Standard Development for Bus Exportable Power Systems FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Details: 04/12/2022. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): This is a solicitation for project proposals that develop interoperable standards for Bus Exportable Power Systems (BEPS). The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $1 million of Fiscal Year 2021 funds for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). A synopsis and the full announcement are posted on Grants.gov site as opportunity FTA-2022-005-TRI-SDBEPS. Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov website by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 06/13/2022.

Summary: BEPS enable public transportation agencies, communities and states to access resilient and flexible power options through bus fleet vehicles during major power disruptions. Communities and states often need options for generating power immediately after natural disasters. The goal of this program is to develop national interoperable BEPS standards – working with FTA, industry stakeholders and technical partners – so that different manufacturers’ systems can use the same technology base and applications for BEPS solutions.  A total of $1 million will be awarded competitively for one or more projects that develop BEPS standards to advance widespread design and use of hybrid electric and fuel cell transit buses to be used as mobile power generators. 

Projects will be selected based on the criteria outlined in the notice.

The NOFO implements the request by the Report of the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives (H. Rpt. 116-452, Jul. 16, 2020) accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), that directs FTA to fund $1 million for one or more competitive awards to develop interoperable national standards for Bus Exportable Power Systems.

FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314) authorizes the funds to support the development of voluntary and consensus-based standards and best practices by the public transportation industry. 

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include providers of public transportation, private for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, state or local government entities, or other organizations such as standard development organizations, research consortia, and institutions of higher education.  
Eligible applicants may also identify one or more project partners with a substantial interest and involvement in the proposed project.

Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database and maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by FTA.

Match: Maximum federal share of project costs under this program is 100 percent. Applicants have the option to provide a local share.

Link and Instructions for attaching the supplemental form to the SF-424: All applicants must complete the attached supplemental form and attach it to their submission in GRANTS.GOV.

Dates: An applicant must submit a proposal electronically by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 06/13/2022. Any organization intending to apply should initiate the process of registering on the GRANTS.GOV site immediately to ensure completion of registration before the submission deadline.

For Further Information Contact: For information on this NOFO, contact Raj Wagley, FTA Office of Infrastructure, Safety and Asset Innovation, (202) 366-5386.