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DERA

National Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA)

 

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2021 Request For Applications OPEN

EPA anticipates awarding approximately $46 million in competitive grant funding under the Diesel Emissions Reductions Act (DERA) National Grants Program. The program is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions and exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas.

Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 11:59  p.m. (ET) to be considered for funding.

Important Dates

Activity Date
Request for Applications (RFA) OPEN

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Information Session Webinars

 
Tuesday, January 26, 2021; 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Join the Webinar
Dial-In: (202) 991-0477
Participant Code: 863 530 573#
 
Wednesday, Feburary 3, 2021; 3:00 p.m. (ET)
Join the Webinar
Dial-In: (202) 991-0477
Participant Code: 609 539 899#
 
Thursday, February 11, 2021; 2:00 p.m. (ET)
Join the Webinar
Dial-In: (202) 991-0477
Participant Code: 451 189 144#
 
Deadline for Submittal of Questions
Questions and Answers (PDF)(16 pp, 257 K,  January 14, 2021)
March 5, 2021 at 4 p.m. (ET)
Deadline for Applications Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 11:59  p.m. (ET)
Notification of Selected Applicants April-May, 2021
Funding of Awards June-October, 2021

Supporting Information for RFA

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Questions and Answers

All applicants are encouraged to review the Questions and Answers (PDF)(16 pp, 257 K, January 14, 2021) for further clarification of this Request for Applications. Applicants may email written questions to: dera@epa.gov. All questions submitted via email by 4:00 p.m. ET each Friday during the RFA open period will be answered and posted in the questions and answers document the following week. The deadline for submitting questions is March 5, 2021 at 4 p.m. ET. The final Questions and Answers document will be posted on March 10, 2021. All questions and answers, including those from all webinar information sessions, will be added to this document.

Eligible Applicants

The following U.S. entities are eligible to apply for DERA National Grants:

  • Regional, state, local or tribal agencies/consortia or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality
  • Nonprofit organizations or institutions that represent or provide pollution reduction or educational services to persons or organizations that own or operate diesel fleets or have the promotion of transportation or air quality as their principal purpose.

School districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities and counties are all eligible entities to the extent that they fall within the definition above.

Eligible Uses of Funding

Eligible diesel vehicles, engines and equipment include:

  • School buses
  • Class 5 – Class 8 heavy-duty highway vehicles
  • Locomotive engines
  • Marine engines
  • Nonroad engines, equipment or vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo (including at ports or airports), agriculture, mining or energy production (including stationary generators and pumps).

Grant funds may be used for diesel emission reduction projects including:

Funds awarded under this program cannot be used to fund emission reductions mandated by federal law. Equipment for testing emissions or fueling infrastructure is not eligible for funding.

Please refer to the full RFA for specific information about this competition.

Grant Process

The RFA includes information on how to prepare and submit a proposal package. The proposal package must be received by the deadline and include the following documents:

  • Project Narrative (no more than 11 pages)
  • Standard Form SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance
  • Standard Form SF 424A – Budget Information
  • EPA Form 4700-4 - Pre-Award Compliance Review
  • EPA Key Contacts Form - Key Contacts Form
  • Applicant Fleet Description information (not included in the page limit)
  • Emissions Reduction Calculations (not included in the page limit)
  • Cost-Share Commitment Letters, if applicable (not included in the page limit)
  • Partnership Letters, if applicable (not included in the page limit)
  • Mandated Measures Justification Supporting Information, if applicable (not included in the page limit)
After the closing date, all eligible applications will be reviewed and ranked. Selected projects may be fully or partially funded. 

Tools and Resources for Applicants

Reporting Templates for Grantees

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