Job Access and Reverse Commute Competitive Grants

SUMMARY: the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Transit

Administration (FTA) announces the first round of competitive grants

under the Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program, authorized

under Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st

Century (TEA-21). The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is

intended to establish a regional approach to job access challenges

through the establishment of a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute

Transportation Plan. Projects derived from this plan support the

implementation of a variety of transportation services that may be

needed to connect welfare recipients to jobs and related employment

activities. All projects funded under the Job Access and Reverse

Commute grant program must be derived from this regional plan. The Job

Access and Reverse Commute Program has two major goals: to provide

transportation services in urban, suburban and rural areas to assist

welfare recipients and low income individuals access employment

opportunities, and to increase collaboration among the transportation

providers, human service agencies, employers, metropolitan planning

organizations (MPOs), states, and affected communities and individuals.

While the projects must be planned in coordination with traditional

transit authorities and transportation planning organizations, other

interested organizations could take the lead in establishing the

collaborative planning process or project application. The Job Access

and Reverse Commute grant program will support projects that are

implemented by a wide range of transportation providers. One key

element is making the most efficient use of existing public, nonprofit

and private transportation service providers.

A Job Access project is designed to transport welfare recipients

and low-income individuals in urban, suburban, or rural areas to and

from jobs and activities related to their employment. Job Access

projects implement new transportation services or extend existing

services to fill the gaps that exist in many areas between where

welfare recipients and low-income persons live and employment

opportunities. A Reverse Commute Project is designed to transport the

general public from urban, suburban, and rural areas to suburban

employment opportunities. Job Access and Reverse Commute grants funded

under this program may not be used for planning or coordinating

activities and cannot supplant existing sources of funding.

Funding for Job Access grants is authorized at $150 million

annually. $50 million of this amount is guaranteed in fiscal year (FY)

1999. The guaranteed portion rises by $25 million a year, reaching the

full authorized $150 million in FY 2003. Funding above the guaranteed

level depends on congressional appropriations. No more than $10 million

annually can be used for grants designated as Reverse Commute projects.

In FY 1999, $75 million is available for the Job Access and Reverse

Commute grant program. A 50 percent non-DOT match is required. Other

Federal funds that are eligible to be expended for transportation can

be used as part of the match. Applicants should submit projects that

can be implemented quickly. The increasing funding levels provide ample

opportunity for areas to submit future applications as Regional Job

Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plans are further developed.

This announcement describes the conditions under which applications

will be received for the Job Access and Reverse Commute competitive

grants program and how FTA will determine which applications it will

fund. It includes all of the information needed to apply for Job Access

and Reverse Commute competitive grants.

This announcement is available on the Internet on the U.S.

Department of Transportation's FTA website at http://www.fta.dot.gov/

wtw/. The website will also have commonly asked questions and answers.

FTA will announce final selections on the website and in the Federal

Register.

DATES: FTA will make funding commitments for the Job Access and Reverse

Commute program through a two-stage process. Applications must be

submitted to the appropriate FTA regional office (see Appendix A) by

the close of business December 31, 1998. After evaluation, those whose

projects are selected for funding will be required to submit

supplementary documentation demonstrating compliance with all of FTA's

Section 5307, ``Urbanized Area Formula Grants'' requirements. FTA will

announce grant selections in February 1999.

FTA will accept comments on this notice until November 23, 1998.

Based on this input, FTA may provide amending and clarifying

information. At a later date, FTA intends to solicit comments from all

interested parties to determine if program adjustments are merited in

future solicitations.

ADDRESSES: Comments on or questions about this Notice can be made at

FTA's web site http://www.fta.dot.gov/wtw/japc.html or can be sent or

faxed to the following address: Doug Birnie, Federal Transit

Administration, Room 6423, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590

(FAX (202) 366-3765).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact the appropriate FTA Regional

Administrator for application specific information and issues (Appendix

A). For general program information, contact Doug Birnie, Office of

Research Management, (202) 366-1666, email [email protected].

A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Table of Contents

I. General Program Information

II. Guidelines for Preparing Grant Application

III. Application Submission

IV. Grant review Process

Appendix A FTA Regional Offices

Appendix B Definitions

Appendix C Sample Project Budget

Appendix D Application Checklist

Appendix E Summary of FTA's Section 5307 Requirements

I. General Program Information

A. Authority

Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century

(TEA-21).

B. Background

While two-thirds of all new jobs are in the suburbs, three-quarters

of welfare recipients live in rural areas or in central cities. Even in

metropolitan areas with extensive transit systems, studies have shown

that less than half of the jobs are accessible by transit. In

particular, many entry-level workers have difficulty reaching jobs

during evening or weekend shifts when transit services are frequently

diminished or non-existent. Work trips can also be complex, involving

several destinations including child care providers. The problems are

equally challenging in rural areas: approximately 40 percent of rural

counties lack public transit systems.

