FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Programs

Date Posted: July 27, 2026

Date Closed: September 21, 2026

Opportunity ID: FTA-2026-010-TPM-BUS and FTA-2026-011-TPM-LWNO

Opportunity Announcement PDF:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-27/pdf/2026-15090.pdf

Opportunity Announcement TXT:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-27/html/2026-15090.htm

Grant programs: Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) and Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program); jointly referred to as the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Programs

1. Basic Information

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for approximately $21 million in competitive grants for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (Bus Program) under Federal Assistance Listing Number 20.526 and approximately $589 million in competitive grants for the FY 2026 Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program) under Federal Assistance Listing Number 20.526.

This is an announcement for the FY 2026 round of these programs.
FTA is publishing a joint NOFO because these two programs have overlapping eligibilities and must be implemented on the same timeline (49 U.S.C. 5339).
As required by Federal public transportation law:
1. Bus Program funds will be awarded competitively to purchase, rehabilitate, or lease buses and related equipment, and to construct, purchase, rehabilitate, or lease bus-related facilities.
2. Low-No Program funds will be awarded competitively for the purchase or lease of buses that use low- or no-emission propulsion technologies, including related equipment or facilities.
3. Any zero-emission project or components of a zero-emission project must use 5 percent of Federal funds for workforce development, unless the applicant certifies less or no funding is needed for this purpose.
Per statute, FTA will make selections for these programs within 75 days of the application due date.
If more funding becomes available before projects are selected, FTA may award it under this NOFO.
To the extent permitted by law, FTA may consider applications that are not selected for award for future funding under the Bus Program or Low-No Program.

Topic	Description
Prior Awards	Bus Program First Announcement In FY 2025, the program received applications for 300 eligible projects requesting a total of $3.7 billion. 62 projects were funded to 59 recipients totaling $398 million. Award sizes ranged from $256,000 to $36,000,000. Bus Program Second Announcement 34 projects were funded to 34 recipients totaling over $388 million. Award sizes ranged from $205,000 to $28,800,000 Low-No Program In FY 2025, the program received applications for 179 eligible projects requesting a total of $3.1 billion. 103 projects were funded to 103 recipients totaling $1.6 billion. Award sizes ranged from $256,281 to $121,125,000.
Dates	Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov (Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) or Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program) “APPLY” function by 11:59 pm Eastern time September 21, 2026.
Eligible Activities	Bus Program Eligible activities include capital projects to purchase, lease, or rehabilitate transit buses and related equipment; and acquire, construct, lease, or rehabilitate bus-related facilities. Low-No Program Eligible activities include capital projects to purchase or lease zero-emission or low-emission transit buses; and acquire, construct, rehabilitate, and lease required supporting facilities such as recharging, refueling, and maintenance facilities.
Application Instructions	Instructions for applying can be found on FTA’s website and in the “FIND” module of Grants.gov. The Bus Program funding opportunity ID is FTA-2026-010-TPM-BUS. The Low-No Program funding opportunity ID is FTA-2026-011-TPM-LWNO. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.
For Further Information, Contact:	Email Kirsten Wiard-Bauer, Office of Program Management, at FTALowNoBusNOFO@dot.gov.

2. Eligibility

Topic	Description
Eligible Applicant Type	Bus Program Eligible recipients are designated recipients, states (including territories and Washington, D.C.), local government entities, and federally recognized Indian tribes. Except for Indian tribes, eligible recipients must allocate funds to or operate fixed-route bus service. Eligible subrecipients are all otherwise eligible recipients and private nonprofit organizations engaged in public transportation. Eligible subrecipients are not required to allocate funds to or operate fixed route bus service. Low-No Program Eligible recipients and subrecipients are designated recipients, states (including territories and Washington, D.C.), local government entities, and federally recognized Indian tribes.
Additional Applicant Eligibility Requirements	Applicants must have sufficient legal, financial, and technical capabilities to receive and administer Federal funds under this program. Except for projects proposed by Indian tribes, all projects in rural areas (see 49 U.S.C. 5302(17)) must be submitted by a State either individually or as part of a consolidated State application. States and other eligible applicants may also submit consolidated applications for projects in urbanized areas. The same project may not be submitted in multiple applications.
Eligible Projects	Bus Program Purchasing, leasing, or rehabilitating buses regardless of propulsion type or emissions. Purchasing, leasing, rehabilitating, or constructing bus-related facilities and equipment, regardless of propulsion type or emissions. Low-No Program Purchasing or leasing low-emission buses (See 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(1)(E)), which include, but are not limited to: Propane buses CNG buses Hybrid-electric buses Purchasing or leasing zero-emission buses, which include, but are not limited to: Hydrogen fuel-cell buses Battery-electric buses Rubber tire trolley buses powered by overhead catenaries Acquiring low- or zero-emission buses with a leased power source. Leasing, constructing, or rehabilitating public transportation facilities and related equipment to accommodate low- or zero-emission buses. Both Programs For low- and standard-emission projects, up to 0.5 percent of the Federal request may optionally be used for workforce development training (See 49 U.S.C. 5314(b)) and up to an additional 0.5 percent may optionally be used for training at the National Transit Institute (NTI) (See 49 U.S.C. 5314(c)). 5 percent of the Federal request for zero-emission projects must be used for workforce development. Or for projects that contain both zero-emission and low-emission components, 5 percent of the Federal request associated with the zero-emission part of the project must be used for workforce development. This is mandatory unless you certify in your application that less funding is needed to carry out your Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan. You must include an explanation of why less or no such funds are needed. These amounts should be budgeted in addition to, not as a take-down from, other eligible project expenses. For example, if you include a Federal request of $3,000,000 for zero-emission vehicles and associated equipment, you should include an additional Federal request of $157,895 in the budget for workforce development expenses for a total Federal request of $3,157,895 (to calculate = $3,000,000/0.95). Local match is required for workforce development funds (see “Cost Sharing” below). You must identify the proposed use of funds for these activities in the project proposal and identify them separately in the project budget. Eligible workforce development activities include but are not limited to: retraining the existing workforce, registered apprenticeships, and other joint labor-management training programs. Activities should be outlined in your Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan. Projects may include incidental costs, such as administration expenses, if the project includes and results in an eligible capital asset being leased, purchased, or built.
Additional Project Eligibility Information	Projects must relate to public transportation (See 49 U.S.C. 5302(15)). The development or deployment of prototype vehicles is not eligible. All new transit bus models must successfully complete FTA bus testing in accordance with FTA’s Bus Testing regulation (See 49 CFR part 665). All buses must be procured from certified transit vehicle manufacturers in accordance with the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) regulations (See 49 CFR part 26). Proposals may contain projects to be implemented by the recipient or its subrecipients. If a single project proposal involves multiple public transportation providers, such as when an agency acquires vehicles that will be operated by another agency, the proposal must include a statement detailing the role of each agency.
Cost Sharing	In general, the maximum Federal share is 80 percent. There are two exceptions (See 49 U.S.C. 5323(i)): The Federal share is 85 percent for transit buses that are compliant with the Clean Air Act or are accessible to people with disabilities. The Federal share is 90 percent for equipment and components of facilities related to low- or zero-emission buses or are to make the facility accessible to people with disabilities. Applicants must itemize the cost of specific, discrete, equipment or facility components that perform these functions to be eligible for this higher Federal share. More information about eligible sources of local match can be found in FTA Circular 9050.1A (urban applicants) and FTA Circular 9040.1H (rural applicants).
Other	Low-No Program A minimum of 25 percent of awarded funds will go to low-emission projects that are not zero emission (see 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)). Bus Program A minimum of 15 percent of awarded funds will go to projects located in rural areas (see 49 U.S.C. 5339(b)(5)). No single grant recipient will be awarded more than 10 percent of the amount made available (see 49 U.S.C. 5339(b)(8)). Both Programs You may submit a project to both programs or to just one program. You are encouraged to submit projects under both programs when practicable. A project submitted to both programs must be eligible in its entirety under both programs, which means: All buses must be low- or zero-emission and all facilities and equipment must directly support low- or zero-emission buses. The full request or scalable amount must be no more than 10 percent of the funding available under the Bus Program. If a project submitted under both programs is selected for funding, FTA will decide under which program the project is awarded. If there are not enough eligible requests for either program’s statutory set-aside and there are eligible applications submitted only to the other program, FTA may request additional information and consider the application under the other program. FTA may cap the amount a single recipient or State may receive as part of the selection process for either program.

3. Program Descriptions

Purpose, Program Goals and Objectives, and Legislative Authority

This is a joint NOFO that announces the availability of FY 2026 funding for both the Bus Program and the Low-No Program.
49 U.S.C. 5339(b) authorizes FTA to competitively award Bus Program grants to State (including territories and Washington, D.C.), local, and tribal governments that operate fixed-route bus services for capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, purchase, or lease buses and related equipment, or to rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or lease bus-related facilities.
49 U.S.C. 5339(c) authorizes FTA to competitively award Low-No Program grants to State (including territories and Washington, D.C.), local, and tribal governments for capital projects to purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities such as recharging, refueling, and maintenance facilities.
The Bus Program and Low-No Program goals are to enhance safety and renew our transit systems through the deployment of modern buses and associated equipment and facilities. The objective is to maximize benefits for families and communities by increasing access to jobs, healthcare facilities, recreational activities, and commercial activity.

Allowable and Unallowable Costs

There is no minimum grant award amount.
The maximum award amount under the Bus Program is 10 percent of the total available amount. There is no maximum award amount under the Low-No Program.
Projects may be awarded less than the amount applied for.
Refer to the table in Section 2, Eligibility, for information on activities that are allowable in these grant programs.
Allowable direct and indirect expenses must be consistent with the Government-wide Uniform Administrative Requirements and Cost Principles (2 CFR part 200) and the guidance in FTA Circular 5010.1F.

4. Application Contents and Format

A complete proposal submission includes two forms and any supporting attachments.

1) SF‑424 Application for Federal Assistance
• Available at Grants.gov (Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) or Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program). • You must complete all sections of the SF-424 unless the form states a section is optional.
2) Supplemental Form for the FY 2026 Low-No and Bus Programs
Available at Grants.gov (Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) and Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program). You must attach the Supplemental Form and any supporting documents to the “Attachments” section of the SF-424. There is a limit of 15 total attachments per application. If you are applying for a zero-emission project, you must attach the Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan. You must describe and reference supporting documentation by file name in the Supplemental Form, or FTA may not review it. FTA will use the information entered into the Supplemental Form to evaluate the project and determine whether or not the proposal will be funded according to the selection criteria described in Section 6 (Application Review Information) below. You must complete all sections of the Supplemental Form unless the form states a section is optional. You will use the same Supplemental Form to apply to either program or both programs. If you are applying to both programs, you must submit the materials twice, once through each of the GRANTS.GOV opportunity IDs listed for the programs. Failure to submit the information as requested can delay review or disqualify the application.

Information required on the SF-424 and Supplemental Form, as indicated on each form, includes:

Topic	Description
Name	Name of Agency applying for funding.
UEI	Unique Entity ID (UEI) assigned by SAM.gov.
Contact	Contact information, including contact name, title, address, phone number, and email address.
District	Congressional district(s) where project will take place.

The Supplemental Form also requires the following information:

Topic	Description
Description of Transit Service Provided and Area Served	Describe the transit service and coverage area
Project Title	A brief descriptive title of the project.
Project Executive Summary	A short paragraph describing the proposed project.
Project Type	Select project type (e.g., vehicle, facility, and/or equipment) and propulsion type (e.g., standard, low, or zero emission).
Evaluation Review Criteria	The form includes text boxes for you to address each of the evaluation review criteria identified in Section 6 (Application Review Information).

Additional details about how to fill out the SF-424 and Supplemental Form are available at these links (Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) or Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program).

Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds – The budget must list the amount and percent of both the total Federal funding requested and any additional non-Federal funds, if any, that will be used to pay for the project.

Sharing of Application Information – The Department may share application information within the Department or with other Federal agencies if the Department determines that sharing is relevant to the respective program’s objectives.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

How to Obtain Forms

Visit Grants.gov (Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Bus Program) or Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program).
The Supplemental Form is also available here.

Application Deadline and How to Submit

Submission Requirements

Project proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on September 21, 2026.

Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered under extraordinary circumstances not under the applicant’s control.
Applications are time and date stamped by Grants.gov upon successful submission.
Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.

Submission Confirmation

Within 48 hours after submitting an electronic application, you should receive an email confirmation message from Grants.gov that the application has been received by Grants.gov and sent to the “receiving agency.” FTA is the receiving agency for this NOFO.

