SS4A NOFO FY22 FINAL_Amendment 1.pdf

Office of the Secretary of Transportation Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Discretionary Grant Opportunity Amendment 1

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department)

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Assistance Listing # 20.939

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants. Funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 SS4A grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians;

bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.1

DATES: Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM EDT on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Late applications will not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted through https://www.grants.gov/.

FOR FURTHER CONTACT INFORMATION: Please contact the SS4A grant program staff via email at SS4A@dot.gov, or call Paul Teicher at 202-366-4114. A telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is available at 202-366-3993. In addition, DOT will regularly post answers to questions and requests for clarifications, as well as schedule information regarding webinars providing additional guidance, on DOT’s website at https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A. The deadline to submit technical questions is August 15, 2022.

1The term “pedestrians” is inclusive of all users of the pedestrian infrastructure, including persons with disabilities.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://usdot.sharepoint.com/teams/volpe-proj-OST-SS4A/Shared%20Documents/General/NOFO/NOFO%20drafts/SS4A@dot.gov https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each section of this notice contains information and instructions relevant to the application process for SS4A grants, and all applicants should read this notice in its entirety so that they have the information they need to submit eligible and competitive applications.

N/A SUMMARY INFORMATION

A PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

B FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

D APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

INFORMATION

E APPLICATION REVIEW

INFORMATION

F FEDERAL AWARD

ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

G FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY

CONTACTS

H OTHER INFORMATION

Section A (Program Description) describes the Department’s goals and purpose in making awards, and Section E (Application Review Information) describes how the Department will select from eligible applications. To support applicants through the process, the Department will provide technical assistance and resources at https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A.

DEFINITIONS

Term Definition

Applicant’s Jurisdiction(s)

The U.S. Census tracts where the applicant operates or performs their safety responsibilities.

If an applicant is seeking funding for multiple jurisdictions, all of the relevant Census tracts for the jurisdictions covered by the application should be included.

Complete Streets

Standards or policies that ensure the safe and adequate accommodation of all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, public transportation users, children, older individuals, individuals with disabilities, motorists, and freight vehicles.2

2 The definition is based on the “Moving to a Complete Streets Design Model: A Report to Congress on Opportunities and Challenges,” https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/federal-highway-administration-details-efforts-advance-complete-streets-design-model https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/federal-highway-administration-details-efforts-advance-complete-streets-design-model https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/federal-highway-administration-details-efforts-advance-complete-streets-design-model

Comprehensive Safety Action Plan A comprehensive safety action plan (referred to as Action Plan) is aimed at preventing roadway fatalities and serious injuries in a locality, Tribe, or region. This can either be a plan developed with an Action Plan Grant, or a previously developed plan that is substantially similar and meets the eligibility requirements (e.g., a Vision Zero plan or similar plan).

Equity

The consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons;

persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

High Injury Network

Identifies the highest concentrations of traffic crashes resulting in serious injuries and fatalities within a given roadway network or jurisdiction.

Micromobility

Any small, low-speed, human- or electric-powered transportation device, including bicycles, scooters, electric-assist bicycles, electric scooters (e-scooters), and other small, lightweight, wheeled conveyances.3

3 Source: FHWA, Public Roads Magazine Spring 2021 “Micromobility: a Travel Innovation.” Publication Number: FHWA-

HRT-21-003

Personal Conveyance

A personal conveyance is a device, other than a transport device, used by a pedestrian for personal mobility assistance or recreation. These devices can be motorized or human powered, but not propelled by pedaling.4

Political Subdivision of a State

A unit of government created under the authority of State law. This includes cities, towns, counties, special districts, certain transit agencies, and similar units of local government. A transit district, authority, or public benefit corporation is eligible if it was created under State law, including transit authorities operated by political subdivisions of a State.

Rural

For the purposes of this NOFO, jurisdictions outside an Urbanized Area (UA) or located within Urbanized Areas with populations fewer than 200,000 will be considered rural. Lists of UAs are available on the U.S. Census Bureau website at http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAU C_RefMap/ua/.

Safe System Approach A guiding principle to address the safety of all road users. It involves a paradigm shift to improve safety culture, increase collaboration across all safety stakeholders, and refocus transportation system design and operation on anticipating human mistakes and lessening impact forces to reduce crash severity and save lives.5,6

4 https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813251, see page 127 for the full definition as defined in the 2020 FARS/CRSS Coding and Validation Manual.

5 See: https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem 6 Safety culture can be defined as the shared values, actions, and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to safety over competing goals and demands.

http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/ http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/ https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813251 https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem

Underserved Community An underserved community as defined for this NOFO is consistent with the Office of Management and Budget’s Interim Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative and the Historically Disadvantaged Community designation, which includes:

U.S. Census tracts identified in this table and corresponding map tool that visualizes the table :

• https://datahub.transportation.gov/stories/s /tsyd-k6ij and https://usdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/das hboards/99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe5 8a3a

• Any Tribal land; or

• Any territory or possession of the United

States.

A. Program Description

1. Overview

Section 24112 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117–58, November 15, 2021;

also referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” or “BIL”) authorized and appropriated $1 billion to be awarded by the Department of Transportation for FY 2022 for the SS4A grant program. This NOFO solicits applications for activities to be funded under the SS4A grant program. The FY22 funding will be implemented, as appropriate and consistent with law, in alignment with the priorities in Executive Order 14052, Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (86 FR 64355).7

The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. The program provides funding to develop the tools to help strengthen a community’s approach to roadway safety and save lives and is designed to meet the needs of diverse local, Tribal, and regional communities that differ dramatically in size, location, and experience administering Federal funding.

2. Grant Types and Deliverables

The SS4A program provides funding for two types of grants: Action Plan Grants (for comprehensive safety action plans) and Implementation Grants. Action Plan Grants are used to develop, complete, or supplement a comprehensive safety action plan. To apply for an Implementation Grant, an eligible

7 The priorities of Executive Order 14052, Implementation of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act are: to invest efficiently and equitably, promote the competitiveness of the U.S. economy, improve job opportunities by focusing on high labor standards and equal employment opportunity, strengthen infrastructure resilience to hazards including climate change, and to effectively coordinate with State, local, Tribal, and territorial government partners.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusdot.maps.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fdashboards%2F99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe58a3a&data=05%7C01%7CPaul.Teicher%40dot.gov%7Ca4e45311b30441c015fc08da601bfd06%7Cc4cd245b44f04395a1aa3848d258f78b%7C0%7C0%7C637927970563746482%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g8yRFtjbQjL6cbVKhDY4CIUr95oi8jYjFNaFF%2BS4Q7A%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusdot.maps.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fdashboards%2F99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe58a3a&data=05%7C01%7CPaul.Teicher%40dot.gov%7Ca4e45311b30441c015fc08da601bfd06%7Cc4cd245b44f04395a1aa3848d258f78b%7C0%7C0%7C637927970563746482%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g8yRFtjbQjL6cbVKhDY4CIUr95oi8jYjFNaFF%2BS4Q7A%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusdot.maps.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fdashboards%2F99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe58a3a&data=05%7C01%7CPaul.Teicher%40dot.gov%7Ca4e45311b30441c015fc08da601bfd06%7Cc4cd245b44f04395a1aa3848d258f78b%7C0%7C0%7C637927970563746482%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g8yRFtjbQjL6cbVKhDY4CIUr95oi8jYjFNaFF%2BS4Q7A%3D&reserved=0 applicant must have a qualifying Action Plan. Implementation Grants are available to implement strategies or projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan. Applicants for Implementation Grants can self-certify that they have in place one or more plans that together are substantially similar to and meet the eligibility requirements for an Action Plan.

i. Action Plan Grants

An Action Plan is the foundation of the SS4A grant program. Action Plan Grants provide Federal funds to eligible applicants to develop or complete an Action Plan. Action Plan Grants may also fund supplemental Action Plan activities. The goal of an Action Plan is to develop a holistic, well-defined strategy to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries in a locality, Tribe, or region. Further information on eligibility requirements is in Section C.

The primary deliverable for an Action Plan Grant is a publicly available Action Plan. For the purposes of the SS4A grant program, an Action Plan includes the components in Table 1. DOT considers the process of developing an Action Plan to be critical for success, and the components reflect a process-oriented set of activities.

Table 1: Action Plan Components Component Description Leadership Commitment and Goal Setting An official public commitment (e.g., resolution, policy, ordinance, etc.) by a high-ranking official and/or governing body (e.g., Mayor, City Council, Tribal Council, MPO Policy Board, etc.) to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The commitment must include a goal and timeline for eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries achieved through one, or both, of the following:

(1) the target date for achieving zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries, OR

(2) an ambitious percentage reduction of roadway fatalities and serious injuries by a specific date with an eventual goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Planning Structure A committee, task force, implementation group, or similar body charged with oversight of the Action Plan development, implementation, and monitoring.

