[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63648-63671]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19984]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2023-0125]

Notice of Funding Opportunity To Establish Cooperative Agreements
With Technical Assistance Providers for the Fiscal Year 2023 Thriving
Communities Program

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

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Assistance Listing
Number: 20.942.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to publish DOT's application
submission requirements and application review procedures to select
national and State, Tribal, or regional capacity builders to provide
technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support to
communities through cooperative agreements with DOT, as authorized by
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.

DATES: The deadline for application submission is 4:59 p.m. eastern
time on November 28, 2023. Proposals or applications received after the
above deadlines will not be reviewed or considered. See section E of
this NOFO regarding DOT's review process and section G of the NOFO for
DOT's contact information.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted through https://www.grants.gov. Opportunity number: DOT-TCP-FY23-01.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Ongoing updates, webinar notices, FAQs: https://www.transportation.gov/thriving-communities.
    POC: Monica Guerra,<PHONE_NUMBER>, [email protected].

    Email: [email protected].
    A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available (202)
366-3993.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary Overview and Key Information: Thriving Communities Program (TCP)
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Issuing Agency........................  U.S. Department of
                                         Transportation, Office of the
                                         Secretary (OST).
Program Overview......................  The Consolidated Appropriations
                                         Act, 2023 provided $25 million
                                         to the US Department of
                                         Transportation (DOT) for a
                                         Thriving Communities Program
                                         (TCP) to develop and implement
                                         technical assistance, planning,
                                         and capacity building to help
                                         improve and foster thriving
                                         communities through
                                         transportation improvements.
                                        Through TCP, DOT will award
                                         cooperative agreements for
                                         Capacity Builders to provide
                                         technical assistance, planning,
                                         and capacity building support
                                         that advances transformative
                                         infrastructure plans, projects,
                                         and processes primarily in
                                         communities that have
                                         disproportionate rates of
                                         pollution and poor air quality,
                                         communities experiencing
                                         disproportionate human health
                                         and environmental effects (as
                                         defined by Executive Order No.
                                         12898), areas of persistent
                                         poverty as defined in section
                                         6702(a)(1) of title 49, United
                                         States Code, or historically
                                         disadvantaged communities.
Program Types.........................  Thriving Communities National
                                         Capacity Builder Program (TCP-
                                         N): Funds TCP-N Capacity
                                         Builders through cooperative
                                         agreements to provide
                                         individualized technical
                                         assistance, planning, and
                                         capacity building support to 15-
                                         20 communities located around
                                         the country, selected and
                                         assigned by DOT, and organized
                                         into a Community of Practice.
                                         TCP-N Capacity Builders will
                                         work with communities to co-
                                         design tailored scopes of work
                                         based on the community's
                                         individual needs and stage in
                                         the transportation planning,
                                         design, and development process
                                         to be carried out over two
                                         years of intensive TCP support.
                                         TCP-N Capacity Builders will
                                         also facilitate peer learning
                                         networks across the communities
                                         assigned to their Community of
                                         Practice. Evaluation,
                                         reporting, resource
                                         development, and transition
                                         activities will be the Capacity
                                         Builders' focus during the
                                         third year of the period of
                                         performance.
                                        Thriving Communities Regional
                                         Pilot Program (TCP-R): Funds
                                         State and local governments and
                                         their agencies, Tribal
                                         governments, and regional
                                         governments or organizations
                                         through cooperative agreements
                                         to provide support to
                                         communities selected by the
                                         applicant that are located
                                         within their jurisdiction or
                                         service area. The focus of this
                                         program is to enable State,
                                         Tribal, local, and regional
                                         governments to support the
                                         advancement of transportation
                                         opportunities in disadvantaged
                                         communities that align with
                                         State, Tribal, or regional
                                         housing, economic development,
                                         public health, climate, and
                                         other community development
                                         goals. While this program
                                         overlaps with the TCP-N Program
                                         in scope and purpose, it has a
                                         narrower focus on coordination
                                         and alignment within a specific
                                         geography. TCP-R Capacity
                                         Builders will play a
                                         coordination and capacity
                                         building role rather than
                                         providing intensive, tailored
                                         technical assistance. TCP-R
                                         Capacity Builders will
                                         facilitate peer learning across
                                         communities in their State,
                                         Tribe and/or region to scale
                                         program impact and act as a
                                         model for other jurisdictions.
                                         The first two years of the
                                         period of performance will be
                                         focused on both individual
                                         community support and peer
                                         learning, while the third year
                                         will focus on evaluation,
                                         reporting, resource
                                         development, and transition
                                         activities.
Eligible Activities...................  TCP-N Capacity Builder
                                         Cooperative Agreements: Deep-
                                         dive technical assistance,
                                         planning, and capacity building
                                         support that could include, but
                                         is not limited to, the
                                         following set of activities:
                                            identifying and
                                            responding to funding
                                            opportunities that align
                                            with projects that implement
                                            local community mobility,
                                            access, climate and
                                            community development goals
                                            and regional or statewide
                                            plans.
                                            activities to
                                            support grant writing,
                                            project management, and
                                            compliance with grant
                                            administration requirements.
                                            conducting project
                                            scoping, planning, and pre-
                                            engineering studies, market,
                                            and other technical
                                            analysis.
                                            supplementing local
                                            staffing, training, and
                                            workforce development
                                            capacity.
                                            developing systems
                                            or structures that improve
                                            compliance with Federal
                                            grant management, including
                                            but not limited to title VI
                                            of the Civil Rights Act, the
                                            Americans with Disabilities
                                            Act, section 504 of the
                                            Rehabilitation Act, and
                                            procurement requirements.
                                            supporting
                                            comprehensive community
                                            planning activities that
                                            better coordinate
                                            transportation with other
                                            land use, housing, climate,
                                            health, and other
                                            infrastructure.
                                            implementing
                                            innovative public engagement
                                            strategies, particularly to
                                            involve traditionally
                                            underrepresented voices in
                                            the planning, project
                                            identification, and
                                            prioritization process.
                                            sub-granting to
                                            local technical assistance
                                            and capacity building
                                            partners who bring local
                                            expertise and capacity.
                                            building
                                            organizational capacity to
                                            strengthen relationships
                                            between key stakeholders
                                            that deepen regional
                                            engagement and
                                            collaboration, position
                                            partners for future funding
                                            opportunities, and/or
                                            support inclusive planning
                                            processes.
                                            evaluating and
                                            establishing emerging
                                            transportation and planning
                                            technologies, data systems,
                                            and software.
                                            fostering peer
                                            learning and participation
                                            within a Community of
                                            Practice to advance
                                            policies, practices, and
                                            projects informed by
                                            meaningful public
                                            involvement and partnership.
                                        TCP-R Cooperative Agreements:
                                         Support provided by State
                                         governments and their agencies,
                                         Tribal governments, local
                                         governments and their agencies,
                                         or regional governments and
                                         organizations to advance
                                         transformative infrastructure
                                         in disadvantaged communities
                                         that face barriers to
                                         infrastructure advancement and
                                         implementation. This may
                                         include, but is not limited to:
                                            identifying funding
                                            opportunities that align
                                            with transportation goals
                                            and advance mobility access,
                                            climate resilience,
                                            equitable community
                                            development, healthy
                                            communities in support of
                                            regional or statewide plans.
                                            supporting
                                            predevelopment planning and
                                            scoping of projects that
                                            coordinate transportation
                                            with other land use,
                                            housing, and infrastructure
                                            development.
                                            building
                                            organizational capacity and
                                            strengthened relationships
                                            between key stakeholders
                                            that deepen regional
                                            engagement and
                                            collaboration, position
                                            partners for future funding
                                            opportunities, and/or
                                            support inclusive planning
                                            processes.
                                            funding planning and
                                            technical assistance
                                            activities that reform local
                                            land use and zoning policies
                                            to align transportation
                                            infrastructure investment
                                            with equitable community
                                            development.
                                            establishing pooled
                                            resources and/or innovative
                                            funding tools that increase
                                            community investments in
                                            transportation, housing,
                                            environment, and health.
                                            supporting regional
                                            economic and workforce
                                            development that promotes
                                            local hiring, access to
                                            transit, and jobs in high
                                            quality industries.
                                            activities to
                                            support grant writing,
                                            project management, and
                                            compliance with grant
                                            administration requirements.
                                            peer-learning,
                                            networking, and knowledge
                                            sharing on strategies, types
                                            of tools, and lessons
                                            learned with other
                                            communities in the
                                            applicant's State or region.
Eligible Applicants...................  TCP-N Capacity Builders:
                                            Non-profit
                                            organizations;
                                            philanthropic
                                            entities; and
                                            other technical
                                            assistance providers
                                            including academic
                                            institutions and private
                                            sector organizations with a
                                            demonstrated capacity to
                                            develop and provide
                                            technical assistance,
                                            planning, and capacity
                                            building to a range of
                                            communities located across
                                            multiple States and regions.
                                        TCP-R Capacity Builders:
                                            State governments
                                            and their agencies;
                                            Indian Tribes;
                                            local governments
                                            and their agencies;
                                            governmental
                                            planning or transportation
                                            organizations working at the
                                            regional or metropolitan
                                            level; or
                                            regional planning
                                            non-profit organizations.
Funding Amount........................  For FY 2023, the Department
                                         expects to award two different
                                         types of cooperative agreements
                                         through this NOFO, with up to
                                         $22 million total being
                                         available for award.
                                            TCP-N Capacity
                                            Builder cooperative
                                            agreements are anticipated
                                            to be in the range of $4-5
                                            million each; and
                                            TCP-R cooperative
                                            agreements are anticipated
                                            to be in the range of $1-2
                                            million each.

