Deadline Approaching for $474 M in TIGER Grants Round 5; Competition Expected to be Fierce

WASHINGTON - May 24, 2013 - PRLog -- Over $3 billion grants were awarded in the first four rounds of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants program. The next round of applications is due by June 3, 2013 at 5 PM.

The 186 grants that have been awarded were won by 165 organizations; 150 organizations won 1 award, 11 organizations won 2 awards, 2 organizations won 3 awards, and 2 organizations  won 4 awards. Over 4,000 applications were received for the first four rounds.

Based on prior experience, the US Department of Transportation anticipates that it may receive 800 proposals for the $474 million to be awarded this round. Organizations that plan to submit applications for this round should beware of four common deficiencies in prior rounds: 1. funding amount requested; 2. applicant eligibility; 3. project eligibility; 4. urban / rural designation and project location clarity.

Because the TIGER program is intended to stimulate economic recovery, the Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) is a significant factor in the evaluation process. No projects will be funded for which costs exceed benefits. Proposals should include a comparison of the "no-build" base case against the proposed project. Benefits and costs should be detailed by year and discounted appropriately. Applicable benefits include livability, economic competitiveness, safety, state of good repair, and sustainability. Costs should include those from all sources, direct capital costs, and other costs.

Consultation on preparation of TIGER proposals is available.

Stuart M. Whitaker, principal of Whitaker Associates, has provided financial and economic analysis for investors and corporations, before regulatory commissions and in litigation, for domestic and international clients. He has an MBA in finance and international business from the University of Chicago.