[Federal Register: April 14, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 72)]
[Notices]
[Page 19612-19614]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14ap06-118]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration Federal Register Notice
National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability; competitive solicitation for
funding through the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development
Program.
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SUMMARY: This competitive solicitation is for fiscal year 2006-2009
funding, subject to congressional appropriations action, for the new
National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program (NFCBP),
administered by the Federal Transit Administration. The purpose of the
program is to facilitate the development of commercially viable fuel
cell bus technology and related infrastructure. FTA intends to enter
into grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with no more than 3
geographically diverse nonprofit organizations and recipients under
chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, to conduct fuel cell bus
technology and infrastructure projects under the program. Regional
consortia in partnership with transit agencies are encouraged to apply.
The Federal share of the cost of a project carried out under this
Program shall not exceed 50 percent of such cost.
DATES: White papers must be received by FTA by the close of business
May 10, 2006. Full proposals for the selected papers must be received
by FTA by the close of business July 14, 2006. Close of business for
FTA is 5:30 p.m. eastern time zone.
ADDRESSES: White papers and full proposals for the selected white
papers must be submitted to Shang Hsiung, Office of Research,
Demonstrations and Innovation, Mail Code: TRI-10, Federal Transit
Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone:
202-366-0241, or e-mail: shang.hsiung@dot.gov. The Solicitation
Guidelines including the submission requirements are available at
http://www.fta.dot.gov/. Submissions must be received by the deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Shang Hsiung, Office of
Research, Demonstration and Innovation, Federal Transit Administration,
400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-0241, e-mail:
shang.hsiung@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
1. General Program Information
2. Solicitation Guidelines
3. Solicitation Schedule
4. Additional Program Information
I. General Program Information
A. Authority
Section 3045 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users of 2005 (SAFETEA-LU)
establishes a new program called the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology
Development Program (49 U.S.C. 5308, note). SAFETEA-LU authorizes $49
million in funding for the program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009.
For fiscal year 2006, Congress appropriated $11,138,000 for the NFCBP.
B. Background
Transit continues to be in the forefront of the research,
development, demonstration, and deployment of clean and energy
efficient vehicle technologies. Factors that have made transit buses
the vanguard for alternative fuels and hybrid electric systems are just
as applicable in helping
[[Page 19613]]
lead the introduction of fuel cell vehicle technologies into
transportation applications. Bus weight and volume packaging
constraints are less rigorous than cars. Unlike personal automobiles
where we expect to turn the key and to immediately drive away, buses
undergo a check-out procedure prior to the driver starting his or her
run. Transit buses are centrally fueled and stored at discrete
locations, whereas we all expect to be able to fill up our cars
anywhere and everywhere. The fleet operation aspect of transit buses
creates a more manageable and finite re-fueling infrastructure
requirement, and can assist in the development of the overall
transportation re-fueling infrastructure required. Transit buses are
driven and maintained by professionals, easing the introduction of a
new power plant. Perhaps most importantly, transit buses operate in the
most densely populated corridors of our urban areas. Fuel cell buses
could provide greater public exposure to the safe operation of zero
emission vehicles leading to broader acceptance of this technology. The
operational and maintenance experience gained from the early
introduction of fuel cell vehicle technologies into buses could enhance
its successful application in trucks and cars.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) played an instrumental role in spurring the
adoption of natural gas buses into routine revenue service operations.
It is playing a similar role in helping to accelerate the adoption of
electric drive technologies--battery electric, hybrid electric, and
hydrogen fuel cell buses. The President's FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel
Initiative which are focused on light-duty vehicles have set forth bold
visions for tackling our Nation's goals of energy independence and
cleaner air without sacrificing personal mobility. FTA's expertise and
experience in alternative fuels and hybrid electric systems for transit
buses and its proven track record of successfully moving clean, fuel
efficient buses from the drawing board to the street, make FTA the
ideal agency to lead and implement a program to complement and support
the Presidential Initiatives.
C. Eligible Applicants
Section 3045(b) directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct
a national solicitation for applications under the NFCBP. Recipients
shall be selected on a competitive basis. The Secretary may enter into
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with no more than three
regionally diverse non-profit organizations and recipients (i.e.,
transit agencies eligible to receive FTA financial assistance). For-
profit private entities or non-recipients of FTA funds are encouraged
to partner with eligible non-profit organizations or recipients. Since
the goal of the NCFBP is to facilitate the development of commercially
viable fuel cell bus technology and related infrastructure, regional,
multi-state advanced transportation technology consortia in partnership
with transit agencies are specifically encouraged to apply. Section
3045(d) also directs that priority consideration be given to applicants
that have successfully managed advanced transportation technology
projects, including projects related to hydrogen and fuel cell public
transportation operations for a period of not less than five years. The
Federal share of the cost of a project carried out under this Program
shall not exceed 50 percent of such cost.
