27 CAR Part 71 — Rules for Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grants

Chapter V

Subchapter A

Subpart 1

27 CAR § 71-101 Title {#sec-27-car-71-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-101}

27 CAR § 71-101. Title.

This part shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s “Rules for Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grants”.

27 CAR § 71-102 Purpose {#sec-27-car-71-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-102}

27 CAR § 71-102. Purpose.

(a) This part describes the State Highway Commission and the Arkansas Department of Transportation procedures for awarding grants from the Future Transportation Research and Workforce Development Fund for the Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program.

(b) The purpose of the Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program is to support:

(1) The study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions to provide resilient and sustainable logistics, processes, materials, and methods to ensure cost-effectiveness and the furtherance of education and economic development concerning all forms of transportation; and

(2) Industry training, apprenticeship, and educational programs to foster skills required for transportation-related personnel development.

27 CAR § 71-103 Procedures {#sec-27-car-71-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-103}

27 CAR § 71-103. Procedures.

(a) Potential applicants will be notified when an application period begins by email, letter, advertisement in applicable publications, and/or a notice on the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s website.

(b)(1) The minimum amount requested for each application is twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).

(2) There is no limit to the maximum amount that can be requested.

(3) However, it should be noted that only five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is available each year.

27 CAR § 71-104 Selection committee {#sec-27-car-71-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-104}

27 CAR § 71-104. Selection committee.

(a)(1) Applications will be reviewed and scored by the Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program Committee.

(2) It will be the duty of the committee to rate the quality of each application in order to recommend which applications will receive funding.

(b) The committee will be comprised of the following members:

(1) Arkansas Department of Transportation Assistant Chief Engineer – Planning, Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program Chair;

(2) Department Materials Division Head;

(3) Department Transportation Planning and Policy Division Head;

(4) Department System Information and Research Division Head;

(5) Department Human Resources Division Head;

(6) Department Workforce Development Section Head; and

(7) Department Staff Research Engineer.

27 CAR § 71-105 Eligible applicants {#sec-27-car-71-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-105}

27 CAR § 71-105. Eligible applicants.

Any publicly funded institution of higher education may submit an application to receive a grant for transportation-related research or workforce development to the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

27 CAR § 71-106 Scoring criteria {#sec-27-car-71-106 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-106}

27 CAR § 71-106. Scoring criteria.

(a) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 27-65-145, “transportation-related research” means the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions to provide resilient and sustainable logistics, processes, materials, and methods to ensure cost effectiveness and the furtherance of education and economic development concerning all forms of transportation, including without limitation rail, public transportation, aviation, and waterborne transportation.

(b) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 27-65-145, “workforce development” means industry training, apprenticeship, and educational programs that foster skills required for transportation-related personnel development.

27 CAR § 71-107 Award process {#sec-27-car-71-107 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-107}

27 CAR § 71-107. Award process.

(a)(1) The Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program Committee will submit their recommendation or recommendations for award of Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program funding to the Director of State Highways and Transportation.

(2) Upon the director’s approval, a minute order will be submitted to the State Highway Commission for their approval.

(3) Upon approval, a letter will be sent to each applicant informing them of the award amount granted for their application.

(b)(1) An agreement of understanding will be prepared by the Arkansas Department of Transportation for each grant recipient.

(2) The recipient and the director must both sign the agreement of understanding before funds will be distributed.

27 CAR § 71-108 Reporting requirements {#sec-27-car-71-108 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-27-part-71--27 CAR § 71-108}

27 CAR § 71-108. Reporting requirements.

(a) At the end of each state fiscal year, the recipient must provide the Arkansas Department of Transportation with certification that expenditures were an appropriate use of the Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program funds accompanied with a summarized expenditure report.

(b) Additionally, upon expenditure of all Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program funds or completion of the project, whichever occurs first, the recipient must submit a final report detailing what has been accomplished by the project and certifying that all expenditures were made in accordance with the Transportation-Related Research and Workforce Development Grant Program.