Federal Railroad Grant Expertise
Quandel Consultants provides integrated project management and grant support services that ensure continuity from the grant strategy and application period through construction and closeout. Quandel has experience with public and private clients supporting grant-funded projects, including simple tie rehabilitation projects and more complex multi-jurisdictional bridge and corridor projects.
Quandel operates exclusively within the Federal Railroad Administration’s Capital Projects Guidance framework, evaluating potential grant applications for chance of success and ease of implementation. Our knowledge of the FRA process allows us to ensure grant projects move forward on time and on budget. Wherever your project is in the FRA development process, Quandel can help it become a success.
Pre-Application Grant Planning
Quandel believes a proactive approach to funding rounds results in the highest likelihood of success. Even prior to a notice of funding opportunity being posted, Quandel can help evaluate multiple projects with your team and determine which ones may have the best chances to be awarded a grant. Our experience and relationships with FRA help us filter through your projects and will better allow you to target your capital towards projects with the best chances, while ensuring less competitive projects do not languish waiting for a grant award that is unlikely to arrive.
Grant Application Writing
Quandel’s approach to writing grant applications involves assigning each application a primary grant writer/project liaison, a benefit-cost analyst, and a NEPA/Section 106 lead. This team is familiar with drafting grant application documents including project narratives, benefit cost analyses and technical memoranda, draft NEPA documentation, and draft grant agreement attachments. The team collaborates throughout the grant application process to ensure all requirements are completed while conveying a compelling story and narrative. Much of the work in a grant application is designed to minimize project complications and allow projects to progress with ease.
Pre-Obligation Grant Management
Once FRA awards a grant, the pre-obligation phase begins. This phase is of critical importance as unsophisticated pre-obligation documents, if approved by FRA, can result in major delays and/or cost overruns during future stages of the project. Quandel has drafted Statements of Work (Attachment 2) for numerous projects and understands both what FRA needs and how to ensure the project retains flexibility through this step. Quandel can assist with the drafting and execution of agreements necessary to secure funding for obligation. Quandel is also familiar with Pre-Award Authority Requests, which allow projects to begin incurring reimbursable costs prior to obligation.
Post-Obligation Grant Management
Once a project is obligated, the first deliverable required is the Project Management Plan (PMP). FRA has shifted significant importance to this document over the years, and Quandel has deep experience ensuring any PMP is compliant with current FRA recommendations. Quandel will work in conjunction with your project team to understand the reality of the project and then use that information to ensure the PMP accurately incorporates FRA’s requirements. Quandel also has experience tracking project progress and costs through detailed invoice reviews, invoice and expenditure tracking, and completing FRA reimbursement forms. FRA also requires completion of Quarterly Progress Reports and Federal Financial Reports as part of the grant agreement. Quandel can relieve your team of much of the administrative burden brought on by these reporting requirements.
Quandel’s goal for Project Management is to ensure the project flows smoothly with no complications, but in the event of unavoidable complications such as derailments forcing scope changes or delays due to weather events, we have experience preparing Grant Amendment Request Forms, successfully completing a number of these for other projects throughout the nation. Quandel’s understanding of the public perspective ensures these requests to FRA are efficiently handled and approved.
Project Closeout
Once a project is complete, the Final Performance Report must be submitted to FRA. Quandel has completed several of these reports and is familiar with FRA’s processes and requirements for them. Quandel’s team includes veteran railroad and transportation professionals who have extensive experience and relationships with stakeholders and regulatory agencies and will ensure the Final Performance Report positively represents the project while highlighting any effective problem-solving throughout implementation. Quandel will also examine the overall project process with you and determine if there are improvements that can be made – to ensure continued success in future competitive grant funding rounds.