82 FR 19447 - FY 2017 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Low or No Emission Grant Program
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 80 (April 27, 2017)
Federal Transit Administration
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 80 (April 27, 2017)
| Page Range | 19447-19453 | |
| FR Document | 2017-08489 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 80 (Thursday, April 27, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 19447-19453] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-08489] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration FY 2017 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Low or No Emission Grant Program AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $55 million in FY 2017 funds for the Low or No Emission Bus Discretionary Grant Program (Low-No Program; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 20.526), subject to funding availability. Only $31.5 million is available under the Continuing Resolution that expires on April 28, 2017. As required by Federal transit law (49 U.S.C. 5339(c)) and subject to funding availability, funds will be awarded competitively for the purchase or lease of low or no emission vehicles that use advanced technologies for transit revenue operations, including related equipment or facilities. Projects may include costs incidental to the acquisition of buses or to the construction of facilities, such as the costs of related workforce development and training activities, and project administration expenses. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the program prior to the announcement of project selections. [[Page 19448]] DATES: Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by June 26, 2017. Prospective applicants should initiate the process by registering on the GRANTS.GOV Web site promptly to ensure completion of the application process before the submission deadline. Instructions for applying can be found on FTA's Web site at http://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding opportunity ID is FTA-2017-003-LowNo. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara Clark, FTA Office of Program Management, 202-366-2623, or [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Contents A. Program Description B. Federal Award Information C. Eligibility D. Application and Submission Information E. Application Review F. Federal Award Administration G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts H. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information A. Program Description Section 5339(c) of Title 49, United States Code, as amended by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, (Pub. L. 114-94, Dec. 4, 2015), authorizes FTA to award grants for low or no emission buses through a competitive process, as described in this notice. The Low or No Emission Bus Program (Low-No Program) provides funding to State and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities such as recharging, refueling, and maintenance facilities. FTA recognizes that a significant transformation is occurring in the transit bus industry, with the increasing availability of low and zero emission bus vehicles for transit revenue operations. B. Federal Award Information 5339(c) Low or No Emission Discretionary Program Federal transit law authorizes $55 million in FY 2017 for grants under the Low-No Program. In FY 2016, the program received applications for 101 projects requesting a total of $446 million. Twenty projects were funded at a total of $55 million. FTA will grant pre-award authority starting on the date of project announcement for the FY 2017 awards. Funds are available for obligation until September 30, 2020. Funds are only available for projects that have not incurred costs. C. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include designated recipients, States, local governmental authorities, and Indian Tribes. Except for projects proposed by Indian Tribes, proposals for funding projects in rural (non-urbanized) areas must be submitted as part of a consolidated State proposal. To be considered eligible, applicants must be able to demonstrate the requisite legal, financial and technical capabilities to receive and administer Federal funds under this program. States and other eligible applicants also may submit consolidated proposals for projects in urbanized areas. Proposals may contain projects to be implemented by the recipient or its eligible subrecipients. Eligible subrecipients are entities that are otherwise eligible recipients under this program. An eligible recipient may submit an application in partnership with other entities that intend to participate in the implementation of the project, including, but not limited to, specific vehicle manufacturers, equipment vendors, owners or operators of related facilities, or project consultants. If an application that involves such a partnership is selected for funding, the competitive selection process will be deemed to satisfy the requirement for a competitive procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named entities. Applicants are advised that any changes to the proposed partnership will require advance FTA written approval, must be consistent with the scope of the approved project, and may necessitate a competitive procurement. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching All eligible expenses under the Low-No Program are attributable to compliance with the Clean Air Act. Therefore, under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 5323(i), the maximum Federal participation in the costs of leasing or acquiring a transit bus financed under the Low-No Program is 85 percent of the total transit bus cost. The proposer may request a lower Federal contribution. Further, the maximum Federal participation in the cost of leasing or acquiring low or no emission bus-related equipment and facilities under the Low-No Program, such as recharging or refueling facilities, is 90 percent of the net project cost of the equipment or facilities that are attributable to compliance with the Clean Air Act. Eligible sources of local match include the following: cash from non-Government sources other than revenues from providing public transportation services; revenues derived from the sale of advertising and concessions; amounts received under a service agreement with a State or local social service agency or private social service organization; revenues generated from value capture financing mechanisms; funds from an undistributed cash surplus; replacement or depreciation cash fund or reserve; new capital; or in-kind contributions. In addition, transportation development credits or documentation of in-kind match may substitute for local match if identified in the application. 