Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2011 005 TRI
Apply for FTA 2011 005 TRI
- The DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the science and technology and other research and development transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Positive Train Control (PTC) for Commuter and Regional Rail Transit Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.514 Public Transportation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 18, 2011 and posted on Dec 2, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 25, 2011 Closing Date extended until Jan 25, 2011.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $900,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $900,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- Any responsible source, including, but limited to, public transit agencies, organizations of state and local governments, universities or institutions of higher education, non profit organizations, private individuals, corporations, and business or commercial organizations, except that any business owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government is not eligible.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), under the U.S. Department of Transportation, offered a discretionary research funding opportunity focused on Positive Train Control (PTC) for commuter and regional rail transit systems. The purpose of the program was to support research proposals that examine how PTC systems are implemented on an actual commuter rail or regional rail line, with an emphasis on improving both safety and operational efficiency in U.S. rail transit. The FTA framed this as a research and development effort that could also inform future deployment, relying on its statutory research authority under 49 USC 5312, which covers research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects.
At its core, the opportunity sought studies that go beyond high-level descriptions of PTC and instead dig into real-world implementation. That includes evaluating current PTC technologies in use (or being introduced), documenting implementation challenges and lessons learned, and identifying gaps where additional research is needed. A key theme is Rail Transit Signal and Control Systems (RTSCS) as they apply specifically to commuter and regional rail operations, meaning proposals were expected to address not only the onboard and wayside PTC components, but also the broader signal, communications, integration, testing, and operating practices that make PTC work reliably in a transit environment.
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expects to be actively involved during the period of performance rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The total estimated funding available was $900,000, with an award ceiling of $900,000 and an award floor of $0, suggesting the FTA anticipated a single award up to the full amount but left flexibility depending on proposal merit and scope. No cost sharing or matching was required, which can make the opportunity more accessible for applicants that do not have dedicated non-federal funds to contribute.
Eligibility was broad and described as unrestricted, as long as the applicant was a responsible source. Eligible entities included public transit agencies, state and local government organizations, universities and other institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private individuals, and private-sector corporations and commercial businesses. The primary explicit restriction was that businesses owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government were not eligible. This wide eligibility indicates the FTA was open to a range of research performers, including academic teams, industry-led research partnerships, and transit-agency-led studies grounded in field experience.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on December 2, 2010, with a creation date of January 18, 2011. The original closing date was January 19, 2011, and it was later extended to January 25, 2011. The archive date was February 24, 2011, indicating the period after which the listing was no longer active for new submissions. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with the program was 20.514, Public Transportation Research, and the activity category was listed under science and technology and other research and development, as well as transportation.
For applicants or interested parties who could not access the full announcement electronically, the listed point of contact was Patrick Centolanzi, Program Manager at the Federal Transit Administration, Office of Technology (TRI-20), located at 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590. The funding opportunity was identified as FTA 2011 005 TRI and was associated with FTA Notices of Funding Availability, which would typically contain the full proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and any detailed expectations for deliverables such as reports, data collection, implementation case studies, or recommended research roadmaps for advancing PTC and related rail signal and control technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity about?
This was a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) discretionary research funding opportunity focused on Positive Train Control (PTC) for commuter and regional rail transit systems. It supported research proposals that examine how PTC is implemented on an actual commuter rail or regional rail line, with an emphasis on improving both safety and operational efficiency in U.S. rail transit.
Which agency offered the opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
What was the main purpose of the program?
The program aimed to support research and development that looks closely at real-world PTC implementation on commuter and regional rail lines, documents lessons learned and challenges, evaluates PTC technologies being used or introduced, and identifies gaps where more research is needed. The work was framed as research that could also inform future deployment.
What statutory authority supported this research program?
The FTA referenced its statutory research authority under 49 USC 5312, which covers research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects.
Was the focus on theory, or on real-world implementation?
The focus was on real-world implementation. Proposals were expected to go beyond high-level descriptions and dig into how PTC is implemented on an actual commuter or regional rail line, including implementation challenges, integration issues, testing, and operating practices.
What kinds of topics or systems were emphasized besides PTC itself?
A key theme was Rail Transit Signal and Control Systems (RTSCS) as they apply to commuter and regional rail operations. This includes not only onboard and wayside PTC components, but also the broader signal, communications, integration, testing, and operating practices needed for reliable PTC performance in a transit environment.
What types of research activities did the opportunity seek?
Based on the description provided, the opportunity sought studies that evaluate current PTC technologies in use (or being introduced), document implementation challenges and lessons learned, and identify gaps where additional research is needed, specifically grounded in actual commuter and regional rail environments.
What was the funding instrument?
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates that the federal agency expects to be actively involved during the period of performance rather than issuing a grant and stepping back.
How much funding was available?
The total estimated funding available was $900,000.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $900,000.
What was the minimum award amount (award floor)?
The award floor was $0.
Did the FTA expect one award or multiple awards?
The listed amounts suggested the FTA anticipated a single award up to the full $900,000, while retaining flexibility depending on proposal merit and scope.
Was cost sharing or a match required?
No cost sharing or matching was required.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as broad and unrestricted, as long as the applicant was a responsible source. Eligible entities included public transit agencies, state and local government organizations, universities and other institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private individuals, and private-sector corporations and commercial businesses.
Were any applicants specifically not eligible?
Yes. Businesses owned in whole or in part by the Federal Government were not eligible.
Does the opportunity require applicants to be a transit agency?
No. The eligibility language included a wide range of entities (including universities, nonprofits, individuals, and private-sector businesses), not only transit agencies.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with the program was 20.514 (Public Transportation Research).
What activity categories were associated with the listing?
The activity category was listed under science and technology and other research and development, as well as transportation.
What was the funding opportunity identifier?
The funding opportunity was identified as FTA 2011 005 TRI.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on December 2, 2010.
What was the creation date listed for the opportunity?
The creation date was January 18, 2011.
When was the original closing date?
The original closing date was January 19, 2011.
Was the deadline extended?
Yes. The closing date was later extended to January 25, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was February 24, 2011, indicating the listing was no longer active for new submissions after that period.
Where could applicants find the full proposal requirements and instructions?
The opportunity was associated with FTA Notices of Funding Availability, which typically contain proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and detailed expectations for deliverables.
What kinds of deliverables might have been expected?
The description indicated the full announcement would typically include detailed expectations for deliverables such as reports, data collection, implementation case studies, or recommended research roadmaps for advancing PTC and related rail signal and control technologies.
Who was the point of contact for the opportunity?
The listed point of contact was Patrick Centolanzi, Program Manager, Federal Transit Administration, Office of Technology (TRI-20).
What was the contact address provided?
The address provided was 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590.
What should someone do if they could not access the full announcement electronically?
The listing indicated that applicants or interested parties who could not access the full announcement electronically could contact the listed point of contact (Patrick Centolanzi at FTA).
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