[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57935-57941]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23535]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Notice of Funding Opportunity for Magnetic Levitation Deployment
Projects

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity (NOFO or notice).

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SUMMARY: This notice details the application requirements and
procedures to obtain grant \1\ funding for eligible projects under the
Magnetic Levitation Technology Deployment Program (Maglev Grants
Program). Maglev Grants Program funding under this notice is provided
by two sources, totaling $24,027,500. This funding includes $10,000,000
(2019 Funds) as appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2019, (2019 Appropriation) and an additional $14,027,500 (2008 Funds)
as authorized by sections 1101(a)(18) and 1307 of the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy
for Users SAFETEA-LU, (SAFETEA-LU), as amended by the SAFETEA-LU
Technical Corrections Act of 2008, (Technical Corrections Act). There
are differing requirements for each of these funding sources as
described in this notice. The opportunities described in this notice
are made available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
number 20.318, ``Maglev Project Selection Program--SAFETEA-LU.''
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    \1\ The term ``grant'' is used throughout this document and is
intended to reference funding awarded through a grant agreement, as
well as funding awarded through a cooperative agreement.

DATES: Applications for funding under this solicitation are due no
later than 5:00 p.m. EDT November 29, 2019. Applications for funding,
or supplemental material in support of an application, received after
5:00 p.m. EDT on November 29, 2019 will not be considered for funding.
Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding. See section
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D of this notice for additional information on the application process.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted via www.Grants.gov. Only
applicants who comply with all submission requirements described in
this notice and submit applications through www.Grants.gov will be
eligible for award. For any supporting application materials that an
applicant is unable to submit via www.Grants.gov, an applicant may
submit an original and two (2) copies to Amy Houser, Office of Program
Delivery, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Room W36-412, Washington, DC 20590. However, due to delays caused by
enhanced screening of mail delivered via the U.S. Postal Service,
applicants are advised to use other means of conveyance (such as
courier service) to assure timely receipt of materials before the
application deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
Maglev Grants Program, please contact Ruthie Americus, Office of Policy
and Planning, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Room W36-403, Washington, DC 20590; email: [email protected];
phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>. Grant application submission and processing
questions should be addressed to Amy Houser, Office of Program
Delivery, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Room W36-412, Washington, DC 20590; email: [email protected]; phone:
202-493-0303.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Notice to applicants: FRA recommends that applicants read this
notice in its entirety prior to preparing application materials.
Definitions of key terms used throughout the NOFO are provided in
section A(2) below. These key terms are capitalized throughout the
NOFO. There are several administrative prerequisites and eligibility
requirements described herein that applicants must comply with.
Additionally, applicants should note that the required Project
Narrative component of the application package may not exceed 25 pages
in length.

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 Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Information

A. Program Description

1. Overview

    Under this NOFO, a total of $24,027,500 is available for eligible
capital project costs and preconstruction planning activities for
eligible Maglev projects as discussed further in section C(3). The
$24,027,500 is composed of funding from two sources, $14,027,500 in
2008 Funds and $10,000,000 in 2019 Funds.
    Section 102 of the Technical Corrections Act amended sections
1101(a)(18) and 1307 of SAFETEA-LU and provided $45,000,000 in contract
authority for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 for Maglev
projects.\2\ Based upon the clear Congressional direction in the
Technical Corrections Act, the $14,027,500 remaining for award and
available under this NOFO is for the Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington,
and Atlanta-Chattanooga projects only.
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    \2\ SAFETEA-LU allocated 50 percent of the available funding to
a project between Las Vegas-Primm, NV and the other 50 percent to a
project east of the Mississippi River. In the Joint Explanatory
Statement of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
and the Senate Environmental and Public Works; Banking, Housing and
Urban Affairs; and Commerce, Science and Transportation Committees
accompanying the Technical Corrections Act, Congress explained that
in amending SAFETEA-LU to allow FRA discretion to award funds to
``projects'' located east of the Mississippi River, ``the intent is
to limit the eligible projects to three existing projects east of
the Mississippi River: Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington, and
Atlanta-Chattanooga.'' Congress repurposed the funds originally
allocated to the Las Vegas-Primm, NV project in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014, Div. L, Tit. I, Sec. 192, Public Law 113-
76, (2014), for new intercity passenger rail capital, railroad
safety technology, and corridor planning projects. This funding was
competed in 2014 and awarded in 2015.
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    In the 2019 Appropriation, Congress appropriated an additional
$10,000,000 for the deployment of magnetic levitation transportation
projects, consistent with the language in section 1307(a) through (c)
of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by section 102 of the Technical Corrections
Act. The 2019 Funds are not limited to the above three projects and are
available to any otherwise eligible Maglev project.
    To reiterate, only the Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington, and
Atlanta-Chattanooga projects are eligible for the full $24,027,500
available under this notice from the remaining 2008 Funds ($14,027,500)
and the 2019 Funds ($10,000,000). Applicants with otherwise eligible
Maglev projects may apply only for the $10,000,000 in 2019 Funds
available under this notice.

