The FY 2014 Appropriations Act appropriated $600 million to be awarded by DOT for the TIGER Discretionary Grants program.

As in previous rounds, the FY 2014 TIGER Discretionary Grants are for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure, and are to be awarded on a competitive basis

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for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region.

Additionally, as in the 2010 round, the Act allows for up to $35 million (of the $600 million) to be awarded as grants for the planning of eligible transportation facilities.

DOT is referring to these TIGER Discretionary Grants for planning as TIGER Planning Grants.

The Act also allows DOT to use a small portion of the $600 million for oversight of grants.Projects that are eligible for TIGER Discretionary Grants (“Eligible Projects”) for capital projects include, but are not limited to:
(1) Highway or bridge projects eligible under title 23, United States Code (including bicycle and pedestrian related projects); (2) public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; (3) passenger and freight rail transportation projects; (4) port infrastructure investments; and (5) intermodal projects.

Projects that are eligible for TIGER Planning Grants include, but are not limited to:
Activities related to the planning, preparation, or design of a single surface transportation project, or activities related to regional transportation investment planning, including transportation planning that is coordinated with interdisciplinary factors including housing, economic development, stormwater and other infrastructure investments, and/or that addresses future risks and vulnerabilities, including extreme weather and climate change.

Federal wage rate requirements included in subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, apply to all projects receiving funds under this program, and apply to all parts of the project, whether funded with TIGER Discretionary Grant funds, other Federal funds, or non-Federal funds.

This description of Eligible Projects is identical to the description of eligible projects under earlier rounds of the TIGER Discretionary Grant program.

The FY 2014 Appropriations Act specifies that TIGER Discretionary Grants may not be less than $10 million (except in rural areas) and not greater than $200 million.

For projects located in rural areas (as defined in Section V, Projects in Rural Areas), the minimum TIGER Discretionary Grant size is $1 million.

For TIGER Planning Grants, there is no statutory minimum grant size, regardless of location.