[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 215 (Friday, November 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60168-60176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29777]
[[Page 60167]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part V
Department of Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
Federal Transit Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
Job Access and Reverse Commute Competitive Grants; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 215 / Friday, November 6, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 60168]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Job Access and Reverse Commute Competitive Grants
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; solicitation for grant
applications.
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SUMMARY: the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announces the first round of competitive grants
under the Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program, authorized
under Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (TEA-21). The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is
intended to establish a regional approach to job access challenges
through the establishment of a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute
Transportation Plan. Projects derived from this plan support the
implementation of a variety of transportation services that may be
needed to connect welfare recipients to jobs and related employment
activities. All projects funded under the Job Access and Reverse
Commute grant program must be derived from this regional plan. The Job
Access and Reverse Commute Program has two major goals: to provide
transportation services in urban, suburban and rural areas to assist
welfare recipients and low income individuals access employment
opportunities, and to increase collaboration among the transportation
providers, human service agencies, employers, metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs), states, and affected communities and individuals.
While the projects must be planned in coordination with traditional
transit authorities and transportation planning organizations, other
interested organizations could take the lead in establishing the
collaborative planning process or project application. The Job Access
and Reverse Commute grant program will support projects that are
implemented by a wide range of transportation providers. One key
element is making the most efficient use of existing public, nonprofit
and private transportation service providers.
A Job Access project is designed to transport welfare recipients
and low-income individuals in urban, suburban, or rural areas to and
from jobs and activities related to their employment. Job Access
projects implement new transportation services or extend existing
services to fill the gaps that exist in many areas between where
welfare recipients and low-income persons live and employment
opportunities. A Reverse Commute Project is designed to transport the
general public from urban, suburban, and rural areas to suburban
employment opportunities. Job Access and Reverse Commute grants funded
under this program may not be used for planning or coordinating
activities and cannot supplant existing sources of funding.
Funding for Job Access grants is authorized at $150 million
annually. $50 million of this amount is guaranteed in fiscal year (FY)
1999. The guaranteed portion rises by $25 million a year, reaching the
full authorized $150 million in FY 2003. Funding above the guaranteed
level depends on congressional appropriations. No more than $10 million
annually can be used for grants designated as Reverse Commute projects.
In FY 1999, $75 million is available for the Job Access and Reverse
Commute grant program. A 50 percent non-DOT match is required. Other
Federal funds that are eligible to be expended for transportation can
be used as part of the match. Applicants should submit projects that
can be implemented quickly. The increasing funding levels provide ample
opportunity for areas to submit future applications as Regional Job
Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plans are further developed.
This announcement describes the conditions under which applications
will be received for the Job Access and Reverse Commute competitive
grants program and how FTA will determine which applications it will
fund. It includes all of the information needed to apply for Job Access
and Reverse Commute competitive grants.
This announcement is available on the Internet on the U.S.
Department of Transportation's FTA website at http://www.fta.dot.gov/
wtw/. The website will also have commonly asked questions and answers.
FTA will announce final selections on the website and in the Federal
Register.
DATES: FTA will make funding commitments for the Job Access and Reverse
Commute program through a two-stage process. Applications must be
submitted to the appropriate FTA regional office (see Appendix A) by
the close of business December 31, 1998. After evaluation, those whose
projects are selected for funding will be required to submit
supplementary documentation demonstrating compliance with all of FTA's
Section 5307, ``Urbanized Area Formula Grants'' requirements. FTA will
announce grant selections in February 1999.
FTA will accept comments on this notice until November 23, 1998.
Based on this input, FTA may provide amending and clarifying
information. At a later date, FTA intends to solicit comments from all
interested parties to determine if program adjustments are merited in
future solicitations.
ADDRESSES: Comments on or questions about this Notice can be made at
FTA's web site http://www.fta.dot.gov/wtw/japc.html or can be sent or
faxed to the following address: Doug Birnie, Federal Transit
Administration, Room 6423, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590
(FAX (202) 366-3765).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact the appropriate FTA Regional
Administrator for application specific information and issues (Appendix
A). For general program information, contact Doug Birnie, Office of
Research Management, (202) 366-1666, email [email protected].
A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Table of Contents
I. General Program Information
II. Guidelines for Preparing Grant Application
III. Application Submission
IV. Grant review Process
Appendix A FTA Regional Offices
Appendix B Definitions
Appendix C Sample Project Budget
Appendix D Application Checklist
Appendix E Summary of FTA's Section 5307 Requirements
I. General Program Information
A. Authority
Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA-21).
