Applications for multiple grants and cooperative agreements for the Highways for LIFE Technology Partnerships Program are being sought by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The administration expects to start accepting applications on March 1 and end on or about April 15.
The FHWA extended the deadline on the draft solicitation until Feb. 16 and the program anticipates as many as 12 awards at the $250,000 funding level and three awards at the $500,000 funding level.
The purpose of the Technology Partnership Program is to pull in partner organizations and companies to work with the highway construction industry to accelerate the adoption of promising innovations. The program seeks to adapt proven non-highway related innovations, or to refine existing highway equipment, materials, practices or processes that have not become adopted as common practice. The program is intended to fund innovations that have been developed to a prototype and require further development, testing, evaluation and application in a real-world setting before they would be available for implementation.
Applicable innovation areas include: technologies, materials, tools, equipment, procedures, specifications, methodologies, processes or practices used in the financing, design or construction of highways or bridges. The innovation must make a significant contribution to achieving at least one of the following Highways for LIFE goals: improving project and/or work-zone safety--including worker or user safety; reducing construction congestion; accelerating construction; or improving quality.
All non-profit and for-profit organizations, except state and local governments and institutions of higher education, are encouraged to apply. State and local agencies, local municipalities and academic institutions are excluded from competition as prime awardees but are encouraged to participate as a partner at the sublevel.
For more information, visit the Highways for LIFE website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl, or contact Julie Zirlin, Highways for LIFE program coordinator at 202/366-9105.
