High Priority (HP) Grant - Overview

The HP grant program is a discretionary (competitive) grant program designed to provide Federal financial assistance to enhance MCSAP commercial vehicle safety plan (CVSP) activities, maintain innovative technology and/or new project(s) not included in the CVSP that will have a positive impact on CMV safety.  Other applicants are also eligible for HP grants that improve CMV safety.  HP now includes two major purposes: Innovative Technology Deployment (ITD), and CMV safety related activities and projects.  Although ITD resides within HP, the ITD grant program purpose and program eligibility requirements are separate and distinct from CMV safety related activities and projects.

HP CMV Safety-Related Activities and Projects

The HP grant program provides financial assistance to carry out activities and projects that augment motor carrier safety which include:

• supporting participation in performance and registration information systems management;
• conducting safety data improvement projects;
• increasing public awareness and education on CMV safety;
• targeting unsafe driving of CMV and Non-CMV in areas identified as high risk crash corridors;
• improving the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials;
• improving safe transportation of goods and persons in foreign commerce;
• demonstrating new technologies to improve CMV safety;
• otherwise improving CMV safety and compliance with CMV safety regulations.

HP Innovative Technology Deployment (ITD) Program

The ITD grant program provides financial assistance to advance the technological capability and promote the deployment of intelligent transportation system applications for CMV operations, including CMV, commercial driver, and carrier-specific information systems and networks; and to support and maintain CMV information systems and networks.

See the MCSAP Comprehensive Policy (MCP) for additional information regarding funding eligibility.

FY 2021 High Priority (HP) Notice of Funding Opportunity Information

• FY 2021 High Priority Funding Conference Webinar
• FY 2021 High Priority Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Q & A
• FY 2021 High Priority Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Conference

Authorization

The HP grant program is authorized by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), Pub. L. No. 114-94, §5101 (2015).  HP grants are governed by 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) §§31102(l), 31104 (2016), and by 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 350.

FAST Act, Pub. L. No. § 114-94, §§ 5101(a) and 5101(c) (2015). 49 U.S.C. §§ 3112(l)(2) and (3), 31104 (2016), as amended.