2. Definitions of Key Terms

    a. ``Full Project Cost'' means the total capital costs of a Maglev
project

including eligible project costs and the cost of stations, vehicles and
equipment.
    b. ``Magnetic Levitation'' or ``Maglev'' means transportation
systems employing magnetic levitation that would be capable of safe use
by the public at a speed in excess of 240 miles per hour.
    c. ``National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)'' is a Federal law
that requires Federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of
a proposed action, in consultation with appropriate Federal, State, and
local authorities, and with the public. The NEPA class of action
depends on the nature of the proposed action, its complexity, and the
potential impacts. For purposes of this NOFO, NEPA also includes all
related Federal laws and regulations including: The Clean Air Act,
section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act, and section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act. Additional information regarding FRA's environmental
processes and requirements are located at https://www.fra.dot.gov/environment.
    d. ``State'' has the meaning such term has under 23 U.S.C. 101(a).

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Award Amount

    FRA will make up to $24,027,500 in funding available under this
notice, composed of $14,027,500 in 2008 Funds and $10,000,000 in 2019
Funds. Should additional Maglev funds become available after the
release of this NOFO, FRA may elect to award such additional funds to
applications received under this NOFO.

2. Award Size

    There are no predetermined minimum or maximum dollar thresholds for
awards, and FRA may choose to select one or more eligible projects for
funding. FRA may not award grants to all eligible applications, or even
those applications that meet or exceed the stated evaluation criteria
(see section E, Application Review Information).
    FRA may award less than the amount of funding requested by the
applicant based on considerations such as individual project scope and
total available funding. In such cases, applicants must be able to
demonstrate the proposed projects are still viable and can be completed
with the amount awarded.
    FRA strongly encourages applicants to identify and include other
State, local, public, or private funding or financing to support the
proposed project to maximize competitiveness.

3. Award Type

    FRA will make awards for projects selected under this notice
through grant agreements and/or cooperative agreements. Grant
agreements are used when FRA does not expect to have substantial
Federal involvement in carrying out the funded activity. Cooperative
agreements allow for substantial Federal involvement in carrying out
the agreed upon investment, including technical assistance, review of
interim work products, and increased program oversight. The funding
provided under this NOFO will be made available to grantees on a
reimbursable basis. Applicants must certify that their expenditures are
allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary to the approved project
before seeking reimbursement from FRA. Additionally, the grantee is
expected to expend matching funds at the required percentage concurrent
with Federal funds throughout the life of the project. See an example
of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant awards at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L05285.

C. Eligibility Information

    This section of the notice explains applicant eligibility, cost
sharing and matching requirements, and project eligibility.
Applications that do not meet the requirements in this section will be
ineligible for funding. Instructions for submitting eligibility
information to FRA are detailed in section D of this NOFO.

1. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants must be a State, States, or an authority designated by
one or more States.\3\ If the proposed Maglev service would operate in
more than one State, a single State or designated State authority
should apply on behalf of all participating States. FRA encourages
States to submit applications through their respective Departments of
Transportation. Eligible applicants may reference entities that are not
eligible applicants in an application as a project partner.
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    \3\ See section D(2)(a)(iv) for supporting documentation
required to demonstrate eligibility under this eligibility category.
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2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    The Federal share of Full Project Costs will not exceed 80 percent.
The funds available under this NOFO are available only for eligible
project costs of eligible Maglev projects. As a result, under this NOFO
the Federal share of the estimated total eligible project costs will
not exceed 80 percent. The estimated total cost of a project must be
based on the best available information, including engineering studies,
studies of economic feasibility, environmental analyses, and
information on the expected use of equipment and/or facilities.
Additionally, in preparing estimates of total project costs, applicants
should refer to FRA's cost estimate guidance documentation, ``Capital
Cost Estimating: Guidance for Project Sponsors,'' which is available
at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0926.
    The minimum 20 percent non-Federal match may be composed of public
sector (e.g., State or local) and/or private sector funding. FRA will
not consider any Federal financial assistance, nor any non-Federal
funds already expended (or otherwise encumbered) that do not comply
with 2 CFR 200.458 toward the matching requirement. FRA is limiting the
first 20 percent of the non-Federal match to cash contributions only.
Eligible in-kind contributions may be accepted for any non-Federal
matching beyond the first 20 percent. In-kind contributions, including
the donation of services, materials, and equipment, may be credited as
a project cost, in a uniform manner consistent with 2 CFR 200.306.
Moreover, FRA encourages applicants to broaden their funding table in
applications. FRA will give preference to applications proposing non-
Federal share exceeding the minimum 20 percent and consisting of
funding from multiple sources to demonstrate broad participation and
cost sharing from affected stakeholders.
    Before applying, applicants should carefully review the principles
for cost sharing or matching in 2 CFR 200.306. See section D(2)(a)(iii)
for required application information on non-Federal match and section E
for further discussion of FRA's consideration of matching funds in the
review and selection process. FRA will approve pre-award costs
consistent with 2 CFR 200.458. See section D(6).

