Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

As Enacted ( Federal Register)

Cited authorities 7

Cited in

Published date	16 April 2021
Citation	86 FR 20231
Record Number	2021-07852
Section	Notices
Court	Maritime Administration,Transportation Department

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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 72 / Friday, April 16, 2021 / Notices

See, e.g., Grand Elk R.R.—Acquis. of Incidental

Trackage Rights Exemption—Norfolk S. Ry., FD

35187 (Sub–No. 1) et al., slip op. at 4 (STB served

Nov. 20, 2017) (after having previously denied a

request for retroactive authority, reopening the

proceeding to make exemption retroactive in light

of changed circumstances, including a state court

decision that declined to rule on a contractual issue

because Board previously only granted prospective

authority).

See, e.g., Elk River R.R.—Merger Exemption—

Buffalo Creek R.R., FD 36434, slip op. at 3 (STB

served Nov. 6, 2020); Ark.—Okla. R.R.—Acquis. &

Operation Exemption—State of Okla., FD 36323,

slip op. at 3 (STB served Sept. 19, 2019).

transaction is for continued rail service,

IRW has indicated no plans to alter

railroad properties 50 years old or older,

and any abandonment would be subject

to Board jurisdiction.

Effective Date. As stated above, IRW

seeks an exemption with retroactive

effect. Although the Board on occasion

has granted authority retroactively,

generally disfavors such grants.

Given

that IRW has failed to explain why

retroactive authority is needed in this

case, the Board is unable to assess the

need and declines to make its authority

retroactive here. The exemption will be

effective on May 13, 2021, unless it is

stayed.

It is ordered:

1. Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the Board

exempts from the prior approval

requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10901 IRW’s

acquisition and operation of the Line.

2. Notice of this exemption will be

published in the Federal Register.

3. This exemption will be effective on

May 13, 2021. Petitions for stay must be

filed by April 23, 2021. Petitions to

reopen must be filed by May 3, 2021.

Decided: April 9, 2021.

By the Board, Board Members Begeman,

Fuchs, Oberman, Primus, and Schultz.

Tammy Lowery,

Clearance Clerk.

[FR Doc. 2021–07792 Filed 4–15–21; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Notice of Intent To Rule on a Request

To Release Surplus Property at the

Myrtle Beach International Airport,

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

AGENCY

: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION

: Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY

: The Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) is considering a

request from the Horry County

Department of Airports to waive the

requirement that 0.29 acres of surplus

property located at the Myrtle Beach

International Airport be used for

aeronautical purposes. Currently, the

ownership of the property provides for

the protection of approach and

departure Runway Protection Zones and

compatible land use which would

continue to be protected with deed

restrictions required in the transfer of

land ownership.

DATES

: Comments must be received on

or before May 17, 2021.

ADDRESSES

: Comments on this

application may be emailed or mailed to

the FAA at the following address:

Chaim Van Prooyen, Federal Aviation

Administration, Atlanta Airports

District Office, 1701 Columbia Ave., Ste.

220, College Park, GA 30337.

In addition, one copy of any

comments submitted to the FAA must

be mailed to: Scott Van Moppes,

Director of Airport, Myrtle Beach

International Airport, 1100 Jetport Road,

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Chaim Van Prooyen, Federal Aviation

Administration, Atlanta Airports

District Office, 1701 Columbia Ave., Ste.

220, College Park, GA 30337,

chaim.h.van.prooyen@faa.gov. The

request to release property may be

reviewed, by appointment, in person at

this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

: The FAA

is reviewing a request to release 0.29

acres of surplus property at the Myrtle

Beach International Airport (MYR)

under the provisions of 49 U.S.C.

47151(d). On December 4, 2020, the

Horry County Department of Airports

requested the FAA release 0.29 acres of

surplus property for the Fred Nash

Boulevard expansion right-of-way. The

FAA has determined that the proposed

property release at the Myrtle Beach

International Airport (MYR), as

submitted by the Horry County

Department of Airports, meets the

procedural requirements of the FAA and

release of the property does not and will

not impact future aviation needs at the

airport. The FAA may approve the

request, in whole or in part, no sooner

than thirty days after the publication of

this notice. In accordance with 49

U.S.C. 47107(c)(2)(B)(i) and (iii), the

airport will receive fair market value for

the property, which will be

subsequently reinvested in another

eligible airport improvement project for

aviation facilities at the Myrtle Beach

International Airport.

Any person may inspect, by

appointment, the request in person at

the FAA office listed above under

FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

. In

addition, any person may, upon

appointment and request, inspect the

application, notice and other documents

determined by the FAA to be related to

the application in person at the Myrtle

Beach International Airport.

Issued in Atlanta, GA on April 13, 2021.

Larry F. Clark,

Manager, Atlanta Airports District Office.

[FR Doc. 2021–07863 Filed 4–15–21; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the

Maritime Administration’s Port

Infrastructure Development Program

(PIDP) Under the Consolidated

Appropriations Act, 2021

AGENCY

: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION

: Notice of Funding Opportunity.

SUMMARY

: The Consolidated

Appropriations Act, 2021 appropriated

$230 million for the Port Infrastructure

Development Program (PIDP) to make

grants to improve facilities within, or

outside of and directly related to

operations of or an intermodal

connection to, coastal seaports, inland

river ports, and Great Lakes ports. This

notice announces the availability of

funding for grants under this program

and establishes selection criteria and

application requirements. The Act

directed that at least $205 million of the

appropriated funds shall be for grants to

coastal seaports or Great Lakes ports.

Additionally, the National Defense

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

directed that not less than $41.4 million

shall be for projects at ‘‘Small Ports and

Terminals’’ meeting certain

requirements described in this NOFO.

Funds for the PIDP are to be awarded as

discretionary grants on a competitive

basis for projects that will improve the

safety, efficiency, or reliability of the

movement of goods into, out of, around,

or within a port. All PIDP grant

recipients must meet all applicable

Federal requirements, including the Buy

American Act. The purpose of this

notice is to solicit grant applications for

the PIDP.

DATES

: Applications must be submitted

by 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on July 30, 2021.

ADDRESSES

: Applications must be

submitted through Grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

: For

further information concerning this

notice, please contact the PIDP staff via

email at PIDPgrants@dot.gov, or call

Peter Simons, Supervisory

Transportation Specialist, Office of Port

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See U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic

Plan for FY 2018–2022 (Feb. 2018) at https://

www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan.

Infrastructure Development, at 202–

366–8921. A TDD is available for

individuals who are deaf or hard of

hearing at 202–366–3993. In addition,

the Department of Transportation (DOT)

may post answers to questions and

requests for clarifications as well as

information about webinars for further

information at www.maritime.dot.gov/

PIDPgrants.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

: Each

section of this notice contains

information and instructions relevant to

the application process for the FY 2021

PIDP discretionary grants, and all

applicants should read this notice in its

entirety to prepare eligible and

competitive applications. Some of the

program criteria have been modified

since the FY 2020 PIDP.

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 Contact(s)

H. Other Information

A. Program Description

1. Overview

The PIDP was established under 46

U.S.C. 50302, which authorizes DOT to

establish a port and intermodal

improvement program to improve the

safety, efficiency, or reliability of the

movement of goods through ports and

intermodal connections to ports. The

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

(Pub. L. 116–260, December 27, 2020)

(‘‘FY21 Appropriations Act’’ or the

‘‘Act’’) appropriated $230 million to the

PIDP to make discretionary grants to

improve the safety, efficiency, or

reliability of the movement of goods

into, out of, around, or within coastal

seaports, inland river ports, or Great

Lakes ports. To carry out a project under

this program, DOT may provide grants

for port and intermodal infrastructure-

related projects.

Throughout the program, these

discretionary grant awards have

supported projects that improve

facilities within, or outside of and

directly related to operations of or an

intermodal connection to, coastal

seaports, inland river ports, and Great

Lakes ports consistent with DOT’s

strategic infrastructure goal.

FY 2021

PIDP grants continue to align with

DOT’s infrastructure goal by supporting

projects that enable safe, efficient, and

reliable movement of goods into, out of,

around, or within a port. To maximize

the value of FY 2021 PIDP funds for all

Americans, DOT seeks projects that

enable safe, efficient, and reliable

movement of goods and support the

following program objectives: (1)

Supporting economic vitality at the

national and regional level; (2)

addressing climate change and

environmental justice impacts; (3)

advancing racial equity and reducing

barriers to opportunity; and, (4)

leveraging Federal funding to attract

non-Federal sources of infrastructure

investment.

Consistent with DOT’s R.O.U.T.E.S.

initiative, DOT seeks rural projects that

address deteriorating conditions and

disproportionately high fatality rates on

rural transportation infrastructure. DOT

will consider how a proposed project

will address the challenges faced by

rural areas. Please visit https://

www.transportation.gov/rural to learn

more about DOT’s efforts to address

disparities in rural infrastructure.

