[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63571-63586]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22682]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0082]

Notice of Funding Opportunity To Establish Cooperative Agreements
With Technical Assistance Providers for the Fiscal Year 2022 Thriving
Communities Program

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

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

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to publish DOT's application
submission requirements and application review procedures to select
capacity builders to provide technical assistance, planning and
capacity building through cooperative agreements with DOT, as
authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022.

DATES: The deadline for application submission is 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Time on November 22, 2022. 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-FY22-01 (expected live date
is the week of October 17, 2022).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Bond at<PHONE_NUMBER>. Office
hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, except for
Federal holidays. Ongoing updates, webinar notices, FAQs: https://www.transportation.gov/thriving-communities.
    Email: [email protected].
    A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available (202)
366-3993.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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) Thriving Communities
Program (TCP) was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2022 (Pub. L. 117-103, Division L, Title I). The goal of the TCP is to
ensure disadvantaged 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 will provide technical assistance, planning and
capacity building support to advance transportation and community
revitalization activities that benefit disadvantaged populations and
communities. The TCP will also support and build local capacity to
improve project acceleration, access to and management of federal
funding, and deployment of local hiring, workforce development and
inclusive community engagement practices (including persons with
disabilities and limited English proficient individuals.
    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
allows DOT to prioritize support to rural, Tribal, and other
disadvantaged communities, many of whom have been bypassed or harmed by
past transportation investments. TCP is a Justice40 covered program
provided to ensure that disadvantaged communities can successfully
identify, develop, fund, and deliver infrastructure projects informed
by meaningful public involvement and generating multiple economic,
climate, health, equity, and other community benefits. Information on
the Justice40 policy and other programs that that can support equity
goals can be viewed at: https://www.transportation.gov/equity-Justice40.
    This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks to establish a
national technical assistance program that will drive innovation,
advance equity outcomes, and build a national pipeline of community-
driven infrastructure projects. In its first year, TCP will provide
deep-dive technical assistance to at least 30 communities. This will be
done through cooperative agreements with eligible parties to help those
communities with the highest degree of burden and capacity constraints
prepare, develop, and deliver transformative infrastructure projects.
    Eligible TCP applicants should propose strategies to provide deep-
dive technical assistance, planning and capacity building and build a
robust Community of Practice across regions involving diverse
transportation and community stakeholders. Specifically, this includes
facilitating the scoping, planning, development and delivery 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.
    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
allocated $5 million from the FY2022 appropriations act to coordinate
with DOT's TCP. HUD will provide funding to technical assistance
providers and capacity builders 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 Notice of Funding
Opportunity should visit https://www.huduser.gov/portal/nofos/thriving-communities.html.
    For FY2022 funding, the TCP presents two separate response
opportunities:
    (1) This NOFO is for eligible applicants to provide technical
assistance, planning, or capacity building services to help
disadvantaged communities, and
    (2) A separate call for Letters of Interest (LOI) from recipients
eligible to receive TCP support can be viewed at https://www.transportation.gov/grants/thriving-communities.
    Recipients of the technical assistance provided through TCP are
state, local, or Tribal governments, United States territories,
metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation planning
organizations, transit agencies, or other political subdivisions of
state or local governments. DOT is establishing as a prerequisite to
eligibility, that these governmental entities form coalitions, referred
to as Community Partnerships (as described in the LOI), with
organizations from within and outside the government 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 technical assistance recipient and identified in their LOI, but
could include other government entities, nonprofits, non-governmental
and community-based organizations, labor unions, advocacy groups,
chambers of commerce and major employers or anchor institutions, and
philanthropic organizations.
    The TCP is one of several technical assistance programs
administered through DOT's Build America Bureau's (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 TCP will coordinate and leverage other Federal place-based
technical assistance and capacity building initiatives that align with
TCP goals 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 Economic Recovery Corps, and the Environmental
Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities
Technical Assistance Centers.
    Please note that key definitions for terms relevant to TCP are
provided in section H.1 of this NOFO.

2. Thriving Communities Program Structure

a. Capacity Builder Design Strategies
    DOT seeks applications from technical assistance, planning, and
capacity building providers--henceforth referred to as Capacity
Builders (see section C.1 of this NOFO for more information)--to
provide a spectrum of support to selected recipients. This support
includes:
    1. Delivering individualized deep-dive technical assistance,
planning, and capacity building to selected communities across pre-
development and grant application activities through project
development, project funding and financing, and project delivery.
    2. Establishing and managing a national Community of Practice to
advance policies, practices and projects informed by meaningful public
involvement and partnership.
    3. Providing targeted technical support as part of the national TCP
capacity building network.
    TCP applicants should propose how they will build out and deliver a
two-year technical assistance, planning, and capacity building program
that responds to these three areas of support.
Individualized Deep Dive Support
    The primary focus of support through TCP is assisting individual
communities--recipients include government agencies and their community
partner organizations--to successfully advance a program of projects
identified through meaningful public involvement that deliver a broad
set of transportation, climate, equity, housing, economic, and other
community benefits. Each Capacity Building team will provide
individualized deep-dive support to 10-15 communities selected by DOT.
DOT will assign recipient communities to a specific Capacity Builder
prior to finalizing cooperative agreements. Note that there may be more
than one Capacity Builder per Community of Practice; and that the
overall anticipated number of communities supported through TCP will be
at least thirty.
    DOT invites applicants to propose how they could provide deep dive
support to additional communities, beyond the 10-15 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. Individualized deep-dive support refers
to the provision of services to implement the specific technical
assistance activities and capacity building goals identified in these
work plans.
    Selected Capacity Builders are expected to develop detailed work
plans and budgets describing their scope of work and how the goals of
the TCP will be met. Capacity Builders will provide short-term
technical assistance necessary to recipient communities to develop
integrated plans, advance projects, conduct pre-development activities
and to build longer-term organizational and community capacity.
    For instance, this could include but is not limited to:

 Identifying and responding to funding opportunities including
Federal discretionary grant applications
 Conducting project scoping, planning, and pre-engineering
studies, market, and other technical analysis
 Supplementing local staffing and workforce development
capacity
 Establishing leadership, fellowship, pre-apprenticeship, and
apprenticeships programs
 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 that better
coordinate transportation with other land use, housing, and
infrastructure development.
 Implementing innovative public engagement strategies,
particularly to involve traditionally underrepresented voices in the
project identification, planning, and prioritization process.
 Sub-granting to local technical assistance and capacity
building partners who bring local expertise and capacity
 Evaluating and establishing emerging transportation and
planning technologies, data systems and software