3. Project Eligibility

    Funding under this NOFO is available for eligible project costs for
eligible Maglev projects. Eligible project costs are: (1) The capital
cost of the fixed guideway infrastructure of a Maglev project including
land, piers, guideways, propulsion equipment and other components
attached to guideways, power distribution facilities (including
substations), control and communications facilities, access roads, and
storage, repair, and maintenance facilities and (2) preconstruction
planning activities. Eligible project costs exclude new stations and
rolling stock,

as well as costs incurred solely for land acquisition pursuant to
securing operation right-of-way.
    Eligible Maglev projects must: (1) Involve a segment or segments of
a high-speed ground transportation corridor; (2) result in an operating
transportation facility that provides a revenue producing service; (3)
be approved by the Secretary based on an application submitted to the
Secretary of Transportation by a State or authority designated by one
or more States, and (4) for 2008 Funds, be an existing Maglev project
in Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington, or Atlanta-Chattanooga. With
respect to the second criterion, Congress titled section 1307 of
SAFETEA-LU ``Deployment of Magnetic Levitation Transportation
Projects'' and provided funding through section 1101(a)(18) of SAFETEA-
LU, as amended by the Technical Corrections Act, for the ``deployment
of magnetic levitation projects.'' Congress also provided funding
through the 2019 Appropriation for the ``deployment of magnetic
levitation projects.'' FRA interprets this language as evidencing a
Congressional intent that the Federal funds be used to directly advance
and result in the construction of a Maglev project.
    Funding under this NOFO may not be used for costs that are included
in, or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of, any other
Federally-financed award or program. If the applicant is seeking
additional funding for a project that has already received Federal
financial assistance, costs associated with the scope of work for the
existing Federal award are not eligible for funding under this NOFO.
Only new scope (e.g., new deliverables) is eligible for funding under
this NOFO.

D. Application and Submission Information

    Required documents for the application are outlined in the
following paragraphs. Applicants must complete and submit all
components of the application. See section D(2) for the application
checklist. FRA welcomes the submission of other relevant supporting
documentation that may have been developed by the applicant (planning,
environmental documentation, engineering and design documentation,
letters of support, etc.) that will not count against the Project
Narrative 25-page limit.

1. Address To Request Application Package

    Applicants must submit all application materials in their entirety
through http://www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, on November
29, 2019. FRA reserves the right to modify this deadline. General
information for submitting applications through Grants.gov can be found
at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0270.
    For any supporting application materials that an applicant cannot
submit via Grants.gov, an applicant may submit an original and two (2)
copies to Amy Houser, Office of Program Delivery, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-412, Washington, DC
20590. However, due to delays caused by enhanced screening of mail
delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, FRA advises applicants to use
other means of conveyance (such as courier service) to assure timely
receipt of materials before the application deadline. Additionally, if
documents can be obtained online, providing instructions to FRA on how
to access files on a referenced website may also be sufficient.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    FRA strongly advises applicants to read this section carefully.
Applicants must submit all required information and components of the
application package to be considered for funding.
    Required documents for an application package are outlined in the
checklist below.

 Project Narrative (see D.2.a)
 Statement of Work (see D.2.b.i)
 SF424--Application for Federal Assistance
 Either: SF 424A--Budget Information for Non-Construction
projects or SF 424C--Budget Information for Construction
 Either: SF 424B--Assurances for Non-Construction projects or
SF 424D--Assurances for Construction
 FRA's Additional Assurances and Certifications
 SF LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
a. Project Narrative
    This section describes the minimum content required in the Project
Narrative of the grant application. The Project Narrative must follow
the basic outline below to address the program requirements and assist
evaluators in locating relevant information.

