The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $292.7 million in discretionary grant funding through the new Port Infrastructure Development Program.
Commenting the latest news, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao , said: “This major investment in the Port Infrastructure Development Program will help strengthen, modernize, and improve our country’s maritime systems and gateway ports.”
Investments in port transportation infrastructure will be awarded on a competitive basis for projects located either within the boundary of a coastal seaport, or outside the boundary of a coastal seaport, and directly relate to port operations or to an intermodal connection to a port.
The Department will evaluate projects using criteria which include leveraging federal funds, project costs and benefits, project outcomes, project readiness, and domestic preference. The Department will also consider geographic diversity when selecting grant recipients, said MARAD in its release.
The deadline to submit an application for the Port Infrastructure Development Program is September 22, 2019.