National Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA)

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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

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Supporting Information for RFA

Email Updates

• 2021 Sample Project Narrative (WORD) (16 pp, 683 K, January 2021)
• 2021 Sample Application Fleet Description (EXCEL) (712 K, January 2021)
• 2021 Sample Scrappage Statement (WORD) (1 pg, 643 K, January 2021)
• 2021 Eligibility Statement (WORD) (1 pg, 643 K, January 2021)
• 2021 Sample Drayage Operating Guidelines (PDF) (1 pp, 95 K, January 2021)
• 2021 Priority Area List (PDF) (8 pp, 512 K, January 2021)
• 2021 DERA Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Factsheet (PDF) (4 pp, 116 K, January 2021, EPA-420-F-21-003)
• (3 pp, 635 K, January 2021, EPA-420-F-21-002)

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. T he 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:

• EPA verified technologies or certified engine configurations
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)Exit verified technologies or certified engines
• Idle-reduction technologies that are EPA verified
• Aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance tires that are EPA verified
• Early engine, vehicle, or equipment replacements with certified engine configurations

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.

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

• EPA Grants Management Training for Applicants and Recipients provides an online training course that is designed to introduce EPA grant applicants and recipients to key aspects of the entire grant life cycle, from preparation of an application through grant closeout.
• Tips for a Successful Diesel Retrofit Project (PDF) (7 pp, 500 K, April 2013, EPA-420-B-13-025) provides tips to help you get started and avoid common mistakes.
• Technology Tips: Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA): Technologies, Fleets and Projects Information (PDF) (36 pp, 1.3MB, October 2011, EPA-420-P-11-001) provides information about retrofit technologies and what to look for.
• Clean Diesel Clearinghouse (CDCH)Exit is a web-based tool that helps users determine the best available emission reduction technology for retrofitting diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.
• Shore Power Technology Assessment at U.S. Ports reviews the availability of shore power at ports, characterizes the technical and operational aspects of shore power systems, and presents a methodology for estimating emission reductions from shore power systems for vessels docked and connected to shore power.

Reporting Templates for Grantees

• Quarterly Reporting Template (Excel) (6 pp, 206 K, March 2014)
• Final Reporting Template, Part 1 (Word) (7 pp, 113 K, March 2014)
• Final Reporting Template, Part 2 (Excel) (6 pp, 192 K, March 2014)