State of Good Repair Grants Program

The State of Good Repair Program (49 U.S.C. 5337) provides formula funding to assist in financing capital projects for existing fixed guideway systems (including rail, bus rapid transit, and passenger ferries) and high intensity motorbus systems (buses operating in high-occupancy vehicle [HOV] lanes) to maintain public transportation systems in a state of good repair and to ensure public transit operates safely, efficiently, reliably, and sustainably so that communities can offer balanced transportation choices that helps to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and encourage economic development. Capital projects must be in a Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan and this funding source can be used to develop a Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan.

The Competitive Rail Vehicle Replacement Grant (49 U.S.C. 5337(f)) is a discretionary grant program to assist in financing the replacement of rail rolling stock.

Eligible applicants are state and local governmental authorities in urbanized areas. FTA will apportion funds to designated recipients in the urbanized areas with fixed guideway and high intensity motorbus transportation systems operating at least 7 years. The designated recipients will then allocate funds as appropriate to recipients that are state and local governmental authorities in the urbanized areas.

Applicants should review the published Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific eligibility for the Competitive Rail Vehicle Replacement Grant Program.

Beneficiaries of funding include states and designated recipients. Public agencies may apply for funding and are beneficiaries, although private transportation companies may participate through contractual arrangements with public agency grantee.

After allocation of funds, fixed-route operators, the general public, both users and non-users of public transportation, public agencies, and private transportation companies may benefit.

For the Rail Competitive Program, projects are selected on a competitive basis. Once posted, recipients work with their Regional Office to prepare the grant agreement in TrAMS.

For formula and competitive funds, an FTA grant award obligating Federal funds is reflected in a grant agreement. Grants are awarded electronically using FTA's electronic award system, TrAMS https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/teamtrams/transit-award-management-system-trams
In order to access this system, a user name and password are needed and can be obtained by contacting the regional offices. Once the funds are reserved in FTA’s electronic award system and the project information has been reviewed and approved by Headquarters, the recipient must execute the grant agreement to access the funds.

For the Competitive Rail Vehicle Replacement Grant Program, the timing depends on the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Once projects have been selected, the grant agreement is submitted in FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) the approximate time of award is 15 to 30 days.
Contact Program Manager (listed at the bottom of the AL) for specific information on time frames.