If you receive a rejection email from Grants.gov or FTA indicating the application is incomplete, then you must fix the application and resubmit it before the submission deadline. FTA’s rejection email will come from the email address “noreplyFACES”.
To avoid processing errors when re-submitting, you must include all original attachments (even if only some of them were updated) and you must check the resubmission box on the updated Supplemental Form.

Submission Tips
Register on the Grants.gov website well before the application deadline. Grants.gov registration is a multi-step process that may take several weeks to complete. If you have already registered in Grants.gov, you may still need to update your registration before you can apply. FTA strongly recommends you submit your proposal at least 72 hours before the due date. This allows time to correct any submission problems. FTA's system cannot accept Supplemental Forms that are: 1) scanned, a “print” to PDF, or a converted version using another text editor, etc.; or 2) from prior years. Use this year’s form and fill it out on your computer. Applicants can find more information on how to navigate Grants.gov on DOT Navigator.

Submission Tips

Register on the Grants.gov website well before the application deadline. Grants.gov registration is a multi-step process that may take several weeks to complete.
If you have already registered in Grants.gov, you may still need to update your registration before you can apply.
FTA strongly recommends you submit your proposal at least 72 hours before the due date. This allows time to correct any submission problems.
FTA's system cannot accept Supplemental Forms that are: 1) scanned, a “print” to PDF, or a converted version using another text editor, etc.; or 2) from prior years. Use this year’s form and fill it out on your computer.
Applicants can find more information on how to navigate Grants.gov on DOT Navigator.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

You are required to:

Be registered in SAM before submitting an application;
Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and
Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times when you are applying for a grant or have an active grant from a Federal Agency.

SAM Tips
SAM registration usually takes about 3-5 business days. However, FTA recommends allowing several weeks for the registration process because there could be unexpected delays (such as needing to get an Employer Identification Number). For additional information on obtaining a unique entity identifier, please visit SAM.gov.

Intergovernmental Review

This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”.

Topic	Description
Proposal Deadline Date	September 21, 2026
Submission Method and Time	Submit via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern time
Accepted Formats	Electronic submissions only (no mail, email, and fax submissions)
Late Submissions	Applications are time and date stamped by Grants.gov upon successful submission. Late submissions will only be considered under extraordinary circumstances, not under the applicant’s control.

6. Application Review Information

Responsiveness Review

FTA will reject any applications from ineligible applicants or for ineligible projects. Also see Section 2, Eligibility, above.

Review Criteria

FTA will evaluate applications using the criteria below.

Projects will be rated based on the information provided in the Supplemental Form. Additional information may also be provided as attachments to support the responses in the Supplemental Form.
Any additional documentation must be directly referenced on the Supplemental Form, including the file name and page number where the additional information can be found.
Indian tribes requesting less than $1 million in Federal funds only need to provide complete narrative responses to the Demonstration of Need and Local Financial Commitment criteria. They must also provide a partial response to the Project Implementation Strategy criterion, consisting of a project timeline and (if applicable) a discussion of their proposed partner’s qualifications.
All applicants proposing a zero-emission project, including tribes requesting less than $1 million, are required by law to submit a Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan.