Safety Analysis Analysis of existing conditions and historical trends that provides a baseline level of crashes involving fatalities and serious injuries across a jurisdiction, locality, Tribe, or region.

Includes an analysis of locations where there are crashes and the severity of the crashes, as well as contributing factors and crash types by relevant road users (motorists, people walking, transit users, etc.). Analysis of systemic and specific safety needs is also performed, as needed (e.g., high-risk road features, specific safety needs of relevant road users, public health approaches, analysis of the built environment, demographic, and structural issues, etc.). To the extent practical, the analysis should include all roadways within the jurisdiction, without regard for ownership. Based on the analysis performed, a geospatial identification of higher-risk locations is developed (a High-Injury Network or equivalent).

Engagement and Collaboration Robust engagement with the public and relevant stakeholders, including the private sector and community groups, that allows for both community representation and feedback.

Information received from engagement and collaboration is analyzed and incorporated into the Action Plan. Overlapping jurisdictions are included in the process. Plans and processes are coordinated and aligned with other governmental plans and planning processes to the extent practical.

Equity Considerations Plan development using inclusive and representative processes. Underserved communities are identified through data and other analyses in collaboration with appropriate partners.8 Analysis includes both population characteristics and initial equity impact assessments of the proposed projects and strategies.

8 An underserved community as defined for this NOFO is consistent with the Office of Management and Budget’s Interim Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf) and the Historically Disadvantaged Community designation, which includes U.S. Census tracts identified in this table and mapping tool https://datahub.transportation.gov/stories/s/tsyd-k6ij and https://usdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe58a3a; any Tribal land; or any territory or possession of the United States.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf https://datahub.transportation.gov/stories/s/tsyd-k6ij https://usdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/99f9268777ff4218867ceedfabe58a3a

Policy and Process Changes Assessment of current policies, plans, guidelines, and/or standards (e.g., manuals) to identify opportunities to improve how processes prioritize transportation safety. The Action Plan discusses implementation through the adoption of revised or new policies, guidelines, and/or standards, as appropriate.

Strategy and Project Selections Identification of a comprehensive set of projects and strategies, shaped by data, the best available evidence and noteworthy practices, as well as stakeholder input and equity considerations, that will address the safety problems described in the Action Plan.

These strategies and countermeasures focus on a Safe System Approach, effective interventions, and consider multidisciplinary activities. To the extent practical, data limitations are identified and mitigated.

Once identified, the list of projects and strategies is prioritized in a list that provides time ranges for when the strategies and countermeasures will be deployed (e.g., short-, mid-, and long-term timeframes). The list should include specific projects and strategies, or descriptions of programs of projects and strategies, and explains prioritization criteria used. The list should contain interventions focused on infrastructure, behavioral, and/or operational safety.

Progress and Transparency Method to measure progress over time after an Action Plan is developed or updated, including outcome data. Means to ensure ongoing transparency is established with residents and other relevant stakeholders.

Must include, at a minimum, annual public and accessible reporting on progress toward reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries, and public posting of the Action Plan online.

a) Supplemental Action Plan Activities:

Supplemental action plan activities support or enhance an existing Action Plan. To fund supplemental

Action Plan activities through the SS4A program, an applicant must have an existing Action Plan, or a plan that is substantially similar and meets the eligibility requirements for having an existing plan. The plan components may be contained within several documents. Table 2 in Section C is a Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet with instructions to determine whether an existing plan meets the eligibility requirements. Supplemental action plan activities could include, but are not limited to: a second round of analysis; expanded data collection and evaluation using integrated data; testing action plan concepts before project and strategy implementation; feasibility studies using quick-build strategies that inform permanent projects in the future (e.g., paint, plastic bollards, etc.); follow-up stakeholder engagement and collaboration; targeted equity assessments; progress report development; and complementary planning efforts such as speed management plans, accessibility and transition plans, racial and health equity plans, and lighting management plans. Additional information on supplemental action plan activities is located at https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A.