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Auto ownership among welfare recipients and low income persons is

also low. As many as 94 percent of welfare recipients do not own cars

and nearly 40 percent of workers with annual incomes below $10,000 do

not commute by car. In 1991, the median price of a new car was

equivalent to 25 weeks of salary for the average worker and

considerably more for the low-income worker.

Transportation is clearly a key barrier to those moving from

welfare to work. Providing a variety of new or expanded transportation

options for low-income workers, especially those who are receiving or

who have recently received welfare benefits, will increase the

likelihood that those workers will get and retain jobs.

C. Scope

Improving mobility and shaping America's future by ensuring that

the transportation system is accessible, integrated, efficient and

offers flexibility of choices is a key strategic goal of the Department

of Transportation. Job Access projects provide financial assistance to

improve mobility for welfare recipients and other low-income people

through implementing new or expanded transportation activities. Reverse

Commute projects provide financial assistance to improve mobility to

suburban employment opportunities for the general public as well as for

welfare recipients and low income people.

D. Eligible Applicants

Local agencies and authorities, non-profit organizations and

designated recipients under the FTA section 5307 program (usually a

state entity or a regional transit authority) are eligible applicants

for Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program funds. Local agencies

and authorities include states, local governments, metropolitan

planning organizations (MPOs), public transit agencies and tribal

organizations.

In urbanized areas with 200,000 population or more, MPOs select the

applicant(s). In small urbanized areas under 200,000 population and in

non-urbanized, rural, areas states select the applicant(s). Tribal

governments must go through the state process that, once selected, can

choose to be sub-recipients of the state or apply directly to FTA. FTA

urges MPOs to designate a single recipient, who would submit a

consolidated application. States are urged to serve as the designated

recipient for grants to small urbanized areas and non-urbanized areas.

The selected grant recipient can suballocate funds to other project

participants.

E. Eligible Projects

1. In general

Job Access or Reverse Commute projects derived from a Regional Job

Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan are eligible. Please

note that grants awarded under the Job Access and Reverse Commute

program may not be used for planning or coordinating activities.

However, planning funds made available under the FTA Section 5303 and

5113(b) programs and the Federal Highway Administration's metropolitan

and statewide planning funds (PL) and state planning and research funds

(SPR) can be used to fund welfare to work transportation planning

activities at a 100 percent Federal share. Other funds, including

Department of Health and Human Services Temporary Assistance for Needy

Families (TANF) and Department of Labor's Welfare-to-Work (WtW)

administrative funds, can also be used for planning.

2. Job Access Project

A Job Access project focused on implementing new or expanded

transportation services targeted at filling transportation gaps and

designed to transport welfare recipients and low income individuals to

and from jobs and other employment-related activities such as child

care or training. The Job Access Grant Program will focus on financing

the capital and operating costs of new or expanded transportation

services providing access to jobs and employment-related services.

Employment-related support services are services such as child care,

job readiness, job training, and retention services.

Localities have wide flexibility in selecting which service

strategies are appropriate for their region, including but not limited

to: adding late night and weekend service, providing guaranteed ride

home service, initiating shuttle service, extending fixed route mass

transit services, providing demand responsive van service, sponsoring

ridesharing and carpooling activities, and encouraging bicycling.

Localities are encouraged to implement innovative approaches to service

management such as the establishment of regional mobility managers or

transportation brokerage activities, application of geographic

information systems (GIS) tools, implementation of intelligent

transportation systems including customer trip information

technologies, the integration of automated regional public and human

service transit information scheduling and dispatch functions, vehicle

position monitoring systems and electronic fare cards.

Job Access and Reverse Commute grants also may be made for

promoting the use of: transit by workers with non-traditional work

schedules, transit vouchers by appropriate agencies for welfare

recipients and eligible low-income individuals; or employer-provided

transportation such as shuttles, ridesharing, carpooling or transit

pass and benfits under Section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986. Marketing and advertising are examples of promotional activities

that could be undertaken to increase awareness of these transportation

options and their benefit to welfare recipients and low-income

individuals. Other locality-specific actions, strategies and linkages

that further the program goals, but are not captured in the preceding

description, also may be eligible.

Activities such as funding transit passes and construction of child

care centers and other employment support facilities at transit hubs

will not be elibible for Job Access grants. Transit-oriented

construction activities are eligible under FTA's Section 5307, 5309 and

5311 Formula Grant programs. Transit passes are eligible expenses under

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Welfare-to-Work

(WtW) programs.

Programs for private automobile ownership and repair are not

legally eligible under this grant funding. However, programs supporting

carpooling and other forms of mass transportation and shared-ride use,

such as jitneys or special paratransit service, are eligible. In cases

where vehicle acquisition is part of the program, vehicles must remain

under the continuing control of the agency receiving the grant.