B. Background
While two-thirds of all new jobs are in the suburbs, three-quarters
of welfare recipients live in rural areas or in central cities. Even in
metropolitan areas with extensive transit systems, studies have shown
that less than half of the jobs are accessible by transit. In
particular, many entry-level workers have difficulty reaching jobs
during evening or weekend shifts when transit services are frequently
diminished or non-existent. Work trips can also be complex, involving
several destinations including child care providers. The problems are
equally challenging in rural areas: approximately 40 percent of rural
counties lack public transit systems.
[[Page 60169]]
Auto ownership among welfare recipients and low income persons is
also low. As many as 94 percent of welfare recipients do not own cars
and nearly 40 percent of workers with annual incomes below $10,000 do
not commute by car. In 1991, the median price of a new car was
equivalent to 25 weeks of salary for the average worker and
considerably more for the low-income worker.
Transportation is clearly a key barrier to those moving from
welfare to work. Providing a variety of new or expanded transportation
options for low-income workers, especially those who are receiving or
who have recently received welfare benefits, will increase the
likelihood that those workers will get and retain jobs.
C. Scope
Improving mobility and shaping America's future by ensuring that
the transportation system is accessible, integrated, efficient and
offers flexibility of choices is a key strategic goal of the Department
of Transportation. Job Access projects provide financial assistance to
improve mobility for welfare recipients and other low-income people
through implementing new or expanded transportation activities. Reverse
Commute projects provide financial assistance to improve mobility to
suburban employment opportunities for the general public as well as for
welfare recipients and low income people.
D. Eligible Applicants
Local agencies and authorities, non-profit organizations and
designated recipients under the FTA section 5307 program (usually a
state entity or a regional transit authority) are eligible applicants
for Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program funds. Local agencies
and authorities include states, local governments, metropolitan
planning organizations (MPOs), public transit agencies and tribal
organizations.
In urbanized areas with 200,000 population or more, MPOs select the
applicant(s). In small urbanized areas under 200,000 population and in
non-urbanized, rural, areas states select the applicant(s). Tribal
governments must go through the state process that, once selected, can
choose to be sub-recipients of the state or apply directly to FTA. FTA
urges MPOs to designate a single recipient, who would submit a
consolidated application. States are urged to serve as the designated
recipient for grants to small urbanized areas and non-urbanized areas.
The selected grant recipient can suballocate funds to other project
participants.
E. Eligible Projects
1. In general
Job Access or Reverse Commute projects derived from a Regional Job
Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan are eligible. Please
note that grants awarded under the Job Access and Reverse Commute
program may not be used for planning or coordinating activities.
However, planning funds made available under the FTA Section 5303 and
5113(b) programs and the Federal Highway Administration's metropolitan
and statewide planning funds (PL) and state planning and research funds
(SPR) can be used to fund welfare to work transportation planning
activities at a 100 percent Federal share. Other funds, including
Department of Health and Human Services Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) and Department of Labor's Welfare-to-Work (WtW)
administrative funds, can also be used for planning.
2. Job Access Project
A Job Access project focused on implementing new or expanded
transportation services targeted at filling transportation gaps and
designed to transport welfare recipients and low income individuals to
and from jobs and other employment-related activities such as child
care or training. The Job Access Grant Program will focus on financing
the capital and operating costs of new or expanded transportation
services providing access to jobs and employment-related services.
Employment-related support services are services such as child care,
job readiness, job training, and retention services.
Localities have wide flexibility in selecting which service
strategies are appropriate for their region, including but not limited
to: adding late night and weekend service, providing guaranteed ride
home service, initiating shuttle service, extending fixed route mass
transit services, providing demand responsive van service, sponsoring
ridesharing and carpooling activities, and encouraging bicycling.
Localities are encouraged to implement innovative approaches to service
management such as the establishment of regional mobility managers or
transportation brokerage activities, application of geographic
information systems (GIS) tools, implementation of intelligent
transportation systems including customer trip information
technologies, the integration of automated regional public and human
service transit information scheduling and dispatch functions, vehicle
position monitoring systems and electronic fare cards.
Job Access and Reverse Commute grants also may be made for
promoting the use of: transit by workers with non-traditional work
schedules, transit vouchers by appropriate agencies for welfare
recipients and eligible low-income individuals; or employer-provided
transportation such as shuttles, ridesharing, carpooling or transit
pass and benfits under Section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986. Marketing and advertising are examples of promotional activities
that could be undertaken to increase awareness of these transportation
options and their benefit to welfare recipients and low-income
individuals. Other locality-specific actions, strategies and linkages
that further the program goals, but are not captured in the preceding
description, also may be eligible.
Activities such as funding transit passes and construction of child
care centers and other employment support facilities at transit hubs
will not be elibible for Job Access grants. Transit-oriented
construction activities are eligible under FTA's Section 5307, 5309 and
5311 Formula Grant programs. Transit passes are eligible expenses under
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Welfare-to-Work
(WtW) programs.
Programs for private automobile ownership and repair are not
legally eligible under this grant funding. However, programs supporting
carpooling and other forms of mass transportation and shared-ride use,
such as jitneys or special paratransit service, are eligible. In cases
where vehicle acquisition is part of the program, vehicles must remain
under the continuing control of the agency receiving the grant.
3. Reverse Commute Project
A Reverse Commute project facilitates the provision of new or
expanded public mass transportation services from urban areas, suburban
and rural areas to suburban work places.
Reverse Commute services include, but are not limited to
subsidizing, the costs associated with adding bus, train, car and van
pooling, van routes, or service; and the purchase or lease by a
nonprofit organization or public agency of a van or bus dedicated to
shuttling employees from their residence to a suburban work place and
return.
F. Funding Availability
TEA-21 authorizes the Job Access and Reverse Commute program at
$150 million annually, subject to
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appropriations. The guaranteed funding levels start at $50 million in
FY 1999 and increase by $25 million annually to $150 million in FY
2003. No more than $10 million annually can be used for Reverse Commute
projects. Urbanized areas with populations of at least 200,000 are
allocated 60 percent of each fiscal year's funding. The remaining 40
percent is divided evenly between urbanized areas with populations
between 50,000 and 200,000, which receive 20 percent, and non-
urbanized, rural, areas with populations below 50,000, which also
receive 20 percent.
The FY 1999 Department of Transportation Appropriations Act
provides $75 million for the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program,
including no more than $10 million for Reverse Commute activities.
Therefore, in accordance with the allocation percentages specified in
TEA-21, for FY 1999: $45 million is available for urbanized areas with
populations of at least 200,000; $15 million is available for urbanized
areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000; and $15 million is
available for non-urbanized, rural, areas with population of less than
50,000.
G. Cost Sharing
The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is intended to
fill gaps in existing services and leverage other state and local
transportation-related funding to address the unmet needs of
individuals moving from welfare to work and other low income
populations. The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is not
large enough to fund all the critical transportation needs associated
with meeting these needs. FTA's program, including the funds used to
match the grants, is not intended to replace any existing source of
funds. The maximum DOT share of a grant under the Job Access and
Reverse Commute program may not exceed 50 percent of the total project
cost. The non-DOT share shall be provided in cash. If funds are matched
from other Federal programs, the funds may be applied directly to
project expenses by the recipients of those funds. Revenues from
service agreements are an eligible match, but revenues from individual
fares cannot be used as a match.
Transportation-eligible funding from Federal programs other than
the Department of Transportation may be used as match. These include
but are not limited to: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) and Social Services Block Grants
(SSBG) administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; Welfare-to-Work (WtW) formula and competitive grants
administered by the U.S. Department of Labor; Community Development
Block grants (CDBG) and HOPE VI grants administered by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. The prohibitions on the
use of WtW funds for matching requirements under section
403(a)(5)(C)(ii) of the Social Security Act does no apply to Federal or
state funds to provide transportation services. TANF and WtW grants,
when used as match, may be expended only for new or expanded
transportation services and cannot be used for construction or to
subsidize current transit operating expenses. Such funds also must
supplement rather than supplant other state expenditures or
transportation. (``Child Support Performance and Incentives Act of
1998,'' Pub. L. 105-200, Sec. 403, ``Limitations on Use of TANF Funds
for Matching Under Certain Federal Transportation Programs.'')
More extensive guidance on the use of TANF and WtW funds for
transportation will be provided shortly. Guidance provided in a May 4,
1998, letter from the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor,
and Transportation is currently being updated.
H. Federal Coordination/Outreach
To help guide implementation of the Job Access and Reverse Commute
program, DOT has conducted an extensive public outreach process. To
ensure that the Job Access and Reverse Commute program complements
other Federal welfare to work initiatives, DOT has worked closely with
other Federal agencies in writing this program notice and will
establish an interagency work group to assist in the application review
process.
I. Planning
1. Coordinated Transportation/Human Services Planning Process
Proposed Job Access and Reverse Commute projects must be derived
from a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan (see
below) which results from a coordinated public transit/human services
transportation planning process. The planning process may be initiated
by any interested stakeholder group in the area. FTA encourages MPOs to
serve as the regional forum.
The planning process must include local transit agencies, the
agencies administering TANF and WtW formula and competitive grants,
welfare recipients and low-income people. The planning process also
should include other stakeholders such as:
Regional planning officials; human service, private, non-profit and
other appropriate transportation and support service providers;
community residents and organizations; faith-based organization;
disability groups and representatives; local and state workforce
development organizations including One-Stop Career Centers; recipients
of TANF and WtW grants; public and assisted housing providers and
community development agencies; economic development agencies;
employers and employer groups (such as transportation management
organizations and Chambers of Commerce); Private Industry Councils; and
political officials including mayors, county supervisors, state
legislators, governors and other state and local officials.
2. Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan
The purpose of collaboration is to develop a comprehensive regional
approach to Job Access and Reverse Commute programs targeted at moving
welfare recipients and low income people to jobs regarding of
jurisdictional boundaries. Any project proposed for funding should be
identified in the Regional Job Access Transportation Plan resulting
from the above process. This plan is not meant to supersede but to
build upon existing area welfare-to-work transportation planning
activities. The Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation
Plan must:
a. Identify the geographic distributions of welfare recipients and
low-income people in the region;
b. Identify the geographic distributions of employment centers and
employment-related activities in the region;
c. Identify existing public, private, non-profit and human service
transportation services in the region;
d. Identify transportation gaps between the geographic
distributions of people, as specified in section a, and employment, as
specified in section b, which are not currently served by the
transportation services, as specified in section c;
e. Identify activities and projects to address the gaps identified
in section d. Each project or activity identification should include:
(1) Proposed goals and objectives of the project or activity.
(2) Estimated cost of the project or activity.
(3) explanation of how the project or activity would maximize use
of existing transportation service providers and
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how the project or activity would be intergrated into existing
transportation network
f. A list, in priority order for funding and implementation, of the
activities and projects identified in section e.
Plans will vary in complexity according to area location and size.
The Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan should
build on and incorporate existing welfare to work transportation
planning activities. During this first year of program implementation,
FTA recognizes that some areas may have had a cross-jurisdictional
collective process to identify the location of welfare recipients,
areas of employment and training opportunities, and necessary new
transportation links but may not have a full Regional Job Access and
Reverse Commute Transportation Plan in place. Communities should
document this work to comply with the plan requirements and continue to
develop these plans in future years.
3. The Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
MPOs are comprised of elected officials, representing local
governments, and transportation service providers within the
metropolitan area. They are responsible for adopting transportation
plans and improvement programs to address a region's unique
transportation needs and working with states to include these
priorities in statewide plans.
In regions with populations of more than 200,000, MPOs are
responsible for selecting applicants to be considered for Federal Job
Access and Reverse Commute grant funds. In regions with populations
between 50,000 and 200,000, MPOs will recommend projects to the state,
which will select the applicants to be considered for Federal Job
Access and Reverse Commute grants.
This means that MPOs are responsible for the following:
a. Determining that Job Access and Reverse Commute projects are
consistent with the regional long-range transportation plan.
b. Endorsing and subsequently programming Job Access and Reverse
Commute projects into the area Transportation Improvement Program.
In all regions with MPOs, individual Job Access and Reverse Commute
projects must be adopted into the MPO's Transportation Program prior to
receiving the grant. Because this entails a formal review and project
approved by the MPO Policy Board, FTA strongly urges the partners
developing the Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan to
communicate with the MPO from an early stage. Further, as financial
sustainability of a project is one of the evaluation criteria,
coordination with the agencies participating in the MPO forum could be
a critical factor in ensuring long term support for Job Access and
Reverse Commute activities.
4. Statewide Transportation Planning Requirements
In all regions with populations of less than 200,000, the state is
responsible for selecting applicants, based on recommendations by the
MPO, to be considered for Federal Job Access and Reverse Commute grant
funds. In addition, Job Access and Reverse Commute projects selected
for funding must be endorsed by the state and incorporated into the
statewide transportation improvement program. Because this requires
approval, FTA strongly urges the partners to communicate with state
officials including the State DOT from an early stage. In selecting
projects in rural areas, states should give priority to projects
providing service to places that are not currently served or are
underserved by public transit systems.
5. Improved Transportation Planning
The statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes
mandated by TEA-21 promote ongoing, cooperative, and active involvement
of public transportation providers; the public; and state, metropolitan
and local government agencies in the development of state-wide and
metropolitan transportation plans and improvement programs. DOT expects
that the Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program will facilitate
and be a catalyst for broadening the transportation planning process to
better integrate employment and social equity considerations.
J. General Grant Requirements
After an application has been selected based on the program-
specific requirements outlined in this notice, the applicant will be
required to submit appropriate background certifications, assurances,
and other documentation necessary to meet the requirements of FTA's
Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program (Section 5307 program under Title
49, United States Code). These include planning, environmental, school
bus, charter, procurement, labor protections and civil rights
requirements, including ADA, Title VI, and DBE. Any information
technology purchased with these program: funds that is used for a
period of time that extends beyond December 31, 1999, must be year 2000
compliant. Applicants must have the financial, legal and technical
capacity to apply for and administer projects. Copies of the Section
5307 program guidance (circular FTA 9030.1B ``Urbanized Area Formula
Program; Grant Application Instructions,'' Oct. 10, 1996) can be
obtained from any FTA Regional Office or electronically through the FTA
website. (See Appendix E for summary list.)
