FY 2027 Crash Causal Factors Program: $7M for Heavy-Truck Crash Investigations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has opened the FY 2027 Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP) Cooperative Agreement Program: up to $7 million for state agencies and a short list of local police departments that investigate fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks. The money pays for the extra crash reconstruction, post-crash inspection, and data collection work FMCSA needs for its congressionally mandated Heavy-Duty Truck Study. It is not an open competition. Only the 33 states and 15 local agencies named in the NOFO can apply.

What the Program Pays For

Section 23006 of the IIJA directs DOT to carry out a comprehensive study of what causes crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. FMCSA's answer is the Crash Causal Factors Program. Its current phase, the Heavy-Duty Truck Study, targets fatal crashes involving Class 7 and 8 trucks (over 26,000 pounds). It is the first large study of its kind since the Large Truck Crash Causation Study of 2001 to 2003, which covered fewer than 1,000 crashes.

Instead of sending contracted investigators to crash scenes, FMCSA will use data that state and local law enforcement already collect, plus supplemental data its study requires. The cooperative agreements pay participating agencies for that added work. According to the pre-selection memo attached to the NOFO, FMCSA aims to collect about 1,000 fatal crashes a year for two years, for a nationally representative sample of 2,000.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility is limited to jurisdictions FMCSA already selected. In 2024, FMCSA surveyed all states under OMB Control No. 2126-0079 and chose jurisdictions for geographic balance, investigative capability, and the number of fatal heavy-truck crashes they handle. Alaska and Hawaii were excluded because they have too few qualifying crashes. If your state or agency is not on the list below, you cannot apply.

Participating States

• North Region: Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin
• South Region: Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama
• Southeast Region: South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida
• West Region: Washington, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Utah, Nevada, Nebraska, Idaho, Arizona, Montana

Alternate States

• Georgia, West Virginia (Southeast Region); Illinois (North Region)

Local Agencies

The NOFO names these local agencies, in its own wording:

• Florida: CPD Hillsborough, CPD Miami-Dade, CPD Palm Beach, CPD Polk
• Indiana: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
• Kentucky: Louisville Police Department
• Missouri: Kansas City Police Department, St. Louis Police Department
• New York: New York City Police Department
• Ohio: Columbus Police Department
• Texas: Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio Police Departments

The NOFO labels the four Florida entries as "City Police Department" but names counties. Florida agencies that think they are one of them should confirm directly with Dan Meyer before applying. The resources sheet attached to the NOFO says eligibility questions go by email to the program manager, not to the public office hours.

Being on the list is not the last step. All applicants go through a compatibility review to confirm they can do the study work. For-profit organizations and individuals are not eligible.

Local Agencies Applying Directly

A local agency can apply on its own or partner with its state's Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) lead agency. A direct applicant must put a statement in the project narrative introduction certifying it meets the six conditions in 49 CFR § 350.405. In short, the agency must:

1. Coordinate its proposal with the Lead State Agency so it is consistent with the state's CCFP plan.
2. Certify it has the legal authority, resources, and trained personnel to do the work.
3. Name one person responsible for implementing, reporting, and administering the project.
4. Agree to submit every required report.
5. Use the forms and reporting criteria required by the Lead State Agency or FMCSA.
6. Certify participation in the appropriate national databases.

Three Funding Priorities

Section C(4) of the NOFO lists three priority areas. Applicants should say which one or more each project addresses.

1. Crash Response

Advanced crash reconstructions and post-crash investigations of fatal crashes involving Class 7 and 8 trucks in your jurisdiction. Overtime is allowed, but you need a historical basis for the estimate. Basic incident response to complete a standard state police crash report does not qualify.

The NOFO is explicit that creating new reconstruction or post-crash investigation teams will not be funded. You must describe the reconstruction capability, equipment, and training you already have, including how long you have been doing advanced CMV crash investigations, and your notification and response protocols.

2. Post-Crash Inspection and Data Collection

Post-crash CMV inspections and advanced data collection. Every funded reconstruction and investigation must include a post-crash inspection by a North American Standard (NAS) Part A/B certified officer. Eligible costs include personnel used specifically for fatal post-crash CMV inspections, personnel or contracted services for advanced data collection and reporting, and overtime. Basic inspection and crash data entry already required under MCSAP is excluded.

3. Equipment for Data Collection

Only advanced equipment directly tied to reconstruction and data gathering on qualifying CMV crashes. The NOFO's examples include brake checking tools, event data recorder software and hardware, drones, total stations, and airbag download equipment.

• Heavy-vehicle event data recorder (HVEDR) tools are 100% fundable.
• Everything else is prorated. Equipment that is also used on non-CMV crashes must be charged according to your historical share of CMV crash responses.
• States face an extra test. Routine vehicles and operating expenses belong in a state's MCSAP formula grant. A state asking for equipment must show a need beyond its current MCSAP allocation. Participating local governments do not face that test.

Allowable and Unallowable Costs

Appendix C lists the eligible expense categories. Every cost must be in an approved project plan and prorated by time spent on the CCFP. Reimbursement is limited to fatal and serious crashes involving Class 7 and 8 vehicles.

