FY21 Supplemental for the Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation | FR AMT 21 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR AMT 21 003

The FY21 Supplemental for the Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) is a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) discretionary cooperative agreement created under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260). The opportunity is essentially a single-recipient funding action designed to provide Amtrak with a large, targeted infusion of federal support tied to Northeast Corridor (NEC) needs, including both routine railroad financial requirements and COVID-19 emergency response activities. The total amount to be made available under this opportunity is $1,209,483,050, and the funding is structured to cover several specific categories of expense rather than serving as a broad, open competition among multiple applicants.

The appropriation is split into two main buckets with distinct purposes. First, $555,067,050 is provided to cover Amtrak NEC-related Operating, Capital, Debt Service, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) expenses. Within that amount, $7,500,000 is specifically set aside for ADA expenses, reflecting a dedicated commitment to accessibility-related work. Also within the same $555,067,050 pot, approximately $57,600,000 is identified to cover expenses associated with acquiring Amfleet replacement equipment for NEC services. That detail signals that the grant is not only meant to keep current operations stable, but also to support near- and long-term service quality and reliability through fleet modernization planning and procurement-related costs tied to replacing aging Amfleet cars used on corridor services.

Second, the Act provides an additional $654,416,000 in Supplemental Emergency Relief funding (from Division M of the Appropriations Act) specifically for NEC activities connected to preventing, preparing for, and responding to coronavirus. This portion is explicitly framed as pandemic-response support for the NEC, which in practice can include measures needed to maintain service, protect workforce and passengers, address revenue and ridership shocks, and sustain NEC readiness and continuity. Importantly, within this emergency relief amount, approximately $87,844,000 is provided for Amtrak to use in lieu of capital payments that would otherwise be owed by state and commuter rail passenger transportation providers under the NEC cost allocation policy developed pursuant to Section 212 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA). In other words, part of the COVID-era relief is intended to backfill or substitute for partner contributions to NEC capital costs that might be disrupted during the pandemic, while still adhering to the PRIIA Section 212 framework that governs how NEC costs are allocated among users.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed as a cooperative agreement, meaning FRA expects to have substantial involvement in overseeing or shaping the funded activities compared with a simpler grant structure. It is categorized under the Transportation funding activity category, with CFDA number 20.315. The listing indicates one expected award, consistent with the fact that the funding is directed to Amtrak rather than opened to a broad pool of applicants. The eligible applicant category is shown as "Others," with clarification implied in the original posting that eligibility is effectively limited to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for this particular cooperative agreement action. The opportunity was posted February 10, 2021, with an original closing date of February 22, 2021, reflecting a short window typical of awards that implement a specific congressional direction to provide funds to a named entity.

A final notable feature is the period of availability: the funds are available until fully expended. That language matters because it allows Amtrak and FRA to obligate and spend the money over time as projects, procurements, and eligible reimbursements progress, rather than forcing expenditures to fit within a single fiscal-year deadline. Overall, this grant opportunity functions as a congressionally funded, FRA-administered mechanism to stabilize NEC finances, advance accessibility and fleet replacement needs, and provide pandemic-related emergency relief, including targeted support that offsets certain partner capital payment obligations under the PRIIA Section 212 cost allocation structure.

• The Department of Transportation, DOT - Federal Railroad Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY21 Supplemental for the Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.315.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 10, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 2021 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,209,483,050.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FR AMT 21 003

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