FTA Broad Agency Announcement (FY26) -- “Research Initiatives in Support of Safety, Accessibility, and Mobility in Public Transportation

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) solicits applied research projects to improve the safety, reliability, efficiency, and accessibility of public transportation in the United States.

• Purpose: To solicit innovative applied research that reduces deployment risks, improves safety, lowers costs, and facilitates domestic transit manufacturing.
• Eligibility: This is an unrestricted solicitation; any responsible source (excluding Federal Government-owned businesses) may submit a concept paper. Teaming and collaboration are encouraged.
• Funding: Individual awards typically range between $150,000 and $500,000, subject to fund availability. While cost sharing is not always mandatory, projects including transit operator partnerships and cost sharing are preferred.
• Technology Readiness: Projects should focus on technology readiness levels (TRL) 3 through 6, with a preference for proof-of-concept testing (TRL 3).