Opportunity Information: Apply for UTCOPENCOMP2011
Apply for UTCOPENCOMP2011
- The Research and Innovative Technology Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "University Transportation Centers Program Open Competition 2011" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.701 University Transportation Centers Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 26, 2011 and posted on Jul 26, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 26, 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 $80,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 22 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program Open Competition 2011 was a discretionary grant opportunity run by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The competition was designed to select a total of 22 University Transportation Centers across the country: ten Tier 1 UTCs, two Tier 1 Transit-Focused UTCs, and ten Regional UTCs. The central goal of these centers was to strengthen U.S. transportation expertise and innovation by supporting research, education, and technology transfer activities, while also building a strong pipeline of future transportation professionals. In practical terms, USDOT was looking for universities (either single institutions or multi-university consortia) that could serve as national or regional hubs for transportation knowledge and workforce development.
Funding levels were structured as fixed per-award amounts rather than variable budgets. Each selected nonprofit institution of higher education was expected to receive approximately $3.5 million in federal FY 2011 funds to operate a center, with an estimated total program funding amount of about $80 million across all awards. The award ceiling and floor were both listed at $3,500,000, reflecting that standard award amount. A major requirement was cost sharing: every center had to secure non-federal matching funds at least equal to the federal award (a 1:1 match). Continued funding beyond the initial period was not guaranteed; any extension depended on future transportation authorization legislation that kept the UTC program structured as described, and on the availability of funds in later years.
Eligibility was limited to institutions of higher education in the United States or its territories, including both public/state-controlled universities and private universities. Centers could be formed by a single university or by a consortium of two or more universities, which allowed applicants to combine expertise across campuses and disciplines. The solicitation also included distinct expectations depending on the type of center being proposed. Applicants seeking Regional UTC funding had to provide extra documentation explaining the center's regional role, while applicants for the Tier 1 Transit-Focused category had to specifically describe how their work would meet transit-related research and workforce needs.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov under Opportunity Number UTCOPENCOMP2011. The application package required the standard federal forms used for non-construction grants (SF-424 for the application, SF-424A for budget information, and SF-424B for assurances) along with a written prospectus capped at 35 pages, plus appendices with supporting documentation as specified in the full announcement. In addition, Regional applicants had to include up to three more pages on regional impact, and Transit-Focused applicants had to include up to five pages describing their transit emphasis. The solicitation also highlighted common federal compliance and transparency considerations: applicants were told not to include personally identifiable information such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, or home addresses, and they were warned that submitted material could be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The deadline to submit was 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 26, 2011, and applicants were encouraged to complete Grants.gov registration early because the process can take time. Submissions were treated as complete as initially received, meaning that if an applicant needed to revise anything after submitting, they would have to withdraw and resubmit the entire application package. Late materials generally would not be considered unless the agency specifically requested them to finish reviewing an application. Grants.gov would provide an electronic confirmation of receipt after submission.
For questions, applicants could contact the UTC program by email at UTCgrants@dot.gov up until 4:00 PM Eastern Time on the submission deadline date, and the agency indicated it would post applicant questions along with RITA's answers on the UTC program website. The notice also included a standard federal caution that no communication from the government should be interpreted as a commitment to make an award until an official notice of award was issued. The public listing associated the opportunity with CFDA 20.701 (University Transportation Centers Program) and identified an agency contact for access issues: Alisa Fine, Community Planner, at 617-494-2310.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program Open Competition 2011?
The University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program Open Competition 2011 was a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). It was intended to competitively select and fund university-based transportation centers that would serve as hubs for transportation research, education, and technology transfer.
2. What was the main purpose of funding UTCs under this competition?
The central goal was to strengthen U.S. transportation expertise and innovation by supporting research, education, and technology transfer activities, while also developing a strong pipeline of future transportation professionals. In practice, USDOT sought universities (single institutions or consortia) capable of functioning as national or regional centers of transportation knowledge and workforce development.
3. How many centers was USDOT planning to select?
The competition was designed to select a total of 22 University Transportation Centers nationwide.
