MATI Round 3 RFP Responses to Questions

Is the MATI program or this RFP being impacted by any federal Executive Orders or other changes?

There are currently no impacts to the MATI program or this RFP. If we receive word from FTA that the project needs to be paused, we will notify our networks immediately, and also update the MATI website. Please be sure that you’re subscribed to our e-newsletter so you receive any related updates.

Can we see the original FTA NOFO and learn the CFDA number?

You can view the original Notice of Funding Opportunity for this program on the FTA website. The CFDA number is 20530.

How long (how many pages) is the full proposal anticipated to be?

Full proposals should not exceed 12 pages, not including any requested appendices or supporting documents. Documents must be in 12 pt, Times New Roman font, single-spaced, with margins of no less than 1 inch. 

Do we need any letters of support? 

Proposing teams only need a letter of support in the following instances:

• Proposing teams include an organization that is not receiving any of the budget. That organization should submit a letter of support acknowledging partnership.
• Proposing teams are receiving in-kind or cash match from an organization. The partner providing the match should submit a letter that confirms match amount.

Otherwise, proposing teams do not need to provide letters of support for the proposal. 

If a proposing team or members have previously collaborated with the University of Minnesota, does that impact our application negatively?

No. Previous work with the University of Minnesota will not be taken into account. Every proposal will be evaluated based on a consistent review process.

Can an eligible team member participate on more than one MATI grant application?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of teams that an eligible entity can join. 

Can teams that received Phase 1 funding in Rounds 1 and 2, but did not move into the Phase 2 demonstration cohort, apply for Round 3?

No, this RFP is only open to teams who have not received any MATI funding to date.

Can MATI funding be used to continue or enhance an existing program?

We are looking to fund new and innovative ideas that improve transportation security for your community. If your proposal builds on an existing project or program, it must contain a new element and not be a simple continuation of existing work. 

How much of a presence does public transit need to play in the proposal? Does the inclusion of public transit in the solution strengthen the application?

There is no requirement that a proposing team specifically include a public transit agency. In general, proposing teams that include a public partner (local jurisdiction or transit agency) will receive greater consideration in review. 

Will participating teams be required to adhere to federal funding reporting requirements, such as quarterly reports?

Because FTA’s cooperative agreement is with the University of Minnesota, the University will be responsible for fulfilling FTA’s reporting requirements. MATI team members may reach out to participating teams to gather information for these reports, but UMN will submit them to FTA. MATI participants will adhere to the same rules and requirements of the overall cooperative agreement and any additional requirements required to subcontract with the University of Minnesota.

If our proposing team is selected, who will be working with from Toole or CNT? If we have a Toole office in our area, will we work with representatives in that local office? 

The MATI program team will determine a plan for support of participating teams based on project type, geography, and other factors. There is no guarantee that a selected participant will work with a particular part of the MATI program team. 

What is the benefit of participating in the program for Phase 1 communities that are not selected to move on to Phase 2? It is a significant investment of time and resources to participate in Phase 1 without a guarantee of moving on to the demonstration project in Phase 2.

The MATI program team hopes that the planning document created in Phase 1 will be a useful document for participating teams, even if they are not funded as a part of Phase 2. Phase 1 teams will not be restricted from using the pieces of their Phase 1 efforts in other funding opportunities. We also anticipate that the process of participating in Phase 1 will bring benefits to participating teams by building local coalitions and identifying key areas for collaboration. 

Is submission of the Expression of Interest (EOI) form required?

Yes.

When will the EOI form be up to denote interest by August 21?

The form is currently available and can be filled out immediately. 

Is the EOI evaluated or just checked for eligibility?

The EOI registers an intent to apply and for the MATI team to confirm eligibility. It will not be considered during the review period. 

Will we receive feedback on the EOI beyond the yes/no confirmation that we might be able to leverage to better shape the full proposal?

No. Responses will only include whether or not a proposing submitter is eligible. 

Will EOIs be ranked or given preference when expanded to the full proposals? Or will the full proposals be evaluated independently of the EOIs?

No. EOIs are only used for the purpose of understanding interest in the program and to check for eligibility. The responses will not be used in conjunction with the full proposals or as a part of evaluation.

