Frequently Asked Questions - Port Infrastructure Development Grants
How can I tell if I am a rural applicant?
A project is designated as urban if it is located within or exactly on the boundary of a 2020 Census-designated Urban Area (UA) and that UA had a population greater than 50,000.
A project will be designated as rural if it is located:
- In an UA that had a population less than 50,000 in the 2020 Census, or
- Outside of any UA
For projects that include expenditures in both urban and rural areas, the Department will designate the project as urban or rural based on where the majority of project funds will be spent.
PIDP FY24 applicants can utilize the searchable PIDP-specific map located on the DOT’s Rural Eligibility map webpage (Rural Eligibility | US Department of Transportation) to determine whether they are an urban or rural applicant.
When are important PIDP 2024 milestones?
Where can I submit the application?
Final applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.
What if I am having technical issues with grants.gov?
Please refer to the following links for technical issues with grants.gov:
You can also contact Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726
How much funding is available this year?
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $2.25 billion for the PIDP program over five years (2022-2026), $450,000,000 of which is available in fiscal year 2024. The FY24 Appropriations Act provided an additional $50 million for the FY24 PIDP. In total, $500,000,000 is available for FY24 PIDP grants.
What are the major changes from the FY 2023 PIDP Round?
- Clarifies that projects that support seafood and seafood-related businesses are eligible for PIDP funding.
- Clarifies eligibility of projects for shore power.
- Amends the definition of Small Port and clarifies how MARAD will determine that an applicant qualifies as a Small Port.
- Adds a definition of strategic seaport and clarifies that MARAD may give priority to providing PIDP funding to strategic seaports in support of national security requirements.
- Adds rating rubrics for the statutory merit criteria.
- Updates guidance related to Selection Considerations based on Departmental priorities (Climate Change and Sustainability, Equity and the Justice40 Initiative, and Workforce Development, Job Quality, and Wealth Creation).
- Per changes made to the PIDP statute in section 3513 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Pub. L. 118-31, December 22, 2023) (FY 2024 NDAA), the cost-effectiveness determination stated in Section D.2.i. is waived for all large projects located in noncontiguous States and U.S. territories. Additionally, MARAD will not evaluate these projects under the Supporting Economic Vitality merit criterion.
- Updates guidance related to the factors reviewers will consider in project readiness evaluations.
Other changes have been made throughout the FY 2024 PIDP NOFO to better illustrate application requirements.
Applicants who are planning to re-apply using materials prepared for prior competitions should ensure that their FY 2024 PIDP application fully addresses these changes and that all relevant information in their application is up to date.
Who can receive PIDP Grants?
– A State or political subdivision of a State or local government;
– an Indian Tribe or consortium of Indian Tribes.
– A public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more States.
– A special purpose district with a transportation function.
– A multistate or multijurisdictional group of entities; or
– A lead entity described above jointly with a private entity or group of private entities (including the owners or operators of a facility, or collection of facilities, at a port). Federal agencies are not eligible applicants for the FY 2024 PIDP.
Are projects improving Federally owned facilities eligible?
No, improvements to Federally owned facilities are not eligible for PIDP grant funds. Examples of Federally owned facilities include infrastructure owned by the National Park Service or General Services Administration. However, projects on facilities that are owned by an eligible applicant but located on Federally owned land for which the title or maintenance responsibility is vested in the Federal Government, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs-owned roads, are eligible.
What types of projects are eligible for PIDP Grants?
Eligible projects for FY 2024 PIDP grants shall be located either within the boundary of a port, or outside the boundary of a port and directly related to port operations or to an intermodal connection to a port. Grants may be made for capital projects that will be used to improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of:
(I) the loading and unloading of goods at the port, such as for marine terminal equipment;
(II) the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port, such as for highway or rail infrastructure, intermodal facilities, freight intelligent transportation systems, and digital infrastructure systems;
(III) operational improvements, including projects to improve port resilience; or
(IV) environmental and emissions mitigation measures; including projects for—
(a) port electrification or electrification master planning;
(b) harbor craft or equipment replacements or retrofits;
(c) development of port or terminal microgrids;
(d) provision of idling reduction infrastructure;
(e) purchase of cargo handling equipment and related infrastructure;
(f) worker training to support electrification technology;
(g) installation of port bunkering facilities from ocean-going vessels for fuels;
(h) electric vehicle charging or hydrogen refueling infrastructure for drayage and medium or heavy duty trucks and locomotives that service the port and related grid upgrades; or
(i) other related port activities, including charging infrastructure, electric rubber-tired gantry cranes, and anti-idling technologies.
(V) port and port-related infrastructure that supports seafood and seafood-related businesses, including the loading and unloading of commercially harvested fish and fish products, seafood processing, cold storage, and other related infrastructure.
Eligible projects also include projects to provide shore power at a port that services:
– Passenger vessels described in section 3507(k) of title 46, United States Code; and
– Vessels that move goods or freight.
What does the Department mean by the term “leverage”?
The term leverage, as used in the PIDP NOFO, refers to the degree to which a project uses non-federal sources of funding to pay for grant project costs. This can include State, local and private sector funding.
Where can I find information on how to develop my application’s benefit-cost analysis?
All applicants should carefully review the DOT’s Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance, which provides general information and guidance on conducting a benefit-cost analysis for grant applications.
That guidance is available here: https://www.transportation.gov/mission/office-secretary/office-policy/transportation-policy/benefit-cost-analysis-guidance
Where can I learn more about the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its relationship to PIDP awards?
For more information about MARAD’s NEPA process, please see MAO 600.1, which details the procedures MARAD uses for NEPA compliance.
What can an applicant do to better prepare for FY24 PIDP?
An applicant should pay particular attention to its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) status.
An applicant must: (1) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (2) provide a valid UEI in its application; and (3) continue to 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 a Federal awarding agency.
MARAD may not make a FY 2024 PIDP grant award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make a PIDP grant award, MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a PIDP grant award and use that determination as a basis for making a PIDP grant award to another applicant.
What are some common application mistakes to avoid?
A few helpful hints:
· Proof-read your application before it is submitted. Double check your work in Grants.Gov. Ensure that you include all the files you need to submit, especially any files or attachments referenced in your application narrative, with your final application.
· Submit your application before the deadline of May 10, 2024 at 11:59:59 pm EDT. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered, unless an applicant is able to provide verification that a technological issue error prevented their application from being correctly submitted.
· Pay close attention to the content and format of your BCA. Among other things, ensure the BCA is clear and reproducible and free of technical errors or miscalculations. Remember to include any spreadsheet files (in their original format, such as Excel) and provide any technical memos describing the analysis (including, as appropriate, the source of values used that are different from the values suggested in the USDOT BCA guidance document.
· Ensure that you properly document how the parties to a project have the authority to carry out the project and that each party is clearly aware of their respective roles.
Last updated: Thursday, April 4, 2024