Evaluation Criteria	To address each criterion, applicants should describe:
Demonstration of Need	Vehicle Projects For replacement requests: Describe the age, condition, and performance of the vehicles the project would replace. Replaced vehicles must have met their minimum useful life at the time of project completion. For fleet expansion requests: Describe the service expansion and how it benefits transit riders and the community. Address how the project conforms to FTA’s spare ratio guidelines. If you are adding zero-emission vehicles to your fleet, you may move vehicles that have met their minimum useful life to your contingency fleet. Contingency fleets are not included in the spare ratio calculation. If you need to exceed the spare ratio for a temporary period, work with your FTA Regional Office to determine what flexibilities may be available to you. Include reference to any Regional Office guidance in your application. Facility and Equipment Projects For replacement or rehabilitation requests: Describe the age and condition of the existing asset relative to its minimum useful life. For expansion requests: Describe the new or expanded facility or equipment and how it benefits transit riders and the community.
Demonstration of Benefits	Low-No Program Describe how the project will support the program’s statutory objectives to: Reduce energy consumption, Reduce harmful emissions, and Reduce direct carbon emissions. Describe reductions compared to standard buses and facilities or other low or no emission buses and facilities (see 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(5)(A)). Bus Program Describe how the project will support the program’s goals to: Improve or modernize system condition. Describe benefits such as: Reduced breakdowns and service interruptions, Increased service performance; or Reduced maintenance costs. Improve safety. Describe benefits such as: Reduced frequency of safety events; or Improved outcomes of safety events. Enhance access and mobility. Describe benefits such as: Improved headways and reliability; Creation of new transportation choices; or Elimination of gaps in the current route network. For each benefit your project would provide, include relevant documentation such as vehicle or facility age and condition, safety event outcomes, or route planning proposals showing ridership demand or indicators like area population density, and existing and planned affordable housing in the corridor. Both Programs If you apply to both programs, you must address the requirements of both programs as described above.
Planning and Local or Regional Prioritization	Describe how the project is consistent with local and regional long-range planning documents and local government priorities. You may support your application by: Submitting copies of relevant planning document pages; Submitting letters of support for the project from local government officials, public agencies, or non-profit or private sector supporters; or Demonstrating how the proposed project will address local and regional planning priorities by improving overall system performance, asset management performance, or other specific performance measures that you track and monitor. If you request zero-emission vehicles, or facilities and equipment that directly support zero-emission vehicles, you are required by law to submit a Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan (See 49 U.S.C. 5339(c)(3)(D)). This includes tribes that are requesting less than $1 million. The plan must be a separate document from other local or regional planning documents and must include all six plan components defined in statute. FTA has developed resources for applicants regarding the development of this plan. Plans do not need to be complex and should be tailored as needed. State departments of transportation may provide a plan that covers multiple subrecipients, attach individual plans developed by each subrecipient, or a combination of both.
Local Financial Commitment	Identify the amount and source of the local cost share. Describe if local funds are currently available for the project or will need to be secured after the project is selected for funding. Submit evidence of local funds commitment and when the funds will be available. For example, include a board resolution, letter of financial support from the State, or a budget document highlighting the line item or section committing funds to the proposed project. Identify other Federal funds you are applying for or have been awarded, if any, that you intend to use for the project. FTA will favorably view projects that use grant funds only for the incremental cost of new technologies over the cost of replacing vehicles with standard propulsion technologies. If the project is scalable, include the minimum funding amount required for a viable project and explain how a reduced award would affect the project.
Project Implementation Strategy	Include a detailed and reasonable implementation schedule that includes: Grant obligation. FTA will rate projects higher if the grant can be obligated within 12 months of the project selection announcement. Design. Note any already completed design work that will allow for quicker implementation. Procurement and construction phases. Note if any vehicles to be procured have completed FTA Bus Testing. Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) amendments to include the proposed project. Environmental review. Note if the project qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). If the project requires formal coordination, approvals, or permits, you must demonstrate coordination and support with other agencies and project partners, such as through letters of support. If a low- or zero-emission project is submitted under both programs or just the Low-No Program, you may include named partnerships with other entities. If naming a project partner, describe the experience, capacity, and qualifications of the named partner to successfully implement the project. These entities may include, but are not limited to, specific vehicle manufacturers, equipment vendors, owners or operators of related facilities, and project consultants. If selected for funding, projects with named partnerships will satisfy the requirement for a competitive procurement under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a) for the named entities. Any partnership changes will require FTA written approval, must be consistent with the scope of the project, and may necessitate a competitive procurement (see 49 U.S.C. 5339(b)(10), (c)(8)). Entities not named in the application must be selected through standard competitive procurement processes.
Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity	Describe your technical, legal, and financial capacity to undertake the project. Explain your ability to carry out the proposed project successfully (for example, adequate staffing levels or similar projects that have been carried out successfully). Explain if you have any outstanding legal, technical, or financial compliance issues from an FTA compliance review or FTA grant-related Single Audit finding. As relevant, explain how corrective actions will mitigate negative impacts on the proposed project.

Review and Selection Process

An evaluation committee will rate applications based on how well they respond to the evaluation criteria above. FTA may contact you for additional information or clarification about your application. Applications will be rated as Highly Recommended, Recommended, or Not Recommended. After considering the findings of the evaluation committee, the FTA Administrator will determine the final selection and amount of funding for each project.

As part of the selection process, the Administrator may also consider:

Geographic variety;
Variety of transit system sizes receiving funding;
Propulsion types receiving funding;
Whether an applicant is from an urban, small urban, or rural area or is a tribal government; and
If the applicant has received other Federal transit funds and the management of those funds.
Applicants that best reflect the prioritization of reducing vagrancy as detailed in Executive Order 14321 “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.