I. Cover Page...........................  See D.2.a.i
II. Project Summary.....................  See D.2.a.ii
III. Project Funding Summary............  See D.2.a.iii
IV. Applicant Eligibility Criteria......  See D.2.a.iv
V. Project Eligibility Criteria.........  See D.2.a.v
VI. Detailed Project Description........  See D.2.a.vi
VII. Project Location...................  See D.2.a.vii
VIII. Evaluation and Selection Criteria.  See D.2.a.viii
IX. Project Implementation and            See D.2.a.ix
 Management.
X. Planning Readiness...................  See D.2.a.x
XI. Environmental Readiness.............  See D.2.a.xi

    The above content must be provided in a narrative statement
submitted by the applicant. The Project Narrative may not exceed 25
pages in length (excluding cover pages, table of contents, and
supporting documentation). FRA will not review or consider Project
Narratives beyond the 25-page limitation. If possible, applicants
should submit supporting documents via website links rather than hard
copies. If supporting documents are submitted, applicants must clearly
identify the page number of the relevant portion of the supporting
documentation in the Project Narrative. The Project Narrative must
adhere to the following outline.
    i. Cover Page: Include a cover page that lists the following
elements in either a table or formatted list:

Project Title
Applicant
The amount of Federal funding requested
The amount of non-Federal match
The total project cost
City(ies), State(s) where the project is located
Congressional district(s) where the project is located

    ii. Project Summary: Provide a brief 4-6 sentence summary of the
proposed project and what the project will entail. Include challenges
the proposed project aims to address, and summarize the intended
outcomes and anticipated benefits that will result from the proposed
project.
    iii. Project Funding Summary: Indicate in table format the amount
of Federal funding requested, the proposed non-Federal match, and total
project cost. Identify the source(s) of matching funds, including
whether the match is provided from public- vs. private-sector sources,
and clearly and distinctly reflect these funds as part of the total
project costs in the application budget. Additionally, identify any
other sources of Federal funds committed to the project and any pending
Federal requests. Also, note if the requested Federal funding must be
obligated or spent by a certain date due to dependencies or
relationships with other Federal or non-Federal funding sources,
related projects, law, or other factors. Include funding commitment
letters outlining funding agreements, as attachments or in an appendix.
If applicable, provide the type and estimated value of any proposed in-
kind contributions, and demonstrate how the

in-kind contributions meet the requirements in 2 CFR 200.306.

                      Example Project Funding Table
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                   Task name/project                      Percentage of
     Task No.          component            Cost           total cost
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1
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2
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Total Project Cost
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Federal Funds Received from Previous
 Grants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maglev Federal Funding Request
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-Federal Funding/Match             Cash:
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                                      In-Kind:
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Portion of Non-Federal Funding from
 the Private Sector
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portion of Non-Federal Funding from
 the Public Sector
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pending Federal Funding Requests
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    iv. Applicant Eligibility Criteria: Explain how the applicant meets
the applicant eligibility criteria outlined in section C(1) of this
notice. For authorities designated by one or more States, the
explanation must include citations to the applicable enabling
legislation.
    v. Project Eligibility Criteria: Explain how the project meets the
project eligibility criteria in section C(3) of this notice.
    vi. Detailed Project Description: Include a detailed project
description that expands upon the summary required above. This detailed
description should provide, at a minimum: Additional background on the
transportation challenges the project aims to address, the expected
users, beneficiaries, and outcomes of the project, and any other
information the applicant deems necessary to justify the proposed
project. Be specific regarding the relevance or relationship of the
proposed project to other investments in the region along the corridor,
as well as the operating changes that are anticipated to result from
the introduction and integration of Maglev services within existing
transportation corridors and assess the major risks (including safety
risks) or obstacles to Maglev's successful deployment and operation.
Provide a detailed summary of all work completed to date, including any
preliminary engineering work, the project's previous accomplishments
and funding history including Federal financial assistance, and a
chronology of key documents produced and funding events (e.g., grants
and financing). An applicant should specify whether it is seeking
funding for a project that has already received Federal financial
assistance, and if applicable, explain how the new scope proposed to be
funded under this NOFO relates to the previous scope.
    vii. Project Location: Include geospatial data for the project, as
well as a map of the project's location. Include the Congressional
districts in which the project will take place.
    viii. Evaluation and Selection Criteria: Include a thorough
discussion of how the proposed project meets all the evaluation and
selection criteria, as outlined in section E of this notice. If an
application does not sufficiently address the evaluation criteria and
the selection criteria, it is unlikely to be a competitive application.
For the life-cycle cost selection criteria, applicants should
demonstrate a credible plan to maintain their asset without having to
rely on Federal funding including a description of the applicants'
approach to ensuring operations and maintenance will not be underfunded
in future years.
    ix. Project Implementation and Management: Describe proposed
project implementation and project management arrangements for the full
Maglev corridor project, including the activities proposed in this
application. Include descriptions of the expected arrangements for
project contracting, contract oversight, change-order management, risk
management, and conformance to Federal requirements for project
progress reporting (see https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0274). Identify
key personnel involved in the implementation and management of the
project, and describe their qualifications and functional
responsibilities associated with the project. Describe experience in
managing and overseeing similar projects.
    x. Planning Readiness: Provide information about the planning
process that analyzed the investment needs and service objectives of
the project. If applicable, cite sources of this information from a
service development plan, State or regional rail plan, or similar
planning document where the project has been identified for solving a
specific existing transportation problem, and makes the case for
investing in the proposed solution. Describe the plan to finance any
planning, land acquisition, buildout, testing, and implementation of
the project, and specify long term financial plans to own, operate and
maintain Maglev services.
    xi. Environmental Readiness: Describe anticipated environmental or
historic preservation impacts associated with the proposed project, any
environmental or historic preservation analyses that have been
prepared, and any ongoing progress toward completing environmental
documentation or clearance required for the proposed project under NEPA
as defined in this NOFO. Provide, as available, a schedule to complete
these actions. Applicants are encouraged to contact FRA and obtain
preliminary direction regarding the appropriate NEPA class of action
and required environmental documentation. Generally, projects will be
ineligible to receive funding if they have begun construction
activities prior to the applicant/grantee receiving written approval
from FRA that all