3. Eligible Projects Under 49 U.S.C. 5339 (c)(B), eligible projects include projects or programs of projects in an eligible area for: (1) Purchasing or leasing low or no emission buses; (2) acquiring low or no emission buses with a leased power source; (3) constructing or leasing facilities and related equipment for low or no emission buses; (4) constructing new public transportation facilities to accommodate low or no emission buses; (5) or rehabilitating or improving existing public transportation facilities to accommodate low or no emission buses. As specified under 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)(A), FTA will only consider eligible projects relating to the acquisition or leasing of low or no emission buses or bus facilities that make greater reductions in energy consumption and harmful emissions than comparable standard buses or other low or no emission buses. As specified under 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)(B), all proposed projects must be part of the intended recipient's long-term integrated fleet management plan. If a single project proposal involves multiple public transportation providers, such as when an agency acquires vehicles that will be operated by another agency, the proposal must include a detailed statement regarding the role of each public transportation provider in the implementation of the project. Under 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(1)(E), a low or no-emission bus is defined as ``a passenger vehicle used to provide public transportation that significantly reduces energy consumption or harmful emissions, including direct carbon emissions, when compared to a standard vehicle.'' The statutory definition includes zero-emission transit buses, which are defined as buses that [[Page 19449]] produce no direct carbon emissions and no particulate matter emissions under any and all possible operational modes and conditions. Examples of zero emission bus technologies include, but are not limited to, hydrogen fuel-cell buses and battery-electric buses. All new transit bus models procured with funds awarded under the Low-No Program must complete FTA bus testing for production transit buses pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5318. All transit vehicles must be procured from certified transit vehicle manufacturers in accordance with the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) regulations at 49 CFR part 26. The development or deployment of prototype vehicles is not eligible for funding under the Low-No program. Recipients are permitted to use up to 0.5 percent of their requested grant award for workforce development activities eligible under 49 U.S.C 5314(b) and an additional 0.5 percent for costs associated with training at the National Transit Institute. Applicants must identify the proposed use of funds for these activities in the project proposal and identify them separately in the project budget. D. Application and Submission Information 1. Address To Request Application Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV. General information for submitting applications through GRANTS.GOV can be found at www.fta.dot.gov/howtoapply along with specific instructions for the forms and attachments required for submission. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted. A complete proposal submission consists of at least two forms: The SF424 Mandatory Form (downloaded from GRANTS.GOV) and the supplemental form for the FY 2017 Low-No Program (downloaded from GRANTS.GOV or the FTA Web site at www.transit.dot.gov/busprogram). Failure to submit the information as requested can delay review or disqualify the application. 2. Content and Form of Application Submission (i) Proposal Submission A complete proposal submission consists of at least two forms: (1) The SF424 Mandatory Form; and (2) the supplemental form for the FY 2017 Low-No Program. The application must include responses to all sections of the SF424 Mandatory Form and the supplemental form, unless indicated as optional. The information on the supplemental form will be used to determine applicant and project eligibility for the program, and to evaluate the proposal against the selection criteria described in part E of this notice. An applicant may submit multiple project proposals in a single submission, but must include all project proposals on a single supplemental form. To add additional projects, select the ``add project'' button and complete a separate ``project detail'' section for each project. FTA will only accept one supplemental form per submission. The supplemental form must be submitted as an attachment to the SF424 Mandatory Form. All project proposals will be evaluated separately, regardless of whether they are submitted as a single submission. An applicant may submit additional supporting documentation for each project proposal as attachments. Any supporting documentation must be described and referenced by file name in the appropriate response section of the supplemental form, or it may not be reviewed. Information such as proposer name, Federal amount requested, local match amount, description of areas served, etc. may be requested in varying degrees of detail on both the SF424 form and Supplemental Form. Proposers must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on the forms. If information is copied into the supplemental form from another source, applicants should verify that pasted text is fully captured on the supplemental form and has not been truncated by the character limits built into the form. Proposers should use both the ``Check Package for Errors'' and the ``Validate Form'' validation buttons on both forms to check all required fields on the forms, and ensure that the federal and local amounts specified are consistent. (ii) Application Content The SF424 Mandatory Form and the Supplemental Form will prompt applicants for the required information, including: a. Applicant Name b. Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number c. Key contact information (including contact name, address, email address, and phone) d. Congressional district(s) where project will take place e. Project Information (including title, an executive summary, and type) f. A detailed description of the need for the project g. A detailed description on how the project will support the Low-No program objectives h. Evidence that the project is consistent with local and regional planning documents i. Evidence that the applicant can provide the local cost share j. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity of the applicant k. A detailed project budget l. An explanation of the scalability of the project m. Details on the local matching funds n. A detailed project timeline 3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant is required to: (1) Be registered in SAM before submitting an application; (2) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by FTA. These requirements do not apply if the applicant: (1) Is an individual; (2) is excepted from the requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c); or (3) has an exception approved by FTA under 2 CFR 25.110(d). FTA may not make an Award until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time FTA is ready to make an Award, FTA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an Award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. All applicants must provide a unique entity identifier provided by SAM. Registration in SAM may take as little as 3-5 business days, but since there could be unexpected steps or delays (for example, if you need to obtain an Employer Identification Number), FTA recommends allowing ample time, up to several weeks, for completion of all steps. For additional information on obtaining a unique entity identifier, please visit www.sam.gov. 4. Submission Dates and Times Project proposals must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on June 26, 2017. GRANTS.GOV attaches a time stamp to each application at the time of submission. Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered under extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's control. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted. Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the applicant [[Page 19450]] should receive three email messages from GRANTS.GOV: (1) Confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV, (2) confirmation of successful validation by GRANTS.GOV, and (3) confirmation of successful validation by FTA. If confirmations of successful validation are not received or a notice of failed validation or incomplete materials is received, the applicant must address the reason for the failed validation, as described in the email notice, and resubmit before the submission deadline. If making a resubmission for any reason, include all original attachments regardless of which attachments were updated and check the box on the supplemental form indicating this is a resubmission. FTA urges proposers to submit applications at least 72 hours prior to the due date to allow time to receive the validation messages and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the GRANTS.GOV Web site. Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled Web site maintenance. Proposers are encouraged to begin the process of registration on the GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration is a multi-step process, which may take several weeks to complete before an application can be submitted. Registered proposers may still be required to take steps to keep their registration up to date before submissions can be made successfully: (1) Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) is renewed annually; and, (2) persons making submissions on behalf of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make submissions. 5. Funding Restrictions Funds under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse applicants for otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA award of a Grant Agreement until FTA has issued pre-award authority for selected projects through a notification in the Federal Register. 6. Other Submission Requirements Applicants are encouraged to identify scaled funding options in case insufficient funding is available to fund a project at the full requested amount. If an applicant indicates that a project is scalable, the applicant must provide an appropriate minimum funding amount that will fund an eligible project that achieves the objectives of the program and meets all relevant program requirements. The applicant must provide a clear explanation of how the project budget would be affected by a reduced award. FTA may award a lesser amount whether or not a scalable option is provided. E. Application Review Projects will be evaluated primarily on the responses provided in the supplemental form. Additional information may be provided to support the responses; however, any additional documentation must be directly referenced on the supplemental form, including the file name where the additional information can be found. FTA will evaluate project proposals for the Low-No Program based on the criteria described in this notice. i. Demonstration of Need Since the purpose of this program is to fund vehicles and facilities, applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to which they demonstrate how the proposed project will address an unmet need for capital investment in vehicles and/or supporting facilities. For example, an applicant may demonstrate that it requires additional or improved charging or maintenance facilities for low or no emission vehicles, that it intends to replace existing vehicles that have exceeded their minimum useful life, or that it requires additional vehicles to meet current ridership demands. FTA will consider an applicant's responses to the following criteria when assessing need for capital investment underlying the proposed project: a. Consistency With Long-Term Fleet Management Plan: As required by 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)(b), all project proposals must demonstrate that they are part of the intended recipient's long-term integrated fleet management plan, as demonstrated through an existing transit asset management program, fleet procurement plan, or similarly documented program or policy. These plans must be attached to the application. FTA will evaluate the consistency of the proposed project with the applicant's long-term fleet management plan, as well as the applicant's previous experience with the relevant low or no emissions vehicle technologies. b. For low or no emission bus projects (replacement and/or expansion): Applicants must provide information on the age, condition and performance of the vehicles to be replaced by the proposed project. Vehicles to be replaced must have met their minimum useful life at the time of application. For service expansion requests, applicants must provide information on the proposed service expansion and the benefits for transit riders and the community from the new service. For all vehicle projects, the proposal must address whether the project conforms to FTA's spare ratio guidelines. Low or no emission vehicles funded under this program are not exempted from FTA's standard spare ratio requirements which apply