Within the Low-No Program, FTA intends to prioritize low-emission projects over zero-emission projects, to the maximum extent permitted by law. FTA intends to prioritize zero-emission projects that are highly innovative, particularly those utilizing automated vehicle technology, over other zero-emission projects.

The Department intends to apply principles from DOT Order 2100.7 (Ensuring Reliance Upon Sound Economic Analysis in DOT’s Policies, Programs and Activities) and DOT Order 2100.9 (Ensuring Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Department of Transportation Policies, Programs, and Activities) when evaluating applications and making award selections. To the maximum extent permitted by law, DOT will prioritize projects that are in alignment with the principles outlined in DOT Orders 2100.7 and 2100.9.

Additional considerations include the following and should be addressed in the Supplemental Form:

Topic	Description
Opportunity Zone	To receive credit, you must: Identify whether the project is located in or supports public transportation service in a qualified opportunity zone designated pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-1; and Identify the Census Tract Number(s) of the opportunity zone(s) at the time of designation (Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Notice 2018-48). The 2020 Census did not impact the boundaries of opportunity zones. More information and a link to a map of Opportunity Zones can be found on the IRS Opportunity Zone website; and Describe how the proposed project will impact the opportunity zone(s).
Cost-Effective Vehicle Procurements	For vehicle projects only. To receive credit, you must: Commit to procuring vehicles from a State schedule without selecting customization options; or Commit to participating in a joint procurement with at least three total transit agencies using a common specification; or For low- or zero-emission projects that identify a partnership with a vehicle manufacturer, commit to buying a standard vehicle model without customizations. Include a letter from the manufacturer that confirms this.
Strengthen U.S. Vehicle Manufacturing Industry	For vehicle projects only. To receive credit, you must: Commit to using advance payments or progress payments; and Describe how contracting terms will expedite payments to vehicle original equipment manufacturers.
Benefits for Families and Communities	To receive credit, you must: Describe how the project will improve the accessibility of transportation to families with young children, to include improved access to jobs, healthcare facilities, recreational activities, and commercial activity; or Describe how the project will improve the quality of life, raise the standard of living, or enable fuller participation in the economy by families.

Applicants may receive less than the amount originally requested. In those cases, applicants must show that the proposed project or subset of proposed activities can still be completed with the amount awarded.

Risk Review

FTA analyzes risk for all recipients through the Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity evaluation criterion described in Section 6 (Application Review Information) above.
Before making a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, FTA must review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the Responsibility/Qualification records available in SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).
You can review and comment on any information in the Responsibility/Qualification records available in SAM.gov.
Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 CFR 200.206, FTA will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the Responsibility/Qualification records in SAM.gov.

7. Award Notices

How Project Selections Are Announced

FTA will publish a list of the selected projects, including Federal dollar amounts, award recipients, and discretionary IDs associated with the projects.

Discretionary IDs are used to track competitive awards in FTA’s grant management system.
FTA does not notify unsuccessful applicants separately. If you are unsuccessful, you may request an application debrief within a certain timeframe after project selections are posted. See the Implementation Guidance document that will be published on FTA’s website after selections are announced for details.

Pre-Award Costs

Unless authorized by FTA in writing after announcement of the FY 2026 Bus and Low-No awards, any costs incurred prior to FTA’s obligation of funds for a project (“pre-award costs”) are ineligible for reimbursement and cost share requirements. Pre-award costs are costs incurred after the award announcement, but directly pursuant to the negotiation of a grant agreement, where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work, as determined by FTA.

How Funds Are Obligated

If selected, you will apply for a grant through TrAMS. The appropriate FTA Regional Office will award the grant in TrAMS, obligating the funds.