D. Eligibility Criteria
Section 3045(c) establishes the statutory criteria for evaluating
eligible applications. The criteria are the following:
1. ability to contribute significantly to furthering fuel cell
technology as it relates to transit bus operations, including hydrogen
production, energy storage, fuel cell technologies, vehicle systems
integration, and power electronics technologies;
2. financing plan and cost share potential;
3. fuel cell technology to ensure that the program advances
different fuel cell technologies, including hydrogen-fueled and
methanol-powered liquid-fueled fuel cell technologies, that may be
viable for public transportation systems; and
4. other criteria that the Secretary determines are necessary to
carry out the program.
FTA believes that the first three criteria provide a sufficient
basis on which to evaluate applications; thus, FTA has determined that
additional criteria under paragraph 4 are unnecessary. If warranted,
however, criteria and application procedures may be reassessed for
subsequent years, and FTA will provide adequate notice and an
opportunity to comment on any proposed changes.
E. Application Evaluation Criteria
Consistent with the criteria identified in Section 3045(c),
applications will be evaluated based on the following elements:
Ability to contribute significantly to furthering fuel
cell technology as it relates to transit bus operations, including
hydrogen production, energy storage, fuel cell technologies, vehicle
systems integration, and power electronics technologies;
Financing plan and cost share potential; and
Fuel cell technology to ensure that the program advances
different fuel cell technologies, including hydrogen-fueled and
methanol-powered liquid-fueled fuel cell technologies, that may be
viable for public transportation systems.
Section 3045(d) also states that priority consideration will be
given to applicants that have successfully managed advanced
transportation technology projects, including projects related to
hydrogen and fuel cell public transportation operations for a period of
not less than five years.
II. Solicitation Guidelines
The competitive solicitation process including the submission
requirements for the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development
Program are available at http://www.fta.dot.gov. Click on the
navigational tab for Grant Programs on the right hand side, then click
on the Grant Programs link, and then click on the link for the National
Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program. To receive the
Solicitation Guidelines by e-mail, please send an e-mail to
shang.hsiung@dot.gov. A synopsis of this announcement will also be
posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web
site at http://www.grants.gov.
Projects requiring multi-year funding may be submitted. Note that
funding in future fiscal years is not guaranteed and will be contingent
upon the annual appropriation process.
In order to minimize the effort required for proposal preparation
and review, the selection will take place in two phases. First, non-
profit organizations and recipients will prepare white papers for FTA
to review, comment and select. The non-profit organizations and
recipients will then prepare full proposals based on the best efforts
selected by FTA.
III. Solicitation Schedule
The following is the timeline for the competitive solicitation
under the NFCBP:
May 10, 2006--White Papers due.
June 9, 2006--FTA selects White Papers and notifies all
applicants.
July 14--Full Proposals based on White Papers selected
due.
August 14, 2006--FTA announces awards.
Details are contained in the Solicitation Guidelines available at
[[Page 19614]]
http://www.fta.dot.gov. All deadline times are 5:30 p.m. eastern time zone.
IV. Additional Program Information
A. Funds Administration and Oversight
Section 3045(f) of SAFETEA-LU directs the Secretary to apply the
requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5309 (Capital Investment Grants) to the
projects awarded under this program and ``such other terms and
conditions as are determined by the Secretary.'' FTA has reviewed the
terms of its Capital Investment Grant program and does not believe
additional terms and conditions are necessary. The NFCBP is inherently
a research, development, and demonstration program; and such project
activities to facilitate the development of commercially viable fuel
cell bus technology and related infrastructure is allowed.
Recipients of federal funds under 49 USC 5309 must comply with the
general federal guidelines governing the management of federal funds,
which are outlined in FTA's Master Agreement, available on FTA's Web
site (http://www.fta.dot.gov). To this point, FTA will conduct reviews
to ensure that projects under the NFCBP meet the basic statutory,
administrative, and regulatory requirements as stipulated by the
conditions for accepting Federal funds.
B. Performance Measures
Participants may be asked to collect and report data to FTA for use
in measuring program performance.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 7th day of April, 2006.
Sandra K. Bushue,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 06-3606 Filed 4-13-06; 8:45 am]
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