2021-03-08-minutes-public-works-study-session

Home Browse Search

to I r,It t Lich i rr Ioi Rebuilding Anieilra (INFRA) Grails fig. INFRA grants may be used for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, acquisition of property (including land related to the project and improvements to the land), environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, equipment acquisition, and operational improvements directly related to system performance. Statutorily, INFRA grants may also fund development phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering, design, and other preconstruction activities, provided the project meets statutory requirements. However, DOT is seeking to use INFRA funding on projects that result in construction, meaning development phase activities are less competitive by nature of the evaluation structure. New to the program, is the INFRA Extra Initiative. Projects for which an INFRA application is advanced by the Senior Review Team on the List of Projects for Consideration, but that are not awarded, are automatically designated INFRA Extra Projects, unless the DOT determines that they are not reasonably likely to satisfy the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) project type eligibilities. This is a novel designation that provides the sponsors of these projects the opportunity to apply for TIFIA credit assistance for up to 49% of eligible project costs. Under current policy, TIFIA credit assistance is limited to 33% of eligible project costs unless the applicant provides strong rationale for requiring additional assistance. Projects designated as INFRA Extra Projects will be announced by the Secretary after INFRA award announcements are made. An INFRA Extra Project designation does not guarantee that an applicant will receive TIFIA credit assistance nor does it guarantee that any award of TIFIA credit assistance will be equal to 49% of eligible project costs. Applicant Eligibility Eligible applicants for INFRA grants include: • A state or group of states • A metropolitan planning organization that serves an Urbanized Area (as defined by the Bureau of the Census) with a population of more than 200,000 individuals • A unit of local government or group of local governments • A political subdivision of a state or local government • A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority • A federal land management agency that applies jointly with a state or group of states • A tribal government or a consortium of tribal governments • A multi -State or multijurisdictional group of public entities Under the INFRA Program, DOT has defined "urban" as inside an Urbanized Area, as a designated by the U.S. Census Bureau, with a population of 200,000 or more. Click here for a list of Urbanized Areas that are considered urban for the purposes of the INFRA grant program. The Department will consider a project to be in a rural area if the majority of the project (determined by geographic location(s) where the majority of the money is to be spent) is located in a rural area. Funding In FY 2021, $889 million is available for awards. In addition to the FY 2021 INFRA funds, amounts from prior year authorizations, presently estimated at up to $150 million, may be made available and awarded under this solicitation. INFRA funds must be obligated by September 30, 2024.