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Except as otherwise provided in this NOFO, Low-No Program and Bus Program grants are subject to the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5339 and the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR part 200.
Recipients of funding in urban areas are subject to the grant requirements of the Urbanized Area Formula Grants program (49 U.S.C. 5307). For guidance on these requirements, refer to FTA Circular “Urbanized Areas Formula Grant Programs Guidance” (FTA Circular 9050.1A).
Recipients of funding in rural areas are subject to the grant requirements of the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program (49 U.S.C. 5311). For guidance on these requirements, refer to FTA Circular “Formula Grants for Rural Areas: Program Guidance and Application Instructions” (FTA Circular 9040.1H).
All recipients must follow applicable award management requirements. For guidance on these requirements refer to FTA Circular, “Award Management Requirements” (FTA Circular 5010.1F).
Awards will incorporate by reference the terms of FTA’s most recent Master Agreement.
A project funded under this NOFO must comply with FTA’s Buy America (49 U.S.C. 5323(j)) and the Build America, Buy America Act’s domestic preference requirements for infrastructure projects (§§ 70901–70927 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. 117–58), which together require that all iron, steel, manufactured goods, and construction materials used in the project be produced in the United States and set minimum domestic content and final assembly requirements for rolling stock. Any proposal that will require a waiver of any domestic preference standard must identify the items for which a waiver will be sought in the application. Applicants should not proceed with the expectation that waivers will be granted.
As a condition of award, a recipient must have completed FTA’s most recent Certifications and Assurances.
- Applicants for the Bus Program are encouraged to utilize the innovative procurement practices found in Section 3019 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 5325, note). If selected for funding, any project that purchases fewer than five buses through a standalone procurement must provide a written explanation why the tools authorized under Section 3019 were not utilized.
Rural and Tribal applicants that are seeking support in developing compliant procurements are encouraged to visit the National Rural Transit Assistance Program’s website for assistance, including access to ProcurementPRO (https://www.nationalrtap.org/Technology-Tools/ProcurementPRO), their free web-based procurement process guide.
Applicant Certification
- Except where prohibited by court order, pursuant to Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, as a condition of grant award, each Recipient must agree that its and its regulations’ compliance in all respects with the equal protection principles of the U.S. Constitution and all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws and regulations is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code.
- Except where prohibited by court order, pursuant to Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, as a condition of grant award, each Recipient must certify that it does not operate any programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that violate the U.S. Constitution or any applicable Federal anti- discrimination laws.
- The applicant assures and certifies, with respect to any application and awarded Project under this NOFO, that it will comply with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, executive orders, policies, guidelines, and requirements as they relate to the application, acceptance, and use of Federal funds.
- To the extent a court order bars the implementation or enforcement of one or more of these conditions with respect to a particular applicant or recipient, the Department will not implement or enforce the relevant condition(s) against that applicant or recipient for as long as the order remains in place.

Reporting Requirements

Post-award reporting requirements include submitting Federal Financial Reports (FFR) and Milestone Progress Reports (MPR) in TrAMS, and FTA’s National Transit Database (NTD) reporting (see FTA Circular 9050.1A and FTA Circular 9040.1H). Applicants should include any goals, targets, and indicators referenced in their application for the project in the Executive Summary of the TrAMS application.

As part of completing the annual Certifications and Assurances required of FTA grant recipients, a successful applicant must report on the suspension or debarment status of its organization and principals. If a recipient’s active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceed $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of an award made pursuant to this Notice, the recipient must ensure the information available in the responsibility/qualification records through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings is current and complete. This requirement is in addition to the requirement that an applicant maintain an active SAM registration.

For more information on these reporting requirements, please (see 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII).

Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience

It is the policy of the United States to strengthen the security and resilience of its critical infrastructure against both physical and cyber threats. FTA intends to prioritize applicants who voluntarily participate with the following TSA issued Security Directive 1582-21-01, “Enhancing Public Transportation and Passenger Railroad Cybersecurity” on December 31, 2021. The Security Directive, which applies to all public passenger rail owners and operators identified in 49 CFR 1582.101, requires four critical actions:

Designate a cybersecurity coordinator who is required to be available to TSA and the DHS's CISA at all times (all hours/all days) to coordinate implementation of cybersecurity practices, and management of security incidents, and serve as a principal point of contact with TSA and CISA for cybersecurity-related matters;
Report cybersecurity incidents to CISA;
Develop a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan to reduce the risk of operational disruption should their Information and/or operational technology systems be affected by a cybersecurity incident; and
Conduct a cybersecurity vulnerability assessment using the form provided by TSA and submit the form to TSA. The vulnerability assessment will include an assessment of current practices and activities to address cyber risks to information and operational technology systems, identify gaps in current cybersecurity measures, and identify remediation measures and a plan for the owner/operator to implement the remediation measures to address any vulnerabilities and gaps.

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