    Capacity Builders will develop processes to engage with the
selected recipients and their Community Partnerships to co-design a
tailored scope of work and set of equitable development outcomes to be
achieved over a two-year period of performance. DOT expects that a
portion of funding provided to Capacity Builders will be budgeted for
direct support to TCP recipients and members of their Community
Partnerships.
    DOT staff from its regional, division, and headquarters offices can
serve as Federal liaisons who help to inform communities of additional
existing technical assistance resources provided by DOT or other
Federal agencies that can assist in project pre-development, public
outreach, planning, financing, and project delivery. The online DOT
Navigator (available at https://www.transportation.gov/dot-navigator)
provides information on existing DOT-supported technical assistance
resources that may be a useful reference for Capacity Builders.
    HUD's Thriving Communities technical assistance will be available
to local governments from TCP communities as well as to other local
governmental entities that meet HUD's eligibility requirements. DOT
will coordinate linkages between capacity builders, TCP communities and
HUD, as necessary.
TCP Community of Practice Support
    To build collective and sustained learning, Capacity Builders will
support

a TCP Community of Practice that facilitates collaboration across and
within communities and that builds local capacity to advance a pipeline
of community-driven projects that generate transportation, economic and
community benefits. This may include face-to-face meetings as well as
web-based collaborative environments to communicate, connect and
conduct community activities that collectively facilitate long term
capacity building and systems change. Applicants should propose methods
and tasks that will be undertaken to create and support a Community of
Practice among the communities they are identified to support; and
within the individual communities to build capacity between the lead
applicant and community partners.
    TCP seeks to amplify the program's impact and generate noteworthy
practices that can be scaled and replicated in other regions. Within
selected deep-dive communities, Community of Practice provide an
opportunity to deepen 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.
Targeted Technical Support
    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.
b. Communities of Practice Typology
    DOT has identified three different Communities of Practice
(``cohorts'') to organize communities and their technical assistance,
planning, and capacity building needs in relation to shared
demographics, transportation challenges, and programmatic
opportunities. The three cohorts are:
     Main Streets--Focused on Tribal and rural communities and
the interconnected transportation, community, housing, and economic
development issues they face.
     Complete Neighborhoods--Focused on urban and suburban
communities located within Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
planning areas working to better coordinate transportation with land
use, housing, and economic development.
     Networked Communities--Focused on those communities
located near ports, airports, freight, and rail facilities to address
mobility, access, housing, environmental justice, and economic issues
including leveraging their proximity to these facilities for wealth-
building and economic development opportunities.
    Each cohort is described below with examples of possible
transportation topic areas. DOT believes that communities best know the
specific challenges and opportunities they face. 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.
Main Streets
    The Thriving Communities Main Streets cohort consists of eligible
rural recipients from Tribal governments, United States 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 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; improving infrastructure
condition 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 ADA-accessible transportation alternatives
including multimodal trails; context sensitive design solutions that
will improve mobility and access particularly for disadvantaged
populations such as 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.
    Capacity Builders seeking to support this cohort must demonstrate
their expertise and familiarity in working with rural, United States
territories, and/or Tribal communities, such as through members of
their team that have specific cultural and community ties or proven
experience working on federal Tribal and rural transportation,
community, housing, and economic development programs.
Complete Neighborhoods
    The Complete Neighborhoods cohort consists of eligible urban and
suburban local governments, transit agencies, or other political
subdivisions 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 other communities in this cohort 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 this cohort
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 improve 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 including 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 cohort consists of eligible recipients
from urban, suburban, and rural communities that are located near major
transportation facilities such as ports, airports, and freight or
passenger rail facilities. These communities may face local
environmental justice and mobility access issues exacerbated by their
proximity to regionally or nationally significant transportation
facilities and/or projects. Yet these types of facilities also provide
significant workforce, labor and economic development potential for
adjacent 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 decarbonization
and transitioning to clean technologies; or preparing for new or
extended freight or 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 this cohort can include advancing equity by addressing
environmental injustice, mobility, pollution, public health, workforce
and 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 residing near
these facilities.

B. Federal Award Information

    Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103),
Congress provided DOT with $25,000,000 for the Thriving Communities
Program, to be obligated by September 30, 2024. Of the funds provided,
DOT anticipates awarding at least three separate cooperative agreements
to Capacity Builders who demonstrate the ability to develop and provide
technical assistance, planning, and capacity building tools to all
communities within the specific Community of Practice they are assigned
to support. DOT may select a Capacity Builder to specifically work with
Tribal governments given unique opportunities to advance Tribal
sovereignty, specific requirements associated with the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, and to support those Tribal nations that include urban and
rural communities. Based on LOI responses, DOT may also select more
than one Capacity Builder per Community of Practice. Capacity Builders
with demonstrated technical expertise in specific areas that align with
DOT strategic priorities may be tapped to provide targeted technical
support to multiple communities of practice. If a Capacity Builder is
tapped to provide targeted technical support to multiple communities of
practice, DOT reserves the right to pair the Capacity Builder with
other Capacity Builders. This pairing will take place at the time of
award announcement. To enable these pairings, DOT may require some
selected Capacity Builders to make subawards to other Capacity
Builders.
    Cooperative agreements will be managed through substantial
involvement by DOT's staff (see Federal Award Administration
Information in section F.1 of this NOFO). Selected TCP Capacity
Builders should demonstrate compliance with civil rights obligations
and nondiscrimination laws, including Titles VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act, and accompanying regulations. Recipients of
Federal transportation funding will also be required to comply fully
with regulations and guidance for the ADA, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all
other civil rights requirements. The Department's Office of Civil
Rights may work with awarded cooperative agreement recipients as
appropriate to ensure full compliance with Federal civil rights
requirements.
    DOT will determine the amount of funds to be awarded but
anticipates a range between $3,500,000 to $6,000,000 for each
cooperative agreement. Multiple cooperative agreements are expected,
with an aggregate total of approximately $21,000,000. Awards made be
100% federal share. Final decisions on amount of funding per award and
number of cooperative agreements will be dependent upon applications
received. DOT may elect to award funding through future NOFOs, if
necessary.
    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.
    There will be time between selection of applicants and execution of
the cooperative agreement to finalize scopes of work to reflect
recipient community selections. The period of performance covered by
the award amount shall not exceed twenty-four (24) months from the date
of execution in DOT's electronic grants management system unless at
DOT's discretion, the period of performance is extended before
expiration.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants (Capacity Builders)

