Post Secondary Education
US Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Civil Rights
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National Summer Transportation Institute Program
FY2016 Webinar
November 19, 2015
Leadership Introductions
Irene Rico, HCR Acting Associate Administrator
Irene.Rico@dot.gov
202-366-0693
Martha Kenley, DBE & Workforce Development
Martha.Kenley@dot.gov
202-366-8110
Vision
- A diverse, well-qualified workforce in the transportation industry in the 21st Century and beyond
- Promote greater awareness of career opportunities within the transportation industry
Purpose
- Promote awareness of Science, Technology & Math (STEM) educational and career opportunities among disadvantaged and at-risk middle and high school students around the country
- A recognized educational established in 1998
Learning Outcomes
- Clarify Program Objectives
- Define Roles and Responsibilities
- Review Solicitation Process
- Define Organizational Structure
- Implement the NSTI Program
- Manage the Budget
Program Objectives
- Improve STEM Skills
- Provide awareness to middle and high school students about transportation careers
- Encourage middle and high school participants to consider transportation-related courses of study in their higher education pursuits.
- Continue to expand program to include at-risk- youth & other untapped US territories.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Oversight/Monitoring
- HCR
- Division Offices (DO)
- Station Transportation Agencies (STA)
- Host Sites
Overview of Solicitation Process
- NSTI Program Manager secures funding from the OJT/SS Program Manager
- Solicitation notice sent to STA indicating program funding by mid-December, 2015
- Grants posted to www.grants.gov by _____, 2016
- Who is eligible and can participate in the program
- STA solicits FY16 NSTI programs from Universities Colleges (competitive process)
Solicitation Process (cont'd)
- Host sites create Statement-of-Work (SOWs)
- STA evaluates SOWs, including budgets based on established criteria
- STA selects program(s) to approve
Solicitation Process (cont'd)
- STA sends recommended SOWs to Division with explanation of why they approved and explanation for "not-approved" by _____, 2016
- Division reviews SOWs to ensure they meet established criteria
Overview of Solicitation Process (cont'd)
- Divisions posts approved SOWs to SharePoint for HCR concurrence and by _____,2016
- HCR prepares Administrator's Package for review and final concurrence by the U.S. DOT Secretary of Transportation by _____, 2016
- HCR notifies Divisions of awards and allocates the funding in the Financial Management Information
System (FMIS)
Host Sites
- Host sites are participating accredited colleges and universities throughout the U.S., District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Host Sites (cont'd)
- Major responsibilities:
- Submit application to the STA
- Ensure application aligns with program objectives
- Establish cooperative agreement with STA
- Recruit (participants /staff and faculty)
- Administer and track STI budget expenditures
- Ensure transportation-related curriculum
- Complete program questionnaire
Organizational Structure: NSTI Program
- Provide Host Site Information
- Designate Project Director (credentials)
- Establish as residential or nonresidential
- Detail Program Type:
- Middle School Program (career exploration focus)
- High School Program (Post- Secondary Education/Transportation-Related Careers)
Organizational Structure: NSTI Program (cont'd)
- Establish program length (2-4 weeks)
- Program Design/Curriculum
- Provide minimum of 15 Participants
Organizational Structure: NSTI Program (cont'd)
- Orientation
- Discuss Expectation of Participants
- Provide Overview of Planned Activities
- Provide Host Site General Information
- Review Rules and Regulations
- Closing Program
- Feature the Talents of the Graduates
- Provide Certificates of Completion
- Provide Suggested Awards for Accomplishments
Budget
- Requests for funds cannot exceed allocated amount
- Program is a 100% Federal Share
- Budget Summary
- 2 CFR 225, Super-circular follow for any kind of grant for allowable costs
Budget Note: (cont'd)
- Capped Budget Items:
- Personnel + Fringe Benefits
- Cannot Exceed 45% of Total Budget
- Indirect Cost - Cannot Exceed 15% of Program Direct Cost:
- Unless the Institution has another approved Indirect Cost Allocation Plan (ICAP) by some other Federal agency
Budget (cont'd.) **
- Food
- Funds: requested or In-Kind Contribution
- Reasonable Cost
- Orientation Meeting
- Closing Program
- Residential Program - Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Non-Residential Program - Lunch
- Cost of Snacks not allowed
Stipends
- Participant stipends are allowed, but only if funding is not being requested for room and board for a residential program and with FHWA's prior consent.
- Consent will not be withheld if the amount is reasonable, prudent, and supported by written justification and submitted to the FHWA Division Office for approval
Program Curriculum
- Program Components
- Academic program
- Enhancement program
- Sports and recreation program
Risk Assessment Factors
- Safety
- Fire Drills & Natural Disasters
- Buddy System
- Emergency Response System
- Staff Alert System
- Incident Reporting
- Participants With Disabilities
Selection Criteria
- Each proposal is based on a broad range of criteria including, but not limited to the following:
- the extent to which the proposed program will expose students to educational and career opportunities in the transportation industry, and in particular, in highway construction
Selection Criteria (cont'd)
- anticipated number of student participants
- length of the program (two-four weeks)
- host site (accredited college/university)
- extent to which minority and female students participate
- richness of the program's academic enhancements
- field exposure
- The itemized budget
Qualified Proposal Meets...
- Law 23 USC 140 (b) authorizes this program
- MAP-21 reauthorizes funding for the OJT/SS program, out of which NSTI funding is obtained (Section1109 (a))
- Administrative Criteria (refer to desk reference)
- Allowable Budget Items (refer to desk reference)
- Concise (10-page)
Proposal Components
- Program Information
- Program Overview
- Program Administration
- Recruitment
- Student Selection Procedures
- Staffing Requirements
- Program Cost (itemized budget)
- Inter-Modal Advisory Committee
Proposal Components (cont'd)
- Partners
- Implementation Schedule
- Program Curriculum
- Follow-up Survey of Participants
Annual Program Assessment
- It provides a way to evaluate the program
- Link to the assessment/questionnaire is sent to the Host site Project Director via an assessment tool
- HCR may update assessment questions annually
Annual Assessment (cont'd)
- Requirement of the NSTI Program
- Project Directors need to complete the assessment annually (mid-October)
- Submit responses using web link
Annual Assessment (cont'd)
- Copies of Responses are sent to Division Office
- Civil Rights Specialists for their records
- HCR compiles data that will be used to make a Final report with recommendations for improvement
- Final report provided to Senior Management within 60 days
Allocation of Funds
FHWA
HCR » FHWA
DIVISION » STA
- HCR Confirms the STI Budget Amount from the Office of the Secretary.
- HCR Allocates Funds to the Division Office for distribution to the STA to run the NSTI.
- STA Provides Funding to Host Sites by Entering into a Cooperative Agreement
- Each Host Site Follows its Respective STA Procurement Rules and Regulations
Funding Reimbursement Process
STI Host Site » STA » FHWA Division
- STI Host Site Submits Invoices to its STA.
- STA reviews invoices for accuracy & allowable costs
- STA submits paid invoices to FHWA Division Office with an assurance that paid invoices do not contain non-allowable costs and, that invoices match the expenses in the proposal's budget.
- Unexpended funds are due at the conclusion of the program
Who Can Participate in the Program? Who Do I Contact?
- Any accredited institution of higher education may apply to serve as a host site for this program
- Interested parties should contact their STA and/or FHWA Division Office
Contact Information
Joyce Gottlieb
joyce.gottlieb@dot.gov
NSTI Program Coordinator
Office of Civil Rights
202-366-3664
Questions?
