Road Maintenance Indian Roads

To provide limited routine and preventive maintenance on BIA transportation facilities as described below: (1) BIA road systems and related road appurtenances such as surfaces, signs, pavement striping, trail markers, guardrails, etc.; (2) Highway br

The BIA Road Maintenance program purpose is to maintain, repair and manage roads identified as "BIA owned" in the National Tribal Transportation Program Facility Inventory. Program performance is by federally recognized tribes, the BIA and other qualifying partners. It is a maintenance function not an improvement function. It serves the public who utilize BIA Transportation Infrastructure (roads, bridges, 1 ferry boat ) on tribal lands.

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments with BIA transportation facilities only qualifying for this program.

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; individual tribal members and the public that use the BIA transportation system on tribal lands.

These funds are used to repair and maintain BIA transportation facilities serving Indian reservations, with particular emphasis on school bus routes and arterial highways; for snow removal, ice control, washout repair, and landslide removal; for maintenance of the 1,000 bridges on BIA roads; for operation and maintenance of a ferry across Lake Roosevelt serving the Colville Indian Reservation; and for the maintenance of public airstrips located on tribal lands. Access to these funds is restricted to tribes with qualifying BIA road miles or other facilities required to be maintained by this program.

Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available until expended by the contractor/grantee. Payments may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement. The timing of payments will be negotiated with the grantee.

Tribes with BIA transportation facilities must submit a needs request to receive consideration for funding to maintain roads or facilities that are eligible under this program. An informal preapplication conference is recommended. Technical assistance in preparing the application is available upon request. All applicable laws and regulations associated with this program must be complied with.

Required by law, Tribes have right of first refusal, or BIA will perform

All applicants meeting the criteria in 25 CFR Part 900 will be funded.

The dollar value of the awards depends upon the inventory of BIA roads, BIA bridges and other BIA transportation facilities and the amounts appropriated annually to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Applications will be processed within 90 days.

Awards may be renewed indefinitely upon satisfactory performance by the contractor/grantee. A notice of intent to renew should be submitted at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the current award. The amount of the award may be adjusted as a result of individual tribal priorities established in the budget formulation process.

An unsuccessful applicant may request an informal conference with the deciding official or may appeal the denial of the application directly to the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, or may bring suit in U.S. District Court. Full appeal procedures are found in 25 CFR, Part 900.