Federal Register, Volume 73 Issue 221 (Friday, November 14, 2008)

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 221 (Friday, November 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67568-67571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27124]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

United We Ride State/Tribal Mobility Management Coordination
Grants; Solicitation for Proposals and Technical Assistance/Training
Available

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits proposals from States and tribal
associations or consortia for United We Ride (UWR) mobility management
grants. This solicitation is issued by the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) on behalf of the Federal Interagency Coordinating
Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM). Funding in the amount of $1.5
million is provided by FTA to support grants ranging up to $300,000
each. These grants are intended to assist States and tribal
associations in supporting the development of transportation
coordination capabilities and capacity within local or regional human
service networks to address the individualized customer transportation
needs of persons and families with low income, persons with
disabilities, older adults and youth. Specifically, these grants seek
to address individual customer needs for mobility within workforce
development, health care, aging, youth, disability, education, housing,
veterans and other social service or human service support networks.
State or tribal mobility management proposals may include the
development of educational programs, training and technical assistance
activities, and mobility management coordination pilots for or within
such networks. These grants are not intended to fund the capital or
operating costs of specific transportation services or transportation
brokerage programs. The projects proposed should represent new or
expanded activities, not just the maintenance of existing actions
already being funded. FTA-funded technical assistance and training
programs are described that may prove helpful to applicants in either
developing or implementing proposals.

DATES: Proposals must be submitted February 12, 2009. States are
advised to begin the Grants.Gov registration process immediately, if
they have not previously submitted grant applications through http://www.Grants.Gov in order to be able to meet the deadline. Grants.Gov
allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive
grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.Gov
is the single access point for over 1000 grant programs offered by the
26 Federal grant-making agencies.

ADDRESSES: Proposals are to be submitted electronically through http://www.Grants.Gov. Alternatively, proposals can also be submitted in hard
copy at the address below. All proposals must be received by close of
business February 12, 2009. Use of a commercial delivery service is
recommended as U.S. Postal Service delivery to the Department is
routinely subject to delays. [Proposals may not be submitted by e-
mail.]
Douglas Birnie, United We Ride Grants, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Room E46-309, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Birnie at PH: 202-366-1666; FAX:
202-366-3394; or UnitedWeRide@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

United We Ride (UWR) is an initiative of the Federal Interagency
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM), established by
President George W. Bush under Executive Order 13330 on Human Service
Transportation Coordination. The CCAM includes eleven Federal
departments working together to coordinate Federal programs funding
transportation. The goals are to simplify access for customers, reduce
transportation service duplication, and enhance cost efficiencies
within existing resources.
There are 64 different Federal programs across nine Federal
agencies that provide funding that may be used to support community
transportation

[[Page 67569]]

services. The Congress and the Executive Branch are interested in
ensuring that various human service transportation activities funded by
various Federal programs are better coordinated and more efficient.
The intent of the UWR initiative is to break down the barriers
among Federal programs to ensure that transportation services are
seamless, comprehensive and accessible. Specifically, UWR is tasked
with seeking ways to simplify access to transportation services for
persons with disabilities, individuals and families with lower incomes,
older adults and youth.
Mobility management projects are short term planning and management
activities intended to coordinate transportation service modes in order
to address the individualized needs of customers, in this case those
within transportation disadvantaged populations, e.g., persons with
disabilities, older adults, youth, and individuals and lower income
families).

Grant Purpose

Grants are intended to provide states and tribal associations with
financial support to help their local or regional education, health
care, workforce development and human service agencies and provider
networks address their customers' transportation needs in support of
their program objectives through mobility management actions.