    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, including
meaningful public involvement in transportation decision-making
processes and project delivery; therefore, the lead applicant is
strongly encouraged to partner with other eligible organizations to
form a diverse Capacity Builder team. 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 subawards to other team
members, but the recipient is responsible for compliance with Federal
requirements, including 2 CFR parts 200 and 1201.
    Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, state or local
governments and their agencies (such as transit agencies or
metropolitan planning organizations), Tribes, philanthropic entities,
and other technical assistance providers with a demonstrated capacity
to develop and provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity
building. Priority is given to applicants that demonstrate experience
working with state, local, or Tribal governments, United States
territories, or other political subdivisions of state or local
governments. See section D.2 of this NOFO for details on the
information applicants must submit to support eligibility
determinations.

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.

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 to integrate transportation, community, and system
preservation plans and practices for which the award has been granted.
    Eligible costs also include those that Capacity Builders incur or
subgrant 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.

4. Eligible Activity Costs Must Comply With the Cost Principles set
Forth in With 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 under Opportunity Number DOT-TCP-FY22-01. 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

    The table below describes the DOT and Federal grant assistance
forms and other documents required for a complete application under
this NOFO and may serve as a checklist for applicants in preparing
their submissions. A separate application checklist can be found in
Appendix A of this NOFO.

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Program Design and Substance:
    Executive Summary
    Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Approach
    Applicant Expertise, Staffing, and Project Management
    Program Evaluation and Assessment
    Budget Narrative and Cost Estimate
    Schedule of Milestones and Deliverables
Forms and Supporting Documentation:
    Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
    Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
    Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)
    Certification Regarding Lobbying (CD-511)
    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
    Organizational Documentation (if applicable, depending on your
     organization type)
    Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Documentation (if applicable)
    Unique Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Executive Summary
    The Executive Summary should be a clear, concise, and include a
descriptive summary of the proposed approach to technical assistance
and capacity building, including a clear identification of which cohort
the applicant is applying to support, and a brief description of how
the proposed approach will advance Thriving Communities Program goals.
Applicants may propose to support multiple cohorts but will only be
selected for one, so it is advisable to tailor your narrative and
approach to a specific cohort. The executive summary should be no more
than 500 words and, if selected for funding, may be used in a public
announcement or on DOT's website.
b. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Approach
    In the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Approach,
applicants should provide a detailed description of the proposed
program of technical assistance, planning, and capacity building
activities that will be tailored to and meet the specific needs of
disadvantaged communities that will receive TCP support, including
areas for direct support and specific ways in which community partners
will be utilized to provide or supplement technical assistance and
capacity building. If selected, work plans and budgets will be
finalized as part of the cooperative agreement negotiation process.
    This section of the application should not exceed 10-single sided,
8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-point font and 1-inch margins.
Technical Approach
    In the narrative describing the program of technical assistance,
planning, and capacity building activities, applicants are expected to
distinguish between the following--approaches to provide customized,
deep-dive support to individual communities; strategies to build and
sustain a Community of Practice; and the applicants' areas of expertise
that may be tapped for targeted technical assistance. Applicants should
distinguish between their proposed approach and activities to provide
short-term technical assistance versus providing direct support or
resources to build long-term technical and organizational capabilities.
Applicants should describe how they will assist program participants
identify and apply for funding opportunities, and effectively manage
grants administratively and programmatically.
    In developing individualized deep-dive technical assistance,
applicants should identify the process they will utilize to co-design a
scope of work with selected recipients and their community partners.
This should include, at a minimum, an assessment of technical capacity
including human and community-based, organizational, or institutional,
financial, and technical assets and deficiencies relative to meeting
needs of the community and goals of the TCP program.

    Applicants should highlight their approach, expertise, and how they
would propose to evaluate impact related to such practices as, not
limited to:
     Equity practices and Civil Rights requirements to support
community visioning and inclusive and meaningful engagement strategies,
including use of arts, culture, technology, and culturally competent
practices.
     Environmental planning and analysis practices including to
support transportation decarbonization, climate resilience and
adaptation.
     Land use and regulatory practices that improve alignment
and efficiencies between transportation networks and service with
housing and economic development patterns.
     Transportation practices to advance transformative
community and data driven projects through state, metropolitan and
Federal transportation and community development planning and project
delivery processes.
     Coalition building and collaboration practices that build
and sustain cross-sector partners and empower community stakeholders,
especially those from disadvantaged communities.
    Applicants should also demonstrate how they will provide technical
assistance to help recipients transition projects through all stages of
the transportation decision-making and project delivery process,
including the planning, project development, securing funding, and
delivery phases, as appropriate to implementation. If applicable,
provide examples of helping organizations navigate and comply with
federal regulatory and compliance requirements relative to
transportation and environmental planning, grant making, and
procurement. This may include examples of how members of the team have
previously and successfully worked with state, local, Tribal
governments, or United States territories on these types of efforts.
Applicants may propose how they would provide deep dive support to
additional communities, beyond the 10-15 selected by DOT, within their
proposed budget or through leveraging other funding or associated
technical assistance efforts that its team members may also be
supporting.
    To be considered for providing targeted technical assistance,
applicants should identify any specific areas of expertise that members
of the Capacity Builder team possess on DOT Strategic Plan and Equity
Action Plan priorities such as Title VI and civil rights compliance;
racial equity and environmental justice; workforce development, local
and economic hiring preferences; small and disadvantaged business
development and procurement; transportation safety and safe system
approaches; meaningful public involvement and inclusive community
engagement practices; technology innovation and deployment; and
knowledge of requirements related to the National Environmental Policy
Act and emerging climate resiliency practices.
Capacity Building Approach
    Applicants must describe how they will build short- and long- term
capacity for TCP recipients and their community partners, identifying
specific services that build an effective Community of Practice. This
should include a description of their approach to sub-granting
resources to build upon and utilize existing local capacity. Capacity
building should focus on ways to improve the ability of an organization
to design and undertake the necessary technical, financial, business,
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 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 two-year 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 should identify specific goals for the Community of
Practice and propose a set of activities to address entrenched systemic
inequities and barriers; leadership and partnership development; and
other needs to strengthen collaboration and facilitate longer-term
impact within and across recipient communities. Capacity Builders can
identify and resource one or more of the Community Partner
organizations to serve as a local implementation partner to support and
participate in this work.
c. Applicant Expertise, Staffing, and Project Management Plan
    Applications must describe the expertise and capacity of the team
or individual organization, that demonstrate the team's ability to
perform all activities requested under this NOFO, including project
management.
    The Applicant Capacity, Staffing and Project Management section
should not exceed 7 single-sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-
point font and 1-inch margins. Resumes do not count against the page
limit. Applicants should include the following:
Organization Description
    A one-page organization or company profile should be provided for
each member of the Capacity Building Team and may be publicly shared as
part of the organization introductions. Profiles should include the
company name, its role on the team, number of employees; location of
office or its geographic scope; whether it is a certified disadvantaged
business enterprise, 8(a), small disadvantaged, HUBZone, woman-owned or
service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses \1\; a brief summary of
the type of services it provides; firm capabilities including relevant
experience in providing technical assistance, planning and capacity
building to underserved populations and geographies, 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.
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    \1\ 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.
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    The applicant should demonstrate how individual team members
represent the different areas of expertise needed to develop and
implement a well-structured, feasible, and scalable technical
assistance, planning and capacity building plan.
Teaming Arrangement
    Applications should include a description of how team members will
be overseen and managed. An organizational chart or decision flow-chart
may assist in visualizing relationships between team members.
    Applications should demonstrate the Capacity Building Team's
ability to foster cross-sector collaboration and employ leadership
development practices to support and sustain partnerships across a
diverse set of organizations and stakeholders

