Memorandum. P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 1 of 7

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1 Memorandum Date: To: Prospective Project Sponsors From: Seon Joo Kim Senior Transportation Planner Through: Amber Crabbe Assistant Deputy Director Subject: Cycle 4 Lifeline Transportation Program Call for Projects APPLICATIONS DUE BY 5 P.M. ON DECEMBER 18, 2014 The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (Transportation Authority) is pleased to announce a call for projects for up to $4.92 million in Lifeline Transportation Program (LTP) funds. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) established the LTP to fund projects improving mobility for low-income Bay Area residents that: evolve out of a collaborative and inclusive planning process; address gaps or barriers identified through community-based transportation plans, other substantive local planning efforts, or other documented assessment of transportation needs of low-income persons; and improve a range of transportation choices. This memo highlights the most critical information for potential LTP projects in San Francisco. MTC s detailed guidelines are provided in Attachment 1 and referenced throughout the memo in a box at the end of each section. Noteworthy issues or changes from previous cycles are marked with. This memo includes the following sections: 1. Program Administration 2. Available Funds and Local Match 3. Eligible Project Sponsors 4. Eligible Projects 5. Project Delivery Requirements 6. Monitoring Requirements 7. Prioritization Criteria 8. Application Process 9. Schedule 10. Contact Information Please visit the Transportation Authority s LTP website < for call for projects materials and any updates after the release of this call. P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 1 of 7

2 1. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION In its role as the Congestion Management Agency (CMA), the Transportation Authority is responsible for administering the overall LTP for San Francisco. MTC has assigned the Cycle 4 LTP s three funding sources as follows: State Transit Assistance (STA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) funds will be programmed by CMAs. Funding available is based on each county s share of the regional low-income population, which is the subject of this call. The following sections focus only on these funds. State Proposition 1B (Prop 1B) funds are assigned to transit operators based on their share of the regional low-income ridership and regional low-income population. Upon concurrence from applicable CMAs, transit operators may program Prop 1B funds to capital projects that are consistent with LTP guidelines. For this cycle, SFMTA was assigned $6,189,054 in Prop 1B funds, and BART was assigned $4,604,653. MTC s Guidelines: Sections 2-Program Administration, 5-STA and Section 5307 Programming Process, and 6-Proposition 1B Programming Process 2. AVAILABLE FUNDS AND LOCAL MATCH The Transportation Authority s share of funds subject to this call totals up to $4.92 million, including up to $3.86 million in STA and $1.06 million in Section 5307 JARC funds, covering a threeyear programming cycle from Fiscal Year (FY) 2013/14 through FY 2015/16. FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16 Total STA $1,309,667 $1,321,564 $1,233,805 $3,865,036 Sec (JARC) $340,740 $358,104 $363,834 $1,062,678 Programming variability: Due to the uncertainty of forecasting STA revenues, MTC requires CMAs to program 95% of their county s estimated STA amount (i.e. $3,671,785 for San Francisco, or $193,251 less than the original estimate), and develop a contingency plan for the remaining 5% should it become available. We will work with sponsors selected for STA funds to program the revenue above the 95% level (i.e. up to an additional $193,251) should the actual revenue level match the original estimate. Funds in later years are preliminary projections, subject to revision based on actual revenue generation (FY 2015/16 for STA funds) and federal appropriations (FY 2014/15 and FY 2015/16 for Section 5307 JARC funds); therefore, sponsors should plan to defer the start of the projects selected for these funds until the funding is appropriated and secured. We will work with sponsors and MTC to program funds in years requested to the extent possible. Local match: The LTP requires a minimum local match of 20% of the total project cost except for Section 5307 (JARC) operating projects and auto-related projects, both of which require a 50% match. Sponsors may use non-department of Transportation federal (e.g. grants from Department of Health and Human Services or Department of Housing and Urban Development), state (e.g. Transportation Development Act (TDA) or operator-controlled STA), or local (e.g. local sales tax or private foundation grants) fund sources for the match. The match may also include a non-cash component (e.g. donations, volunteer services, in-kind contributions) as long as the value of each is documented with a letter of commitment as part of the application, represents a cost that would otherwise be eligible under the program, and is included in the net project cost in the project budget. P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 2 of 7

