[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20182-20191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09269]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Competitive Funding Opportunity: Integrated Mobility Innovation
(IMI) Demonstration Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (USDOT).
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.
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Funding opportunity Number XXXXXXXX; Catalogue of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) No. 20.530
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Integrated Mobility
Innovation (IMI) Demonstration program's primary purpose is to fund
projects that demonstrate innovative, effective approaches, practices,
partnerships, and technologies to enhance public transportation
effectiveness, increase efficiency, expand quality, promote safety, and
improve the traveler's experience. This notice announces the
availability of up to $15 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 and FY 2018
FTA research funds in the form of cooperative agreements for eligible
projects. FTA may award additional funds, if available.
This IMI Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) brings together three
distinct areas of inquiry: Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox
demonstrations; FTA's Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR); and
Mobility Payment Integration (MPI). These areas are integrated in this
NOFO to allow applicants to comprehensively plan multiple areas of
mobility research. FTA requests that all applicants identify the
specific area(s) for which they are applying.
The Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration program will also
leverage FTA's leadership of the Accessible Transportation Technologies
Research Initiative (ATTRI) to ensure that all activities conducted
under this NOFO advance the vision of a Complete Trip for All. The
Complete Trip concept reflects the understanding that a person's travel
comprises a chain of steps beginning with an often-spontaneous decision
to make a trip, through to planning an itinerary, traversing the built
environment and its transportation networks (with or without a
vehicle); navigating streets, intersections, facilities, stations, and
stops to their destination--safely, efficiently, and carefree. The
Complete Trip is the realization that if any part of the trip-making
chain is broken, the trip cannot be completed, and an opportunity is
lost.
DATES: Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time August
6, 2019 through Grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Please send any questions regarding this
notice to Mr. Hendrik Opstelten, Program Manager, Office of Research,
Demonstration and Innovation, (202) 366-8094, or
[email protected]. A Telecommunication Device for the Deaf
(TDD) is available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing at
202-366-3993. In addition, FTA will post answers to questions and
requests for clarifications as well as information about webinars FTA
will host to provide further guidance at https://www.transit.dot.gov/imi
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each section of this notice contains
information and instructions relevant to the application process for
IMI Demonstration projects, and all applicants should read this notice
in its entirety so that they have the information required to submit
eligible and competitive applications.
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review
F. Federal Award Administration
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
A. Program Description
FTA's Public Transportation Innovation program is authorized by
Federal public transportation law at 49 U.S.C. 5312. Under this
authority, FTA may make grants, or enter into contracts, cooperative
agreements, and other agreements for research, development,
demonstration, deployment, and evaluation projects of national
significance to public transportation that the Secretary determines
will improve public transportation. The Integrated Mobility Innovation
(IMI) Demonstration program was developed under this authority.
The IMI Demonstration program and its constituent areas of inquiry
advance the Secretary's strategic goal to lead the development and
deployment of
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innovative practices and technologies that improve the performance of
the nation's transportation system and support economic growth.
Further, this program follows FTA's vision of mobility for all--
promoting equitable, accessible, and safe transportation for everyone.
The program is built upon the opportunities offered by new mobility
options that utilize public-private partnerships, various local assets,
and innovative approaches to enhance personal mobility. These new
models offer travelers more options, more information, and greater
temporal and geographic coverage, thus increasing the vibrancy of all
American communities.
The IMI Demonstration program's goals include:
Exploring new business approaches and emerging technology
solutions that support transformational mobility services;
Enabling communities to adopt innovative mobility
solutions that enhance transportation efficiency and effectiveness; and
Facilitating the widespread deployment of proven mobility
solutions that foster expanded personal mobility.
All applicants are expected to suggest performance measures in
their applications to gauge the success of the proposed solutions
within the above goals. Applicants are also required to note the data
that will be provided to the Department to evaluate performance as well
as provide an overview of how a public data access plan will be
developed.
This NOFO announces the availability of $15 million in Fiscal Year
(FY) 2017 and 2018 FTA research funds. The $15 million will fund
solutions in one or more of the three areas: Mobility on Demand (MOD),
Transit Automation, and Mobility Payment Integration. FTA may make
multiple awards (i.e., select multiple project teams) in each of these
areas. Applicants should identify the area(s) in which they wish to
have their proposal considered for funding. FTA reserves the right to
ultimately determine which Area(s) of Inquiry apply to each proposal.
1. MOD Sandbox Demonstration ($8 Million)
FTA's Mobility on Demand (MOD) initiative envisions improved
mobility through a traveler-centric approach that leverages innovations
in technologies, service methods, and business models. FTA's MOD
Sandbox Demonstrations provide a venue for integrated MOD concepts and
solutions--supported through local partnerships--demonstrated in real-
world settings.
In support of the Mobility on Demand vision, the Sandbox
Demonstration program seeks to:
Advance the transit industry's adoption of MOD;
Enhance the transit industry's ability to formulate and
implement MOD practices, with existing transit service as the backbone
of an integrated mobility ecosystem;
Validate the technical and institutional feasibility of
innovative MOD business models and document best practices emerging
from the demonstrations;
Measure the impacts of MOD on travelers and transportation
systems; and
Examine requirements, regulations, and policies supporting
the adoption of MOD.
The 2016 MOD Sandbox program (https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/mobility-demand-mod-sandbox-program) offered a platform
where transit providers formed partnerships with innovative mobility
providers, technology suppliers, and other partners to demonstrate
innovative concepts and solutions to deliver high-quality,
transformative mobility options in a real-world setting. The eleven
demonstration projects and complementary independent evaluations in the
2016 MOD Sandbox program are helping FTA and related stakeholders learn
how to approach MOD-related policies, and identify which technologies
and business models hold promise. This NOFO solicits projects that
build upon the existing knowledge base of the 2016 MOD Sandbox, and
other demonstration and pilot projects, advancing the state of the
practice and continuing to test MOD models across rural, suburban, and
urban settings.
