FY25 Center of Excellence-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Supplemental)

The FY Center of Excellence-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Supplemental funding opportunity is administered by the Federal Railroad Administration within the Office of Railroad Research and Development. This program operates under the broader Railroad Research and Development initiative, which is authorized to support advancements in rail safety, efficiency, and innovation across the United States. The supplemental nature of this funding indicates that it is intended to provide additional support to an existing Center of Excellence at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, reinforcing ongoing research efforts and expanding capacity in priority areas aligned with federal transportation goals. The primary purpose of this supplemental funding is to enhance the research capabilities and outputs of the designated Center of Excellence. The funding is expected to support continued or expanded research activities, potentially including applied research, technology development, data analysis, and workforce development initiatives related to railroad systems. While specific allowable costs are not explicitly detailed in the provided material, typical expenditures under such programs include personnel, equipment, research materials, and operational support necessary to carry out federally approved research objectives. As a supplemental award, it is likely tied to previously approved scopes of work and must align with existing project goals and federal compliance requirements. Eligibility for this opportunity appears to be limited due to its designation as a supplemental award tied to a specific institution, namely the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This suggests that the funding is not broadly competitive and is instead intended for an existing grantee relationship. Applicants are expected to be existing grantees with access to the GrantSolutions platform, indicating that eligibility is restricted to organizations already engaged in funded activities under this program. As such, this opportunity is not open to general public competition and requires prior participation in the program. The application process requires submission through electronic systems, specifically Grants.gov for publicly competed opportunities and GrantSolutions.gov for existing grantees. In this case, applicants must utilize GrantSolutions, which requires an active user account. The system enables full online submission of application materials; however, all required signatures must still be submitted as original hardcopy documents to the Grants Servicing Office by the stated deadline. Applicants who lack account access must contact the GrantSolutions Help Desk for assistance. Required application components include standard federal forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and SF-LLL, as well as additional program-specific documents like the Federal Railroad Administration Assurances and Certifications and a financial capability questionnaire. The submission deadline for this opportunity is June 7, 2026. No pre-application steps such as letters of intent or concept papers are specified in the provided information. The absence of recurring language or future cycle indicators suggests that this is a one-time supplemental funding action rather than a regularly scheduled opportunity. Applicants must ensure that both electronic submissions and required physical documentation are completed by the deadline to be considered. Administrative and technical support for applicants is provided through designated agency contacts. For budgetary and administrative inquiries, applicants may contact Jonnesha Riggs from the Office of Railroad Chief Financial Officer. For programmatic or technical assistance, Leonardo Maldonado from the Grant and Loan Program Development Division is available. These contacts provide direct support to ensure compliance with application requirements and alignment with program objectives. No explicit award notification timeline or performance period is stated in the available materials, indicating that such details may be communicated directly to eligible applicants during the award process.