Cost Share............................  No cost sharing or matching is
                                         required as a condition of
                                         eligibility under this
                                         competition. DOT will fund up
                                         to 100 percent of eligible
                                         project costs through a monthly
                                         reimbursement invoicing model.
                                         Priority consideration will be
                                         given to those applicants that
                                         can demonstrate leveraging of
                                         other funding and resources.
Deadlines.............................  November 28, 2023 at 4:59 p.m.
                                         ET via Grants.gov. Opportunity
                                         number: DOT-TCP-FY23-01.
Contact Information...................  Ongoing updates, webinar
                                         notices, FAQs: [https://www.transportation.gov/grants/thriving-communities].
                                        Email:
                                         [email protected].
                                        Phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
                                        A Telecommunications Device for
                                         the Deaf (TDD) is available
<PHONE_NUMBER>.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents

A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Supporting Information
Appendix A. Full Application Checklist

A. Program Description

1. Overview

    The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT or the Department)
Thriving Communities Program (TCP) was established by the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103 division L, title I) and
received additional funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act
of 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328 division L, title I). The goal of the TCP is
to ensure disadvantaged or transportation-insecure communities
adversely and/or disproportionately affected by environmental, climate,
and human health policy outcomes have the technical tools and
organizational capacity to comprehensively plan for and deliver quality
infrastructure projects and community development projects that enable
their communities and neighborhoods to thrive.
    The TCP was created by Congress specifically to facilitate the
planning and development of transportation and community revitalization
activities supported by DOT under titles 23, 46, and 49, United States
Code, that increase mobility, reduce pollution from transportation
sources, expand affordable transportation options, facilitate efficient
land use, preserve or expand jobs, improve housing conditions, enhance
connections to health care, education, and food security, or improve
health outcomes. To achieve this, communities, particularly those that
are disadvantaged and/or transportation burdened or those that have
limited technical capacity or budgets, need greater levels of support
to successfully take advantage of the recent historic Federal
investments in transportation infrastructure and build capacity to
successfully fund these projects in the long-term.
    DOT's FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan [https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan] and its Equity Action Plan [https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/equity-action-plan] articulate
the Department's commitment to equity as a transportation cornerstone.
The TCP embodies this commitment with a focus on ensuring that all
communities, regardless of their size or current capacity, have the
necessary tools to access DOT funding and that equity is infused into
decision making and planning, procurement, and hiring processes. TCP is
a Justice40 covered program, created to ensure that disadvantaged
communities can successfully identify, develop, fund, and deliver
infrastructure projects informed by meaningful public involvement that
generate multiple economic, climate, health, equity, and other
community benefits. Find more information on the Justice40 Initiative
and other programs that that can support equity goals on the DOT
Justice40 website [https://www.transportation.gov/equity-Justice40].
    This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) continues investment in a
national technical assistance program (TCP-N) and provides new
opportunities for State-, Tribal-, local-, and regional-level community
support through the Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Program (TCP-R)
that will drive innovation, advance equity outcomes, and build a
national pipeline of community-driven infrastructure projects. In its
first year, TCP supported deep-dive technical assistance in 64
communities across the country. For the TCP's second year, DOT seeks to
support at least another 45-60 communities through its National
program, depending on responses to the Letters of Interest and the size
and number of cooperative agreements awarded through this NOFO, and
additional communities selected by TCP-R applicants.
    For the FY 2023 TCP, there are two distinct programs, each of which
will involve a team of Capacity Builders providing assistance to
disadvantaged and/or low-capacity communities. The opportunities to
provide and receive assistance are summarized below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Thriving Communities National (TCP-N)   Thriving Communities Regional Pilots
                                                  program                             (TCP-R) program
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   National capacity       Recipient        TCP-R capacity         Recipient
                                       builders           communities          builders           communities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Apply....................  Submit an           Submit a Letter of  Submit an           No application
                                   application via     Interest via        application via     required;
                                   grants.gov in       [https://           grants.gov in       communities
                                   response to this    www.transportatio   response to this    selected directly
                                   NOFO.               n.gov/grants/       NOFO.               by TCP-R Capacity
                                                       thriving-                               Builder.
                                                       communities-                            Identified
                                                       program-LOI-                            communities must
                                                       webform].                               include Letters
                                                      Find more                                of Commitment in
                                                       information in                          TCP-R
                                                       the Call for LOIs                       application.
                                                       [https://www.transportation.gov/grants/thriving-communities/call-for-letters-of-interest-fy23].

Purpose.........................  Fund National       Receive, at no      Fund State,         Receive, at no
                                   Capacity Builders   cost, TCP           Tribal, local,      cost, TCP
                                   to provide direct   technical           and regional        technical
                                   no-cost planning,   assistance,         entities to         assistance,
                                   technical           capacity            provide direct no-  capacity
                                   assistance, and     building, and       cost planning,      building, and
                                   capacity building   planning support    technical           planning support
                                   support to          from the DOT-       assistance, and     from the DOT-
                                   selected TCP        funded National     capacity building   funded TCP-R
                                   communities         Capacity Builders.  to communities of   Capacity
                                   located across                          their choice        Builders.
                                   the country for a                       within their
                                   three-year period                       jurisdictions for
                                   of performance.                         a three-year
                                                                           period of
                                                                           performance.
Primary Activity................  Provide technical   Receive technical   Coordinate          Receive assistance
                                   assistance,         assistance,         assistance and      and support to
                                   planning, and       planning, and       support to          advance and align
                                   capacity building   capacity building   advance and align   infrastructure
                                   support.            support.            infrastructure      goals and
                                                                           goals and           projects.
                                                                           projects.
Eligible Applicants.............   Non-        States.     States      Local
                                   profit              Local       government and      governments.
                                   organizations.      governments..       its agencies.       Indian
                                               Indian      Indian      Tribes.
                                   philanthropic       Tribes..            Tribes..            United
                                   entities; and.      United      Local       States
                                   other       States              government and      territories.
                                   technical           territories..       its agencies..      transit
                                   assistance                      a           agencies.
                                   providers           metropolitan        governmental        or other
                                   including           planning            planning,           political
                                   academic            organizations       economic            subdivisions of
                                   institutions or     (MPOs)..            development, or     State or local
                                   private sector      transit     transportation      governments.
                                   organizations       agencies..          organization
                                   with a              other       working at the
                                   demonstrated        political           regional or
                                   capacity to         subdivisions of     metropolitan
                                   develop and         State or local      level, or.
                                   provide technical   governments..       a
                                   assistance,                             regional, Tribal
                                   planning, and                           or Statewide
                                   capacity building                       planning non-
                                   to a range of                           profit
                                   communities                             organization..
                                   located across
                                   multiple States
                                   and regions..
Partnership Requirements........  Applicants are      Applicants are      Applicants are      Partnerships are
                                   encouraged to       required to         encouraged to       not required at
                                   partner with        identify at least   partner with        the community
                                   other Capacity      two community       other Capacity      level but are
                                   Builders, which     partners with       Builders, which     encouraged to
                                   may include other   whom they will      may include other   ensure meaningful
                                   eligible            work to advance     entities            coordination and
                                   applicants          local goals to be   including local     engagement across
                                   including non-      supported through   governments, non-   stakeholders.
                                   profits, and        TCP-N assistance.   profits, and
                                   other technical     Find more           other technical
                                   assistance          information in      assistance
                                   providers to        the Call for LOIs   providers to
                                   deepen and          [https://           deepen and
                                   broaden technical   www.transportatio   broaden technical
                                   assistance and      n.gov/grants/       assistance and
                                   capacity building   thriving-           capacity building
                                   expertise.          communities/call-   expertise.
                                                       for-letters-of-
                                                       interest-fy23].
Anticipated Funding Levels per    $4-$5 million.....  None directly.....  $1-$2 million.....  None directly.
 Cooperative Agreement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    DOT staff from headquarters and from regional and division offices
will be identified to serve as Federal liaisons with both the National
and Regional Capacity Builders and with selected TCP communities to
facilitate connections with other Federal technical assistance
resources that can assist in project pre-development, community
engagement, planning, financing, and project delivery activities. The
DOT Navigator [https://www.transportation.gov/dot-navigator] provides
information on existing DOT-supported technical assistance resources
that may be a useful reference for Capacity Builders. Note that key
definitions for terms relevant to TCP are provided in section H.1 of
this NOFO.
a. National Capacity Builder Program
    As it did in the first year of the program, the FY 2023 the TCP-N
will provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity building
support at a national level to help communities scope, develop, and
deliver transportation projects that advance community stabilization or
revitalization activities that benefit disadvantaged populations and
communities. Within the project scoping, development, and design
phases, the TCP will support and build local capacity to accelerate
projects; access and manage Federal funding; and deploy local hiring,
workforce development, and inclusive community engagement practices.
DOT seeks applications from technical assistance, planning, and
capacity building providers--henceforth referred to as TCP-N Capacity
Builders. Eligible applicants are identified in section C.1. of this
NOFO.
i. Individualized Deep Dive Technical Assistance, Planning, and
Capacity Building Support
    The primary focus of support through TCP-N is on assisting
individual communities--recipients include government agencies and
their community partner organizations--to successfully advance projects
identified through meaningful public involvement that deliver a broad
set of transportation, climate, equity, housing, economic, and other
community benefits. DOT is requiring communities, through a separate
Letter of Interest (LOI) process, to form and apply as coalitions with
organizations that may also serve as local capacity building and
technical assistance implementation partners and generate deeper
community engagement, particularly from historically under-represented
populations and environmental justice stakeholders. The composition of
these community partnerships will be at the discretion of each LOI
applicant and identified in their LOI, but could include other
government entities, non-profits, non-governmental and community-based
organizations, labor unions, advocacy groups, chambers of commerce and
major employers or anchor institutions, and philanthropic
organizations. For an overview of the communities selected in FY 2022,
their challenges, and their visions for TCP support, visit the FY 2022
Selected Communities Fact Sheet [https://www.transportation.gov/grants/thriving-communities/thriving-communities-program-fy-2022-selected-communities-fact-sheet].
    Each TCP-N Capacity Building team will provide individualized deep-
dive support to a set of 15-20 communities selected by DOT. DOT will
assign these recipient communities to a specific TCP-N Capacity Builder
team prior to finalizing cooperative agreements. Note