The state of practice for MOD has evolved since 2016. FTA is aware
that a growing number of transit agencies and communities have
partnered with private mobility providers to integrate new mobility
options for transit users. Some agencies transformed their own
operational and business practices to better meet passenger needs with
new or enhanced services, such as new trip planning tools and
applications; on-demand bus and microtransit operations; and other
flexible service models.
The 2016 Sandbox projects are yielding valuable insights into how
agencies can take advantage of new mobility options. These insights
include the potential value for travelers, and some of the challenges
or potential pitfalls in using these methods of service.
Some initial lessons learned include:
Well-functioning first-mile/last-mile connections are
essential to implementing effective MOD projects regardless of the MOD
technology or business model demonstrated;
Though MOD technologies and approaches can provide new and
enhanced transportation options for all travelers and all communities,
the benefits and impacts of new MOD service models may vary across
different communities;
Access to data and information on demonstration projects
is essential to understanding the impacts of MOD, validating new MOD-
focused metrics, and enabling transit agencies to make effective
operational decisions. However, potential hurdles exist to accessing
MOD pilot project data, including privacy concerns, the protection of
proprietary business information, and data accuracy issues;
Business models must be sustainable for all project
partners, throughout the pilot and beyond; and
The flexibility inherent in research authority allows
project adjustments to respond to changing realities or changing
business priorities, minimizing risk to project participants.
To build on these initial findings, and to continue to advance the
state of the practice, the MOD Sandbox Demonstration component of this
NOFO will focus on the three key areas below, while encouraging other
innovative models and ideas that may not fall into any one category.
Key MOD Sandbox Demonstration Areas:
Projects that enhance traveler linkages (first mile/last
mile) to transportation hubs, enabling travelers to access existing
transportation resources and foster personal mobility. This can include
improved trip planning and payment mechanisms; new service models for
linking travelers to transit stations and other transportation hubs;
and innovative partnerships and approaches that provide new or expanded
options for traveler linkages.
Projects that explore new MOD accessibility models,
approaches, and technologies, especially those that increase access to
transportation choices for older Americans; school-aged populations
traveling independently; persons with disabilities; or other
individuals with limited ability to access existing public
transportation services.
Projects that provide innovative approaches to data
sharing arrangements and data collection methods, enabling increased
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understanding of impacts to travelers and the community. Innovative
approaches include projects that provide open data platforms, open
source technologies, and data sharing agreements that allow public and
controlled access to project data. Innovative approaches can also
include collecting relevant project data to understand MOD impacts such
as crowdsourcing information, and incentive-based participation in data
collection efforts. FTA expects demonstrations funded under this NOFO
to provide a vital real-world testbed as FTA continues to develop a set
of mobility metrics that support the vision of the IMI Demonstration
program.
New MOD Sandbox demonstration projects selected and funded from
this NOFO will be subject to current regulations and policies, the
applicability of which is explained by FTA's Shared Mobility Frequently
Asked Questions document at https://www.transit.dot.gov/shared-mobility. However, FTA understands that innovations proposed in the MOD
Sandbox projects may require new Federal guidelines or changes to
existing regulations and policies. Thus, FTA encourages applicants to
identify in their applications any regulatory or policy challenges they
expect to encounter in the implementation of the proposed
demonstration. Such requests will be reviewed as part of the
application process, and used to help FTA understand barriers to full
implementation of MOD demonstrations. This corresponds to the
Department's and FTA's commitment to supporting innovation by examining
barriers to implementing inventive and practicable demonstration
projects in the transit sector, including examining policy and
regulatory requirements.
2. Transit Automation ($5 Million, Including $3 Million for
Demonstration 1 and $2 Million for Demonstration 2)
FTA developed the five-year Strategic Transit Automation Research
(STAR) Plan (https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/strategic-transit-automation-research-plan-report-0116) to explore the use of
vehicle automation technologies in bus transit operations. The transit
industry is increasingly interested in the potential applications and
benefits of automation, including safety and operational improvements,
cost savings, and new forms of transit service that provide increased
mobility, flexibility, and convenience. Additionally, an initial
analysis confirmed there are several partial automation applications
with a clear business case for transit agency investment. That is, the
technology investment costs for these applications could readily be
recouped through future operational savings (STAR Plan, Appendix D:
Transit Automation Benefit-Cost Analysis Report. https://www.transit.dot.gov/research-innovation/strategic-transit-automation-research-plan-report-0116).
The goal of STAR is to advance transit readiness for automation by:
Conducting enabling research to achieve safe and effective
transit automation deployments;
Identifying and resolving barriers to deployment of
transit automation;
Leveraging technologies from other sectors to move transit
automation forward;
Demonstrating market-ready technologies in real-world
settings; and
Transferring knowledge to the transit stakeholder
community.
This NOFO solicits specific automation projects noted in the STAR
plan roadmap, including:
Automated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for
Transit Buses, which seek to demonstrate market-ready or near market-
ready advanced driver assistance technologies (automation levels 0-2 as
defined in Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J3016 [June 2018]) to
support partial transit automation in revenue service. And
Automated Shuttles, focusing on shuttle buses with Level 4
automation and with use cases including circulator and feeder bus
service.
All automation projects must address a range of factors related to
transit, including:
System performance, capabilities, limitations, and
effectiveness;
Transit operations and maintenance;
Service quality;
Safety and security, including cybersecurity;
Passenger experience, comfort, acceptance, and willingness
to use;
Communication and equipment needs and costs;
Overall cost-effectiveness; and
Transferability.
Additional factors that should be included are noted for each of
the specific demonstration areas.