to and are calculated on the agency's entire fleet. c. For bus facility and equipment projects (replacement, rehabilitation, and/or expansion): Applicants must provide information on the age and condition of the asset to be rehabilitated or replaced relative to its minimum useful life. ii. Demonstration of Benefits Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will support statutory requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)(A). In particular, FTA will consider the quality and extent to which applications demonstrate how the proposed project will: (1) Reduce Energy Consumption; (2) Reduce Harmful Emissions; and (3) Reduce Direct Carbon Emissions. a. Reduce Energy Consumption: Applicants must describe how the proposed project will reduce energy consumption. FTA will evaluate applications based on the degree to which the proposed technology reduces energy as compared to more common vehicle propulsion technologies. b. Reduce Harmful Emissions: Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed vehicles or facility will reduce the emission of particulates that create local air pollution, which leads to local environmental health concerns, smog, and unhealthy ozone concentrations. FTA will evaluate the rate of particulate emissions by the proposed vehicles or vehicles to be supported by the proposed facility, compared to the emissions from the vehicles that will be replaced or moved to the spare fleet as a result of the proposed project, as well as comparable standard buses. c. Reduce Direct Carbon Emissions: Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed vehicles or facility will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from transit vehicle operations. FTA will evaluate the rate of direct carbon emissions by the proposed vehicles or vehicles to be supported by the proposed facility, compared to the emissions from the vehicles that will be replaced or moved to the spare fleet as a result of the proposed project, as well as comparable standard buses. [[Page 19451]] iii. Planning and Local/Regional Prioritization Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project is consistent with local and regional long range planning documents and local government priorities. FTA will evaluate applications based on the quality and extent to which they assess whether the project is consistent with the transit priorities identified in the long range plan; and/or contingency/illustrative projects included in that plan; or the locally-developed human services public transportation coordinated plan. Applicants are not required to submit copies of such plans, but FTA will consider how the project will support regional goals and may submit support letters from local and regional planning organizations attesting to the consistency of the proposed project with these plans. Evidence of additional local or regional prioritization may include letters of support for the project from local government officials, public agencies, and non-profit or private sector partners. iv. Local Financial Commitment Applicants must identify the source of the local cost share and describe whether such funds are currently available for the project or will need to be secured if the project is selected for funding. FTA will consider the availability of the local cost share as evidence of local financial commitment to the project. Applicants should submit evidence of the availability of funds for the project, for example by including a board resolution, letter of support from the State, or other documentation of the source of local funds such as a budget document highlighting the line item or section committing funds to the proposed project. In addition, an applicant may propose a local cost share that is greater than the minimum requirement or provide documentation of previous local investments in the project, which cannot be used to satisfy local matching requirements, as evidence of local financial commitment. FTA will also note if an applicant proposes to use grant funds only for the incremental cost of new technologies over the cost of replacing vehicles with standard propulsion technologies. v. Project Implementation Strategy FTA will rate projects higher if grant funds can be obligated within 12 months of selection and the project can be implemented within a reasonable time frame. In assessing when funds can be obligated FTA will consider whether the project qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion (CE), or whether the required environmental work has been initiated or completed for projects that require an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended. The proposal must state when if grant funds can be obligated and indicate the timeframe under which the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and/or Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) can be amended to include the proposed project. In assessing whether the proposed implementation plans are reasonable and complete, FTA will review the proposed project implementation plan, including all necessary project milestones and the overall project timeline. For projects that will require formal coordination, approvals or permits from other agencies or project partners, the applicant must demonstrate coordination with these organizations and their support for the project, such as through letters of support. For project proposals that involve a partnership with a manufacturer, vendor, consultant, or other third party, applicants must identify by name any project partners, including but not limited to other transit agencies, bus manufacturers, owners or operators of related facilities, or any expert consultants. FTA will evaluate the experience and capacity of the named project partners to successfully implement the proposed project based on the partners' experience and qualifications. Applicants are advised to submit information on the partners' qualification and experience as a part of the application. Entities involved in the project that are not named in the application will be required to be selected through a competitive procurement. For project proposals that will require a competitive procurement, applicants must demonstrate familiarity with the current market availability of the proposed advanced vehicle propulsion technology. vi. Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity Applicants must demonstrate that they have the technical, legal and financial capacity to undertake the project. FTA will review relevant oversight assessments and records to determine whether there are any outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues with the applicant that would affect the outcome of the proposed project. vii. Review and Selection Process In addition to other FTA staff that may review the proposals, a technical evaluation committee will evaluate proposals based on the published evaluation criteria. Members of the technical evaluation committee and other FTA staff may request additional information from applicants, if necessary. Based on the findings of the technical evaluation committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final selection of projects for program funding. FTA may consider geographic diversity, diversity in the size of the transit systems receiving funding, and/or the applicant's receipt of other competitive awards in determining the allocation of program funds. FTA may consider capping the amount a single applicant may receive. F. Federal Award Administration Subsequent to an announcement by the FTA Administrator of the final project selections, which will be posted on the FTA Web site, FTA will publish a list of the selected projects, Federal award amounts, and recipients in the Federal Register. Project recipients should contact their FTA Regional Offices for additional information regarding allocations for projects under the Bus and Low-No Programs. At the time the project selections are announced, FTA will extend pre-award authority for the selected projects. There is no blanket pre- award authority for these projects before announcement. 1. Federal Award Notices Funds under the Low-No Program are available to States, designated recipients, local governmental authorities and Indian Tribes. There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount; however, FTA intends to fund as many meritorious projects as possible. Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities will be considered for funding. Due to funding limitations, proposers that are selected for funding may receive less than the amount originally requested. In those cases, applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are still viable and can be completed with the amount awarded. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements i. Pre-Award Authority FTA will issue specific guidance to recipients regarding pre-award authority at the time of selection. FTA does not provide pre-award authority for [[Page 19452]] discretionary funds until projects are selected and even then there are Federal requirements that must be met before costs are incurred. For more information about FTA's policy on pre-award authority, please see the FY 2016 Apportionment Notice published on February 16, 2016. https://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-02-16/pdf/2016-02821.pdf. ii. Grant Requirements If selected, awardees will apply for a grant through FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS). All Low-No Emission recipients are subject to the grant requirements of Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Grant program, including those of FTA Circular 9030.1E. All recipients must follow the Grants Management Requirements of FTA Circular 5010.1D or its latest version, and the labor protections of 49 U.S.C. 5333(b). All discretionary grants, regardless of award amount, will be subject to the congressional notification and release process. Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available from each FTA regional office. iii. Buy America FTA requires that all capital procurements meet FTA's Buy America requirements, which require that all iron, steel, or manufactured products be produced in the U.S. These requirements help create and protect manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The Low-No Program will have a significant economic impact on meeting the objectives of the Buy America law. The FAST Act amended the Buy America requirements to provide for a phased increase in the domestic content for rolling stock. For FY17, the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 60 percent of the cost of all components. For FY18 and FY19, the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 65 percent of the cost of all components. For FY20 and beyond, the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 70 percent of the cost of all components. There is no change to the requirement that final assembly of rolling stock must occur in the United States. FTA issued guidance on the implementation of the phased increase in domestic content on September 1, 2016. A copy of the policy guidance may be found in 81 FR 60278 (September 1, 2016). Applicants should read the policy guidance carefully to determine the applicable domestic content requirement for their project. Any proposal that will require a waiver must identify the items for which a waiver will be sought in the application. Applicants should not proceed with the expectation that waivers will be granted, nor should applicants assume that selection of a project under the Low-No Program that includes a partnership with a manufacturer, vendor, consultant, or other third party constitutes a waiver of the Buy America requirements for rolling stock applicable at the time the project is undertaken. iv. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise FTA requires that its recipients receiving planning, capital and/or operating assistance that will award prime contracts exceeding $250,000 in FTA funds in a Federal fiscal year comply with the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program regulations at 49 CFR part 26. Applicants should expect to include any funds awarded, excluding those to be used for vehicle procurements, in setting their overall DBE goal. Note, however, that projects including vehicle procurements remain subject to the DBE program regulations. The rule requires that, prior to bidding on any FTA-assisted vehicle procurement, entities that manufacture vehicles, perform post-production alterations or retrofitting must submit a DBE Program plan and goal methodology to FTA. Further, to the extent that a vehicle remanufacturer is responding to a solicitation for new or remanufactured vehicles with a vehicle to which the remanufacturer has provided post-production alterations or retro-fitting (e.g., replacing major components such as engine to provide a ``like new'' vehicle), the vehicle remanufacturer is considered a transit vehicle manufacturer and must also comply with the DBE regulations. The FTA will then issue a transit vehicle manufacturer (TVM) concurrence/certification letter. Grant recipients must verify each entity's compliance with these requirements before accepting its bid. A list of compliant, certified TVMs is posted on FTA's Web page at https://www.fta.