Notice of Funding Opportunity for Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grant Program
| Published date | 09 June 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 35362 |
| Record Number | 2020-12443 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Railroad Administration,Transportation Department |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 111 (Tuesday, June 9, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35362-35368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12443]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Notice of Funding Opportunity for Railroad Trespassing Suicide
Prevention Grant Program
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT or Department).
ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity (notice or NOFO).
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SUMMARY: This notice details the application requirements and
procedures to obtain funding for eligible projects under the Railroad
Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grant Program. Railroad Trespassing
Suicide Prevention Grant Program funding totaling $293,000 is provided
in this NOFO by the 2019 and 2020 consolidated appropriations acts,
which require the FRA to implement a railroad trespasser prevention
strategy. This program is part of the FRA's implementation of railroad
trespass prevention efforts. The opportunities described in this notice
[[Page 35363]]
are available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number
20.301, ``Rail Safety Grants.''
DATES: Applications for funding under this solicitation are due no
later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), on August 10, 2020.
Applications for funding received after 5:00 p.m. ET on August 10, 2020
will not be considered for funding. See Section D of this notice for
additional information on the application process.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted via www.Grants.gov. Only
applicants who comply with all submission requirements described in
this notice and submit applications through Grants.gov will be eligible
for award. For any supporting application materials that an applicant
is unable to submit via Grants.gov, an applicant may submit an original
and two (2) copies to Matthew Lorah, Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Room W36-103, Washington, DC 20590; email: [email protected];
phone: 202-493-6186. However, due to delays caused by enhanced
screening of mail delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, applicants are
advised to use other means of conveyance (such as courier service) to
assure timely receipt of materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding this
program, please contact Michail Grizkewitsch, Office of Railroad
Safety, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Room W33-446, Washington, DC 20590; email:
[email protected]; phone: (202) 493-1370. Application
submission and processing questions should be addressed to Matthew
Lorah, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-103, Washington, DC
20590; email: [email protected]; phone: 202-493-6186.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Notice to applicants: FRA recommends that applicants read this
notice in its entirety prior to preparing application materials.
Definitions of key terms used throughout the NOFO are provided in
Section A(2) below. These key terms are capitalized throughout the
NOFO. There are several administrative prerequisites and eligibility
requirements described herein with which applicants must comply.
Additionally, applicants should note that the required Project
Narrative component of the application package may not exceed 25 pages
in length.
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration Information
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
H. Other Information
A. Program Description
1. Overview
An average of 289 individuals commit suicide each year on the U.S.
rail system. This represents nearly a third of the fatalities related
to railroad operations in the U.S. Grade crossing safety and trespass
prevention are incorrectly considered by some as challenges to be
addressed by Railroad Carriers alone, when in fact the prevention of
grade crossing and trespasser fatalities is most effectively addressed
through thoughtful and consistent collaboration between all
stakeholders, including the Railroad Carriers, communities, law
enforcement, educators, and mental health organizations. Funding under
this NOFO is intended to facilitate this collaboration, specifically as
pertains to suicide prevention.
Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related casualties
(injuries and fatalities) in the U.S. and many of these trespass deaths
are the result of an intentional act of suicide. The increasing number
of fatalities resulting from trespassing prompted Congress to direct
FRA to create a National Trespass Prevention Strategy. In its strategy,
FRA identified approaches to reduce the occurrence of trespassing,
including collaboration with stakeholders to address the issue of
suicide.
Suicides related to railroad operations represent a small, but
continually increasing, percentage of the total suicides that occur in
the U.S. each year. Funding under this NOFO is intended to identify and
fund partnerships between organizations focused on suicide prevention
and/or mental health assistance and Railroad Carriers to develop and
implement a targeted Outreach Campaign (as defined below) to reduce the
number of railroad-related suicides.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for the
competitive Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grant Program
funding provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, Div. G,
Title I, Public Law 116-6 and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020,
Div. H, Title I, Public Law 116-94. Grants \1\ under this NOFO are
authorized in 49 U.S.C. 103(i), pursuant to FRA's implementation of 49
U.S.C. 20151(b).
