSA staff responsible for day-to-day grant management oversight.

The reviewers also consider the budget, program specific aspects, past performance, and Department of Transportation objectives in determining the application’s ratings.

Consistent with the Department's R.O.U.T.E.S. Initiative (https://www.transportation.gov/rural), the Department recognizes that rural transportation networks face unique challenges. To the extent that those challenges are reflected in the merit criteria listed in this section, the Department will consider how the activities proposed in the application will address those challenges, regardless of the geographic location of those activities.

2) Review and Selection Process.

i) Merit Evaluation Review.

The Merit Evaluation Review consists of the following areas: 1) Technical Merit, 2) Budget Review/Cost Analysis, 3) Program-Specific Aspects, and 4) Past Performance.

1. Technical Merit Review.

This review provides an independent assessment of the technical/programmatic merit of an application. At least three qualified individuals are selected to review each application to ensure diversity of perspective and knowledge. TRP individuals are selected based on their technical education and experience and the extent to which the individual has engaged in relevant work, the capacities in which the individual has done so, and the quality of such work.

The panel will consider the extent to which the applications, including projects:

a) Describe a program that will meet the stated objectives of the NOFO to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles or achieve the other listed goals of the program;

b) Include components that address specific program priorities;

c) Propose methodology that meets the stated objectives of the NOFO;

d) Propose work that identifies and/or makes progress on new/existing concepts;

e) Propose work based on sound principles to gauge performance and project success;

f) Include staffing resource allocation is sufficient to achieve the program objectives;

g) Demonstrate that the approach will ensure enforcement activities or other activities in areas likely to generate the maximum effectiveness of ITD activities;

h) Demonstrate appropriateness, rationale, and completeness of the proposed statement of project objectives;

i) Include clearly-identified performance goals and measurements;

j) Demonstrate ability to develop performance-based metrics that adhere to FMCSA monitoring and reporting requirements;

k) Demonstrate that the proposed project/program is reasonable in scope, adequate to address existing and emerging information technology;

l) Have geographical or national scope that the project will affect;

m) Represents a diversity of technical approaches or methods;

n) Demonstrates efforts that are complementary and not duplicative, which, when taken together, will best achieve the programs goals and objectives; and

o) Includes different types and sizes of organizations to provide a balanced programmatic effort and a variety of different technical perspectives.

2. Budget Review/Cost Analysis.

This review provides an assessment of: 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.

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

The reviewers will evaluate HP-ITD 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

Office of Management and Budget Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards;

c) Cost in a particular cost category been properly identified as allowable, with the necessary detail for its use, and not duplicative to the other budget line items;

d) The appropriate match is documented, as applicable;

e) All equipment, training, and travel components are clearly linked to the project goal and are necessary to adequately compensate, equip, train, and enable personnel to conduct the activities included in the project plan;

f) 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) to ensure that the applicant is not suspended or debarred and does not have any unpaid Federal tax liability. 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;

g) 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 C.F.R. § 200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants; and

h) An evaluation of the applicant’s Single Audit in accordance with the

Single Audit Act. The 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.

3. Program Specific Aspects.

The application must include clearly-identified performance goals and measurements that are supported by an appropriate and identified data source and that includes benchmarks and timelines that will facilitate evaluating the applicant’s progress towards project completion.

Consideration will be given to applications which establish financial performance goals receiving FMCSA financial assistance funds, particularly the percentage of funds expended on a quarterly basis.

Reviewers will also consider whether the application indicates how the recipient will continuously contribute to the success of the project by evaluating performance goals, objectives, activities, outcomes and make adjustments as necessary.

4. Past Performance.

This review provides information that is considered 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 year awards on time, their compliance with those grant terms and conditions, including review of any financial and performance quarterly reports, and the results of any FMCSA grant monitoring activities to include budget execution, original budget vs. final budget, and unexpended balances.

Applicants that have not previously received grant funding from FMCSA are not subject to this review and their applications will not be eliminated from funding consideration.

Reviewers will evaluate applications and past performance to determine the extent to which:

a) The applicant used Generally Accepted Accounting

Principles as a guide to review prior personnel and budgetary practices, and past performance to judge if the proposed expenditures are reasonable and necessary to conduct the proposed projects and if costs are allowable under applicable Federal regulations;

b) The applicant successfully performs and manages current project tasks (e.g., within budget and on schedule);

c) There are any issues or findings from monitoring activities (e.g., audit, program or process reviews) where the applicant violated the grant terms and conditions;

d) The applicant’s previous performance and financial reports were submitted late, incomplete or incorrectly; and/or has the applicant consistently requested additional time to complete the reports; and

e) Whether the recipient has high UDO balances from prior grants awarded for similar activities.

ii) Other Review Information.

After applying the above preferences, FMCSA will consider the following key Departmental objectives.