Applicants that have an existing plan that is substantially similar to and meets the eligibility requirements of an Action Plan may alternatively choose to fund supplemental Action Plan activities through an application for an Implementation Grant rather than an Action Plan Grant. See Section A.2.ii below.

ii. Implementation Grants

Implementation Grants fund projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan that address roadway safety problems. Implementation Grants may also fund associated planning and design and supplemental Action Plan activities in support of an existing Action Plan. DOT encourages Implementation Grant applicants to include supplemental Action Plan activities in their application to further improve and update existing plans. Applicants must have an existing Action Plan to apply for Implementation Grants or have an existing plan that is substantially similar and meets the eligibility requirements of an Action Plan. If applicants do not have an existing Action Plan, they should apply for Action Plan Grants and NOT Implementation Grants. The plan components may be contained within several documents. Table 2 in Section C is a Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet with instructions to determine eligibility to apply for an Implementation Grant. Additional information on eligibility requirements and eligible activities is in Section C below.

3. SS4A Grant Priorities

This section discusses priorities specific to SS4A and those related to the Department’s overall mission, which are reflected in the selection criteria and NOFO requirements. Successful grant applications will demonstrate engagement with a variety of public and private stakeholders and seek to adopt innovative technologies and strategies to:

• Promote safety;

• Employ low-cost, high-impact strategies that can improve safety over a wider geographic area;

• Ensure equitable investment in the safety needs of underserved communities, which includes both underserved urban and rural communities;

• Incorporate evidence-based projects and strategies; and

• Align with the Department’s mission and with priorities such as equity, climate and sustainability, quality job creation, and economic strength and global competitiveness.

The Department seeks to award Action Plan Grants based on safety impact, equity, and other safety considerations. For Implementation Grants, DOT seeks to make awards to projects and strategies that https://www.transportation.gov/SS4A save lives and reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries; incorporate equity, engagement, and collaboration into how projects and strategies are executed; use effective practices and strategies;

consider climate change, sustainability, and economic competitiveness in project and strategy implementation; and will be able to complete the full scope of funded projects and strategies within five years after the establishment of a grant agreement. Section D provides more information on the specific measures an application should demonstrate to support these goals.

The SS4A grant program aligns with both Departmental and Biden-Harris Administration activities and priorities. The National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS, issued January 27, 2022) commits the Department to respond to the current crisis in roadway fatalities by “taking substantial, comprehensive action to significantly reduce serious and fatal injuries on the Nation’s roadways,” in pursuit of the goal of achieving zero roadway deaths.9 DOT recognizes that zero is the only acceptable number of deaths on our roads, and achieving that is our long-term safety goal. The outcomes that are anticipated from the SS4A program also support the FY 2022-2026 DOT Strategic Plan and the accompanying safety performance goals such as a medium-term goal of a two-thirds reduction in roadway fatalities by 2040.10

As part of the NRSS, the Department adopted the Safe System Approach as a guiding principle to advance roadway safety. The Safe System Approach addresses the safety of all road users. It involves a paradigm shift to improve safety culture, increase collaboration across all safety stakeholders, and refocus transportation system design and operation on anticipating human mistakes and lessening impact forces to reduce crash severity and save lives. For more information on the Safe System Approach, see the

NRSS.

DOT encourages communities to adopt and implement Complete Streets policies that prioritize the safety of all users in transportation network planning, design, construction, and operations.11 A full transition to a Complete Streets design model requires leadership, identification and elimination of barriers, and development of new policies, rules, and procedures to prioritize safety. A Complete Street includes, but is not limited to: sidewalks, curb ramps, bike lanes (or wide paved shoulders), special bus lanes, accessible public transportation stops, safe and accommodating crossing options, median islands, pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes, and roundabouts.12 Recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to ensure the accessibility of pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way. See Section F.2 of this NOFO for program requirements.

The NOFO aligns with and considers Departmental policy priorities that have a nexus to roadway safety and grant funding. As part of the Department’s implementation of Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (86 FR 7619), the Department seeks to fund applications that, to the extent possible, target at least 40 percent of benefits towards low-income and underserved communities. DOT also seeks to award funds under the SS4A grant program that proactively address equity and barriers to opportunity, or redress prior inequities and barriers to opportunity. DOT supports the policies in Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (86 FR 7009), to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color, rural communities, and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. An important area for DOT’s focus is the disproportionate, adverse safety impacts that affect certain groups

9 https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS 10 https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan 11 Complete Streets are defined in the Definitions table at the beginning of the document.

12 More information on Complete Streets can be found at https://highways.dot.gov/complete-streets https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan https://highways.dot.gov/complete-streets on our roadways, particularly people walking and biking in underserved communities. See Section F.2.i of this NOFO for equity-related program requirements.