3. Reverse Commute Project

A Reverse Commute project facilitates the provision of new or

expanded public mass transportation services from urban areas, suburban

and rural areas to suburban work places.

Reverse Commute services include, but are not limited to

subsidizing, the costs associated with adding bus, train, car and van

pooling, van routes, or service; and the purchase or lease by a

nonprofit organization or public agency of a van or bus dedicated to

shuttling employees from their residence to a suburban work place and

return.

F. Funding Availability

TEA-21 authorizes the Job Access and Reverse Commute program at

$150 million annually, subject to

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appropriations. The guaranteed funding levels start at $50 million in

FY 1999 and increase by $25 million annually to $150 million in FY

2003. No more than $10 million annually can be used for Reverse Commute

projects. Urbanized areas with populations of at least 200,000 are

allocated 60 percent of each fiscal year's funding. The remaining 40

percent is divided evenly between urbanized areas with populations

between 50,000 and 200,000, which receive 20 percent, and non-

urbanized, rural, areas with populations below 50,000, which also

receive 20 percent.

The FY 1999 Department of Transportation Appropriations Act

provides $75 million for the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program,

including no more than $10 million for Reverse Commute activities.

Therefore, in accordance with the allocation percentages specified in

TEA-21, for FY 1999: $45 million is available for urbanized areas with

populations of at least 200,000; $15 million is available for urbanized

areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000; and $15 million is

available for non-urbanized, rural, areas with population of less than

50,000.

G. Cost Sharing

The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is intended to

fill gaps in existing services and leverage other state and local

transportation-related funding to address the unmet needs of

individuals moving from welfare to work and other low income

populations. The Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program is not

large enough to fund all the critical transportation needs associated

with meeting these needs. FTA's program, including the funds used to

match the grants, is not intended to replace any existing source of

funds. The maximum DOT share of a grant under the Job Access and

Reverse Commute program may not exceed 50 percent of the total project

cost. The non-DOT share shall be provided in cash. If funds are matched

from other Federal programs, the funds may be applied directly to

project expenses by the recipients of those funds. Revenues from

service agreements are an eligible match, but revenues from individual

fares cannot be used as a match.

Transportation-eligible funding from Federal programs other than

the Department of Transportation may be used as match. These include

but are not limited to: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),

Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) and Social Services Block Grants

(SSBG) administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services; Welfare-to-Work (WtW) formula and competitive grants

administered by the U.S. Department of Labor; Community Development

Block grants (CDBG) and HOPE VI grants administered by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development. The prohibitions on the

use of WtW funds for matching requirements under section

403(a)(5)(C)(ii) of the Social Security Act does no apply to Federal or

state funds to provide transportation services. TANF and WtW grants,

when used as match, may be expended only for new or expanded

transportation services and cannot be used for construction or to

subsidize current transit operating expenses. Such funds also must

supplement rather than supplant other state expenditures or

transportation. (``Child Support Performance and Incentives Act of

1998,'' Pub. L. 105-200, Sec. 403, ``Limitations on Use of TANF Funds

for Matching Under Certain Federal Transportation Programs.'')

More extensive guidance on the use of TANF and WtW funds for

transportation will be provided shortly. Guidance provided in a May 4,

1998, letter from the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor,

and Transportation is currently being updated.

H. Federal Coordination/Outreach

To help guide implementation of the Job Access and Reverse Commute

program, DOT has conducted an extensive public outreach process. To

ensure that the Job Access and Reverse Commute program complements

other Federal welfare to work initiatives, DOT has worked closely with

other Federal agencies in writing this program notice and will

establish an interagency work group to assist in the application review

process.

I. Planning

1. Coordinated Transportation/Human Services Planning Process

Proposed Job Access and Reverse Commute projects must be derived

from a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan (see

below) which results from a coordinated public transit/human services

transportation planning process. The planning process may be initiated

by any interested stakeholder group in the area. FTA encourages MPOs to

serve as the regional forum.

The planning process must include local transit agencies, the

agencies administering TANF and WtW formula and competitive grants,

welfare recipients and low-income people. The planning process also

should include other stakeholders such as:

Regional planning officials; human service, private, non-profit and

other appropriate transportation and support service providers;

community residents and organizations; faith-based organization;

disability groups and representatives; local and state workforce

development organizations including One-Stop Career Centers; recipients

of TANF and WtW grants; public and assisted housing providers and

community development agencies; economic development agencies;

employers and employer groups (such as transportation management

organizations and Chambers of Commerce); Private Industry Councils; and

political officials including mayors, county supervisors, state

legislators, governors and other state and local officials.

2. Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan

The purpose of collaboration is to develop a comprehensive regional

approach to Job Access and Reverse Commute programs targeted at moving

welfare recipients and low income people to jobs regarding of

jurisdictional boundaries. Any project proposed for funding should be

identified in the Regional Job Access Transportation Plan resulting

from the above process. This plan is not meant to supersede but to

build upon existing area welfare-to-work transportation planning

activities. The Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation

Plan must:

a. Identify the geographic distributions of welfare recipients and

low-income people in the region;

b. Identify the geographic distributions of employment centers and

employment-related activities in the region;

c. Identify existing public, private, non-profit and human service

transportation services in the region;

d. Identify transportation gaps between the geographic

distributions of people, as specified in section a, and employment, as

specified in section b, which are not currently served by the

transportation services, as specified in section c;

e. Identify activities and projects to address the gaps identified

in section d. Each project or activity identification should include:

(1) Proposed goals and objectives of the project or activity.

(2) Estimated cost of the project or activity.

(3) explanation of how the project or activity would maximize use

of existing transportation service providers and

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how the project or activity would be intergrated into existing

transportation network

f. A list, in priority order for funding and implementation, of the

activities and projects identified in section e.

Plans will vary in complexity according to area location and size.

The Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan should

build on and incorporate existing welfare to work transportation

planning activities. During this first year of program implementation,

FTA recognizes that some areas may have had a cross-jurisdictional

collective process to identify the location of welfare recipients,

areas of employment and training opportunities, and necessary new

transportation links but may not have a full Regional Job Access and

Reverse Commute Transportation Plan in place. Communities should

document this work to comply with the plan requirements and continue to

develop these plans in future years.

3. The Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

MPOs are comprised of elected officials, representing local

governments, and transportation service providers within the

metropolitan area. They are responsible for adopting transportation

plans and improvement programs to address a region's unique

transportation needs and working with states to include these

priorities in statewide plans.

In regions with populations of more than 200,000, MPOs are

responsible for selecting applicants to be considered for Federal Job

Access and Reverse Commute grant funds. In regions with populations

between 50,000 and 200,000, MPOs will recommend projects to the state,

which will select the applicants to be considered for Federal Job

Access and Reverse Commute grants.

This means that MPOs are responsible for the following:

a. Determining that Job Access and Reverse Commute projects are

consistent with the regional long-range transportation plan.

b. Endorsing and subsequently programming Job Access and Reverse

Commute projects into the area Transportation Improvement Program.

In all regions with MPOs, individual Job Access and Reverse Commute

projects must be adopted into the MPO's Transportation Program prior to

receiving the grant. Because this entails a formal review and project

approved by the MPO Policy Board, FTA strongly urges the partners

developing the Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan to

communicate with the MPO from an early stage. Further, as financial

sustainability of a project is one of the evaluation criteria,

coordination with the agencies participating in the MPO forum could be

a critical factor in ensuring long term support for Job Access and

Reverse Commute activities.

4. Statewide Transportation Planning Requirements

In all regions with populations of less than 200,000, the state is

responsible for selecting applicants, based on recommendations by the

MPO, to be considered for Federal Job Access and Reverse Commute grant

funds. In addition, Job Access and Reverse Commute projects selected

for funding must be endorsed by the state and incorporated into the

statewide transportation improvement program. Because this requires

approval, FTA strongly urges the partners to communicate with state

officials including the State DOT from an early stage. In selecting

projects in rural areas, states should give priority to projects

providing service to places that are not currently served or are

underserved by public transit systems.

5. Improved Transportation Planning

The statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes

mandated by TEA-21 promote ongoing, cooperative, and active involvement

of public transportation providers; the public; and state, metropolitan

and local government agencies in the development of state-wide and

metropolitan transportation plans and improvement programs. DOT expects

that the Job Access and Reverse Commute grant program will facilitate

and be a catalyst for broadening the transportation planning process to

better integrate employment and social equity considerations.

J. General Grant Requirements

After an application has been selected based on the program-

specific requirements outlined in this notice, the applicant will be

required to submit appropriate background certifications, assurances,

and other documentation necessary to meet the requirements of FTA's

Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program (Section 5307 program under Title

49, United States Code). These include planning, environmental, school

bus, charter, procurement, labor protections and civil rights

requirements, including ADA, Title VI, and DBE. Any information

technology purchased with these program: funds that is used for a

period of time that extends beyond December 31, 1999, must be year 2000

compliant. Applicants must have the financial, legal and technical

capacity to apply for and administer projects. Copies of the Section

5307 program guidance (circular FTA 9030.1B ``Urbanized Area Formula

Program; Grant Application Instructions,'' Oct. 10, 1996) can be

obtained from any FTA Regional Office or electronically through the FTA

website. (See Appendix E for summary list.)