3 Minimum/Maximum: In light of the administrative effort of securing and administering LTP funds, we recommend a minimum grant request of $300,000, though not strictly requiring it. There is no maximum grant amount beyond the fund availability. MTC s Guidelines: Sections 3-Funding Apportionment and Availability, 8-Local Matching Requirements, 12-Countywide Program of Projects (for availability by fiscal year), 19-Timeline, and Appendix 1 (for overall funding source information) 3. ELIGIBLE PROJECT SPONSORS See table below for eligible recipients and sub-recipients by each funding source. Eligible sub-recipients can receive funds only if partnered with eligible recipients. Eligible Recipients Eligible Sub-recipients STA Transit operators City/county agencies eligible to claim TDA Article 4, 4.5, or 8 funds Sec (JARC) Transit operators that are FTA grantees Public agencies that are not eligible to receive funds directly Non-profit organizations Section 5307 (JARC) applicants must be prepared to comply with all federal requirements as specified in 49 U.S.C Section 5307; FTA Circulars C E, B and ; the recipient s most current FTA Master Agreement; and the most current Certifications and Assurances for FTA Assistance Programs. If partnered with sub-recipients or using third-party contractors, direct recipients will also be responsible for ensuring all sub-recipients and contractors comply with federal requirements. Notably, JARC s rollover into Section 5307 under MAP-21 has imposed additional requirements (e.g. National Transit Database reporting, drug and alcohol testing) to sub-recipients and thus made it even more difficult for non-transit operators to receive the funds. Therefore, we strongly encourage eligible sub-recipients to consider applying only if they have a strong partnership with eligible recipients who have agreed to pass through the funds. Applicants without an identified eligible partner should contact us immediately. MTC s Guidelines: Sections 4-Eligible Recipients/Subrecipients, 17-Fund Administration (for pass-through arrangements and responsibilities), and 18-Compliance with Federal Requirements 4. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS The LTP is intended to fund innovative and flexible operating and capital projects that address transportation needs of low-income populations, many of whom are transit-dependent. Examples of eligible projects include: new, enhanced, or restored transit service, including late-night and weekend services; transit stop enhancements; purchase of vehicles or technologies; transit-related aspects of bicycling (see below); shuttle service; and various elements of mobility management. See Attachment 2 for a list of previously LTP-funded projects in San Francisco. Projects must be consistent with requirements of at least one of the fund sources, as summarized in Appendix 1 of MTC s Guidelines (Attachment 1). In particular, Section 5307 (JARC) funds are restricted to projects that improve access to employment and related activities. Other noteworthy JARC restrictions include: In order to receive operating assistance under Section 5307 (JARC), a project must qualify as development (e.g. creation of a new service, or expansion of an existing service s area or hours of operation) or maintenance (e.g. continuation of services that have previously received JARC funds) P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 3 of 7

