The 2007 Job Access and Reverse Commute(JARC) and New Freedom Solicitation Packages

Frequently Asked Questions

This page will be updated as more questions come up, please check back frequently.

Who is considered low-income under the JARC program?
Low –income is defined as having a household income less than 150% of the poverty level. Definitions of poverty and links to the current poverty levels can be found at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/povdef.html

What kinds of funding are eligible as local match?
Eligible sources of local match include state, municipal, self-generated, and federal funds (with exceptions). Donations and volunteer drivers are also eligible local match sources. The only exceptions are US Department of Transportation funds (CMAQ, STP, Sections 5307, 5310, etc.) and farebox revenues, which are ineligible local match sources for JARC and New Freedom.

What help is available in preparing an application submittal?
Local governments may be able to provide assistance in preparing application materials. The Metropolitan Council has staff and resources available for assistance to applying agencies. Staff time is limited so please be patient with any requests. The Council staff contact is listed on the Contact Info page. There were two public workshops held to assist potential applicants with any additional questions. Questions from these workshops have been incorporated into the FAQ’s.

What are the guidelines for identifying the Project Service Area?
For regular route transit service, the project service area can include the area up to ¼ mile on all sides of the route. In the case of transfers, regular-route project service area can include addition routes that are timed transfers (within 10 minutes) and non-express service. Only one level of transfer should be included within the project service area. A second transfer route from the original route cannot be included. Dial-a-ride service can include all the eligible areas served by the service directly. Capital projects should include the service area directly affected by the implementation of their project.

What is the official project timeline for JARC and New Freedom?
Applying projects should consider the project selection date to be the eligible start date for their projects. We anticipate this date to be October 1, 2007, barring any unforeseen issues. Given this start date, the project end date would be September 30, 2009, providing 24 months of service eligibility or two federal fiscal years.

Is a letter of resolution from the applying agency required as part of the application?
Yes. A letter of resolution from the applying agency board, chair, commission, council, or other governing position is required as part of the application.

Can an agency apply for projects under both JARC and New Freedom?
An agency may apply for funding under both programs but the applications must be for separate projects. Thus, if an agency were to submit an application for JARC, it may not apply for the same project under New Freedom. The agency may, however, apply for a different project under New Freedom.

What time period should the budget reflect in the application?
The budget should reflect a calendar year, but not necessarily starting on January 1. If a project is expected to last the full 24-month period, two annual budgets should be submitted reflected the two years of operation. Another example would be if a project were to run 18 months, two annual budgets should be submitted, one representing a full year and one representing a half year.

Is there a specific amount of funding within each program set aside specifically for capital projects?
No. All projects will be ranked using the criteria and money awarded to top ranked projects regardless of project type