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\1\ The term ``grant'' used throughout this document is intended
to reference funding awarded through a grant agreement, as well as
funding awarded through a cooperative agreement.
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Rural transportation networks play a vital role in supporting our
national economic vitality. Addressing the deteriorating conditions and
disproportionately high fatality rates on our rural transportation
infrastructure is of critical interest to the Department, as rural
transportation networks face unique challenges in safety,
infrastructure condition, and passenger and freight usage. Consistent
with the R.O.U.T.E.S. Initiative, the Department will consider how
projects would address the challenges faced by Rural Areas.
2. Definitions of Key Terms
a. ``Railroad Carrier'' means a person providing railroad
transportation. For the purpose of this definition, ``railroad'' is
defined under 49 U.S.C. 20102(2).
b. ``Outreach Campaign'' means any coordinated communication and
assistance effort focused on a specific population, in this case
individuals suffering from mental health issues who may be
contemplating suicide.
c. ``Rural Area'' means any area not in an urbanized area as
defined by the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau defines Urbanized Area
(UA) as an area with a population of 50,000 or more people. Updated
lists of UAs as defined by the Census Bureau are available on the
Census Bureau website at http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/.
B. Federal Award Information
1. Available Award Amount
The total funding available for awards under this NOFO is $293,000.
Should additional funds become available after the release of this
NOFO, FRA may elect to award such additional funds to applications
received under this NOFO not to exceed $100,000 per project. Any
selection and award under this NOFO is subject to the availability of
appropriated funds.
2. Award Size
The maximum dollar threshold for awards is $100,000 per project.
There is no predetermined minimum dollar threshold, and FRA may choose
to select one or more eligible projects for funding. FRA may not be
able to award grants to all eligible applications, nor
[[Page 35364]]
even to all applications that meet or exceed the stated evaluation
criteria (see Section E, Application Review Information).
3. Award Type
FRA will make awards for projects selected under this notice
through grant agreements. Grant agreements are used when FRA does not
expect to have substantial Federal involvement in carrying out the
funded activity. The funding provided under this NOFO will be made
available to grantees on a reimbursable basis. Applicants must certify
that their expenditures are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and
necessary to the approved project before seeking reimbursement from
FRA. See an example of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant
awards at https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/notice-grant-award-example. This template is subject to revision.
C. Eligibility Information
This section of the notice explains the requirements for submitting
an eligible grant application. Applications that do not meet the
requirements in this section will be considered ineligible for funding.
Instructions for conveying eligibility information to FRA are detailed
in Section D of this NOFO.
1. Eligible Applicants
The following entities are eligible applicants permitted under this
notice. See Section C(3). Applicants for this grant must be an
organization in the U.S. that focus on suicide prevention and/or mental
health assistance that can implement an Outreach Campaign for reducing
suicide involving railroad trespassing or be a Railroad Carrier
interested in starting or expanding efforts to prevent trespass
suicide. Ideally, an organization without direct rail domain knowledge
would coordinate with a particular Railroad Carrier, as shown through a
letter of support. A similar letter of support from a suicide
prevention and/or mental health assistance focused organization would
be ideal should a Railroad Carrier apply for funding.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Neither cost sharing nor matching is a requirement for this grant
program. The funds provided under this NOFO are available only for
eligible project costs of eligible Railroad Trespassing Suicide
Prevention Grant Program projects. The estimated total cost of a
project must be based on the best available information.
3. Project Eligibility
Projects eligible for funding under this NOFO implement a proposed
Outreach Campaign for reducing suicides that involve railroad
trespassing. The Outreach Campaign may involve training staff to
identify individuals at risk and intervene, raising awareness of
services via signage or public awareness campaigns, or implementing
other strategies. Projects must be specifically tailored to directly
reduce railroad suicide incidents. At least 1 mile of FRA-regulated
railroad track must be within the boundaries of the planned outreach
activities.
Funding under this NOFO may not be used for costs that are included
in, or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of, any other
Federally-financed award or program.