2. Changes From the FY 2020 NOFO

The FY 2021 PIDP notice includes

new priorities related to climate change,

racial equity, and job creation. These

priorities are part of two new program

objectives that are incorporated into the

FY 2021 PIDP evaluation process: (i)

Climate Change and Environmental

Justice Impacts and (ii) Racial Equity

and Barriers to Opportunity. See Section

D of this NOFO for details.

Section D.2.VII of this notice provides

additional detail and instructions to

applicants related to the statutory

determinations that are required prior to

award selection.

This notice also includes provisions

related to applications for assistance for

certain projects at small ports, per 46

U.S.C. 50302(d) as amended by the

National Defense Authorization Act for

Fiscal Year 2021 (Pub. L. 116–283,

January 1, 2021) (‘‘NDAA’’). This

guidance applies to eligible applicants

with eligible projects meeting two

conditions: (1) The eligible applicant is

a port with average annual tonnage of

cargo during the three calendar years

immediately preceding the time of

application of less than 8,000,000 short

tons and (2) the application seeks a

certain level of Federal funding (less

than or equal to $4.14 million). These

projects are referred to in this notice as

‘‘small projects at small ports’’.

3. Additional Information

Section E of this notice, which

outlines FY 2021 PIDP Grant selection

criteria, describes the process for

selecting projects that further the

program’s goals. Section F.3 describes

progress and performance reporting

requirements for selected projects,

including the relationship between

these reporting requirements and the

program’s selection criteria.

The PIDP is described in the Federal

Assistance Listings (formerly known as

the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance) under the assistance listing

program title ‘‘Port Infrastructure

Development Program’’ and assistance

listing number 20.823.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Amount Available

DOT intends to award up to $230

million on a competitive basis for

projects that improve facilities within,

or outside of and directly related to

operations of or an intermodal

connection to, coastal seaports, inland

river ports, and Great Lakes ports. The

FY21 Appropriations Act directed that

at least $205 million of this amount be

reserved for grants to coastal seaports or

Great Lakes ports. Additionally, the

NDAA directed that not less than $41.4

million shall be for projects meeting

certain requirements described in this

NOFO for ‘‘small projects at small

ports’’. The FY21 Appropriations Act

allows up to two percent ($4.6 million)

of the funds appropriated to be available

for necessary costs of grant

administration. If the Maritime

Administration (MARAD) does not

receive sufficient qualified applications,

it will award less than the amount

available.

In addition to the FY 2021 PIDP

funds, unobligated prior year PIDP

funds may be made available and

awarded under this solicitation to

eligible projects. DOT presently

estimates that approximately $20

million in prior year funds may be

awarded under this solicitation. If this

solicitation does not result in the award

and obligation of all available funds,

DOT may publish additional

solicitations.

2. Award Size

The minimum PIDP award size is $1

million. Except as limited by the

amount of available funding and the

statutory restrictions on funding

identified in Section B.3, there is no

maximum award size.

3. Restrictions on Funding

The FY21 Appropriations Act and

NDAA impose several restrictions on

awards under this notice:

•Not more than 25 percent of the

available funds ($57.5 million) can be

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used to make grants for projects in any

one State.

•At least $205 million is reserved for

coastal seaport projects or Great Lakes

port projects (as defined in Section

C.3.e. below).

•Eighteen percent ($41.4 million) is

reserved for small projects at small ports

awarded under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d), and

no single grant award under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d) may be more than 10 percent

($4.14 million) of this amount. Of this

reserved $41.4 million, not more than

10 percent ($4.14 million) may be used

to make grants for development phase

activities under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d)(3)(A)(ii)(III).

•Not more than 10 percent ($18.4

million) of the funds not reserved for

small projects at small ports may be

awarded for development phase

activities for large projects (as defined in

Section C.3.e. below) that do not result

in construction.

4. Availability of Funds

To ensure the funds are expended in

a timely manner, DOT, to the extent

possible, seeks to obligate FY 2021 PIDP

funds by September 30, 2024.

Obligation occurs when a selected

applicant and DOT enter into a written

grant agreement after the applicant has

satisfied applicable administrative

requirements, including transportation

planning and environmental review

requirements. Unless authorized by

DOT in writing after DOT’s

announcement of FY 2021 PIDP awards,

any costs incurred prior to DOT’s

obligation of funds for a project (‘‘pre-

award costs’’) are ineligible for

reimbursement and are ineligible to

count as match for cost share

requirements. DOT also seeks to expend

funds within five years of obligation. As

part of the review and selection process

described in Section E.2.b., DOT will

consider a project’s likelihood to be

ready for obligation of funds by

September 30, 2024 and liquidation of

these obligations within five years of

obligation.

5. Previous PIDP Awards

Recipients of prior PIDP grants may

apply for funding to support additional

phases of a project previously awarded

funds in the PIDP program. However, to

be competitive, the applicant should

demonstrate the extent to which the

previously funded project phase has met

estimated project schedules and budget,

as well as the ability to realize the

benefits expected for the project. A

previous PIDP award, or application,

does not affect competitiveness under

the FY 2021 PIDP competition.

C. Eligibility Information

To be selected for a FY 2021 PIDP

discretionary grant, an applicant must

be an eligible applicant and the project

must be an eligible project.

1. Eligible Applicants

An eligible applicant for a FY 2021

PIDP discretionary grant is a port

authority, a commission or its

subdivision or agent under existing

authority, a State or political

subdivision of a State or local

government, a Tribal government, a

public agency or publicly chartered

authority established by one or more

States, a special purpose district with a

transportation function, a multistate or

multijurisdictional group of entities, or

a lead entity described above jointly

with a private entity or group of private

entities (including the owners or

operators of a facility, or collection of

facilities, at a port).

If submitting a joint application,

applicants should identify a lead

applicant as the primary point of

contact and also identify the primary

recipient of the award. The applicant

that will be responsible for financial

administration of the project must be an

eligible applicant. Joint applications

should include a description of the roles

and responsibilities of each applicant.

Applicants must demonstrate that

they have the authority to carry out the

project and are encouraged to submit an

assertion with citation of authority with

their application. See Section D.2.VII.

for more information.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

This section of the notice describes

cost share requirements for an FY 2021

PIDP Grant award.

Per the FY21 Appropriations Act, the

Federal share of the costs for which an

expenditure is made under a PIDP grant

may not exceed 80 percent; however,

the Secretary may increase the Federal

share of costs above 80 percent for: (1)

Large project grant awards less than $10

million; or, (2) grants awarded to small

projects at small ports under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d).

Non-Federal sources include State

funds originating from programs funded

by State revenue, local funds originating

from State or local revenue funded

programs, or private funds. The

application should demonstrate, such as

through a commitment letter or other

documentation, the sources of the non-

Federal funds. Unless otherwise

authorized by statute, State or local cost-

share may not be counted as the non-

Federal share for both the FY 2021 PIDP

Grant award and another Federal grant

program.

DOT will not consider previously

incurred costs or previously expended

or encumbered funds towards the

matching requirement for any project,

except for awards made under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d) (small projects at small ports).

For awards made under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d), DOT may consider certain

eligible pre-construction costs towards

the matching requirement if incurred

after the date of application submittal

but before award announcement and if

the costs are clearly indicated in the

budget included in the application and

comply with all applicable Federal

requirements. Matching funds are

subject to the same Federal

requirements described in Section F.2.

as awarded funds.

For the purpose of eligibility, the

proceeds of Federal assistance under

chapter 6 of Title 23, United States Code

or sections 501 through 504 of the

Railroad and Revitalization and

Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (Pub. L.

94–210), as amended, shall be

considered to be part of the non-Federal

share of project costs if the loan is

repayable from non-Federal funds,

unless otherwise requested by the

project sponsor.

In addition to these cost share

requirements, cost share will be

evaluated according to the ‘‘Leverage of

Federal Funding’’ criterion described in

Section E. Preference will be given to

those projects that require a lower

percentage Federal share of costs. See

Section E.1.a. for information on how

DOT will evaluate leverage. That section

explains that DOT seeks applications for

projects that maximize the non-Federal

share. See Section D.2.III. for

information about documenting cost

sharing in the application.

For each project that receives a PIDP

grant award, the terms of the award will

require the recipient to complete the

project using at least the level of non-

Federal funding that was specified in

the application. If the actual costs of the

project are greater than the costs

estimated in the application, the

recipient will be responsible for

increasing the non-Federal contribution.

If the actual costs of the project are less

than the costs estimated in the

application, DOT will generally reduce

the Federal contribution.

