FY 2011 Border Enforcement Grant Opportunity

BORDER ENFORCMENT GRANT (BEG) PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2011 BEG GRANT OPPORTUNITYSection I: Funding Opportunity DescriptionThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration?s (FMCSA) Border Enforcement Grant (BEG) program provides financial assistance to entities or a State that shares a land border with another country. BEG funds are utilized to ensure motor carriers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) entering the United States from a foreign country are in compliance with commercial vehicle safety standards and regulations, financial responsibility regulations and registration requirements of the United States (U.S.) and to ensure drivers of those vehicles are qualified and properly licensed to operate A commercial motor vehicle. The BEG program is intended to enhance a State's existing Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) program. Secretary Ray LaHood has made improving the safety of the Nation's transportation system a top priority of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Recent figures show that: -In 2008, the rate of large truck- and bus-related fatalities dropped to 0.152 per 100 million VMT. -Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that the truck-involved fatality rate on the Nation's roadways declined 12 percent in 2008 compared to 2007. The number of truck-related crash fatalities dropped from 4,822 in 2007 to 4,229 in 2008. These figures demonstrate solid progress in reducing the large truck- and-bus fatality rate; however, we must continue to focus on innovative CMV safety strategies if we are to maintain these impressive results. Investing grant monies in appropriate CMV safety programs increases the likelihood that safety defects, driver deficiencies, and unsafe motor carrier practices are detected and corrected before they become contributing factors to crashes. At present, FMCSA is operating under an extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU; Pub. L. 109-59, August 10, 2005), which will expire December 31, 2010. While FMCSA expects a new multi-year surface transportation authorization to make changes to its grant programs, the Agency is preparing for fiscal year (FY) 2011 using the assumption that the BEG program will not be amended at the outset for this fiscal year. Sections 4101(c)(2) and 4110 of SAFETEA-LU authorize the Border Enforcement Grant program. BEG grants are governed by 49 USC 31107, as added by section 4110(a)(1) of SAFETEA-LU. Section II: Award InformationFor FY 2011, FMCSA anticipates awarding $32,000,000 in BEG funding to one of the 15 Border States or an entity within one of these States whose applications evidences support for BEG eligible activities from October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011. The FMCSA has published BEG award criteria for eligible activities at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/grants/beg/criteria.aspx Eligible activities include: -Ensure southern Border States are meeting all Federal requirements to allow access to Mexico-domiciled carriers beyond the border commercial zones; -Increase the number of CMV safety inspections and commercial driver's license(CDL)/operating authority/financial responsibility checks in Border States focusing on international traffic;-Improve the capability to conduct CMV safety inspection at remote and other sites near the northern or southern borders. (The list of grant expenditures eligible for reimbursement in subsections (a) through (f) of 49 CFR 350.311, relating to MCSAP should be used as a guide.);-Develop appropriate telecommunication systems and coordination procedures with federal inspection agencies and others. (Appropriate telecommunication systems means those that relate directly to the accessing and transfer of CMV safety data and information) including telecommunications systems and other items necessary to implement the International Trade Data Systems (ITDS);-Other innovative initiatives designed to improve the compliance status of CMVs, drivers, and carriers entering the United States from Canada or Mexico;-Research initiatives focused on cross-border enforcement and related issues; and -Targeted CMV inspections within corridors where there is a significant amount of international traffic. BEG is a reimbursable grant program. The entity or State must agree to the FMCSA Financial Assistance Agreement General Provisions and Assurances before grant funds will be awarded. Section III: Eligibility InformationThe States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Washington and those entities within these enumerated States whose application reflects activities to support CMV safety activities from October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011 are eligible to receive BEG funding. Eligible awardees include state governments, local governments, and entities (i.e.accredited post-secondary public or private educational institutions such as universities).Individuals and businesses are not eligible to receive BEG funding, and receipt of their applications will not be acknowledged in grants.gov. Applications from state enforcement entities must be coordinated with the State lead MCSAP agency. The State lead MCSAP agency information is available by contacting the FMCSA Division office located within each state. All States requesting funding for commercial motor vehicle safety inspections must use inspectors certified by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and must have access to FMCSA databases to upload inspection reports. States must maintain a level of expenditure to qualify for BEG funding, including:(a) Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 31107(b), maintenance of expenditure (MOE) certification by the entity or State must meet the conditions for grant approval. The State must agree that the total expenditure of the amounts of the State and political subdivisions of the State, exclusive of amounts from the United States, for carrying out border commercial motor vehicle safety programs and related enforcement activities and projects will be maintained at a level at least equal to the average level of that expenditure by the State and political subdivisions of the State for the last 2 State or Federal fiscal years ending before October 1, 2005, whichever the State designates. (b) In determining the amounts utilized for the purpose of complying with BEG MOE requirements, a State applying for BEG funding may not include:1. Federal funds received for support of motor carrier and hazardous materials safety enforcement. 