including underserved populations and communities.
Previous Project Experience
    Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate
technical knowledge across a diverse set of issues and skills relevant
to the cohort they are proposing to support, particularly related to
supporting disadvantaged communities and on equity-related issues such
as civil rights compliance, equitable development, inclusive and
meaningful community engagement including to persons with disabilities,
limited English proficient individuals, and other target populations;
community wealth building; and any previous experience in helping
communities successfully deliver transportation projects, advance
policies to integrated community and infrastructure development and/or
secure federal funding for such projects.
    DOT will prioritize applicants who possess and successfully
demonstrate expertise in at least one of the following optional areas,
with a preference for multiple areas of expertise specifically working
with and empowering disadvantaged communities and equitable
transportation approaches:
     Innovative financing and leveraged funding approaches that
address the unique challenges of under-resourced, low-tax base and
credit-challenged communities.
     Community wealth building and economic development
practices including community ownership models, apprenticeship, and
business entrepreneurial programs.
     Strategies to nurture small and disadvantaged business
participation and development including capacity building initiatives
and facilitating supportive services within disadvantaged business
enterprise community marketplaces.
     Conducting a mobility needs analysis, racial equity, or
health equity analysis to evaluate transportation plans and proposals.
     Incorporating sustainable practices across the lifecycle
of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operations and
maintenance costs across the lifecycle of a project.
     Strategies to measure and mitigate natural hazards
including flooding or the urban heat island effect, such as siting
trees and implementing other nature-based solutions.
    Applicants should include a description and evidence of the team's
knowledge of federal funding processes, statutes, and technical
assistance programs and the transportation planning and project
development processes relevant to the cohort being supported to
demonstrate its ability to connects TCP communities to existing
technical assistance resources available through DOT and other Federal
agencies.
    Applicants should also include a description and evidence of the
team's experience with coordinating and managing peer learning
networks, including to develop communication materials; design and
facilitate online convenings; and support collaboration between
technical assistance recipients, capacity builders, and Federal agency
staff.
Staffing Plan
    Applications must include a Staffing Plan listing all positions
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 how the
personnel will carry out the proposed project.
    Proposals should identify key project staff to provide the
identified technical assistance needs. 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
and may be shown as an appendix. 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.
    Given that additional technical assistance and capacity building
needs may arise in response to the specific needs of selected
communities receiving deep dive support, refinements can be made to the
proposed staffing structure with DOT approval. The applicants are
encouraged 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.
d. Program Evaluation and Assessment Plan
    Applicants must include specific performance metrics under each of
the specific work tasks describing how they will track, analyze, and
report on the results and outcomes of the technical assistance,
planning, and capacity building they are providing to individual
communities and to the specific Community of Practice they are
supporting. Performance metrics may be qualitative and/or quantitative
and should be described in terms of well-defined outputs, such as
number of communities assisted, number of successful grant or funding
applications for projects supported through this program; short and
long-term capacity increases; and to the extent practical to convey,
community-defined impact metrics used to evaluate local equity outcomes
of this program that demonstrate positive benefits for disadvantaged
communities supported through TCP. DOT will require a final report from
Capacity Builders summarizing the goals, impacts, process, and lessons
learned from engagement with each recipient community and for the
overall Community of Practice. Recipients of technical assistance may
be contacted to assess their level of satisfaction with contractor
performance.
    DOT is interested in the opportunities for broader outreach and
shared learning that can be supported through the dissemination of
materials developed by 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 potentially 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 team). Capacity Builders should allocate a portion of their budget
to support this involvement. For the purpose of budget estimation,
assume meetings are held in Washington, DC at average-priced travel
periods.
    The Program Evaluation and Assessment section should not exceed 3
single-sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-point font and 1-
inch margins.

e. Budget Narrative and Cost Estimate
    Applications must include a Budget Narrative that describes the
costs associated with each line item on Form SF-424A, distinguishing
clearly between costs for direct support to recipients and their
community partners and reimbursement of technical assistance services
delivered on site by local partners. Applicants should include and
clearly identify the costs that the Capacity Building Team undertakes
to directly assist in the development of technical assistance,
planning, or capacity building. Costs for subgrantees and direct costs
should be presented separately.
    At least 60% of the total project budget should be for activities
that provide direct support to communities. This may include direct
costs to provide sub-granting, purchase necessary software, and
supplement staffing for TCP recipients and community partners, or to
support other activities that enable their long-term capacity created
to successfully apply and manage federal funding. DOT also encourages
sub-granting or other activities that compensate local community
partners who are serving as technical assistance, planning and capacity
builders.
    Applicants should provide a summary table and narrative that
articulates the anticipated costs for the lead organization and team
members. Specific information requested in the summary or narrative
include:

 Labor categories and fully loaded hourly rates
 Expected total hours for each labor category
 Direct costs that may be charged to the project, including
travel, operating capital outlays, tangible goods, software, and other
costs described in the narrative
 Overhead, profit, or contingency costs, expressed as a
percent. Indicate whether overhead costs are included in fully loaded
hourly rates
 Dollar amount or percent of the budget devoted to pass-through
spending that supports:
[cir] deep dive technical assistance to recipients
[cir] community partner organization who supplements capacity building
support to the Community of Practice
[cir] any associated overhead reduction for pass-through labor or
direct costs

    DOT will reimburse labor and direct costs incurred by the Capacity
Builders, including subcontractor. Capacity Builders should maintain a
system for recording all project costs. Invoices may 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 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 paid.
    The Budget Narrative and Cost Estimate may be submitted as an
Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF document. The Budget and Cost Estimate
section should not exceed 2 single-sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a
minimum 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Organization or company
profiles do not count against the page limit and can be compiled and
uploaded together as one PDF file and may be shown as an appendix.
f. Schedule of Milestones and Deliverables
    Applications must include a proposed set of tasks, schedule
detailing the expected start and end date of tasks, and major
deliverables described in the proposed approach. Applications should
incorporate preparation of the final report and presentation into the
project timeline and period of performance. The proposed task
organization and schedule will serve as a starting point for
cooperative agreement negotiations with the selected teams.
    The Schedule of Milestones and Deliverables section should not
exceed 2 single-sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-point font
and 1-inch margins.
g. Standard Forms and Supporting Documentation
    All applicants must submit the following Standard Forms (SF), as
applicable, as separate PDF documents and do not count toward the
overall application page length:

 Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
 Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
 Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)
 Certification Regarding Lobbying (CD-511)
 Organizational Documentation (if applicable, depending on your
organization type)
 Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Documentation (if applicable)

    All relevant forms must be signed electronically by the applicant's
Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR); please see sections H
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.
Organizational Documentation
    Each applicant and co-applicant must provide documentation that
supports each 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.
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.

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, 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 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on November 22, 2022. Applications received after this
deadline will not be reviewed or considered. 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 date and time that an application will be deemed to be
electronically received will be determined in accordance with the
electronic submission instructions provided on Grants.gov.
    Applications received after the application deadline will not be
considered for funding. DOT strongly suggests that applicants start
early, do not wait until near the application deadline before logging
on and reviewing the instructions for submitting an application, and
submit applications substantially before the deadline. Applicants
should save and print written proof of an electronic submission.
    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 [opportunity
number] 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, applicants will register at least one
AOR for the organization. AORs registered at Grants.gov are the only
officials with the authority to submit applications; please ensure that
the organization's application is submitted by an AOR. Note that a
given organization may designate multiple individuals as AORs for
Grants.gov purposes. DOT will 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 11:59 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 encourages applicants to submit early, even if draft, and then
resubmit the final application. Applicants should save and print both
the confirmation screen provided on the Grants.gov website after the
applicant has submitted a final 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. Ensure that you obtain a case
number regarding your communications with Grants.gov. Please note that
problems with an applicant's 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 should access the following link for assistance in
navigating Grants.gov and for a list of useful resources: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html. The following link lists
``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.
    DOT, in its sole discretion, may pre-approve in writing submission
via an alternate method (e.g., email) due to a systems issue at
Grants.gov only insofar as any such systems issue is beyond the control
of the applicant. However, any submission via this alternate method
must be received before the deadline. Late applications will not be
accepted for any reason, including but not limited to late submissions
caused by issues with Grants.gov, SAM, or AOR registrations. In
situations described in this subsection, applications must have email
or facsimile receipt timestamps no later than the application deadline
or must be postmarked or the equivalent on or before the application
deadline. An application that is not timestamped or postmarked, as
applicable, by the application deadline will not be reviewed.

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. Evaluation Criteria

    The following evaluation criteria apply to all applications. Please
read each criterion carefully:

 Proven Success
 Quality Project Management
 Alignment with DOT Priorities
 Centering Community
 Flexibility and Innovation
 Impact Size and Longevity

    Cost sharing will not be considered in the evaluation except as
demonstration of leveraging other funding or resources that expand the
impact size and longevity.
Proven Success
    Proposals should demonstrate:
     Extensive expertise in providing technical assistance,
planning and capacity building to and/or with government organizations
to support the needs of underserved populations and geographies.
     Demonstrated ability to build and sustain a Community of
Practice to generate shared learning and relationship building across
diverse types of government and non-government partners, including
equity partners, and a diversity of place types.
     Ability to carry out the proposed scope of work based on
staff experience and professional accomplishments.
     Demonstrated ability to assist lead applicants in their
efforts to successfully comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the Americans
with Disabilities Act, and other federal regulations.
     Employment of qualified personnel that, as a group,
demonstrate project management expertise, as well as demonstrated
success in all aspects of the scope of work including commitments to
equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Quality Project Management
    Does the proposal include:
     Feasible and reasonable budget that addresses all program
and Federal accountability concerns and demonstration of a financial
plan and necessary accounting systems in place to meet federal 2 CFR
part 200 requirements.

     Clearly identified tasks and at least 60% of budget
allocated to provide direct support to recipients and community
partners to build and utilize local capacity.
     Clearly defined timeline including targets, metrics,
milestones, objectives, goals, and deliverables.
     Clear involvement of disadvantaged business enterprises,
small businesses or minority owned businesses, and/or community-based
organizations in proposed deliverables.
     Realistic performance targets and demonstrated method to
measure progress.
     Management plan describing methods for supporting the
project goals and managing partner organizations and project staff,
including plan to address challenges and risks and proposed mitigation
strategies.
Alignment With DOT Priorities
    How will the proposed approach:
     Demonstrates multiple areas of expertise identified in
section D.2(c) including specifically working with and empowering
disadvantaged communities and with transportation approaches that align
with DOT strategic priorities and Equity Action Plan commitments.
     Enable development of a national pipeline of
transformative projects and comprehensive community development that
deliver equity, environmental, safety, mobility, housing, and economic
benefits.
     Infuse an equity lens into the design and delivery of
technical assistance, planning, and capacity building in a
transportation context.
     Improve basic infrastructure conditions and elevate the
adoption of transportation decarbonization and climate resilience
strategies to benefit disadvantaged communities.
     Adopt equity screening and meaningful public involvement
practices to advance transformative community- and data-driven projects
through state and metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs
(STIPs and TIPs).
     Support workforce development, hiring and labor practices
benefitting local economically disadvantaged communities.
Centering Community
    How will the proposed approach:
     Develop a realistic and community-driven assessment of
need and corresponding scope of work for each assigned recipient.
     Deploy equity practices to support community visioning and
inclusive engagement strategies, including use of arts, culture,
technology, and culturally competent practices.
     Demonstrate success in building and sustaining partnership
networks for local and regional transportation, economic and community
development, housing, public health and/or environmental entities and
stakeholders.
     Demonstrate an approach to working with DOT and other
relevant federal agencies, including identified regional staff, in
providing support to communities and leveraging federal opportunities.
Flexibility and Innovation
    How will the proposed approach:
     Increase the ability of communities to deploy innovative
technologies and other strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and improve safety, equity, and resilience outcomes in disadvantaged
communities.
     Increase or supplement the ability of communities to
deploy quantitative skills, analytics, and data visualization to
support evidence-based planning and decision-making.
     Include innovative practices to co-design evaluation and
performance metrics to ensure program goals are advanced along with
along the goals of individual communities.
     Be flexible in modifying or evolving technical assistance
provisions as community needs change.
Impact Size and Longevity
    How will the proposed approach:
     Maximize the scale of impact by providing comprehensive
technical assistance to as many communities as reasonably possible.
     Maximize impact by leveraging additional funding and other
resources (whether public, philanthropic, or other private resources).
     Demonstrate success in efficiently taking existing
practices to scale; and in aggregating place-based work into key
findings, noteworthy practices, and guidance to inform future DOT
policy, technical assistance, planning and capacity building efforts.
     Ensure longevity of technical assistance impact by
ensuring the long-term transfer of knowledge through documentation and
archiving.

2. Review and Selection Process

a. Review for Eligibility and Completeness
    For each application, DOT staff will assess whether the applicant
is eligible and submitted all the information requested for a complete
application. Applications that may not have all the necessary
components will be referred to an Evaluation Management Oversight Team,
which will contact the applicant if it is determined they are an
eligible applicant and request the missing information with a response
time of 5 business days. Applicants that do not supply required
information in this timeframe will be disqualified. Applications
received from ineligible entities will not be considered for funding.
Applicants who are determined to be ineligible will be notified in
writing, and all determinations will be documented.
b. Evaluation Criteria Review
    First-level Review Teams, comprised of staff from DOT, inter-agency
Federal staff, and contractor staff, will evaluate all eligible and
complete applications received by the deadline for an Evaluation Review
against the evaluation criteria in section E.1 of this NOFO.
    Ratings will be determined by each reviewer on an individual basis,
and a compilation of ratings will be produced. The First-level Review
Team will conduct a panel discussion, revise scores as appropriate, and
prepare an overall project rating based on majority opinion of the
review team.
    The First-level Review Team will consider whether the application
narrative is responsive to the selection criterion focus areas, which
will result in a rating of `High,' `Medium,' `Low,' or `Non-
Responsive.'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Rating scale                   High               Medium                Low           Non-responsive
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description.....................  The application is  The application is  The application is  The narrative
                                   substantively and   moderately          minimally           indicates the
                                   comprehensively     responsive to the   responsive to the   proposal is
                                   responsive to the   criterion. It       criterion. It       counter to the
                                   criterion. It       makes a moderate    makes a weak case   criterion or does
                                   makes a strong      case about          about advancing     not contain
                                   case about          advancing the       the program goals   sufficient
                                   advancing the       program goals as    as described in     information. It
                                   program goals as    described in the    the criterion       does not advance
                                   described in the    criterion           descriptions.       or may negatively
                                   criterion           descriptions.                           impact criterion
                                   descriptions.                                               goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Based on the criteria ratings, an overall application merit rating
of `Highly Recommended,' `Recommended,' or `Not Recommended' will be
assigned by the First-level review team using the following
methodology. The ratings on the individual merit criteria translate to
the following overall application rating for merit criteria:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Overall merit rating              Individual criteria ratings
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highly Recommended........................   At least four
                                             `High' ratings,
                                             Zero ``Low
                                             ratings,'' and
                                             Zero `Non-
                                             Responsive' ratings.
Recommended...............................   At least two `High'
                                             ratings,
                                             No more than one
                                             `Low rating,' and
                                             Zero `Non-
                                             Responsive' ratings.
Not Recommended...........................   Fewer than two
                                             `High' ratings,
                                             Two or more `Low'
                                             ratings, or
                                             One or more `Non-
                                             Responsive' ratings.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

c. Leadership Selection Process
    Applications that receive an overall application rating of Highly
Recommended will be advanced to a Senior Review Team (SRT), which will
include senior DOT and HUD leadership, to recommend applicants to the
Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy (Under Secretary) for
final selection. Final selection will be made with consideration to:

 Geographic, team member and organizational diversity
 Ability to meet anticipated technical assistance needs of
communities within the Community of Practice it will be assigned to
support
 Potential to positively impact disadvantaged communities
 Demonstrated level and diversity of expertise
 Demonstrated experience working with state, local, or Tribal
governments, United States territories, metropolitan planning
organizations, transit agencies, or other political subdivisions of
state or local governments

    The SRT at its sole discretion may elect to review and select for
cooperative agreements proposals rated as Recommended if the proposal
fulfills technical assistance needs that would not otherwise be met by
applications rated as Highly Recommended.
d. Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy Selection Phase
    The SRT will present a list of applications for recommended
consideration to the Under Secretary for final selection. The SRT may
advise the Under Secretary on any application on the list, including
options for reduced awards. The Under Secretary will make final
selections based on applications that best address program requirements
and are most deserving of funding and may consult the Secretary of
Transportation on those selections.

