Meeting_Body
REVISED
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JANUARY 18, 2017
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA) SECTION 5310, SECTION 5316 AND SECTION 5317 GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2017
ACTION: APPROVE SOLICITATION AND ALLOCATION PROCESSES
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. APPROVING the FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals for FTA Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities, Section 5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and Section 5317 New Freedom Program funds, for which Metro is the Designated Recipient for the urbanized areas of Los Angeles County, including the following:
1. The Allocation Process shown in Attachment A;
2. The solicitation funding marks estimated up to $9,692,287 for Section 5310 projects, $8,013,181 for Section 5316 projects, and $665,306 for Section 5317 projects, for a combined total of $18,370,774; and
3. The Application Package shown in Attachment B.
B. ALLOCATING $10,139,411 in Section 5310 funds for Access Services as identified by the FY 2017 Funding Allocation Process, for Traditional Capital Projects, to support complementary paratransit service that the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is the Designated Recipient for FTA Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Program funds in urbanized areas of Los Angeles County. As such, it is responsible for the planning, programming, distribution, and management of these funds. To fulfill Metro’s Designated Recipient obligations, staff is requesting Board approval to allocate available federal funding for Los Angeles County, to conduct a competitive FY 2017 solicitation process, and to provide technical program support and monitor grant sub-recipients.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program
The Section 5310 Program funds “traditional” capital and “other” capital and/or operating projects that support the transportation needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities. Traditional Capital Projects are capital public transportation projects that are planned and designed to meet the needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities when public transit is insufficient, unavailable or inappropriate. Other Capital and/or Operating Projects include new public transportation projects that: 1) exceed ADA requirements, 2) improve access to fixed-route and decrease reliance on complementary paratransit service, and 3) provide transportation alternatives to public transit that assist seniors and individuals with disabilities. Non-profit organizations or state and local governmental authorities are eligible recipients of funding. Three years of Section 5310 apportionments (Federal FYs 2015, 2016 and 2017) for the urbanized areas of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Santa Clarita, and Lancaster-Palmdale will be allocated through the FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals and to Access Services. Metro must certify that projects receiving Section 5310 funds are included in a locally-developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan. The 2016-2019 Coordinated Plan for Los Angeles County was adopted in July 2015.
Section 5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) & Section 5317 New Freedom Programs
The proposed FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals will also include the allocation of Section 5316 JARC and Section 5317 New Freedom repurposed funds previously approved for agencies that later indicated they would not implement their projects or did not need their full grant award. These funds were apportioned to the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim urbanized area of Los Angeles County. Effective July 6, 2012, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) repealed the Section 5316 JARC and Section 5317 New Freedom Programs; thus no new funding apportionments will be made under these programs. As a result, project readiness will be a key consideration during the proposal evaluation process. Project sponsors must begin implementation and fund draw-down expeditiously.
The Section 5316 JARC Program seeks to improve access to transportation services to employment and employment-related activities by welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals. It also aims to transport residents of urbanized and non-urbanized areas to suburban employment opportunities regardless of their income.
The Section 5317 New Freedom Program seeks to reduce barriers to transportation services and expand the mobility options available to people with disabilities, including transportation to and from employment and employment support services. Section 5317 Program funds may be used for new services that exceed ADA requirements, improve access to fixed-route service, decrease reliance on complementary ADA paratransit service, and/or provide transportation alternatives. Non-profit organizations or state and local governmental authorities are eligible recipients of funding.
Allocation Process
As the Designated Recipient, Metro is responsible for the selection of projects, and must certify that the distribution of funds to its sub-recipients is fair and equitable. The Section 5310 Working Group was reconvened consisting of representatives from the Bus Operations Subcommittee (BOS), the Local Transit Systems Subcommittee (LTSS), and the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) who reviewed and discussed the allocation of funds. Attachment A shows the allocation process recommended by the Working Group and approved by BOS, LTSS and AAC.
The Working Group’s recommendation is a hybrid approach for Section 5310 Program funds that allocates: 1) 49% of total funds to Access Services for Traditional Capital Projects; 2) 46% of total funds to the competitive project selection process; and 3) the remaining 5% to Metro to implement federally-required Designated Recipient oversight responsibilities and technical assistance to grant sub-recipients. The 49% allocation to Access Services is based on the agency’s regional reach, needs, and historical shares of Section 5310 and Section 5310 funds previously awarded. The proposed 5% allocation for Metro is half of the maximum allowed by FTA.
The total Section 5316 JARC and Section 5317 New Freedom Program funds available are planned to be allocated entirely through the solicitation process.
Solicitation Funding Marks
Under the FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals process, the following amounts are proposed to be available for each program: 1) up to $7,097,660 for Section 5310 Traditional Capital Projects; 2) up to $2,594,627 for Section 5310 Other Capital and Operating Projects; up to $8,013,181 for Section 5316 JARC Projects; and 4) up to $665,306 for Section 5317 New Freedom Projects. Attachment A includes a chart that shows these amounts for each urbanized area.
Application Package
The FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals Application Package is based largely on the application used for the FY 2015 Solicitation for Proposals for Section 5310 funds but was modified to incorporate the Section 5316 and Section 5317 Programs as well. Metro staff solicited and received input from the Section 5310 Working Group on the Application Package content and format, including the evaluation criteria and selection process. Overall, the Working Group recommended that the format generally remain the same as the application used in FY 2015 with suggestions for clarification in certain sections. Attachment B contains the proposed application and provides an overview of each funding program, including updated information on: 1) eligible applicants and sub-recipients; 2) eligible projects; and 3) federal and local funding shares.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Approval of the recommended actions will have no impact on the safety of Metro’s customers and employees.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
All of the recommended actions will be fully funded through the federal Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Programs. No other Metro funds will be required to manage, administer and oversee the program. The proposed allocations include $1,043,774 to support Metro’s management, administration and oversight obligations as the Designated Recipient of the funds.
Impact to Budget
Approving the recommended actions will not impact Metro’s bus and rail operating and capital budgets, as Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Program funds are not eligible for these purposes.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve all or some of the recommended actions. Staff does not recommend this alternative because without Board approval, Metro cannot fulfill its responsibilities as the Designated Recipient of Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Program funds. Without Board approval, Metro also could risk losing about $6.8 million in Section 5310 Program funds that will lapse, if not obligated through the FTA approval of a grant by September 30, 2017.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
With Board approval, staff will proceed to administer the activities necessary to make federal Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Program funds available for the FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals. The application package will be released on January 31, 2017 and project applications will be due April 28, 2017. In addition, staff will work with Access Services to ensure a grant application is submitted to FTA for the Board-approved amount to prevent lapsing of federal funds. Staff expects to return to the Board for approval of funding recommendations in June 2017, as shown in the schedule provided in Attachment C.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - FY 2017 Funding Allocation Process - Section 5310, Section 5316 and Section 5317 Program Funds
Attachment B - Application Package for the FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals
Attachment C - Schedule of Activities - FY 2017 Solicitation for Proposals
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Jami Carrington, Senior Manager, Transportation Planning, (213) 922-7364
Cosette Stark, DEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2822
David Yale, SEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2469
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Therese W. McMillan, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-7077