Automated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for Transit Buses
($3 Million)--Demonstration 1
In support of the STAR Plan's goal to demonstrate ADAS for Transit
Buses (defined as a rubber-tired automotive vehicle used for the
provision of public transportation service) projects are sought that
will demonstrate use cases including, but not limited to:
Smooth acceleration and deceleration;
Automatic emergency braking and pedestrian collision
avoidance;
Curb avoidance;
Object avoidance;
Precision docking;
Narrow lane/shoulder operations; and
Platooning.
A project team may demonstrate one or more use cases. Applicants
may also propose other ADAS use cases not identified above.
In addition to the factors related to automation demonstrations,
generally, ADAS demonstrations must address:
Human factors, including training drivers in ADAS
operation, establishing understanding to avoid over-reliance on or
under-utilization of ADAS, and evaluating the driver-vehicle interface;
and
Bus operator experience and acceptance.
Eligible Projects: FTA is seeking innovative projects to
demonstrate market-ready or near market-ready advanced driver
assistance technologies to support partial transit automation in
revenue service. Demonstrations can be conducted with technologies and
vehicles that can be adapted or retrofitted to the purpose relatively
quickly. Eligible activities include applicable project planning and
systems engineering activities leading to the demonstration of ADAS use
cases, such as requirements, architecture and design development,
installation integration, and testing.
Automated Shuttles ($2 Million)--Demonstration 2
FTA will fund one or more projects that demonstrate the integration
of automated shuttles into a transit system (e.g., connecting to
existing transit stops or integrating with fare payment and trip
planning systems) using a route (or several routes) in mixed traffic on
public roads.
Demonstrations will utilize nearly market-ready automated shuttles
to support transit automation (SAE Level 4). Preference will be given
to projects operating in revenue service. Existing automated shuttle
projects in the United States and abroad have demonstrated basic
functionality and user acceptance, so appropriate projects should seek
to demonstrate operations in more complex operating environments (e.g.,
in mixed traffic on public roads, including operations at
intersections) and integrate with an existing transit service (e.g., a
station feeder service or
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other new routes that provide links to existing transit stops),
possibly including integration with payment and trip planning systems.
For more information on the Department's voluntary guidance on
automated driving systems at SAE levels 3-5 please refer to AV 3.0 at
https://www.transportation.gov/av/3.
Projects can include one or more automated shuttle use case
including, but not limited to, circulator service and/or feeder
service.
In addition to the factors related to automation demonstrations,
generally, automated shuttle demonstrations must address:
Human factors, including communicating shuttle intent and
human-machine interface;
Accessibility for people with disabilities, at a level
which complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and beyond,
ensuring contribution to an accessible Complete Trip;
On-board attendant experience and acceptance; and
Perceptions and acceptance by other road users, such as
bicyclists and pedestrians.
Applicants should also provide information showing that any
automated shuttles comply with the National Highway Safety
Administration's (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)
or are operating consistent with an exemption from those standards
issued by NHTSA. If, conversely, an applicant wishes to use a vehicle
that is not compliant and does not have an applicable exemption, the
applicant should provide information concerning its plan to apply for
the necessary exemption.
In addition, FTA may also select the Automated Shuttles
Demonstration project for ``twinning,'' which is an ongoing knowledge
exchange, with a relevant European Commission-funded automated road
transport research project.
Eligible Projects: FTA is seeking innovative projects to
demonstrate nearly market-ready automated shuttles to support transit
automation (SAE level 4). Eligible activities include applicable
project design and planning activities leading to the demonstration of
automated shuttle use cases.
3. Mobility Payment Integration ($2 Million)
The Mobility Payment Integration (MPI) research area was developed
from FTA's recognition of the emergence and rapid evolution of the
mobility payment marketplace, its importance in managing and
integrating mobility, and ultimately, its overall influence on mobility
outcomes. Integrating payment for different types of transportation
services in a region can facilitate seamless travel across a variety of
modes, including public transportation, transportation network
companies, car and bike sharing services, micro-transit providers, and
even private vehicles. Payment integration will enable the full use and
coordination of public-sector and private-sector mobility resources to
expand mobility options in communities across America. In keeping with
FTA's commitment to equity and accessibility, payment integration
solutions funded under this NOFO will address universal usability by
all people, including those with disabilities as well as those who are
under-banked or unbanked.
Convenient, useful payment systems are a key provision of FTA's
Mobility Innovation goals. To advance the state of the practice in this
area, FTA seeks to assess the feasibility of different payment
integration technologies and strategies through the MPI demonstrations.
Key areas to explore will include back-office operational models
(including financial and accounting systems), institutional
collaboration and experience, user experience, and interoperability and
sustainability of such systems. Furthermore, MPI is also structured to
explore the feasibility and impact of integrating payment services
beyond the traditional mobility ecosystem, such as retail, banking, and
health care industries.
This NOFO solicits demonstration projects in MPI with a focus on
two topical areas: Payment Equity and Human Service Transportation
Coordination; and Integrated Mobility and Beyond.
Payment Equity and Human Service Transportation Coordination
An informal assessment of data suggests that between 10 and 50% of
transit riders use cash as their primary method of payment, to include
on-vehicle payment and at transit ticket vending machines. Reasons for
cash only payments range from personal preference to lack of access to
non-cash payment products or services. In addition, some American
households do not have relationships with traditional financial
institutions (i.e., they are unbanked). To address these populations,
MPI Demonstration 1 will focus on the development and demonstration of
mobility payment solutions for one or more of the following groups:
a. Unbanked and underbanked populations;
b. Populations without access to mobile devices and/or mobile data
access; and
c. Human service transportation users.