2. State funds used for federally sponsored demonstration or pilot CMV safety programs. (c) The State must include costs associated with activities performed during the base period by State or local agencies currently receiving or projected to receive funds for carrying out border CMV safety programs and related enforcement activities. It must include only those activities which meet the current requirements for funding eligibility under the grant program.Maintenance of expenditure guidance and a sample of the BEG MOE certification form to assist the applicant in providing the MOE certification are available at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/grants/beg/moe.aspx. Section IV: Application and Submission InformationAll applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on September 15, 2010. To apply using the Grants.gov process, the applicant must be registered with Grants.gov. To register, go to http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. The Grants.gov registration process can take as long as four weeks if all steps are not completed in a timely manner. So please register early! The Grants.gov website provides customer support via (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or through e-mail at [email protected]. The customer support center is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, to address Grants.gov technology issues. The applicant must download the grant application package, complete it, and submit it through Grants.gov. This can be done on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp. The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for BEG is 20.233. The following standard forms must be completed on line for inclusion in the grant application package: 1) SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.2) SF-424A Budget for Non-Construction Program.3) SF-424B Assurances for Non-Construction Programs4) SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Optional)5) Grants.gov lobbying formPlease note, applications received without the complete set of required forms will be not be evaluated until all forms are received. All forms are part of the application package available for download and completion in Grants.gov.In addition to the above list of standard forms, the applicant must also submit the following:-The applicant's FY 2011 Border Enforcement Plan (BEP), -Maintenance of expenditure calculation (required for State applicants but not for other entities) and -Line-item budget. As the BEG program is intended to enhance a states existing MCSAP program, Border Enforcement Plans (BEP) are recommended to be drafted in the same manner in which the MCSAP Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP) format. The template for the CVSP is available at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-initiatives/mcsap/mcsapforms.htm.Section V: Application Review InformationApplications for FY 2011 BEG funding will be reviewed by the FMCSA Division Office and a technical review panel arranged by the applicable FMCSA Headquarters Program Office. Criteria utilized by the BEG Technical Review Panel for evaluation of the applications can be found at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/grants/beg/criteria.aspx and http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/grants/beg/resources.aspx. The FMCSA will notify the State or entity, in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the application and BEP whether the plan is approved or whether approval has been withheld because the BEP does not meet the BEG national criteria or other conditions exist that prevent approval of the application. If approval is withheld, the applicant will have 30 days from the date of the notice to modify and resubmit the plan. Disapproval of a resubmitted plan is final. BEG funding is discretionary and FMCSA does not have an appeals process for applications for discretionary grant funds that are not approved.Section VI: Award Administration InformationUpon receipt and approval of the BEG application, FMCSA will award funding and enter into grant agreements in early October or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter. The Agency clarified its use of contract authority in FY 2010, albeit subject to the availability of funds and spending authority early in the FY, and intends to do so again in FY 2011. This will allow the grantee to begin work and seek reimbursement for the Federal share. However, the funding amounts made available for reimbursement will continue to be affected by any limitations placed on the spending authority granted to FMCSA by Congress under the extension of SAFETEA-LU, as was the case in FY 2010, and in the absence of a timely-enacted full year appropriations act for the Department of Transportation in FY 2011, grantees will only be reimbursed within the limitations of any Continuing Resolution. To award funding on this schedule, many activities must be completed on schedule: BEPs must be submitted and reviewed, then revised as needed, and resubmitted and approved by the FMCSA Division Office. Although the September 15, 2010, deadline can be extended for good cause, BEPs must be approved before funding can be awarded. Grantees must agree to the FMCSA Financial Assistance Agreement General Provisions and Assurances in order to execute the grant agreement. These provisions require, among other things, submission of quarterly financial and performance progress reports. Beginning in FY 2010, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandated the use of the Federal Financial Report (FFR), SF 425 for use throughout the Federal Government. The FFR was designed to replace the Financial Status Report (SF-269). Each grantee is required to submit a quarterly SF-425 to the appropriate FMCSA Division Administrator no later than 30 days after the end of each quarterly reporting period. A separate SF-425 must be submitted for each grant awarded by FMCSA. Also beginning in FY 2010, all FMCSA grantees were required by the OMB to begin using the performance progress reporting (SF-PPR) form for quarterly progress reports. The SF-PPR is a standard government-wide performance progress reporting format consisting of a coversheet and a series of standard attachments implemented by Federal agencies to collect performance information from award recipients. Note that while OMB requires all agencies (and grantees) to use the standard SF-PPR cover sheet, it is allowing each Federal agency the discretion to use any of OMB's standard attachments or alternatively, to develop a customized attachment for grant progress reporting. The SF-PPR Cover Sheet and a customized attachment (which is similar in format to the CVSP template) will be used for MCSAP basic and incentive grants. For additional information on the SF-PPR and other MCSAP related forms and templates, please visit http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-initiatives/mcsap/mcsapforms.htm. Section VII: Agency ContactFor further information, contact your FMCSA Division Office to obtain answers to your questions and to provide you with guidance concerning BEP requirements and development, as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. For general information about BEG funding and requirements, you may also contact Carla Vagnini of the FMCSA North American Borders Division at [email protected], or telephone 202.366.3771. Section VIII: Other InformationThis Grants.gov opportunity is only applicable to BEG funding.