[Federal Register: August 12, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 154)]
[Notices]
[Page 40638-40639]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12au09-111]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Fiscal Year 2010 Safety Grants
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to inform the public of FMCSA's Fiscal Year
(FY) 2010 safety grant opportunities and FMCSA's changes to its
application and award processes for grant programs. The Agency
instituted procedural changes in an effort to simplify and streamline
its grants application and award processes. The 11 safety programs
include the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Basic
grants; MCSAP 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 the
Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) grants.
Each grant program 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 grantees with information on the Agency's
FY 2010 safety grant application deadlines.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the following FMCSA
staff with questions or needed information on the Agency's grant
programs:
MCSAP New Entrant Safety Audit Grants--Arthur Williams,
arthur.williams@dot.gov, 202-366-3695, Border Enforcement Grants--Carla
Vagnini, carla.vagnini@dot.gov, 202-366-3771, MCSAP High Priority
Grants--Cim Weiss, cim.weiss@dot.gov, 202-366-0275, CMV Operator Safety
Training Grants--Julie Otto, julie.otto@dot.gov, 202-366-0710, CDLPI
Grants--Brandon Poarch, brandon.poarch@dot.gov, 202-366-3030, CDLIS
Modernization Grants--Brandon Poarch, brandon.poarch@dot.gov, 202-366-
3030, SaDIP Grants--Betsy Benkowski, betsy.benkowski@dot.gov, 202-366-
4808, PRISM Grants--Tom Lawler, tom.lawler@dot.gov, 202-366-3866, CVISN
Grants--Julie Lane, julie.lane@dot.gov, 202-385-2391.
All staff may be reached at FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulatory History
On March 24, 2009, FMCSA published a notice with request for
comments in the Federal Register (74 FR 12437) regarding the
establishment of Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 grant application due dates and
other grant program changes.
Background and Purpose
FMCSA recognizes that State governments and other grantees are
dependent on its safety grants to develop and maintain important
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety programs. FMCSA further
acknowledges that delays in awarding grant funds may have an adverse
impact on these important safety programs. As a result, FMCSA conducted
a grants process review, in an effort to identify ways to streamline
the application, award, and grants management processes, and to award
grant funds earlier each fiscal year. In addition, FMCSA made changes
in the grants application, award and oversight processes to standardize
application forms, increase the use of electronic documents,
standardize quarterly reports and reduce the number of needed grant
amendments.
Discussion of Comments
Five comments were received in the docket. All commenters supported
FMCSA's changes, especially any efforts to award funds earlier in the
fiscal year. One commenter suggested delaying on the proposed
application dates until FY 2011. Another commenter suggested one due
date for all grants. Other comments included suggestions beyond the
scope of FMCSA's current changes. This information will be considered
during future grant program modifications.
FY 2010 Safety Grants Program
First, the schedule for the FY 2010 grant applications is as
follows:
MCSAP Basic and Incentive Grants--August 1, 2009.
New Entrant Safety Audit Grants--September 1, 2009.
Border Enforcement Grants--September 15, 2009.
CMV Operator Safety Training Grants--October 1, 2009.
SaDIP Grants--October 2, 2009.
MCSAP High Priority Grants--October 15, 2009.
CDLPI Grants--November 1, 2009.
CDLIS Modernization Grants--November 15, 2009.
PRISM Grants--December 1, 2009.
CVISN Grants--December 1, 2009.
Second, consistent with its contract authority, FMCSA will enter
into grant agreements beginning October 1 or as soon thereafter as
administratively practicable. FMCSA intends to enter into grant
agreements no later than 90 days from the date the application is due
but not prior to October 1.
Third, for all grants other than MCSAP Basic and Incentive, FMCSA
will use a standard grant application form and a new quarterly
reporting process. In its grant announcements on grants.gov, FMCSA will
use Standard Form 424 (``Application for Federal Assistance'') and its
attachments for all of its grant programs. While each grant
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program may request different data in some of the data fields on the
form, the use of the Standard Form 424 will be mandatory. FMCSA must
adopt the Standard Form--Project Progress Report (SF-PPR) as its
preferred form for quarterly reporting. Therefore, the SF-PRR would be
mandatory for quarterly reporting. However, individual grant programs
may require additional SF-PRR attachments. Additional guidance will be
provided to grant recipients upon award.
Fourth, FMCSA is increasing the use of electronic documents. As a
result, the number of original copies of grant agreements required to
be signed by Grantees and submitted to FMCSA is now two. In addition,
FMCSA will provide most grant agreement documents electronically to its
financial processing office. Grantees are, however, still required to
submit the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Vendor Payment Form (SF-3881)
directly to FMCSA's financial processing office by U.S. Postal Service,
courier service or secure fax.
Application Information for FY 2010 Grants
General information about FMCSA grant programs is available in the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance which can be found on the
internet at http://www.cfda.gov. To apply for funding, applicants must
register with grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get-
registered.jsp and submit an application in accordance with
instructions provided for each grant program.
If funds remain available within each grant program, applications
filed after the deadline will be considered.
Evaluation Factors: The following evaluation factors will be used
in reviewing the applications for all FMCSA discretionary grants:
(1) Prior performance--Completion of identified programs and goals
per the project plan.
(2) Effective Use of Prior Grants--Demonstrated timely use and
expensing of available funds.
(3) Cost Effectiveness--Applications will be evaluated and
prioritized on the expected safety impact relative to the investment of
grant funds. Where appropriate, costs per unit will be calculated and
compared with national averages to determine effectiveness. In other
areas, proposed costs will be compared with historical information to
confirm reasonableness.
(4) Applicability to announced priorities--If national priorities
are included in the grants.gov notice, those proposals that
specifically address these issues will be given priority consideration.
(5) Ability of the applicant to support the strategies and
activities in the proposal for the entire project period of
performance.
(6) Use of innovative approaches in executing a project plan to
address identified safety issues.
(7) Feasibility of overall program coordination and implementation
based upon the project plan.
(8) Grant specific evaluation factors as described in the
grants.gov application information.
Issued on: August 6, 2009.
William A. Quade,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement and Program Delivery.
David Anewalt,
Acting Associate Administrator for Research and Information Technology.
[FR Doc. E9-19285 Filed 8-11-09; 8:45 am]
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