As part of the United States’ commitment to a whole-of-government approach to reaching net-zero emissions economy-wide by 2050 and a 50–52 percent reduction in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, BIL and its associated transportation funding programs permit historic investments to improve the resilience of transportation infrastructure, helping States and communities prepare for hazards such as wildfires, floods, storms, and droughts exacerbated by climate change. DOT’s goal is to encourage the advancement of projects and strategies that address climate change and sustainability. To enable this, the Department encourages applicants to consider climate change and sustainability throughout the planning and project development process, including the extent to which projects and strategies under the SS4A grant program align with the President’s greenhouse gas reduction, climate resilience, and environmental justice commitments.

The Department intends to use the SS4A grant program to support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union, and the incorporation of strong labor standards and workforce programs, in particular registered apprenticeships, joint labor-management programs, or other high-quality workforce training programs, including high-quality pre-apprenticeships tied to registered apprenticeships, in project planning stages and program delivery. Grant applications that incorporate such considerations support a strong economy and labor market.

Consistent with the Department’s Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success

(ROUTES) initiative, the Department seeks to award funding to rural applications that address disproportionately high fatality rates in rural communities. For applicants seeking to use innovative technologies and strategies, the Department’s Innovation Principles serve as a guide to ensure innovations reduce deaths and serious injuries while committing to the highest standards of safety across technologies.13

B. Federal Award Information

1. Total Funding Available

The BIL established the SS4A program with $5,000,000,000 in advanced appropriations in Division J, including $1,000,000,000 for FY 2022. Therefore, this Notice makes available up to $1 billion for FY 2022 grants under the SS4A program. Refer to Section D for greater detail on additional funding considerations and Section D.5 for funding restrictions.

2. Availability of Funds

Grant funding obligation occurs when a selected applicant and DOT enter into a written grant agreement after the applicant has satisfied applicable administrative requirements. Unless authorized by DOT in writing after DOT’s announcement of FY 2022 SS4A grant awards, any costs incurred prior to DOT’s obligation of funds for activities (“pre-award costs”) are ineligible for reimbursement. All FY 2022 SS4A funds must be expended within five years after the grant agreement is executed and DOT obligates the funds.

3. Award Size and Anticipated Quantity

13 https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/innovation/us-dot-innovation-principles. Released January 6, 2022.

https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/innovation/us-dot-innovation-principles

In FY 2022, DOT expects to award hundreds of Action Plan Grants, and up to one hundred Implementation Grants. The Department reserves the right to make more, or fewer, awards. DOT reserves the discretion to alter minimum and maximum award sizes upon receiving the full pool of applications and assessing the needs of the program in relation to the SS4A grant priorities in Section A.3.

i. Action Plan Grants

For Action Plan Grants, award amounts will be based on estimated costs, with an expected minimum of $200,000 for all applicants, an expected maximum of $1,000,000 for a political subdivision of a State or a federally recognized Tribal government, and an expected maximum of $5,000,000 for a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) or a joint application comprised of a multijurisdictional group of entities that is regional in scope (e.g., a multijurisdictional group of counties, a council of governments and cities within the same region, etc.). The Department will consider applications with funding requests under the expected minimum award amount. DOT reserves the right to make Action Grant awards less than the total amount requested by the applicant.

Joint applications that engage multiple jurisdictions in the same region are encouraged, in order to ensure collaboration across multiple jurisdictions and leverage the expertise of agencies with established financial relationships with DOT and knowledge of Federal grant administration requirements.

Applicants may propose development of a single Action Plan covering all jurisdictions, or several plans for individual jurisdictions, administered by the leading agency.

ii. Implementation Plan Grants

For Implementation Grants, DOT expects the minimum award will be $5,000,000 and the maximum award will be $30,000,000 for political subdivisions of a State. For applicants who are federally recognized Tribal governments or applicants in rural areas, DOT expects the minimum award will be $3,000,000 and the maximum award will be $30,000,000. For an MPO or a joint application comprised of a multijurisdictional group of entities that is regional in scope, the expected maximum award will be $50,000,000. For the purposes of the SS4A grant program award size minimum, rural is defined as an area outside an Urbanized Area (UA) or located within a UA with a population of fewer than 200,000.14 DOT reserves the right to make Implementation Grant awards less than the total amount requested by the applicant.