4 of transportation services. Continuation of existing services that have not received JARC funds is no longer eligible. See FTA Section 5307 Circular, Chapter IV, Section 5.a for details. Examples of Section 5307 (JARC)-eligible transit-related aspects of bicycling include bicycle racks to vehicles to support individuals that bicycle a portion of their commute; bicycle parking at transit stations; and bicycle sharing infrastructure and operating expenses near transit stations, but not the acquisition of bicycles. See FTA Section 5307 Circular, Chapter IV, Section 5.e(7) for details. MTC s Guidelines: Section 7-Eligible Activities and Appendix 1 (for requirements by funding source) TDA Statutes and California Code of Regulations: Articles 4, 4.5 or 8 (detailed guidelines for STA) < FTA Section 5307 Circular: Chapter IV (detailed guidelines for Section 5307 (JARC) < 5. PROJECT DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS All LTP projects are subject to MTC s project delivery requirements as follows: STA: Expend funds within three years of the date that the funds are programmed by MTC Section 5307 (JARC) funds: Submit FTA grant application by June 2015 for FY 2013/14 and FY 2014/15 funds and June 2016 for FY 2015/16 funds, and expend within three years of the FTA grant award For sub-recipients, the three-year timeline starts from the date of execution of agreement with the passthrough agency. MTC s Guidelines: Section 14-Project Delivery 6. MONITORING REQUIREMENTS As the LTP administrator, the Transportation Authority is responsible for programmatic, fiscal, and project delivery oversight. It must ensure that sponsors deliver LTP projects in a timely manner and meet all deadlines, and that projects remain consistent with the original purpose and general scope approved by the Transportation Authority Board and MTC. Performance Monitoring: Sponsors must establish project goals and identify performance measures to track the effectiveness of the project in meeting the project and overall LTP goals, describe a plan for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the project, and detail steps to be taken if original goals are not achieved. Minimum requirements by project type include: For service-related projects, such as fixed-route or shuttle service or non-capital mobility management activities: documentation of new units of service provided with the funding (e.g. number of trips, service hours, workshops held, car loans provided, etc.), cost per unit of service, and a summary of service delivery procedures employed for the project For capital projects: documentation of milestones and project delivery status Reporting: Sponsors are responsible for satisfying all reporting requirements, as referenced in Appendix 1 of MTC s Guidelines (Attachment 1), and submitting quarterly progress reports via the Transportation Authority s Portal page: Sponsors are also required to copy us on all reports and requests submitted to MTC and other funding agencies. Amendments: All budget and scope changes must be approved first by the Transportation Authority and then by MTC to ensure consistency with LTP goals. P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 4 of 7

5 MTC s Guidelines: Sections 15-Project Oversight and 16-Performance Measures 7. PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA Only eligible projects will be further evaluated using the prioritization criteria described below. MTC s Guidelines largely dictate the overall criteria, and MTC staff has concurred with the San Franciscospecific criteria, marked with italicized text below. Community-Identified Priority: Strategies emerging from local Community-Based Transportation Plans or other substantive local planning efforts involving focused outreach to low-income populations will be prioritized. Projects may also demonstrate consistency with the Bay Area s Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, regional welfareto-work transportation plans, or other documented assessment of need within the designated Communities of Concern (CoCs; see Attachment 3 for the definition). Findings emerging from aforementioned planning efforts may also be applied to other low-income areas, or otherwise be directed to serve low-income constituencies within the county. Sponsors must demonstrate community and agency support and/or lack of significant opposition at the time of application. Implementation Plan and Project Management Capacity: Projects that demonstrate an ability to meet timely use of funds requirements, and have no foreseeable implementation issues that may affect project delivery, will be prioritized in order to avoid loss of funds to San Francisco. Sponsors should provide evidence of their financial and management capacity to implement the proposed project, commitment from partner agencies, and a successful experience with delivering state or federal projects. For sponsors who have previously received LTP funds, their track record of delivering LTP projects will be considered. Project Budget and Sustainability: Projects that have secured funding sources for long-term maintenance beyond the grant period will be prioritized. Cost-Effectiveness and Performance Indicators: Projects that will address the identified need of low-income populations in the most cost effective way, based on clear, measurable, outcome-based performance measures, will be prioritized. A plan should be provided for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the project, and steps to be taken if original goals are not achieved. Coordination and Outreach: Projects that are coordinated with other community transportation and/or social service resources will be prioritized. Sponsors should clearly identify project stakeholders and how they will keep stakeholders involved and informed throughout the project implementation. Program/Geographic Diversity: After projects are evaluated based on all of the above criteria, program/geographic diversity criteria will be applied to the entire draft recommended list. The LTP offers a relatively rare opportunity to fund and test new and creative approaches to improving mobility for low-income San Franciscans. The Cycle 4 LTP project list as a whole will be reviewed to ensure a diversity of project types and approaches and benefits to multiple constituencies. 8. APPLICATION PROCESS Outreach and Evaluation: We will hold a workshop for interested sponsors at a special Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting on November 6, 9:30 11 am. Upon receipt of applications we will first screen candidate sponsors and projects for eligibility, including consistency with LTP goals and P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 5 of 7

