This part will assist the BIA Indian Highway Safety Program Administrator to disperse funds DOT/NHTSA has made available. The funds assist selected tribes with their proposed Highway Safety Projects. These projects are designed to reduce traffic crashes, reduce impaired driving crashes, increase occupant protection education, provide Emergency Medical Service training, and increase police traffic services.

Appeal means a written request for review of an action or the inaction of an official of the BIA that is claimed to adversely affect the interested party making the request.

Applicant means an individual or persons on whose behalf an application for assistance and/or services has been made under this part.

Application means the process through which a request is made for assistance or services.

Grant means a written agreement between the BIA and the governing body of an Indian tribe or Indian organization wherein the BIA provides funds to the grantee to plan, conduct, or administer specific programs, services, or activities and where the administrative and programmatic provisions are specifically delineated.

Grantee means the tribal governing body of an Indian tribe or Board of Directors of an Indian organization responsible for grant administration.

Recipient means an individual or persons who have been determined as eligible and are receiving financial assistance or services under this part.

The Indian Highway Safety Program grant is available to any federally recognized tribe. Because of the limited financial resources available for the program, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is unable to award grants to all applicants. Furthermore, some grant recipients may only be awarded a grant to fund certain aspects of their proposed tribal projects.

BIA mails grant application packages for a given fiscal year to all federally recognized tribes by the end of February of the preceding fiscal year. Additional application packages are available from the Program Administrator, Indian Highway Safety Program, P.O. Box 2003, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103. Each application package contains the necessary information concerning the application process, including format, content, and filing requirements.

BIA ranks each timely filed application by assigning points based upon four factors.

(a) Factor No. 1—Magnitude of the problem (Up to 50 points available). In awarding points under this factor, BIA will take into account the following:

(1) Whether a highway safety problem exists.

(2) Whether the problem is significant.

(3) Whether the proposed tribal project will contribute to resolution of the identified highway safety problem.

(4) The number of traffic accidents occurring within the applicant's jurisdiction over the previous 3 years.

(5) The number of alcohol-related traffic accidents occurring within the applicant's jurisdiction over the previous 3 years.

(6) The number of reported traffic fatalities occurring within the applicant's jurisdiction over the previous 3 years.

(7) The number of reported alcohol-related traffic fatalities occurring within the applicant's jurisdiction over the previous 3 years.

(b) Factor No. 2—Countermeasure selection (Up to 40 points available). In awarding points under this factor, BIA will take into account the following:

(1) Whether the countermeasures selected are the most effective for the identified highway safety problem.

(2) Whether the countermeasures selected are cost effective.

(3) Whether the applicant's objectives are realistic and attainable.

(4) Whether the applicant's objectives are time framed and, if so, whether the time frames are realistic and attainable.

(c) Factor No. 3—Tribal Leadership and Community Support (Up to 10 points available). In awarding points under this factor, BIA will take into account the following:

(1) Whether the applicant proposes using tribal resources in the project.

(2) Whether the appropriate tribal governing body supports the proposal plan, as evidenced by a tribal resolution or otherwise.

(3) Whether the community supports the proposal plan, as evidenced by letters or otherwise.

(d) Factor No. 4—Past Performance (+ or −10 points available). In awarding points under this factor, BIA will take into account the following:

(1) Financial and programmatic reporting requirements.

(2) Project accomplishments.

BIA will send a letter to all applicants notifying them of their selection or non-selection for participation in the Indian Highway Safety Program for the upcoming fiscal year. BIA will explain to each applicant not selected for participation the reason(s) for non-selection.

You may appeal actions taken by BIA officials under this part by following the procedures in 25 CFR part 2.