FRA will consider a project to be in a Rural Area if all or the
majority of the project (determined by geographic location(s) where the
majority of the project funds will be spent) is located in a Rural
Area. However, in the event FRA elects to fund a component of the
project, then FRA will reexamine whether the project is in a Rural
Area.
D. Application and Submission Information
Required documents for the application are outlined in the
following paragraphs. Applicants must complete and submit all
components of the application. See Section D(2) for the application
checklist. FRA welcomes the submission of additional relevant
supporting documentation, such as letters of support from partnering
organizations and references to previous work on suicide prevention
Outreach Campaigns that will not count against the Project Narrative
25-page limit.
1. Address To Request Application Package
Applicants must submit all application materials through http://www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. ET, on August 10, 2020.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early to ensure that all
materials are received before the application deadline. General
information for submitting applications through Grants.gov can be found
at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0270. FRA is committed to ensuring
that information is available in appropriate alternative formats to
meet the requirements of persons who have a disability. If you require
an alternative version of files provided, please contact Matthew Lorah,
Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Federal Railroad Administration,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-103, Washington, DC 20590; email:
[email protected]; phone: 202-493-6186.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
FRA strongly advises applicants to read this section carefully.
Applicants must submit all required information and components of the
application package to be considered for funding. Required documents
for an application package are outlined in the checklist below.
Project Narrative (see D.2.a)
Statement of Work (see D.2.b.i)
SF424--Application for Federal Assistance
424A--Budget Information for Non-Construction projects
SF 424B--Assurances for Non-Construction projects
FRA's Additional Assurances and Certifications
SF LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
a. Project Narrative
This section describes the minimum content required in the Project
Narrative of the grant application. The Project Narrative must follow
the basic outline below to address the program requirements and assist
evaluators in locating relevant information.
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I. Cover Page............................ See D.2.a.i
II. Project Summary...................... See D.2.a.ii
III. Applicant Eligibility Criteria...... See D.2.a.iii
IV. Project Eligibility Criteria......... See D.2.a.iv
V. Detailed Project Description.......... See D.2.a.v
VI. Evaluation and Selection Criteria.... See D.2.a.vi
VII. Project Implementation and See D.2.a.vii
Management.
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The above content must be provided in a narrative statement
submitted by the applicant. The Project Narrative may not exceed 25
pages in length (excluding cover pages, table of contents, and
supporting documentation.) FRA will not review or consider Project
Narratives beyond the 25-page limitation. If possible, applicants
should submit supporting documents via website links rather than hard
copies. If supporting documents are submitted, applicants must clearly
identify the page number of the relevant portion of the supporting
documentation in the Project Narrative. The Project Narrative must
adhere to the following outline.
i. Cover Page: Include a cover page that lists the following
elements in either a table or formatted list:
Project Title
Applicant
[[Page 35365]]
Total project cost
Amount of Federal funding requested
City(ies), State(s) where the project is located
Congressional district(s) where the project is located
ii. Project Summary: Provide a brief 4-6 sentence summary of the
proposed Outreach Campaign. Include challenges and summarize the
intended outcomes and anticipated benefits that will result from the
proposed project.
iii. Applicant Eligibility Criteria: Explain how the applicant
meets the applicant eligibility criteria outlined in Section C(1) of
this notice.
iv. Project Eligibility Criteria: Explain how the project meets the
project eligibility criteria in Section C(3) of this notice.
v. Detailed Project Description: Include a detailed project
description of the suicide prevention Outreach Campaign proposed for
implementation that expands upon the brief summary required above. This
detailed description should provide, at a minimum: How the proposed
campaign will be implemented along with additional background on the
challenges the project aims to address, the expected users,
beneficiaries, and outcomes of the project, and any other information
the applicant deems necessary to justify the proposed project. Describe
how and to what extent rail trespass suicide is expected to be reduced,
including proposed measures to assess this reduction. Specify the
relevance or relationship of the proposed project to other investments,
if applicable, as well as the changes that are anticipated to result
from the project. Provide a detailed summary of all related outreach
completed to date, if applicable. Include previous accomplishments and
funding history including Federal financial assistance, and a
chronology of key documents produced.
