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Three-Year Plan to Implement Executive Order 13270 on Tribal Colleges and Universities
(Fiscal Years 2006, 2007 and 2008)

Executive Summary

The following is a summary of FHWA’s planned activities to assist TCUs for FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008 regarding its commitment to increasing the capacity of TCUs to benefit from Federally sponsored programs.

The goals and measurable objectives the FHWA plans to achieve during fiscal years (FY) 2006, 2007 and 2008 for the TCUs are to:

1. Increase the number of highway research, development and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements awarded to TCUs by assisting the TCUs with their skill level for bidding on research and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements.
2. Increase the number of TCU students pursuing transportation careers by participating in programs such as the Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowship Program, Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups, and the Transportation and Civil Engineering Careers Program, and to publicize the successes of the internships, cooperative education efforts, fellowships, and other forms of student employment.
3. Maintain/expand the number of TCUs serving as a National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) host site; introduce more students to the transportation industry and transportation-related careers; increase funding of NSTIs; and publicize the successes and awardees of NSTI awards.
4. Establish a partnership in every State or Territory where a TCU is located - enter into at least two partnership agreements with TCUs for each fiscal year.

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

Partnerships

The FHWA has signed partnership agreements with seven TCUs. It is through these agreements that TCUs are provided technical assistance, curriculum development, exchange of staff and resources. The goal of the partnership is to forge a better ongoing relationship with each TCU. Some of the planned major programs under this category for FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008 include the Tribal Technical Assistance Program, the Entrepreneurial Development Institute, and the On-the-Job Training/Supportive Services (OJT/SS) program. In FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008 the FHWA plans to continue establishing partnerships with TCUs until there’s a partnership in every State or Territory where a TCU is located.

Human Resources

The Human Resources category involves the funding of scholarships, fellowships and other related activities to TCU students to pursue transportation careers. Fellowships are awarded to TCU 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 awards fellowships to qualified students at various colleges and universities pursuing degrees in transportation-related disciplines. This program advances transportation education, research and workforce development and encompasses all modes of transportation. In FY 2006, the Universities and Grants Programs (U&GP) plans to increase the total number of Eisenhower Fellowships at MIHEs by at least 10%. Of the 185 planned Eisenhower Fellowships, approximately three will be awarded to students attending TCUs. This is an increase of two compared to FY 2005 of one fellowship to a TCU. In FY 2007, the U&GP plans to award a total $1.4M in fellowship funding to students at all institutions of higher education (IHE), of which $55,000 is planned for TCU students. In FY 2008, the U&GP plans to award a total of $1.6M in fellowship funding to students at all IHEs, of which $60,000 is planned for TCU students.
• National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) Program is a four-to-five week program designed to encourage and motivate secondary school students to pursue transportation related careers. The students actively participate in a series of academic and practical experiences. Since its inception more than 6,000 students and six TCUs (the College of Menominee Nation; Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College; Northwest Indian College, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, and White Earth Tribal and Community College) have participated in the Program. FHWA’s Office of Civil Rights continues to extend the boarders of opportunity for youth with disabilities to participate in the NSTI. Joining the pilot specialized STI at the University of Missouri Kansas City are four new specialized STIs for youth with disabilities: Claflin University; Rutgers University; University of Vermont; and Milwaukee Area Technical College. In FYs 2006, 2007 and 2008, FHWA plans to maintain its sponsorship of all the current NSTI host sites and increase the number of TCUs serving as a host site. Currently, there are five TCUs serving as STI host sites (the College of Menominee Nation; Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College; Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, and White Earth Tribal and Community College).
• On-the-Job Training/Supportive Services (OJT/SS) Program (23 U.S.C. 140 (b)) is a pre-apprenticeship program and through partnerships between State governments and the construction industry, provides 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. In FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008, FHWA plans to expand its efforts to provide TCUs with information on opportunities to partner with State departments of transportation (DOT) to provide innovative OJT/SS programs. TCUs will be encouraged to develop proposals to assist Native American men and women in developing job readiness skills and support systems, which facilitate acceptance and retention in highway construction trades or related technology fields. Listed below are several of the FHWA’s OJT/SS projects planned for FYs 2006 and 2007.
• Salish Kootenai College - Salish Kootenai College Highway Construction Trades Program is designed to recruit, train and secure employment for minorities and women in the highway construction industry.
• Fort Peck Community College- Truck Driving/Heavy Equipment Program is designed to recruit and train individuals in the operation and maintenance of highway related construction equipment. Fort Peck plans to recruit twenty American Indian students with an estimated graduation rate of 80% for job placement.
• College of Menominee Nation – Transportation Alliance for New Solutions Program is a public-private model for collaboration and success for preparing the underemployed with skills needed to gain access to the road-building industry as laborers and apprentices.