Projects selected under this MPI focus area will plan, develop,
demonstrate, evaluate, and refine solutions to ensure equitable access
to transit and mobility systems by: Unbanked or underbanked
populations; the technology disadvantaged; and vulnerable groups (low-
income, minority, older adults, students and young travelers, and
people with disabilities). Furthermore, projects should seek to
validate payment integration's ability to enhance the experience of
travelers from the targeted groups, thus enabling them to more
effectively use the mobility system to connect them with more economic,
healthcare, educational, social, and recreational opportunities. This
demonstration aims to uncover and showcase how public transportation
agencies and mobility providers can ensure equity and accessibility
when deploying integrated payment solutions.
Integrated Mobility and Beyond
Multi-modal and multi-provider payment integration requires
enabling technologies and institutional partnerships. Demonstration(s)
in this topical area will focus on operationalizing an integrated
single payment account across multiple public and private mobility
services (i.e., some combination of single or multiple transit agencies
plus transportation network companies, bikeshare, carshare, ride
hailing, taxi, scooters, and/or microtransit). FTA welcomes
applications that address the following opportunities for integration:
Transportation adjacencies (e.g., tolling, parking, motor
vehicle administrative transactions, electric charging stations);
Specialized and demand-response transportation (e.g.,
human service transportation, faith-based transportation, non-emergency
medical transportation, paratransit, volunteer-based transportation,
closed or open-loop shuttle services, employee and campus
transportation);
Multiple non-transit/non-mobility services (e.g., retail,
incentivization, loyalty programs);
Social programs (e.g., travelers with disabilities,
student discounts, transit benefits, social security, senior citizens,
veteran benefits, human service programs); and
Access and authorization (e.g., student cards, government
IDs, campus/academic cards, library access,
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community and facility access, municipal programs, age-based program
IDs).
Applicants wishing to pursue an integrated mobility demonstration
should address practical and sustainable partnership models among
multiple agencies and providers. Applicants will investigate effective
system-wide mobility and business or technology partnerships. These
partnerships should be supported by scalable and sustainable back-
office procedures and operations. Institutional collaboration should
address harmonization of business rules and fare policies, as well as
collaborative incentivization strategies.
Due to the anticipated complexity of structuring and developing a
multi-agency, multi-modal, multi-provider system, FTA recognizes that
most applicants will plan and implement their respective mobility
payment integration projects in phases beyond the scope of this
demonstration. Phases can be structured to capture different aspects
such as incremental expansion of service areas or regions, layering of
different service providers (transportation, mobility, retail,
government, etc.) over a period, expansion of interregional operations,
or geography-agnostic interoperability, etc. This incremental approach
can leverage lessons learned in each phase to refine and optimize
subsequent strategies.
FTA requires that all applicants describe their vision and phased
planning and implementation plan toward an integrated mobility payment
system, and clearly indicate which phase(s) the requested funding will
address.
B. Federal Award Information
1. Amount Available
This notice makes available $15 million under the Public
Transportation Innovation program (49 U.S.C. 5312(b)), which FTA
intends to award in the form of cooperative agreements, to support the
research, development, demonstration, deployment, and evaluation of
research and technology of national significance to public
transportation that the Secretary determines will improve public
transportation.
2. Award Size
There is no minimum or maximum award amount. Rather, project scale
will be bounded by each project's ability to complete all proposed
planning and development activities and launch the demonstration within
12 months of project award. FTA intends to fund as many meritorious
projects as possible. Only proposals from eligible recipients for
eligible activities will be considered for funding. Due to funding
limitations, applications that are selected for funding may receive
less than the amount originally requested. In those cases, applicants
must be able to demonstrate that the proposed projects are still viable
and can be completed with the amount awarded.
3. Type of Assistance Instrument
Projects funded through this NOFO will be structured as cooperative
agreements in which the federal government will have substantial
involvement. The federal role will include active participation in the
project activities by attending review meetings, commenting on
technical reports, and maintaining frequent contact with the local
project manager. FTA reserves the right to re-direct project activities
and funding for projects supported under this NOFO and their related
activities.
4. Previous Award
Recipients of funding under the 2016 Mobility on Demand Sandbox
demonstration program may apply for funding to support additional
projects or enhancements to previously developed activities. To be
competitive, the applicant should demonstrate the extent to which the
newly proposed project is indeed a new effort, and not a continuation
of a prior project.
5. Project Timelines
Projects funded under the IMI Demonstration program will be allowed
a maximum of 12 months for project planning. A minimum of 12 months of
demonstration activity is required.
6. Restrictions on Funding
The IMI Demonstration program is a research and development effort
and, as such, FTA Research Circular 6100.1E (available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/fta-circulars/research-technical-assistance-and-training-program) rules will apply in
administering the program.
C. Eligibility
To be selected for the IMI Demonstration program, an applicant must
be an eligible applicant and the project must be an eligible project as
defined below:
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants under this notice are providers of public
transportation, including public transportation agencies, state/local
government DOTs, and federally recognized Indian tribes. Eligible
applicants must identify one or more strategic project partner(s) with
a substantial interest and involvement in the project. Applications
must clearly identify the eligible applicant and all project partners
on the project team.
Eligible project partners under this program may include, but are
not limited to:
Private for-profit and not-for-profit organizations,
including shared-use mobility providers, technology system suppliers
and integrators, automated vehicle technology providers, property
managers and developers, and others;
private operators of transportation services, such as
employee shuttle services, airport connector services, university
transportation systems, or parking and tolling authorities;
bus manufacturers;
state or local government entities, including multi-
jurisdictional partnerships, and organizations such as a Metropolitan
Planning Organization; or
other organizations including consultants, research
consortia or not-for-profit industry organizations, and institutions of
higher education.
The project team should include all project partners necessary to
successfully carry out the prospective project, and structured to
efficiently leverage Federal funds.
