Opportunity Information: Apply for FR RRD 15 014
Apply for FR RRD 15 014
- The DOT/Federal Railroad Administration in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY15 Countermeasures to Reduce Suicides on Railroad Rights of Way" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.313 Railroad Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 1, 2015 and posted on Jul 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 10, 2015 No Explanation. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Only the George Washington University is eligible to apply for this grant.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY15 Countermeasures to Reduce Suicides on Railroad Rights of Way grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FR RRD 15 014) was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), under the Railroad Research and Development program (CFDA 20.313). It was a discretionary, science and technology/research-focused grant intended to strengthen and coordinate efforts to prevent suicides and related trespassing incidents on railroad rights of way. The rationale for the funding was grounded in both public health and rail safety data: the CDC reported more than 41,000 U.S. suicide deaths in 2013, and FRA data cited 242 suicide fatalities and 46 injuries from suicide attempts in 2012. The announcement also highlighted that trespassing is one of the two most serious rail safety problems (alongside grade crossing collisions) and that rail-related suicides are widely believed to be underreported, meaning the true scale may be larger than what official counts capture.
The core of the funded work centered on supporting the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention (GRASP), an international group of recognized experts focused on suicide on railroad rights of way. Rather than funding infrastructure or a single standalone intervention, the grant was designed to pay for the planning, organization, and reporting associated with one or more GRASP meetings and related collaboration activities. It explicitly aimed to build on a previous FRA-supported effort that had already funded two international GRASP meetings, continuing that momentum to deepen coordination, share lessons learned across countries and rail systems, and push the field toward better evidence on what works.
The objectives laid out in the opportunity were fourfold and heavily oriented toward synthesis and evaluation. First, the grant called for a structured synthesis of international mitigation efforts aimed at reducing suicides and trespasser incidents on railroad rights of way. This included cataloging what countermeasures were being used, how those countermeasures were being evaluated (if at all), what the collective experience had shown so far, and what gaps still needed investigation. Second, it sought an assessment of where GRASP members could realistically collaborate on shared research and evaluation projects, essentially encouraging joint studies or harmonized approaches across different rail networks. Third, the grant required synthesizing GRASP's review of an implementation guide intended to help rail carriers with critical incident stress plans, with an emphasis on mitigating traumatic exposure experienced by railroad employees who are involved in or witness grade crossing events, trespassing incidents, and especially suicides. Fourth, the opportunity emphasized practical evaluation by requesting GRASP collaboration and feedback on one or more pilot evaluation projects to examine the effectiveness and impact of selected suicide countermeasures.
The announcement provided examples of countermeasures that could be examined through these pilot evaluations, reflecting common prevention strategies used in rail environments. These included physical and environmental measures like fencing; communication-oriented strategies such as signage and approaches to media reporting; operational and workforce strategies like railroad employee training and education; and improvements in the accuracy of suicide incident identification and data collection, including reference to tools like the Ovenstone Criteria. Taken together, these focus areas show the grant's intent to improve both prevention practice and the measurement behind it, since evaluating whether a countermeasure works depends on having credible, consistent incident data and shared definitions.
In terms of administrative details, the award ceiling was $75,000, with no stated award floor and no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted on July 1, 2015, with an original and current closing date of July 10, 2015, and it was later archived on August 9, 2015. Eligibility was unusually restricted: only George Washington University was eligible to apply, indicating the FRA intended this as a targeted award to a specific institution, likely due to existing work, established expertise, or continuity with the prior GRASP-related grant. For applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement, the notice directed users to the GrantSolutions Help Desk (help@grantsolutions.gov; 1-866-577-0771 or 202-401-5282) during standard weekday business hours.
FAQs: FY15 Countermeasures to Reduce Suicides on Railroad Rights of Way (FR RRD 15 014)
What is this grant opportunity?
This was the FY15 "Countermeasures to Reduce Suicides on Railroad Rights of Way" funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FR RRD 15 014), issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), under the Railroad Research and Development program (CFDA 20.313).
What type of grant was it?
It was a discretionary grant focused on science and technology and research. The work emphasized synthesis, coordination, planning, evaluation, and reporting related to suicide prevention and related trespassing incidents on railroad rights of way.
What problem was the grant trying to address?
The grant aimed to strengthen and coordinate efforts to prevent suicides and related trespassing incidents on railroad rights of way. The opportunity referenced both public health and rail safety data, including CDC-reported suicide deaths and FRA-reported suicide fatalities and injuries from attempts.
Why did FRA describe this as a rail safety priority?