K. Performance Monitoring
FTA expects grant recipients to monitor the performance of their
Job Access and Reverse Commute services and to cooperate with the
legislatively-mandated FTA and GAO national evaluations. Performance
monitoring indicators are necessary for both the applicant's project
implementation and for the national program evaluation. FTA will work
with grantees to standardize performance monitoring indicators for all
Job Access and Reverse Commute Grant recipients. At a minimum, FTA will
expect information to be reported on a regular basis in the following
categories:
1. New/expanded service.
a. Route miles of travel.
b. Hours of operation.
c. Frequency (or headway) of service.
2. Increased Accessibility to Target Market.
a. Approximate number of low-income/welfare persons within a given
distance from service.
b. Approximate measurement of employment opportunities and
employment-related support services within a given distance from the
service.
3. Use and Productivity of Service.
a. Number of riders.
b. Comparison of baseline estimates of ridership for welfare
recipients and low-income individuals to current ridership based on
periodic surveys or actual count.
c. Customer Satisfaction.
4. Collaboration.
a. List of organizations involved in the Job Access and Reverse
Commute planning process.
b. Number of meetings or other activities held.
c. Listing of transportation services provided through
collaboration.
d. New financial arrangements developed.
e. Additional cooperative initiatives.
II. Guidelines for Preparing Grant Application
FTA is conducting a national solicitation for applications under
the Job Access and Reverse Commute
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Program. Grant awards will be made on a competitive basis. FTA
encourages both traditional and non-traditional grantees in urban,
suburban, and rural areas to participate in the development of
projects.
A. Grant Funding Amounts
Due to the relatively limited funding in FY 1999 and consistent
with the legislatively-mandated funding distribution categories, FTA
suggests the grant sizes identified below. Applicants may request
smaller amounts from FTA.
I. For urbanized areas with populations of over one million, FTA
expects to make average grants of $1 million.
2. For urbanized areas with populations greater than 200,000 and
less than one million, FTA expects to make average grants of $500,000.
3. For urbanized areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000,
FTA expects to make average grants of $200,000. States should generally
not submit applications that collectively exceed $1 million for this
category.
4. For rural areas (areas with populations of less than 50,000),
individual area grant applications generally should not exceed
$150,000. Collective state grant applications for rural areas generally
should not exceed $1 million.
B. Project Scope
Proposed projects must be drawn from a Regional Job Access and
Reverse Commute Transportation Plan and focus on new or expanded
transportation services. For FY 1999, grantees should focus on projects
that can be implemented quickly.
FTA recognizes that some grantees may have well-developed plans
that extend over several years and that have implementation costs that
exceed the suggested FY 1999 grant size. These applicants may request a
multi-year funding commitment to implement their plans. In these cases,
applicants may elect to use the FY 1999 grant to fully fund high
priority items of the regional plan, with subsequent grants used to
phase in additional elements of the plan. Alternatively, applicants may
elect to use the FY 1999 grant to cover the initial costs of a more
comprehensive program, with subsequent grants used to fund carry-on
activities. There may be other viable multi-year funding alternatives.
In deciding on an approach that best meets local needs, applicants must
note that any multi-year commitments are subject to an annual review of
demonstrated progress in meeting program objectives and milestones
identified in the application, as well as the conditions of match, the
annual budget process, and congressional appropriations.
For planning purposes, future year funding in multi-year commitment
requests should conform to the FY 1999 grant size guidelines.
III. Application Submission
A. Application Development
To promote collaboration and reduce administrative paperwork, FTA
strongly encourages the submission of a consolidated application by a
single entity in urbanized areas and the submission of a consolidated
application by the state for rural areas. In both cases, funds may be
passed on to subrecipients. Tribal projects selected by the state may
choose to allow the state to include their program in the state's
application or to apply directly to FTA. Furthermore, FTA encourages
states and local transit authorities, which have experience in
developing and administering FTA grant programs to serve as the single
entity submitting applications on behalf of other entities, as these
existing FTA grantees may have already met, or have on file information
that will satisfy many of the FTA requirements that apply to this
program.
B. Application
An original and two copies of the application must be submitted to
the appropriate FTA Regional Office. The application should provide
information on all project(s) for which you are requesting funding in
FY 1999. If a multi-year commitment is sought, the information should
cover all years for which funding is sought. The information provided
in support of this application may vary with the size of the area
applying and the grant being sought. Applicants should develop brief
narratives on the information sought. Project narratives should not
exceed 10-15 pages.
The application should include the following elements:
1. Transmittal Letter.
This addresses basic identifying information including:
a. Grant Applicant.
b. Contact name and phone number.
c. Population size of region.
d. Location of proposed project(s).
e. Amount of grant request.