Eligible Coordination Grant Activities

Grants could be used by State and tribal associations:
1. Assist States and tribal associations to build capabilities and
capacity of human service and other service networks to address their
customers' mobility needs by participating and providing input/feedback
on transportation needs/issues in collaborative local or regional
coordinated public transit/human services transportation planning
processes and by working with public, private non-profit and private
for-profit transportation organizations to deliver comprehensive and
coordinated transportation that meets the needs of the transportation-
disadvantaged population (e.g., individuals with low incomes, older
adults, youth and persons of all ages with disabilities).
2. Educate and train human service case workers/personnel and other
service system personnel to assess customer mobility needs, develop
appropriate individualized transportation plans and strategies,
identify appropriate transportation service options, provide or arrange
travel training for customers, and make service placements that are
reachable and accessible to customers.
3. Develop transportation capabilities and capacity by establishing
local or regional mobility managers, or travel navigators
(transportation resource coordinators) working with or within
education, health care, human service and workforce development and
other service networks. The intent is to develop leadership
capabilities and transportation knowledge in order to help these
networks address the needs of transportation disadvantaged populations
and to work on increasing cross-agency/departmental collaboration to
facilitate coordination, enhance services, and address duplication and
redundancies of programs and services. Local mobility resource
coordinators or travel navigators working with or operating in human
service, workforce development, health care, education and other
community-based networks would provide or arrange travel orientation
and training, trip planning, and other skill building and information
activities to help customers address their transportation needs.
4. Implement additional elements in their coordination plans (i.e.,
plans developed under this or previous UWR State grants) to address
capacity building within human service and other networks addressing
the needs of transportation disadvantaged populations.

Eligibility of Applicants

Eligible applicants include the Governor's Office from each State.
The Governor may designate a ``lead'' agency in writing. This
designation should be submitted with the State's proposal. Eligible
applicants also include tribal associations or consortia that would
address the needs of multiple tribal networks addressing the human
service transportation needs of the tribes. FTA will accept proposals
submitted in electronic or hard copy. The proposal must clearly
demonstrate collaboration among multiple State or tribal agencies. The
Governor's Office, designated ``lead'' agency, or a designated tribal
organization, is responsible for submitting the application, overseeing
the implementation of the project and submitting required reports and
evaluations.

State and Tribal Association/Consortia Grant Elements

The grants are to encourage States and tribal associations to
develop, support, and demonstrate the potential of mobility management
with specialized customer markets and within human service and other
networks. These grants are meant to help States and tribal
associations/consortia build transportation capacity and capabilities
within these networks to meet customer travel needs and to provide
feedback to transportation providers, planners, and political decision-
makers on transportation services and service needs of human service
network customers. The purpose of these grants is to apply the mobility
management framework for targeted consumer groups--persons with
disabilities, youth, older adults, and individuals and families with
low incomes--and to develop transportation infrastructure for mobility
management coordination within human service, workforce development,
health care, education and other community-based networks.
Projects proposed for funding under this announcement must address
the required elements listed below and give consideration to including
other elements listed or developed in the plan, as appropriate.
1. Consult with an advisory board or planning committee to design
the plan for grant-related activities. Members should include, but not
be limited to, customers, social and community services, education
organizations, local businesses, workforce development, health care,
human service and other agencies from target networks, community
organizations (faith-based or otherwise), and local leadership.
(Required)
2. Provide forums for interagency dialogue on mobility management
strategic plans and designs that invite the participation of key
agencies (e.g., human service, workforce development, health care,
education, transportation other appropriate networks), personnel
serving youth with disabilities, older adults, and individuals and
families with low incomes, and the business community. Education about
mobility management and development of strategic plans and designs
should involve the participation of consumers, community service
providers, advocacy organizations and other key stakeholders.
(Required)
3. Undertake actions to make stakeholders and advocacy groups
representing youth with disabilities, older adult, and individuals and
families with low incomes aware of the benefits of mobility management
activities and to involve them in coordinated transportation and
mobility management planning at the State, regional, and local levels.
(Required)
4. Design and conduct an evaluation of statewide, local or tribal
programs related to mobility management throughout the country to
discern

[[Page 67570]]

promising practices and organize this information to facilitate the
adoption of such practices by communities. (Optional)
5. Conceptualize, design, and deliver community awareness and
training programs, targeting specialized providers, advocates, and
customers, aimed at building mobility management capacity within social
service, workforce development, health care, education, and other
appropriate networks. This capacity-building training would strengthen
participants' ability to implement mobility management programs across
their communities, states and tribes. (Optional)
6. Undertake pilot programs and actions to assist local human
service, workforce development, education, and health care
organizations and their staff address their customer transportation
needs, including travel training, individualized trip planning,
transportation information, and other needed service skills and
methods. (Optional)

