Opportunity Information: Apply for FTA 2011 021 ALTA
Apply for FTA 2011 021 ALTA
- The DOT/Federal Transit Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.522 Alternatives Analysis.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 29, 2011 and posted on Jun 27, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 29, 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 $25,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Section 5339 allows FTA to make grants and agreements, under criteria established by the Secretary, to States, authorities of the States, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governmental authorities to conduct alternatives analyses as defined by section 5309(a)(1).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis Program is a discretionary Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant opportunity designed to help communities and transit project sponsors do the early, structured decision-making work that comes before seeking major federal capital investment for transit. Its core purpose is to fund alternatives analysis work for potential New Starts and Small Starts projects, meaning it supports the process of comparing different transportation solutions in a specific corridor or subarea and narrowing them down to a locally preferred approach that can later move forward in the federal project development pipeline. The program is rooted in 49 U.S.C. 5339, with implementation authority tied to SAFETEA-LU amendments, and awards are made at the discretion of the Secretary of Transportation.
The funded effort is specifically the kind of corridor-focused study carried out as part of the transportation planning process. Under the definition referenced in 49 U.S.C. 5309(a)(1), an alternatives analysis includes assessing a broad range of reasonable public transportation options, including modal and multimodal choices as well as general alignment options, all aimed at solving an identified transportation problem in the corridor. The work is expected to generate enough information to support future federal findings on project justification and local financial commitment (the types of determinations required for New Starts/Small Starts under Section 5309). It also must lead to selection of a locally preferred alternative and culminate in that alternative being adopted into the region's long-range transportation plan under Section 5303, tying the study directly to formal metropolitan or statewide planning requirements.
Funding for this particular notice was up to $25,000,000 total, drawn from FY 2010 and FY 2011 funds. Rather than spreading funds broadly, FTA indicated it would support only a limited number of alternatives analyses or discrete technical work elements that are part of an ongoing alternatives analysis. The intent is to help local decision makers and the Secretary evaluate candidate projects with more complete, comparable information before major commitments are made. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 20.522 (Alternatives Analysis) and includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to contribute local or non-federal funds alongside the federal award.
Eligibility is focused on public entities that typically lead planning and development of major transit investments. Section 5339 allows grants and agreements to States, state authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governmental authorities to conduct alternatives analyses as defined in the statute. The opportunity listing labels eligible applicants as "Others" with clarification in the detailed eligibility text, but the practical takeaway is that the program is aimed at government and quasi-government bodies responsible for corridor planning and major transit project sponsorship.
Just as important as what the program funds is what it does not fund. These grants are not intended for broad systems planning that precedes and informs the choice of which corridor should be studied; in other words, they are not for the earlier network-wide planning work that identifies a corridor candidate in the first place. They also do not fund work after a project has formally applied to enter Preliminary Engineering for New Starts or Project Development for Small Starts. This places the program squarely in the pre-project-development phase: the stage where options are still being tested, compared, and narrowed, but before the project advances into the formal federal engineering and development steps.
Administratively, this notice was posted June 27, 2011, with an application closing date of July 29, 2011, and an archive date of August 28, 2011. It is issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, and includes a point of contact in FTA's Office of Planning and Environment (Kenneth Cervenka, 202-493-0512) for applicants who have trouble accessing the full announcement.
Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis Program (FTA) - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis Program?
The Section 5339 Alternatives Analysis Program is a discretionary Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant opportunity intended to help communities and transit project sponsors carry out early, structured decision-making for major transit corridor investments. It funds alternatives analysis work that typically occurs before a sponsor seeks major federal capital investment through the New Starts or Small Starts programs.
2) What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The purpose is to fund corridor-focused alternatives analysis so decision makers can compare different reasonable transportation solutions, narrow them to a locally preferred approach, and generate information that can support future federal evaluation of project justification and local financial commitment for potential New Starts and Small Starts projects.
3) Is this a competitive or discretionary grant?
This is a discretionary FTA grant opportunity. Awards are made at the discretion of the Secretary of Transportation.
4) What kind of work does an "alternatives analysis" include under this program?
