National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega Projects)
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Program Objective
The goal of the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega Projects) program is to identify and award grant funding to transportation projects that will generate national or regional economic, mobility, and or safety benefits.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Municipality/Township Government
- County Government
- Port Authority
Eligible applicants for Mega grants are: (1) a State or a group of States; (2) a metropolitan planning organization; (3) a unit of local government; (4) a political subdivision of a State; (5) a special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; (6) a Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments; (7) a partnership between Amtrak and 1 or more entities described in subparagraphs (1) through (6); and (8) a group of entities described in any of subparagraphs (1) through (7).
How to Apply
Award Procedure
NIPA funding will be awarded to projects selected by the United States Department of Transportation through a competitive selection process. After an application is selected, the Department will work with the project sponsor to complete the necessary work prior to formally obligating the funding through an obligating agreement. The obligating agreement will establish the terms and conditions of the Mega Project award.
The evaluation, selection, and notification timeline varies from 4-9 months.
Program details & compliance
Description
The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega Projects) program will provide grant funding to highway,
freight and intercity passenger rail, port projects, and the public transportation components of those projects, that generate safety, mobility, or economic benefits of national and regional significance. It is focused on projects in significant need of federal funding, with overall costs greater than $100 million. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments, transportation authorities, or other subdivisions of state government.
Mission Categories
Primary: Highways, Public Roads, and Bridges
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Eligible projects for Mega grants are: a highway or bridge project on the National Multimodal Freight Network; a highway or bridge project on the National Highway Freight Network; a highway or bridge project on the National Highway System; a freight intermodal (including public ports) or freight rail project that provides public benefit; a railway highway grade separation or elimination project; an intercity passenger rail project; a public transportation project that is eligible under assistance under Chapter 53 of title 49 and is a part of any of the project types described above.
Mega grants may be used for development-phase activities and costs, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, alternatives analysis, data collection and analysis, environmental review and activities to support environmental review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other preconstruction activities, including the preparation of a data collection and post-construction analysis plan and construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, acquisition of real property (including land relating to the project and improvements to that land), environmental mitigation (including projects to replace or rehabilitate culverts or reduce stormwater runoff for the purpose of improving habitat for aquatic species), construction contingencies, acquisition of equipment, protection, and operational improvements directly relating to the project.
Required Documentation
To submit an application through Grants.gov, applicants must: Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number; Register with the System Award for Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov; Create a Grants.gov username and password; and The E-business Point of Contact (POC) at the applicant’s organization must respond to the registration email from Grants.gov and login at Grants.gov to authorize the POC as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Please note that there can only be one AOR per organization. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Matching Requirements
NIPA grants may be used for up to 60 percent of future eligible project costs. Other Federal assistance may satisfy the non-Federal share requirement for an NIPA grant, but total Federal assistance for a project receiving an NIPA grant may not exceed 80 percent of the future eligible project costs. Unless otherwise authorized in statute, local cost-share that exceed the 80 percent Federal-share maximum will not be considered matching funds if the source of those funds is ultimately a Federal program. Non-Federal sources include State funds originating from programs funded by State revenue, local funds originating from State or local revenue funded programs, private funds or other funding sources of non-Federal origins. Funds from the Tribal Transportation Program (23 U.S.C. 202), TIFIA, a Federal land management agency, or other Federal source that is expressly authorized in statute may be used for the non-Federal share. Unless otherwise authorized in statute, local cost-share may not be counted as non-Federal share for both the NSFHP and another Federal program. For any project, the Department cannot consider previously incurred costs or previously expended or encumbered funds towards the matching requirement. Matching funds are subject to the same Federal requirements as awarded funds.
Matching requirements are voluntary.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements