Description
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is soliciting applications for the Highway Use Tax Evasion (HUTE) Program, which aims to enhance compliance with motor fuel and highway use taxes. The program provides funding to States and the District of Columbia to support intergovernmental fuel excise tax enforcement efforts, research, and training. Eligible applicants can submit proposals for projects that address evasion enforcement challenges, develop innovative approaches to deliver projects, and include participation from multiple agencies. The FHWA will evaluate applications based on project selection criteria, including work plan and budget, evasion enforcement issue, innovation, and intergovernmental inclusion.
Some key points to consider:
• The program is authorized under section 143 of title 23, United States Code.
• The FHWA has provided funding to States for enforcement efforts since the early 1990s.
• Previous awards have been used to establish new programs for testing fuels, expanding the use of electronic tracking of fuel movement, and for various training and research initiatives.
• Annual reports from previous HUTE recipients have shown increased revenue and assessments in targeted areas.
• The FHWA encourages applicants to submit innovative proposals that reduce fuel tax evasion and increase collaboration among public agencies.
• A Maintenance of Effort Certification is required, which certifies that the State will maintain its aggregate expenditure of funds for motor fuel tax enforcement activities at a level that does not fall below the average level of such expenditure for the preceding two fiscal years.