San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority

San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), a U.S. local government transit authority headquartered in San Francisco, receives federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund ferry vessel acquisition, terminal infrastructure rehabilitation, and operating support for regional water-based transit in the San Francisco Bay Area. WETA operates as a grant recipient rather than a federal contractor, with 98% of awards in the prime-recipient role and a small sub-recipient footprint (one sub-award from the City and County of San Francisco for electric ferry vessel construction and workforce development).

WETA's customer concentration is near-total: the Federal Transit Administration accounts for 49 of 52 awards, with the Federal Highway Administration contributing 2 awards and the Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 contributing 1. The FTA awards span multiple federal grant programs under CFDA 20.507 (Federal Transit Formula Grants), CFDA 20.525 (State of Good Repair Grants), and CFDA 20.534 (Community Project Funding Congressionally Directed Spending). Recent representative work includes a $19.875 million Project Grant obligated June 16, 2026 for replacement of three public ferry terminal floats with 80% federal funding ($15.9 million) and 20% local match from regional bridge tolls; a $30.2 million State of Good Repair formula grant awarded June 6, 2025 for preventive maintenance and mid-life refurbishments of ferry vessels and rehabilitation of passenger floats and fixed guideways across multiple terminals; a $13.37 million State of Good Repair grant awarded September 4, 2025 for vessel maintenance, float rehabilitation, and dredging; and a $3.75 million Community Project Funding award for the Vallejo Ferry Terminal Reconfiguration design, engineering, and environmental work. WETA also received cumulative American Rescue Plan Act funding of $24.8 million (August 31, 2021 award with amendment) for operating costs during the pandemic recovery period.

Activity has moderated to 1 award in 2026 year-to-date, following a peak of 5 awards in 2025. Eight awards carry ultimate completion dates within the next twenty-four months and face renewal or recompete. WETA's combined dollars obligated across all awards total $466.4 million since 2009, driven by capital-intensive vessel replacement and terminal infrastructure projects. The grants uniformly require Buy America compliance for vessel and float construction, foster domestic shipbuilding, and support workforce development. WETA's sub-award activity is minimal; the City and County of San Francisco acts as the prime grantee for an electric ferry vessel construction and workforce-development sub-award, with WETA providing construction oversight and operational management.