Please contact the Region 10 office, 206-220-7954, if you require an alternative format of the following documents.

ATTACHMENTS - required forms and manuals

INSTRUCTIONS:

Legal Requirements
TEAM-Web Grant Processing Online Computer System
DUNS Number
Annual Certifications and Assurances (C & As) and Master Agreement
ECHO-Web Electronic Clearinghouse Operation Online Computer System
Grant Application
Environmental Review
Procurement
Grant Approval Timeline
Program Guidance Circulars

INTRODUCTION 

Welcome, new grant applicants. You have probably just received your first Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Tribal Transit allocation. You have probably already contacted someone at the Regional Office. We now need to begin the process of establishing your organization as a recipient of FTA funds. As a new recipient organization, there are several steps that need to be completed before FTA can award a grant to your organization. You will also need to contact various people at the FTA regional office over the course of this process that has different areas of responsibility.

As a new recipient, your first point of contact will be:

Linda Gehrke, Deputy Regional Administrator
Federal Transit Administration 
915 2nd Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-4463
Fax: (206) 220-7959
linda.gehrke@dot.gov

NEW GRANT APPLICANT PROCEDURES

Congratulations! Through the competitive project selection process, your Tribe or Alaska Native Village’s proposed project has been selected to receive Section 5311(c) funds as part of the Tribal Transit Program (TTP) established under SAFETEA-LU Section 3013.  The Notice of Award is published annually in the Federal Register.

TRIBAL TRANSIT PROGRAM FUNDS [Public Transportation on Indian Reservations 5311(c)]

SAFETEA-LU created a new Tribal Transit Program, and funds it as a takedown under the Section 5311 program. Under the Tribal Transit Program, Federally-recognized Indian tribes are eligible direct recipients. Based upon an annual national competitive selection process, FTA awards Tribal Transit grants directly to eligible Indian tribes.

http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/grants/grants_financing_3553.html


PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

FTA Section 5311(c) TTP funds can be used for any purpose authorized under the Section 5311 program, including public transportation capital projects, operating cost of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation, planning, and the acquisition of public transportation services, and service agreements with private providers of public transportation. The federal/non-federal match ratio is 100:0. All FY 2007 Section 5311(c) funds must be obligated (i.e., awarded by FTA in a grant) by September 30, 2009.

In order to process your grant, FTA requires the forms and letters described below.  These documents are needed to establish your Tribe or Village as an eligible grantee, and for you to access FTA’s computer systems Transportation Electronic Award Management System (TEAM) for applying for grants and the Electronic Clearing House Operations (ECHO) for drawing down awarded funds.

1. Legal – One-Time Files for Applicants

Please provide a letter from your attorney covering the points below:

a) For Indian Tribe, Alaska Native Village, or Native Alaskan Corporation, a copy of the statutory authority providing for its formation or other document establishing that the Tribe, Village, or Native Corporation is federally recognized.  For Native Alaskan Corporations, please provide a copy of the articles of incorporation.  (Attached is a link to the April 4, 2008 Federal Register entitled, “Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs; Notice.”http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-6968.pdf.)

For applicants operated by councils or boards, a letter from their attorney stating whether council or board resolutions are needed to apply for and accept Federal grants.

Attachment A. For applicants that require council or board authorization to apply for and accept Federal grants, a copy of the council or board resolution authorizing a delegated representative to apply for and accept the Federal grant must be submitted. A sample resolution is provided your use (http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/05_-_Attachment_A_-_Sample_Tribal_Council_Resolution.doc.