3. Other

a. Eligible Projects

Eligible projects for FY 2021 PIDP

grants shall be located either within the

boundary of a port, or outside the

boundary of a port and directly related

to port operations or to an intermodal

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connection to a port. Eligible projects

are limited to:

(1) Port gate improvements;

(2) road improvements both within

and connecting to the port;

(3) rail improvements both within and

connecting to the port;

(4) berth improvements (including

docks, wharves, piers, and dredging

incidental to the improvement project);

(5) fixed landside improvements in

support of cargo operations (such as

silos, elevators, conveyors, container

terminals, Ro/Ro structures including

parking garages necessary for

intermodal freight transfer, warehouses

including refrigerated facilities, lay-

down areas, transit sheds, and other

such facilities);

(6) utilities necessary for safe

operations (including lighting,

stormwater, and other such

improvements that are incidental to a

larger infrastructure project); or

(7) a combination of activities

described above.

Projects addressing environmental

mitigation measures, freight intelligent

transportation systems, and digital

infrastructure systems are eligible if

those components support one of the

eligible project types listed above. This

program will not fund construction,

reconstruction, reconditioning, or

purchase of a vessel, nor any project

within a small shipyard (as defined in

46 U.S.C. 54101). Mobile equipment,

such as mobile harbor cranes or vehicles

and similar equipment whose utility

depends, in part, on their ability to be

routinely relocated from one location to

another, is not eligible for funding.

Development phase activities

(including planning, feasibility analysis,

revenue forecasting, environmental

review, permitting, and preliminary

engineering and design work) that

support these capital projects are also

eligible. However, DOT will prioritize

funding for projects that propose to

move into the construction phase within

the grant’s performance period.

Accordingly, applications for only

development phase activities will be

less competitive than capital grants.

Improvements to Federally owned

facilities are ineligible under the FY

2021 PIDP.

Refer to Section D.5, Funding

Restrictions, for more information when

determining eligibility.

b. Determinations

DOT must make the following

determinations under 46 U.S.C.

50302(c)(6)(A) before selecting a project

for award. Evidence that a project meets

these determinations should be clearly

indicated in the Project Narrative as

outlined in Section D.2.VII.

(1) The project improves the safety,

efficiency, or reliability of the

movement of goods through a port or

intermodal connection to the port. Refer

to Section D.2.VII. for what to include

in the application, and to Section E.1.a.

for how DOT will make this

determination.

(2) The project is cost effective. DOT

will determine a project is cost effective

if it estimates that the project’s benefit-

cost ratio is equal to or greater than one.

Refer to Section D.2.VII. for what to

include in the application and to

Section E.1.a. for how DOT will make

this determination. This requirement

does not apply to awards for small

projects at small ports (i.e., awards made

under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d)).

(3) The eligible applicant has the

authority to carry out the project. Refer

to Section D.2.VII. for what to include

in the application, and to Section E.2.b.

for how DOT will make this

determination.

(4) The eligible applicant has

sufficient funding available to meet the

matching requirements. DOT’s

determination of sufficient and available

non-Federal matching funds will be

based on the information provided in

the project’s Grant Funds, Sources, and

Uses of Project Funds section of the

application (see Section D.2.III). Refer to

Section D.2.VII. for what to include in

the application, and to Section E.2.b. for

how DOT will make this determination.

(5) The project will be completed

without unreasonable delay. The

application must demonstrate that the

project will meet the timeline outlined

in Section B.4. This eligibility

requirement is separate from the Project

Readiness Selection Criteria described

in Section E.1.b. Refer to Section

D.2.VII. for what to include in the

application, and to Section E.2.b. for

how DOT will make this determination.

(6) The project cannot be easily and

efficiently completed without Federal

funding or financial assistance available

to the project sponsor. DOT’s

determination will be based on the

impacts to the project if Federal funding

or financial assistance is unavailable for

the project. Refer to Section D.2.VII. for

what to include in the application, and

to Section E.2.b. for how DOT will make

this determination.

c. Project Components

An application may describe a project

that contains more than one component

and may describe components that may

be carried out by parties other than the

applicant. DOT may award funds for a

component, instead of the larger project,

if that component (1) independently

meets minimum award amounts

described in Section B and all eligibility

requirements described in Section C; (2)

independently aligns well with the

merit criteria specified in Section E; and

(3) meets National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) requirements with respect

to independent utility. Independent

utility means that the component will

represent a transportation improvement

that is usable, even if no other

improvement is made in the area, and

will be ready for intended use upon

completion of that component’s

construction. All project components

that are presented together in a single

application must demonstrate a

relationship or connection among them.

Applicants should be aware that,

depending upon the relationship

between project components and

applicable Federal law, Federal funding

of some project components may make

other project components that have not

received Federal funding subject to

Federal requirements as described in

Section F.2.

DOT strongly encourages applicants

to identify in their applications the

project components that have

independent utility and separately

detail costs and requested PIDP funding

for those components. If the application

identifies one or more independent

project components, the application

should clearly identify how each

independent component addresses the

selection criteria and produces benefits

on its own, in addition to describing

how the full proposal of which the

independent component is a part

addresses the criteria described in

Section E.

d. Application Limit

Each lead applicant may submit no

more than one application.

e. Definitions

Coastal seaport: A port on navigable

waters of the United States or territories

that are subject to the U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers regulatory jurisdiction for

oceanic and coastal waters under 33

CFR 329.12 or that is otherwise capable

of receiving oceangoing vessels with a

draft of at least 20 feet (other than a

Great Lakes port).

Development phase activities:

Planning, feasibility analysis, revenue

forecasting, environmental review,

permitting, and preliminary engineering

and design work.

Great Lakes port: A port on the Great

Lakes and their connecting and tributary

waters as defined under 33 CFR

83.03(o).

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Large projects: A project at a port

other than a small port, regardless of the

amount of PIDP funding sought in the

application; or, a project at a small port

for which the amount of PIDP funding

sought in the application is greater than

$4.14 million.

Rural area: An area located outside a

2010 Census-designated urbanized area.

Small port: A coastal seaport, Great

Lakes, or inland river port to and from

which the average annual tonnage of

cargo for the immediately preceding 3

calendar years from the time an

application is submitted is less than

8,000,000 short tons, as determined

using U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

data or data provided by an

independent audit the findings of which

are acceptable to the Secretary.

Small project at a small port: A

project at a small port seeking less than

or equal to $4.14 million in funding

under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d).

D. Application and Submission

Information

1. Address To Request Application

Package

Applications must be submitted to

Grants.gov. Instructions for submitting

applications can be found at https://

www.maritime.dot.gov/office-port-

infrastructure-development/port-and-

terminal-infrastructure-development/

how-apply-port along with specific

instructions for the forms and

attachments required for submission.

2. Content and Form of Application

Submission

The application must include the

Standard Form 424 (Application for

Federal Assistance) and the Project

Narrative. More detailed information

about the Project Narrative follows.

Applicants are encouraged to also

complete the SF–424C (Budget

Information—Construction Programs)

and attach to their application the FY

2021 PIDP Project Information form.

These forms may be found on grants.gov

and are also available at

www.maritime.dot.gov/PIDPgrants.

DOT recommends that the Project

Narrative be prepared with standard

formatting preferences (a single-spaced

document, using a standard 12-point

font such as Times New Roman, with 1-

inch margins, and the narrative text in

one column only). The Project Narrative

may not exceed 30 pages in length,

excluding cover pages and table of

contents. The only substantive portions

that may exceed the 30-page limit are

documents supporting assertions or

conclusions made in the 30-page Project

Narrative and documentation related to

the required determinations. Except for

the benefit cost analysis, DOT does not

consider supporting documentation or

websites an essential part of the

application. Supporting documentation

should be dated, and DOT recommends

using appropriately descriptive files

names (e.g., ‘‘Project Narrative,’’

‘‘Maps,’’ ‘‘Memoranda of Understanding

and Letters of Support’’) for all

attachments. If supporting documents

are submitted, applicants should clearly

identify within the Project Narrative the

relevant portion of the Project Narrative

that each supporting document

supports.

DOT recommends that the Project

Narrative follow the basic outline below

to address the program requirements

and assist evaluators in locating relevant

information.

I. Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................................. See D.2.I.

II. Project Location ................................................................................................................................................................................. See D.2.II.

III. Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds ......................................................................................................................... See D.2.III.

IV. Merit Criteria .................................................................................................................................................................................... See D.2.IV.

A. Achieving Safety, Efficiency, or Reliability Improvements

B. Supporting Economic Vitality at the National and Regional Level

C. Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Justice Impacts

D. Advancing Racial Equity and Reducing Barriers to Opportunity

E. Leveraging Federal Funding To Attract Non-Federal Sources of Infrastructure Investment

V. Project Readiness .............................................................................................................................................................................. See D.2.V.

A. Technical Capacity

B. Environmental Approvals

C. Risk Mitigation

VI. Domestic Preference ........................................................................................................................................................................ See D.2.VI.

VII. Determinations ................................................................................................................................................................................ See D.2.VII.

The Project Narrative should include

the information necessary for DOT to

determine that the project satisfies

project requirements described in

Sections B and C and to assess the

criteria specified in Section E.1. In

addition to a detailed statement of work,

detailed project schedule, and detailed

project budget, the Project Narrative

should include a table of contents, maps

and graphics, as appropriate, to make

the information easier to review. To the

extent practicable, applicants should

provide supporting data and

documentation in a form that is directly

verifiable by DOT. DOT may ask any

applicant to supplement data in its

application, but expects applications to

be complete upon submission. DOT may

seek clarifying or additional information

from applicants according to

circumstances described in Section E.2.