that there may be more than one Capacity Builder team per Community of
Practice, and the final number of communities assigned by DOT to the
TCP-N Capacity Builder teams will be informed by the LOIs received.
Once matched with the DOT-selected communities, TCP-N Capacity Builders
will develop processes to engage with these recipients and their
community partners to co-design a tailored scope of work and set of
equitable development outcomes to be achieved over a two-year period
within 90 days of the period of performance start date.
    Technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support could
include, but is not limited to, the following set of activities:

 identifying and responding to funding opportunities that align
with projects that implement local community mobility, access, climate,
and community development goals and regional or statewide plans
 activities to support grant writing, project management, and
compliance with grant administration requirements
 conducting project scoping, planning, and pre-engineering
studies, market, and other technical analysis
 supplementing local staffing and workforce development
capacity
 developing systems or structures that improve compliance with
Federal grant management, including but not limited to Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act, and procurement requirements
 supporting comprehensive community planning activities that
better coordinate transportation with other land use, housing, climate,
health, and other infrastructure
 implementing innovative public engagement strategies,
particularly to involve traditionally underrepresented voices in the
planning, project identification, and prioritization process.
 sub-granting to local technical assistance and capacity
building partners who bring local expertise and capacity
 building organizational capacity to strengthen relationships
between key stakeholders that deepen regional engagement and
collaboration, position partners for future funding opportunities, and/
or support inclusive planning processes
 evaluating and establishing emerging transportation and
planning technologies, data systems, and software
ii. TCP Community of Practice Support
    To build collective and sustained learning, TCP-N Capacity Builders
will also support a Community of Practice throughout the period of
performance that facilitates peer learning across selected TCP
communities. This may include face-to-face meetings, as well as web-
based collaborative environments to communicate, connect, and conduct
activities that collectively facilitate long-term capacity building and
systems change. Applicants should propose methods and tasks that will
be undertaken to support a Community of Practice among the specific
communities they are assigned to support and within the individual
communities to build capacity between the lead applicant and community
partners. DOT believes that communities best know the specific
challenges and opportunities they face. TCP-N Capacity Builders will
utilize a community-centered approach to work with selected recipient
communities to refine the areas of focus for specific places and for
the overall Community of Practice.
    The full period of performance for the TCP-N is three years;
however, during the third year Capacity Builders will shift away from
individualized community support and focus on program evaluation and
reporting, transition activities for assigned communities within the
Community of Practice and developing shared resources for sustained
learning for those within and outside of the Community of Practice. See
section B for more information.
Communities of Practice Typology
    DOT established three Communities of Practice in FY 2022 to
organize communities and their technical assistance, planning, and
capacity building needs in relation to shared demographics,
transportation challenges, and programmatic opportunities. These
include Main Streets, Complete Neighborhoods, and Networked
Communities. TCP seeks to amplify the program's impact and generate
noteworthy practices that can be scaled and replicated in other
regions. Within selected communities, Community of Practices provide an
opportunity to foster cross-sector collaboration between the lead
recipient of technical assistance (i.e., eligible government entities),
their identified community partners, and other community stakeholders
that have not historically been engaged in infrastructure, economic and
community development planning and decision making; or those who bear
the heaviest environmental, health, mobility, housing, economic and/or
social costs of infrastructure projects. These Communities of Practice
will be maintained for the FY 2023 program and include:
Main Streets
    The Thriving Communities Main Streets communities of practice
consists of eligible rural recipients from Indian Tribes, US
Territories, rural communities, and small towns, including communities
that are not part of an MPO. Less dense populations, longer travel
distances, older and changing demographics, declining, or transitioning
economies, and smaller government budgets and inadequate staff are just
a few of the shared challenges faced by this cohort, which also impact
the ability of government to deploy innovative workforce development,
climate resilience, equity, and technology solutions. Illustrative of
the possible transportation issues that this cohort may address are
road network improvement and safety projects; resiliency and climate
related improvements; improving infrastructure conditions alongside
strategies to support economic and community revitalization with
investments in high-speed internet deployment, water and sewage lines,
and electric vehicle charging stations; rural transit, micro mobility
and transportation alternatives including multimodal trails; context
sensitive design solutions that will improve mobility and access
particularly for disadvantaged populations and populations of older
adults, people with disabilities, youth, and those without access to a
personal automobile; transportation worker recruitment and training
strategies; and place-making strategies to leverage local cultural,
natural, and community assets. State DOTs are a critical partner,
facility owner, and funder in these communities.
    TCP-N Capacity Builder teams seeking to support the Main Streets
Community of Practice must demonstrate their expertise and familiarity
in working with rural, U.S. Territories, and/or Tribal communities,
such as through members of their team that have experience working with
culturally, racially, language diverse communities (e.g., experience
working with immigrant communities, foreign language competencies), or
proven experience working on Federal Tribal and rural transportation,
community, housing, and economic development programs.

Complete Neighborhoods
    The Complete Neighborhoods Community of Practice consists of
eligible urban and suburban recipients that are included in a
metropolitan planning organization's (MPO) planning area. This cohort
is focused on comprehensive strategies to enhance community
connectivity, improve coordination of land use, housing, economic
development, and transportation, and to accelerate innovation
specifically for disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods. Areas of
persistent poverty and declining economies or property values create
challenges for some, while others may be experiencing market-induced or
climate-induced gentrification and displacement. Technical assistance
and capacity building can advance equity by addressing the inequities
and systemic barriers created by decades of discrimination,
segregation, urban renewal, and suburban sprawl impacting these
communities.
    Illustrative of the possible transportation issues that the
Complete Neighborhoods Community of Practice may address are increasing
accessibility to affordable and reliable multi-modal transportation
options to reach regional jobs and community facilities, such as health
care centers, libraries, public schools and grocery stores; deploying
transit-oriented and walkable development policies; reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and improving air quality; and improving safety for all
users of the transportation system including bicyclists, pedestrians
and people of all ages and abilities. This cohort will look to leverage
planning, project development and transportation projects that serve
community and economic development goals and promote revitalization
strategies, such as street level retail and community space, urban
place-making, and local and economic hiring preferences to support
community wealth building in economically disadvantaged communities
within the region. MPOs and other types of regional planning bodies are
important infrastructure implementation partners, especially to
coordinate transportation with housing and economic development
planning and advance projects benefitting disadvantaged communities.
Networked Communities
    The Networked Communities Community of Practice consists of
eligible recipients from urban, suburban, and rural communities that
are located near intercity transportation facilities, such as ports,
airports, and freight or passenger rail facilities. These communities
may face local environmental justice, economic development, and
mobility access issues exacerbated by their proximity to large-scale
regionally or nationally significant transportation projects. Networked
Communities have a distinct need to work with a range of stakeholders
to advance equity by addressing both existing and future mobility,
health and safety, and workforce development and labor opportunities
from locally disadvantaged communities given the context of each hub.
Illustrative of the possible transportation issues that this cohort may
face are community access and connectivity; roadway safety and design
improvements, including of major arterials and service roads;
strategies to reduce air and noise pollution, including transitioning
to decarbonization technologies and clean economies; or preparing for
new or extended passenger rail service. Private sector partners may
play a critical role as utility and facility owners, rail operators,
port and airport authorities, whose interests are generally broader
than those of the surrounding community. The technical assistance
priorities for the Networked Communities Community of Practice can
include advancing equity by addressing environmental injustice,
mobility, pollution, public health, economic development, and land use
planning through meaningful public involvement for communities,
particularly those that are lower income and/or have a higher
proportion of people of color, that reside near multimodal hubs. DOT
may decide to create sub-cohorts within each of these Communities of
Practice based upon the needs of the selected communities informed by
the LOI process.
    For the FY 2023 TCP-N, Capacity Builders will support the
communities they have been specifically assigned for their selected
Community of Practice and will also support networking across all
Communities of Practice, including those established in FY 2022 and TCP
communities that may be selected in future years to build upon and
scale capacity building resources and learning opportunities. DOT may
assign Capacity Builders to provide targeted technical and limited
support to TCP communities and/or other DOT and Federal technical
assistance recipients, as needed, to assist disadvantaged communities
and government agencies to advance projects and processes aligned with
DOT's Strategic Plan and Equity Action Plan priorities for equity,
workforce development, labor and hiring preferences, small business
development and procurement, climate, safety, technology
transformation. TCP-N Capacity builders are not expected to provide
targeted support to more than a total of 20 total communities.
b. Thriving Communities Regional Pilots (TCP-R)
    For the FY 2023 TCP, up to five TCP-Rs will be funded to advance
transformative infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities or
jurisdictions located within a specific State, Tribe, or metropolitan
region that face barriers to implementation. For the TCP-R, ``region''
refers to the geographic area within an individual State or Indian
Tribe; or the service area covered by a regional transportation or
planning organization. The TCP-R will fund efforts by State, Tribal,
local, or regional organizations to provide technical assistance,
planning and capacity building support for transportation projects
located within their geography or service area that align with housing,
economic development, public health, climate, and other community
development plans and goals. Eligible applicants for TCP-R will select
the communities within their jurisdiction or service area to receive
technical assistance and capacity building support through TCP and will
use TCP funding to advance these types of transportation projects
forward into the next phase of development, deepen community
engagement, and align with local or regional zoning, land use, economic
development, or other plans and investments. This may include, but is
not limited to:

 identifying funding opportunities that align with
transportation goals and advance mobility access, climate resilience,
equitable community development, healthy communities in support of
regional or statewide plans
 supporting predevelopment planning and scoping of projects
that coordinate transportation with other land use, housing, and
infrastructure development
 building organizational capacity and strengthened
relationships between key stakeholders that deepen regional engagement
and collaboration, position partners for future funding opportunities,
and/or support inclusive planning processes
 fund planning and technical assistance activities that reform
local land use and zoning policies to align transportation
infrastructure investment with equitable community development;

 establishing pooled resources or innovative funding tools that
increase community investments in transportation, housing, environment,
and health;
 supporting regional economic and workforce development that
promotes local hiring, access to transit, and jobs in high quality
industries
 designing and implementing activities to deepen and expand
meaningful public involvement, especially to populations that are
under-represented in traditional planning processes and/or are
experience disproportionate transportation, environmental, or social
burden
 activities to support grant writing, project management, and
compliance with grant administration requirements
 peer-learning, networking, and knowledge sharing on
strategies, types of tools, and lessons learned with other communities
in the applicant's State or region.