Proposal Submission

The proposal should be prepared in a format compatible with
Microsoft Word and submitted electronically through the http://www.Grants.Gov Web site. The proposal must include a project narrative
that addresses the required and other selected elements described in
the section above on ``State/Tribal Association/Consortia Grant
Elements'' and the evaluation criteria below. Proposals may not exceed
(20) pages, not including the budget or letters of support. The
proposal should include an activity budget. The proposal narrative
should be double-spaced, in Times New Roman, 12-point font. Applicants
must also submit letters of support via scanned documents attached to
the http://www.Grants.Gov submission.

Criteria for Rating and Selecting Proposals

1. The extent to which the state or tribal association/consortia
proposal has developed an action plan or program adopted by and
coordinated with multiple-State agencies or tribal organizations that
addresses the building of capacity and capabilities within service
networks to address customer mobility needs of older adults, youth,
people with disabilities, and individuals and families with lower
incomes. The proposal should reflect this plan and, at a minimum,
demonstrate support from the Governor's office or tribal leadership and
involvement from at least the State or tribal transportation, aging,
labor and education departments.
(20 points)
2. The extent to which the state or tribal association/consortia
demonstrates leadership and resources (e.g., matching funds, staff,
policies) to implement coordinated human service transportation
initiatives. This includes the extent to which the state or tribal
association/consortia has addressed the key elements of change
management including senior leadership support and ensuring that key
personnel either have the skills and experience to lead coordination
and strategic planning or will receive the training necessary to
achieve success. (20 points)
3. The extent to which the state or tribal association adequately
demonstrates coordination/collaboration with other partners including
communication plans for keeping key stakeholders informed and involved
(e.g., providers, consumers, private for profit, non-profit
organizations, or government). (15 points)
4. The extent to which the state or tribal association/consortia
demonstrates meaningful involvement of consumers in the development and
implementation of human service transportation planning and grant
activities at the State, regional and local levels. (15 points)
5. The extent to which the proposed activities, timelines,
evaluation plan, and budget are congruent with the proposed goals,
objectives, and outcomes for the project and State action plan. (15
points)
6. The extent to which the state or tribal association/consortia
has addressed the development and implementation of performance
measures and evaluation strategy for the targeted activities outlined
in the proposal. (15 points)

Eligibility/Expenses

Grant funds may not be used for capital purchases or operating
costs for provision of transportation services or brokerages. Grant
funds may be used to support personnel for planning, outreach,
training, coordination, mobility management, and other administration
activities required to enhance coordination among and across agencies
within the state or tribes to increase transportation coordination and
customer service capabilities of state, regional and local human
service networks. Supplies, small equipment (computer hardware and
software, etc.), and travel are also eligible expenses.

Review and Award Process

Interagency panels from CCAM will review each grant application.
FTA will notify successful applicants. The anticipated notification of
grantee selections is March 2009. FTA regional offices will work with
respective Washington, DC-based offices and technical assistance
providers to assist states with implementation after the selections are
announced. Selected recipients will recieve pre-award authority as of
the date of notification of project selection. FTA will manage the
grants through FTA's Transportation Electronic Award Management web-
based system (TEAM).

Grant Periods and Awards

The grant period is two years (starting on the date of the grant
contract obligation and ending two years from that date.) Grants will
be awarded competitively based upon the criteria described, provided
states and tribal associations that submit proposals meet the
requirements outlined this notice.