DOT recommends applications include

the following content:

I. Project Description

The first section of the application

should provide a concise description of

the project, the challenges that it is

intended to address, and how it will

address those challenges. The project

description should provide both a high-

level overview of the overall project and

a clear itemization of its major

components. This section may discuss

the project’s history, including a

description of any previously completed

components. The applicant may use this

section to place the project into a

broader context of other transportation

infrastructure investments being

pursued by the project sponsor. This

section should focus on eligibility and

technical aspects of the project, but

should not directly address the selection

criteria described in paragraph IV.,

below.

II. Project Location

This section of the application should

describe the project location, including

a detailed geographical description of

the proposed project, a map of the

project’s location and connections to

existing transportation infrastructure,

and geospatial data describing the

project location. This section should

also clearly identify whether the project

is:

(a) Located in a rural area (as defined

in Section C.3.e);

(b) a Great Lakes port project (as

defined in Section C.3.e);

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See https://opportunityzones.hud.gov/.

See https://www.hud.gov/hudprograms/

empowerment_zones.

See https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/field_

policy_mgt/fieldpolicymgtpz.

See https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/

public_indian_housing/programs/ph/cn.

For a project seeking funding under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d), the project costs may include eligible

costs incurred by the applicant between the date of

application submittal and the date of award

announcement as long as these costs comply with

the PIDP administrative and national policy

requirements described in Section F.2 and are for

pre-construction activities. Costs incurred prior to

the execution of a grant agreement will not be

reimbursed or used to satisfy cost share

requirements unless authorized in writing by DOT.

See Section F.1.

defined in Section C.3.e);

(d) a small project at a small port (as

defined in Section C.3.e) seeking

funding under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d); and

(e) located in a Federally designated

community development zone such as a

qualified Opportunity Zone,

Empowerment Zone,

Promise Zone,

Choice Neighborhood.

III. Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of

Project Funds

This section of the application should

describe the FY 2021 PIDP project’s

budget (i.e., the project scope that

includes PIDP funding) and leverage of

non-Federal funds. Except for a project

seeking funding under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d), the budget should not include

any previously incurred expenses. At a

minimum, this section should include:

(a) PIDP project costs;

(b) For all funds to be used for eligible

project costs, the source and amount of

those funds;

commitments for non-Federal funds to

be used for eligible project costs

(documentation may be referenced and

submitted as an appendix);

(d) For Federal funds to be used for

eligible project costs, the amount,

nature, and source of any required non-

Federal match for those funds.

Applicants should also refer to the

Leverage of Federal Funding merit

criterion in Section E.1.a.v.;

(e) A budget showing how each

source of funds will be spent. The

budget should show how each funding

source will share in each major

construction activity, and present that

data in dollars and percentages.

Funding sources should be grouped into

three categories: Non-Federal; PIDP; and

other Federal. If the project contains

individual components, the budget

should separate the costs of each project

component. If the project will be

completed in phases, the budget should

separate the costs of each phase. The

budget detail should sufficiently

demonstrate that the project satisfies the

statutory cost-sharing requirements

described in Section C.2.

In addition to the information

enumerated above, this section should

provide complete information on how

all project funds may be used. For

example, if a particular source of funds

is available only after a condition is

satisfied, the application should identify

that condition and describe the

applicant’s control over whether it is

satisfied. Similarly, if a particular

source of funds is available for

expenditure only during a fixed time

period, the application should describe

that restriction. Complete information

about project funds will ensure that

DOT’s expectations for award execution

align with any funding restrictions

unrelated to DOT, even if an award

differs from the applicant’s request. If a

funding source is uncertain, the

applicant should state that it is

uncertain and describe the source of the

uncertainty. Failure to document

funding sources, as described in

paragraph (c) above or failure to address

uncertainty may prevent DOT from

making the determination at Section

C.3.b.4 necessary to select the project for

an award.

IV. Merit Criteria

This section should be structured to

clearly address each of the following

merit criteria in accordance with the

Application Review guidance in Section

A. Effect on the Movement of Goods

The application should contain

information to assess the project’s

impact on safety, efficiency, or

reliability of the movement of goods

through a port or intermodal connection

to a port. The application may, as part

of this discussion, identify features the

applicant will incorporate into the

project and highlight specific benefits of

the project (such as indicators of

improved efficiency and reliability like

reduced vessel and truck turn times;

enhancements to or increases in system

capacity; improved connectivity;

decreases in the number, rate, and

consequences of transportation-related

accidents, serious injuries, and

fatalities).

For applications seeking funding for a

small project at a small port, the

narrative should also contain

information that addresses the degree to

which the project would promote the

enhancement and efficiencies of the

port.

B. Supporting Economic Vitality at the

National and Regional Level

1. Large Projects. For large projects (as

defined in Section C.3.e.) this criterion

will measure the quantified benefits

against the costs of the project. Among

otherwise comparable applications,

DOT will prioritize projects that

maximize net benefits.

a. This portion of the application

should describe the anticipated benefits

of the project. The applicant should

summarize the conclusions of the

benefit-cost analysis, including

estimates of the project’s benefit-cost

ratio and net benefits. The applicant

should also describe economic impacts

and other data-supported benefits that

are not included in the benefit-cost

analysis, such as how the project creates

good-paying jobs with the choice to join

a union and how the project supports

American industry.

b. This paragraph describes the

recommended approach for the

completion and submission of a benefit-

cost analysis (BCA) as an appendix to

the Project Narrative. The BCA itself

should be provided as an appendix to

the Project Narrative, but the results of

the analysis should also be summarized

in the Project Narrative directly.

The appendix should provide present

value estimates of a project’s benefits

and costs relative to a no-build baseline.

To calculate present values, applicants

should apply a real discount rate (i.e.,

the discount rate net of the inflation

rate) of 7 percent per year to the

project’s streams of benefits and costs.

The purpose of the BCA is to enable

DOT to evaluate the project’s cost-

effectiveness by estimating a benefit-

cost ratio and calculating the magnitude

of net benefits for the project. The

primary economic benefits from projects

eligible for PIDP grants are likely to

relate to the value of travel time savings,

vehicle and port operating cost savings,

and safety considerations for both

existing users of the improved facility

and new users who may be attracted to

it because of the project. Savings in

infrastructure maintenance costs may

also be quantified. Applicants may

describe other categories of benefits in

the BCA that are more difficult to

quantify and value in economic terms,

such as improving the reliability of

travel times, while also providing

numerical estimates of the magnitude

and timing of each of these additional

impacts wherever possible. Any benefits

claimed for the project, both quantified

and unquantified, should be clearly tied

to the expected outcomes of the project.

The BCA should include the full costs

of developing, constructing, operating,

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The EJSCREEN tool can be found on the EPA

site: https://ejscreen.epa.gov/mapper/.

and maintaining the proposed project,

as well as the expected timing or

schedule for costs in each of these

categories. The BCA may also consider

the present discounted value of any

remaining service life of the asset at the

end of the analysis period. The costs

and benefits that are compared in the

BCA should also cover the same project

scope, including the costs of other

related projects on which the benefits of

the PIDP project depend.

The BCA should carefully document

the assumptions and methodology used

to produce the analysis, including a

description of the baseline, the sources

of data used to project the outcomes of

the project, and the values of key input

parameters. Applicants should provide

all relevant files used for their BCA,

including any spreadsheet files (in their

original format such as Excel) and

technical memos describing the analysis

(whether created in-house or by a

contractor). The spreadsheets and

technical memos should present the

calculations in sufficient detail and

transparency to allow the analysis to be

reproduced by DOT evaluators.

Detailed guidance for estimating some

types of quantitative benefits and costs,

together with recommended economic

values for converting them to dollar

terms and discounting to their present

values, are available in DOT’s guidance

for conducting BCAs for projects

seeking funding under the PIDP. A link

to DOT’s guidance is available on the

PIDP website: www.maritime.dot.gov/

PIDPgrants.

c. Applicants should also describe

economic impacts and other data-

supported benefits that are not included

in the benefit-cost analysis, such as how

the project creates good-paying jobs that

provide the chance to join a union, how

the project will support American

industry, and how the project will

benefit the local and regional economy

such as through the use of project labor

agreements, local hiring preferences,

and project-related initiatives that

address disparities in economic

opportunities.

2. Small Projects at Small Ports. For

small projects at small ports (as defined

in Section C.3.e.), this criterion will

assess the project’s impact on the

economic advantage and contribution to

freight transportation at the port. The

criterion will also consider the

competitive disadvantage of the port.

