Motor Carrier Safety Assistance High Priority Activities Grants and Cooperative Agreements

Support, enrich, and augment Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) safety programs through partnerships with States, local governments, Federally recognized Indian tribes, other political jurisdictions, and other persons to carry out high priority activitie

As the lead government agency responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), FMCSA awards HP-CMV funds to support increasing public awareness and education on CMV safety, targeting unsafe driving in high-risk crash corridors, demonstrating new technologies to improve CMV safety, safety data improvement, and other projects that advance its mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. 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. Provides financial assistance to advance technological capability and promote the deployment of intelligent transportation system applications.

Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD) Eligible Entities 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. Individuals and businesses are not eligible to apply for HP-ITD funding. To be eligible for HP-ITD funding, the State applicant shall: i. have a commercial motor vehicle information systems and networks program plan (the Program Plan/Top Level Design (PP/TLD)) approved by the Secretary that describes the various systems and networks at the State level that need to be refined, revised, upgraded, or built to accomplish deployment of commercial motor vehicle information systems and network capabilities; ii. certify that the State's current Program Plan (PP/TLD) was approved by the Secretary as outlined in FAST Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94); iii. certify to the Secretary that its commercial motor vehicle information systems and network deployment activities, including hardware procurement, software and system development, and infrastructure modifications: a. are consistent with the national intelligent transportation systems and commercial motor vehicle information systems and networks architectures and available standards; and b. promote interoperability and efficiency to the extent practicable. iv. agree to execute interoperability tests developed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to verify that its systems conform with the national intelligent transportation systems architecture, applicable standards, and protocols for commercial motor vehicle information systems and networks; and v. certify that the State agency is the lead agency responsible for the PP/TLD, or if it is not the State agency responsible for the PP/TLD, demonstrate that it has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), or other agreement with the ITD lead agency and confirm that the applicant has 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. Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety - (HP-CMV) Eligible Entities The HP-CMV awards are available to the following entities dependent on the selected priority: i. State government agencies including: District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands ii. local governments (including county, city, township, and special district) iii. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments iv. institutions of higher education v. non-profit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service vi. For-profit organizations and individuals are not eligible recipients Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) lead State agencies may request HP-CMV projects which augment initiatives funded by the MCSAP formula grant program. Such projects must clearly demonstrate that their objectives exceed initiatives approved in their State's Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP).

FMCSA may award these grants to the agencies of 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.

HP grant funds may be used to: increase public awareness and education on CMV safety and related issues; target unsafe driving of CMVs and non-CMVs in areas identified as high risk crash corridors; improve the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials; improve safe transportation of goods and persons in foreign commerce; demonstrate new technologies to improve CMV safety; support participation in Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM); and conduct safety data improvement projects that enhance data collection and data quality. ITD grants may be used to: improve safety and productivity of motor carriers, commercial vehicles, and their drivers; streamline enforcement operations; improve efficiency and effectiveness of commercial vehicle safety programs through targeted enforcement; improve security of data and the sharing of commercial vehicle data within States, and between States and FMCSA; reduce Federal/State and industry regulatory and administrative costs; and achieve nationwide deployment of the ITD grant program, with all jurisdictions participating at least at the Core deployment level.

The maximum period of performance for an HP grant is three fiscal years, including the fiscal year in which the grant agreement is executed. The maximum period of performance for an ITD grant is four fiscal years including the fiscal year in which the grant agreement is executed. All new application project timelines will be evaluated to ensure they can be achieved within this timeframe. Additionally, FMCSA may award a grant agreement with a period of performance for less than maximum period of performance timeframe, depending upon project complexity, reasonableness, and necessity. Amendment requests to extend the period of performance beyond the period of availability described above will not be approved.

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must register with Grants.gov to apply for funding. Applications should be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided and must be submitted electronically to FMCSA through the Grants.gov website.

All discretionary (competitive) grant program applications undergo a series of reviews prior to award selection as required in 2 CFR §§ 200.204 and 205. These reviews include: 1) technical review that 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. 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; 2) suitability review that provides a risk assessment on each applicant's organization to ensure the applicant is suitable to receive and manage Federal funds. The risk assessment is conducted in several parts: 1) a debarment and suspension review that included a review of the applicant's administrative capability self-certification and a check against the applicant's records in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov); 2) a review of the applicant's history with other Federal agencies in the Single Audit Clearinghouse Database; and 3) an evaluation of the applicant's Single Audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act; 3) past performance review that provides information that is considered as a possible indicator for predicting future performance. Many applicants for FMCSA programs have received FMCSA funding in the past and will be evaluated against their ability to complete prior year awards on-time, compliance with grant terms and conditions, and results from FMCSA grant monitoring activities. Applicants with no prior FMCSA grant awards will not be eliminated from funding consideration; and 4) budget/cost analysis that provides an assessment of allowable costs in accordance with Federal grant requirements, the cost realism of the budget estimate, appropriateness and reasonableness of resources, and reasonableness and feasibility of the schedule relative to the application timeline. Importantly, the budget evaluation provides initial insight to project-related risk, beyond those dealing with technical uncertainty, which is considered prior to recommendation. Application budgets are evaluated based on the same standards to which recipients will be held after award, which are outlined in the cost principles at 2 CFR part 200.101(c) Subpart E for all non-Federal entities, including commercial organizations.

90-120 days of the submission deadline (subject to availability of funds) or as soon thereafter as administratively practicable. Applicants must register with Grants.gov to apply for funding. Applications should be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided and must be submitted electronically to FMCSA through the Grants.gov website.

Contingent upon Agency funding levels.