ORGANIZATION NAME: MSRC
DESCRIPTION: Modified to extend events date. The purpose of this Program Announcement is to reintroduce the Program and seek cost-effective opportunities to reduce a significant number of automobile trips and their associated air pollutant emissions by shifting attendees of major event center functions out of their personal automobile and onto zero and near-zero emission transportation alternatives.
To facilitate implementation of new or expanded zero and/or near-zero emission transportation program service to major event centers, the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) has allocated a total of $6.5M in Clean Transportation Funding™ for the period beginning April 5, 2019 and ending March 30, 2021. This funding opportunity has at its core the following goals and objectives:
ð Seek out major event center venues located within the South Coast AQMD jurisdiction that experience high levels of traffic congestion during scheduled events and are not served by, or are insufficiently served by, regular public transit services;
ð Partner with transportation providers and event center venues to develop and implement new or expanded programs to attract patrons to transit services that are tailored to each venue’s scheduled events;
ð Utilize the cleanest commercially available vehicles to implement the event center transportation service, a minimum of 90% lower emitting than the current “2010” heavy-duty emissions standards;
ð Encourage transportation providers and event center venues to establish ongoing relationships to continue event-specific transit service beyond the MSRC funding period, including the identification of funding sources in addition to the MSRC to support future transportation services.
AVAILABLE FUNDING: $6,500,000.00
APPLICATION DEADLINE; 3/30/2021
For the purpose of this Program Announcement, the following eligibility requirements apply:
§ Major Event Center – a Major Event Center is defined as a publicly or privately-owned, publicly accessible venue located within the geographical jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality Management District that possesses the following attributes, at a minimum:
− Occupancy capacity of at least 7,500 people;
− Average event attendance of at least 5,000 people;
− Dedicated parking lot or structure co -located with the event center.
§ Traffic Impacted Event – A scheduled event held at a Major Event Center that results in recurrent traffic congestion prior to, during, or after the scheduled event whose impact on surrounding roadways, arterials, intersections, or freeways exceeds design capacity;
§ Transportation Provider – includes but is not necessarily limited to a) public transit agencies, including regional and municipal transit agencies and authorities; b) private transit operators, including subcontractor service providers to public transit agencies; and c) paratransit providers and other licensed, private transportation and shuttle providers;
§ Qualifying Transportation Vehicles – vehicles proposed for use in Event Center Transportation Services must conform to the following minimum requirements:
On-Road Bus and Shuttle Vehicles:
− All on-road vehicles performing Event Center transportation services under this Program must be certified by the California Air Resources Board as zero-emission vehicles or be equipped with an engine that is certified at CARB’s Optional Low-NOx emission standard of 0.02 g/bhp-hr;
− Vehicle Seating Capacity – vehicles must have a minimum seated position capacity of twenty-two (22) occupants;
− Vehicles must meet all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), US Department of Transportation (DOT), California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and other applicable regulatory agency requirements.
§ Transportation Deficient – the Event Center must be Transportation Deficient. This is defined as an Event Center that is not served by regularly scheduled public transit or private shuttle service sufficient to entice patrons to attend the event using public transit rather than private automobile, or is served by public and/or private transportation services that are operating at maximum capacity. Please note that this Program Announcement is NOT intended to subsidize ongoing public or private transportation services.
The MSRC seeks the formation of partnerships between traffic-impacted, transportation-deficient major event centers and transportation providers who operate qualifying vehicles. The following Sections define who is eligible to submit a proposal to the MSRC, who is eligible to enter in to a contract for event center transportation services, and what transportation costs are eligible for reimbursement by the MSRC:
Who can submit a proposal in response to this Program Announcement? Either a qualifying major event center, a qualifying transportation provider, or a County Transportation Commission may respond to this Program Announcement and submit a proposal for MSRC consideration. Proposals may also be submitted from a joint County Transportation Commission/event center/transportation provider partnership. Please note that the following conditions apply:
− A proposal submitted by a qualifying Major Event Center must identify what Transportation Provider(s) will provide the event center service. The proposal must include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or letter of support between the event center and transportation provider(s) stating their mutual intent to implement and operate event center transit service in accordance with Program requirements in the event the MSRC provides a funding award;
− A proposal submitted by a qualifying Transportation Provider must identify which Major Event Center(s) will be served in the Program. The proposal must include an MOU or letter of support between the transportation provider and event center(s) stating their mutual intent to implement and operate event center transit service in accordance with Program requirements in the event the MSRC provides a funding award;
− A proposal submitted by a County Transportation Commission must identify which Major Event Center(s) will be served in the Program and identify what Transportation Provider(s) will provide the event center service. The proposal must include an MOU or letter of support between the County Transportation Commission and transportation provider and/or event center(s) stating their mutual intent to implement and operate event center transit service in accordance with Program requirements in the event the MSRC provides a funding award;
− A proposal submitted jointly by a County Transportation Commission in partnership with an event center and transportation provider(s) must also include an MOU or letter of support, as above.