Small projects at small ports are not

required to submit a benefit-cost

analysis.

a. Information related to a project’s

impact on economic advantage should

include improvements the project will

generate as reflected in commitments or

other documentation. It could also

include analysis and documentation

related to how the project will enhance

traditional elements of economic

advantage such as capitalizing on or

creating economies of scale, overcoming

barriers to entry, or creating more

efficient access for labor, resources, and

customers. The narrative’s discussion of

the project’s contribution to freight

transportation should address how the

project will improve the physical

process of transporting commodities,

merchandise, goods, cargo, and related

externalities. Information that helps

reviewers understand how the project

will benefit both direct stakeholders

(such as shippers, carriers, or

consignees) and other members of

society who may not benefit directly

from cargo movements (such as by

reducing some of the negative impacts

of freight transportation such as air,

noise, and water pollution, vegetation

and wildlife destruction, etc.) should

also be included. The consideration of

sustainable development strategies in

project development and execution

should also be addressed, if applicable.

b. Applicants should also include

information that will help reviewers

understand the competitive

disadvantage of the port and, as

appropriate, how the project will

improve the port’s competitive position.

For example, the application could

provide information on elements of

competitive disadvantage (such as

technology limitations or a port’s

geography) and explain how PIDP

funding will help reduce or ameliorate

those elements (such as by correcting

the element resulting in the competitive

disadvantage). The application could

also identify how a PIDP-funded

project’s values-based approach (such as

an emphasis on respect for people and

the environment or commitment to

individual economic opportunities) will

address the competitive disadvantage of

the port. Applicants should include data

and/or well-reasoned analyses when

providing inputs on the economic

vitality of the proposed project.

Economic vitality supports the

development of transportation systems

that stimulate, support, and enhance the

movement of goods to ensure a

prosperous economy. When preparing

the Project Narrative, applicants should

consider that the concept of economic

vitality includes recognizing a full range

of multimodal and intermodal freight

needs, public-private partnerships,

sustainability, and institutional linkages

within the community.

c. The applicant should also describe

economic impacts and other data-

supported benefits, such as how the

project creates good-paying jobs that

provide the chance to join a union, how

the project will support American

industry, and how the project will

benefit the local and regional economy

such as through the use of project labor

agreements, local hiring preferences,

and project-related initiatives that

address disparities in economic

opportunities.

C. Addressing Climate Change and

Environmental Justice Impacts

This section of the application should

demonstrate whether the project has

incorporated climate change and

environmental justice in terms of

planning and policy and/or design

components. To address the planning

and policies element of this criterion,

the application should describe what

specific climate change or

environmental justice activities have

been completed for the project. The

application should indicate whether a

project is incorporated in a climate

action plan, whether an equitable

development plan has been prepared,

and whether tools such as EPA’s

EJSCREEN have been applied in project

planning.

To address the design

component element of this criterion, the

application should describe specific and

direct ways that the project will mitigate

or reduce climate change impacts. This

may include a description of how the

project encourages modal shift, results

in changes in asset utilization to reduce

congestion, or incorporates multimodal

infrastructure to reduce climate impacts.

This section may also describe ways

that the project reduces emissions or

uses technology to increase energy

efficiency, incorporates resiliency

measures for disaster preparedness and

mitigation, or recycles and enhances

existing idle or dilapidated

infrastructure. See Section E.1.a.iii. for

additional information related to

evaluation of this criterion.

D. Advancing Racial Equity and

Reducing Barriers to Opportunity

This section of the application should

include sufficient information to

evaluate how the applicant and the

project will advance the Racial Equity

and Barriers to Opportunity program

objective. The applicant should indicate

which (if any) planning and policies

related to racial equity and barriers to

opportunity they are implementing or

have implemented along with the

specific project investment details

necessary for DOT to evaluate if the

investments are being made to either

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Projects that may impact protected resources

such as wetlands, species habitat, or cultural or

historic resources require review and approval by

Federal and State agencies with jurisdiction over

those resources.

proactively advance racial equity and

reduce barriers to opportunity or redress

prior inequities and barriers to

opportunity. All project investment

costs for the project that are related to

advancing racial equity and reducing

barriers to opportunity should be

summarized here, even if those project

costs are ineligible for the PIDP grant.

Any policies, plans, and outreach

documentation related to advancing

racial equity or reducing barriers to

opportunity should be provided as an

appendix to the Project Narrative. See

Section E.1.a.iv. for additional

information.

E. Leveraging Federal Funding To

Attract Non-Federal Sources of

Infrastructure Investment

While the Leveraging Criterion will be

assessed according to the methodology

described in Section E.1.a.v., this

section of the application may be used

to include additional information that

may strengthen DOT’s understanding of

the project sponsor’s effort to improve

non-Federal leverage.

V. Project Readiness

During application evaluation, DOT

will consider project readiness to assess

the likelihood of a successful project. In

that analysis, DOT will evaluate two

categories of project readiness:

Technical Capacity and Environmental

Risk. Technical Capacity will assess the

applicant’s experience working with

Federal agencies, previous experience

with PIDP, BUILD, or INFRA awards,

and the technical experience and

resources dedicated to the project. This

section of the narrative should include

information on the project schedule and

a discussion of project risk. Risks do not

disqualify projects from award, but

competitive applications clearly and

directly describe achievable risk

mitigation strategies. A project with

mitigated risks or with a risk mitigation

plan is more competitive than a

comparable project with unaddressed

risks. Environmental Risk analyzes the

project’s environmental approvals and

likelihood of the necessary approvals

affecting project obligation. To

minimize redundant information in the

application, DOT encourages applicants

to cross-reference from this section of

their application to relevant substantive

information in other sections of the

application.

(a) Technical Capacity

The applicant should provide

information demonstrating technical

capacity to implement the project based

on experience and understanding of

Federal requirements. This section may

include a description of the applicant’s

history of delivering similar projects or

experience completing a Federally

supported project. The application

should also demonstrate a project’s

feasibility or constructability and

schedule, and how the project (such as

design and construction) will comply

with applicable Federal requirements.

The applicant should also indicate

whether the project is part of an ongoing

planning effort, such as at the local,

regional, or state level. Information on

whether the project is included in a

local or state freight plan, part of a

facility or organization strategic plan, or

included in other planning efforts

should be included. Applicants should

provide links or other documentation

supporting the project’s inclusion in

these planning efforts.

(1) Project Schedule. The applicant

should include a detailed project

schedule that identifies all major project

milestones. Examples of such

milestones include State and local

planning approvals; start and

completion of NEPA, and other Federal

environmental reviews and approvals

including permitting; design

completion; right of way acquisition;

approval of plans, specifications, and

estimates; procurement; State and local

approvals; project partnership and

implementation agreements, including

agreements with non-governmental

entities involved in or impacted by the

project; and construction. The project

schedule should be sufficiently detailed

to demonstrate that the project can

begin construction quickly upon

obligation of PIDP funds, and that the

grant funds will be spent expeditiously

once construction starts.

(2) Assessment of Project Readiness

Risks and Mitigation Strategies. The

applicant should identify project risks,

such as approval or permit delays,

procurement delays, technical

challenges in design or construction,

environmental uncertainties, increases

in real estate acquisition costs, or lack

of legislative approval, that affect the

likelihood of successful project start and

completion. The applicant should assess

the greatest risks to the project and

include a discussion that identifies how

the project parties will mitigate those

risks.

(b) Environmental Risk

(1) Information about the NEPA status

of the project. The applicant should

indicate the anticipated NEPA level of

review for the project and describe any

environmental analysis in progress or

completed. This includes Categorical

Exclusion, Environmental Assessment/

Finding of No Significant Impact, or

Environmental Impact Statement/

Record of Decision. The applicant

should review Maritime Administration

Manual of Orders MAO 600–1 prior to

submission. The application should

detail the type of NEPA review

underway, where the project is in the

process, and indicate the anticipated

date of completion of all milestones and

of the final NEPA determination. If the

last agency action with respect to NEPA

documents occurred more than three

years before the application date, the

applicant should describe why the

project has been delayed and include a

proposed approach for verifying and, if

necessary, updating this material in

accordance with applicable NEPA

requirements. If applicable, applicants

should include a description of

discussions with the appropriate

Maritime Administration NEPA

Coordinator in the Maritime

Administration Office of Environment

regarding the project’s compliance with

NEPA and other applicable Federal

environmental reviews and approvals.

(2) Environmental Permits and

Reviews. The application should

demonstrate receipt (or reasonably

anticipated receipt) of all environmental

permits and approvals necessary,

including Section 106 of the National

Historical Preservation Act, 54 U.S.C.

306108, and Section 7 of the

Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C.

1531, for the project to proceed to

construction on the timeline specified

in the project schedule and necessary to

meet the statutory obligation deadline,

including satisfaction of all Federal,

State, and local requirements and

completion of the NEPA process.

(3) State and Local Approvals. The

applicant should demonstrate receipt of

State and local approvals on which the

project depends, such as State and local

environmental permitting and planning.

