[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58552-58554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29063]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Grant Program for Research and Development in the Field of
Transportation Statistics
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, DOT.
ACTION: Announcement of grant program.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Transportation Statistics supports its goal of
advancing the field of transportation statistics through the
Transportation Statistics Research Grants program. This notice solicits
applications for projects that (1) support the development of the field
of transportation statistics; and/or (2) involve research or
development in transportation statistics. It outlines the purpose,
goals, and general procedures for application and award. For this
cycle, BTS will make available up to approximately $500,000 in grant
funds to eligible organizations.
DATES: For BTS to consider your application, we must receive it by
January 25, 2002, at 5 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. Applications
received after January 25, 2002, will be held for the next cycle, which
is anticipated to be every six to twelve months, unless you request in
writing that your application be returned.
ADDRESSES: You must send six copies of the application package to the
BTS Grants Program, Room 3430, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Promod Chandhok, Office of Statistical
Programs and Services, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Room 3430,
400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; phone (202) 366-2158;
fax: (202) 366-3640; e-mail: [email protected]. 1
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background--Advancing the Discipline of Transportation
Statistics
The purpose of this grant program is to provide financial
assistance to eligible organizations to help advance the discipline of
transportation statistics. These grants are authorized by section 5109
of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) (Public
Law 105-178 (1998), codified at 49 U.S.C. 111(g)). BTS anticipates
awarding up to $500,000 per year in grants for projects that (1)
support development of the field of transportation statistics; and/or
(2) advance research or development in transportation statistics.
BTS is a separate operating administration within the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT). Its mission is to lead in
developing transportation data and information of high quality, and to
advance their effective use in public and private transportation
decision-making. In accomplishing this mission, BTS works to improve
six key attributes of transportation data and analysis--quality,
comparability, completeness, timeliness, relevance, and utility.
Our ultimate goal is to make transportation better--to enhance
safety, mobility, economic growth, the human and natural environment,
and national security (the five strategic goals of the Department of
Transportation). BTS's role in this goal is to put together data and
information that others need to make decisions concerning
transportation. We collect data and compile, analyze, and publish
statistics. Many others, both within and outside DOT, are involved in
building this knowledge base and BTS could not do it alone.
While there are many excellent transportation data programs and
many excellent statistics programs, few are devoted to the intersection
of these two disciplines. Bringing a better understanding of statistics
to transportation data will improve data quality, increase utility
(e.g., by improving measures of travel), and reduce costs (e.g., by
using techniques to make data collection, analysis, and dissemination
more efficient). BTS wants to foster the transportation statistics
discipline and increase its quality and usefulness to the
transportation community. This grants program is one way BTS is working
toward this goal.
II. Eligibility Requirements
What Organizations May Apply?
BTS invites applications from public and private non-profit
institutions of higher education. We strongly encourage Minority
Serving Institutions, which have been traditionally under represented
in transportation statistics, to submit applications. If organizations
partner on a project, the participants should submit a single
application. You may submit more than one application as long as the
applications are for separate and distinct projects.
What Projects Are Eligible for Funding?
Proposals should serve the broad transportation interests of the
country, and we are particularly interested in
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high-quality proposals that treat one or more of the following areas:
(1) Visualizing and mining of transportation databases;
(2) Aggregating and analyzing databases maintained by DOT agencies,
especially where the research involves multiple modes of
transportation;
(3) Improving the quality and usability of federal transportation
statistics;
(4) Developing exposure measures (e.g., vehicle miles traveled) for
use in risk analyses;
(5) Improving the statistical use of geographic information systems
to better understand and quantify travel behavior;
(6) Developing performance measures for the transportation system;
(7) Designing and analyzing transportation surveys;
(8) Improving data quality and data collection;
(9) Enhancing or extending the National Transportation Library to
better express or incorporate statistical analyses; and
(10) Applying small area estimation techniques to transportation.
This list is not exhaustive, and we are eager to consider any
innovative proposal that supports the development of the field of
transportation statistics or involves research and development in
transportation statistics.
What Are the Cost Sharing Requirements?
For awards of $100,000 or more, the recipient shall fund at least
50 percent of the project's costs. The nonfederal match must come from
sources other than the project sponsor, and must be cash contributions
rather than in-kind contributions. In reviewing all applications, even
those requesting less than $100,000, the degree of cost-sharing will be
considered, with more weight given to cash contributions than in-kind
services.