environmental and historical analyses have been completed.
b. Additional Application Elements
    Applicants must submit:

i. A Statement of Work (SOW) addressing the scope, schedule, and budget
for the proposed project if it were selected for award. The SOW must
contain sufficient detail so FRA, and the applicant, can understand the
expected outcomes of the proposed work to be performed and can monitor
progress toward completing project tasks and deliverables during a
prospective grant's period of performance. Applicants must use FRA's
standard SOW, schedule, and budget templates to be considered for
award. The templates are located at https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0325.
When preparing the budget, the total cost of a project must be based on
the best available information as indicated in cited references that
include engineering studies, studies of economic feasibility,
environmental analyses, and information on the expected use of
equipment or facilities
ii. SF424--Application for Federal Assistance
iii. Either: SF 424A--Budget Information for Non-Construction projects
or SF 424C--Budget Information for Construction
iv. Either: SF 424B--Assurances for Non-Construction projects or SF
424D--Assurances for Construction
v. FRA's Additional Assurances and Certifications; and
vi. SF LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

    Forms needed for the electronic application process are at
www.Grants.gov.
c. Post-Selection Requirements
    See section F(2) of this notice for post-selection requirements.

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

    To apply for funding through Grants.gov, applicants must be
properly registered in SAM before submitting an application, provide a
valid unique entity identifier, and continue to maintain an active SAM
registration all as described in detail below. Complete instructions on
how to register and submit an application can be found at
www.Grants.gov. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process;
however, it can take up to several weeks for first-time registrants to
receive confirmation and a user password. FRA recommends that
applicants start the registration process as early as possible to
prevent delays that may preclude submitting an application package by
the application deadline. Applications will not be accepted after the
due date. Delayed registration is not an acceptable justification for
an application extension.
    FRA may not make a grant award to an applicant until the applicant
has complied with all applicable Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
and SAM requirements, and if an applicant has not fully complied with
the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to
make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that
the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another
applicant. (Please note that if a Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number must be
obtained or renewed, this may take a significant amount of time to
complete.) Late applications that are the result of a failure to
register or comply with Grants.gov applicant requirements in a timely
manner will not be considered. If an applicant has not fully complied
with the requirements by the submission deadline, the application will
not be considered. To submit an application through Grants.gov,
applicants must:
a. Obtain a DUNS Number
    A DUNS number is required for Grants.gov registration. The Office
of Management and Budget requires that all businesses and nonprofit
applicants for Federal funds include a DUNS number in their
applications for a new award or renewal of an existing award. A DUNS
number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal
standard for the government in identifying and keeping track of
entities receiving Federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking
purposes and to validate address and point of contact information for
Federal assistance applicants, recipients, and sub-recipients. The DUNS
number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS
number is a free, one-time activity. Applicants may obtain a DUNS
number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by applying online at http://www.dnb.com/us.
b. Register With the SAM at www.SAM.gov
    All applicants for Federal financial assistance must maintain
current registrations in the SAM database. An applicant must be
registered in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. The SAM
database is the repository for standard information about Federal
financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients.
Organizations that have previously submitted applications via
Grants.gov are already registered with SAM, as it is a requirement for
Grants.gov registration. Please note, however, that applicants must
update or renew their SAM registration at least once per year to
maintain an active status. Therefore, it is critical to check
registration status well in advance of the application deadline. If an
applicant is selected for an award, the applicant must maintain an
active SAM registration with current information throughout the period
of the award. Information about SAM registration procedures is
available at www.sam.gov.
c. Create a Grants.gov Username and Password
    Applicants must complete an Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) profile on www.Grants.gov and create a username and password.
Applicants must use the organization's DUNS number to complete this
step. Additional information about the registration process is
available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.
d. Acquire Authorization for Your AOR From the E-Business Point of
Contact (E-Biz POC)
    The E-Biz POC at the applicant's organization must respond to the
registration email from Grants.gov and login at www.Grants.gov to
authorize the applicant as the AOR. Please note there can be more than
one AOR for an organization.
e. Submit an Application Addressing All Requirements Outlined in This
NOFO
    If an applicant experiences difficulties at any point during this
process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Center Hotline at 1-800-
518-4726, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal holidays).
For information and instructions on each of these processes, please see
instructions at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html
    Note: Please use generally accepted formats such as .pdf, .doc,
.docx, .xls, .xlsx and .ppt, when uploading attachments. While
applicants may embed picture files, such as .jpg, .gif, and .bmp, in
document files, applicants should not submit attachments in these
formats. Additionally, the following