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/eligible-tvms-list. Please note, that this list is nonexclusive and recipients must contact FTA before accepting bids from entities not listed on this web-posting. Recipients may also establish project specific DBE goals for vehicle procurements. FTA will provide additional guidance as grants are awarded. For more information on DBE requirements, please contact Janelle Hinton, Office of Civil Rights, 202-366-9259, email: [email protected]. v. Planning FTA encourages proposers to notify the appropriate State Departments of Transportation and MPOs in areas likely to be served by the project funds made available under these initiatives and programs. Selected projects must be incorporated into the long-range plans and transportation improvement programs of States and metropolitan areas before they are eligible for FTA funding. vi. Standard Assurances The applicant assures that it will comply with all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, directives, FTA circulars, and other Federal administrative requirements in carrying out any project supported by the FTA grant. The applicant acknowledges that it is under a continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement issued for its project with FTA. The applicant understands that Federal laws, regulations, policies, and administrative practices might be modified from time to time and may affect the implementation of the project. The applicant agrees that the most recent Federal requirements will apply to the project, unless FTA issues a written determination otherwise. The applicant must submit the Certifications and Assurances before receiving a grant if it does not have current certifications on file. 3. Reporting Post-award reporting requirements include the electronic submission of Federal Financial Reports and Milestone Reports in FTA's electronic grants management system. G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' FTA will consider applications for funding only from eligible recipients for eligible projects listed in Section C. Complete applications must be submitted through GRANTS.GOV by 5:00 p.m. EDT June 26, 2017. For issues with GRANTS.GOV please contact GRANTS.GOV by phone at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at [email protected]. Contact information for FTA's regional offices can be found on FTA's Web site at www.fta.dot.gov. H. Technical Assistance and Other Program Information For further information concerning this notice, please contact the Low-No Program manager Tara Clark by phone [[Page 19453]] at 202-366-2623, or by email at [email protected]. A TDD is available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at 800-877-8339. In addition, FTA will post answers to questions and requests for clarifications on FTA's Web site at http://transit.dot.gov/busprogram. To ensure applicants receive accurate information about eligibility or the program, the applicant is encouraged to contact FTA directly, rather than through intermediaries or third parties, with questions. FTA staff may also conduct briefings on the FY 2017 discretionary grants selection and award process upon request. Matthew J. Welbes, Executive Director. [FR Doc. 2017-08489 Filed 4-26-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 80 / Thursday, April 27, 2017 / Notices 19447
notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can Brian T. Tow (WA) Michael E. Zincone (RI)
be reviewed at http://www.dot.gov/ The drivers were included in docket The drivers were included in docket
privacy. No. FMCSA–2007–0070. Their No. FMCSA–2014–0313. Their
II. Background exemptions are effective as of March 12, exemptions are effective as of March 24,
2017, and will expire on March 12, 2017, and will expire on March 24,
On March 9, 2017, FMCSA published 2019. 2019.
a notice announcing its decision to As of March 24, 2017, and in In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315,
renew exemptions for 71 individuals accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and each exemption will be valid for two
from the insulin-treated diabetes 31315, the following 55 individuals years from the effective date unless
mellitus prohibition in 49 CFR have satisfied the renewal conditions for revoked earlier by FMCSA. The
391.41(b)(3) to operate a CMV in obtaining an exemption from the rule exemption will be revoked if the
interstate commerce and requested prohibiting drivers with ITDM from following occurs: (1) The person fails to
comments from the public (82 FR driving CMVs in interstate commerce comply with the terms and conditions
13180). The public comment period (80 FR 8929; 80 FR 24313): of the exemption; (2) the exemption has
ended on April 10, 2017, and no
Timothy E. Adkins (KY) resulted in a lower level of safety than
comments were received.
Daniel S. Arke (HI) was maintained prior to being granted;
As stated in the previous notice,
Raul Arlequin Jr. (FL) or (3) continuation of the exemption
FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of
Chad W. Beeman (NY) would not be consistent with the goals
these applicants and determined that
Jeffrey S. Bohle (IA) and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136 and
renewing these exemptions would
Bradley T. Boyd (IA) 31315.
achieve a level of safety equivalent to or
Bradley M. Brauer (NE) Issued on: April 19, 2017.
greater than the level that would be
Gary W. Brendel (NY) Larry W. Minor,
achieved by complying with the current
Thomas Browning (PA)
regulation 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3). Associate Administrator for Policy.
Kell D. Busby, Jr. (MI)
The physical qualification standard [FR Doc. 2017–08512 Filed 4–26–17; 8:45 am]
Rafael B. Castillo (NJ)
for drivers regarding diabetes found in
Zachary D. Craig (ND) BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
49 CFR 391.41(b)(3) states that a person
Terry R. Darnall (IL)
is physically qualified to drive a CMV
Raymond W. Dropps (MN)
if that person has no established DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Curtis W. Fox (IN)
medical history or clinical diagnosis of William H. Geiselhart, Jr. (PA)
diabetes mellitus currently requiring Federal Transit Administration
Darrel G. Goetz (MO)
insulin for control. Chris S. Hammack (CO) FY 2017 Competitive Funding
III. Discussion of Comments James P. Hancock, Jr. (PA) Opportunity: Low or No Emission
FMCSA received no comments in this Donald S. Hanson (MN) Grant Program
preceding. Michael Hasley (AR)
Gene A. Heibult (SD) AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration
IV. Conclusion Ronald R. Herrington (WV) (FTA), DOT.
Based upon its evaluation of the 71 Jay H. Hess (PA) ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity
renewal exemption applications and Kevin L. Holmes (IL) (NOFO).
