Regional Solicitation of Federal Transportation Projects
October 27, 2011 - Transportation Advisory Board votes to re-start the 2011 regional solicitation
In August, the Transportation Advisory Board voted to suspend the 2011 regional solicitation scoring process for a minimum of 60 days. At that time, the extension of SAFETEA-LU was going to expire on September 30 and the TAB anticipated that Congress and the President would agree to a new long-term surface transportation funding Act that would provide funding for the program years in the regional solicitation; 2015 and 2016. In delaying the solicitation process, the TAB would know the impacts of the new Act on the regional solicitation and could react accordingly.
In mid-September, Congress and the President agreed to the 8th extension of SAFETEA-LU, providing funding for another six months and leaving project eligibility unchanged. This action did not provide the TAB with any insights as to the availability of federal transportation funds that would be allocated to projects in the regional solicitation.
At its meeting on October 19, the Transportation Advisory Board voted to resume the 2011 regional solicitation process. The TAB’s action includes performing the qualifying criteria review and project scoring. It does not include developing funding options and allocating funds. The TAB feels that waiting for passage of a new Act or at least a clear indication of funding levels and project eligibility is the best way to avoid over-committing federal funds in this regional solicitation. Applicants should understand that although projects will be scored, the TAB makes no commitment to fund these projects until the level of funding and project eligibility is determined in a new federal surface transportation funding Act. By scoring the projects now, the TAB will be ready to consider funding options when reauthorization is approved and more is known about the new Act.
The TAB and other transportation partners will continue to closely monitor reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU and will communicate developments to all the 2011 regional solicitation applicants and our stakeholders in regional transportation planning and programming. See the revised schedule through completion of the scoring process.
Applications and Appendices for STP, CMAQ, TE, and BIR Programs
Application for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
For information concerning the regional solicitation contact:
- James Andrew at 651-602-1721 or james.andrew@metc.state.mn.us,
- Kevin Roggenbuck at 651-602-1728 or kevin.roggenbuck@metc.state.mn.us, or
- Carl Ohrn at 651-602-1719.
The 2009 Regional Solicitation Results
The 2007 Regional Solicitation Results
The 2005 Regional Solicitation Results