The PRISM Program Process

Initial Briefing - At the State's request, an initial briefing of the PRISM program will be conducted for State officials by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) staff. This briefing is meant to give State officials an outline of the PRISM program and its benefits to the State's safety initiatives.

Letter of Intent - If as a result of the initial briefing, a State decides to join the PRISM program, they must state their intentions to implement the program in a "Letter of Intent" to FMCSA, through Grants.gov. This letter should be attached to the States Grants.gov PRISM grant application package. The FMCSA Office of State Programs will retrieve the Grants.gov application with the State's letter of intent attached.

In-depth Training - Once the letter of intent is received, a 2-day in-depth PRISM training session will be scheduled for the respective State. This training will include a general overview of the program and a thorough review of the grant requirements included in the PRISM implementation guide. As part of this process, the FMCSA PRISM team and Division staff will use the guide to lead the State through the process of developing their own plan. Group efforts will include the identification of responsible parties, development of implementation timelines, cost estimates, etc. Therefore, State attendees at this training should include IRP, Intelligent Transportation Systems/ Commercial Vehicle Operations (ITS/CVO), and enforcement personnel with the authority to make decisions for the State.

PRISM Implementation Plan - Following the 2-day training session, PRISM staff will forward a draft version of the State's implementation plan to State officials for completion. If needed, PRISM team will continue to work with State officials to finalize their implementation plan for submission. The plan must specify how the State will meet the program requirements, time frames for completion, and associated costs.

Finalize Plan & Award Grant - Once a State's implementation plan has been finalized by the State, it should be submitted to the FMCSA Division Administrator for review and then forwarded to the FMCSA Office of State Programs for final approval through Grants.gov. After the plan has been approved by FMCSA, a grant will be issued to the State agency in the amount specified in the implementation plan.

Implement PRISM - Following the award of a PRISM grant, the State is responsible for ensuring the program is implemented in their State according to the procedures, time lines, and costs identified in their implementation plan. States will also be required to intermittently report their progress to FMCSA as specified in the terms and conditions of the grant agreement. Funds for PRISM grants are typically established for a three-year period.