K. Performance Monitoring

FTA expects grant recipients to monitor the performance of their

Job Access and Reverse Commute services and to cooperate with the

legislatively-mandated FTA and GAO national evaluations. Performance

monitoring indicators are necessary for both the applicant's project

implementation and for the national program evaluation. FTA will work

with grantees to standardize performance monitoring indicators for all

Job Access and Reverse Commute Grant recipients. At a minimum, FTA will

expect information to be reported on a regular basis in the following

categories:

1. New/expanded service.

a. Route miles of travel.

b. Hours of operation.

c. Frequency (or headway) of service.

2. Increased Accessibility to Target Market.

a. Approximate number of low-income/welfare persons within a given

distance from service.

b. Approximate measurement of employment opportunities and

employment-related support services within a given distance from the

service.

3. Use and Productivity of Service.

a. Number of riders.

b. Comparison of baseline estimates of ridership for welfare

recipients and low-income individuals to current ridership based on

periodic surveys or actual count.

c. Customer Satisfaction.

4. Collaboration.

a. List of organizations involved in the Job Access and Reverse

Commute planning process.

b. Number of meetings or other activities held.

c. Listing of transportation services provided through

collaboration.

d. New financial arrangements developed.

e. Additional cooperative initiatives.

II. Guidelines for Preparing Grant Application

FTA is conducting a national solicitation for applications under

the Job Access and Reverse Commute

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Program. Grant awards will be made on a competitive basis. FTA

encourages both traditional and non-traditional grantees in urban,

suburban, and rural areas to participate in the development of

projects.

A. Grant Funding Amounts

Due to the relatively limited funding in FY 1999 and consistent

with the legislatively-mandated funding distribution categories, FTA

suggests the grant sizes identified below. Applicants may request

smaller amounts from FTA.

I. For urbanized areas with populations of over one million, FTA

expects to make average grants of $1 million.

2. For urbanized areas with populations greater than 200,000 and

less than one million, FTA expects to make average grants of $500,000.

3. For urbanized areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000,

FTA expects to make average grants of $200,000. States should generally

not submit applications that collectively exceed $1 million for this

category.

4. For rural areas (areas with populations of less than 50,000),

individual area grant applications generally should not exceed

$150,000. Collective state grant applications for rural areas generally

should not exceed $1 million.

B. Project Scope

Proposed projects must be drawn from a Regional Job Access and

Reverse Commute Transportation Plan and focus on new or expanded

transportation services. For FY 1999, grantees should focus on projects

that can be implemented quickly.

FTA recognizes that some grantees may have well-developed plans

that extend over several years and that have implementation costs that

exceed the suggested FY 1999 grant size. These applicants may request a

multi-year funding commitment to implement their plans. In these cases,

applicants may elect to use the FY 1999 grant to fully fund high

priority items of the regional plan, with subsequent grants used to

phase in additional elements of the plan. Alternatively, applicants may

elect to use the FY 1999 grant to cover the initial costs of a more

comprehensive program, with subsequent grants used to fund carry-on

activities. There may be other viable multi-year funding alternatives.

In deciding on an approach that best meets local needs, applicants must

note that any multi-year commitments are subject to an annual review of

demonstrated progress in meeting program objectives and milestones

identified in the application, as well as the conditions of match, the

annual budget process, and congressional appropriations.

For planning purposes, future year funding in multi-year commitment

requests should conform to the FY 1999 grant size guidelines.

III. Application Submission

A. Application Development

To promote collaboration and reduce administrative paperwork, FTA

strongly encourages the submission of a consolidated application by a

single entity in urbanized areas and the submission of a consolidated

application by the state for rural areas. In both cases, funds may be

passed on to subrecipients. Tribal projects selected by the state may

choose to allow the state to include their program in the state's

application or to apply directly to FTA. Furthermore, FTA encourages

states and local transit authorities, which have experience in

developing and administering FTA grant programs to serve as the single

entity submitting applications on behalf of other entities, as these

existing FTA grantees may have already met, or have on file information

that will satisfy many of the FTA requirements that apply to this

program.

B. Application

An original and two copies of the application must be submitted to

the appropriate FTA Regional Office. The application should provide

information on all project(s) for which you are requesting funding in

FY 1999. If a multi-year commitment is sought, the information should

cover all years for which funding is sought. The information provided

in support of this application may vary with the size of the area

applying and the grant being sought. Applicants should develop brief

narratives on the information sought. Project narratives should not

exceed 10-15 pages.

The application should include the following elements:

1. Transmittal Letter.

This addresses basic identifying information including:

a. Grant Applicant.

b. Contact name and phone number.

c. Population size of region.

d. Location of proposed project(s).

e. Amount of grant request.

