Opportunity Information: Apply for FR LRI 10 016
Apply for FR LRI 10 016
- The DOT/Federal Railroad Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program Southern Rail Corridor Feasibility and Alternative Analysis Study, MN" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.320 Rail Line Relocation and Improvement.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 13, 2011 and posted on Sep 13, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 13, 2011 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 $487,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Only the Minnesota Department of Transportation is eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program Southern Rail Corridor (SRC) Feasibility and Alternative Analysis Study in Minnesota was a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), under CFDA 20.320 (Rail Line Relocation and Improvement). It was structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the FRA would likely remain substantively involved during the course of the work rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The opportunity was posted on September 13, 2011, with an application deadline of October 13, 2011, and it was later archived on November 12, 2011. The maximum available federal award (award ceiling) was $487,000, with no stated minimum award (award floor of $0), and it required cost sharing or matching funds.
The purpose of the grant was not to pay for construction or physical rail relocation, but to fund the front-end planning and analysis needed to determine whether a rail line relocation or related improvements were feasible and, if so, what practical options should be carried forward. Specifically, the funding was intended to support detailed project scoping, the development of a clear purpose-and-need statement, creation of a public outreach plan, and completion of a comprehensive feasibility study combined with an initial alternatives analysis. A key emphasis of the announcement is that the work products from this study were expected to be useful later as building blocks for subsequent project development and potential National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation if the project advanced into design, mitigation, or construction phases.
Geographically and substantively, the study had to evaluate the Southern Rail Corridor, including the existing rail route that runs through Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to analyzing the current alignment, the work needed to examine all reasonable alternative bypass routes, as well as the required "no action" alternative (an option that assumes no project is implemented, which is a standard baseline in transportation and environmental analysis). In practical terms, this meant the study could not be limited to a single preferred concept; it had to compare the existing route and multiple plausible reroute options, and it had to document why certain alternatives were considered reasonable or not.
The deliverables were centered on actionable information to support decision-making by local and regional stakeholders, particularly the Olmsted County Regional Railroad Authority. The announcement calls for freight rail information and alternatives reports that align with the authority's needs and that reflect input gathered through the public outreach plan. That linkage between outreach and technical deliverables suggests the project was expected to integrate stakeholder concerns and local priorities into the alternatives considered and the criteria used to evaluate them, rather than treating outreach as a separate, check-the-box activity.
Eligibility for the funding was narrowly restricted. Although the general eligibility field references "Others (see text field...)," the specific eligibility statement makes it clear that only the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) was eligible to apply. In other words, local governments or regional authorities would not have been direct applicants under this solicitation; they would have needed to coordinate through MnDOT. For support accessing the full announcement electronically, the notice directed applicants to the GrantSolutions Help Desk (help@grantsolutions.gov, 1-866-577-0771) during standard weekday business hours.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity was titled: Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program - Southern Rail Corridor (SRC) Feasibility and Alternative Analysis Study in Minnesota.
Which federal agency offered this funding?
It was offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
Was this a competitive or discretionary opportunity?
This was described as a discretionary federal funding opportunity.
What program or CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was under CFDA 20.320 (Rail Line Relocation and Improvement).
What type of award was it (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
It was structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the FRA was expected to remain substantively involved during the work rather than simply providing funds and stepping back.
What was the purpose of the funding?
The funding was intended to support front-end planning and analysis to determine whether a rail line relocation or related improvements were feasible and to identify practical options to carry forward.
Did this opportunity fund construction or physical rail relocation?
No. The stated purpose was not to pay for construction or physical relocation. It funded planning-level work such as scoping, feasibility, and alternatives analysis.
What kinds of activities and work products were expected to be funded?
Key expected tasks and products included detailed project scoping, developing a clear purpose-and-need statement, creating a public outreach plan, and completing a comprehensive feasibility study combined with an initial alternatives analysis.
How were the study results expected to be used later?
The announcement emphasized that the study products were expected to serve as building blocks for later project development and potential NEPA documentation if the project advanced into design, mitigation, or construction phases.
What geographic area did the study need to cover?
The study had to evaluate the Southern Rail Corridor (SRC), including the existing rail route that runs through Rochester, Minnesota.
Did the study have to analyze the existing alignment as well as alternatives?
Yes. It needed to analyze the current alignment and evaluate all reasonable alternative bypass routes.
Was a "no action" alternative required?
Yes. The study was required to include a "no action" alternative as a baseline option that assumes no project is implemented.
Could the study focus only on a single preferred route?
No. Based on the description, it could not be limited to a single preferred concept. It had to compare the existing route and multiple plausible reroute options and document why alternatives were considered reasonable or not.
Who were the key intended users of the deliverables?
The deliverables were intended to support decision-making by local and regional stakeholders, particularly the Olmsted County Regional Railroad Authority.
What kinds of reports or deliverables were specifically mentioned?
The announcement referenced freight rail information and alternatives reports that align with the Olmsted County Regional Railroad Authority's needs and reflect input gathered through the public outreach plan.
How important was public outreach to this opportunity?
Public outreach was a core component. The work included creating a public outreach plan, and the technical deliverables were expected to reflect input gathered through that outreach.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was narrowly restricted: only the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) was eligible to apply under this solicitation.
Could local governments or regional rail authorities apply directly?
No. Based on the eligibility statement provided, local governments or regional authorities were not direct applicants and would have needed to coordinate through MnDOT.
What was the maximum federal award amount?
The maximum available federal award (award ceiling) was $487,000.
Was there a minimum award amount?
No minimum was stated. The award floor was listed as $0.
Did the opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching funds.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on September 13, 2011.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was October 13, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was later archived on November 12, 2011.
Where could applicants get help accessing the full announcement electronically?
The notice directed applicants to the GrantSolutions Help Desk for support accessing the full announcement electronically.
What contact information was provided for the GrantSolutions Help Desk?
Email: help@grantsolutions.gov. Phone: 1-866-577-0771.
When was the Help Desk available?
Support hours were described as standard weekday business hours.
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