2. Project Eligibility.
Every application must:
a. Describe applicant's organizational capacity to implement the
proposed project(s).
b. Document matching funds, including amount and source.
c. Attach Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation
Plan.
d. Document approval by affected transit authorities.
e. For urbanized areas with populations over 200,000, document MPO
selection and intention to amend the Transportation Improvement Plan
(TIP) if project is selected for funding.
f. For urbanized areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000,
document state selection and MPO intention to amend the TIP if project
is selected for funding.
g. For areas with populations below 50,000, document state
selection and intention to amend the state-wide transportation
improvement plan (STIP) if project is selected for funding.
3. Project Information.
Provide a summary of project activities from the Regional Job
Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan for which your
application is requesting funding. The summary should include:
a. Each project's time line, including significant milestones.
b. Designation of project as a Job Access or Reverse Commute
service. If applying under both, indicate how you will divide the
funds.
c. Project budget (See Appendix C).
4. Project Narrative.
Provide the information identified below to support your
application. More descriptive information has been provided in Section
I of this notice.
a. Document the coordinated human services/transportation planning
process. This should include:
1. Description of the collaborative transportation/human services
process used in developing the Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute
Transportation Plan.
2. List of the participants and their respective roles.
3. Identification of new partnerships and cooperative relationships
developed.
4. Description of specific coordination with legislatively-mandated
partners: transportation providers and transit agencies, state agencies
administering the TANF and WtW funds.
5. Description of consultation with and public involvement of the
community to be served, including welfare recipients and low income
residents.
6. Sign-offs or letters of endorsement from planning partners.
b. Describe the unmet need for additional transportation services
to transport welfare recipients and low income individuals to jobs,
training and other employment services. This should include:
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1. Definition of the proposed service areas and the population and
communities to be served.
2. The number of welfare recipients and low income persons and the
percentage of the population that they represent.
3. Description of the existing transportation resources, if any,
including human services, nonprofit and public transportation
providers.
4. Description of transportation gaps in existing services.
5. For Reverse Commute projects, information on the need for
additional transportation services.
c. Describe how the proposed services will meet the unmet need
described above. This should include or address the following:
1. Specify project goals and objectives.
2. Identify employment potential in the proposed service area.
3. For Job Access projects, estimate low income and welfare
recipient ridership.
4. For Reverse Commute projects, estimate ridership by the general
public and by welfare recipients and low income individuals.
5. Specify type of capital investments to be funded.
6. Specify type of operating costs to be funded.
7. Provide operation-specific data (e.g., miles/hours of service,
new routes, route extensions, etc.).
8. Specify how use of all existing transportation service providers
is being maximized.
9. Describe how these services will address the needs of persons
with disabilities and how the requirements of ADA will be met.
10. Present indicators that will be used to monitor project
performance and make subsequent adjustments in project implementation.
d. Document financial commitments, including prospects for
sustainability.
1. Identify how human service (such as TANF, WtW, other Federal,
state or local) financial resources have been leveraged.
2. Identify the financial commitment of existing transportation
providers.
3. Identify long term financing that may be proposed or available
to support continuation of the proposed project or other aspects of the
regional plan.
e. Variable Factors. Please specify how each of the following
factors applies to your project(s). If any are not applicable, explain
why not.
1. Innovative Approaches--Identify innovative techniques in and
approaches to the proposed project.
2. Use of Employer-based Strategies--Describe any commitment by
employers that will contribute to the success of the project.
3. Linkages to Other Employment Support Services--Identify
available employment support services that complement the
transportation activities and are critical to ensuring that welfare
recipients get and retain jobs.
4. Other Strategies--Describe other locality-specific actions,
strategies and linkages, about which FTA should be aware, that were not
captured in the preceding criteria.
The checklist in Appendix D should be used to ensure that you have
developed a complete application.
IV. Grant Review Process
Applications are to be submitted to the appropriate FTA Regional
Office by the close of business December 31, 1998. FTA will screen all
applications to determine whether all required eligibility elements, as
described in Section 2 of the Application, are present. A multi-agency
task force will evaluate each application according to the criteria
described in this announcement. FTA will select projects based on what
is most advantageous to the government, considering, in addition to the
award criteria, the time frame for implementation, the availability of
funds, and geographic distribution.
A. Award Criteria
Once eligibility is established, the merit of each application will
be evaluated based on the following factors. The number of points in
parentheses indicates the maximum level of points for a given factor.
1. Coordinated human services/transportation planning process and
Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation plan (25 Points)
Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant:
(A) Demonstrates a collaborative planning process, including:
(1) coordination with, and the financial commitment of, existing
transportation service providers;
(2) coordination with the state or local agencies that administer
the state program funded under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act (TANF and WtW grant programs);
(3) coordination with public housing agencies (including Indian
tribes and their tribally designated housing entities as defined by the
Secretary of HUD) if any, which intend to apply for Welfare to Work
Housing Vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(4) consultation with the community to be served; and
(5) consultation with other area stakeholders.
