Will ADOT administer a project on behalf of local entities if no ADOT Grant Coordination Support Form was submitted and no letter of support from ADOT was received by the applicant?

If a local entity submits a federal grant application without coordinating with ADOT and going through the grant support process, ADOT may not have the capacity or resources to administer the project on behalf of the applicant.  For a successful grant development, early coordination with ADOT is strongly recommended.

How much does it cost for ADOT to administer a project for a local entity?

ADOT’s LPA Section and the ADOT Project Manager will work with the local entity to determine:

  • Project Development Administration (PDA) cost; and
  • Construction Engineering (CE) cost.

The applicants should account for ADOT’s PDA cost and CE cost in their project cost estimates if they are anticipating ADOT to administer the project.

Are local, tribal, BIA or county road system projects eligible for federal grant programs?

It depends on the grant. The NOFO will indicate the eligible road classifications and/or projects. In general, however, if a road/project is not eligible for regular federal aid, it is unlikely it will be eligible under USDOT/FHWA grant programs. There may be grant opportunities specific to local, tribal, BIA or county road systems (visit grants.gov for available opportunities).

Can my agency be a direct recipient of the grant or does ADOT need to administer the grant funded project?

It depends on the grant. The NOFO will indicate specific requirements and if awardees can be direct recipients or not. Some grants require that ADOT administer projects on the non-CA (Certification Acceptance) applicant’s behalf. Most grant funds are federal aid and are bound by applicable requirements and processes specific to the NOFO.