The announcement stated that trespassing is one of the two most serious rail safety problems (alongside grade crossing collisions). It also noted that rail-related suicides are widely believed to be underreported, implying the true scale may be larger than official counts show.
What statistics were cited in the announcement?
The announcement referenced CDC data reporting more than 41,000 U.S. suicide deaths in 2013. It also cited FRA data indicating 242 suicide fatalities and 46 injuries from suicide attempts in 2012.
What was the main focus of the funded work?
The funded work centered on supporting the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention (GRASP), an international group of recognized experts focused on suicide on railroad rights of way.
Was this grant intended to fund infrastructure or on-the-ground construction?
No. The design of the grant was to pay for planning, organization, and reporting associated with one or more GRASP meetings and related collaboration activities, rather than funding infrastructure or a single standalone intervention.
What is GRASP?
GRASP is the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention, described in the opportunity as an international group of recognized experts focused on suicide on railroad rights of way.
Why was the grant connected to GRASP meetings?
The opportunity explicitly aimed to build on a previous FRA-supported effort that funded two international GRASP meetings. This grant was intended to continue that momentum, deepen international coordination, and support shared learning about what works.
What were the main objectives of the grant?
The opportunity laid out four core objectives: (1) a structured synthesis of international mitigation efforts for reducing suicides and trespasser incidents on railroad rights of way; (2) an assessment of realistic collaboration opportunities among GRASP members for shared research and evaluation; (3) synthesis of GRASP's review of an implementation guide for rail carriers on critical incident stress plans, with emphasis on mitigating traumatic exposure among railroad employees; and (4) collaboration and feedback on one or more pilot evaluation projects examining the effectiveness and impact of selected suicide countermeasures.
What did the opportunity mean by a "structured synthesis" of mitigation efforts?
It called for cataloging what countermeasures were being used internationally, how those countermeasures were being evaluated (if at all), what collective experience suggested so far, and what gaps still needed investigation.
Did the grant encourage international collaboration?
Yes. One objective was to assess where GRASP members could realistically collaborate on shared research and evaluation projects, including joint studies or harmonized approaches across rail networks.
What is the implementation guide mentioned in the opportunity about?
The opportunity referenced an implementation guide intended to help rail carriers with critical incident stress plans. The emphasis was on mitigating traumatic exposure experienced by railroad employees involved in or witnessing grade crossing events, trespassing incidents, and suicides.
Did the grant involve evaluating countermeasures?
Yes. The opportunity requested GRASP collaboration and feedback on one or more pilot evaluation projects to examine the effectiveness and impact of selected suicide countermeasures.
What kinds of countermeasures were mentioned as examples for evaluation?
Examples included fencing; signage; approaches to media reporting; railroad employee training and education; and improving the accuracy of suicide incident identification and data collection, including reference to tools like the Ovenstone Criteria.
Why did the opportunity emphasize incident identification and data quality?
The announcement highlighted that evaluating whether a countermeasure works depends on credible and consistent incident data and shared definitions. It also noted that rail-related suicides may be underreported.
What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $75,000.
Was there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor was stated in the information provided.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was restricted to a single applicant: only George Washington University was eligible to apply.
Why was eligibility limited to only one institution?
The opportunity indicated a targeted award. The restriction suggests the FRA intended continuity with existing work, established expertise, or the prior GRASP-related effort, though the specific rationale was not detailed beyond the limited eligibility itself.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on July 1, 2015. The original and current closing date was July 10, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. It was later archived on August 9, 2015.
Which agency issued the opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
What program and CFDA number was associated with this grant?
It was under the Railroad Research and Development program with CFDA 20.313.
Where could applicants get technical help accessing the announcement?
The notice directed users to the GrantSolutions Help Desk at help@grantsolutions.gov or by phone at 1-866-577-0771 or 202-401-5282 during standard weekday business hours.
Did the opportunity specify what deliverables were expected?
Based on the description provided, the deliverables were centered on planning, organization, and reporting for GRASP meetings, plus synthesis and evaluation-oriented outputs tied to the four objectives (international mitigation synthesis, collaboration assessment, synthesis of the implementation guide review, and feedback on pilot evaluations).
Did the opportunity mention trespassing incidents in addition to suicides?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly addressed suicides and related trespassing incidents on railroad rights of way and called for synthesis of mitigation efforts targeting both suicides and trespasser incidents.
Did the opportunity connect this work to grade crossing events?
Yes, in the context of employee traumatic exposure and critical incident stress planning. It referenced employees involved in or witnessing grade crossing events, trespassing incidents, and suicides.
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