1. Supporting economic vitality at the national and regional level;

2. Utilizing alternative funding sources and innovative financing models to attract non-Federal sources of infrastructure investment;

3. Accounting for the life-cycle costs of the project to promote the state of good repair;

4. Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite project delivery;

5. Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance and achieving specific, measurable outcomes identified by grant applicants; and

6. Whether a project is located in a qualified opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 1400Z-1

iii) Ratings.

Following the Merit Evaluation Review and other review information, applications are prioritized using the ratings shown below based on the applicable criteria to the

1. Highly Responsive: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, convincingly demonstrates that it will meet the Government's performance requirements, and demonstrates minimal or no weaknesses.

2. Responsive: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the likelihood of meeting the Government's expectations and requirements, but may include a few weaknesses.

3. Somewhat Responsive: Applicant addresses most aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements but contains significant weaknesses and/or a number of minor weaknesses. These weaknesses may be addressed by recommending the award and including a specific programmatic or administrative post-award term and condition or a reduction to requested funding. The problem statement is not supported by statistics and the application does not illustrate how the applicant’s activities will address the problem.

4. Not Responsive: Applicant does not sufficiently address the criterion and/or failed to submit a PP/TLD Program Plan Approval Letter with the application (if required). For example, the application is missing a budget or the project narrative lacks a clearly defined problem statement, objectives, goals, and/or specific activities. The information that the applicant has presented indicates a strong likelihood of failure to meet the Government’s requirements.

vii) Selection Process.

After the evaluation process, FMCSA will select projects for funding applying the selection criteria noted above and the ratings assigned to the applications.

3) Additional Information.

Prior to award, each selected applicant will be subject to a risk assessment, as required by 2 C.F.R. § 200.205. Depending on the level and severity of the Agency’s risk assessment findings, FMCSA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive the award. The FMCSA may also impose additional grant award terms and conditions above its customary general terms and conditions.

The risk assessment is conducted in several parts:

i) A debarment and suspension review that includes a check against the records in SAM (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System).

ii) 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;

iii) The FMCSA will consider any comments by the applicant, 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 § 200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants;

and

iv) An evaluation of the applicant’s Single Audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act. The 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.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-205.xml https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-205.xml https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-205.xml

SECTION F - FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1) Federal Award Notices.

Following the evaluation outlined in Section E, the Notice of Grant Agreement (NGA), signed by the FMCSA Grant Officer, is the authorizing financial assistance document, and will be sent through GrantSolutions. It must be accepted by the recipient before the end of FY 2020. FMCSA may approve all or partial funding of a grant application.

The NGA issued to the recipient will specify whether the award is a grant or a cooperative agreement and will include any special award terms and conditions, if applicable.

Applicants chosen for funding are formally notified electronically by the FMCSA grant management system (GrantSolutions, www.grantsolutions.gov) before the grant’s execution. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by electronic mail. The FMCSA cannot award grants/cooperative agreements or release information concerning applications recommended for funding until approval is obtained from the Secretary of Transportation. Further, FMCSA cannot make awards until the enactment of authorizing legislation, an appropriations act, budget authority, and apportionment from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The FMCSA may issue partial funding of awards up to the funding level authorized.

Acceptance of the award constitutes the recipient’s agreement to comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, executive orders, OMB circulars, and terms and conditions of the award, including the reporting requirements shown below.

Applicants will not receive any communication until all funding recommendations have been approved. The FMCSA will send a letter to notify those who were not funded with suggestions for how applications can be improved for the next grant cycle. The FMCSA does not have an appeals process for unsuccessful applications for discretionary grant funds.

2) Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

All awards will be administered pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards found in 2 C.F.R. part 200, as adopted by DOT at 2 C.F.R. part 1201 and FMCSA statutes and regulations.

Additional provisions that apply to this NOFO and/or awards made under this NOFO, including but not limited to those related to DUNS, and SAM, can be found in the Grants.gov application package under the “Related Documents” tab. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review all documents when preparing applications. Contact the POC listed in the overview of the funding notification if you have questions on these provisions.

http://www.grantsolutions.gov/

3) Reporting.

The grant/cooperative agreement terms and conditions outline the reporting requirements that the recipient must meet after award. Reporting responsibilities include quarterly program performance reports using the Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR) and quarterly financial status using the Federal Financial Report (SF-425, also known as the FFR). Recipients must submit financial report electronically through Grant Solutions; contact the points of contacted listed in the overview of the funding notification for additional information. Recipients should submit quarterly performance reports via email. Additional quarterly report information and other required forms and templates are available at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/grantee-resources.