As referenced under 49 U.S.C. 5309(a)(1), an alternatives analysis includes assessing a broad range of reasonable public transportation options within a specific corridor or subarea. This includes modal and multimodal options, as well as general alignment options, with the goal of addressing an identified transportation problem in that corridor.
5) What is the expected outcome or deliverable from the funded work?
The work is expected to produce enough information to support future federal findings related to project justification and local financial commitment (the types of determinations associated with New Starts/Small Starts under Section 5309). It must also lead to selection of a locally preferred alternative (LPA) and culminate in adoption of that LPA into the region's long-range transportation plan under Section 5303.
6) Does the study have to result in a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)?
Yes. The alternatives analysis work must lead to selection of a locally preferred alternative and culminate in that alternative being adopted into the region's long-range transportation plan under Section 5303.
7) How does this grant connect to metropolitan or statewide transportation planning requirements?
This program is tied directly to formal planning requirements because it supports corridor-focused studies carried out as part of the transportation planning process. A key expectation is that the selected locally preferred alternative will be adopted into the region's long-range transportation plan under Section 5303.
8) Is this grant only for New Starts and Small Starts projects?
The program is designed to support alternatives analysis work for potential New Starts and Small Starts projects. The intent is to fund the early phase that precedes entering the federal project development pipeline for these major capital investment programs.
9) What is the statutory basis for the program?
The program is rooted in 49 U.S.C. 5339. The notice also references implementation authority tied to SAFETEA-LU amendments, and the alternatives analysis definition referenced in 49 U.S.C. 5309(a)(1).
10) How much total funding was available under this notice?
Up to $25,000,000 total was available under this particular notice, drawn from FY 2010 and FY 2011 funds.
11) Will FTA fund many studies, or only a few?
FTA indicated it would support only a limited number of alternatives analyses or discrete technical work elements that are part of an ongoing alternatives analysis, rather than spreading funds broadly.
12) Can the grant fund only part of a larger alternatives analysis?
Yes. The notice states that funding may support discrete technical work elements that are part of an ongoing alternatives analysis.
13) Is there a local match or cost-sharing requirement?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to contribute local or non-federal funds alongside the federal award.
14) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at public entities responsible for planning and development of major transit investments. Section 5339 allows grants and agreements to States, state authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and local governmental authorities to conduct alternatives analyses as defined in the statute.
15) The listing says "Others" are eligible. What does that mean here?
The opportunity listing labels eligible applicants as "Others," but the detailed eligibility text clarifies that the program is intended for States, state authorities, MPOs, and local governmental authorities. In practical terms, it is aimed at government and quasi-government bodies that lead corridor planning and major transit project sponsorship.
16) What types of activities are explicitly not funded by this program?
The program does not fund broad systems planning that occurs before selecting a corridor for study (for example, network-wide planning used to decide which corridor should be examined). It also does not fund work after a project has formally applied to enter Preliminary Engineering for New Starts or Project Development for Small Starts.
17) Can the grant be used for network-wide planning to identify candidate corridors?
No. The notice emphasizes that these grants are not intended for broad systems planning that precedes and informs the choice of which corridor should be studied.
18) Can the grant be used after a project applies for Preliminary Engineering (New Starts) or Project Development (Small Starts)?
No. The grant does not fund work after a project has formally applied to enter Preliminary Engineering for New Starts or Project Development for Small Starts.
19) What stage of project development does this program support?
It supports the pre-project-development phase: the stage where options are still being tested, compared, and narrowed for a corridor, but before the project advances into formal federal engineering and development steps.
20) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 20.522 (Alternatives Analysis).
21) When was this notice posted, and what were the key dates?
This notice was posted on June 27, 2011. The application closing date was July 29, 2011. The archive date was August 28, 2011.
22) Which federal agency issued this opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
23) Why does FTA fund alternatives analyses before major commitments are made?
The stated intent is to help local decision makers and the Secretary evaluate candidate projects using more complete and comparable information before major commitments are made and before projects move further into the federal capital investment pipeline.
24) Who is the point of contact listed for assistance with accessing the full announcement?
The notice lists a point of contact in FTA's Office of Planning and Environment: Kenneth Cervenka, 202-493-0512, for applicants who have trouble accessing the full announcement.
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