    DOT recognizes that many States, Indian Tribes, MPOs, and other
regional government and non-governmental entities are already
undertaking, or would like to undertake this important work, but
require additional resources in order to amplify their impact and more
comprehensively provide support to local communities. The TCP-R is
intended to fund these State, Tribal, and regional organizations to
scale up support to enable communities to develop, fund, and deliver
critical community-driven projects. Applicants must commit to providing
support to communities within their jurisdiction over a three-year
period to plan, develop, and deliver transportation projects that
interface with housing, climate, safety, economic development, public
health, and other sectors that align with TCP goals. The first two
years of the period of performance should be dedicated to providing
targeted support to selected communities, as well as peer learning and
exchange activities between these selected communities and others
within their region. During the third year, TCP-R Capacity Builders
will be expected to focus on program evaluation, reporting, transition
activities, and developing resources for long-term capacity building.
See section B for more information.

2. Changes From FY 2022 Thriving Communities Program

    This FY 2023 NOFO updated and revised some key aspects of the
program. These include the following:
     Extension of the period of performance to three years,
with the first two years focused on deep-dive individual community
support, peer learning, and collaboration and the third year focused on
evaluation, reporting, community transitioning, and resource sharing.
     The inclusion of a separate Regional Pilot Program.
     Reductions to the maximum award amounts from up to $6
million to up to $5 million per National Capacity Builder and increases
the number of communities served by each Capacity Builder from 10-15 to
15-20.
     Revisions to the merit rating criteria, including how
applicants should respond to each criterion.
     Changes to the requirements for targeted support to
supported communities, including a new requirement to subgrant at least
20 percent of the budget to community recipients.
     Option to renew FY 2023 selected Capacity Builder
cooperative agreements for a second round of funding for FY 2024 (i.e.,
re-select Capacity Builders for a second three-year period of
performance), subject to authorization and available funding.

3. Coordination Across the Federal Government

    The TCP is one of several technical assistance programs
administered through DOT's Build America Bureau. Participation in
technical assistance programs is voluntary and does not obligate the
awardee or recipients to apply for DOT grants or credit programs in the
future, nor does participation offer preferential treatment to future
applications or a guarantee of Federal funding.
    The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received
$2.5 million from the FY 2023 appropriations bill to coordinate with
DOT's TCP. HUD will separately provide funding to technical assistance
providers to help jurisdictions consider housing and community
development needs as part of transportation infrastructure plans (for
example, identifying land that is near planned transportation projects
and suitable for housing development). HUD's technical assistance will
enable more communities to thoughtfully plan and boost location-
efficient housing supply. Applicants interested in HUD's Thriving
Communities Technical Assistance NOFO should visit https://www.huduser.gov/portal/nofos/thriving-communities.html.
    The TCP will coordinate with and leverage other Federal place-based
technical assistance and capacity building initiatives being
coordinated through the Federal Thriving Communities Network [https://www.transportation.gov/federal-interagency-thriving-communities-network] to provide comprehensive support to selected recipient
communities. This may include, but is not limited to USDA's Rural
Partners Network, the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant
Communities and Economic Revitalization, the Economic Development
Administration's Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the General
Service Administration's Center for Urban Development, and the
Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Thriving
Communities Technical Assistance Centers.

B. Federal Award Information

    Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328),
Congress provided DOT with $25,000,000 for the Thriving Communities
Program, to be obligated by September 30, 2025. DOT will also utilize
up to $1 million in funds remaining from the FY 2022 TCP as part of
this NOFO, for a total of up to $22 million available. If DOT
identifies additional funding after the release of this NOFO, DOT may
elect to award such additional funding to Capacity Builders selected
under this NOFO, as permitted by law. Of the funds provided, DOT
anticipates awarding at least three separate cooperative agreements to
TCP-N Capacity Builders; and potentially as many as five, depending
upon the needs of the selected communities informed by the LOI process
and the number of TCP-Rs awarded. DOT anticipates awarding at least
four separate cooperative agreements through the TCP-R. Cooperative
agreements will be managed through substantial involvement by the
Office of Technical Assistance in DOT's Build America Bureau (see
Federal Award Administration Information in section F of this NOFO).
    DOT will determine the amount of funds to be awarded but
anticipates a range of $4,000,000 to $5,000,000 for each TCP-N
cooperative agreement; and a range of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for each
TCP-R cooperative agreement. Multiple cooperative agreements are
expected, with an aggregate total of approximately $22,000,000. Awards
are at 100 percent Federal share. Final decisions on the amount of
funding per award and number of cooperative agreements will depend upon
applications received in response to the NOFO as well as the demand
from community applicants expressed

through Letters of Interest. DOT may elect to award any unobligated
funding through future NOFOs, if necessary.

1. Period of Performance

a. National Capacity Builders Period of Performance
    The period of performance for the FY 2023 TCP-N will be three years
(36 months) from the date of execution in DOT's electronic grants
management system, unless the period of performance is extended before
expiration. The first two years of the period of performance must be
dedicated to providing targeted, deep-dive support to assigned
communities in accordance with the scopes of work co-designed with
communities. TCP-N Capacity Builders will also be expected to conduct
Community of Practice activities during the first two years of the
period of performance. During the third year of the period of
performance, TCP-N Capacity Builders will shift focus to evaluation,
reporting, resource development, and transitioning communities to self-
sustaining capacity building. The third year of the period of
performance must include:

 Strategic, targeted community of practice communications
(outlined in the workplan)
 Transition plan for awardees, which could include:
[cir] Stewarding existing cohort into sub-groups or other longer-term
capacity building models (based on geography or areas of interest), if
applicable
[cir] Connecting communities to other technical assistance resources or
networks
[cir] Bridging new partnerships that can leverage future funding (e.g.,
conferences/workshops/meetings with philanthropy, regional or State
partners, etc.)
 Elevating project wins and learnings via social media, blogs,
etc. (in partnership with DOT)
 Developing publicly available educational tools and resources
(e.g., toolkits, web-based portals)
 Participating in a Federal convening with new TCP awardees
(for FY 2024, subject to program authorization and appropriation) or
other Federal technical assistance networks
 A final report from Capacity Builders summarizing the goals,
impacts, process, and lessons learned from engagement with each
individual community and for the cohort as a whole.

    If funding is appropriated for an FY 2024 TCP, and there is no
change in the TCP's authorization, DOT may elect not to issue a new
NOFO for the FY 2024 program; rather, it may select National Capacity
Builders from the FY 2023 awardees, provided that DOT determines that
awardees have demonstrated an appropriate level of performance and that
awardees have sufficient capacity to and agree to provide support to a
new cohort of communities. In this case, the Capacity Builders would be
asked to demonstrate capacity and propose a detailed plan and budget to
support additional communities. DOT would then establish a new
cooperative agreement with existing Capacity Builders for an additional
three-year period of performance with FY 2024 funds. If FY 2023
Capacity Builders have not demonstrated an appropriate level of
performance, DOT may select new Capacity Builders for FY 2024 from
other Highly Recommended applicants from FY 2023.
    Subsequent year funding and additional funding from DOT will depend
upon priorities established by the Secretary of Transportation, future
authorizations and appropriations, and the Thriving Communities' annual
performance reviews.
b. Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Program Period of Performance
    For the FY 2023 TCP-R Program, the period of performance will be
three years (36 months) from the date of execution in DOT's electronic
grants management system. The first two years of the period of
performance must be dedicated to providing support to the communities
identified in the application, in accordance with the activities
described in the application. The third year of the period of
performance will be focused on program evaluation and reporting,
transition activities for communities, and collecting and sharing
lessons learned and best practices from the first two years of support,
including sharing information with communities outside those who
received targeted support in the first two years to scale impact of the
program.
    The third year of the period of performance must include:

 Strategic, targeted community of practice communications
(outlined in the workplan)
 Transition plan for awardees, which could include:
[cir] Stewarding existing cohort into sub-groups or other longer-term
capacity building models (based on geography or areas of interest), if
applicable
[cir] Connecting communities to other technical assistance resources or
networks
[cir] Bridging new partnerships that can leverage future funding (e.g.,
conferences/workshops/meeting with philanthropy, regional or State
partners, etc.)
 Elevating project wins and learnings via social media, blogs,
etc. (in partnership with DOT)
 Developing publicly available educational tools and resources
(e.g., toolkits, web-based portals)
 Participating in a Federal convening with new TCP awardees
(for FY 2024, subject to program authorization and appropriation) or
other Federal technical assistance networks
 Final reporting and program evaluation.