If the Federal share of currently active Federal awards includes more than $10,000,000 for any period during the period of performance, financial assistance recipients must comply with the post award reporting requirements reflected in Appendix XII of 2 C.F.R. part 200.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/grantee-resources

SECTION G - FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

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

Telephone: (202) 366-0621 (Grant 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, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SECTION H - OTHER INFORMATION

This NOFO is intended for informational purposes and reflects current planning. If there is any inconsistency between the information contained in this NOFO and the terms of any resulting funding agreement, the terms of the funding agreement are controlling. Additionally, FMCSA may make changes or additions to this NOFO. All changes will be announced through Grants.gov. We encourage you to sign up for Grants.gov emails to be notified of the changes at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html

The FMCSA normally holds annual conferences for each grant program so please check FMCSA’s website for updates: www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The following attachments have been added to Grants.gov under this announcement.

These attachments are available in Grants.gov under the “Related Documents” tab.

• Appendix A: Application Package Requirements Checklist

• Appendix B: Project Narrative Guidance http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ http://our.dot.gov/office/fmcsa.mc-e/State%20Programs/FY2019/FY%202019%20High%20Priority%20Grant/NOFO/HP-CMV%20-%20DRAFT%20NOFO%20-%20FY2019%20High%20Priority.docx#_bookmark1 http://our.dot.gov/office/fmcsa.mc-e/State%20Programs/FY2019/FY%202019%20High%20Priority%20Grant/NOFO/HP-CMV%20-%20DRAFT%20NOFO%20-%20FY2019%20High%20Priority.docx#_bookmark2

APPENDIX A: Application Package Requirement Checklist

Below is a non-exhaustive list of documents necessary for a responsive grant application announcement. Please note that this list is intended to assist applicants in compiling their application. However, because the required documents may differ slightly based on the nature of the grant application, applicants should not rely solely on this checklist and must still read the entire NOFO to ensure that they have included all required documents.

FMCSA reserves the right to request additional documentation or information to confirm compliance with applicable laws.

Document Name Document Description and Location Information

Submit in:

Brief Introduction Include a description of the goal(s) of the application and the applicable program priority(s) met by the application’s projects.

Grants.gov

Problem Statement A quantitative description of the identified problem.

Include details on the data used to identify the problem and to establish the baseline.

Grants.gov

Performance Objective

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

Grants.gov

Program Activity Plan

A description of the activities the applicant believes will help mitigate the problem.

Grants.gov

Performance Measurement Plan

A description of how the applicant will measure progress towards the performance objective goal, such as quantifiable and measurable outputs.

Grants.gov

Monitoring and Reporting Plan

A description of the applicant’s method for ongoing monitoring of the progress of the project. This should include who will conduct the monitoring, the frequency with which it will be carried out, and how and to whom reports will be made.

Grants.gov

Budget Narrative A budget narrative is a description, by budget category (object class) that details the costs necessary to complete the proposed projects.

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

Required standard application form for all requests for Federal assistance. Form requests contact information for: 1) Lead Principal Investigator or Program Director (program/project manager) [enter in Box 8f]; and 2) Authorized Representative (AR) Official (authorized signer) [enter in AR section following Box 21]. Available in the Grants.gov

SF-424A Budget Information for Non-

Construction Programs

Required standard budget form for requests for Federal assistance. Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Grants.gov

SF-424B Assurances for

Non-Construction Programs

Standard assurances form associated with accepting Federal assistance funds. This document indicates that the organization is in substantial compliance with various programs, regulations, and Federal laws for a non-construction program. Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Grants.gov

Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Required form that allows organizations to indicate that they do not engage in lobbying activities.

Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Grants.gov

SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

(if applicable)

Standard form to report their lobbying activities if applicable. Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Grants.gov

Key Contacts Form Required form requests contact information for:

1) Additional Persons for the role of Authorized Representative Official (authorized signer);

2) Additional Persons for the role of Principal Investigator or Program Director (program/project manager); and 3) the lead role of Financial Official (Grants Manager).

NOTE: If more than one individual is designated in the same role, one individual must be identified as primary. Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Attachment Form Form used to submit supplemental attachments to support the grant application. Available in the Grants.gov application package.

Grants.gov

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(If Indirect Costs are included in applicant budget)

Organization’s signed current approved indirect cost rate from the cognizant Federal agency or letter of request to cognizant agency for rate establishment or adjustment.

Grants.gov

Standard Title VI/Non- Discrimination Program

Assurance and Plan

Required self-certification assurance ensures that the applicant will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related Nondiscrimination authorities (including other related directives, circulars, policy, memoranda, and/or guidance) 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.

A draft Title VI Program Assurance and Plan is available in Grants.gov under the “Related Documents” tab.

Use the “Attachments Form” located in the Grants.gov application package to attach the various files that make up your grant application.

Grants.gov

ITD Program Plan / Top Level Design (PP/TLD) approval letter

To be eligible for an HP-ITD…