3. Additional Information

    Prior to award, each selected applicant will be subject to a risk
assessment as required by 2 CFR 200.206. DOT must review and consider
any information about the applicant that is in the Federal Awardee
Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), the designated
integrity and performance system accessible through SAM. An applicant
may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any information about
itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. DOT will
consider comments by the applicant, in addition to the other
information in FAPIIS, 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.

F. Federal Award Administration

1. Federal Award Notice

    This NOFO will remain open for 45 days from date of publication.
Following the evaluation process, DOT will notify successful applicants
of their selection for funding. DOT will also notify other applicants,
whose applications were received by the deadline, but have not been
chosen for award. The DOT will offer a written or telephonic debrief to
provide an explanation of, and guidance regarding, the reasons why the
application was not approved.
    Final Award. After DOT has made selections, DOT will finalize
specific terms of the cooperative agreement and budget in consultation
with the selected lead applicant. If DOT and the selected applicant do
not finalize the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement in a
timely manner, or the selected applicant fails to provide requested
information, an award will not be made to that applicant. In this case,
DOT may select another eligible applicant.
    DOT will reimburse labor and direct costs incurred by the Capacity
Builders, including subcontractors. Capacity Builders should maintain a
system for recording all project costs. Invoices may be transmitted to
DOT monthly. Aggregate payment will not exceed the cap shown in the
cooperative agreement.
    Adjustments to Funding. To ensure the fair distribution of funds
and enable the purposes or requirements of a specific program to be
met, DOT reserves the right to fund less than the amount requested in
an application.
    DOT Involvement. As the Federal awarding agency, DOT will maintain
substantial involvement and oversight throughout the two-year period of
performance of the executed cooperative agreements. This includes, but
may not be limited to:

 Assigning communities selected to receive support through the
TCP with specific Capacity Builders and finalizing work plans for
cohort specific Communities of Practice
 Review of deliverables including individualized community deep
dive work plans and technical assistance assessment
 Collecting and reviewing quarterly performance reports and
final reports
 Convening regular meetings or capacity builder calls to review
project activities, schedule, and progress toward the scope of work

 Identifying relevant federal technical assistance programs to
be aligned with TCP efforts in specific communities and assigning
federal agency staff to serve as liaisons with capacity builders,
technical assistance recipients and their community partners.
 Reviewing and approving changes in key personnel or scope
changes
 Oversight of ongoing compliance with applicable federal
regulations
 Budget oversight, including collecting and reviewing and
reimbursing monthly invoices for incurred costs and receiving
notification when budgets are 50% and 90% expended.
 Conducting quarterly meetings with Capacity Builders and
involvement with an annual TCP convening with Capacity Builders and
community partners

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Administrative Budget
    DOT requires that a selected applicant participates in negotiations
to determine an administrative budget. The administrative budget must
clearly identify the labor, associated indirect costs, travel, and
material and supply costs associated with your management of the award.
The administrative budget must track the different sources of funding
and associate administrative costs to each source. Should DOT not be
able to successfully conclude negotiations with a selected applicant
within a period determined by DOT, an award will not be made.
    Performance under the grant program will be governed by and in
compliance with the following requirements as applicable to the type of
organization of the recipient and any applicable sub-recipients:
    All awards will be administered pursuant to the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards found in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted by DOT at 2 CFR part
1201.
    Other terms and conditions as well as performance requirements will
be addressed in further communications with the recipient. The full
terms and conditions may vary and are subject to discussions and
negotiations.
    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 statutory,
regulatory, and public policy requirements, including without
limitation, those protecting free speech, religious liberty, public
welfare, the environment, and prohibiting discrimination; the
conditions of performance, non-discrimination 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 on the basis of speech or other
activities protected by the First Amendment. If the Bureau determines
that a recipient has failed to comply with applicable Federal
requirements, the Bureau may terminate the award of funds and disallow
previously incurred costs, requiring the recipient to reimburse any
expended award funds.
    Additionally, Executive Order 13858 directs the Executive Branch
Departments and agencies to maximize the use of goods, products, and
materials produced in the United States through the terms and
conditions of Federal financial assistance awards. If selected for an
award, grant recipients must be prepared to demonstrate how they will
maximize the use of domestic goods, products, and materials, as
applicable.
Administration Priorities
    It is the policy of DOT to reflect Administration priorities and
incorporate criteria for selection considerations related to climate
change and sustainability, racial equity including environmental
justice, Title VI and other federal Civil Rights laws, and barriers to
opportunity, labor, and workforce in its grant programs, to the extent
possible and consistent with law. Capacity Builders selected for
participation in the TCP are expected to demonstrate in their
applications how they will advance all of these priorities via the
planning, capacity building, and technical assistance they provide to
recipients and community partners during the two-year period of
performance of the cooperative agreement. More detail on application
requirements is available in section D.2 of this NOFO. DOT will
evaluate applicants on the extent to which they successfully describe
how they will advance these criteria, as described in section E.1 of
this NOFO.
Performance and Program Evaluation
    Each cooperative agreement lead organization must submit quarterly
progress reports to monitor progress and ensure accountability and
financial transparency in the grant program. Each contractor must
collect and report to the Bureau performance information on the
technical assistance and advisory services being provided. The specific
performance information and reporting period will be determined on an
individual basis and communicated at the kickoff meeting of the grant.
It is anticipated that the Bureau and the contractor will hold regular,
informal meetings or calls to review project activities, schedule, and
progress toward the scope of work.
Remedies for Noncompliance
    Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.340, a Federal award may be terminated in
whole or in part if the grantee fails to comply with the terms and
conditions of the award or if DOT determines the award no longer
effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.

3. Reporting

    If the total value of a selected applicant's currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all
Federal awarding agencies exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time
during the period of performance of this Federal award, then the
applicant during that period of time must maintain the currency of
information reported to the SAM that is made available in the
designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS) about
civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings described in paragraph 2
of this award term and condition. This is a statutory requirement under
section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313). As
required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information posted
in the designated integrity and performance system on or after April
15, 2011, except past performance review required for Federal
procurement contracts, will be publicly available.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    If you have questions or need additional information about this
NOFO, you may contact [email protected]. Prospective
applicants may visit the following website for more information:
https://transportation.gov/thriving-communities.