formats will not be accepted: .com, .bat, .exe, .vbs, .cfg, .dat, .db,
.dbf, .dll, .ini, .log, .ora, .sys, and .zip.

4. Submission Dates and Times

    Applicants must submit complete applications in their entirety to
www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, November 29, 2019. FRA
reviews www.Grants.gov information on dates/times of applications
submitted to determine timeliness of submissions. Late applications
will be neither reviewed nor considered. Delayed registration is not an
acceptable reason for late submission. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to apply early to ensure that all materials are received
before this deadline.
    To ensure a fair competition of limited discretionary funds, the
following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions:
(1) Failure to complete the registration process before the deadline;
(2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and
apply as posted on its website; (3) failure to follow all instructions
in this NOFO; and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant's
computer or information technology environment.

5. Intergovernmental Review

    Executive Order 12372 requires applicants from State and local
units of government or other organizations providing services within a
State to submit a copy of the application to the State Single Point of
Contact (SPOC), if one exists, and if this program has been selected
for review by the State. Applicants must contact their State SPOC to
determine if the program has been selected for State review.

6. Funding Restrictions

    Consistent with 2 CFR 200.458, FRA will only approve pre-award
costs if such costs are incurred pursuant to the negotiation and in
anticipation of the grant agreement and if such costs are necessary for
efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. Under 2 CFR
200.458, grant recipients must seek written approval from the FRA for
pre-award activities to be eligible for reimbursement under the grant.
Activities initiated prior to the execution of a grant or without
written approval may not be eligible for reimbursement or included as a
grantee's matching contribution.
    As stated in section C(3), funding under this NOFO is not available
for costs incurred for new stations, rolling stock, or solely for land
acquisition (even acquisition to secure operational right-of-way).
Further, funding under this NOFO may not be used for costs that are
included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching
requirements of any other Federally financed project or program.

7. Other Submission Requirements

    If an applicant experiences difficulties at any point during this
process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Center Hotline at 1-800-
518-4726, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal holidays).
For information and instructions on each of these processes, please see
instructions at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

a. Eligibility and Completeness Review
    FRA will first screen each application for eligibility (eligibility
requirements are outlined in section C of this notice), completeness
(application documentation and submission requirements are outlined in
section D of this notice), and the 20 percent minimum match.
b. Evaluation Criteria
    FRA subject-matter experts will evaluate all eligible and complete
applications against the following evaluation criteria:
    i. The extent to which the project would feasibly integrate Maglev
systems with conventional rail systems, such as establishing efficient
connections and transfers.
    ii. The extent to which funds awarded under this section would
result in investments that are beneficial not only to the Maglev
project, but also to other current or near-term transportation
projects.
    iii. The degree to which the project demonstrates: (a) The
potential for public-private partnerships and (b) that the project will
stand alone as a complete, self-sustaining operation where fully
allocated operating expenses of the Maglev service are projected to be
offset by revenues attributable to the service.
    iv. The extent of the demonstrated financial commitment to the
construction of the proposed project from both non-Federal public and
private sources.
    v. The extent to which the project demonstrates coordination and
consistency with any applicable ongoing or completed environmental and
planning studies for passenger rail on or connecting to the geographic
route segment being proposed for Maglev investment.
    vi. The degree to which the project will successfully operate in
the variety of Maglev operating conditions which are to be expected in
the United States. For example, these conditions might include a
variety of at-grade, elevated and depressed guideway structures,
extreme temperatures, and intermodal connections at terminals.
    vii. The feasibility of the project meeting a top speed of at least
240 miles per hour (MPH). FRA will also consider the ability to meet
higher speeds as well as the duration that speeds of at least 240 MPH
can be attained.
c. Selection Criteria
    In addition to the eligibility and completeness review and the
evaluation criteria outlined in this section, the FRA Administrator (or
his designee) will determine the final selection of projects for
program funding.
    i. FRA will take into account the following key Departmental
objectives:
    a. Supporting economic vitality at the national and regional level;
    b. Leveraging Federal funding to attract other, non-Federal sources
of infrastructure investment;
    c. Preparing for future operations and maintenance costs associated
with the project's life-cycle, as demonstrated by a credible plan to
maintain assets without having to rely on future Federal funding;
    d. Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite
project delivery; and,
    e. Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance and
achieving specific, measurable outcomes identified by grant applicants.
    ii. In determining the allocation of program funds, FRA may also
consider geographic diversity, diversity in the size of the systems
receiving funding, the applicant's receipt of other competitive awards,
projects located in or that support transportation service in a
qualified opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-1,
and the percentage of non-Federal share provided and whether such non-
Federal share is provided by multiple sources.