In addition, please be sure to include a cover letter stating that you are planning to apply for FTA Section 5311 Tribal Transit Program funds. Please send these documents for your one-time file to the attention of:

Theodore (Ted) Uyeno
Legal Counsel
Federal Transit Administration, Region 10
915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-7958
Fax: (206) 220-7959
ted.uyeno@dot.gov

2. FTA TEAM Computer System  

The TEAM system is used to apply for grants and to enter the required annual financial and narrative reports. This means that people in your agency who will perform these tasks will need access to TEAM. FTA also awards grants through TEAM, so the agency official(s) who would normally sign grant applications needs to have a PIN (personal identification number), which he or she will use to submit grant applications and/or execute grant contracts. The agency attorney and general manager will also need access to TEAM and PIN numbers for the annual Certifications & Assurances.

TEAM may be accessed on the Web at http://ftateamweb.fta.dot.gov/. You must have Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher. It helps to have high-speed Internet access. FTA provides regular training on how to use the system via telephone conference call.  This takes about two hours and is helpful. FTA will send you information about the TEAM training opportunities after you have submitted your user request forms.  FTA has entered your proposal in TEAM for you and we are available to walk through the application process with you at your request.

In order to establish user accounts in TEAM, please use the following:

Attachment E is the “Request for Addition to Vendor File Award (TEAM)” form, which is used to request a vendor number for your agency.  FTA has completed this form for all Tribes and Villages. (http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/09_-_Attachment_E_-_Request_for_addition_to_vendor_file.xls).

Attachment F is the  “TEAM User Request Form” fillable form [PDF] with "Instructions and Designation of Signature of Authority [PDF].  All TEAM User Request forms must be filled out for each person who will be using TEAM and mail the originals to the Region 10 office in order to be set up in the TEAMWeb System. Faxes and email versions of the documents will be excepted but originals must be sent ino the Regional office.

Attachment D. DUNS stands for "Data Universal Numbering System." It is a unique nine-digit numbering system that is used to identify a business. As part of the selection criteria and process, your Tribe or Village was required to have a DUNS number. FTA has input this number into our TEAM system under your recipient profile. Please verify this information in TEAM. If you need additional information on DUNS number, please visit: http://ftateamweb.fta.dot.gov/teamweb/duns_info.html.

3. DUNS Number

Attachment D. DUNS stands for "Data Universal Numbering System." It is a unique nine-digit numbering system that is used to identify a business. As part of the selection criteria and process, your agency was required to have a DUNS number. FTA has input this number into our TEAM system under your recipiet profile. Please verify this information in TEAM. If you need additional information on DUNS numbers, please visit: http://ftateamweb.fta.dot.gov/teamweb/duns_info.html.

4. Annual Certifications and Assurances and Master Agreement  

Execution of the C&A is electronic through the TEAM system. The basic process is to check the boxes that apply to the funding sources you will be applying for in the current federal fiscal year and have the designated personnel PIN the C&A in TEAM. There are two PINNING actions needed to execute the C&A: in TEAM they are displayed as the Official’s Name and the Attorney’s Name.  The "Offical" MUST PIN before or on the same day as the Attorney.  If the Attorney PINs before the Official we will not accept the C&A and you will need to PIN the signatures again.

To PIN the C&A in the TEAM system:

Have your Official log into TEAM with their unique user name and password. This official will have been provided with a PIN Number, and the authority to use it.
Click Recipients to open the Query Recipients screen.
Enter your recipient ID, or all or part of your recipient name.
Click Submit Query to locate your record.
From the left menu, click View/Modify Recipient. This opens the Recipient record for editing.
Click on the third tab in the window, entitled "Certs & Assurances." Review each of the certifications under each category. The text is viewable under the yellow "Text" icon on the right.
For each category, you must check either Applicable or N/A.
In order to sign off on your selections, please have the Official enter their PIN number in the box at the bottom, and click the green CERTIFY button.
Once the Official has entered their PIN, he/she must exit TEAM  and the Attorney must log on – following steps 1-6 above,  with the Attorney’s  individual user name and password and enter the Attorney PIN and again click on the CERTIFY button to complete the process.
If the Official has the rights to PIN as both Official and Attorney, once he/she enters the PIN, the process is completed.