The applicant must be able to carry out the proposed agreement and
procurements, if needed, with project partners in compliance with all
applicable Federal, state, and local laws.
Key Partners can be designated by applicants. A key partner is
defined as one that shares the costs, risks, and rewards of early
deployment and demonstration of innovation. FTA may also determine that
any identified project partner in the proposal is a key partner and
make any award conditional upon the participation of that key partner.
A key partner is essential to the project as approved by FTA and is
therefore eligible for a noncompetitive award by the applicant to
provide the goods or services described in the application. The
applicant shall clearly indicate whether each partner is a key partner.
A key partner's participation on a selected project may not be
substituted later without FTA's approval.
2. Eligible Projects
Eligible activities include all activities leading to the
demonstration, such as planning and developing business models,
obtaining equipment and service, acquiring or developing software and
hardware interfaces to
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implement the project, operating the demonstration, and providing data
to support performance measurement and evaluation.
FTA continues to seek bold and innovative ideas to advance the
vision of MOD: Complete trips for all travelers using emerging
technologies, applications, practices, and service models in concert
with existing public transportation systems and resources.
Where applicable, eligible projects should consider how to address
accessibility for persons with disabilities, including persons who use
wheelchairs, and for older riders, affordability for individuals with
lower incomes, impacts on the local community, broad access to mobility
options for all travelers, as well as payment options that can
accommodate all users, including the unbanked and underbanked. Planning
activities should ensure that all stakeholders are involved, including
people with disabilities. Eligible demonstrations will consist of a
minimum 12-month field test and must be implemented and operational
within 12 months of project award.
It should be noted that the program description section of this
NOFO contains additional eligibility information with respect to the
transit automation programmatic area. All applicants should closely
review the Program Description section of this NOFO.
3. Cost Sharing or Matching
The Federal share of project costs under this program is limited to
80 percent. Applicants may seek a lower Federal contribution. The
applicant must provide the local share of the net project cost in cash,
or in-kind, and must document in its application the source of the
local match. Eligible sources of local match are detailed in FTA
Research Circular 6100.1E. (available at https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTACir6100.1E.docx4.08.2015%282%290.pdf).
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address
Applications must be submitted electronically through GRANTS.GOV.
General information for submitting applications through GRANTS.GOV can
be found at the following URL: https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/applying/applying-fta-funding along with specific instructions
for the forms and attachments required for submission. Mail and fax
submissions will not be accepted. A complete proposal submission
consists of two forms: The SF424 Application for Federal Assistance
(available at GRANTS.GOV) and the supplemental form for the 2018
Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration program (available at
GRANTS.GOV). Failure to submit the information as requested can delay
review or disqualify the application.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
i. Submission
The application must include the Standard Form 424 (Application for
Federal Assistance), cover page, and the Project Narrative, with the
Applicant and a Proposal Profile supplemental form attached. The
application must include responses to all sections of the SF-424
mandatory form and the supplemental form unless a section is designated
as optional. FTA will use the information on the supplemental form to
determine applicant and project eligibility for the program and to
evaluate the proposal against the selection criteria described in part
E of this notice. FTA will accept only one supplemental form per SF-424
submission. FTA encourages applicants to consider submitting a single
supplemental form that includes multiple activities to be evaluated as
a consolidated proposal. If an applicant chooses to submit separate
proposals for individual consideration by FTA, it must submit each
proposal with a separate SF-424 and supplemental form.
An applicant may attach additional supporting information to the
SF-424 submission and supplemental form submission, including but not
limited to letters of support, project budgets, fleet status reports,
or excerpts from relevant planning documents. Supporting documentation
must be described and referenced by file name in the appropriate
response section of the supplemental form, or it may not be reviewed.
Information such as applicant name, Federal amount requested, local
match amount, description of areas served, etc., may be requested in
varying degrees of detail on both the SF-424 form and supplemental
form. An applicant must fill in all fields unless stated otherwise on
the forms. If copying information into the supplemental form from
another source, the applicant should verify that the supplemental form
has fully captured pasted text and that it has not truncated the text
due to character limits built into the form. An applicant should use
both the ``Check Package for Errors'' and the ``Validate Form''
validation buttons on both forms to check all required fields on the
forms. An applicant should also ensure that the Federal and local
amounts specified are consistent throughout the application.
ii. Application Content
The SF-424 Mandatory Form and the supplemental form will prompt
applicants for the required information, including:
a. Applicant name.
b. Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number.
c. Key contact information (including contact name, address, email
address, and phone).
d. Congressional districts where the project will be carried out.
e. A description of the technical, legal, and financial capacity of
the applicant.
f. A discussion of the overall goals of the proposed project, with
proposed performance measures including the current state of mobility
innovation in the community or service area of the proposed project,
current challenges in providing robust, flexible, and accessible
transportation options, integration challenges or gaps, and how the
proposed project will address those needs. The discussion should
include demographics for the areas expected to be served, a description
of the current opportunities and need to improve mobility choices for
all, and if applicable, recent local and/or national trends or
developments that make this proposed project particularly timely.
Additionally, all proposals should describe the extent to which the
project builds, if applicable, on past research, innovation, or
development efforts, and how this project will further advance
innovative practices.
g. A description of the project partners, both technical and
institutional, their roles, and their anticipated contributions.