• Contractual costs for consultants, IT staff, and data analysis
• Crash investigation and reconstruction activities, plus related training and certification (investigators must be NAS A/B certified)
• CMV crash analysis tools: equipment, software, and training, prorated
• Personnel salaries, fringe, and overtime directly attributable to the CCFP
• Supplies, prorated
• Training directly related to the CCFP
• Travel in direct support of the CCFP, following state travel policy or the Federal Travel Regulation

Excluded or restricted:

• New reconstruction or investigation teams
• Basic police crash reports and routine MCSAP inspection or data entry
• Salary bonuses, whether direct or indirect
• Pre-award costs
• LiDAR from companies on DOD's Chinese Military Company list, unless DOT grants a waiver

The 180-Day Rule

The period of performance runs from the year of award plus three years. However, you cannot bill for data collection on crashes that happen within 180 days of the end of the period of performance. The NOFO's example: if the agreement ends September 30, 2028, only crashes through 11:59 PM on March 31, 2028 are reimbursable, unless the agreement is amended. Build your timeline and overtime estimates around that shorter window.

How Applications Are Reviewed

Being pre-selected does not guarantee an award. FMCSA screens each application against 15 eligibility items, including every required form, a budget narrative and project narrative for each project, and a current-year Title VI Program Compliance Plan approved by FMCSA's Office of Civil Rights. The plan's absence will not delay intake review, but you should contact the Office of Civil Rights early. Eligible applications are then scored on:

• Technical criteria: 12 items, including a data-driven problem statement, alignment with CCFP priorities, enough staffing, measurable performance metrics, and a defined scope (statewide, local, and so on)
• Budget and cost analysis: whether every cost ties to work in the plan and is allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable under 2 CFR Part 200
• Program-specific criteria: how well the narrative and budget meet the NOFO's requirements and priorities
• Past performance: applicants with prior FMCSA awards are judged on on-time completion, reporting, and unspent balances. Agencies new to FMCSA funding are not penalized

A risk assessment under 2 CFR § 200.206 follows, including a check of SAM integrity records and, if you spent $1 million or more in federal awards in a year, your Single Audit. The FMCSA Administrator makes final selections. FMCSA says it expects to contact applicants during the first quarter of calendar 2027 and may offer a reduced award.

What the Application Must Contain

• Up to four projects per application
• A 35-page limit on the narrative for the whole application, not per project, including the budget narrative. Forms and attachments do not count toward the limit
• Formatting: Times New Roman 12 pt, 1-inch margins, 8.5 x 11 pages
• For each project, in this order: introduction, problem statement, performance objective, performance activity plan, performance measurement plan, monitoring and milestone plan, and budget narrative
• The problem statement must include a three-year trend analysis of fatal crashes involving Class 7 and 8 trucks in your jurisdiction, with an objective data source and source date
• The activity plan must include a personnel summary (headcount, percent of time, and total hours), level of effort, and a dated timeline
• Forms: SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, the Grants.gov lobbying certification, SF-LLL if applicable, the Key Contacts form, and an indirect cost rate agreement if you charge indirect costs
• Whole dollars only. No cents anywhere on the SF-424, SF-424A, or budget narrative. Because there is no match, enter $0 in SF-424 Item 18(b)

FMCSA supplies a budget narrative template and Title VI forms with the Grants.gov package and strongly encourages applicants to use the template.

Reporting After Award

Recipients file a quarterly Performance Progress Report and a quarterly Federal Financial Report (SF-425) in GrantSolutions. Reimbursement requests go through Delphi eInvoicing at least once a quarter. Before data collection starts, crash data collectors must complete FMCSA-specified training. Because this is a cooperative agreement, FMCSA can redirect or halt your data collection if program goals are not being met or are being exceeded.

Practical Guidance

• Check your Grants.gov registration today. The NOFO warns that registration usually takes 2 to 4 business weeks, and FMCSA will not accept a late application caused by registration problems. With the December 28 deadline, an agency starting from scratch is already short on time. Confirm your SAM.gov registration is active as well.
• If you are a local agency, call your MCSAP lead agency this week. A direct applicant has to certify that its proposal is coordinated with the state's CCFP plan.
• Pull three years of fatal heavy-truck crash data now. The trend analysis is required, and your historical CMV response rate also drives the equipment proration.
• Count your NAS Part A/B certified officers. Every funded investigation needs one, so the number you have limits how many crashes you can take.
• Back up your overtime estimate. Overtime is allowed in both the crash response and inspection priorities, but only with a historical basis.
• Plan around the 180-day cutoff so your budget does not assume reimbursement for crashes in the final six months.
• Watch FMCSA's pre-recorded funding webinar at fmcsa.dot.gov. FMCSA staff can clarify the NOFO but cannot review your draft.

Contact Information

• Programmatic and eligibility questions: Dan Meyer, dan.meyer@dot.gov (cc CCFP@dot.gov), 217-725-5798
• Financial questions: Montika Brooks, montika.brooks@dot.gov, 202-754-2031
• FMCSA Grants Management Office: FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov, weekdays 9 AM to 5 PM ET
• Grants.gov support: 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov

How Avila Can Help

CCFP is a short-window application with strict formatting: a three-year crash trend analysis, a budget narrative for each project that matches the SF-424A, and equipment costs prorated to your CMV response rate, all due December 28. After award come quarterly progress and financial reports plus Delphi reimbursement requests. Avila helps public safety agencies find programs like this one, draft the narrative and budget, and track spending and reporting once the award is made. Book a demo to see how it works.

For related public safety and transportation funding, see our Safe Streets and Roads for All guide, the FY 2026 JAG guide, and the SAFER grant guide. For registration help, see SAM.gov registration.