By Ron Thaniel
May 3, 2010

Pre-applications Due: July 16 Final Applications Due: August 23

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on April 26 a second round of funding for the highly sought-after Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant program now officially named the National Infrastructure Investment discretionary grant program. Because of the similarity in program structure, DOT is referring to the grants for the National Infrastructure Investment program as “TIGER II Discretionary Grants.”

The FY 2010 Appropriation Act produced $600 million to be award by DOT on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region.

Like TIGER, TIGER II funding is available to units of government – including state, tribal and local governments, transit agencies, port authorities, Metropolitan Planning Organizations and multi-jurisdictional entities – for capital investments in highway or bridge projects, public transportation projects, passenger and freight rail transportation projects, port infrastructure investments, and intermodal facilities.

Similar to TIGER, Individual awards can be $10-20 million (TIGER was not less than $20 million), with up to 80 percent of project costs eligible for federal funding (TIGER was 100 percent).

Unlike TIGER, $140 million is reserved for projects in rural areas, where 100 percent of project costs are eligible for funding and project awards can be as low as $1 million.

Similar to TIGER, no one state can receive more than 25 percent of the program funds (TIGER was 20 percent) and up to $150 million is available to support TIFIA financing (TIGER was $200 million).

Unlike TIGER, up to $35 million is available for transportation planning grants.

The DOT will give priority to projects that have a significant impact on the following long-term outcomes:

• State of Good Repair: Improving the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, with particular emphasis on projects that minimize life-cycle costs.

• Economic Competitiveness: Contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United States over the medium- to long-term.

• Livability: Fostering livable communities through place-based policies and investments that increase transportation choices and access to transportation services for people in communities across the United States.

• Sustainability: Improving energy efficiency, reducing dependence on oil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and benefitting the environment.

• Safety: Improving the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and systems.

Applications that do not demonstrate a likelihood of significant long-term benefits will not proceed in the evaluation process.

Projects will also be evaluated based on the extent to which they include the following:

• Job Creation & Economic Stimulus: The DOT will give priority to projects that are expected to quickly create and preserve jobs and stimulate rapid increases in economic activity, particularly jobs and activity that benefit economically distressed areas.

• Innovation: Priority will be given to projects that use innovative strategies to pursue the long-term outcomes outlined previously.

• Partnership: The DOT will give priority to projects that demonstrate strong collaboration among a broad range of participants and/or integration of transportation with other public service efforts.

Again, pre-applications are due on July 16, at 5:00 p.m. EST and final applications are due on August 23, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Applications are to be submitted through Grants.gov. The pre-application will include basic information on projects and will be used by DOT to determine eligibility, the presence of the appropriate match and whether the National Environmental POlicy Act has been initiated.

The DOT pre-application system will open no later than June 15 to allow prospective applicants to submit pre-applications. Subsequently, the Grants.gov “Apply” function will open on July 30 to allow applicants to submit applications. DOT will announce the projects that have been selected to receive TIGER II Discretionary Grants no sooner than September 15.

DOT is also providing two weeks for public comments on the proposed selection criteria and guidance for awarding TIGER II Discretionary Grants. This period closes on May 7 at 5:00 p.m. EST. The DOT will take comments into consideration and may revise the solicitation by May 28.

For further information concerning TIGER II, contact the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program manager via e-mail at TIGERIIGrants@dot.gov, or call Robert Mariner at 202-366-8914. DOT will regularly post answers to questions and requests for clarifications at www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/TIGERII.

DOT received over 1400 applications totaling almost $60 billion for the $1.5 billion TIGER program. In February, 51 awards were announced for projects ranging from a mix of rail, transit, highway, port, and multimodal projects. Transit projects received 26 percent of the funding, multimodal projects received 25 percent, highway projects received 23 percent, rail projects won 19 percent, and ports seven. Fifty-three percent of the funding went to local project sponsors – including cities, transit agencies and counties – rather than state departments of transportation. DOT expects the TIGER II Discretionary Grant Program to be just as competitive.