Okaloosa County BOCC — June 7, 2016 — Transportation Disadvantaged Grant Application, Coordinated Review Sheet, and Associated Documents — reading text

established to provide opportunities for non-sponsored transportation disadvantaged citizens to obtain access to transportation for daily living needs when they are not sponsored for that need by any other available federal, state or local funding source. This is a reimbursement grant. Grantees must provide service or procure capital equipment before seeking reimbursement. This manual contains information regarding the Transportation Disadvantaged Non-Sponsored Trip and Equipment Grant Program administered by the Commission. Its purpose is to provide program guidance to Community Transportation Coordinators (CTCs) when planning and implementing non-sponsored transportation disadvantaged services and purchasing equipment under this program. This manual is divided into two parts: Program Requirements and the Grant Application Instructions and Forms. PART I TRIP AND EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS This part of the manual contains requirements of the trip/equipment grant program. 1. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION A. Eligible Recipients For this grant cycle, an eligible recipient is any current Commission approved CTC who has an executed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP), unless otherwise approved by the Commission or the Commission’s Designee. The recipient of these funds will be referred to as the Grantee. B. Allowable Expenditures The grant funds allocated from the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund are for the specific purpose of reimbursing the CTC for a portion of the cost of each passenger trip provided to eligible non-sponsored transportation disadvantaged individuals, or for equipment to be utilized in the designated service area. The trip and equipment grant funds are to be expended and utilized in accordance with Chapter 427, Florida Statutes; Rule 41-2, Florida Administrative Code; Commission policies; the grant agreement; and this grant manual. Trip and Equipment Grant Program Manual 1 Form Rev. April 22, 2016 The Grantee shall not use grant funds to supplant or replace funding of transportation disadvantaged services that are currently funded by any federal, state, or local governmental agency. The grant funds shall not be used as a system subsidy to cover other operating costs or deficits. The following is a detailed description of the two areas for which these grant funds may be utilized. (1) Non-sponsored trips: A non-sponsored trip is a one-way trip for an eligible individual who meets the definition of transportation disadvantaged and is not sponsored by any other federal, state or local government program. These trips are coordinated by the Grantee and can be provided by any conveyance, either publicly or privately owned. These trips originate and/or end in the Grantee's service area for the purpose of health care, shopping, education, employment, recreation, or other life sustaining activities. There shall be an approved eligibility application for each rider who receives a non-sponsored trip or bus pass. This documentation shall be made available upon request by CTD Staff or a designee. Personal care attendants (PCAs), escorts, and companions of eligible individuals are not an eligible reimbursement expense. However, they are recognized as a cost of doing business and should be accounted for when determining a rate structure. (2) Capital Equipment: Capital equipment is any equipment used to maintain or provide improved or expanded transportation services to the transportation disadvantaged and is utilized within the Grantee’s coordinated system. Eligible capital equipment may include, but is not limited to: a. Paratransit vehicles, including small buses, vans, or sedans; b. Wheelchair lifts, ramps, restraints, or other safety equipment; c. Two-way radios and communications equipment (TDD -Telecommunications Device for the Deaf), cell phones, excluding annual service contracts; d. Computer hardware/software; e. Support equipment, other than items specifically identified in this section, above $500 per piece; f. Vehicle procurement, testing, inspection acceptance, and vehicle rehabilitation when the rehabilitation extends the life of the vehicle one year beyond the original expectancy; g. Initial installation or set-up costs of any of the above items. Capital equipment does not include the acquisition, construction, or improvement of facilities. In addition, funding cannot be used for extended warranties or maintenance or service agreements beyond those included with the initial purchase of the capital equipment. Trip and Equipment Grant Program Manual 2 Form Rev. April 22, 2016 2. GRANT FUNDING Each year, the Commission will calculate each service area’s allocation in accordance with 41-2 FAC. Each service area's anticipated eligible allocation is subject to change based on annual appropriations approved by the Legislature. A maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the total Trip and Equipment Grant project budget can be used for the purchase of capital expenditures. Voluntary dollar contributions can only be used to purchase non-sponsored trips and cannot be used to fund capital equipment. A. TRANSFER OF PLANNING ALLOCATION Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Funds allocated for planning grants to Planning Agencies, that are not needed and are not obligated by a grant agreement, may be included in the respective CTC's non-sponsored trip and equipment grant agreement. Prior to executing the grant agreement, contact the Planning Agency for the service area to determine if there is any unneeded planning allocation. If so, the unneeded portion of the planning grant allocation can be included in the trip and equipment grant agreement, provided the local match is available. These arrangements are expected to occur prior to the execution of either grant agreement within the same grant cycle, and requires documentation by both parties to the Commission related to the