H. Other Supporting Information

1. Definitions

    Areas of Persistent Poverty: An area of persistent poverty is a
county with 20 percent or more of the population living in poverty over
the 30 years preceding

the date of enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(November 15, 2021) as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial census
and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates.
Alternatively, data to support eligibility may also be from any census
tract with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent as measured by the
2013-2017, five-year data series available from the American Community
Survey of the Census Bureau.
    Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is the person
authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization via
Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Biz point of contact in the
System for Award Management. The AOR is listed on the SF-424.
    Capacity Building: Activities designed to improve the ability of an
organization to design and implement the necessary technical,
financial, business, data analysis, and management skills of grantees
to access Federal funding, meet Federal requirements, undertake
statewide and metropolitan long-range planning and programming
activities, and implement other activities that broadly support project
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.
    Community-based organizations: The term ``community-based
organization'' means a public or private nonprofit organization of
demonstrated effectiveness that--(A) is representative of a community
or significant segments of a community; and (B) provides educational or
related services to individuals in the community.
    Disadvantaged Community: (1) Any Tribal land or any territory or
possession of the United States and (2) those census tracts (a)
experiencing disproportionate effects (as defined by Executive Order
12898); (b) that contain areas of persistent poverty as defined in 49
U.S.C. 6702(a)(1); (c) that are historically disadvantaged as defined
by DOT's mapping tool for Historically Disadvantaged Communities; or
(d) other federally designated community development zones.
    Equitable development: Equitable development is a development
approach for meeting the needs of all communities, including
underserved communities through policies and programs that reduce
disparities while fostering livable places that are healthy and vibrant
for all.
    Grants.gov: The website serving as the Federal government's central
portal for searching and applying for Federal financial assistance
throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is
required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless
otherwise specified in this NOFO.
    Historically Disadvantaged Community: Any Tribal land or any
territory or possession of the United States, or certain census tracts
in the top 50% (75% for resilience) in at least four of the following
categories--transportation access, health, environmental, economic,
resilience, and equity disadvantage. For more information see https://www.transportation.gov/grants/dot-navigator/federal-tools-determine-disadvantaged-community-status.
    Location-efficient housing: Housing that benefits from being
located in communities near work, schools, services, and amenities and
has accessibility to public transportation networks.
    Meaningful Public Involvement: A process that proactively seeks
full representation from the community, considers public comments and
feedback, and incorporates that feedback into a project, program, or
plan when possible. The impact of community contributions encourages
early and continuous public involvement and brings diverse viewpoints
and values into the decision-making process. This process enables the
community and agencies to make better-informed decisions through
collaborative efforts.
    Place-making: A multi-faceted and collaborative approach to the
planning, design, and management of the public realm to re-activate or
co-create active, accessible and inviting public spaces that promote
the well-being of people.
    Planning: Efforts that support inclusive public participation and
community engagement in developing and implementing a range of
activities to identify, assess, and evaluate community needs, including
but not limited to environmental reviews, data and mapping
visualization, market and mobility studies, health and safety impacts,
and climate vulnerability assessments. Planning assistance may involve
developing or designing for a program or project that aligns with the
goals of the DOT Strategic Plan.
    Rural: For the purposes of this NOFO, rural jurisdictions are those
outside of Urbanized Areas with populations below 50,000. See U.S.
Census Bureau resources on Rural America and Maps of Urbanized Areas. A
list of Urban Areas for the 2010 Census is available in the Federal
Register.
    Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): means a
statewide prioritized listing/program of transportation projects
covering a period of 4 years that is consistent with the long-range
statewide transportation plan, metropolitan transportation plan, and
TIPs, and required for projects to be eligible for funding under title
23 U.S.C. and title 49 U.S.C. chapter 53.
    Technical Assistance: Programs, processes, and resources that
provide targeted support, knowledge or expertise to a community,
region, organization, or other beneficiary to help them access and
utilize Federal funding to develop, analyze, design, and deliver
transportation plans and projects.
    Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): means a prioritized
listing/program of transportation projects covering a period of 4 years
that is developed and formally adopted by an MPO as part of the
metropolitan transportation planning process, consistent with the
metropolitan transportation plan, and required for projects to be
eligible for funding under title 23 U.S.C. and title 49 U.S.C. chapter
53.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 6, 2022.
Christopher Coes,
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Department of
Transportation.

Appendix A. Full Application Checklist

    Before you submit your application to DOT, please ensure that
the following elements are included in your submission.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      [ballot]                  Requirement             Location in NOFO
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ballot]...........  Executive Summary (should be 500  Section D.2.a.
                      words or less).
[ballot]...........  Technical Assistance and          Section D.2.b.
                      Capacity Building Approach
                      (should not be more than 10-
                      single sided, 8.5 x 11-inch
                      pages, with a minimum 12-point
                      font and 1-inch margins).
[ballot]...........  Applicant Expertise, Staffing,    Section D.2.c.
                      and Project Management Plan
                      (should not be more than 7
                      single-sided, 8.5 x 11-inch
                      pages, with a minimum 12-point
                      font and 1-inch margins.
                      Resumes do not count against
                      the page limit).

[ballot]...........  Program Evaluation and            Section D.2.d.
                      Assessment Plan (should not be
                      more than 3 single-sided, 8.5 x
                      11-inch pages, with a minimum
                      12-point font and 1-inch
                      margins).
[ballot]...........  Budget Narrative and Cost         Section D.2.e.
                      Estimate (Excel, Microsoft
                      Word, or PDF document. The
                      Budget and Cost Estimate
                      section should not exceed 2
                      single-sided, 8.5 x 11-inch
                      pages, with a minimum 12-point
                      font and 1-inch margins.
                      Organization or company
                      profiles do not count against
                      the page limit and can be
                      compiled and uploaded together
                      as one PDF file and may be
                      shown as an appendix).
[ballot]...........  Schedule of Milestones and        Section D.2.f.
                      Deliverables (should not be
                      more than 2 single-sided, 8.5 x
                      11-inch pages, with a minimum
                      12-point font and 1-inch
                      margins).
[ballot]...........  All required forms (SF-424, SF-   Section D.2.g.
                      424A, SF-424B, CD-511,
                      Organizational Documentation,
                      ICR Documentation; submitted as
                      separate PDF attachments to
                      application).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2022-22682 Filed 10-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9P-P