Can you talk about evaluation metrics for the proposal? 

The evaluation will be made using a holistic review of the criteria and categories listed in the proposal evaluation section of the RFP. Proposals will be evaluated across each category and selected based on cumulative scores from those individual elements. 

What is your thinking on how the selected sites would be spatially distributed across the nation? Are you looking to select only one proposal from each state/region?

There is no predetermined geographic distribution of potential sites. The MATI program team will review all proposals and make decisions on Phase I participants based solely on the review criteria. 

When will award notifications be made? What should we plan in terms of award start dates? 

The MATI program team will announce Phase 1 funding decisions by October 23, 2026 at the latest. We plan to move into the contracting phase immediately, in hopes of having Phase 1 contracts in place as quickly as possible. We suggest using November 1, 2026 as a contract start date. Those contracts would last around 12 months, with the Phase 1 plan to be submitted in October 2026. Phase 2 funding decisions will be made in November 2026, with a target of having Phase 2 contracts in place by December 2026.

Are current staff members eligible to serve as project manager or would this role need to be hired?

Yes, current staff members can serve as project managers. There is no requirement to hire new staff to take on this role. 

How do you define a 'community based organization'? For example, if the primary lead on the project is a county, would an outlying township count in that role?

A township would be considered a local unit of government. The MATI program defines CBOs as nonprofit, non-governmental, or charitable entities that are driven by community residents and serve a particular community geography. This can be shown by the majority of the governing body and staff residing in the community served, the location of operating offices within the community, having a process for residents to identify the primary issues the organization works on, longevity and consistency of services to the community, and developing program design that brings residents directly into the process and into leadership. 

Can a community group who has a fiscal sponsor be considered a community group?

Yes, a CBO that is hosted by a non-profit fiscal sponsor would be eligible to be on a MATI team. 

Can you provide an example of a CBO that’s not a non-profit? And vice versa? 

A neighborhood association would count as a community-based organization, but might not be registered as an official non-profit.  Likewise, there might be a 501(c)3 non-profit that doesn’t serve a single community. 

Some CBOs don’t have the infrastructure to administer a federal grant. Can they still participate? 

While either a CBO or non-profit must receive at least 40% of the budget for Phase 1, there is no requirement that they serve as the lead. Whoever serves as the lead organization will administer the grant money and proposing teams should ensure that the lead entity has the capacity to administer the MATI program.

My hospital counts as a non-profit organization. Is it eligible to receive the 40% of the budget reserved for NPOs / CBOs?

As long as you can provide documentation that your hospital has a non-profit status, it can fill the role of a required non-profit or community-based organization on your team. 

Can University of Minnesota researchers be part of project teams?

University of Minnesota researchers are not eligible to receive direct funding as part of the MATI program. That said, a researcher could serve as a consultant role, sit on an advisory board, or similar. 

The RFP states: “Applicants whose proposed intervention focuses on any of the same jurisdictions as previously participated in the MATI program are NOT eligible to apply.” For larger areas like Cook County, Illinois, how do we know which jurisdiction was involved?

Please direct specific questions about this to Beth Andrews, [email protected]. 

If we move into Phase 2, are there guidelines about existing team members or new partners?

The lead organization from Phase 1 would need to continue as the lead organization for Phase 2. That said, it’s okay for other team members to leave the project, if they’re finished their part of the work. It’s also fine to bring on new team members or partners for Phase 2, especially if they are needed to make the demonstration work. 

Regarding the 40% of the budget that must go to a non-profit or community-based organization: can that money be spread between multiple NPOs and CBOs?

Yes, it’s fine to split 40% of your budget among multiple eligible organizations. The idea is to ensure that they are adding significant input and time to the project, so they can shape your eventual demonstration plan.

Will there be funding available to sustain the demonstration ideas beyond 24 months?

Funding for the MATI program ends in late 2029, and we will not be able to provide funding for the demonstration sites past that point. 

What guidance or parameters can you provide on indirect costs (IDC) for organizations / facilities and administration (F&A) rates for university partners?  