2. Review and Selection Process

    FRA will conduct a three-part application review process, as
follows:
    a. Screen applications for completeness and eligibility;
    b. Evaluate eligible applications (completed by technical panels
applying the evaluation criteria); and
    c. Select projects for funding (completed by the FRA Administrator
or his designee applying the selection criteria).

3. Reporting Matters Related to Integrity and Performance

    Before making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share
greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (see 2 CFR 200.88
Simplified Acquisition Threshold), FRA will review and consider any
information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and
performance system accessible through SAM (currently the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). See 41
U.S.C. 2313.
    An applicant, at its option, may review information in the
designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and
comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency
previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and
performance system accessible through SAM.
    FRA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the
other information in the designated integrity and performance system,
in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics,
and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the
review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR 200.205.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notice

    FRA will announce applications selected for funding in a press
release and on the FRA website after the application review period. FRA
will contact applicants with successful applications after announcement
with information and instructions about the award process. This
notification is not an authorization to begin proposed project
activities. FRA requires satisfaction of applicable requirements by the
applicant and a formal agreement signed by both the grantee and the
FRA, including an approved scope, schedule, and budget, to obligate the
grant.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    In connection with any program or activity conducted with or
benefiting from funds awarded under this notice, recipients of funds
must comply with all applicable requirements of Federal law, including,
without limitation, the Constitution of the United States; the
conditions of performance, nondiscrimination requirements, and other
assurances made applicable to the award of funds in accordance with
regulations of the Department of Transportation; and applicable Federal
financial assistance and contracting principles promulgated by the
Office of Management and Budget. In complying with these requirements,
recipients must ensure that no concession agreements are denied or
other contracting decisions made based on speech or other activities
protected by the First Amendment. If the Department determines that a
recipient has failed to comply with applicable Federal requirements,
the Department may terminate the award of funds and disallow previously
incurred costs, requiring the recipient to reimburse any expended award
funds.
    Examples of administrative and national policy requirements
include: 2 CFR part 200; procurement standards; compliance with Federal
civil rights laws and regulations; disadvantaged business enterprises;
debarment and suspension; drug-free workplace; FRA's and OMB's
Assurances and Certifications; Americans with Disabilities Act; safety
requirements; NEPA; environmental justice and the Buy American Act, 41
U.S.C. 8301-8305. Financial assistance made available under this NOFO,
and projects assisted with such assistance, are subject to 49 U.S.C.
5333(a).
    See an example of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant
awards at https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L05285.

3. Reporting

a. Progress Reporting on Grant Activity
    Each applicant selected for a grant will be required to comply with
all standard FRA reporting requirements, including quarterly progress
reports, quarterly Federal financial reports, and interim and final
performance reports, as well as all applicable auditing, monitoring and
close out requirements. Reports may be submitted electronically.
b. Additional Reporting
    Applicants selected for funding are required to comply with all
reporting requirements in the standard terms and conditions for FRA
grant awards including 2 CFR 180.335 and 2 CFR 180.350. See an example
of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant awards at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L05285.
    If the Federal share of any Federal award under this NOFO may
include more than $500,000 over the period of performance, applicants
are informed of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII--Award Term and Condition for Recipient
Integrity and Performance Matters.
c. Performance Reporting
    Each applicant selected for funding must collect information and
report on the project's performance using measures mutually agreed upon
by FRA and the grantee to assess progress in achieving strategic goals
and objectives.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    For further information regarding this notice and the grants
program, please contact Amy Houser, Office of Program Delivery, Federal
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-412,
Washington, DC 20590; email: [email protected], or Ruthie Americus,
Office of Policy and Planning, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-403, Washington, DC 20590; email:
[email protected].