4. Start Dates and Period of Performance

DOT expects to obligate SS4A award funding via a signed grant agreement between the Department and the recipient, as flexibly and expeditiously as possible, within 12 months after awards have been announced. Applicants who have never received Federal funding from DOT before are encouraged to partner with eligible applicants within the same region, such as an MPO, that have established financial relationships with DOT and knowledge of Federal grant administration requirements. While States are not eligible applicants and cannot be a co-applicant, eligible applicants are encouraged to separately partner with States and other entities experienced with administering Federal grants, outside of the SS4A grant award process, to ensure effective administration of a grant award. The expected period of

14 Current lists of Urbanized Areas are available on the U.S. Census Bureau website at http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/uauc_refmap/ua/. For the purposes of the SS4A program, Urbanized Areas with populations fewer than 200,000 will be considered rural.

http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/ performance for Action Plan Grant agreements is between 12 and 24 months. The period of performance for Implementation Grant agreements may not exceed five years.

Because award recipients under this program may be first-time recipients of Federal funding, DOT is committed to implementing the program as flexibly as permitted by statute and to providing assistance to help award recipients through the process of securing a grant agreement and delivering both Action Plan activities and Implementation Grant projects and strategies.

5. Data Collection Requirements

Under the BIL, the Department shall post on a publicly available website best practices and lessons learned for preventing roadway fatalities and serious injuries pursuant to strategies or interventions implemented under SS4A. Additionally, DOT shall evaluate and incorporate, as appropriate, the effectiveness of strategies and interventions implemented under the SS4A grant program.15 The Department intends to measure safety outcomes through a combination of grant agreement activities and data collections, DOT data collections already underway, and program evaluations separate from the individual grant agreements in accordance with Section F.3.iii. The grant data-collection requirements reflect the need to build evidence of noteworthy strategies and what works. The Department expects to use the data and outcome information collected as part of the SS4A in evaluations focused on before and after studies.

All award recipients shall submit a report that describes:

• The costs of each eligible project and strategy carried out using the grant;

• The roadway safety outcomes and any additional benefits (e.g., increased walking, biking, or transit use without a commensurate increase in crashes, etc.) that each such project and strategy has generated, as— o Identified in the grant application; and o Measured by data, to the maximum extent practicable; and

• The lessons learned and any recommendations relating to future projects or strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets.

All recipients must provide aggregated annual crash data on serious injuries and fatalities for the duration of the period of performance for the jurisdiction or jurisdictions for which funds were awarded.

These data will provide the information for metrics on changes in serious injuries and fatalities over time.

Implementation Grant recipients must also provide crash data on serious injury and fatalities in the locations where projects and strategies are implemented, which are expected to include crash characteristics and contributing factor information associated with the safety problems being addressed.

Data that measure outcomes for the specific safety problems addressed are required and could include, but are not limited to, aggregated information by road user, safety issue, and demographic characteristics such as race and gender. For Implementation Grants that undertake projects and strategies to foster applied research and experimentation to inform project and strategy effectiveness, additional data collection requirements will be negotiated with the applicant before a grant agreement is established.

Federally recognized Tribal governments receiving grants may request alternative data collection

15 BIL specifically cites Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide for State Highway Safety Offices, Ninth Edition or any successor document, but DOT also is to consider applied research focused on infrastructure and operational projects and strategies.

requirements during grant agreement formulation, as appropriate. This information will be gathered on a quarterly basis in a Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR).16

To fulfill the data collection requirements and in accordance with the U.S. DOT Public Access Plan, award recipients must consider, budget for, and implement appropriate data management, for data and information outputs acquired or generated during the course of the grant.17, 18 Applicants are expected to account for data and performance reporting in their budget submission.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for SS4A grants are (1) a metropolitan planning organization (MPO); (2) a political subdivision of a State or territory; (3) a federally recognized Tribal government; and (4) a multijurisdictional group of entities described in any of the aforementioned three types of entities. A multijurisdictional group of entities described in (4) should identify a lead applicant as the primary point of contact. For the purposes of this NOFO, a political subdivision of a State under (2), above, is defined as a unit of government under the authority of State law. This includes cities, towns, counties, special districts, and similar units of local government. A transit district, authority, or public benefit corporation is eligible if it was created under State law, including transit authorities operated by political subdivisions of a State. States are not eligible applicants, but DOT encourages applicants to coordinate with State entities, as appropriate.

Eligible MPOs, transit agencies, and multijurisdictional groups of entities with a regional scope are encouraged to support subdivisions of a State such as cities, towns, and counties with smaller populations within their region. The Department strongly encourages such joint applications for Action Plan Grants, and for applicants who have never received Federal funding and can jointly apply with entities experienced executing DOT grants.