Partners with federally negotiated F&A rates for their institution should use those rates. If the entity does not have a negotiated F&A rate, a de minimus rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC) must be used instead, or the UMN PI may request that UMN negotiate a different F&A rate with the subrecipient (this request may not be granted).

Is it possible to find additional funders to support the project, beyond the $115,000 for Phase 1 and the $700,000 for Phase 2? 

While finding additional funding is allowed, it’s not required, nor will it benefit the proposal during the evaluation process. We would encourage any cash or in-kind match to be saved for Phase 2, to keep Phase 1 teams on an even playing field as they compete to move to the demonstration round. 

How will MATI Phase 1 funding be dispersed to participating teams?

The University of Minnesota will establish a subaward agreement with the lead organization from each winning team. The lead organization should then establish subawards with its other team members to disperse the funds. 

Can you discuss more about the research and evaluation component of the plan? Will the project team be responsible for developing the research/evaluation plan (or would that fall under the purview of the University of Minnesota)? 

The research and evaluation plan is a part of the overall Phase 1 deliverable. Phase 1 participants will work with the MATI program team and Co-PI Yingling Fan to develop a research plan that is consistent with the overall MATI research and evaluation plan and that is shaped to the unique characteristics of a proposed project. The timeline for the research and evaluation plan is likely to be a smaller part of the overall Phase 1. It is not expected that effort on that element will not be consistent across the 12 months. Phase 1 participants are responsible for ensuring that University of Minnesota-led, community informed research plan is appropriately incorporated into the overall demonstration plan deliverable.

Will these research/evaluation processes be carried out only if the team Phase 2 is awarded?

Yes. Research and evaluation plans will only be executed during the Phase 2 demonstrations.

How will applicant team members be able to participate in the research and evaluation stage? 

Any team members can contribute to the creation of the research and evaluation plan. However, for purposes of overall program comparability and analysis, the final structure of the collective and individual research plans will be the responsibility of the MATI program team and Co-PI Yingling Fan. Participating teams will be asked to support the research plan execution during Phase 2 through local data collection and other required tasks, which can be budgeted for during Phase 2. Team members that participate in the shaping and execution of a research and evaluation plan will not be able to publish the results drawn from that research until after the conclusion of the MATI program and publication of all MATI program evaluation and research findings. 

Presentations related to the work will be discussed with the MATI program team and considered on a case-by-case basis, with the intent of only sharing results after the completion of the program. Similarly, MATI program resources and demonstrations cannot be used to collect additional data or information outside of the final research and evaluation plan. 

The Phase 2 site will work with the MATI team to submit and have approved an Institutional Review Board application via the University of Minnesota. This protocol will establish all the pertinent and allowable forms of data collection across the program. The MATI program team will work in close concert with the Phase 2 team to share insights and knowledge gained through the individual and overall research and evaluation plans. 

Who will own the data collected via the MATI program?

The Phase 2 site will work with the MATI team to submit and have approved an IRB application via the University of Minnesota. This protocol will establish all the pertinent and allowable forms of data collection across the program, as well as laying out the protocols for the storage and future use of data by MATI program team, other researchers, or the public. The intent of the MATI program team is to make as much of the data as possible collected by the program available to both researchers and the public. The data itself will be stored within the secure systems of the University of Minnesota. Access to the data will ultimately be shaped by the individual IRB protocols and impacted by any potential data sensitivities such as personally identifiable information. 

Can university recipients lead an application? 

Yes, Universities may be the lead of a proposing team. 

What is the role of researchers from non-UMN/MATI program team institutions? Can they be involved and still produce research/publish? 

Team members that participate in the shaping and execution of a research and evaluation plan will not be able to publish the results drawn from that research until after the conclusion of the MATI program and publication of all MATI program evaluation and research findings. Similarly, MATI program resources and demonstrations cannot be used to collect additional data or information outside of the final research and evaluation plan. The Phase 2 site will work with the MATI team to submit and have approved an Institutional Review Board application via the University of Minnesota. This protocol will establish all the pertinent and allowable forms of data collection across the program, as well as set expectations for the future use of the data collected by all parties.