H. Other Information

    All information submitted as part of or in support of any
application shall use publicly available data or data that can be made
public and methodologies that are accepted by industry practice and
standards, to the extent possible. If the application includes
information the applicant considers to be a trade secret or
confidential commercial or financial information, the applicant should
do the following: (1) Note on the front cover that the submission
``Contains Confidential Business Information (CBI)''; (2) mark each
affected page ``CBI''; and (3) highlight or otherwise denote the CBI
portions.
    FRA protects such information from disclosure to the extent allowed
under applicable law. In the event FRA receives a Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for the information, FRA will follow the
procedures described in its FOIA regulations at 49 CFR 7.17. Only
information that is ultimately determined to be confidential under that
procedure will be exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Quintin C. Kendall,
Deputy Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-23535 Filed 10-28-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4635-4636]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01533]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau Of Transportation Statistics

[Docket ID Number DOT-OST-2014-0031]

Agency Information Collection: Activity Under OMB Review: Report
of Financial and Operating Statistics for Large Certificated Air
Carriers

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
(OST-R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of a currently
approved collection. The ICR describes the nature of the information
collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a
60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following

collection of information was published on November 19, 2014 (79 FR
68953). The Bureau of Economic Analysis at the Department of Commerce
submitted comments in support of the continuation of the data
collection.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by February 27, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Gorham, Office of Airline
Information, RTS-42, Room E34-414, OST-R, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number<PHONE_NUMBER>, Fax
Number<PHONE_NUMBER> or EMAIL<EMAIL_ADDRESS>    Comments: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention: OST Desk Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Approval No. 2138-0013
    Title: Report of Financial and Operating Statistics for Large
Certificated Air Carriers.
    Form No.: BTS Form 41.
    Type Of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Large certificated air carriers.
    Number of Respondents: 63.
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours per schedule, an average
carrier may submit 90 schedules in one year.
    Total Annual Burden: 22,680 hours.
    Needs and Uses: Program uses for Form 41 data are as follows:

Mail Rates

    The Department of Transportation sets and updates mainline Alaska
mail rates based on carrier aircraft operating expense, traffic and
operational data. Form 41 cost data, especially fuel costs, terminal
expenses, and line haul expenses are used in arriving at rate levels.
DOT revises the established rates based on the percentage of unit cost
changes in the carriers' operations. These updating procedures have
resulted in the carriers receiving rates of compensation that more
closely parallel their costs of providing mail service and contribute
to the carriers' ability to continue providing service.

Submission of U.S. Carrier Data to ICAO

    As a party to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the
United States is obligated to provide the International Civil Aviation
Organization with financial and statistical data on operations of U.S.
air carriers. Over 99 percent of the data filed with ICAO is extracted
from the carriers' Form 41 reports.

Carrier Fitness

    Fitness determinations are made for both new entrants and
established U.S. carriers proposing a substantial change in operations.
A portion of these applications consists of an operating plan for the
first year (14 CFR part 204) and an associated projection of revenues
and expenses. The carrier's operating costs, included in these
projections, are compared against the cost data in Form 41 for a
carrier or carriers with the same aircraft type and similar operating
characteristics. Such a review validates the reasonableness of the
carrier's operating plan.
    Form 41 reports, particularly balance sheet reports and cash flow
statements, play a major role in the identification of vulnerable
carriers. Data comparisons are made between current and past periods in
order to assess the current financial position of the carrier.
Financial trend lines are extended into the future to analyze the
continued viability of the carrier. DOT reviews three areas of a
carrier's operation: (1) The qualifications of its management team, (2)
its disposition to comply with laws and regulations, and (3) its
financial posture. DOT must determine whether or not a carrier has
sufficient financial resources to conduct its operations without
imposing undue risk on the traveling public. Moreover, once a carrier
is operating, DOT is required to monitor its continuing fitness.
    Senior DOT officials must be kept fully informed as to all current
and developing economic issues affecting the airline industry. In
preparing financial conditions reports or status reports on a
particular airline, financial and traffic data are analyzed. Briefing
papers may use the same information.

Pending Rulemaking

    On July 15, 2011, the Department published a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to collect certain Form 41 revenue
information on airline-imposed fees in a more detailed manner (see 76
FR 41726). Many air carriers have adopted a la carte pricing with
separate fees for certain optional services that use to be included in
the ticket price. Carriers currently report excess baggage fees,
reservation cancellation fees and miscellaneous operating revenues. The
proposed rule would require carriers to report, (1) itinerary related
fees, (2) seating assignment fees, (3) baggage fees broken down between
first and second checked bags, carry-on bags and other bags, (4)
unaccompanied minor/passenger assistance fees, and (5) other fees. The
Department wants to make airline pricing more transparent to consumers
and airline analysts.

Administrative Issues

    The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency
Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note) requires a statistical agency to
clearly identify information it collects for non-statistical purposes.
BTS hereby notifies the respondents and the public that BTS uses the
information it collects under this OMB approval for non-statistical
purposes including, but not limited to, publication of both
Respondent's identity and its data, submission of the information to
agencies outside BTS for review, analysis and possible use in
regulatory and other administrative matters.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 22, 2015.
William Chadwick Jr.,
Director of the Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation
Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and
Technology.
[FR Doc. 2015-01533 Filed 1-27-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P