III. Application Contents
For more information about sending your application, please refer
to the ADDRESSES and DATES sections listed above. In order to be
considered for funding under this program, your application package
must include the following:
(1) A Project Narrative. This must not exceed seven letter-size
pages, single-sided and double-spaced. Use at least 12-point type and
one inch margins. In general, the information you provide should be in
sufficient detail so BTS understands the proposed work and its
anticipated benefits. It should also demonstrate that you have the
necessary experience and resources to accomplish it. The narrative must
identify the organization; how it meets the eligibility criteria; its
experience and accomplishments in collecting, analyzing, and/or
disseminating transportation data; and the qualifications of the
principals proposed to conduct the activities. The narrative must also
describe the proposed activity, including how you would accomplish it,
a timeline listing major milestones associated with the project, and a
list of specific products and/or services with the dates they will be
delivered.
(2) An Application for Federal Assistance. Submit OMB SF-424
(Application for Federal Assistance), which is the official form
required for all federal grants. It requests basic information about
the grantee and the proposed project. Under Part 10 of this form, use
20.920 and Transportation Statistics Research Grants for the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance Number and Title. Also submit OMB SF-424A
(Budget Information--Nonconstruction Programs). You can download these
forms from the OMB Internet site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
(3) An Evaluation Plan. Include a brief description of how you will
evaluate and measure the success of the project, including the
anticipated benefits and challenges in completing it. This can be part
of the Project Narrative.
(4) Resumes. Include resumes from up to three key personnel who
would be significantly involved in the project.
(5) Letters of Commitment. If your proposal includes the
significant involvement of other eligible organizations, your
application must include letters of commitment from them.
IV. Application Review Process and Selection Criteria
The Transportation Statistics Research Grants program uses a
competitive process and applications will be evaluated based on the
merit and relevance of the proposed project in relation to the other
applications received. BTS anticipates making multiple awards based on
this solicitation. While BTS will select the most meritorious
proposals, we may choose to not award all available funds.
Upon receiving an application, BTS will conduct an initial review
to determine if it meets the eligibility criteria and contains all of
the items specified under the Application Contents section of this
announcement. A BTS evaluation committee will then review each complete
application from an eligible recipient using the evaluation criteria
listed below (the order of criteria does not designate priority) and
the BTS Director will select the final grants. The evaluation criteria
are:
(1) How well does the proposal support BTS's strategic goals of
improving the quality, comparability, completeness, timeliness,
relevance, and utility of transportation data? How well does the
proposal serve the broad transportation interests of the United States?
(2) How innovative is the proposed activity? To what extent is the
work being accomplished elsewhere?
(3) How much experience has the applicant demonstrated in one or
more of the following areas--collecting, analyzing, storing, or
disseminating transportation data, particularly data collected or
disseminated by BTS, and working with theoretical statistical issues
concerning transportation data?
(4) Does the applicant have the professional qualifications and
team members necessary for satisfactory performance of the proposed
activity?
(5) How well does the technical approach and proposed costs reflect
an understanding of the procedures necessary to complete the required
tasks?
(6) To what degree does the proposal include cost-sharing? More
weight will be given to proposals with cash contributions than in-kind
services. For awards of $100,000 or more, BTS requires cash
contributions of 50 percent toward the total project's cost.
V. Amount of Funds Available and Period of Support
We anticipate that approximately $500,000 per year will be
designated to support grants over the next five years, subject to the
availability of appropriated funds. This estimate does not bind BTS to
a specific number of offers or awards, nor to a specific amount of
funding support for particular awards or awards in aggregate. It is
anticipated that individual award amounts, based upon demonstrated
needs, will likely range from $50,000 to $200,000, though BTS has not
established minimum or maximum funding levels.
Given the amount of funds available, applicants are strongly
encouraged to seek other funding opportunities to supplement the
federal funds. Preference will be given to applicants with cost sharing
proposals from within or outside their organizations.
The period of time of awards will vary with the complexity of the
project and
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it is possible that grants will be awarded for periods greater than one
year.
VI. BTS Involvement
BTS involvement, if any, will vary by award. If you anticipate BTS
involvement, you must note this in your project narrative and any
support BTS provides will be specified in the award agreement. BTS will
assign a liaison to serve as the primary contact regarding the grant.
VII. Terms and Conditions of Award
(1) Prior to award, each grantee will be required to complete
additional government application forms, such as OMB SF-424B
(Assurances--Nonconstruction Programs) and with the certification
requirements of 49 CFR Part 20, Department of Transportation New
Restrictions on Lobbying, and 49 CFR Part 29, Department of
Transportation Government-Wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-
Procurement) and Government-Wide Requirements for Drug Free Workplace
(Grants).
(2) Each grantee shall submit a program implementation plan no more
than one month after award. The BTS liaison will review and comment, if
necessary.
(3) Each grantee shall submit quarterly progress reports, a draft
final report, and a final report that reflects the BTS liaison's
comments.
Thank you for your interest in our Transportation Statistics
Research Grants program.
Ashish Sen,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-29063 Filed 11-20-01; 8:45 am]
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