(B) Presents a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute
Transportation Plan addressing the transportation needs of welfare
recipients and low-income individuals.
2. Demonstrated Need for Additional Transportation Services (30 Points)
Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant demonstrates:
(A) in the case of an applicant seeking assistance to finance a Job
Access project, the relative need for additional services in the area
to be served to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income
individuals to and from specified jobs, training and other employment
support services; and
(B) in the case of an applicant seeking assistance to finance a
Reverse Commute project, the need for additional services to transport
individuals to suburban employment opportunities.
3. Extent to Which Proposed Services Will Meet the Need for Services
(35 Points)
Evaluated based on the extent to which:
(A) The proposed service will meet the need.
(B) To which the applicant demonstrates the maximum use of existing
transportation service providers and expands transit networks or hours
of service, or both.
4. Financial Commitments (10 Points)
Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant:
(A) Identifies long-term financing strategies to support proposed
services.
(B) Identifies financial commitments by human service providers.
(C) Identifies financial commitments by existing transportation
providers.
FTA also will consider the extent to which the applicant addresses the
following variable factors: (10 Bonus Points Total)
1. Innovative approaches that are responsive to identified service
needs;
2. Use of employer-based strategies;
3. Linkages to other employment-related support services; and
4. Other strategies that are effective in meeting program goals.
B. Notification
FTA will notify applicants in February 1999. Those selected must
then submit appropriate background certifications, assurances, and
other
[[Page 60174]]
documentation necessary to meet the applicable FTA Section 5307
Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program requirements and be included in
the TIP or STIP as appropriate. Technical assistance regarding these
requirements is available in each FTA regional office. Complete
documentation must be submitted to the appropriate FTA regional office
no later than March 31, 1999.
FTA is committed to obligating FY 1999 Job Access and Reverse
Commute funding expeditiously. Therefore, FTA urges applicants to
develop documentation in accordance with the Section 5307 program
guidance as soon as possible. This allows the information necessary for
grant approval to be readily available for submission to FTA when
projects are selected for funding. FTA will approve final applications
as soon as they are complete.
Issued on: November 3, 1998.
Gordon J. Linton,
Administrator.
APPENDIX A--(FTA) REGIONAL OFFICES
Region I--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire,
Vermont and Maine, Richard H. Doyle, FTA--Regional Administrator,
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Kendall Square, 55
Broadway, Suite 920, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093, (617) 494-2055
Region II--New York, New Jersey, Virgin Islands, Letitia Thompson,
FTA--Regional Administrator, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940, New York,
NY 10278-0194, (212) 264-8162
Region III--Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia,
Delaware, Washington, D.C., Sheldon Kinbar, FTA--Regional
Administrator, 1760 Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA
19103-4124, (215) 656-7100
Region IV--Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Puerto Rico, Susan
Schruth, FTA--Regional Administrator, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite
17T50, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 562-3500
Region V--Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan,
Joel Ettinger, FTA--Regional Administrator, 200 West Adams Street,
Suite 2410, Chicago, IL 60606-5232, (312) 353-2789
Region VI--Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Lee
Waddleton, FTA--Regional Administrator, 819 Taylor Street, Room
8A36, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, (817) 978-0550
Region VII--Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Mokhtee Ahmad, FTA--
Regional Administrator, 6301 Rockhill Road, Suite 303, Kansas City,
MO 64131-1117, (816) 523-0204
Region VIII--Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming,
Utah, Louis Mraz, FTA--Regional Administrator, Columbine Place, 216
16th Street, Suite 650, Denver, CO 80202-5120, (303) 844-3242
Region IX--California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, American Samoa,
Guam, Leslie Rogers, FTA--Regional Administrator, 201 Mission
Street, Suite 2210, San Francisco, CA 94105-1831, (415) 744-3133
Region X--Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Helen Knoll, FTA--
Regional Administrator, Jackson Federal Building, 915 Second Avenue,
Suite 3142, Seattle, WA 98174-1002, (206) 220-7954
Appendix B--Definitions
1. Welfare Recipient--An individual, who receives or received aid or
assistance under a state program funded under Part A of Title IV of
the Social Security Act (whether in effect before or after the
effective date of the amendments made by Title I of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(Public Law 104-193); 110 Stat 2110) at any time during the 3-year
period before the date on which the applicant applies for a grant.
2. Elibible Low-Income Individual--An individual whose family income
is at or below 150 percent of the poverty line (as that term is
defined in Section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act
(42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) including any revisions required by that section
for a family of the size involved. These are calculated by HHS; the
1998 guidelines were published in the February 24, 1998, (Volume 63,
Number 36) Federal Register, page 9235-9238.
