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Notice of Fiscal Year 2009 Safety Grants and Solicitation for Applications
Oct 17, 2008 (Transportation Department Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) --
SUMMARY: This notice is intended to announce the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 FMCSA safety grant opportunities and to provide schedules and directions for those grant programs posted on grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). FMCSA disseminates funds and oversees grants awarded in support of 11 safety programs. These programs consist of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Basic and Incentive grants, MCSAP New Entrant Safety Audit grants, MCSAP High Priority grants, Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operator Safety Training grants, Border Enforcement grants (BEG), Commercial Driver's License Program Improvement (CDLPI) grants, Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) Modernization grants, Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) grants, Safety Data Improvement Program grants (SaDIP), and Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) grants. Each of these grant programs was provided for in the Agency's most recent authorization, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The purpose of this Notice is to provide a comprehensive source of information regarding the opportunities for funding under the FMCSA's grant programs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Additional information is provided below for each individual grant program.
MCSAP Basic and Incentive Grants
Sections 4101 and 4107 of SAFETEA-LU authorize the Motor Carrier Safety Grants funding for FY 2006 through FY 2009. MCSAP Basic and Incentive grants are governed by 49 U.S.C. 31102-31104 and 49 CFR Part 350. Under the Basic and Incentive grant programs, a State lead MCSAP agency, as designated by its Governor, is eligible to apply for Basic and Incentive grant funding by submitting a commercial vehicle safety plan (CVSP). See 49 CFR 350.201 and 205. Pursuant to 49 CFR 350.303, FMCSA will reimburse each lead State MCSAP agency 80 percent of eligible costs incurred in a fiscal year. Each lead agency will provide a 20 percent match to qualify for the program. In accordance with 49 CFR 350.323, the Basic grant funds will be distributed proportionally to each State's lead MCSAP agency using the following four equally weighted (25 percent) factors:
(1) 1997 road miles (all highways) as defined by the FMCSA;
(2) All vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as defined by the FMCSA;
(3) Population--annual census estimates as issued by the U.S. Census Bureau; and
(4) Special fuel consumption (net after reciprocity adjustment) as defined by the FMCSA.
A State lead MCSAP agency may qualify for Incentive Funds if it can demonstrate that its CMV safety program has shown improvement in any or all of the following five categories:
(1) Reduction in the number of large truck-involved fatal accidents;
(2) Reduction in the rate of large-truck-involved fatal accidents or maintenance of a large-truck-involved fatal accident rate that is among the lowest 10 percent of such rates for MCSAP recipients and is not higher than the rate most recently achieved;
(3) Upload of CMV accident reports in accordance with current FMCSA policy guidelines;
(4) Verification of Commercial Driver's Licenses during all roadside inspections; and
(5) Upload of CMV inspection data in accordance with current FMCSA policy guidelines. Incentive funds will be distributed in accordance with 49 CFR 350.327(b).
Prior to the start of each fiscal year, FMCSA calculates the amount of Basic and Incentive Funding each State is expected to receive. This information is provided to the States and is made available on the Agency's Web site at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safety-security/ATTCHMNT3-Est-09-Funding-Planning-Di
st.pdf.
For FY 2009, $152,387,000 for Basic grant funding and $10,000,000 for Incentive grant funding is expected to be available. It should be noted that Basic and Incentive grants are awarded based on the State's submission of the CVSP. The evaluation factors described in the section below titled "Application Information for FY 2009 Grants" will not be considered and submission of applications to grants.gov is not necessary.
New Entrant Safety Audit Grants
Sections 4101 and 4107 of SAFETEA-LU also authorize the Motor Carrier Safety Grants funding for FY 2006 through FY 2009 to enable grant recipients to conduct interstate New Entrant safety audits consistent with 49 CFR Parts 350.321 and 385.301. State and local governments are eligible to apply. The FMCSA's share of these grant funds will be 100 percent for State agencies. New Entrant grant applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov.
For FY 2009, the level of funding is expected to be up to $29,000,000 for New Entrant Safety Audits.
