DC-2021-018

The objective of this cooperative agreement is to support the efforts of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in managing the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) for fiscal year 2021. These efforts include:

- Identifying transit problems in need of research and development (RD) investigation and establishing a priority ranking among them.
- Convening project panels to provide direction and oversight to contractors in carrying out projects.
- Selecting contractors and awarding contracts for cooperative research.
- Administering research contracts.
- Disseminating project results.
- Supporting meetings and decisions of the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Commission.

The TCRP is a continuing program of problem-solving research that examines short-term high-priority topics of common interest to the transit industry.

Federal Role:
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides monitoring and direction to the TCRP by:
1. Providing guidance.
2. Serving as an official voting member of the TOPS Commission.
3. Providing the strategic goals as reflected in FTA's most recent annual modal research plan each year for incorporation into the TCRP solicitation for research problem statements.
4. Reviewing all proposed TCRP research to avoid duplication of effort and reinforce any related activities.
5. Participating in any decision to re-direct project activities.
6. Appointing an FTA liaison to each technical panel to guide implementation of TCRP projects and ensure coordination with other FTA research.
7. Providing problem statements for consideration by the TOPS Commission in establishing the annual agenda of TCRP projects.
8. Attending review meetings.
9. Ensuring that issues and concerns are resolved as they arise during implementation of the TCRP project agenda.

FTA participates in the project panel selection process to maintain diversity and ensure that the defined project work statement aligns with the original problem statement approved by the TOPS Commission. FTA works closely with TRB and APTA to ensure the dissemination, distribution, marketing, and advertising of TCRP studies and demonstrations, with an emphasis on the timely deployment and mainstreaming of products and practices resulting from the TCRP. FTA reserves the right to re-direct project activities and funding for the Transit Cooperative Research Program FY 2021, the 30th year supported under this award, and related activities.

Recipient Role:
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines (NASEM) Transportation Research Board (TRB) will manage the project as outlined in the application. This includes organizing and managing the annual solicitation of problem statements and their preparation for consideration by the TOPS Commission. TRB will convene project panel meetings, appoint expert technical panelists to define the project work statement and guide the research, develop and distribute a request for proposals, and then process and evaluate proposals to select the best-qualified research agency to perform the work. Additionally, TRB will conduct and follow-up on decisions resulting from meetings of the TOPS Commission, administer the cooperative agreement and third-party contracts, provide quarterly progress reports, financial reports, and final close-out reporting to FTA, and disseminate the results of TCRP projects widely through online reports, the TCRP website, webinars, social media, and other dissemination mechanisms.

National Academy Of Sciences

20.530 - Public Transportation Innovation

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) [DOT]

FTA Office of Budget and Policy [DOT - FTA]

District Of Columbia United States

State-Wide

None