    If funding is appropriated for an FY 2024 TCP, and there is no
change in the TCP's authorization, DOT may elect not to issue a new
NOFO for the FY 2024 program; rather, it may select Regional Capacity
Builders from the list of Highly Recommended, but not selected,
applicants from FY 2023. In this case, DOT would contact Highly
Recommended applicants to request confirmation that applicants are
still interested in participating in the program and have the capacity
to do so before selecting them for participation in the FY 2024
program.
    Subsequent year funding and additional funding from DOT will depend
upon priorities established by the Secretary of Transportation, future
authorizations and appropriations, and the Thriving Communities' annual
performance reviews.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    For both the TCP-N and TCP-R, those applying to provide technical
assistance, planning, and capacity building can apply individually or
as part of a team of eligible applicants. DOT seeks Capacity Builders
that have technical knowledge across a diverse set of issues and
skills; therefore, the lead applicant is strongly encouraged to partner
with other eligible organizations to create Capacity Building teams
that represent a range of technical skills, geographic connections and
capacity building approaches. If applying as part of a team, the lead
applicant must be clearly identified and submit the application on
behalf of the team. The cooperative agreement will be between DOT and
the lead organization, which is the primary recipient of DOT TCP funds.
The recipient may make contracts or subawards \1\ to other team

members, but the recipient is responsible for compliance with Federal
requirements, including 2 CFR parts 200 and 1201.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Refer to 2 CFR 200.1 (Definitions) [https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1] and 2 CFR 200.331
(Subrecipient and contractor determinations) [https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.331] for more information.
Refer also to the TCP Fact Sheet on Subcontracting and Subwards
posted on the program website.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the TCP-N Capacity Builders, eligible lead applicants are non-
profit organizations, philanthropic entities, and other technical
assistance providers, including but not limited to for-profit
organizations and academic institutions, with a demonstrated capacity
to develop and provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity
building to a range of communities located across multiple States and
regions (i.e., applicants must demonstrate capacity to provide support
at a national level, not just within specific regions or geographies).
    For the TCP-R, eligible lead applicants are State governments and
their agencies; local governments and their agencies; Indian Tribes;
regional, Tribal, or statewide planning non-profit organizations; and
governmental planning, economic development, or transportation
organizations working at the regional or metropolitan level involved
with transportation issues.
    Where applicable, each lead applicant and co-applicant must provide
documentation that supports each lead applicant's or co-applicant's
organizational status as an eligible entity. Refer to section D.2(b) of
this NOFO for more information on organizational documentation
requirements.

2. Cost Sharing and Matching

    No cost sharing or matching is required as a condition of
eligibility under this competition. DOT will fund up to 100 percent of
eligible project costs. However, TCP-N and TCP-R applicants that
demonstrate an ability to leverage other funding, including from
philanthropy, and other Federal funding sources (e.g., formula funds,
State or local resources and in-kind contributions of staff, volunteer
time, facilities, or other resources) to amplify program impact and
support Thriving Communities Program goals and objectives in the long-
term will be prioritized.

3. Eligible Project Costs

    Eligible costs include those that the Capacity Builders undertake
to directly assist in the development of technical assistance,
planning, or capacity building for communities to carry out eligible
projects and plans for which the award has been granted. Eligible costs
also include subgrants to build community capacity, including staff and
benefits plus other overhead costs such as rent, utilities, and office
equipment, hiring of new staff and fellows, building IT systems for
application processes and reporting, and website development for
education and training.
    For both TCP-N and TCP-R applicants, DOT will give preference to
applications with the highest percentage of identified targeted support
budgeted for community recipients and their partners. ``Targeted
support'' means activities that directly enable the community to
advance efforts identified in their scope of work. This may include,
for instance, direct subgrants for the community to allocate
internally; funding to provide community stipends or pay for staffing,
apprenticeship, or fellowship positions located within the selected
communities; access to mapping, design and engineering, modeling, civic
participation or other data analytic or community engagement software
tools; no-cost consulting services; Capacity Builder staff time
dedicated to activities to advance individual communities' scopes of
work, including travel; or other types of direct support. Activities to
support the overall Community of Practice (e.g., trainings, convenings,
or webinars that support all or multiple communities within the cohort)
and overall program administration and grant management activities are
not considered targeted support.
    For both TCP-N and TCP-R applicants, no more than 25 percent of the
proposed budget may be allotted to program administration and grant
management activities (e.g., workplan development, invoicing, team
meetings, evaluation report), and at least 20 percent of the proposed
budget must be allocated for subgrants to communities and their
partners. All applicants are expected to plan for at least one visit to
each assigned community per year for the first two years of the period
of performance.
    Consistent with the provisions in 2 CFR 200.400, the Recipient may
not earn or keep any profit resulting from funds awarded under this
NOFO. Recipients may not allocate profit fees in their proposed or
final budget.
    Eligible activity costs must comply with the cost principles set
forth in 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.

D. Application and Submission Information

    Applications must include the materials listed in section D.2 of
this NOFO to be considered for funding.

1. Address To Request Application Package

    Applications will only be accepted electronically through
www.grants.gov (Grants.gov) under Opportunity Number DOT-TCP-FY23-01.
Potential applicants may also request paper copies of materials at:
    Telephone:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
W12-412, Washington, DC 20590.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    This section describes the DOT and Federal grant assistance forms
and other documents required for a complete application for both the
TCP-N and TCP-R Programs under this NOFO. An application checklist can
be found in appendix A of this NOFO.
    Sharing of Application Information--The Department may share
application information within the Department or with other Federal
agencies if the Department determines that sharing is relevant to the
respective program's objectives.
a. Required Forms
    All applicants must submit the following required forms:

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
 Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

    All relevant forms must be signed electronically by the applicant's
Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR); please see section D.6
of this NOFO for information on AOR requirements. The preferred
electronic file format for attachments is Adobe portable document
format (PDF); however, DOT will accept electronic files in Microsoft
Word or Microsoft Excel formats. DOT will not accept paper, facsimile,
or email transmissions of applications. All documentation and data
submitted should be current and applicable as of the date submitted.
Applicants may contact the appropriate contact listed in section G for
technical assistance before submitting an application.
b. Organizational Documentation
    Each lead applicant and co-applicant must provide documentation
that

supports each lead applicant's or co-applicant's organizational status
as an eligible entity where applicable (section C.1 of this NOFO).
     States, Indian Tribes, cities, or other political
subdivisions of States, and institutions of higher education that are
100% publicly controlled are not required to submit organizational
documentation.
     Nonprofit organizations must submit documentation that
demonstrates their status as nonprofit organizations. This must include
articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of good standing, and a
copy of the most recent (not older than 18 months) IRS Form 990 (Return
of Organization Exempt from Income Tax) (without attachments or
schedules).
     Other entities, including institutions of higher education
that are not 100% publicly controlled, must provide documentation that
demonstrates their organization type.
c. Organization Descriptions
    A one-page organization or company profile must be provided for
each member of the Capacity Building Team. These may be publicly shared
as part of the organization introductions. Profiles should include the
organization name, its role on the team, number of employees; location
of office or its geographic scope; whether it is a certified
disadvantaged business enterprise (e.g., 8(a) business), as defined by
the Small Business Administration (SBA), a small business as defined by
the SBA, a Historically Black College or University, a Minority Serving
Institution, a HUBZone, or woman owned or service-disabled veteran-
owned small businesses; \2\ a brief summary of the type of services it
provides; and involvement of team members that represent the types of
communities and stakeholders to be served. Key staff members of each
organization should be shown.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Additional DOT guidance on small business contracting can be
found at https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2021-03/508_OSDBU%20Contracting_03102021.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A template is provided for the fulfillment of this requirement. DOT
recommends, but does not require, the use of the template.
d. Indirect Costs (if Applicable)
    If indirect costs are included in the budget, the applicant must
include documentation to support the indirect cost rate they are using
(unless claiming the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate,
discussed below). The applicant must submit a copy of its current,
approved, and negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). If the
applicant does not have a current or pending NICRA, it may propose
indirect costs in its budget; however, the applicant must prepare and
submit an allocation plan and rate proposal for approval within ninety
days from the award start date (unless claiming the 10 percent de
minimis indirect cost rate, discussed below). See 2 CFR part 200 apps.
III, IV, V, VI, VII for guidance. The allocation plan and the rate
proposal shall be submitted to DOT. The applicant should include a
statement in its Budget Narrative that it does not have a current or
pending NICRA and will submit an allocation plan and rate proposal to
DOT or the applicant's cognizant Federal agency for approval.
    In accordance with 2 CFR 200.414(f), an applicant that does not
have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate, may elect to
charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs
(subject to the exceptions of Sec.  200.414(f)). No documentation is
required to justify the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate;
however, an applicant electing to charge a de minimis rate of 10
percent must include a statement in its Budget Narrative that it does
not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate and is
electing to charge the de minimis rate.
    If the applicant is a State or local unit of government or an
Indian Tribe that receives less than $35 million in direct Federal
funding per year it may submit any of the following:
     a Certificate of Indirect Costs from the Department of the
Interior (DOI) or DOT;
     an acknowledgment received from the Department of Interior
(on behalf of DOT) and a Certificate of Indirect Costs in the form
prescribed at 2 CFR part 200, app. VII; or
     a NICRA.
e. Executive Summary
    The Executive Summary will not be evaluated as part of application
review. If the applicant is selected for funding, the Executive Summary
may be used in a public announcement or on DOT's website.
TCP-N Capacity Builders
    Applicants are required to submit an Executive Summary of no more
than 500 words that must:
     Clearly indicate the application is to be considered as a
Thriving Communities National Capacity Builder.
     Clearly identify which specific Community of Practice the
applicant is seeking to be considered to support (the applicant should
select only one Community of Practice). DOT reserves the right to
assign a Capacity Builder to a different Community of Practice, with
confirmation from the Capacity Builder, if it determines the Capacity
Builder has the skills and experience necessary to serve communities in
that Community of Practice.
     Provide a clear, concise, and descriptive summary of the
proposed approach to technical assistance and capacity building,
including identifying the types of targeted support that will be
provided with DOT resources and how this support is anticipated to
build local capacity and advance Thriving Communities Program goals
within the Community of Practice it seeks to support.
     Briefly discuss the strengths that its team provides in
areas of technical depth, diversity and capacity building approach to
underserved and disadvantaged communities.
     Identify the amount of funding the applicant is
requesting.
    In addition, but separate from the 500-word limit, list all
proposed Capacity Builder team organizations and indicate whether the
organizations are designated as any of the following:
     a disadvantaged business (e.g., 8(a) business) as defined
by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA);
     a small business as defined by the SBA;
     a Historically Black College or University;
     other Minority Serving Institution;
     a HUBZone as defined by the SBA; or
     A woman-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned small
business as defined by the SBA.
TCP-R Capacity Builders
    Applicants are required to submit an Executive Summary of no more
than 500 words that must:
     Clearly indicate the application is to be considered as a
Thriving Communities Regional Pilot Capacity Builder.
     Clearly identify the communities to be supported,
anticipated technical assistance and capacity building needs, and how
they intersect with plans for State or regional housing, economic
development, public health, climate and other community development
goals.
     List all proposed members of the TCP-R applicant team.
     Provide a clear and concise descriptive summary of the
proposed approach to supporting selected communities, including
identifying the types of targeted support that will be provided with
DOT resources that cannot be met with existing resources,

and how this support is anticipated to build local capacity and advance
Thriving Communities Program goals.
     Briefly discuss the strengths that the applicant provides
in areas of technical depth, diversity and capacity building to
underserved and disadvantaged communities within its service area
(i.e., the State, region, Tribal, or MPO boundaries).
f. Narrative Responses Addressing Merit Rating Criteria Sub-Factors
    As detailed in NOFO section E, ``Application Review Information,''
any applicant that does not submit a narrative response that addresses
each of the 10 Merit Rating Criteria Sub-Factors within the page limits
described below will not be eligible for review. See NOFO section E for
more detail on the Merit Rating Criteria Sub-Factors. Your narrative
responses for the two Priority sub-factors must be less than 3-pages
each, and your narrative responses for all other sub-factors must be
less than 1-page each (for a total limit of 14 pages across all ten
sub-factors). Any additional pages will not be considered during the
merit rating review. All page limits are single-sided 8.5x11-inch
pages, with a minimum 12-point font and 1-inch margins.
g. Letters of Commitment From Communities (for TCP-R Applicants Only)
    For each community that TCP-R applicants proposed to support,
applicants must submit a Letter of Commitment signed by the community's
top elected official or equivalent. Letters should clearly demonstrate
that the community is aware of and receptive to receiving support
through TCP over a two-year period. The Letter of Commitment should
demonstrate alignment with the applicant's described support
activities. Letters of Commitment can be submitted as PDF or Word
document attachments.
h. Staffing Plan
    All applications must include a Staffing Plan listing all position
types proposed to be charged to the project for each Capacity Builder
partner organization, whether as Federal or non-Federal costs. The
Staffing Plan must include the position titles, hourly rates, and
percentage of time dedicated to the project. The sum of all salaries
charged to the project must equal the amount on the ``Personnel''
budget line item on Form SF-424A. The Staffing Plan should provide a
description of the capacities each position type will contribute and
how these positions will contribute to advancing the technical
assistance and capacity building approach.
    Given that additional technical assistance and capacity building
needs may arise in response to the specific needs of selected
communities receiving support, refinements can be made to the proposed
staffing structure with DOT approval. Applicants are required to
include strategic hiring plan that may be utilized to supplement or
hire contingent staff that may work directly with recipients and their
community partners to ensure continuity of services.
    Proposals should identify key project staff to advance the
identified technical assistance and capacity building approach. The
proposal should include a one-page resume for each key project staff
member. This should include a short summary of the individual's
relative areas of expertise; years of experience; employment and
education history; and brief snapshot of related project history noting
work with disadvantaged communities, comprehensive economic or
community development, and/or capacity building. Replacement of key
staff are subject to DOT approval. At least one key staff member must
be identified per Capacity Builder partner organization.
    Resumes should be compiled and uploaded together as one PDF file.
Mid-level or junior staff may be shown without identification or
resumes. Key staff are defined as project managers, subject matter
experts, and individuals who have specialized knowledge key to delivery
of technical assistance.
i. Budget Proposal
    Application submissions must include a completed SF-424A, Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs, form. In preparing the SF-424A,
applicants should break down budget costs into the appropriate object
class categories in section B of the form. A detailed budget narrative
must accompany the SF-424A. The purpose of the narrative is to explain
and justify the proposed project expenditures. For clarity and
consistency, applicants should discuss each expense by object class in
the order that they appear on the SF-424A. The narrative must include
the dollar amounts of each object class category and include detailed
descriptions of how the dollar amounts were derived. Include an
explanation for each calculation and provide a narrative that supports
each budget category listed on the SF-424A. The costs provided in the
narrative must clearly equal total costs identified on the SF-424A form
and match the total listed on line 15. Applicants may use the Budget
Template as a starting point for their Budget Proposals and are
encouraged to customize the template to fit their individual needs and
provide an appropriate amount of detail. The Budget Proposal must
include tables that organize and summarize the information presented in
the narrative. The narrative, not including the table in the Budget
Template, should not exceed three pages in length.
    The budget must clearly show total program administration and grant
management costs, which are not to exceed 25 percent of the overall
budget; and identify those costs associated with targeted support. TCP-
R applicants are encouraged to indicate in their budgets activities and
funds allocated to meaningful public involvement activities.
    All applicants must allocate at least 20 percent of their budget
for sub-granting to communities to facilitate long-term capacity
building and to compensate local community partners who are serving as
technical assistance, planning, and capacity builders.
    All applicants are expected to clearly delineate in the budget the
support costs for the first two years of deep-dive targeted community
support and peer learning support to the Community of Practice, and the
third year solely focused on Community of Practice management and
overall program reporting, knowledge sharing, evaluation, and
transition planning.
    The narrative for following class objectives must address:
    Personnel Costs: Explain lead applicant personnel costs by listing
each staff member who will be supported from funds, name (if possible),
position title, percentage of full-time equivalency, and annual salary.
    Fringe Benefits: List the components that comprise the fringe
benefit rate, for example health insurance, taxes, unemployment
insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, and tuition reimbursement.
The fringe benefits should be directly proportional to that portion of
lead applicant personnel costs that are allocated for the project.
    Travel: Provide a narrative that explains the destination,
estimated costs and type of transportation. Include the number of
travelers and related lodging and subsistence (per diem costs) for each
trip. Include a brief description of the travel involved, its purpose,
and explanation of how the proposed travel is necessary for successful
completion of the project. If travel details are unknown, then the
basis for proposed costs should be explained (i.e., historical
information)--do not ``pull

numbers out of the air'' or list a lump sum estimate. Travel costs can
be charged on an actual basis, on a per diem or mileage basis in lieu
of actual costs incurred, or a combination of the two if applied
consistently and results in reasonable charges. Applicants are expected
to budget for at least one site visit per community each year for the
first two years of the period of performance.
    Equipment--``Equipment'' is nonexpendable, tangible personal
property with a unit cost of $5,000 or more having a useful life of
more than 1 year. Items that do not meet the ``equipment'' definition
can be included under supplies. List each piece of equipment to be
purchased and provide description of how it will be used in the
project. The budget narrative should explain why the equipment is
necessary for successful completion of the project. General use
equipment (i.e., computers, faxes, etc.) must be used 100% for the
proposed project if charged directly to the Thriving Communities
Program.
    Supplies: List the supplies that the project will use to implement
the proposed project. Please note, items such as laptops, tablets, and
desktop computers are classified as a supply if the value is under the
$5,000 equipment threshold.
    Contractual: Provide a list of all contracts anticipated for the
project. The contracts will be for services rendered by co-applicants,
contractors, and consultants. Provide the purpose of each contract for
services that you intend on awarding and award how the costs were
estimated. Applicants should not provide line-item details on proposed
contracts, instead provide the basis for your cost estimate for the
contract. For co-applicant and consultant services, identify each
consultant, the cost for each consultant, the services they will
perform, anticipated hours or days, and travel costs. The recipient is
responsible for ensuring that it has in place an established and
adequate procurement system with fully developed written procedures for
awarding and monitoring all contracts.
    Other--Provide a list of all subawards anticipated for the project.
Provide a clear explanation as to the purpose of subaward and
justification. The actual number and costs of subawards may not be
known until each of the individualized community assessments are
completed. Applicant should provide an explanation on the basis for the
cost estimate in this section. The recipient is responsible for
ensuring it has in place an established and adequate grants management
system with fully developed written procedures for awarding, reporting,
and monitoring all subawards.
    Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds--Project budgets
should show how different funding sources will share in each activity
and present those data in dollars and percentages. The budget should
identify other Federal funds the applicant is applying for or has been
awarded, if any, that the applicant intends to leverage Funding sources
should be grouped into three categories: non-Federal, Thriving
Communities Program, and other Federal with specific amounts from each
funding source.
For TCP-N Capacity Builders
    DOT is interested in the opportunities for broader outreach and
shared learning that can be supported through the dissemination of
materials developed by TCP-N Capacity Builders, and by the lessons
learned through the technical assistance engagement to inform future
program design and impact. This will include quarterly virtual meetings
with representatives of the Capacity Builders to be organized and
conducted by DOT; and an annual in-person 1.5-day TCP convening that
will include participation by Capacity Builders (estimate 4 people) and
recipient communities including community partners (estimate 3 people
per community). Capacity Builders should allocate a portion of their
budget to support this involvement for themselves and the recipient
communities. For the purpose of budget estimation, assume meetings are
held in Washington, DC at average-priced travel periods.
    DOT invites, but does not require, applicants to propose how they
could provide targeted support to additional communities beyond those
selected by DOT, within the budget provided or through leveraging other
funding or associated technical assistance efforts that the applicant
or its team members may also be supporting. If doing so, applicants
must include information demonstrating these existing relationships and
submit Letters of Commitment from other entities providing additional
funding.
    DOT will reimburse labor and direct costs incurred by the Capacity
Builder team, including subcontractors. Capacity Builders should
maintain a system for recording all project costs. Invoices must be
transmitted to DOT monthly.
    The Capacity Builder must notify DOT in writing when 50% of the
project budget is expended. Further work must stop, and DOT must be
notified in writing when 90% of the project budget is expended.
Aggregate payment shall not exceed the cap shown in the cooperative
agreement. Costs incurred over the cap shown in the cooperative
agreement will not be reimbursed.
For TCP-R Capacity Builders
    DOT is interested in the opportunities for broader outreach and
shared learning that can be supported through the peer learning and
knowledge sharing by regional organizations and their partners with
other jurisdictions and organizations within the State, Tribe, or
service area, including lessons learned through the pilot that can
inform future program design and impact. This will include quarterly
virtual meetings with TCP-R Capacity Builders to be organized and
conducted by DOT, the potential to participate in one or more State or
regional convenings, and potentially participation in the annual in-
person 1.5-day TCP convening by the TCP-R capacity builder (estimate 2
people). TCP-R Capacity Builders should allocate a portion of their
budget to support this involvement, but event specifics and their
associated costs will be finalized in cooperative agreements and
workplans. For the purpose of budget estimation, assume the annual
convening is held in Washington, DC at average-priced travel periods.
    DOT will reimburse labor and direct costs incurred by the TCP-R
Capacity Builders. TCP-R Capacity Builders should maintain a system for
recording all project costs. Invoices may be transmitted to DOT
monthly.
    DOT invites, but does not require, applicants to propose how they
could leverage other funding or associated technical assistance efforts
to support additional communities and/or support TCP goals in the long-
term. If doing so, applicants must include information demonstrating
these existing relationships and submit Letters of Commitment from
other entities providing additional funding.
    The TCP-R Capacity Builder must notify DOT in writing when 50% of
the project budget is expended. Further, work must stop, and DOT must
be notified in writing when 90% of the project budget is expended.
Aggregate payment shall not exceed the cap shown in the cooperative
agreement. Costs incurred over the cap shown in the cooperative
agreement will not be reimbursed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