3. Existing Transportation Service Provider--Public transportation
providers including public, private and non-profit fixed route and
paratransit operators, and governmental agencies and nonprofit
organizations that receive assistance from Federal, state, or local
sources for nonemergency transportation services.
4. Human Services Provider--Agencies and organizations involved in
helping welfare recipients and low income populations to make the
transition to work and providing supportive employment services.
These agencies and organizations include state and local workforce
development organizations, agencies administering TANF and WtW
formula and competitive funds, public and assisted housing providers
and community development agencies, and where appropriate, faith-
based and community-based organizations providing employment support
services.
5. Qualified Entity--(A) With respect to any proposed eligible
project in an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000,
the applicant(s) selected by the appropriate metropolitan planning
organization that meets the program eligibility requirements,
including planning and coordination requirements, from among local
governmental authorities and agencies and nonprofit organizations;
and (B) With respect to any proposed eligible project in an
urbanized area with a population of greater than 50,000 and less
than 200,000, or an area other than an urbanized area, the
applicant(s) selected by the chief executive officer of the state in
which the area is located that meets the program eligibility
requirements, including the planning and coordination requirements,
from among local governmental authorities and nonprofit
organizations.
6. Transit Capital and Operating Assistance Projects--This term
means projects to finance acquisition, construction, improvement,
and operating costs of facilities, equipment and associated capital
maintenance items used in mass transportation service, including
crime prevention and security of and for such equipment and
facilities. Direct administrative expenses associated with the
provision of job access and reverse commute services are also
eligible operating expenses.
Appendix C--Sample Project Budget
FY 99 Funding
Applicant: ---------- Area Size: ----------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal amount Total amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Job Access Project
Capital Costs
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
[[Page 60175]]
Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________
Example
Activity ____________ ____________
Vans........................................................ ____________ ____________
Quantity 4
Operating Costs
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Example
Activity ____________ ____________
Late Night.................................................. ____________ ____________
Service (3 Routes)
Total................................................... ____________ ____________
B. Reverse Commute Project
Capital Costs
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________
Example
Activity ____________ ____________
Vans........................................................ ____________ ____________
Quantity 4 ____________ ____________
Operating Costs
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________
Example
Activity ____________ ____________
Two new routes.............................................. ____________ ____________
Total................................................... ____________ ____________
Grand Total (A or B or A & B) for those applicants seeking a multi-year
commitment, provide this information for subsequent years of reference
budget material from your Job Access Transportation Plan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix D--Application Check List (To Meet December 31 Deadline)
{time} TRANSMITTAL LETTER
{time} PROJECT ELIGIBILITY
Organizational Capacity
50 Percent Non-DOT Match
Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan
Approval of Affected Transit Authorities
MPO/State Endorsement and Programming as Appropriate
{time} PROJECT INFORMATION
Activity Summaries/Timelines/Milestones
Designation As Job Access Or Reverse Commute Project
Project Budget
{time} PROJECT NARRATIVE
Documentation of Coordinated Human Services/Transportation
Planning Process
Coordination with Agencies Administering TANF & WtW
Coordination with Existing Transportation Operators
Consultation with Affected Communities
Consultation with Employers
Documentation of Unmet Needs
Description of How Proposed Services Will Meet Needs
Documentation of Financial Commitments
Response to Variable Factors (Bonus Points)
Innovative Approaches
Employer-Based Strategies
Linkages to Other Employment Support Services
Other Strategies
Appendix E--Summary of FTA's Section 5307 Requirements
This is the full range of 5307 requirements. Some of these items
are covered in the application, in which case you will not need to
submit information twice.
APPROVAL PREREQUISITES:
(On file with FTA, or to be submitted with application and updates as
appropriate)
Opinion of Counsel
Authorizing Resolution
Current annual Certification and Assurances
Civil rights submissions up-to-date
[[Page 60176]]
Title VI
Annual DBE Goal
DBE Program
EEO Program
ADA
National Transit Database reports-up-to-date
Any outstanding oversight findings resolved or resolution plan and
schedule set
Additional Information:
Project Budget
Project Description
Project Justification/Supporting Information as necessary
Project Milestone Schedule
Labor Union Description(s) (including information about earlier DOL
certifications that may apply to this project)
Environmental Review
Date of FTA's signing of FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact),
or
Date of FTA's signing of ROD (Record of Decision) closing out the
EIS process, or
Grant applicant's Categorical Exclusion recommendation if neither
(a) nor (b) above applies
Air Quality
Date of project level conformity determination by FTA, or
Applicant's recommendation concerning list of exemptions in the
conformity regulation (40 CFR Part 51)
STIP--Date of Approved by FTA
Request for copy of Master Agreement
(If applicant does not have latest one on file)
[FR Doc. 98-29777 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M