Active Transportation Program

If an application is not funded based on committee recommendations, the applicant may appeal the outcome by initiating an appeal. The appeal will rely on a written notice of appeal from the applicant that clearly states the organization's name, contact person, address, phone number, project description and the rationale for the appeal. The notice of appeal must be addressed to Sarah Ghandour, Director, MnDOT Office of Transit and Active Transportation and Active Transportation, 395 John Ireland Blvd, MS 430, St. Paul, MN 55155-1899.

In the event of an appeal:

• Staff will verify that the notice of appeal was postmarked no later than 14 calendar days from the date by which MnDOT notified the applicant’s funding status (award).
• The Office of Transit and Active Transportation director will review any appeal and provide a written response within 10 working days.

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. §13.599 Names and addresses of grant applicants will be public data once responses are opened. All remaining data in proposed responses (except trade secret data as defined and classified in §13.37) will be public data after the evaluation process is completed (for the purposes of this grant, when all grant agreements have been fully executed). All data created or maintained by the Minnesota Department of Transportation as part of the evaluation process (except trade secret data as defined and classified in §13.37) will be public data after the evaluation process is completed (for the purposes of this grant, when grant agreements have been fully executed).

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 13.03, subd. 1, all government data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by a government entity shall be public unless classified by statute, or temporary classification pursuant to section 13.06, or federal law, as nonpublic or protected nonpublic, or with respect to data on individuals, as private or confidential. The responsible authority in every government entity shall keep records containing government data in such an arrangement and condition as to make them easily accessible for convenient use. Photographic, photostatic, microphotographic, or microfilmed records shall be considered as accessible for convenient use regardless of the size of such records.

Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) refer to a common set of accepted accounting principles, standards, and procedures that a recipient, and any third-party contractor, and their accountants must follow when they compile their financial statements. (See also Minn. Stat. section 15.17, subd. 1) The records must permit audit verification of grantee cost allocations claimed during the contract period. It is important to keep good records for all labor and material expenditures. Only reasonable costs directly related to and necessary for conducting the business of the public transit system are allowed. A cost is considered reasonable if, in its nature or amount, it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person as ordinary and necessary for the operations. Regardless of when an expense invoice is received or paid by the grantee, the expense must be billed to MnDOT in the grant agreement period in which the expense was incurred. If applicable, the financial records of the recipient must be audited. Audits occur by the MnDOT audit department and when applicable, as part of an independent audit.

Monthly progress reports will be delivered to the MnDOT Project Manager for each community receiving planning assistance through the program from the start of the planning process through plan completion. Selected communities and the consultant will be expected to work together to submit accurate, timely progress reports.