Over a third of the transit vehicles programmed under the non-urbanized ARRA grant have now been delivered.  Many have come in at prices significantly below the original programmed amount.  We need to make sure that any local make-ready work is completed quickly, so that the individual projects can be closed out and any remaining funds reprogrammed so that additional vehicles can be purchased within the timeframe for use of these funds.

In order to keep things moving and prevent any funds from being lost, we are asking that you schedule any needed make-ready work on your new ARRA vehicles, so as to be able to request reimbursement of make-ready costs within 60 days after the vehicle delivery.   Once we’ve reached the 60 day from delivery point, we will be contacting you about closing the project so that any remaining funds can be recaptured and directed toward purchase of additional units from the PTMS priority list.  I know some systems have multiple types of vehicles in their contracts which may come in at different times.  In order to expedite the reprogramming of the ARRA funds, we’ve worked with our accounting office and established the ability to close individual project elements within a contract so that any remaining funds in that element can be reprogrammed without waiting for other elements to be completed or requiring contract amendments.

Please help us maximize the benefits of the ARRA funds to Iowa by getting your make-ready done and the reimbursements claimed as quickly as possible.

JP and Samil will be contacting those of you who had early deliveries soon to check on your project status and begin the close-out procedures.

Peter Hallock, Assistant Director
Office of Public Transit
ph. 515-239-1765  fax 515-233-7983