Additional support from relevant State

and local officials is not required;

however, an applicant should

demonstrate that the project has broad

public support.

(4) Information on environmental

reviews, approvals, and permits by

other agencies. An application should

indicate whether the proposed project

requires reviews or approval actions by

other agencies,

indicate the status of

such actions, and provide detailed

information about the status of those

reviews or approvals and should

demonstrate compliance with any other

applicable Federal, State, or local

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requirements, and when such approvals

are expected. Applicants should provide

a website link or other reference to

copies of any reviews, approvals, and

permits prepared.

(5) A description of whether the

project is dependent on, or affected by,

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

investment and the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers planned activities as it relates

to the project.

(6) Environmental studies or other

documents, preferably through a

website link, that describe in detail

known project impacts, and possible

mitigation for those impacts. This could

include State NEPA analysis

information as applicable.

VI. Domestic Preference

This section should include a

description of whether materials and

manufactured products to be used in the

project are mined, produced, or

manufactured domestically. The

Department expects all PIDP applicants

to comply with that requirement

without needing a waiver. However, this

section should also include an

assessment of what, if any, materials or

manufactured products would require

an exception or waiver of the Buy

American provisions described in

Section F.2 of this notice and the

applicant’s current efforts and planned

future efforts to maximize domestic

content. The content of this section of

the application is particularly important

for projects that propose the acquisition

of heavy equipment, construction

components, or bollard and fendering

systems, which are often available from

foreign manufacturers. As described in

Section E.1.c, failure to address Buy

American compliance can affect

whether an application is considered

competitive for award and may prevent

an award.

VII. Determinations

To select a project for award, the

Department must determine that the

project—as a whole, as well as each

independent component of the project—

satisfies several statutory requirements

enumerated in 46 U.S.C. 50302(c)(6)(A)

and restated in the table below. The

application must include sufficient

information for the Department to make

these determinations for both the project

as a whole and for each independent

component of the project. Applicants

should use this section of the

application to summarize how their

project and, if present, each

independent project component, meets

each of the following requirements.

Applicants are not required to

reproduce the table below in their

application, but following this format

will help evaluators identify the

relevant information that supports each

project determination. Supporting

information provided in appendices

may be referenced.

Project determination Guidance

1. The project improves the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the move-

ment of goods through a port or intermodal connection to the port. Please summarize how the project will improve the safety, efficiency,

or reliability of the movement of goods through a port or intermodal

connection to a port.

Detail specific elements of the project and their forecasted impact on

port performance indicators (such as improvements in vessel dwell

times, truck turn times, capacity, throughput, accident reductions,

etc.)

If the project has multiple independent components, please provide

sufficient information to describe the impact of each component on

the overall project.

2. The project is cost effective ................................................................. Highlight the results of the benefit cost analysis, as well as the anal-

yses of independent project components, if applicable.

The Department will base its determination on the ratio of project bene-

fits to project costs as assessed according to the Economic Vitality

criterion.

Note: This determination is not applicable to small projects at small

ports.

3. The eligible applicant has the authority to carry out the project ......... Please provide citations of authority or other supporting documentation

necessary to establish an applicant’s authority to carry out the

project. The citations should be of sufficient detail to demonstrate

that the applicant is an eligible applicant and to show how the appli-

cant is related to the work on the property where the grant funds will

be spent.

Examples of information that could assist with making this determina-

tion include: The citation of specific sections or chapters of state or

local statutory language that demonstrate relevant authority; the in-

clusion of a narrative outlining the authority of the eligible entity ap-

plying for grant funding; or, a description of the relationship between

the applicant and the owner of the property that links the project to

the authority to carry out the project.

4. The eligible applicant has sufficient funding available to meet the

matching requirements. Please indicate funding source(s) and amounts that will account for all

project costs, broken down by independent project component, if ap-

plicable. Demonstrate that the funding is stable, dependable, and

dedicated to this specific project by referencing a letter of commit-

ment, a local government resolution, memorandum of understanding,

or similar documentation. The Department will base its determination

on an assessment of this information by PIDP program evaluators.

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Obligation occurs when a selected applicant

enters a written, project-specific agreement with the

Department and is generally after the applicant has

satisfied applicable administrative requirements,

including transportation planning and

environmental review requirements.

Project determination Guidance

5. The project will be completed without unreasonable delay ................. Please provide expected obligation date

and construction start date,

referencing project budget and schedule as needed. If the project

has multiple independent components, or will be obligated and con-

structed in multiple phases, please provide sufficient information to

show that each component meets this requirement.

DOT will base its determination on the project risk rating assessed as

part of the evaluation of the Project Readiness criterion.

6. The project cannot be easily and efficiently completed without Fed-

eral funding or financial assistance available to the project sponsor. Describe the potential negative impacts on the proposed project if the

PIDP grant (or other Federal funding) is not awarded. In the nar-

rative, address the following:

1. How would the project scope be affected if PIDP (or other Federal)

funds were not received?

2. How would the project schedule be affected if PIDP (or other Fed-

eral) funds were not received?

3. How would the project cost be affected if PIDP (or other Federal)

funds were not received?

If there are no negative impacts to the project scope, schedule, or

budget if PIDP funds are not received, state that explicitly. Impacts

to a portfolio of projects will not satisfy this requirement; please de-

scribe only project-specific impacts. Re-stating the project’s impor-

tance for national or regional economy, mobility, or safety will not

satisfy this requirement. The Department will base its determination

on an assessment of this information by PIDP program evaluators.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System

for Award Management (SAM).

Each applicant must: (1) Be registered

in SAM before submitting its

application; (2) provide a valid unique

entity identifier in its application; and

(3) continue to maintain an active SAM

registration with current information at

all times during which it has an active

Federal award or an application or plan

under consideration by a Federal

awarding agency. DOT may not make an

FY 2021 PIDP Grant award to an

applicant until the applicant has

complied with all applicable unique

entity identifier and SAM requirements

and, if an applicant has not fully

complied with the requirements by the

time DOT is ready to make a PIDP grant

award, DOT may determine that the

applicant is not qualified to receive a

PIDP grant award and use that

determination as a basis for making a

PIDP grant award to another applicant.

4. Submission Dates and Times

Applications must be submitted to

Grants.gov. Instructions for submitting

applications can be found at

www.maritime.dot.gov/PIDPgrants along

with specific instructions for the forms

and attachments required for

submissions.

Applications must be submitted by

5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on July 30, 2021. The

funding opportunity on Grants.gov will

open by March 29, 2021. Please note

that the Grants.gov registration process

usually takes 2–4 weeks to complete

and that DOT will not consider late

applications that are the result of a

failure to register or comply with

Grants.gov applicant requirements in a

timely manner.

5. Funding Restrictions

Grants under the FY 2021 PIDP may

not be used to fund construction,

reconstruction, reconditioning, or

purchase of a vessel that is eligible for

assistance under 46 U.S.C. chapter 537,

nor any project within a small shipyard

(as defined in 46 U.S.C. 54101).

Funds granted to small projects at

small ports under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d)

may not be used for: Any single grant

award more than $4.14 million; or,

activities, including channel

improvements or harbor deepening, that

are part of a Federal channel,

authorized, as of the date of the

application for assistance, to be carried

out by the U. S. Army Corps of

Engineers.

Improvements to Federally owned

facilities are ineligible under the FY

2021 PIDP.

Mobile equipment, such as mobile

harbor cranes or vehicles and similar

equipment whose utility depends, in

part, on an ability to be routinely

relocated from one location to another,

is not eligible for funding.

DOT will not consider previously

incurred costs or previously expended

or encumbered funds towards the

matching requirement for any project,

except for certain costs related to a

small project at a small port (e.g., grants

under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d)). Unless

authorized in writing by DOT, an

expense incurred before a grant

agreement is executed will not be

reimbursed or count towards cost share

requirements.

Federal award recipients and

subrecipients are prohibited from

obligating or expending grant funds to

procure or obtain, extend or renew a

contract to procure or obtain, or enter

into a contract (or extend or renew a

contract) to procure or obtain

equipment, services, or systems that use

covered telecommunications equipment

or services as a substantial or essential

component of any system, or as critical

technology as part of any system. See

Section 889 of Public Law 115–232

(National Defense Authorization Act,

2019) and 2 CFR 200.216 & 200.471.

6. Other Submission Requirements

a. Submission Location

Applications must be submitted to

Grants.gov. To submit an application

through Grants.gov, applicants must:

(1) Obtain a Data Universal

Numbering System (DUNS) number;

(2) Register with the System for

Award Management (SAM) at

www.SAM.gov;

(3) Create a Grants.gov username and

password; and

(4) Complete Authorized Organization

Representative (AOR) registration in

Grants.gov. The E-Business Point of

Contact (POC) at the applicant’s

organization must respond to the

registration email from Grants.gov and

applicant as the AOR. Please note that

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there can be more than one AOR for an

organization.