Technical Assistance and Training

Technical Assistance Available

Technical assistance is available in developing or implementing
human network transportation capabilities and capacity building
programs. States or tribes may receive technical assistance through a
variety of resources. Specific resource centers include the National
Resource Center on the Human Service Transportation Coordination (NRC),
Community Transportation Assistance Project (CTAP), the Rural
Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP), Easter Seals Project ACTION,
the National Center on Senior Transportation (NCST), Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS) Peer-to-Peer Program, the Multi-State
Technical Assistance Program (MTAP), the Joblinks Employment
Transportation Initiative (Joblinks). The range of services available
includes, but is not limited to, assistance with coalition building,
assessment, strategic planning, policy development, customer outreach,
implementation strategies and evaluation. Technical assistance is
provided via phone, email, and during on-site visits when appropriate.
States and tribal associations will also be able to receive technical
assistance through the UWR ambassador program. The UWR ambassador
program provides hands-on assistance to states and tribes in the
development and delivery of coordinated human service transportation
programs. Information on these technical assistance systems can be
found at the United We Ride

[[Page 67571]]

Website, under the technical assistance section [http://www.unitedweride.gov.]

Training Available

Training is also available to support the program goals.
1. Transportation Solutions: Linking People with Their Community
Training: A new training on community-level mobility management
activities has been developed by the Community Transportation
Association of America and Easter Seals. This 1-day in-person training
teaches an individual to become a Certified Transportation Resources
Coordinator (TRC) within his or her community. During the course, the
TRC will learn about:
Strategies and templates for gathering information on all
available community transportation services.
Transportation funding sources and programs.
How to keep the gathered information updated.
How to develop an individualized transportation plan.
Support services that assist people in using available
transportation options.
Steps to take to impact their community's efforts to
improve transportation options.
The TRC would then serve as a resource person for direct-service
providers on potential transportation solutions within his or her
agency or community, depending on the size of the service area. The TRC
would also conduct a four-hour training course for interested direct-
service providers in local human service agencies, workforce
development agencies, and other groups on the resources specific to
that community. The TRC will receive instruction and a written manual
on how to implement the four-hour training when they attend the initial
day-long training. The TRC training also provides three new tools for
participants: the Individualized Transportation Plan, the
Transportation Provider Profile, and the Report of Unmet Transportation
Needs.
Initial development of this training was made possible with support
of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of
Labor.
The training will be available beginning January 1, 2009. For more
information, contact Len Cahill, Training Coordinator, Community
Transportation Association of America, 202.415.9653 or 800.891.0590
x705, cahill@ctaa.org.
2. Coordinated Mobility: Unified Transportation Management Solution
Training: The National Transit Institute (NTI) administered by Rutgers
State University of New Jersey offers a two-day course on creative
mobility management approaches for transforming fragmented
transportation systems to a more seamless network with a customer-
focused mindset.
Objectives and Course Content:
Identify ways to forge partnerships with community players
to coordinate multimodal transportation options around the needs of the
customer.
Develop an understanding of the customer travel needs of
today.
Create awareness of the opportunities.
Present elements of mobility management and planning
techniques.
Identify and promote the benefits of mobility management
for communities.
Identify funding resources.
Audience and Fees: Human Service Professionals, Transit Providers,
Brokerage Firms Personnel, State Agency Staff, transit managers for all
of the different services, Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO),
Transportation Management Association's (TMA's), Councils of
Governments, Policy Makers are encouraged to register for this course.
Tuition shall be waived for Federal, State and local government
employees (including tribal employees) who work in transportation or
related areas. Fee for contractors and consultants: $300.00.1.6 CEU
credits are offered.
For more information, contact msirleaf@nti.rutgers.edu or call
(732) 932-1700.
3. Introduction to Travel Training: This is a three-day course
sponsored by Easter Seals Project ACTION. Delivered by Veteran Travel
Trainers, this course will provide information on Travel Training
Assessment Processes, Trip Planning, The Built and Natural Environment,
Designing Travel Instruction Plans, Teaching Street Crossings, Teaching
Boarding, Riding, Deboarding Vehicles and Understanding Vehicle
Features, Preparing for Unforeseen Incidents and Emergencies. This in-
person learning event is delivered in both a classroom and field
setting.
Four courses will be offered during the fiscal year and information
will be available beginning in October 2008. For more information,
contact Kristi Ross, Easter Seals Project ACTION, 800.659.6428,
kross@easterseals.com.

Issued on: November 4, 2008.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-27124 Filed 11-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P