Indicate which of the project partners are ``key partners'' essential
to the success of the proposed project. Additionally, the project team
is encouraged to provide letters of commitment or support from each of
the project partners as well as any agreements among the project
partners. Describe the business model, service model, or approach that
will be used to implement the demonstration project and any public-
private partnerships formed to achieve the project objectives. Specify
any unique or innovative approaches used to
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coordinate and coalesce the project partners and local stakeholders.
h. A discussion of the expected outcomes and benefits of the
proposed project to the individual travelers and the community; and how
the goals and outcomes will be measured.
i. A description of the extent to which the proposed project is
replicable in other communities, and the national significance of the
project, if any.
j. A description of how, and the extent to which, the proposed
project addresses accessible and equitable mobility service for all
travelers, including persons with disabilities, older individuals,
school age populations, and individuals with lower incomes or in
underserved communities.
k. A description of any Federal, state, or local requirements or
policies that the project team expects to present challenges to
successfully implementing the proposed project.
l. A preliminary data management plan (DMP) which details the types
of data that will be generated, and how the project team will provide
access for FTA or its designee to this project-related data for
purposes of evaluation, and a subset to the public.
m. A detailed description and supporting evidence (e.g., signed
memorandum of understanding, executed data agreements, detailed plans
on what and how to share data between partners, etc.) related to
project data collection, management, sharing, and usage.
n. A timeline of project implementation detailing all significant
milestones and the roles of the responsible project partners. The
timeline should include elements such as when the project will start,
when it will be fully operational, and the length of time for
anticipated data collection activities.
o. Financials and Budget
Identify funding requirements for the proposed project,
noting the specific sources and uses for the funds proposed, with
enough detail to indicate the various key components of the project.
Document the matching funds, including amount and source
of the match (may include local or private sector financial
participation in the project), or documents supporting the commitment
of non-Federal funding to the project, or a timeframe upon which those
commitments would be made.
Applicants may attach to the supplemental form supporting materials
and documentation as appropriate. Applicants are encouraged to clearly
reference all attachments in the Applicant and Proposal supplemental
form. Suggested attachments include graphics, maps, letters of support,
and other documents to support the proposal.
3. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and
System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before
submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid DUNS number in its
application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration
with current information at all times during which it has an active
Federal award or an application under consideration by FTA. FTA may not
make a grant award to an applicant until the applicant has complied
with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. FTA will review an
applicant's SAM registration status to make responsibility
determination.
These requirements do not apply if the applicant: (1) Is an
individual; (2) is excepted from the requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b)
or (c); or (3) has an exception approved by FTA under 2 CFR 25.110(d).
FTA may not make an award until the applicant has complied with all
applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time FTA
is ready to make an award, FTA may determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for
making a Federal award to another applicant. All applicants must
provide a unique entity identifier provided by SAM. Registration in SAM
may take as little as 3-5 business days, but there can be unexpected
steps or delays. For example, the applicant may need to obtain an
Employer Identification Number. FTA recommends allowing ample time, up
to several weeks, to complete all steps. For additional information on
obtaining a unique entity identifier, please visit www.sam.gov.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Project proposals must be submitted electronically through
GRANTS.GOV by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 6, 2019. Mail and fax
submissions will not be accepted.
FTA urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior
to the due date to allow time to correct any problems that may have
caused either GRANTS.GOV or FTA systems to reject the submission.
Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered under
extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant's control.
Deadlines will not be extended due to scheduled website maintenance.
GRANTS.GOV scheduled maintenance and outage times are announced on the
GRANTS.GOV website. Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic
application, the applicant should receive two email messages from
GRANTS.GOV: (1) Confirmation of successful transmission to GRANTS.GOV;
and (2) confirmation of successful validation by GRANTS.GOV. If the
applicant does not receive confirmation of successful validation or
receives a notice of failed validation or incomplete materials, the
applicant must address the reason for the failed validation, as
described in the email notice, and resubmit before the submission
deadline. If making a resubmission for any reason, applicants must
include all original attachments regardless of which attachments were
updated and check the box on the supplemental form indicating this is a
resubmission.
Applicants are encouraged to begin the process of registration on
the GRANTS.GOV site well in advance of the submission deadline.
Registration is a multi-step process, which may take several weeks to
complete before an application can be submitted. Registered applicants
may still be required to update their registration before submitting an
application. Registration in SAM is renewed annually and persons making
submissions on behalf of the Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) must be authorized in GRANTS.GOV by the AOR to make submissions.
5. Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review)
The regulations effectuating Executive Order 12372 regarding
intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply
to this NOFO.
6. Funding Restrictions
Funds under this NOFO cannot be used to reimburse projects for
otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to FTA award of a
Cooperative Agreement unless FTA has issued a ``Letter of No
Prejudice'' for the project before the expenses are incurred.
The Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration program is a
research, development, and demonstration effort and as such FTA
Research Circular 6100.1E rules will apply in administering the
program.
7. Other Submission Requirements
FTA encourages applicants to identify scaled funding options in
case
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insufficient funding is available to fund a project at the full
requested amount. If an applicant indicates that a project is scalable,
the applicant must provide an appropriate minimum funding amount that
will fund an eligible project that achieves the objectives of the
program and meets all relevant program requirements. The applicant must
provide a clear explanation of how a reduced reward would affect the
project budget. FTA may award a lesser amount regardless of whether the
applicant provides a scalable option.
E. Application Review
1. Selection Criteria
Project proposals will be evaluated by FTA per the following five
selection criteria. FTA strongly encourages each applicant to
demonstrate the responsiveness of a project to all criteria shown below
with the most relevant information that the applicant can provide.
The five selection criteria are:
i. Project Impact and Outcomes--FTA is seeking projects that
address demonstrated mobility needs in the local community and uncover
the potential of integrated mobility innovation to benefit the mobility
of all users, including those with a range of functional abilities.
Applicants should provide adequate contextual information about the
nature of these needs (supported with statistical analysis, operational
data, maps, and/or diagrams, where relevant) and clearly articulate how
their proposal is designed to address those challenges, and meet FTA's
goals for Mobility Innovation.