desired transfer and use of any planning allocation. B. LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENT (1) Trip & Equipment Match - This grant program provides ninety-percent (90%) funding and requires a ten-percent (10%) local cash match generated from local " sources. No state or federal government revenues are acceptable as local match. All match funding must be documented, reasonable, necessary, and related to this project. Examples of cash generated from local sources include local appropriations, dedicated tax revenues, private donations, net income generated from advertising and concessions, contract revenues, and farebox revenues. (2) Voluntary Dollar Contribution Match - A ten-percent (10%) in-kind match for the voluntary dollar contributions is required. All in-kind match used as a funding mechanism must be equivalent to a cash value and be documented, reasonable, necessary, and related to this project. Examples of in-kind match that are acceptable to the Commission include non-cash donations, volunteered services, or salaries and fringe benefits. Any service provided with State or Federal government revenues is not accepted as in-kind match. Trip and Equipment Grant Program Manual 3 Form Rev. April 22, 2016 FUNDING PARTICIPATION FORMULA Allocation for Non-Sponsored Trip & Equipment Grant State 90% Local cash match 10% 100% Voluntary dollar contribution for Non-sponsored Trips State 90% Local in-kind match 10% 100% GRANT APPROVAL All grants are subject to approval by the Commission or its designee. Once documentation of capital equipment needs, rate model calculation spreadsheets, fixed route service rates, and other information is confirmed, a grant agreement will be forwarded to the recipient for execution. Costs incurred prior to grant agreement execution cannot be charged to the project, nor will the Commission give retroactive grant agreement execution. Costs incurred by a recipient to prepare and file this agreement are not eligible project costs for this project. INVOICING Invoices for Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Funds will not be honored until the grant agreement has been executed by both the Commission and the grantee, and is on file at the Commission office. Funds will be expended at the fare structure contained in the approved Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan and Exhibit B of the grant for the particular type or mode of service. Invoices related to this grant agreement shall be completed on the invoice form(s) provided by the Commission and submitted electronically to FLCTDInvoice@dot.state.fl.us unless otherwise notified by the Commission. Grantee shall invoice on a monthly basis actual costs that may be above or below (+/-) the amount of the monthly allocation disbursement schedule reflected on Exhibit "B”. At times, this may result in “underbilling” or “overbilling”. Any excess (underbilled) funds may be recaptured on a monthly invoice that does not exceed the cumulative total of funds disbursed to date with supporting documentation. No excess funds remaining on the grant at the end of the grant period will be reimbursed to the Grantee. Any overpayment of TD funds must be repaid to the Commission upon project completion. Invoices may not be reimbursed at an amount which is greater than the cumulative disbursement schedule to date. The Grantee will make every effort to submit invoices within 30-days after the month of service provision. Trip and Equipment Grant Program Manual 4 Form Rev. April 22, 2016 The Grantee must provide supporting documentation for reimbursement identifying the specific trips designated as eligible for the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund. The Grantee shall provide sufficient detailed documentation for each cost or claim for reimbursement to allow an audit trail to ensure that the services rendered or costs incurred were for those that were provided. The documentation must be sufficiently detailed to comply with the laws and policies of the Department of Financial Services. Failure to submit to the Commission detailed supporting documentation with the invoice or request for project funds will be cause for the Commission to refuse to pay the amount claimed by the Grantee until the Commission is satisfied that the criteria set out in Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, and Rule 41-2, Florida Administrative Code, is met. Unless extended by the Commission, the final invoice and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Commission in acceptable format by August 15, 2017. Capital Equipment Invoice Support Documentation: Invoices for Capital Equipment shall include a description of the capital equipment purchased, stated exactly as it is on Exhibits A and B of the grant agreement. Support documentation must accompany any invoice submitted to the Commission for equipment purchased with Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Funds. This documentation includes, but is not limited to: 1. Copy of paid invoice from vendor that provides serial number of equipment (if applicable) or vehicle identification number; 25 If vehicle purchase, copy of Application for Title listing the Commission as Lien Holder; 3. Copy of proof of payment to vendor for the purchase of the capital equipment; and 4. Copy of proof of insurance (for vehicle only). 5. CAPITAL EQUIPMENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All capital equipment purchases made with funds from the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund shall be reviewed by the Local Coordinating Board (LCB) and approved by the Commission prior to grant execution. Equipment purchased shall meet or exceed any applicable Commission accepted minimum specifications. The Commission accepts any specifications by any local, state, or federal government department. If the Grantee plans to purchase vehicles or other equipment after the date of the Agreement, the Grantee will request the Commission amend the grant to include such equipment. An amended Trip and Equipment Application Form reflecting the capital equipment, reviewed and signed by the