4. What types of UTC awards were available?
The competition anticipated selecting:
- Ten Tier 1 UTCs
- Two Tier 1 Transit-Focused UTCs
- Ten Regional UTCs
5. Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to nonprofit institutions of higher education in the United States or its territories. This included both public/state-controlled universities and private universities.
6. Could a group of universities apply together?
Yes. A UTC could be proposed by a single university or by a consortium of two or more universities. Consortia were a way to combine expertise across campuses and disciplines.
7. How much funding was available per award?
Each selected nonprofit institution of higher education was expected to receive approximately $3,500,000 in federal FY 2011 funds to operate a center. The funding structure was a fixed per-award amount rather than a variable budget request.
8. What were the award ceiling and floor?
Both the award ceiling and the award floor were listed as $3,500,000, reflecting the standard award amount per center.
9. What was the estimated total funding for the entire program competition?
The estimated total program funding amount across all awards was about $80 million.
10. Was cost sharing (matching funds) required?
Yes. Each center was required to secure non-federal matching funds at least equal to the federal award. This was a 1:1 match requirement.
11. Could funding continue beyond the initial period?
Continued funding beyond the initial period was not guaranteed. Any extension depended on future transportation authorization legislation that maintained the UTC program structure described in the solicitation and on the availability of funds in later years.
12. Were there special requirements for Regional UTC applicants?
Yes. Applicants seeking Regional UTC funding were required to provide additional documentation explaining the proposed center's regional role. Regional applicants also had to include up to three additional pages addressing regional impact.
13. Were there special requirements for Tier 1 Transit-Focused UTC applicants?
Yes. Applicants for the Tier 1 Transit-Focused category had to specifically describe how their work would meet transit-related research and workforce needs. Transit-Focused applicants also had to include up to five additional pages describing their transit emphasis.
14. Where was the application submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
15. What was the Grants.gov opportunity number?
The Grants.gov Opportunity Number was UTCOPENCOMP2011.
16. What standard federal forms were required?
The application package required the standard federal forms used for non-construction grants:
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424A (Budget Information)
- SF-424B (Assurances)
17. What narrative or written document was required, and what was its page limit?
Applicants had to submit a written prospectus capped at 35 pages, plus appendices with supporting documentation as specified in the full announcement.
18. Were there additional page allowances for certain center types?
Yes. In addition to the 35-page prospectus:
- Regional UTC applicants could include up to three more pages on regional impact.
- Tier 1 Transit-Focused UTC applicants could include up to five more pages describing the transit emphasis.
19. What was the submission deadline?
The deadline to submit was 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.
20. Why were applicants encouraged to start Grants.gov registration early?
Applicants were encouraged to complete Grants.gov registration early because the registration process can take time, and late submissions were generally not considered.
21. How were submissions treated after they were received?
Submissions were treated as complete as initially received. If an applicant needed to revise the application after submitting, they would have to withdraw and resubmit the entire application package.
22. Would late materials be accepted?
Late materials generally would not be considered unless the agency specifically requested them to complete its review of an application.
23. What confirmation did applicants receive after submitting through Grants.gov?
Grants.gov would provide an electronic confirmation of receipt after submission.
24. How could applicants ask questions about the opportunity?
Applicants could contact the UTC program by email at UTCgrants@dot.gov.
25. Until what time could questions be submitted on the deadline day?
Questions could be submitted up until 4:00 PM Eastern Time on the submission deadline date.
26. How would answers to applicant questions be shared?
The agency indicated it would post applicant questions along with RITA's answers on the UTC program website.
27. What did the solicitation say about including sensitive personal information in the application?
Applicants were instructed not to include personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, or home addresses in their submissions.
28. Could application materials be released to the public?
Yes. The solicitation warned that submitted material could be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
29. Did any communication from USDOT guarantee an award?
No. The notice included a standard federal caution that no communication from the government should be interpreted as a commitment to make an award until an official notice of award was issued.
30. What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The public listing associated the opportunity with CFDA 20.701 (University Transportation Centers Program).
31. Who was listed as a contact for access issues?
An agency contact for access issues was identified as Alisa Fine, Community Planner, reachable at 617-494-2310.
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