Please note that the Grants.gov

registration process usually takes 2–4

weeks to complete and that DOT will

not consider late applications that are

the result of a failure to register or

comply with Grants.gov applicant

requirements in a timely manner. For

information and instruction on each of

these processes, please see instructions

at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/

applicant-faqs.html.

If applicants experience difficulties at

any point during the registration or

application process, please call the

Grants.gov Customer Service Support

Hotline at 1(800) 518–4726, Monday–

Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

b. Consideration of Applications

Only applicants who comply with all

submission deadlines described in this

notice and electronically submit valid

applications through Grants.gov will be

eligible for award. Applicants are

strongly encouraged to make

submissions in advance of the deadline

and to verify that their submissions

comply with all of the requirements in

this notice.

c. Late Applications

Applicants experiencing technical

issues with Grants.gov that are beyond

the applicant’s control must contact

PIDPgrants@dot.gov prior to the

application deadline with the user name

of the registrant and details of the

technical issue experienced. The

applicant must provide:

(1) Details of the technical issue(s)

experienced;

(2) Screen capture(s) of the technical

issues(s) experienced along with

corresponding Grants.gov ‘‘Grant

tracking number’’;

(3) The ‘‘Legal Business Name’’ for the

applicant that was provided in the SF–

424;

(4) The AOR name submitted in the

SF–424;

(5) The DUNS number associated with

the application; and

(6) The Grants.gov Help Desk

Tracking Number.

To ensure a fair competition for

limited discretionary funds, the

following conditions are not valid

reasons to permit late submissions: (1)

Failure to complete the various

registration processes 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

notice of funding opportunity; and (4)

technical issues experienced with the

applicant’s computer or information

technology environment. After DOT

reviews all information submitted and

contacts the Grants.gov Help Desk to

validate reported technical issues, DOT

staff will contact late applicants to

approve or deny a request to submit a

late application through Grants.gov. If

the reported technical issues cannot be

validated, late applications will be

rejected as untimely.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

a. Merit Criteria. This section

specifies the merit criteria that DOT will

use to evaluate and award applications

for FY 2021 PIDP grants. Per the FY21

Appropriations Act, DOT will evaluate

whether the project improves the safe,

efficient, and reliable movement of

goods. Per 46 U.S.C. 50302, the

Secretary shall also give substantial

weight to the utilization of non-Federal

contributions (leverage) and economic

vitality, considering the net benefits

from the cost-benefit analysis of the

project, as applicable. The DOT also

seeks projects that address climate

change and environmental justice, and

advance racial equity and reduce

barriers to opportunity. DOT encourages

applicants to address each of the

following criteria in their narrative.

i. Effect on the Movement of Goods

DOT will evaluate the extent to which

the project will improve the safety,

efficiency, or reliability of the

movement of goods through a port or

intermodal connection to a port. To

address this criterion, the application

must include a discussion about how

the project improves the safety,

efficiency, or reliability of the

movement of goods. In addition, for

small projects at small ports, the

application must include information

about the degree to which a project

would promote the enhancement and

efficiencies of a port.

ii. Economic Vitality

A. Large Projects. DOT will consider

the costs and benefits of large projects

(as defined in Section C.3.e.) seeking

PIDP funding. To the extent possible,

DOT will rely on quantitative, data-

supported analysis to assess how well a

project addresses this criterion,

including an assessment of the project’s

estimated benefit-cost ratio and net

benefits based on the applicant-supplied

BCA described in Section D.2.IV.b.

Based on DOT’s assessment, DOT will

group projects into ranges based on their

estimated benefit costs ratio (BCR) and

assign a level of confidence associated

with each project’s assigned BCR rating.

DOT will use these ranges for BCR: Less

than 1; 1–1.5; 1.5–3; and greater than 3.

The confidence levels are high,

medium, and low.

B. Small Projects at Small Ports (i.e.,

applications for funding under 46 U.S.C.

50302(d)). DOT will consider the impact

of the proposed small project at a small

port on the economic advantage and the

contribution to freight transportation at

a port. DOT will also consider the

competitive disadvantage of the port

seeking the funding. In making this

assessment, DOT will consider all

relevant information provided by the

applicant.

Based on DOT’s assessment, DOT will

group projects according to their

impacts. A ‘‘high’’ impact project is one

for which documentation submitted by

the applicant indicates will improve the

economic advantage of the port,

contribute to freight transportation at

the port, and improve the competitive

advantage of the port seeking funding. A

‘‘medium’’ impact project is one for

which documentation submitted by the

applicant indicates will improve two of

the factors identified above. A ‘‘low’’

impact project is one for which

documentation submitted by the

applicant indicates will improve one or

none of the factors identified above.

iii. Climate Change and Environmental

Justice

DOT encourages applicants to (1)

consider climate change and

environmental justice in project

planning efforts and (2) to incorporate

project elements dedicated to mitigating

or reducing the impacts of climate

change. The project will be assigned a

Climate Change and Environmental

Justice rating based on how it addresses

these areas. Applications that

incorporate climate change or

environmental justice in both planning

activities and specific project elements

will receive a high rating. Applications

that incorporate climate change or

environmental justice in planning

activities or project elements, but not

both, will receive a medium rating.

Applications that address this criterion

in neither planning activities nor project

elements will receive a low rating.

Applicants intending to address the

planning portion of the Climate Change

and Environmental Justice criterion

should describe in detail, provide

supporting documentation, or otherwise

demonstrate how they meet at least one

of the following options: a local/

regional/state Climate Action Plan

which results in lower greenhouse gas

emissions has been prepared and the

project directly supports that plan; a

local/regional/state Equitable

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Development Plan has been prepared

and the project directly supports that

plan; the project sponsor has used

environmental justice tools such as the

EJSCREEN (https://ejscreen.epa.gov/

mapper/) to minimize impacts to

environmental justice communities; or,

a local/regional/state Energy Baseline

Study has been prepared and the project

directly supports that study.

Applicants intending to address the

project components portion of the

climate change and environmental

justice criterion should describe how

they meet at least one of the following

options: The project supports a

multimodal shift in freight movement to

reduce vehicle miles traveled; the

project incorporates electrification

infrastructure, zero-emission vehicle

infrastructure or both (such as charging

stations for electric port equipment); the

project utilizes one or more demand

management strategies to reduce

congestion and greenhouse gas

emissions; the project promotes energy

efficiency (such as through a reduction

in vessel dwell time or use of cold

ironing technology); the project serves

the renewable energy supply chain; the

project improves disaster preparedness

and resiliency; the project supports

bringing existing idle or dilapidated

infrastructure that is currently causing

environmental harm into a state of good

repair (such as brownfield

redevelopment); the project supports or

incorporates the construction of energy-

and location-efficient buildings; or, the

project proposes recycling of materials,

use of materials known to reduce or

reverse carbon emissions or both.

iv. Racial Equity and Barriers to

Opportunity

DOT encourages applicants to

describe credible planning activities and

actions to address potential inequities

and barriers to equal opportunity in the

project as reflected in Executive Order

13985, Advancing Racial Equity and

Support for Underserved Communities

Through the Federal Government. Each

application will be assigned a Racial

Equity and Barriers to Opportunity

rating based on how it addresses racial

equity and barriers to equal opportunity

in (1) planning and policies and (2)

project investments. Applications that

address both planning and policies and

project investments will receive a high

rating. Applications that address either

planning and policies or project

investment will receive a medium

rating. Applications that do not address

racial equity and barriers to opportunity

in either their planning and policies or

investments will receive a low rating.

An application will be determined to

have met the planning and policy

element of this criterion if it

incorporates any of the following: A

racial equity impact analysis for the

project; documentation of equity-

focused community outreach and public

engagement in the project’s planning in

underserved communities; the adoption

of an equity and inclusion program/plan

or implementation of equity-focused

policies related to project procurement,

material sourcing, construction,

inspection or other activities designed

to ensure rapid racial equity in the

overall project delivery and

implementation. Note that these

examples are illustrative and are not the

only bases that DOT may use to

determine that an application addresses

this element.

An application will be determined to

have met the project investments

element of this criterion if the

investments either proactively address

racial equity and barriers to opportunity

or redress prior inequities and barriers

to opportunity. Those investments must

be documented by previously incurred

and/or future costs of the project.

Examples of such investments include

but are not limited to:

•Investments that improve or newly

connect underserved communities to

proactively address barriers to

opportunity or redress past inequities

and barriers to opportunity (such as:

Physical-barrier-mitigating land

bridges, caps, lids, linear parks, and

multimodal mobility investments that

are directly related to the project and

either address past barriers to

opportunity or that proactively create

new connections and opportunities

for underserved communities; or, new

or improved freight access to

underserved communities to increase

access to goods and job opportunities

for those underserved communities)

•Investments that directly partner with

underserved communities to

proactively address barriers to

opportunity or redress past inequities

and barriers to opportunity (such as:

Project sponsor partnerships with

land banks or land trusts for equitable

and fair transfer of excess right-of-way

and other properties directly related

to the project; or, projects that result

in hiring from local communities)

Definitions for ‘‘racial equity’’ and

‘‘underserved communities’’ are found

in Executive Order 13985.

v. Leverage of Federal Funding

To maximize the impact of PIDP

awards, DOT seeks to leverage PIDP

funding with non-Federal contributions.

