The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P. L. 117-58, November 15, 2021) authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to eligible non-profit institutions of higher education to establish and operate University Transportation Centers (UTCs or Centers). Non-profit institutions of higher education may include qualifying two-year institutions (20 U.S.C. § 1001(a)). The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT or DOT) will manage the UTC Program.

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity, the US DOT seeks competitive grant applications for National UTCs, Regional UTCs, and Tier 1 UTCs as set forth in the IIJA (detailed descriptions of the three types of UTCs are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity). A UTC and its consortium members must be established and located physically in the United States or its territories or on Tribal lands. It must be a consortium of two or more universities. Each Center is required to obtain matching funds from non-Federal sources. National and Regional UTCs must obtain matching funds in an amount equal to the US DOT grant amount. The match for Tier 1 UTCs is 50 percent of the US DOT grant amount.

US DOT asks applicants to submit a Letter of Intent, as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, by July 1, 2022.

Education

• Public and state institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education