that no comments were received, Claude E. Hoskins (WA)
FMCSA confirms its’ decision to exempt Ulysses Jones (IN) SUMMARY: The Federal Transit
the following drivers from the rule Sean M. Jordan (PA) Administration (FTA) announces the
prohibiting drivers with ITDM from Steven N. Kemp (TX) opportunity to apply for $55 million in
driving CMVs in interstate commerce in Tracy A. Knake (IA) FY 2017 funds for the Low or No
49 CFR 391.41(b)(3). Robert E. Lane (IN) Emission Bus Discretionary Grant
As of March 12, 2017, and in Jason C. Lewis (MD) Program (Low-No Program; Catalog of
accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and Corey A. Maas (KS) Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
31315, the following 16 individuals James P. MacDonald (MA) number: 20.526), subject to funding
have satisfied the renewal conditions for Timothy D. Maxson (NY) availability. Only $31.5 million is
obtaining an exemption from the rule Guy D. McGuire (MD) available under the Continuing
prohibiting drivers with ITDM from Roy A. Montalvan (PA) Resolution that expires on April 28,
driving CMVs in interstate commerce Justin M. Powell (NC) 2017. As required by Federal transit law
(73 FR 6248; 73 FR 13274): Jackie Riley (NC) (49 U.S.C. 5339(c)) and subject to
Richard L. Burwell (OH) Rudy A. Rodriguez (OR) funding availability, funds will be
David Clemente, Sr. (NJ) Philip M. Schopp (MO) awarded competitively for the purchase
Timothy M. Collier (NY) Andrew T. Segetti (CT) or lease of low or no emission vehicles
William M. Dement (MO) Roger L. Shones (MN) that use advanced technologies for
James O. Hamilton (OH) William L. Sirabella (RI) transit revenue operations, including
William B. Jenks, Jr. (UT) Ronald D. Strobo (FL) related equipment or facilities. Projects
Timothy L. Johnson (IA) Rodney H. Swartz (NY) may include costs incidental to the
Douglas O. Krosch (MN) David A. Tipps (IL) acquisition of buses or to the
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
Robert E. Martin (MO) Keith J. Tschetter (ND) construction of facilities, such as the
Garrett A. Phillips (NY) Sean E. Twohig (NY) costs of related workforce development
Randy L. Quattlebaum (TX) Jimmie W. Ward (NC) and training activities, and project
Mark C. Smith (NE) Michael R. Waskow (WI) administration expenses. FTA may
Billy J. Stamper (OK) James B. Westphal (WI) award additional funding that is made
Robert E. Tauriainen (OR) John A. Winquist (SD) available to the program prior to the
David B. Tomlin (AL) Robert J. Wyand (NY) announcement of project selections.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 80 / Thursday, April 27, 2017 / Notices 19453
at 202–366–2623, or by email at and its programs may be obtained institutions, non-profit entities, and
tara.clark@dot.gov. A TDD is available through the CDFI Fund’s Web site at State, local and Tribal entities
for individuals who are deaf or hard of http://www.cdfifund.gov. participating in CDFI Fund programs.
hearing at 800–877–8339. In addition, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Estimated Number of Respondents:
FTA will post answers to questions and Title: CDFI Program and NMTC CDFI TA Annual ILR: 65.
requests for clarifications on FTA’s Web Program Annual Report including CIIS. CDFI Annual TLR and ILR: 245.
site at http://transit.dot.gov/ OMB Number: 1559–0027.
Abstract: This collection captures NMTC Annual Report: 275.
busprogram. To ensure applicants
receive accurate information about quantitative information from Estimated Annual Time Per
eligibility or the program, the applicant Community Development Financial Respondent:
is encouraged to contact FTA directly, Institutions (CDFI) and Community CDFI TA Annual ILR: 25.
rather than through intermediaries or Development Entities (CDE) at the CDFI Annual TLR and ILR: 115.
third parties, with questions. FTA staff institution and transaction levels. This
information is used to assess: (1) The NMTC Annual Report: 85.
may also conduct briefings on the FY
recipient’s/allocatee’s activities as Estimated Total Annual Burden
2017 discretionary grants selection and
detailed in its application materials; (2) Hours: 53,175.
award process upon request.
the recipient’s/allocatee’s approved use CDFI TA Annual ILR: 1,625.
Matthew J. Welbes, of the assistance; (3) the recipient’s/ CDFI Annual TLR and ILR: 28,175.
Executive Director. allocatee’s financial condition; (4) the NMTC Annual Report: 23,375.
[FR Doc. 2017–08489 Filed 4–26–17; 8:45 am] socio-economic characteristics of Request for Comments: Comments
BILLING CODE P recipient’s/allocatee’s borrowers/ submitted in response to this notice will
investees, loan and investment terms, be summarized and/or included in the
repayment status, and community request for OMB approval. All
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY development outcomes; and (5) overall comments will become a matter of
compliance with the terms and public record. Comments are invited on
Community Development Financial conditions of the assistance/allocation all aspects of the information
Institutions Fund agreement entered into by the CDFI collections, but commentators may wish
Fund and the recipient/allocatee. to focus particular attention on: (a) The
Announcement Type: Notice and A CDFI Program or Native American
Request for Public Comment cost for CDFIs and CDEs to operate and
CDFI Assistance Program (NACA
maintain the services/systems required
Program) recipient must submit an
AGENCY: Community Development to provide the required information; (b)
Annual Report that comprises of several
Financial Institutions Fund, Treasury. ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
sections that depend on the program
ACTION: Notice. clarity of the information to be
and the type of award. The specific
components that comprise a recipient’s collected; (c) whether the collection of
SUMMARY: The Department of the information is necessary for the proper
Treasury, as part of its continuing effort Annual Report are set forth in the
assistance agreement that the recipient evaluation of the effectiveness and
to reduce paperwork and respondent impact of the CDFI Fund’s programs,
burden, invites the general public and enters into with the CDFI Fund in order
to receive a CDFI Program or a NACA including whether the information has
other Federal agencies to take this practical utility; (d) the accuracy of the
opportunity to comment on proposed Program award. These reporting
requirements can be found in the CDFI Fund’s estimate of the burden of
and/or continuing information the collection of information; (e) ways to
collections, as required by the assistance agreement templates located
on the CDFI Fund Web site at minimize the burden of the collection of
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. information including through the use
Currently, the Community Development www.cdfifund.gov. NMTC Program
allocatees must submit an Annual of technology, such as software for
Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI internal accounting and geocoding to
Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, Report that comprises: (i) A financial
statement that has been audited by an capture geographic detail while
is soliciting comments concerning the streamlining and aggregating TLR
Community Development Financial independent certified public
accountant; (ii) an Institution Level reporting for upload to CIIS, and; (f)
Institutions CDFI Program (CDFI what methods might be used to improve
Program) and New Markets Tax Credit Report (ILR) (including the IRS
Compliance Questions section), if the the data quality, internal accounting and
Program (NMTC Program) Annual efficiency of reporting transactions for
Report including the Community allocatee has issued any Qualified
Equity Investments; and (iii) a serving other targeted populations.
Investment Impact System (CIIS). Please note that this request for public
Transaction Level Report (TLR) if the
DATES: Written comments must be comment is necessary in order to renew
allocatee has issued any Qualified Low-
received on or before June 26, 2017 to Income Community Investments in the the CIIS data collection under the
be assured of consideration. form of loans or investments. The Paperwork Reduction Act. Next year the
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments via components that comprise an allocatee’s CDFI Fund plans to integrate the CIIS
email to Greg Bischak, Program Manager Annual Report are set forth in the data collection into the CDFI Fund’s
for Financial Strategies and Research, allocation agreement that the allocatee Awards Management Information
CDFI Fund, at cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov. enters into with the CDFI Fund in order System (AMIS). It is anticipated that the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg to receive a NMTC Program allocation. transition to AMIS will result in
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
Bischak, Program Manager for Financial These requirements can be found in the streamlining of the CIIS data collections
Strategies and Research, Community allocation agreement templates located and a reduction of reporting burden.
Development Financial Institutions on the CDFI Fund Web site at The CDFI Fund will publish a request
Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, www.cdfifund.gov. for public comment at that time to
1500 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Type of Review: Regular Review. solicit feedback on the proposed
Washington, DC 20220. Other Affected Public: CDFIs and CDEs; revisions and potential effects on
information regarding the CDFI Fund including businesses or other for-profit reporting burdens.
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Document Created: 2017-04-27 01:39:41
Document Modified: 2017-04-27 01:39:41
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). | |
| Dates | Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the GRANTS.GOV ``APPLY'' function by June 26, 2017. Prospective applicants should initiate the process by registering on the GRANTS.GOV Web site promptly to ensure completion of the application process before the submission deadline. Instructions for applying can be found on FTA's Web site at http://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and in the ``FIND'' module of GRANTS.GOV. The funding opportunity ID is FTA-2017-003-LowNo. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted. | |
| Contact | Tara Clark, FTA Office of Program Management, 202-366-2623, or [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 19447 |
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