6 objectives, qualifying sponsorship and project types by funding source, and sufficient local match. Once determined eligible, we will forward applications to San Francisco s LTP Evaluation Panel, comprised of Transportation Authority staff, one representative from MTC s Policy Advisory Council, and other representative stakeholders (e.g. transit operators, community-based organizations, or social service agencies). The LTP Evaluation Panel will rank competing projects, using the prioritization criteria described in the previous section, with efforts to avoid a conflict of interest in selecting projects. Based upon the LTP Evaluation Panel findings, we will develop a final funding recommendation and present it to the Transportation Authority s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Plans and Programs Committee, and Board in January and February See the next section for meeting schedule details. Application Materials: In order to be eligible to compete for this call, sponsors must submit an electronic copy of a complete set of application materials by 5 pm on December 18, 2014, with the subject line of Cycle 4 LTP Application [insert sponsor] to: seonjoo.kim@sfcta.org. A complete application package consists of: Transmittal Letter: A single letter may cover all of the projects being submitted by a single sponsor and must include a list of the projects being submitted by the sponsor, the amount of LTP funds requested for each project, and the sponsor s priorities if multiple projects are submitted. LTP Application (Attachment 4) and all applicable attachments, such as letters of commitment from agencies contributing toward the local match and letters of support. Resources: All materials and resources are available on the Transportation Authority s LTP page < Hard copies may be obtained by contacting us (see the Contact section). Links to other related resources and plans are listed below. MTC s LTP page: San Francisco s and other counties Community-Based Transportation Plans: Regional Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan: Regional Welfare-to-Work Plan: Communities of Concern (CoCs): (an interactive map showing CoCs and their socioeconomic data; see Attachment 3 for definitions) TDA Statutes and California Codes of Regulations (Articles 4, 4.5 and 8): FTA Section 5307 Circular (Chapter IV, Section 5: JARC Projects): 9. SCHEDULE The schedule for the call for projects is shown below. Transportation Authority Board and committee meeting dates and materials are updated at our website < P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 6 of 7

7 October 22, 2014 October 22, 2014 October 29, 2014 November 6, 2014 December 18, 2014, 5 p.m. December 23, 2014 January 7, 2014 Early January, 2015 January 15, 2015 MTC Commission approval of guidelines Transportation Authority CAC INFORMATION Transportation Authority issues a call for projects Transportation Authority TWG LTP Workshop Applications due to Transportation Authority Transportation Authority sends initial comments to sponsors Sponsors submits response to comments Evaluation panel evaluates candidate projects (date pending panel members availability) Draft Prop 1B project lists due to the Transportation Authority January 15, 2015 Transportation Authority TWG Staff recommendation on draft LTP project priorities January 28, 2015 Transportation Authority CAC ACTION San Francisco LTP project priorities February 17, 2015 Transportation Authority Plans and Programs Committee ACTION San Francisco LTP project priorities February 24, 2015 Transportation Authority Board ACTION San Francisco LTP project priorities March 13, 2015 LTP project list due to MTC March 13, 2015 Prop 1B allocation requests due to MTC April 22, 2015 MTC Commission approval of projects 10. CONTACT INFORMATION We encourage potential sponsors to contact us early in the application preparation process to discuss proposed project(s) and/or receive assistance with project planning and completion of the applications. Transportation Authority Contact: Seon Joo Kim, Senior Transportation Planner Phone: seonjoo.kim@sfcta.org Attachments (4): 1-MTC s Cycle 4 LTP Guidelines 2-San Francisco LTP Project List, Cycle 1 through 3 3-Communities of Concern as Identified by MTC 4-LTP Application P:\Lifeline Program\2014 Lifeline Program\Call for Projects\LTP Cycle 4 Call - Memo.doc Page 7 of 7