Attachment B. Annual Certs and Assurances can be located athttp://ftateamweb.fta.dot.gov/static/CertsAndAssurance/2012-Certs-TEAM.pdf.

Attachment C. The Master Agreement is published annually in the federal register. The agreement contains the standard conditions for administering grants with the FTA (2012 Master Agreement).

5. FTA Electronic Clearing House Operation (ECHO) Computer System  

ECHO is the FTA’s web-based application that is used after a grant has been awarded to draw down funds for reimbursement of expenses.  For assistance with ECHO-Web, please contact:

Linda Gehrke, Deputy Regional Administrator
Federal Transit Administration 
915 2nd Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-4463
Fax: (206) 220-7959
linda.gehrke@dot.gov

6. Grant Application 
 

For Tribal/Village applications, FTA has entered the proposal in TEAM. Typically, basic information needed for a grant application include: 

Recipient information
Project description
Project budget
Project milestone/schedule
Fleet Status
Documentation of environmental review approval by FTA, if applicable

Please verify the information FTA has entered in TEAM regarding your application.  If you have any questions regarding your grant application in TEAM, please contact:

Linda Gehrke, Deputy Regional Administrator
Federal Transit Administration 
915 2nd Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-4463
Fax: (206) 220-7959
linda.gehrke@dot.gov

7. Environment 

   

FTA must consider the environmental impacts of your project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  You will need to provide environmental analysis and review documentation for any project involving construction.

Attachment N is the Documented Categorical Exclusion (DCE) Checklist that FTA Region 10 has prepared for your use as a screening tool for the level of environmental analysis (http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/DCE_Worksheet_FTA_DCE_Worksheet_FTA_2010.07.07.doc).

Attachment O is the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Screening Checklist, which is also included if the project might have impacts to the endangered species (http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/19_-_Attachment_O_-_ESA_Screening_Checklist_07-2010.doc).

For more information about NEPA requirements for your specific project, please contact:

Federal Transit Administration, Region 10
915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-7954
Fax: (206) 220-7959
fta.tro10mail@dot.gov

8. Procurement 

In order for grantees to be reimbursed for project costs incurred as a result of procurement of equipment, professional services or construction, the grantee must comply with the procurement requirements set forth by the FTA. 

Attachment P is a list of FTA website links containing information in this area (http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/20_-_Attachment_P_-_Procurement_Requirements_and_Sources_of_Info.doc).

If you need any information, please contact:

Linda Gehrke
Deputy Regional Administrator
Federal Transit Administration, Region 10
915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142
Seattle, WA 98174-1002
Phone: (206) 220-4463
Fax: (206) 220-7959
linda.gehrke@dot.gov

9. Timeline for Grant Approval  

You grant application has been drafted by FTA staff and entered into TEAM.  FTA will walk you through the process to verify the information and prepare for the submittal process.  You will be notified by the grant processor to submit the application FTA determines that you have completed all the required documentation.  The person(s) designated as the “PIN to Submit” authority will submit the grant. Once the application has been officially submitted, grant approval generally takes about 36 days.  For more information, please contact Linda Gehrke.  (See above for Linda’s contact information.)

10. Program Guidance Circulars 

 
For the complete program guidance document for FTA Section 5311 program, please use the following links on the FTA Web site:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/laws/circulars/leg_reg_6519.html (Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program Guidance and Grant Application Instruction, FTA Circular 9040.1F). 

For grants management guidelines, please refer to FTA Circular 5010.1D:http://www.fta.dot.gov/laws/circulars/leg_reg_8640.html.

For further information about FTA regulations and guidance, please go to the FTA Web site,http://www.fta.dot.gov/. It contains a lot of useful information, including links to the applicable regulations, Federal Registers, and FTA circulars (program guidance).

If you have any questions about any information described in this letter, please don’t hesitate to contact Linda Gehrke at 206-220-4463 or by e-mail at linda.gehrke@dot.gov.

Click here to go to the ATTACHMENTS page.