If applicable, explain how the project will benefit communities in
Rural Areas. If all or a majority of a project is located in a Rural
Area, identify the Rural Area(s) and estimated percentage of project
costs that will be spent in the Rural Area.
vi. Evaluation and Selection Criteria: Include a thorough
discussion of how the proposed project meets all of the evaluation and
selection criteria, as outlined in Section E of this notice. If an
application does not sufficiently address the evaluation criteria and
the selection criteria, it is unlikely to be a competitive application.
vii. Project Implementation and Management: Describe proposed
project implementation and project management arrangements for the
project, including the activities proposed in this application. Include
descriptions of the expected arrangements for project contracting,
contract oversight, risk management, and conformance to Federal
requirements for project progress reporting (see https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0274). Describe past experience in managing and
overseeing similar projects.
viii. Procurement System. A statement that the lead applicant has a
system for procuring property and services under a Federal award
provided under this NOFO that supports the provisions in 2 CFR part 200
Subpart D-Procurement Standards at 2 CFR 200.317-326 and 2 CFR
1201.317.
ix. Applicant Statement. A statement indicating whether the
applicant or any of its principals:
(A) is presently suspended, debarred, voluntarily excluded, or
disqualified;
(B) has been convicted within the preceding 3 years of any of the
offenses listed in 2 CFR 180.800(a); or had a civil judgment rendered
against the organization or the individual for one of those offenses
within that time period;
(C) is presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly
charged by a governmental entity (Federal, state or local) with,
commission of any of the offenses listed in 2 CFR 180.800(a); or,
(D) has had one or more public transactions (Federal, state, or
local) terminated within the preceding 3 years for cause or default
(including material failure to comply).
b. Additional Application Elements
Applicants must include the following documents in the application
package:
i. A Statement of Work (SOW) addressing the scope, schedule, and
budget for the proposed project if it were selected for award. The SOW
must contain sufficient detail so FRA, and the applicant, can
understand the expected outcomes of the proposed work to be performed
and can monitor progress toward completing project tasks and
deliverables during a prospective grant's period of performance.
Applicants must use FRA's standard SOW, schedule, and budget templates
to be considered for award. The templates are located at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0325. When preparing the budget, the total cost
of a project must be based on the best available information as
indicated in cited references.
ii. SF 424--Application for Federal Assistance;
iii. SF 424A--Budget Information for Non-Construction;
iv. SF 424B--Assurances for Non-Construction;
v. FRA's Additional Assurances and Certifications; and
vi. SF LLL--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.
Forms needed for the electronic application process are at
www.grants.gov.
c. Post-Selection Requirements
See Section F(2) for post-selection requirements.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
To apply for funding through Grants.gov, applicants must be
properly registered in SAM before submitting an application, provide a
valid unique entity identifier in its application, and continue to
maintain an active SAM registration as described in detail below.
Complete instructions on how to register and submit an application can
be found at Grants.gov. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time
process; however, it can take up to several weeks for first-time
registrants to receive confirmation and a user password. FRA recommends
that applicants start the registration process as early as possible to
prevent delays that may preclude submitting an application package by
the application deadline. Applications will not be accepted after the
due date. Delayed registration is not an acceptable justification for
an application extension.
FRA may not make a grant award to an applicant until the applicant
has complied with all applicable Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
and SAM requirements, and if an applicant has not fully complied with
the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to
make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that
the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another
applicant. (Please note that if a Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number must be
obtained or renewed, this may take a significant amount of time to
complete.) Late applications that are the result of a failure to
register or comply with Grants.gov applicant requirements in a timely
manner will not be considered. If an applicant has not fully complied
with the requirements by the submission deadline, the application will
not be considered. To submit an application through Grants.gov,
applicants must:
[[Page 35366]]
a. Obtain a DUNS Number
A DUNS number is required for Grants.gov registration. The Office
of Management and Budget requires that all businesses and nonprofit
applicants for Federal funds include a DUNS number in their
applications for a new award or renewal of an existing award. A DUNS
number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal
standard for the government in identifying and keeping track of
entities receiving Federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking
purposes and to validate address and point of contact information for
Federal assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. The DUNS
number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS
number is a free, one-time activity. Applicants may obtain a DUNS
number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by applying online at http://www.dnb.com/us.
b. Register With the SAM at www.SAM.gov
All applicants for Federal financial assistance must maintain
current registrations in the SAM database. An applicant must be
registered in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. The SAM
database is the repository for standard information about Federal
financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients.
