FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM
FY 2003 ANNUAL FEDERAL PLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The following is a summary of the FHWA=s Annual HBCU Plan for FY 2003 regarding its commitment to increasing the capacity of HBCUs to benefit from federally sponsored programs.

Goals:

1. To increase the number of highway research, development and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements awarded to HBCUs.
2. To increase the number of HBCU students pursuing transportation careers by participating in programs such as the Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowship Program.
3. To expand the number of HBCUs sponsoring a Summer Transportation Institute.
4. To establish a partnership with a HBCU in every State or Territory where a HBCU is located.

Objectives:

1. To increase partnerships while maintaining a good work relationship with its existing HBCU partners and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education.
2. To expand and increase funding of the National Summer Transportation Institutes (STI), and the Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups. To publicize the successes and awardees of the Summer Transportation Institutes, the Internships, Cooperative Education efforts, Fellowships, and other forms of student employment.
3. To increase awards for research and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to HBCUs.

The FHWA will continue to focus on expanding opportunities for HBCUs in three categories -- Partnerships, Human Resources, and Grants and Contracts.

Partnerships

The FHWA has signed partnership agreements with 23 HBCUs. It is through these agreements that HBCUs are provided technical assistance, curriculum development, exchange of staff and resources. The goal of the partnerships is to forge a better, ongoing relationship with each HBCU. Some of the planned major programs under this category for FY 2003 include the Local Technical Assistance Program, the Entrepreneurial Development Institute, and the On-the-Job Training/Supportive Services (OJT/SS) program. In FY 2003 the FHWA plans to continue establishing partnerships with HBCUs until a partnership agreement is signed in every State or Territory where an HBCU is located.

Human Resources

The Human Resources category involves the funding of scholarships, fellowships and other related activities to HBCUs students to pursue transportation careers. Fellowships are awarded to HBCU faculty to increase their understanding of the Federal and Federal-aid programs. The major activities under this category are as follows:

• Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program - For FY 2003, there are plans to administer 48 Eisenhower HBCU Fellowships at several HBCUs.
• Summer Transportation Institute (STI) - This 4 to 5-week program is designed to encourage and motivate minority youth to pursue transportation careers. The students actively participate in a series of academic and practical experiences. Since its inception more than 1,000 students, the Greenville Chapter of the National Urban League, and 28 HBCUs have participated in the Program. This program has expanded each year; FY 93 one institute with 20 students, FY 94 one institute with 40 students, FY 95 six institutes with 140 students, FY 96 twelve institutes with 375 students, FY 97 sixteen institutes with 490 students, FY 98 seventeen institutes with 321 students, FY 99 30 institutes with 645 students, FY 2000 34 institutes with 700 students, FY 2001 42 institutes with 900 students, and FY 2002 40 institutes with an estimated 761 students. For FY 2003 the FHWA plans to maintain its sponsorship of all the current institutes.
• On-the-Job Training Supportive Services (OJT/SS) - The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century provided annual funding for OJT/SS projects with innovative approaches and nationwide implications to support employment opportunities for people moving from welfare to work, women, and minorities in fields of highway construction and transportation technology. The FHWA plans to expand its efforts to provide HBCUs/MIHEs with information about opportunities to partner with State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to provide innovative OJT/SS programs. All HBCUs will be encouraged to develop proposals to assist minorities and women in developing job readiness skills and support systems which facilitate acceptance and retention in highway construction trades or related technology fields.

Grants and Contracts

The FHWA is committed to ensuring greater participation by HBCUs in highway research, development, and technology contracts and grants. For FY 2002, the FHWA plans to increase the number of awards to HBCUs for research and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. Some of the activities planned under this category include the following:

• Environmental Research Grants - HBCUs will be awarded environmental research grants to conduct research in the areas of wetlands, water quality, historic preservation, transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, and transportation air quality requirements.
• Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) - The purpose of the LTAP Program is to provide the transfer of highway technology and technical assistance to rural and local governments. The LTAP centers conduct a variety of activities that include a communication center that link local highway agencies, tribal governments, States, universities, and the Federal Government.
• Entrepreneurial Development Institute (EDI) - The EDI Program provides training and technical assistance to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises firms to enhance their capability to obtain highway construction and related contracts. Some training and technical assistance topics include: (1) Small Business Management, (2) Computerized Budgeting and Payroll, (3) Construction Estimating and Bidding, and (4) Business Plan Development. The HBCUs will continue their participation in the EDI Program by partnering with FHWA and State Departments of Transportation.
• Competitive Assistance Program for HBCUs and MIHEs - The FHWA has developed the framework for a new competitive assistance program, which limits competition to only HBCUs and Other MIHEs. These colleges and universities compete among themselves for grants and cooperative agreements that are relevant to one or more of FHWA's five strategic goals. The program was introduced in FY 2000. This program is expected to direct 1 million dollars in contract/cooperative agreement awards to HBCUs and Other MIHEs in FY 2003.

FY Annual Plan Projected Awards for FY 2003. The FHWA projected awards to HBCUs for FY 2003 is $8,528,217 a decrease of $ over the awards amount $ to HBCUs for FY 2002.

PART 1: Summary of FY 2003 HBCU Planned Awards by School and Category:

PART 2: Summary of FY 2003 HBCU Planned Awards by Category: FY 2003

1. Federal Highway Administration
   AGENCY
2. Edward W. Morris, Jr. Associate Administrator for Civil Rights
   NAME/SIGNATURE OF REPRESENTATIVE TITLE
3. TOTAL OF FUNDS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION $

+IHEs = Institutions of Higher Education
*HBCUs = Historically Black Colleges and Universities