To evaluate this criterion, DOT will

assign a rating to each project based on

the calculated non-Federal share of the

project’s future eligible project costs.

DOT will sort project applications’ non-

Federal leverage percentage from high to

low, and the assigned ratings will be

based on quintile: Projects in the 80th

percentile and above receive the highest

rating; the 60th–79th percentile receive

the second highest rating; 40th–59th,

the third highest rating; 20th–39th, the

fourth highest rating; and 0–19th, the

lowest rating.

This evaluation criterion is separate

from the statutory cost share

requirements for PIDP grants, which are

described in Section C.2. Those

statutory requirements establish the

minimum permissible non-Federal

share; they do not define a competitive

PIDP project.

The project’s non-Federal leverage

percentage will be calculated based on

the best available information provided

by the applicant. In cases in which the

ultimate source of the funding is

unclear, the funding will be treated as

Federal for the purposes of this

calculation. For the purposes of

evaluating leverage, proceeds of Federal

assistance under chapter 6 of Title 23,

United States Code or sections 501

through 504 of the Railroad and

Revitalization and Regulatory Reform

Act of 1976 (Pub. L. 94–210), as

amended, shall be considered to be part

of the non-Federal share of project costs

if the loan is repayable from non-

Federal funds, unless otherwise

requested by the project sponsor.

b. Project Readiness. DOT will

consider significant risks to successful

completion of a project, including risks

associated with technical capacity,

environmental review, permitting, and

the applicant’s overall capacity to

manage project delivery. Risks do not

disqualify projects from award, but

competitive applications clearly and

directly describe achievable risk

mitigation strategies. A project with

mitigated risks is more competitive than

a comparable project with unaddressed

risks.

c. Domestic Preference. DOT will

consider whether an exception/waiver

of the Buy American provisions will be

necessary to complete the project.

Among otherwise comparable

applications, projects that depend on

materials or manufactured products that

do not comply with domestic preference

requirements will be less competitive

than projects that comply with those

requirements. Among otherwise

comparable applications that require

exceptions or waivers, an application

that presents an effective plan to

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maximize domestic content will be

more competitive than one that does

not. DOT will not award projects that

likely need a waiver but present no plan

to maximize domestic content.

d. Additional Considerations.

i. Community Development Zones

DOT will consider whether a project

is located within a Federally designated

community development zone such as a

qualified opportunity zone,

Empowerment Zone, Promise Zone, or

Choice Neighborhood. Applicants can

find additional information about each

of the designated zones at the sites

indicated below:

•Opportunity Zones: (https://

opportunityzones.hud.gov/)

•Empowerment Zones: (https://

www.hud.gov/hudprograms/

empowerment_zones)

•Promise Zones: (https://

www.hud.gov/program_offices/field_

policy_mgt/fieldpolicymgtpz)

•Choice Neighborhoods: (https://

www.hud.gov/program_offices/

public_indian_housing/programs/ph/

cn)

A project located in a Federally

designated community development

zone is more competitive than a similar

project that is not located in a Federally

designated community development

zone. The Department will rely on

applicant-supplied information to make

this determination and will only

consider this if the applicant expressly

identifies the designation in their

application.

ii. Projects Awarded Less Than

$10,000,000 in PIDP Funds

For PIDP awards that are under

$10,000,000, DOT will give priority

consideration for ports that handled less

than 10,000,000 short tons in 2017, as

identified by the Army Corps of

Engineers.

2. Review and Selection Process

a. Review Process

The PIDP evaluation consists of

Intake, a Technical Review Phase, and

a Senior Review Phase. During the

Technical Review Phase, DOT staff will

analyze applications and provide

ratings, consistent with the descriptions

in this notice.

Based on this analysis, the Senior

Review Team assembles a list of Projects

for Consideration for selection by the

Secretary based on the criteria described

in Section E. The Secretary makes final

selections based on the criteria

described in Section E.

b. Determinations

DOT must make the following

determinations under 46 U.S.C.

50302(c)(6)(A) prior to award selection.

Refer to Section D.2.VII. for what to

include in the application.

i. Effect on the Movement of Goods

If the application demonstrates that

the project will positively improve the

movement of goods, the project will

satisfy the determination listed under

Section C.2.b.(1).

ii. Economic Vitality

For applications that seek funding for

projects under 46 U.S.C. 50302(c) and

that have a BCR greater than or equal to

1.0, the project will satisfy the

determination in Section C.3.b.(2). For

applications that seek funding for

projects under 46 U.S.C. 50302(d), the

project will not be required to satisfy the

determination in Section C.3.b.(2).

iii. Authority To Carry Out the Project

If the applicant demonstrates that

they have the authority to carry out the

project by providing citations of

authority, or other supporting

documentation with their application,

the project will satisfy the

determination outlined in Section

C.3.b.3.

iv. Unreasonable Delay

If the application narrative and

project schedule demonstrate that the

project is reasonably expected to begin

construction no later than 18 months

after the date of obligation of funds for

the project, and will be fully completed

within five years of obligation, the

project satisfies the determination

outlined in Section C.3.b.5.

v. Sufficient Matching Funds

In assessing the availability of the

proposed non-Federal financial

commitments, DOT will consider the

degree to which financing sources are

dedicated to the proposed purposes and

are highly likely to be available within

the proposed project schedule. If the

application narrative and project budget

demonstrate that the applicant has

sufficient funding available to meet the

matching requirements, the project will

satisfy the determination outlined in

Section C.3.b.4.

vi. Cannot Be Easily and Efficiently

Completed Without Federal Funding

DOT will evaluate how well the

project demonstrates that it cannot be

easily and efficiently completed without

Federal funding or financial assistance

available to the project sponsor. If

applications sufficiently describe the

impacts on the project of Federal

funding or financial assistance being

unavailable for the project, and show

the project cannot be easily or

efficiently completed without such

assistance, the project will satisfy the

determination outlined in Section

C.3.b.6.

c. Follow-Up With Applicants

DOT may ask any applicant to

supplement data in its application but is

not required to do so. Lack of

supporting information provided with

the application negatively affects

competitiveness of the application.

Throughout the review and selection

process, DOT may seek additional

information from an applicant related to

project eligibility, whether the project

can be completed with a reduced award,

or data needed to complete project

analysis.

3. Additional Information

Development phase grant applications

will be evaluated against the same

criteria as capital grant applications,

and DOT will prioritize funding for

projects that propose to move into the

construction phase within the period of

obligation. Accordingly, applications for

development phase activities will be

less competitive than capital grants.

Prior to grant obligation, each selected

applicant will be subject to a risk

assessment as required by 2 CFR

200.206. DOT must 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)). An applicant may

review information in FAPIIS and

comment on any information about

itself. DOT will consider comments by

the applicant, in addition to the other

information in FAPIIS, 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.

F. Federal Award Administration

Information

1. Federal Award Notice

Following the evaluation outlined in

Section E, DOT will announce awarded

projects by posting a list of selected

projects at www.maritime.dot.gov/

PIDPgrants. Notice of selection is not

authorization to begin performance or to

incur costs for the proposed project.

Following that announcement, MARAD

will contact the point of contact listed

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Pre-award costs are costs incurred prior to the

effective date of the Federal award directly

pursuant to the negotiation and anticipation of the

PIDP award where such costs are necessary for

efficient and timely performance of the scope of

work, as determined by DOT.

in the SF 424 to initiate negotiation of

the grant agreement.

Recipients of an award will not

receive a lump-sum cash disbursement

at the time of award announcement or

obligation of funds. Instead, PIDP grant

funds will reimburse recipients only

after a grant agreement has been

executed, allowable expenses are

incurred, and a valid request for

reimbursement has been submitted.

PIDP grant recipients must adhere to

applicable requirements and follow

established procedures to receive

reimbursement.

2. Administrative and National Policy

Requirements

DOT will determine the period of

performance for each award based on

the specific project that was evaluated

and selected. DOT will administer each

PIDP Grant pursuant to a grant

agreement with the grant recipient.

Amounts awarded as a grant under this

notice that are not expended by the

grant recipient shall remain available to

DOT for use for grants under this

program.

The grant agreement between a grant

recipient and MARAD includes two

attachments: One labelled ‘‘Exhibits’’

and one labelled ‘‘General Terms and

Conditions.’’ These attachments include

most of the administrative and national

policy requirements applicable to PIDP

grant awards. Please visit https://

www.maritime.dot.gov/grants/federal-

grant-assistance/federal-grant-

assistance for the Exhibits and General

Terms and Conditions for FY 2020 PIDP

awards. The FY 2021 PIDP Exhibits and

General Terms and Conditions will be

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Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

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