2. Project Eligibility.

Every application must:

a. Describe applicant's organizational capacity to implement the

proposed project(s).

b. Document matching funds, including amount and source.

c. Attach Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation

Plan.

d. Document approval by affected transit authorities.

e. For urbanized areas with populations over 200,000, document MPO

selection and intention to amend the Transportation Improvement Plan

(TIP) if project is selected for funding.

f. For urbanized areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000,

document state selection and MPO intention to amend the TIP if project

is selected for funding.

g. For areas with populations below 50,000, document state

selection and intention to amend the state-wide transportation

improvement plan (STIP) if project is selected for funding.

3. Project Information.

Provide a summary of project activities from the Regional Job

Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan for which your

application is requesting funding. The summary should include:

a. Each project's time line, including significant milestones.

b. Designation of project as a Job Access or Reverse Commute

service. If applying under both, indicate how you will divide the

funds.

c. Project budget (See Appendix C).

4. Project Narrative.

Provide the information identified below to support your

application. More descriptive information has been provided in Section

I of this notice.

a. Document the coordinated human services/transportation planning

process. This should include:

1. Description of the collaborative transportation/human services

process used in developing the Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute

Transportation Plan.

2. List of the participants and their respective roles.

3. Identification of new partnerships and cooperative relationships

developed.

4. Description of specific coordination with legislatively-mandated

partners: transportation providers and transit agencies, state agencies

administering the TANF and WtW funds.

5. Description of consultation with and public involvement of the

community to be served, including welfare recipients and low income

residents.

6. Sign-offs or letters of endorsement from planning partners.

b. Describe the unmet need for additional transportation services

to transport welfare recipients and low income individuals to jobs,

training and other employment services. This should include:

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1. Definition of the proposed service areas and the population and

communities to be served.

2. The number of welfare recipients and low income persons and the

percentage of the population that they represent.

3. Description of the existing transportation resources, if any,

including human services, nonprofit and public transportation

providers.

4. Description of transportation gaps in existing services.

5. For Reverse Commute projects, information on the need for

additional transportation services.

c. Describe how the proposed services will meet the unmet need

described above. This should include or address the following:

1. Specify project goals and objectives.

2. Identify employment potential in the proposed service area.

3. For Job Access projects, estimate low income and welfare

recipient ridership.

4. For Reverse Commute projects, estimate ridership by the general

public and by welfare recipients and low income individuals.

5. Specify type of capital investments to be funded.

6. Specify type of operating costs to be funded.

7. Provide operation-specific data (e.g., miles/hours of service,

new routes, route extensions, etc.).

8. Specify how use of all existing transportation service providers

is being maximized.

9. Describe how these services will address the needs of persons

with disabilities and how the requirements of ADA will be met.

10. Present indicators that will be used to monitor project

performance and make subsequent adjustments in project implementation.

d. Document financial commitments, including prospects for

sustainability.

1. Identify how human service (such as TANF, WtW, other Federal,

state or local) financial resources have been leveraged.

2. Identify the financial commitment of existing transportation

providers.

3. Identify long term financing that may be proposed or available

to support continuation of the proposed project or other aspects of the

regional plan.

e. Variable Factors. Please specify how each of the following

factors applies to your project(s). If any are not applicable, explain

why not.

1. Innovative Approaches--Identify innovative techniques in and

approaches to the proposed project.

2. Use of Employer-based Strategies--Describe any commitment by

employers that will contribute to the success of the project.

3. Linkages to Other Employment Support Services--Identify

available employment support services that complement the

transportation activities and are critical to ensuring that welfare

recipients get and retain jobs.

4. Other Strategies--Describe other locality-specific actions,

strategies and linkages, about which FTA should be aware, that were not

captured in the preceding criteria.

The checklist in Appendix D should be used to ensure that you have

developed a complete application.

IV. Grant Review Process

Applications are to be submitted to the appropriate FTA Regional

Office by the close of business December 31, 1998. FTA will screen all

applications to determine whether all required eligibility elements, as

described in Section 2 of the Application, are present. A multi-agency

task force will evaluate each application according to the criteria

described in this announcement. FTA will select projects based on what

is most advantageous to the government, considering, in addition to the

award criteria, the time frame for implementation, the availability of

funds, and geographic distribution.

A. Award Criteria

Once eligibility is established, the merit of each application will

be evaluated based on the following factors. The number of points in

parentheses indicates the maximum level of points for a given factor.

1. Coordinated human services/transportation planning process and

Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation plan (25 Points)

Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant:

(A) Demonstrates a collaborative planning process, including:

(1) coordination with, and the financial commitment of, existing

transportation service providers;

(2) coordination with the state or local agencies that administer

the state program funded under part A of title IV of the Social

Security Act (TANF and WtW grant programs);

(3) coordination with public housing agencies (including Indian

tribes and their tribally designated housing entities as defined by the

Secretary of HUD) if any, which intend to apply for Welfare to Work

Housing Vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(4) consultation with the community to be served; and

(5) consultation with other area stakeholders.