    To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the
quality of

information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, all applicants are
required to: (i) be registered in SAM before submitting an application;
(ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in the application; (iii)
make certain certifications; and (iv) continue to maintain an active
SAM registration with current information at all times during which
they have an active Federal award or an application or plan under
consideration by a Federal awarding agency. DOT may not make a Federal
award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all
applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the
DOT is ready to make an award, DOT may determine that the applicant is
not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis
for making an award to another applicant. Award recipients will be
subject to reporting requirements as identified in OMB guidance
published at 2 CFR parts 25 and 170.

4. Submission Dates and Times

    The deadline for the receipt of an application is 4:59 p.m. Eastern
Time on November 28, 2023. Applications received after this deadline
may not be reviewed or considered for funding. Applications will only
be accepted electronically through Grants.gov. Applicants are advised
to carefully read the submission information provided in section D of
this NOFO. The Grants.gov system records the date and time that an
application is received.
    DOT strongly suggests that applicants start early, review
instructions, and test systems well in advance of the application
deadline. Applications should be submitted in advance of the deadline,
and progress can be saved in the Grants.gov system. Applicants should
save and print written proof of an electronic submission.
    If technical issues arise that present difficulties for submission,
applicants should notify DOT. DOT must receive communication via
telephone, voicemail, or email regarding such technical difficulty by
4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 28, 2023; any correspondence
regarding technical difficulties received after this deadline will not
be considered as a reason to accept a late application. No extensions
to the deadline will be considered. In cases of documented technical
difficulty, the applicant is expected to submit the application
immediately upon resolution of technical difficulties, or a subsequent
deadline delivered in writing by DOT. In addition, please note the
following:
     DOT will not accept any unsolicited changes, additions,
revisions, or deletions to applications after the submission deadline.
     Throughout the review and selection process, DOT reserves
the right to seek clarification from applicants whose applications are
being reviewed and considered.
     Applicants may be asked to clarify objectives and work
plans and modify budgets or other specifics as necessary to comply with
Federal requirements and provide supplemental information required by
the agency before award.
     See section E of this NOFO for application review and
selection information.

5. Funding Restrictions

    For funding restrictions that may affect an applicant's ability to
develop an application and budget consistent with program requirements,
see section C of this notice. DOT will not reimburse costs incurred
before the cooperative agreement has been signed by DOT and the lead
applicant.
    The maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for which DOT
will reimburse a recipient will be the lesser of the (i) line-item
amount for the Federal share of indirect costs contained in the DOT
approved budget for the award, or (ii) Federal share of the total
allocable indirect costs of the award based on either (a) the indirect
cost rate approved by DOT (or applicable cognizant Federal agency),
provided that the cost rate is current at the time the costs were
incurred and provided that the rate is approved on or before the award
end date, or (b) other acceptable documentation as indicated below.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    The complete application must be submitted electronically via
Grants.gov. To find this funding opportunity, search for DOT-TCP-FY23-
01 via the Funding Opportunity Number field. The most up-to-date
instructions for application submission can be found at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applyfor-grants.html. In the event
of system problems or the applicant experiences technical difficulties,
contact grants.gov technical support via telephone at 1-800-518-4726 or
email at [email protected].
Early Registration and Application Submission
    In order to submit an application via Grants.gov, applicants must
register with SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Registration can take between
three to five business days or as long as four weeks. To avoid delays,
DOT strongly recommends that applicants start early and not wait until
the approaching deadline date before logging in, registering, reviewing
the application instructions, and applying.
AOR Requirement
    Applicants must register as organizations, not as individuals. As
part of the registration process, you will register at least one AOR
for your organization. AORs registered at Grants.gov are the only
officials with the authority to submit applications; please ensure that
your organization's application is submitted by an AOR. Note that a
given organization may designate multiple individuals as AORs for
Grants.gov purposes. DOT may not accept late submissions caused by
registration issues with Grants.gov, SAM.gov, or other systems.
Field Limitations and Special Characters
    Please be advised of the following notice with respect to form
field limitations and special characters: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf8-special-characters.html.
Successful Submission Verification
    It is your responsibility as an applicant to verify that your
submission was timely received and validated successfully at
grants.gov. Applicants should use the ``Track My Application'' function
(https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html). For a successful submission, the application must be
received and validated by Grants.gov, and an agency tracking number
must be assigned. If the date and time your application is validated
and timestamped by Grants.gov is later than 4:59 p.m. eastern time on
the application deadline set forth in this NOFO, your application is
late. Once validation is complete, the status will change to
``Validated'' or ``Rejected with Errors.'' If the status is ``Rejected
with Errors,'' your application has not been received successfully. For
more detailed information about why an application may be rejected,
please consult with resources such as ``Encountering Error Messages''
(https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encounteringerror-messages.html) and ``Frequently Asked Questions by Applicants''
(https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html).
    DOT requests that applicants kindly refrain from submitting
multiple copies

of the same application package. Applicants should save and print both
the confirmation screen provided on the Grants.gov website after the
applicant has submitted an application and the confirmation email when
the application has been successfully received and validated in the
system. If an applicant receives an email from Grants.gov indicating
that the application was received and subsequently validated but does
not receive an email from Grants.gov indicating that DOT has retrieved
the application package within 72 hours of that email, the applicant
may contact the email address listed in section G of this announcement
to inquire if DOT is in receipt of the applicant's submission.
Grants.gov System Issues
    If you experience a systems issue (i.e., a technical problem or
glitch with the website) that you believe threatens your ability to
complete a submission in a timely manner, please (i) print any error
message received; (ii) contact the Grants.gov Support Center at (800)
518-4726 for assistance; and (iii) contact DOT using the contact
information in section G of this NOFO in advance of the deadline.
Ensure that you obtain a case number regarding your communications with
Grants.gov. Please note that problems with an applicant's internet
access, computer system or equipment are not considered systems issues.
Similarly, an applicant's failure to, e.g., (i) complete the required
registration, (ii) ensure that a registered AOR submits the
application, or (iii) notice receipt of an email message from
Grants.gov are not considered systems issues. A Grants.gov systems
issue is an issue occurring in connection with the operations of
Grants.gov itself, such as the temporary loss of service by due to
unexpected volume of traffic or failure of information technology
systems, both of which are highly unlikely. In the event of a confirmed
systems issue, DOT reserves the right to accept an application in an
alternate format.
    Applicants can visit the Grants.gov Support Center [https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html] for assistance in navigating
Grants.gov and for a list of useful resources, including Frequently
Asked Questions by Applicants [https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html]. If you do not find an answer to your
question there, contact Grants.gov by email at [email protected] or
telephone at<PHONE_NUMBER>. The Grants.gov Contact Center is open 24
hours a day, seven days a week, except on Federal holidays.

E. Application Review Information

    DOT will review applications in accordance with the requirements of
this NOFO. DOT will consider whether the application is clear, concise,
and well-organized. Throughout the review and selection process, DOT,
at its sole discretion, may seek clarification, including but not
limited to written clarifications and corrected or missing documents,
from applicants whose applications are being reviewed and considered
and require that applicants provide such clarifications or corrections
to continue to be considered for an award under this NOFO. DOT will
provide applicants a reasonable amount of time to provide any
additional documentation. An applicant's failure to provide complete
and accurate supporting documentation in a timely manner when requested
by DOT may result in the removal of that application from
consideration. DOT may ask applicants to clarify application materials,
objectives, and work plans, or modify budgets or other specifics as
necessary to comply with Federal requirements.

1. Merit Criteria/Rating Factors

    The table below describes the four Rating Factors and the sub-
factors for each. The descriptions of each individual Rating Factor
notes where the requirements of the factor differ between the TCP-N and
TCP-R programs. Further, some Rating Factors contain a Priority Sub-
Factor, which are sub-factors that have been determined to be of higher
priority than the others and are denoted with an asterisk in the table
below. The table and language below also describe Additional
Considerations and Priority Considerations, which the Senior Review
Team considers when making its recommendations for selection.

                           TCP Rating Factors
------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Rating Factor 1: Approach to Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Technical Assistance Approach.*
B......................................  Capacity Building Approach.
C......................................  Community of Practice
                                          Management Approach.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Rating Factor 2: Teaming Arrangement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Role of Partner Organizations.
B......................................  Staffing Plan and Demonstrated
                                          Staff Expertise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Rating Factor 3: Proven Success
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Experience Supportive of
                                          Technical Assistance
                                          Approach.*
B......................................  Experience Supportive of
                                          Capacity Building Approach.
C......................................  Experience Supportive of
                                          Community of Practice
                                          Management Approach.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Rating Factor 4: Program Management and Evaluation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Schedule of Milestones and
                                          Deliverables.
B......................................  Program Evaluation and
                                          Assessment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Additional Considerations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Soundness of Proposed Budget.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Priority Considerations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A......................................  Experience with Priority
                                          Geographies.
B......................................  Diversity of Capacity Builder
                                          Teams.
C......................................  Leveraging of Additional
                                          Funding Sources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Priority rating factor.

