FY 2020 National Infrastructure Investments

Agency Name: Department of Transportation

Description: The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 provided $1 billion for National Infrastructure Investments. As with previous rounds, funds for the FY 2020 BUILD Transportation program are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 states that not less than $15,000,000 will be used for planning, preparation, or design of projects eligible for funding. If this solicitation does not result in the award and obligation of all available funds, DOT may publish additional solicitations. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 specifies that BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grants may not be less than $5 million and not greater than $25 million, except that for projects located in rural areas the minimum BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant size is $1 million. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 specifies that not more than 50 percent of funds can be spent on projects located in a rural area with a population equal to or less than 200,000 and not more than 50 percent of funds can be spent on projects located in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000. Pursuant to the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, no more than 10 percent of the funds made available for BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grants (or $100 million) may be awarded to projects in a single State. Further, pursuant to the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, DOT must take measures to ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grant funds, an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural areas, and investment in a variety of transportation modes. In addition to the FY 2020 BUILD funds, unobligated TIGER FY 2017 and FY 2018 and/or FY 2019 BUILD funds may be made available and awarded under this solicitation to projects that can be obligated before the respective obligation deadline associated with those prior years' funds. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 requires that FY 2020 BUILD funds are only available for obligation through September 30, 2022. No FY 2019 BUILD funds may be expended after September 30, 2027. As part of the review and selection process described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, DOT will consider whether a project is ready to proceed with an obligation of grant funds from DOT within the statutory time provided. Under the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, no waiver is possible for these deadlines. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 allows for up to 20 percent of available funds (or $200 million) to be used by the Department to pay the subsidy and administrative costs for a project receiving credit assistance under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998 ( TIFIA ) program, if it would further the purposes of the BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant program. Recipients of prior TIGER Discretionary Grants may apply for funding to support additional phases of a project awarded funds in earlier rounds of this program. However, to be competitive, the applicant should demonstrate the extent to which the previously funded project phase has been able to meet estimated project schedules and budget, as well as the ability to realize the benefits expected for the project. DOT expects that each BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant will be administered on a reimbursable basis by one of the relevant modal administrations, pursuant to a grant agreement between the BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant recipient and the relevant modal administration.