Organizations that have previously submitted applications via
Grants.gov are already registered with SAM, as it is a requirement for
Grants.gov registration. Please note, however, that applicants must
update or renew their SAM registration at least once per year to
maintain an active status. Therefore, it is critical to check
registration status well in advance of the application deadline. If an
applicant is selected for an award, the applicant must maintain an
active SAM registration with current information throughout the period
of the award.
Information about SAM registration procedures is available at
www.sam.gov.
c. Create a Grants.gov Username and Password
Applicants must complete an Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR) profile on www.Grants.gov and create a username and password.
Applicants must use the organization's DUNS number to complete this
step. Additional information about the registration process is
available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.
d. Acquire Authorization for Your AOR From the E-Business Point of
Contact (E-Biz POC)
The E-Biz POC at the applicant's organization must respond to the
registration email from Grants.gov and login at www.Grants.gov to
authorize the applicant as the AOR. Please note there can be more than
one AOR for an organization.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Applicants must submit complete applications in their entirety to
www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020. Applicants
will receive a system-generated acknowledgement of receipt. FRA reviews
www.Grants.gov information on dates/times of applications submitted to
determine timeliness of submissions. Late applications will be neither
reviewed nor considered. Delayed registration is not an acceptable
reason for late submission. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply
early to ensure that all materials are received before this deadline.
To ensure a fair competition of limited discretionary funds, the
following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions:
(1) Failure to complete the registration process before the deadline;
(2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and
apply as posted on its website; (3) failure to follow all instructions
in this NOFO; and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant's
computer or information technology environment.
5. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order 12372 requires applicants from State and local
units of government or other organizations providing services within a
State to submit a copy of the application to the State Single Point of
Contact (SPOC), if one exists, and if this program has been selected
for review by the State. Applicants may contact their State SPOC to
determine if the program has been selected for State review. As of
October 1, 2018, Intergovernmental Review was not required for this
program.
6. Funding Restrictions
Consistent with 2 CFR 200.458, FRA will only approve pre-award
costs if such costs are incurred pursuant to the negotiation and in
anticipation of the grant agreement and if such costs are necessary for
efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. Under 2 CFR
200.458, grantees must seek written approval from the FRA for pre-award
activities to be eligible for reimbursement under the grant. Activities
initiated prior to the execution of a grant or without written approval
may not be eligible for reimbursement or included as a grantee's
matching contribution. Further, funding under this NOFO may not be used
for costs that are included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or
matching requirements of any other Federally financed project or
program. Cost sharing or matching may be used only for authorized
Federal award purposes. Indirect costs will not be reimbursed under
this grant program.
7. Other Submission Requirements
For any supporting application materials that an applicant cannot
submit via Grants.gov, an applicant may submit an original and two (2)
copies to Matthew Lorah, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Federal
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-103,
Washington, DC 20590. However, due to delays caused by enhanced
screening of mail delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, FRA advises
applicants to use other means of conveyance (such as courier service)
to assure timely receipt of materials before the application deadline.
Additionally, if documents can be obtained online, providing
instructions to FRA on how to access files on a referenced website may
also be sufficient.
Note: Please use generally accepted formats such as .pdf, .doc,
.docx, .xls, .xlsx and .ppt, when uploading attachments. While
applicants may embed picture files, such as .jpg, .gif, and .bmp, in
document files, applicants should not submit attachments in these
formats. Additionally, the following formats will not be accepted:
.com, .bat, .exe, .vbs, .cfg, .dat, .db, .dbf, .dll, .ini, .log,
.ora, .sys, and .zip.
If an applicant experiences difficulties at any point during this
process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Center Hotline at 1-800-
518-4726, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal holidays).
For information and instructions on each of these processes, please see
instructions at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. See Section D(1) of this NOFO for information on where
applications must be submitted if sent by postal mail, electronic means
or hand delivery.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
a. Eligibility, Completeness and Applicant Risk Review
FRA will first screen each application for eligibility (eligibility
requirements
[[Page 35367]]
are outlined in Section C of this notice), completeness (application
documentation and submission requirements are outlined in Section D of
this notice) and applicant risk.
b. Evaluation Criteria
FRA subject-matter experts will evaluate all eligible and complete
applications against the following evaluation criteria:
i. Technical Merit. FRA will evaluate application information for
the degree to which:
(E) The application is thorough and responsive to all the
requirements outlined in this NOFO.
(F) The tasks outlined in the SOW and described in the project
narrative are appropriate to achieve the expected benefits of the
proposed project.
(G) The technical qualifications and experience of key personnel
proposed to lead and perform the technical efforts, and the
qualifications of the primary and supporting organizations to fully and
successfully execute the proposed project within the proposed timeframe
and budget are demonstrated.
ii. Project Benefits. FRA intends to award funds to projects that
achieve the maximum benefits possible. FRA will evaluate the extent to
which:
(A) The application contains data and/or supporting information to
support the proposed suicide prevention Outreach Campaign. This
information could include:
Data from prior suicide prevention or public safety
initiatives which demonstrate the ability to implement a mitigation
strategy and document impact.
Examples of prior collaborative efforts with
transportation entities, state/local government, communities, and/or
other suicide prevention or safety organizations.
Examples of prior efforts to address suicide and or mental
health awareness.
(B) The applicant describes the expected benefit of the project,
namely how the funded project will prevent rail-related suicide
including how and to what extent rail trespass suicide is expected to
be reduced.
(C) The applicant demonstrates a cooperative relationship with
stakeholders (e.g., Railroad Carriers).
c. Selection Criteria
In addition to the eligibility, completeness and applicant risk
review and the evaluation criteria outlined in this section, the FRA
Administrator (or his designee) will determine the final selection of
projects for program funding.
i. FRA will take into account the following key Departmental
objectives:
(A) Using innovative approaches to improve safety and expedite
project delivery; and,
(B) Holding grant recipients accountable for their performance and
achieving specific, measurable outcomes identified by grant applicants.
ii. In determining the allocation of program funds, FRA will also
consider geographic diversity, diversity in the size of the systems
receiving funding, the applicant's receipt of other competitive awards,
projects located in or that support transportation service in a
qualified opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-1.
iii. Consistent with the Department's R.O.U.T.E.S. Initiative, the
DOT recognizes that rural transportation networks face unique
challenges. To the extent that those challenges are reflected in the
applicant's response to the criteria listed in this section, the FRA
will consider how the activities proposed in the application will
address those challenges, regardless of the geographic location of
those activities.
2. Review and Selection Process
FRA will conduct a three-part application review process, as
follows:
a. Screening applications for completeness, eligibility and
applicant risk (completed by FRA grants staff);
b. Evaluating the technical merit of eligible applications
(completed by subject matter experts applying the evaluation criteria);
and
c. Selection of projects for award by the FRA Administrator for the
Secretary's review and approval.
3. Reporting Matters Related to Integrity and Performance
Before making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share
greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (see 2 CFR 200.88
Simplified Acquisition Threshold), FRA will review and consider any
information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and
performance system accessible through SAM (currently the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). See 41
U.S.C. 2313.
An applicant, at its option, may review information in the
designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and
comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency
previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and
performance system accessible through SAM.