MCSAP High Priority Grants
Section 4101 of SAFETEA-LU also authorizes the Motor Carrier Safety Grants funding for FY 2006 through FY 2009 to enable recipients to carry out activities and projects that improve CMV safety and compliance with CMV regulations. Funding is available for projects that are national in scope, increase public awareness and education, demonstrate new technologies and reduce the number and rate of CMV accidents. Eligible recipients are State agencies, local governments, and organizations representing government agencies that use and train qualified officers and employees in coordination with State motor vehicle safety agencies.
For grants awarded for public education activities, the Federal share will be 100 percent. For all High Priority grants other than those awarded in support of public education activities, the FMCSA will provide reimbursements for no more than 80 percent of all eligible costs, and recipients will be required to provide a 20 percent match. FMCSA may reserve up to $5 million in FY 2009 High Priority funding exclusively for innovative traffic enforcement projects, with particular emphasis on work zone enforcement and rural road safety. Also, FMCSA may reserve up to $10 million for an innovative traffic enforcement initiative known as "Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks" or TACT. TACT provides a research-based safety model that can be replicated by States when conducting a high-visibility traffic enforcement program to promote safe driving behaviors among car and truck drivers. The objective of this program is to reduce the number of commercial truck and bus related crashes, fatalities and injuries resulting from improper operation of motor vehicles and aggressive driving behavior. More information regarding TACT can be found at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/tact/abouttact.htm.
Consistent with Section 4107 of SAFETEA-LU, for FY 2009, up to $15,000,000 of High Priority grant funds are expected to be available. High Priority grant applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov.
CMV Operator Safety Training Grants
Section 4134 of SAFETEA-LU establishes a grant program which enables recipients to train current and future drivers in the safe operation of CMVs, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 31301(4). Eligible awardees include State governments, local governments, and accredited post-secondary educational institutions (public or private) such as colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools and truck driver training schools. Funding priority for this discretionary grant funding will be given to regional or multi-state educational or nonprofit associations serving economically distressed regions of the United States. The Federal share of these funds will be 80 percent, and the recipients will be required to provide a 20 percent match. CMV Operatory Safety Training grant applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov.
For FY 2009, $1,000,000 of CMV Operator Safety Training grant funds are expected to be available.
Border Enforcement Grants (BEG)
Section 4110 of SAFETEA-LU established the BEG program. The purpose of this discretionary program is to provide funding for border CMV safety programs and related enforcement activities and projects. An entity or a State that shares a land border with another country is eligible to receive this grant funding. Eligible awardees include State governments, local governments, and entities (i.e. accredited post-secondary educational institutions (public or private) such as universities). Requests from entities must be coordinated with the State lead CMV inspection agency. Applications must include a Border Enforcement Plan and meet the required maintenance of expenditure requirement. BEG awards will take into consideration the State or entity's performance on previous BEG awards; its ability to expend the awarded funds with the BEG performance year; and activities meeting the BEG national criteria established by the FMCSA. As established by SAFETEA-LU, the Federal share of these funds will be 100 percent, and there is no matching requirement. BEG grant applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov.
For FY 2009, $32,000,000 of BEG grant funds are expected to be available.
CDLPI Grant
Section 4124 of SAFETEA-LU includes a discretionary grant program that provides funding for improving States' implementation of the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) program, including expenses for computer hardware and software, publications, testing, personnel, training Funds may not be used to rent, lease, or buy land or buildings. The agency designated by each State as the primary driver licensing agency responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the CDL program is eligible to apply for grant funding. State grant proposals must include the State's assessment of its CDL and a detailed budget explaining how the funds will be used. The Federal share of funds for projects awarded under this grant is established by SAFETEA-LU as 100 percent. Therefore, there is no State matching requirement. The funding opportunity announcement on grants.gov will provide more detailed information on the application process; national funding priorities for FY 2009; evaluation criteria; required documents and certifications; State maintenance of expenditure requirements; and additional information related to the availability of funds. Additional information is listed later in this document. CLDPI grant applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov.
--This is a summary of a Federal Register article originally published on the page number listed below--
Notice.
Citation: "73 FR 61919"
Federal Register Page Number: "61919"
"Notices"
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