Description
The Department of Transportation is offering grants for the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) opportunity, which includes the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program (Mega), the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program (INFRA), and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (Rural). The funding opportunities are awarded on a competitive basis for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant national or regional impact, or to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas. Eligible applicants include states, metropolitan planning organizations, units of local government, and tribal governments. The Department seeks to fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address environmental justice, and support the creation of good-paying jobs.
• The Mega program is authorized at 49 U.S.C. § 6701 and has a funding availability of up to $1.8 billion.
• The INFRA program is authorized at 23 U.S.C. § 117 and has a funding availability of up to $3.1 billion.
• The Rural program is authorized at 23 U.S.C. § 173 and has a funding availability of up to $675 million.
• The Department will evaluate applications based on criteria such as overall application rating, project outcome criteria, benefit-cost analysis rating, and project readiness rating.
• The Department expects all recipients to be able to complete their project without needing a waiver of the Buy America requirement.