    Each application will be assigned an overall score of ``Highly
Recommended,'' ``Recommended,'' or ``Not Recommended'' based on the
ratings for each of the four Rating Factors. See section E.2 below for
more details.
a. Rating Factor 1: Soundness of Approach to Targeted Community Support
and Capacity Building
i. Technical Assistance Approach (Priority Sub-Factor)
For TCP-N Applicants
    Applicants must describe their proposed approach to providing
customized support to 15-20 individual communities at a national scale
over a two-year period for each of the following three key phases of
transportation decision-making: Project Planning and Scoping; Project
Development and Design; and Project Delivery. Selected Capacity
Builders will be expected to provide technical assistance support to
communities who may be in any of the three phases; therefore, DOT will
evaluate the strength of the applicant's described approach to
providing support in each of the three phases. These three phases are
described in section H.1 of this NOFO.
    In their narratives, applicants must describe their approach to:
     Co-designing an individualized scope of work with
communities and their partners, including assessing existing technical
capacity and assets.

     Providing technical assistance support specific to the
three transportation decision-making phases.
     Incorporating meaningful and innovative public engagement
strategies, including but not limited to engagement with non-English
speakers, people with disabilities, and other under-represented groups
bridging racial, cultural, and economic barriers that affect community
participation; and strategies to tailor public involvement to unique
community requirements and preferences.
     Building community wealth through transportation
investments, innovative financing and leveraged funding approaches that
address the unique challenges of under-resourced, low-tax base and
credit-challenged communities.
     Supporting workforce development, hiring and labor
practices benefitting local economically disadvantaged communities.
     Strategically planning onsite engagement with individual
communities, including at least one visit to each community per year
for the first two years of the period of performance.
For TCP-R Applicants
    TCP-R applicants must identify and describe the communities that
they have selected to support over two years of targeted support. As
noted in section D.2(g) of this NOFO, applicants must submit Letters of
Commitment from each community proposed for support in the application.
Applicants must describe in detail how and why they selected these
communities, addressing the following:
     The number of communities or projects the applicant
intends to support with the requested funding amount.
     Metrics and methods for verifying disadvantaged status or
transportation burden/disparity that the applicant used to select
communities, including the use of tools such as CEJST and ETC Explorer.
    In their narratives, applicants must also describe their proposed
approach to providing support to these communities based on their
individual needs, including:
    1. the types of local projects and capacity building needs that
will be supported through TCP funding and how this support will build
longer term capacity and meet critical technical assistance needs that
are not currently being supported through other resources.
    2. how the proposed support will advance transportation projects
that intersect with goals related to State or regional housing,
economic development, public health, climate and other community
development goals and help to advance implementation of related State,
Tribal and/or regional plans.
    3. how the work supported through the pilot may be scaled or
leveraged to support additional communities within the applicant's
service area (i.e., the larger metropolitan region, State, Territory or
Tribe).
    4. approach to incorporating meaningful and innovative public
engagement strategies, including but not limited to engagement with
non-English speakers, people with disabilities, and other under-
represented groups; bridging racial, cultural, and economic barriers
that affect community participation; and strategies to tailor public
involvement to unique community requirements and preferences. DOT will
give preference to applications with robust meaningful public
engagement approaches. Refer to DOT's Promising Practices for
Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making
[https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/promising-practices-meaningful-public-involvement-transportation-decision-making] for a
non-exhaustive list of public involvement tools and techniques.
    5. approach to building community wealth through transportation
investments, innovative financing and leveraged funding approaches that
address the unique challenges of under-resourced, low-tax base and
credit-challenged communities.
    For this rating criteria, DOT will evaluate applicants based on the
communities they propose to support, including their methods for
selecting communities and the description of community need and how
well they align with TCP goals. DOT will also evaluate the strength of
the proposed approach to providing technical assistance support to
these communities.
ii. Capacity Building Approach
For TCP-N Applicants
    Applicants must describe how they will build lasting capacity for
TCP recipients and their community partners through activities
undertaken during the period of TCP support. Capacity building should
focus on ways to improve the long-term ability of a community to design
and undertake necessary technical, financial, business, and data
analyses; meet Federal oversight and project management requirements;
undertake statewide and metropolitan long-range planning and
programming activities; and implement other activities that broadly
support project planning, development, and delivery. This includes
developing long-term community capacity to sustain partnerships and
engage non-governmental partners, leadership and workforce development,
and program evaluation.
    Capacity building approaches should include an element of
responsiveness to the needs of individual communities and adaptability
over the period of performance. Applicants may propose different areas
where they anticipate capacity needs to be the greatest, and strategies
they envision deploying to meet these needs through individualized
deep-dive support. They should also describe the process they will use
to adapt capacity building approaches, as needed.
    Applicants must address the following in their capacity building
narrative:

 Approach to supplementing local staffing and workforce
development capacity
 Approach to developing systems or structures that improve
lasting compliance with Federal grant management, including but not
limited to title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and
procurement requirements
 Approach to sub-granting to local technical assistance and
capacity building partners who bring local expertise and capacity
 Approach to building organizational capacity to strengthen
relationships between key stakeholders that deepens regional engagement
and collaboration, positions partners for future funding opportunities,
and/or supports inclusive planning processes
 Approach to evaluating and establishing emerging
transportation and planning technologies, data systems, and software

    As part of the capacity building narrative, applicants must also
describe their planned activities for the third year of the period of
performance to transition communities for sustained learning and
capacity building. Refer to section B of this NOFO for more information
on required activities for the third year of the period of performance.
    DOT will evaluate applicants based on the strength of their
proposed approach, considering long-term impacts and relationship
building and the adaptability of the approach.

For TCP-R Applicants
    Applicants must describe how they will build lasting capacity
within supported communities to continue advancing transformative
infrastructure projects. Capacity building should focus on ways to
ensure that the projects or planning efforts supported by the TCP-R
achieve results in the long-term, including how the proposed support
will inform and potentially catalyze systems change improvements to
advance community-driven projects in long-range plans, transportation
improvement programs, and other formal processes used to inform and
prioritize State, Tribal, and/or regional investments and funding
decisions. Emphasis should be on ensuring that the project or plan
moves forward within its current phase of development, and that the
community continues to move the project forward, including once TCP
support concludes.
    Capacity building approaches should include an element of
responsiveness to the needs of individual communities and adaptability
over the period of performance. Applicants may propose different areas
where they anticipate capacity needs to be the greatest, and strategies
they envision deploying to meet these needs. They should also describe
the process they will use to adapt capacity building approaches, as
needed.
    Applicants must address the following in their capacity building
narrative:

 Approach to empowering communities to access planning,
scoping, and funding resources in the long-term
 Approach to supporting local community partnerships and
expanding collaboration
 Approach to developing systems or structures that improve
lasting compliance with Federal grant management, including but not
limited to title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and
procurement requirements
 Approach to evaluating and establishing emerging
transportation and planning technologies, data systems, and software
 Approach to sub-granting to local technical assistance and
capacity building partners who bring local expertise and capacity

    As part of the capacity building narrative, applicants must also
describe their planned activities for the third year of the period of
performance to transition communities for sustained learning and
capacity building. Refer to section B of this NOFO for more information
on required activities for the third year of the period of performance.
    DOT will evaluate applicants based on the strength of their
proposed approach, considering long-term impacts and relationship
building and the adaptability of the approach.
iii. Community of Practice Management Approach
For TCP-N Applicants
    Selected Capacity Builders will be expected not only to provide
individualized deep-dive support to their assigned communities but also
to facilitate peer learning, networking, and knowledge sharing across
communities facing similar challenges and building similar capacities.
Applicants must describe an approach to managing communities of
practice, building and sustaining cross-sector collaboration, and
strategies for encouraging member engagement, and facilitating learning
and capacity building across the communities within their assigned
Community of Practice over the first two years of the period of
performance. Applicants should also address how they will share
knowledge to communities beyond the selected cohort during the third
year of the period of performance to amplify program impact and
learnings.
    DOT will evaluate applicants based on the strength of their
Community of Management approach and its ability to achieve TCP peer
learning and networking goals.
For TCP-R Applicants
    Applicants will not select a Community of Practice but are required
to describe peer-learning, networking, and knowledge sharing activities
that the applicant will facilitate among communities within the lead
applicant's State or region. Applicants will describe strategies for
engaging regional partners, building and sustaining cross-sector
collaboration, and examples of tools used to prioritize community-based
goals and objectives. The emphasis of these activities should be on
addressing the unique State, Tribal, or regional challenges that are
shared among participating communities.
    Applicants should also address how they will share knowledge to
communities within their jurisdiction that were not recipients of
direct support provided by the TCP-R Capacity Builder, particularly
during the third year of the period of performance. This kind of
knowledge sharing should emphasize how support provided to communities
during the support phase of the TCP-R Capacity Builder's work can serve
as models for other communities.
    DOT will evaluate applicants based on the strength of their peer
learning approach and its ability to achieve TCP peer learning and
networking goals.
b. Rating Factor 2: Staffing and Teaming Arrangement
i. Role of Partner Organizations
For All Program Applicants
    DOT seeks Capacity Builders that have technical knowledge across a
diverse set of issues and skills; therefore, the lead applicant is
strongly encouraged to partner with other eligible organizations to
form a diverse Capacity Builder team.
    Applicants must describe the role of each partner organization on
the Capacity Builder team, including the skills, knowledge, and
expertise each organization brings to the team and how those skills and
experience will be applied in the team's approach to technical
assistance and capacity building. This description should align with
the specific steps and activities described in the approach to
technical assistance and capacity building. DOT will evaluate
applicants based on the strength of their partnerships, including the
diversity of skills, knowledge, and expertise the partner organizations
bring and how well they align with the applicant's proposed approach.
For TCP-R, DOT will evaluate the team's ability to address the specific