Opportunity Information: Apply for DTFH6116RA00002
Apply for DTFH6116RA00002
- The DOT-FHWA in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Beyond Traffic: The Smart City Challenge" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.200.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 07, 2015 and posted on Dec 07, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 04, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $40,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
Beyond Traffic: The Smart City Challenge was a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) funding opportunity designed to push cities to think big and propose ambitious, practical demonstrations of "smart city" transportation ideas. Rather than focusing on one isolated project, the challenge aimed to support a citywide approach that improves how surface transportation works as a whole, while also tying transportation improvements to other important city functions like public safety, public services, and energy. The core idea was to show how a city can take emerging transportation data, modern technologies, and new applications and blend them with existing local systems to solve real transportation problems in a coordinated, measurable way.
The opportunity was structured as a competitive, discretionary program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (DOT-FHWA), using a cooperative agreement funding instrument. USDOT emphasized creativity and innovation, explicitly seeking proposals that were bold enough to meaningfully test, evaluate, and demonstrate the value of smart city concepts. In practical terms, that meant cities were expected to propose demonstrations that could be studied and assessed, not just implemented, so the results could inform future transportation and smart city investments elsewhere.
A central focus of the challenge was the use of advanced data and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies and applications. Proposals were expected to show how these tools could be used to improve day-to-day mobility and system performance, with clear public benefits. USDOT highlighted outcomes like reducing congestion, improving traveler safety, protecting the environment, responding to climate change, connecting underserved communities, and strengthening economic vitality. In other words, the grant was not just about moving vehicles faster; it was about making transportation safer, cleaner, more equitable, and more supportive of local growth.
Eligibility was geared toward local and tribal governments, including county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, with some additional eligible applicants referenced in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The total funding level was substantial: the award ceiling was up to $40,000,000, with the program describing an intent to make an award at that level to one mid-sized city that could best demonstrate the integrated smart city transportation vision. The funding opportunity number was DTFH6116RA00002 under CFDA 20.200, and applicants were directed to follow the detailed instructions in the official NOFO posted on Grants.gov (under the Related Documents tab) and to consult USDOT information at transportation.gov/smartcity. The opportunity was posted on December 7, 2015, and had an application deadline of February 4, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is "Beyond Traffic: The Smart City Challenge"?
Beyond Traffic: The Smart City Challenge was a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) funding opportunity that encouraged cities to propose ambitious, practical demonstrations of "smart city" transportation ideas. The emphasis was on a coordinated, citywide approach to improving surface transportation, not a single stand-alone project.
What was the main goal of the challenge?
The goal was to show how a city could use emerging transportation data, modern technologies, and new applications together with existing local systems to solve real transportation problems in a coordinated and measurable way. The intent was to generate results that could be studied and used to guide future smart city and transportation investments.
Was this program focused on one project or a citywide approach?
It was designed to support a citywide approach. Rather than funding one isolated project, USDOT sought proposals that improved how surface transportation works as a whole and connected transportation improvements with other city functions.
What kinds of city functions were transportation improvements expected to connect with?
The opportunity highlighted connecting transportation to other important city functions such as public safety, public services, and energy.
What agency administered the program?
The program was administered by the Federal Highway Administration (DOT-FHWA) as a competitive, discretionary program.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The opportunity used a cooperative agreement funding instrument.
What did USDOT mean by emphasizing creativity and innovation?
USDOT explicitly sought proposals that were bold and innovative enough to meaningfully test, evaluate, and demonstrate the value of smart city concepts, with an expectation that the demonstrations could be assessed and studied (not just implemented).
What technology areas were central to proposals?
A central focus was the use of advanced data and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies and applications, showing how these tools could improve day-to-day mobility and overall system performance.
What outcomes and public benefits did USDOT highlight?
USDOT highlighted outcomes such as reducing congestion, improving traveler safety, protecting the environment, responding to climate change, connecting underserved communities, and strengthening economic vitality.
Was the challenge only about improving traffic speed and travel time?
No. The opportunity emphasized broader public benefits: safer travel, environmental protection, climate responsiveness, equity (including connections for underserved communities), and support for local economic vitality, in addition to mobility and performance improvements.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was geared toward local and tribal governments, including county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) also referenced additional eligible applicants.
How much funding was available?
The award ceiling was up to $40,000,000. The program described an intent to make an award at that level to one mid-sized city that could best demonstrate the integrated smart city transportation vision.
How many awards was USDOT intending to make?
Based on the program description provided, USDOT described an intent to make one award at the $40,000,000 level to one mid-sized city that best demonstrated the vision.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number was DTFH6116RA00002.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 20.200.
Where were applicants instructed to find the official application instructions?
Applicants were directed to follow the detailed instructions in the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) posted on Grants.gov, specifically under the "Related Documents" tab.
Where could applicants find additional USDOT information about the Smart City effort?
Applicants were directed to consult USDOT information at transportation.gov/smartcity.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on December 7, 2015.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was February 4, 2016.
What kinds of proposals was USDOT looking for?
USDOT was looking for proposals that demonstrated an integrated smart city transportation vision, using emerging data, modern technologies, and new applications blended with existing systems to address transportation problems in a coordinated and measurable way.
What does "coordinated, measurable" mean in the context of this challenge?
The challenge emphasized demonstrations that could be tested, evaluated, and assessed, with results that could inform future investments. In other words, applicants were expected to propose initiatives that could be studied for impact, not just deployed.
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