INFRA/Mega/Rural (Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant) NOFO Posted

The Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) has published a combined Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) opportunity which combines three major discretionary grant programs into one NOFO.  The MPDG NOFO is soliciting grant applications for the INFRA discretionary grant program and for the newly created Mega and Rural discretionary grant programs established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  The NOFO has been posted on the Build America Bureau website and on Grants.gov.  Additional information on how to apply, frequently asked questions, and the Department’s Benefit Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant programs can be found on the following website at www.transportation.gov/grants.  The application deadline for the MPDG grant opportunity is May 23, 2022 at 11:59pm EST. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established two new programs and reauthorized one preexisting program which are being solicited together using this NOFO.

    • Mega: $1 billion of FY 2022 funding for the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program, known as the Mega Grants program;
    • INFRA: Approximately $1.55 billion in FY 2022 funding to be made available for the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program, known as INFRA;
    • Rural: $300 million in FY 2022 funding for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program, known as Rural.

USDOT has combined these three programs into a single NOFO to provide a more efficient application process for project sponsors. While they remain separate programs for the purposes of award, the programs share many common characteristics, including a larger project size, multimodal eligibility, and many shared statutory project requirements. Because of these shared characteristics, it is possible for many projects to be eligible and considered for multiple programs using a single application.

DOT will evaluate common applications for the programs using common merit criteria and considerations to provide a more streamlined and efficient application process for project sponsors. The common set of criteria include: safety; state of good repair; economic impacts, freight movement, and job creation; climate change, resiliency, and the environment; equity, multimodal options, and quality of life; and innovation. Additional considerations include cost effectiveness; demonstrated project readiness, which includes technical assessment, financial completeness, and environmental review and permitting risk; and geographic diversity among recipients, including a balance between the needs of urban and rural projects.

Project Sponsors with additional questions or interested in receiving additional assistance are invited to visit the Department’s MPDG grants webpage: MPDG - Announcement | US Department of Transportation.  The Department has published a Guide to Benefit Cost Analysis, FAQs, and will be hosting several informational webinars for prospective grant applicants in the coming weeks as listed on the following webpage: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/mpdg-webinars.

TITLE: How to Apply for the MPDG Opportunity

TITLE: How to Apply for the MPDG Opportunity - Rural and Tribal Applicants, Areas of Persistent Poverty, and Historically Disadvantaged Communities

Benefit Cost Analysis Webinars

TITLE: How to Prepare a Benefit-Cost Analysis for the MPDG Opportunity

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