An eligible applicant for Implementation Grants must also meet at least one of these conditions: (1) have ownership and/or maintenance responsibilities over a roadway network; (2) have safety responsibilities that affect roadways; or (3) have agreement from the agency that has ownership and/or maintenance responsibilities for the roadway within the applicant’s jurisdiction. For the purposes of this NOFO, an applicant’s jurisdiction is defined as the U.S. Census tracts where the applicant operates or performs their safety responsibilities.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

The Federal share of a SS4A grant may not exceed 80 percent of total eligible activity costs.

Recipients are required to contribute a local matching share of no less than 20 percent of eligible activity costs. All matching funds must be from non-Federal sources. In accordance with 2 CFR § 200.306, grant recipients may use in-kind or cash contributions toward local match requirements so long as those contributions meet the requirements under 2 CFR § 200.306(b). Matching funds may include funding from the applicant, or other SS4A-eligible non-Federal sources partnering with the applicant, which could include, but is not limited to, funds from the State. Any in-kind contributions used to fulfill the cost-share requirement for Action Plan and Implementation Grants must: be in accordance with the cost

16 https://www.sbir.gov/sites/default/files/SF%20PPR.pdf 17 https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 18 United States. Department of Transportation. (2022) DOT Public Access [Home page]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 principles in 2 CFR § 200 Subpart E; include documented evidence of completion within the period of performance; and support the execution of the eligible activities in Section C.4.

SS4A funds will reimburse recipients only after a grant agreement has been executed, allowable expenses are incurred, and valid requests for reimbursement are submitted. Grant agreements are expected to be administered on a reimbursement basis, and at the Department’s discretion alternative funding arrangements may be established on a case-by-case basis.

3. Grant Eligibility Requirements

If an applicant is eligible for both an Action Plan Grant and an Implementation Grant, the applicant may only apply for an Action Plan Grant or an Implementation Grant, not both. An eligible applicant may only submit one application to the funding opportunity. Action Plan Grant funding recipients are not precluded from applying for Implementation Grants in future funding rounds.

i. Action Plan Grant Eligibility Requirements

The Action Plan Grant eligibility requirements are contingent on whether an applicant is requesting funds to develop or complete an Action Plan, or if the applicant is requesting funds for supplemental action plan activities. Applicants may not apply to develop or complete an Action Plan and fund supplemental action plan activities in the current round of funding.

a) Eligibility Requirements to Develop or Complete an Action Plan

Any applicant that meets the eligibility requirements may apply for an Action Plan Grant to develop or complete an Action Plan. Applicants with an existing Action Plan may also apply to develop a new Action Plan.

b) Eligibility Requirements for Supplemental Action Plan Activities

Applicants for Action Plan Grants to fund supplemental action plan activities must either have an established Action Plan with all components described in Table 1 in Section A, or an existing plan that is substantially similar and meets the eligibility requirements. Table 2 below provides instructions to determine eligibility for applicants that have a substantially similar plan. The components required for an established plan to be substantially similar to an Action Plan may be found in multiple plans. State-level action plans (e.g., a Strategic Highway Safety Plan required in 23 U.S. Code (U.S.C.) § 148, State Highway Safety Plans required in 23 U.S.C. § 402, etc.) or Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans in 49 U.S.C. § 5329 cannot be used as an established plan. It is recommended that applicants include this eligibility worksheet as part of their narrative submission. If this Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet is not used, applicants must describe how their established plan is substantially similar to an Action Plan as part of the Narrative, based on the criteria in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet Worksheet instructions: The purpose of the worksheet is to determine whether an applicant’s existing plan is substantially similar to an Action Plan, or not. For each question below, answer yes or no. For each yes, cite the specific page in your existing Action Plan or other plan/plans that corroborate your response, provide supporting documentation, or provide other evidence. Refer to Table 1 for further details on each component. Note: The term Action Plan is used in this worksheet; it covers either a stand-alone Action Plan or components of other plans that combined comprise an Action Plan.

Instructions to affirm eligibility: Based on the questions in this eligibility worksheet, an applicant is eligible to apply for an Action Plan Grant that funds supplemental action plan activities, or an Implementation Grant, if the following two conditions are met:

• Questions 3, 7, and 9 are answered “yes.” If Question 3, 7, or 9 is answered “no,” the plan is not substantially similar and ineligible to apply for Action Plan funds specifically for a supplemental action plan activity, nor an Implementation Grant.

• At least four of the six remaining Questions are answered “yes” (Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, or 8).

If both conditions are met, an applicant has a substantially similar plan.

Question Response, Document and Page Number

1. Are both of the following true:

• Did a high-ranking official and/or governing body in the jurisdiction publicly commit to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries?

• Did the commitment include either setting a target date to reach zero, OR setting one or more targets to achieve significant declines in roadway fatalities and serious injuries by a specific date?

2. To develop the Action Plan, was a committee, task force, implementation group, or similar body established and charged with the plan’s development, implementation, and monitoring?

Question Response, Document and Page Number

3. Does the Action Plan include all of the following?

• Analysis of existing conditions and historical trends to baseline the level of crashes involving fatalities and serious injuries across a jurisdiction, locality, Tribe, or region;

• Analysis of the location(s) where there are crashes, the severity, as well as contributing factors and crash types;

• Analysis of systemic and specific safety needs is also performed, as needed (e.g., high risk road features, specific safety needs of relevant road users; and

• A geospatial identification (geographic or locational data using maps) of higher risk locations.

4. Did the Action Plan development include all of the following activities?

• Engagement with the public and relevant stakeholders, including the private sector and community groups;

• Incorporation of information received from the engagement and collaboration into the plan; and

• Coordination that included inter- and intra- governmental cooperation and collaboration, as appropriate.

5. Did the Action Plan development include all of the following?

• Considerations of equity using inclusive and representative processes;

• The identification of underserved communities through data; and

• Equity analysis, in collaboration with appropriate partners, focused on initial equity impact assessments of the proposed projects and strategies, and population characteristics.

Question Response, Document and Page Number

6. Are both of the following true?

• The plan development included an assessment of current policies, plans, guidelines, and/or standards to identify opportunities to improve how processes prioritize safety; and

• The plan discusses implementation through the adoption of revised or new policies, guidelines, and/or standards.

7. Does the plan identify a comprehensive set of projects and strategies to address the safety problems identified in the Action Plan, time ranges when the strategies and projects will be deployed, and explain project prioritization criteria?

8. Does the plan include all of the following?

• A description of how progress will be measured over time that includes, at a minimum, outcome data

• The plan is posted publicly online.

9. Was the plan finalized and/or last updated between 2017 and 2022?

ii. Implementation Grant Eligibility Requirements

To apply for an Implementation Grant, the applicant must certify that they have an existing plan which is substantially similar to an Action Plan. The plan or plans should be uploaded as an attachment to your application. Use Table 2, Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet, from the previous section to determine eligibility. The existing plan must be focused, at least in part, on the roadway network within the applicant’s jurisdiction. The components required for an existing plan to be substantially similar to an Action Plan may be found in multiple plans. State-level action plans (e.g., a Strategic Highway Safety Plan required in 23 U.S.C. § 148, State Highway Safety Plans required in 23 U.S.C. § 402, Commercial Vehicle Safety Plans required in 49 U.S.C. § 31102, etc.) as well as Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans in 49 U.S.C. § 5329 cannot be used as an established plan to apply for an Implementation Grant.

4. Eligible Activities and Costs

i. Eligible Activities

Broadly, eligible activity costs must comply with the cost principles set forth in with 2 CFR, Subpart E (i.e., 2 CFR § 200.403 and § 200.405). DOT reserves the right to make cost eligibility determinations on a case-by-case basis. Eligible activities for grant funding include the following three elements:

• (A) developing a comprehensive safety action plan or Action Plan (i.e., the activities outlined in Section A.2.i in Table 1 and the list of supplemental Action Plan activities);

• (B) conducting planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan; and

• (C) carrying out projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan.

For Action Plan Grants, eligible activities and costs only include those that directly assist in the development of the Action Plan, element (A), and/or supplemental action plan activities in support of an existing Action Plan or plans.

For Implementation Grants, activities must include element (C) “carrying out projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan,” and may include element (B) “conducting planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan” and/or element (A) “supplemental action plan activities in support of an existing Action Plan.” Projects and strategies identified in element (C) must be either infrastructure, behavioral, or operational activities identified in the Action Plan, and must be directly related to addressing the safety problem(s) identified in the application and Action Plan. Examples of eligible Implementation Grant activities are listed on the SS4A website located at www.transportation.gov/SS4A. The following activities are not eligible for element

(C) “projects and strategies” funding:

• Projects and strategies whose primary purpose is not roadway safety.

• Projects and strategies exclusively focused on non-roadway modes of transportation, including air, rail, marine, and pipeline. Roadway intersections with other modes of transportation (e.g., at-grade highway rail crossings, etc.) are eligible activities.

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