Applications should indicate how they expect to use the data they
collect to evaluate the impact of their project, recognizing that
ultimately this will involve collaboration between the applicant and an
independent evaluator. Specifically, an essential element of all
applications is a set of performance measures that clearly notes how
success with the goals of the proposal will be measured and how the
data will be collected.
ii. Innovation--The application should discuss the expected utility
of new service models, systems, and technologies in ways that advance
FTA's mobility goals and the state of the practice. Applications that
test multiple innovative approaches will be given higher consideration.
iii. Transferability and Technology Transfer--Since knowledge
transfer is a key goal of demonstrations, proposals that have a high
degree of transferability to other public transportation agencies and
locations or are otherwise scalable will be given priority.
Additionally, applicants should note how they will support technology
transfer of their findings, and are encouraged to note outreach
mechanisms to support information sharing.
iv. Project Approach--The proposed project must be explained in
sufficient detail and clarity to engender confidence in its eventual
success. The proposal should present a realistic and detailed
description of the overall project workflow, delineating project roles
and responsibilities, and noting potential project risks and
mitigations. The project budget should be supported by documentation on
the source and credibility of the estimates. Sources of local matching
funds should be clearly identified and documented, noting any
restrictions or limitations to use. A robust evaluation framework
should be provided, including details on how relevant demonstration
data will both be collected, stored, and shared, with assurances that
there are no contractual or other impediments to sharing data with FTA
and the independent evaluator. FTA favors applications that evidence
detailed readiness (such as a signed data agreement) among all project
partners for project data collection, management, sharing, and use.
Applications that demonstrate strong commitment to share data with FTA,
in a way that addresses confidential business information (CBI) or
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) concerns, will be viewed more
positively.
v. Team Capacity, Experience, and Commitment--Applicants should
provide information on the experience and capabilities of the project
management team and implementation staff, and the extent of local
commitment to the project and any relevant partnerships, including with
other public-sector entities. Applications must evidence an
understanding of the current state of the practice in mobility.
Applicants are advised to submit information on partners' qualification
and experience as a part of the application. FTA is seeking proposals
that minimize project risk through appropriate staffing and robust
community support. However, prior experience with similar projects is
not required.
Each selection criterion will be judged in the frame of the Area of
Inquiry identified by the applicant. Therefore, applicants should
clearly reference how their proposal advances the specific goals,
objectives, and other intents of the applicable Area of Inquiry as they
address the selection criteria.
2. Review and Selection Process
A technical evaluation panel comprising FTA, other Departmental,
and/or Federal agency staff will review project proposals against the
selection criteria listed above. The technical evaluation committee may
seek clarification from any applicant about any statement made in a
proposal. FTA may also request additional documentation or information
to be considered during the evaluation process. After the evaluation of
all eligible proposals, the technical evaluation committee will provide
project recommendations to the FTA Administrator. The FTA Administrator
will determine the final list of project selections, and the amount of
funding for each project. Geographic diversity, diversity of project
type, the applicant's receipt of other Federal funding, and projects
located in or that support public transportation service in a qualified
opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-1 may be
considered in FTA's award decisions. FTA may prioritize projects
proposed with a higher local share.
In addition to the criteria and considerations outlined in this
section, the FTA Administrator will consider the following key
Departmental objectives:
Supporting economic vitality at the national and regional
level;
Leveraging Federal funding to attract other, non-Federal
sources of investment, including value capture;
Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite
project delivery; and
Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance
and achieving specific, measurable outcomes with supporting data.
F. Federal Award Administration
1. Federal Award Notice
The FTA Administrator will announce the final project selections on
the FTA website.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
i. Independent Evaluation
Projects funded under this announcement will be subject to
evaluation by an independent evaluator selected and funded separately
by FTA. Recipients will be required to coordinate with the independent
evaluator to assist in developing an evaluation plan; and collecting,
storing, and managing data required to fulfill that evaluation plan.
[[Page 20190]]
ii. Draft Mobility Metrics
Projects funded under this announcement will be required to support
the efforts of FTA or its designee to evaluate the project and its
outcomes against a set of in-development Mobility Metrics, which will
be shared with selected project teams upon award.
iii. Data Access and Data Sharing
Projects funded under this announcement will be required to gather
and share all relevant and required data with the FTA within
appropriate and agreed-upon timelines, to support project evaluation.
The Department may make available a secure data system to store
data for evaluation (more information available at https://its.dot.gov/data/secure/), or projects may suggest an appropriate third-party
system where Departmental analysts can conduct their work, with FTA
approval. Applicants should budget for the costs of data storage and
sharing as appropriate.
In response to the White House Office of Science and Technology
Policy memorandum dated February 22, 2013, entitled Increasing Access
to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research, the Department
is incorporating Public Access requirements into all funding awards
(grants and cooperative agreements) for scientific research. All work
conducted under the Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration
program must follow the Department data policies outlined in the DOT
Public Access Plan at: https://ntl.bts.gov/public-access/how-comply.
Recipients are required to include these obligations in any sub-awards
or other related funding agreements.
The FTA expects Recipients to remove CBI and PII before providing
public access to project data. Recipients must ensure the appropriate
data are accessible to the FTA and/or the public for a minimum of five
years after the award period of performance expires.
Additionally, information submitted as part of or in support of an
IMI Demonstration program-funded project shall make every attempt to
use publicly available data or data that can be made public and
methodologies that are accepted by industry practice and standards, to
the extent possible. FTA recognizes that certain partnerships may pose
a challenge to data sharing and will work with each recipient to
develop an appropriate data management plan (DMP) building upon the
preliminary DMP submitted in the application.
Recipients must make available to the Department copies of all work
developed in performance of a project funded under this announcement,
including but not limited to software and data. Data rights shall be in
accordance with 2 CFR 200.315, Intangible property.