FRA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the
other information in the designated integrity and performance system,
in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics,
and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the
review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR 200.205.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notice
FRA will announce applications selected for funding in a press
release and on the FRA website after the application review period. FRA
will contact applicants with successful applications after announcement
with information and instructions about the award process. This
notification is not an authorization to begin proposed project
activities. FRA requires satisfaction of applicable requirements by the
applicant and a formal agreement signed by both the grantee and the
FRA, including an approved scope, schedule, and budget, to obligate the
grant.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
In connection with any program or activity conducted with or
benefiting from funds awarded under this notice, recipients of funds
must comply with all applicable requirements of Federal law, including,
without limitation, the Constitution of the United States; the
conditions of performance, nondiscrimination requirements, and other
assurances made applicable to the award of funds in accordance with
regulations of the Department of Transportation; and applicable Federal
financial assistance and contracting principles promulgated by the
Office of Management and Budget. In complying with these requirements,
recipients, in particular, must ensure that no concession agreements
are denied or other contracting decisions made on the basis of speech
or other activities protected by the First Amendment. If the Department
determines that a recipient has failed to comply with applicable
Federal requirements, the Department may terminate the award of funds
and disallow previously incurred costs, requiring the recipient to
reimburse any expended award funds.
Examples of administrative and national policy requirements
include: 2 CFR part 200; procurement standards at 2 CFR part 200
Subpart D--Procurement Standards, 2 CFR 1207.317 and 2 CFR 200.401;
compliance with Federal civil rights laws and regulations;
disadvantaged business enterprises; debarment and suspension; drug-free
workplace; FRA's and OMB's Assurances and Certifications;
[[Page 35368]]
Americans with Disabilities Act; safety requirements; NEPA;
environmental justice and the Buy American Act, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8305.
Unless otherwise stated in statutory or legislative authority, or
appropriations language, all financial assistance awards follow the
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit
Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR part 1201.
Grantees must comply with applicable appropriations act
requirements and all relevant requirements of 2 CFR part 200. Rights to
intangible property under grants awarded under this NOFO are governed
in accordance with 2 CFR 200.315. Unless otherwise stated in the
Federal award, FRA will not consider non-federal entities as that term
is used in 2 CFR part 200 to include for-profit entities. See an
example of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant awards at
https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L05285. This template is subject
to revision.
3. Reporting
a. Progress Reporting on Grant Activity
Each applicant selected for a grant will be required to comply with
all standard FRA reporting requirements, including quarterly progress
reports, quarterly Federal financial reports, and interim and final
performance reports, as well as all applicable auditing, monitoring and
close out requirements. Reports may be submitted electronically.
b. Additional Reporting
Applicants selected for funding are required to comply with all
reporting requirements in the standard terms and conditions for FRA
grant awards including 2 CFR 180.335 and 2 CFR 180.350. See an example
of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant awards at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L05285. This template is subject to
revision.
c. Performance Reporting
Each applicant selected for funding must report on the project's
performance using measures mutually agreed upon by FRA and the grantee
to assess progress in achieving strategic goals and objectives. The
information should include indicators of success (e.g., anticipated
reach of messaging efforts or contacts made by personnel with
individuals at risk or reduced suicide incidents.) The FRA maintains
the rights to re-publish and use information under this grant for the
advancement of safety.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information regarding this notice and the Railroad
Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grant Program, please contact Michail
Grizkewitsch, Office of Railroad Safety, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W33-446, Washington, DC
20590; email: [email protected]; phone: (202) 493-1370.
Grant application submission and processing questions should be
addressed to Matthew Lorah, Office of the Chief Financial Officer,
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36-
103, Washington, DC 20590; email: [email protected]; phone: 202-
493-6186.
H. Other Information
All information submitted as part of or in support of any
application shall use publicly available data or data that can be made
public and methodologies that are accepted by industry practice and
standards, to the extent possible. If the application includes
information the applicant considers to be a trade secret or
confidential commercial or financial information, the applicant should
do the following: (1) Note on the front cover that the submission
``Contains Confidential Business Information (CBI)''; (2) mark each
affected page ``CBI''; and (3) highlight or otherwise denote the CBI
portions.
The DOT regulations implementing the FOIA are found at 49 CFR part
7 Subpart C--Availability of Reasonably Described Records under the
Freedom of Information Act which sets forth rules for FRA to make
requested materials, information and, and records publicly available
under FOIA. Unless prohibited by law and to the extent permitted under
the FOIA, contents of application and proposals submitted by successful
applicants may be released in response to FOIA requests.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Quintin Kendall,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-12443 Filed 6-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
