Opportunity Information: Apply for FR RRD 09 002
Apply for FR RRD 09 002
- The DOT/Federal Railroad Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP)" 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 26, 2010 and posted on Jul 26, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 30, 2010 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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Only the National Academy of Sciences may apply to this grant.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP) is a federal rail research grant opportunity created under Section 306 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA). It is funded and offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is designed to support a structured, nationally coordinated set of research projects focused on rail transportation. The program is set up so that research topics and studies are chosen through an organized oversight process, with the goal of producing objective, practical, and broadly useful findings for the rail industry and public transportation stakeholders.
Administration of the NCRRP is assigned to the Transportation Research Board (TRB), which is an operating division of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Under this grant, TRB is responsible for managing the research program in accordance with an existing Memorandum of Agreement between the federal government and NAS. TRB uses established research management procedures intended to keep the work independent, rigorous, and productive. While TRB manages the studies, the actual research is carried out by sub-grantees selected through NAS/TRB processes, meaning the program functions as a hub-and-spoke model: FRA funds NAS, TRB administers, and specialized research organizations perform the studies.
A central feature of the opportunity is its project selection and governance structure. Individual research projects are selected by an advisory body called the NCRRP Oversight Committee, also referred to as the Research Oversight Committee (ROC). This committee is intentionally broad and multi-disciplinary, bringing together representatives from state transportation agencies as well as transportation and environmental economists, scientists, and engineers. It also includes major rail and rail-adjacent stakeholders such as Amtrak, the Alaska Railroad, freight railroads, transit operating agencies, railway labor organizations, and environmental organizations. The intent behind this membership mix is to ensure that research priorities reflect real-world needs across passenger rail, freight rail, labor, environment, and public-sector planning, rather than being driven by a single interest group.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary program and uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, which typically implies ongoing federal involvement or coordination during performance rather than a simple one-time grant. The funding activity category is transportation, and the listing is associated with CFDA number 20.313 (Railroad Research and Development). The published award ceiling for the opportunity is $5,000,000, with no stated award floor. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning the recipient is not required to provide non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award.
Eligibility for this opportunity is extremely limited. The announcement specifies that only the National Academy of Sciences may apply. This makes the program distinct from many federal research solicitations that allow universities, state agencies, or private entities to apply directly. Instead, those organizations would participate, if at all, as NAS sub-grantees conducting specific research tasks under TRB management rather than as direct applicants to FRA.
Key administrative details from the original posting include the Funding Opportunity Number FR RRD 09 002 and a posting date of July 26, 2010. The original and current closing date listed is July 30, 2010, and the archive date is August 29, 2010, indicating this was a time-limited solicitation that has since closed and been archived. For access issues related to the full announcement, the notice directs applicants to the GrantSolutions Help Desk, with contact options by phone and email during standard weekday business hours (Eastern Time).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP)?
The National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP) is a federal rail research grant opportunity created under Section 306 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA). It is funded and offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to support a structured, nationally coordinated set of rail transportation research projects.
What is the main purpose of NCRRP funding?
The program is designed to produce objective, practical, and broadly useful research findings for the rail industry and public transportation stakeholders through a nationally coordinated portfolio of studies.
Which federal agency funds and offers this opportunity?
The opportunity is funded and offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
How is NCRRP administered?
Administration is assigned to the Transportation Research Board (TRB), which is an operating division of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). TRB manages the research program under an existing Memorandum of Agreement between the federal government and NAS, using established research management procedures intended to keep the work independent, rigorous, and productive.
Who performs the actual research under NCRRP?
While TRB administers the studies, the actual research is carried out by sub-grantees selected through NAS/TRB processes. In practice, the structure functions like a hub-and-spoke model: FRA funds NAS, TRB administers, and specialized research organizations perform the studies as sub-grantees.
How are individual NCRRP research projects chosen?
Individual research projects are selected through an organized oversight process by the NCRRP Oversight Committee, also referred to as the Research Oversight Committee (ROC).
What is the NCRRP Oversight Committee (ROC)?
The NCRRP Oversight Committee (ROC) is an advisory body responsible for selecting individual research projects for the program. It is intentionally broad and multi-disciplinary to help ensure research priorities reflect real-world needs across multiple rail and public interest areas.
Who is represented on the NCRRP Oversight Committee?
The committee includes representatives from state transportation agencies, transportation and environmental economists, scientists, and engineers, along with major rail and rail-adjacent stakeholders such as Amtrak, the Alaska Railroad, freight railroads, transit operating agencies, railway labor organizations, and environmental organizations.
Why is the oversight committee membership so broad?
The intent is to ensure the program's research priorities are not driven by a single interest group and instead reflect practical needs across passenger rail, freight rail, labor, environmental concerns, and public-sector planning.
What type of federal funding instrument is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. A cooperative agreement typically implies ongoing federal involvement or coordination during performance rather than a simple one-time grant.
Is this a discretionary or formula program?
The posting describes the opportunity as a discretionary program.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is transportation.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 20.313, titled Railroad Research and Development.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The published award ceiling for the opportunity is $5,000,000.
Is there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor is stated in the information provided.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The posting states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning the recipient is not required to provide non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is extremely limited. The announcement specifies that only the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) may apply.
Can universities, private companies, state agencies, or nonprofits apply directly to FRA under this opportunity?
No. Based on the eligibility statement provided, only NAS may apply directly. Other organizations would participate, if at all, as NAS sub-grantees conducting specific research tasks under TRB management rather than as direct applicants to FRA.
How could an organization participate if it cannot apply directly?
Organizations may be involved as sub-grantees selected through NAS/TRB processes to conduct specific research activities under TRB management, rather than submitting an application directly to FRA.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this posting?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is FR RRD 09 002.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting date listed is July 26, 2010.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is July 30, 2010.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The information provided indicates it was a time-limited solicitation that has closed and been archived.
What is the archive date?
The archive date listed is August 29, 2010.
Where should applicants go for help accessing the full announcement?
The notice directs applicants with access issues to the GrantSolutions Help Desk.
How can the GrantSolutions Help Desk be contacted?
The posting indicates the Help Desk can be contacted by phone and email during standard weekday business hours (Eastern Time), though specific phone numbers or email addresses are not included in the information provided here.
What makes NCRRP different from many federal research solicitations?
The key difference highlighted is eligibility: only the National Academy of Sciences may apply directly. The program relies on NAS/TRB to administer the research program and select sub-grantees to perform the research, rather than allowing broad direct applications to FRA.
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