(B) Presents a Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute

Transportation Plan addressing the transportation needs of welfare

recipients and low-income individuals.

2. Demonstrated Need for Additional Transportation Services (30 Points)

Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant demonstrates:

(A) in the case of an applicant seeking assistance to finance a Job

Access project, the relative need for additional services in the area

to be served to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income

individuals to and from specified jobs, training and other employment

support services; and

(B) in the case of an applicant seeking assistance to finance a

Reverse Commute project, the need for additional services to transport

individuals to suburban employment opportunities.

3. Extent to Which Proposed Services Will Meet the Need for Services

(35 Points)

Evaluated based on the extent to which:

(A) The proposed service will meet the need.

(B) To which the applicant demonstrates the maximum use of existing

transportation service providers and expands transit networks or hours

of service, or both.

4. Financial Commitments (10 Points)

Evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant:

(A) Identifies long-term financing strategies to support proposed

services.

(B) Identifies financial commitments by human service providers.

(C) Identifies financial commitments by existing transportation

providers.

FTA also will consider the extent to which the applicant addresses the

following variable factors: (10 Bonus Points Total)

1. Innovative approaches that are responsive to identified service

needs;

2. Use of employer-based strategies;

3. Linkages to other employment-related support services; and

4. Other strategies that are effective in meeting program goals.

B. Notification

FTA will notify applicants in February 1999. Those selected must

then submit appropriate background certifications, assurances, and

other

[[Page 60174]]

documentation necessary to meet the applicable FTA Section 5307

Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program requirements and be included in

the TIP or STIP as appropriate. Technical assistance regarding these

requirements is available in each FTA regional office. Complete

documentation must be submitted to the appropriate FTA regional office

no later than March 31, 1999.

FTA is committed to obligating FY 1999 Job Access and Reverse

Commute funding expeditiously. Therefore, FTA urges applicants to

develop documentation in accordance with the Section 5307 program

guidance as soon as possible. This allows the information necessary for

grant approval to be readily available for submission to FTA when

projects are selected for funding. FTA will approve final applications

as soon as they are complete.

Issued on: November 3, 1998.

Gordon J. Linton,

Administrator.

APPENDIX A--(FTA) REGIONAL OFFICES

Region I--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire,

Vermont and Maine, Richard H. Doyle, FTA--Regional Administrator,

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Kendall Square, 55

Broadway, Suite 920, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093, (617) 494-2055

Region II--New York, New Jersey, Virgin Islands, Letitia Thompson,

FTA--Regional Administrator, 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940, New York,

NY 10278-0194, (212) 264-8162

Region III--Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia,

Delaware, Washington, D.C., Sheldon Kinbar, FTA--Regional

Administrator, 1760 Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA

19103-4124, (215) 656-7100

Region IV--Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida,

Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Puerto Rico, Susan

Schruth, FTA--Regional Administrator, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite

17T50, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 562-3500

Region V--Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan,

Joel Ettinger, FTA--Regional Administrator, 200 West Adams Street,

Suite 2410, Chicago, IL 60606-5232, (312) 353-2789

Region VI--Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Lee

Waddleton, FTA--Regional Administrator, 819 Taylor Street, Room

8A36, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, (817) 978-0550

Region VII--Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Mokhtee Ahmad, FTA--

Regional Administrator, 6301 Rockhill Road, Suite 303, Kansas City,

MO 64131-1117, (816) 523-0204

Region VIII--Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming,

Utah, Louis Mraz, FTA--Regional Administrator, Columbine Place, 216

16th Street, Suite 650, Denver, CO 80202-5120, (303) 844-3242

Region IX--California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, American Samoa,

Guam, Leslie Rogers, FTA--Regional Administrator, 201 Mission

Street, Suite 2210, San Francisco, CA 94105-1831, (415) 744-3133

Region X--Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Helen Knoll, FTA--

Regional Administrator, Jackson Federal Building, 915 Second Avenue,

Suite 3142, Seattle, WA 98174-1002, (206) 220-7954

Appendix B--Definitions

1. Welfare Recipient--An individual, who receives or received aid or

assistance under a state program funded under Part A of Title IV of

the Social Security Act (whether in effect before or after the

effective date of the amendments made by Title I of the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

(Public Law 104-193); 110 Stat 2110) at any time during the 3-year

period before the date on which the applicant applies for a grant.

2. Elibible Low-Income Individual--An individual whose family income

is at or below 150 percent of the poverty line (as that term is

defined in Section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act

(42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) including any revisions required by that section

for a family of the size involved. These are calculated by HHS; the

1998 guidelines were published in the February 24, 1998, (Volume 63,

Number 36) Federal Register, page 9235-9238.

