FY25 Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corp | FR AMT 25 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR AMT 25 005

The FY25 Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) is a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is listed as a discretionary cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number FR AMT 25 005; CFDA 20.315; Transportation) and is structured to provide a single award to a single eligible applicant: Amtrak. No other entities are eligible to apply, which reflects that this funding is effectively a directed federal assistance action tied to Amtrak's statutory role and federal appropriations.

The opportunity makes up to $261,332,575 available to Amtrak under the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (Pub. L. 118-158). The stated purpose of the funds is to cover Capital and Debt Service needs. In practical terms, that means the money is intended to support major investments and financial obligations rather than routine day-to-day operating expenses alone, with a focus on sustaining and improving rail assets and meeting debt-related commitments associated with those assets. The funding is available for use through January 31, 2028, or until the funds are fully spent, whichever comes first, giving Amtrak a multi-year window to execute and complete eligible capital work and manage covered debt service costs.

To access the funding, Amtrak must complete a grant application package and submit specific required documents electronically. The required items include the standard Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and a Statement of Work describing what Amtrak will do with the funds. Amtrak must also provide a detailed description of projected operating and capital costs for the upcoming fiscal year. That cost narrative must cover both Northeast Corridor (NEC) activities (including train services and infrastructure) and National Network activities (including state-supported routes and long-distance routes), and it must compare those projections to actual financial performance from the prior fiscal year. This requirement is designed to show how planned spending aligns with recent real-world results, and it gives FRA visibility into trends, assumptions, and changes in performance across Amtrak's different service lines.

In addition, Amtrak must submit a description of the specific capital projects that will be funded, including cost estimates and an estimated timetable for completing the work covered by the request. This part of the application is essentially the project list and delivery plan: what will be built or rehabilitated, how much each element is expected to cost, and when Amtrak expects each project to reach completion. Beyond financial and project information, the application must also include a description of the status of Amtrak's efforts to improve its safety culture, signaling that FRA is expecting updates on organizational safety initiatives and the broader management approach to risk, compliance, and continuous improvement.

The package also requires federal assurances and certifications typically associated with grantmaking. Specifically, Amtrak must include SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs) and SF-424D (Assurances for Construction Programs), reflecting that the requested activities may include both construction-related and non-construction elements. Finally, Amtrak must submit signed copies of FRA/Department of Transportation assurances and certification forms (referenced via the FRA link provided in the notice). These documents collectively establish the legal and administrative commitments that come with accepting federal funds, including compliance with applicable federal requirements.

Key administrative details include an original closing date of January 24, 2025, an award ceiling equal to the full $261,332,575, and an expectation of one award. The notice was created on January 21, 2025. Overall, this opportunity is a targeted cooperative agreement mechanism for FRA to provide appropriated funding to Amtrak for NEC-related and broader network-aligned capital and debt service needs, conditioned on submission of a complete application that lays out costs, projects, schedules, and safety culture progress alongside the required federal forms and assurances.

• The DOT - Federal Railroad Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25 Northeast Corridor Cooperative Agreement to the National Railroad Passenger Corp" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.315.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $261,332,575.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for FR AMT 25 005

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