Supporting Statement A- CHBP_12.31

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The Supporting Statement A

FY24 Competitive Highway Bridge Program

OMB Control No. 2125-XXXX

Introduction:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is making this information collection request to facilitate delivery of the Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP). The CHBP provides funding for bundled bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects. The CHBP requirements, and funding in the amount of $250 million, are authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-42, Section 126, March 9, 2024. This is a new collection that will request project applications that FHWA will use make determinations on grants for up to eighteen eligible State Departments of Transportation.

Part A. Justification.

1. Circumstances that make collection of information necessary:

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-42, Section 126 provides funding in the amount of $250 million that may be awarded by FHWA for CHBP grants. The CHBP supports multiple priorities and strategic goals of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The applications that are submitted in response to this collection will address how the proposed projects contribute to the goal areas of Safety, Mobility, Economic Growth, and Human and Natural Environment. The bridge projects will improve safety and mobility by replacing and rehabilitating bridges that require condition improvement and that have substandard attributes that affect safety and/or mobility, e.g., substandard load capacity, geometry, or hydraulics. The projects will support economic growth by contributing to mobility and job creation. The projects will contribute to the human and natural environment by mitigating existing impacts or taking actions to avoid or reduce future impacts associated with the project.

2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is the information used:

The information will be used by FHWA to review and evaluate applications from as many as 18 eligible State Departments of Transportation. FHWA requires this information to confirm that legal eligibility requirements are met and to identify projects that best support the priorities and goals of the CHBP and U.S. Department of Transportation. Information on eligibility will substantiate that the proposed projects will be administered by an eligible applicant, include bridges that are in the National Bridge Inventory, are for replacement and rehabilitation, and include a bundle of two or more bridges. Information on alignment with priorities and goals will address how the proposed projects contribute to merit criteria within the areas of State of Good Repair, Safety and Mobility, Innovation, and Environment and Job Creation. Information will also substantiate that the proposed projects will proceed to construction before the fund obligation deadline and that the cost sharing responsibilities of project sponsors can be fulfilled.

3. Extent of automated information collection:

To expedite the application process and eliminate paperwork, applicants are encouraged to submit all information in electronic form through the Grants.gov web site (http://www.grants.gov). An application by paper will be accepted. The application instructions will explain in detail the application format and content and place limits on the number of pages to constrain burden. The format and content instructions will comply with Title 2 CFR Grants and Agreement Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

4. Efforts to identify duplication:

This is a new grant program. Similar information has not been collected. The application instructions will allow for submittal of an abbreviated application when an eligible applicant wishes to submit an application that was previously submitted to the Bridge Investment Program. That capability will apply when the project was not awarded but was found responsive, received a merit rating of at least medium, and meets the CHBP eligibility requirements. The Bridge Investment Program is an ongoing multi-year grant program administered by FHWA.

5. Efforts to minimize the burden on small businesses:

This information collection will not burden small businesses. Applications will be completed by State DOTs.

6. Impact of less frequent collection of information:

This is a one-time nonrecurring collection.

7. Special circumstances:

None of these special circumstances apply to this collection.

8. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.8:

FHWA published the 60-day notice to the Federal Register on October 25, 2024, at [89 FR 85282], soliciting comments from the public on this information collection. There were no comments received.

FHWA published the 30-day notice to the Federal Register on December 31, 2024, at [89 FR 107190], notifying the public of submission of this information collection to OMB.

9. Payments or gifts to respondents:

There will not be any stipends or gifts made to the State DOTs for their applications.

10. Assurance of confidentiality:

The application instructions explain that any information that is publicly released will exclude the names and resumes of key contacts. If the application contains confidential business information, e.g., information that the applicant considers to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information, it must be provided in a separate document marked as confidential. This information, if determined to be confidential, will be exempted from Freedom of Information Act disclosure.

11. Justification for collection of sensitive information:

No personal or private information will be requested.

12. Estimate of burden hours for information requested:

The number of respondents is a maximum of 18 eligible State DOTs. This is a one-time information collection. The estimated burden per response is 100 hours per application. It is estimated that each awarded grant will require an additional 60 hours to complete the funding agreement and prepare biannual project monitoring reports that disclose performance indicator values and financial expenditures. Project monitoring reports will occur for an estimated four years on average. Total burden is 3,780 hours. 2,700 hours for preparing applications assuming 27 applications (the 18 applicants are allowed to submit more than one application) and 1,080 additional hours for the awarded grants assuming 18 awards. The hours will vary depending on project complexity and can be less than estimated.

Respondent	No. of Respondents	Frequency of Responses	Total Initial Burden Hours	Total Annual Burden Hours	Total Burden Hours
State DOTs	18 (maximum)	Initial collection then biannual	2,700	1,080	3,780
Total	18		2,700	1,080	3,780

13. Estimate of total annual costs to respondents:

Respondents will not incur an annual cost beyond the annual burden hours described in question 12. There are no start-up or maintenance costs associated with this information collection.

14. Estimate of cost to the Federal government:

FHWA Headquarters will incur costs for program management, application review, project award, and project monitoring. FHWA Division Offices will incur costs for project award and monitoring. Headquarters program management is estimated to incur 500 hours. Headquarters application review and documentation is estimated to incur 10 hours per application for 270 hours total assuming 27 applications. Headquarters project award and monitoring is estimated to incur 50 hours per project for 900 hours total assuming 18 awards. FHWA Division Office project award and monitoring is estimated to incur 50 hours per project for 900 hours total.

Labor Group	No. of Hours	Hourly Rate1	Cost
Grade 14 FHWA HQ Staff	500	$105.98	$52,990
Grade 13 FHWA HQ Staff	1,070	$89.68	$95,958
Grade 13 FHWA Division Office Staff	900	$78.62	$70,758
Total	2,220		$219,706

15. Explanation of program changes or adjustments:

This is a new collection.

16. Publication of results of data collection:

The awarded grants will be listed on FHWA’s website: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bripro.cfm

17. Approval for not displaying the expiration date of OMB approval:

None.

18. Exceptions to certification statement:

None.

1 OPM hourly rates https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2024/DCB_h.pdf. Assume step 5 within each grade. Headquarters rates include locality pay for Washington D.C. Division Office rate includes locality pay for Rest of U.S. A multiplier of 1.4 is applied to the OPM rates to account for total compensation.