If the submission includes information the applicant considers to
be trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information,
the applicant should do the following: (1) Note on the front cover that
the submission ``Contains Confidential Business Information (CBI)'';
(2) mark each affected page ``CBI''; and (3) highlight or otherwise
denote the CBI portions. FTA protects such information from disclosure
to the extent allowed under applicable law. If FTA receives a Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) request for the information, FTA will follow
the procedures described in the Department's FOIA regulations at 49 CFR
part 7.
iv. Knowledge and Technology Transfer
Project teams may be asked to participate in information exchange
meetings, webinars, or outreach events to support FTA's goal of
advancing the state of the practice. Project teams will be required to
work with FTA to support knowledge transfer by participating in a
relevant community of practice or similar activity. Applicants should
allocate a portion of their budgets to support such work, which may
include travel or presentations at key industry gatherings, such as
conferences of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA),
Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO),
Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA) America,
Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Department, among others.
Projects with significant potential impacts on the mobility of
persons with disabilities will be specifically encouraged to
participate in FTA-supported cross-program coordination efforts. Such
collaboration will bring together experts from the public, private,
government, and academic sectors who share information and lessons
learned from the development of technologies and business models with
the potential to reduce the mobility barrier facing those with
disabilities. The intent of this participation is to promote the
success of projects funded under this NOFO, and to transfer knowledge
and practices specific to accessibility.
v. Equity and Accessibility Planning
Funded projects will be required to produce, within 4 months of
award, a draft equity and accessibility plan. Such plans will clearly
identify the steps to be taken to ensure the usability of the proposed
service or technology by people with disabilities, as well as those who
are unbanked or have lower incomes. As part of these plans, projects
will be required to engage a stakeholder group comprised of
representatives of impacted communities, and to clearly identify how
stakeholder input will be garnered and utilized in the project's
development.
vi. Pre-Award Authority
FTA will issue specific guidance to recipients regarding pre-award
authority at the time of selection. FTA does not provide pre-award
authority for discretionary funds until projects are selected, and even
then, there are Federal requirements that must be met before costs are
incurred. For more information about FTA's policy on pre-award
authority, please see the FY 2018 Apportionment Notice published on
July 16, 2018. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2018-07-16/pdf/2018-14989.pdf.
vii. Planning
FTA encourages applicants to notify the appropriate State
Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPO) in areas likely to be served by the project funds made available
under these initiatives and programs.
viii. Standard Assurances
The applicant assures that it will comply with all applicable
Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, directives, FTA
circulars, and other Federal administrative requirements in carrying
out any project supported by the FTA agreement. The applicant
acknowledges that it is under a continuing obligation to comply with
the terms and conditions of the grant or cooperative agreement issued
for its project with FTA. The applicant understands that Federal laws,
regulations, policies, and administrative practices might be modified
from time to time and may affect the implementation of the project. The
applicant agrees that the most recent Federal requirements will apply
to the project, unless FTA issues a written determination otherwise.
The applicant must submit the Certifications and Assurances before
entering into a grant or cooperative agreement if it does not have
current certifications on file.
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ix. Buy America
FTA requires that all capital procurements meet FTA's Buy America
requirements per 49 U.S.C. 5323(j), which require that all iron, steel,
or manufactured products be produced in the United States. Federal
public transportation law provides for a phased increase in the
domestic content for rolling stock. For FY 2019, the cost of components
and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 65
percent of the cost of all components. For FY 2020 and beyond, the cost
of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be
more than 70 percent of the cost of all components. There is no change
to the requirement that final assembly of rolling stock must occur in
the United States. FTA issued guidance on the implementation of the
phased increase in domestic content on September 1, 2016 (81 FR 60278).
Applicants should read the policy guidance carefully to determine the
applicable domestic content requirement for their project. Any proposal
that will require a waiver must identify in the application the items
for which a waiver will be sought. Applicants should not proceed with
the expectation that waivers will be granted, nor should applicants
assume that selection of a project under the Low-No Program that
includes a partnership with a manufacturer, vendor, consultant, or
other third party constitutes a waiver of the Buy America requirements
applicable at the time the project is undertaken. Consistent with
Executive Order 13858 Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for
Infrastructure Projects, signed by President Trump on January 31, 2019,
applicants should maximize the use of goods, products, and materials
produced in the United States, in Federal procurements and through the
terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards. Additional
information on Buy America requirements can be found at https://www.transit.dot.gov/buyamerica.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information concerning this NOFO, please contact Mr.
Hendrik Opstelten by phone at 202-366-8094, or by email at
[email protected]. A TDD is available for individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing at 800-877-8339. In addition, FTA will post
answers to questions and requests for clarifications on FTA's website
at https://www.transit.dot.gov/imi. To ensure applicants receive
accurate information about eligibility or the program, the applicant is
encouraged to contact FTA directly, rather than through intermediaries
or third parties, with questions.
Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
Address Name
Address Line 2
City, State, Zip
Dear Name:
Thank you for your letter supporting the application submitted by
Applicant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fiscal Year
(FY) 2019 Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) Demonstration program.
The IMI Demonstration program is administered by the Federal
Transit Administration (FTA), and funded under Federal public
transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5312) through the Federal Public
Transportation Innovation program. FTA expects to award several
cooperative agreements up to a total of $15 million under this program.
The IMI Demonstration program's primary purpose is to fund projects
that demonstrate innovative, effective approaches, practices,
partnerships, and technologies to enhance public transportation
effectiveness, increase efficiency, expand quality, promote safety, and
improve the traveler's experience. The program will fund solutions in
one or more of the three areas identified in the notice of funding
opportunity: Mobility on Demand, Transit Automation, and Mobility
Payment Integration.
All properly submitted applications for this funding will receive
full and careful consideration. FTA will announce final project
selections after the review process is complete.
Your interest in this program is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Signatory
[FR Doc. 2019-09269 Filed 5-7-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P