Grants and Contracts

The FHWA is committed to ensuring greater participation by TCUs in highway research, development, and technology contracts and grants. For FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008, FHWA plans to increase the amount of funds awarded to TCUs for research and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. The following are activities planned under this category:

• Environmental Research Grants - In FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008 TCUs will be offered an opportunity to apply for 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.
• Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) provides training, transfer of highway technology and technical assistance to rural, local and Tribal governments. The TTAP Centers conduct a variety of activities that include a communication center that links local highway agencies, Tribal governments, States, universities and the Federal Government.
• Entrepreneurial Development Institute (EDI) 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. In FYs 2006, 2007 and 2008, FHWA plans to continue working with TCUs to assist with their participation in the EDI Program by partnering with FHWA and State Departments of Transportation.

FY Annual Plan Projected Awards for FYs 2006, 2007, and 2008

The FHWA projected awards to TCUs for each FY are as follows: FY 2006 - $719,142, FY 2007 - $944,669 and FY 2008 - $986,358. There is an increase of $281,283 for FY 2006, $506,810 for FY 2007, and $548,499 for FY 2008 over the total estimated award of $437,859 for TCUs in FY 2005.

Planned Outreach Efforts for Native Americans based on requirements of Executive Order 13270

Minnesota

• The Minnesota DOT Seeds Program is a student worker program that focuses on minority and economically disadvantaged students and offers on-the-job work experience, training and mentoring opportunities with the potential for permanent placement based on performance and job availability. In FY 2006, Minnesota DOT plans to recruit at least 36 students to participate in the program.

Kansas

• Kansas DOT and the YWCA of Topeka have initiated a joint program to train women and minorities for jobs in the highway construction and maintenance industry. For FYs 2006 and 2007, plans have been made to conduct two 8-week training sessions in Topeka and one 8-week session in Wichita. The goal is to train 20 students per session with a placement goal in highway construction of 75%. The program will continue to provide outreach to low income and minority populations in the Topeka, Kansas City and Wichita areas and the Prairie Band of the Potawatomi Indian reservations.

Michigan

• In FY 2006, the Michigan Division Office was awarded innovation and technology funding to conduct a Tribal Transportation Summit to be held in April 2007. The Summit will be held at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa in Traverse City Michigan. The Summit will bring together transportation officials from the Tribes, Michigan DOT (MDOT), and FHWA to develop procedures and processes to handle issues of concern. A committee with MDOT, FHWA, and Tribal representation will be established to identify the issues and complete the agenda for the meeting.
• MDOT, FHWA, and the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center committee members are in the process of the planning their 2008 Construction Career Days (CCD) event. In 2007, the committee will participate in a CCD event in another State to gain experience in hosting a CCD. The committee continues to solicit interested partners for participation in the event. Two CCD events are planned for 2008, one in the lower part of the State and one in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The event in the Upper Peninsula is aimed at encouraging Tribal schools to participate.
• MDOT plans to expand its participation in the Transportation and Civil Engineering (TRAC) Program. Its goal is to have TRAC school participation in each of its seven regions by the end of FY 2008. MDOT currently has five schools participating in two regions. In expanding this program MDOT hopes to have at least one school on the reservations in Michigan express an interest in the program.

New Mexico

• The New Mexico LTAP Center plans to develop a training contract with Dine College in Arizona. This will be a four year contract with a total of $200,000 over the life of the contract. NMLTAP Center estimates spending approximately $25,000 in FY 2007 for training at Dine College.

Wisconsin

• For FY 2007, Wisconsin DOT plans to sponsor two Partnership for Employment Workshops, one located in Milwaukee and the other one in Northern Wisconsin. The workshops will be designed to provide understanding of, and promote the use of equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs, requirements, and best practices to firms, individuals, and community organizations. A company EEO Official will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the Milwaukee Workshop and an official of the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Northern Workshop, which will be conducted on the CMN campus. One focus of both workshops will continue to be the Transportation Alliance for New Solutions (TrANS), a public-private model for collaboration and success for preparing the underemployed with skills needed to gain access to the road-building industry as laborers and apprentices. TrANS demonstrates how the public and private sectors can work together to address the outreach, preparation, placement and retention of women and minorities in the highway skilled trades. For the FY 2008 workshops, the WisDOT will continue to promote the TrANS program and Native American outreach.

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