3. Existing Transportation Service Provider--Public transportation

providers including public, private and non-profit fixed route and

paratransit operators, and governmental agencies and nonprofit

organizations that receive assistance from Federal, state, or local

sources for nonemergency transportation services.

4. Human Services Provider--Agencies and organizations involved in

helping welfare recipients and low income populations to make the

transition to work and providing supportive employment services.

These agencies and organizations include state and local workforce

development organizations, agencies administering TANF and WtW

formula and competitive funds, public and assisted housing providers

and community development agencies, and where appropriate, faith-

based and community-based organizations providing employment support

services.

5. Qualified Entity--(A) With respect to any proposed eligible

project in an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000,

the applicant(s) selected by the appropriate metropolitan planning

organization that meets the program eligibility requirements,

including planning and coordination requirements, from among local

governmental authorities and agencies and nonprofit organizations;

and (B) With respect to any proposed eligible project in an

urbanized area with a population of greater than 50,000 and less

than 200,000, or an area other than an urbanized area, the

applicant(s) selected by the chief executive officer of the state in

which the area is located that meets the program eligibility

requirements, including the planning and coordination requirements,

from among local governmental authorities and nonprofit

organizations.

6. Transit Capital and Operating Assistance Projects--This term

means projects to finance acquisition, construction, improvement,

and operating costs of facilities, equipment and associated capital

maintenance items used in mass transportation service, including

crime prevention and security of and for such equipment and

facilities. Direct administrative expenses associated with the

provision of job access and reverse commute services are also

eligible operating expenses.

Appendix C--Sample Project Budget

FY 99 Funding

Applicant: ---------- Area Size: ----------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Federal amount Total amount

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A. Job Access Project

Capital Costs

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

[[Page 60175]]

Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________

Example

Activity ____________ ____________

Vans........................................................ ____________ ____________

Quantity 4

Operating Costs

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Example

Activity ____________ ____________

Late Night.................................................. ____________ ____________

Service (3 Routes)

Total................................................... ____________ ____________

B. Reverse Commute Project

Capital Costs

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Quantity.................................................... ____________ ____________

Example

Activity ____________ ____________

Vans........................................................ ____________ ____________

Quantity 4 ____________ ____________

Operating Costs

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Activity........................................................ ____________ ____________

Example

Activity ____________ ____________

Two new routes.............................................. ____________ ____________

Total................................................... ____________ ____________

Grand Total (A or B or A & B) for those applicants seeking a multi-year

commitment, provide this information for subsequent years of reference

budget material from your Job Access Transportation Plan.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix D--Application Check List (To Meet December 31 Deadline)

{time} TRANSMITTAL LETTER

{time} PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

Organizational Capacity

50 Percent Non-DOT Match

Regional Job Access and Reverse Commute Transportation Plan

Approval of Affected Transit Authorities

MPO/State Endorsement and Programming as Appropriate

{time} PROJECT INFORMATION

Activity Summaries/Timelines/Milestones

Designation As Job Access Or Reverse Commute Project

Project Budget

{time} PROJECT NARRATIVE

Documentation of Coordinated Human Services/Transportation

Planning Process

Coordination with Agencies Administering TANF & WtW

Coordination with Existing Transportation Operators

Consultation with Affected Communities

Consultation with Employers

Documentation of Unmet Needs

Description of How Proposed Services Will Meet Needs

Documentation of Financial Commitments

Response to Variable Factors (Bonus Points)

Innovative Approaches

Employer-Based Strategies

Linkages to Other Employment Support Services

Other Strategies

Appendix E--Summary of FTA's Section 5307 Requirements

This is the full range of 5307 requirements. Some of these items

are covered in the application, in which case you will not need to

submit information twice.

APPROVAL PREREQUISITES:

(On file with FTA, or to be submitted with application and updates as

appropriate)

Opinion of Counsel

Authorizing Resolution

Current annual Certification and Assurances

Civil rights submissions up-to-date

[[Page 60176]]

Title VI

Annual DBE Goal

DBE Program

EEO Program

ADA

National Transit Database reports-up-to-date

Any outstanding oversight findings resolved or resolution plan and

schedule set

Additional Information:

Project Budget

Project Description

Project Justification/Supporting Information as necessary

Project Milestone Schedule

Labor Union Description(s) (including information about earlier DOL

certifications that may apply to this project)

Environmental Review

Date of FTA's signing of FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact),

or

Date of FTA's signing of ROD (Record of Decision) closing out the

EIS process, or

Grant applicant's Categorical Exclusion recommendation if neither

(a) nor (b) above applies

Air Quality

Date of project level conformity determination by FTA, or

Applicant's recommendation concerning list of exemptions in the

conformity regulation (40 CFR Part 51)

STIP--Date of Approved by FTA

Request for copy of Master Agreement

(If applicant does not have latest one on file)

[FR Doc. 98-29777 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-57-M