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The State of New Hampshire, through its Department of Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics (Bureau), has been recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) New England Region to be a member of FAA's Airport Block Grant Program (Program). This Program has been in existence in the United States since Congress authorized the pilot program in 1990.
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The Bureau's relationship with FAA is as strong as ever. The state's entry into the Program will enable the Bureau to be an extension of FAA's New England Region. Because of the Bureau's working relationships with the avaition community in NH, the Bureau has a better understanding of local issues and needs that will be used to help determine project and funding priorities. By giving the state the funding assistance in one or two grants, the FAA is giving the Bureau the flexibility to redistribute these funds for non-primary airport improvements based, in part, on local needs.
FY2008 (July 1, 2007- June 30, 2008) will be a transition year for the FAA and NHDOT to work together to complete the details of the New Hampshire Program. The first airport improvement grants to be issued under this Program will be the FY2008 grants.
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| New Hampshire is the ninth state to actively be included in the Program, following: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Texas. |
In New Hampshire, only the non-primary airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) are included in this program. |
- The Bureau will manage the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants for all non-primary NPIAS airports and the statewide program.
- The Bureau will provide input and decisions on project-related issues and questions instead of the FAA.
- The FAA will work with the Bureau as backup during FY2008 to assist the Bureau's transition into the Program.
- The FAA will ultimately be one of the Bureau's many resources following the FY2008 transition period.
- The Program airports will coordinate all project-related issues with the Bureau. FAA will provide input only upon request.
- The Bureau will continue to operate its other programs, including the primary airport grants, 50-50 grants, aircraft operating fee (AOF) grants, airport tax reimbursement grants and aviation education programs.
- The Bureau will provide additional guidance to Program airports through meetings and website updates.
- The Program allows the Bureau to allocate non-primary entitlement and state general aviation apportionment funds to meet local needs. FAA will continue to control the distribution of discretionary funds to non-primary NPIAS airports.
- The Program airports should experience uninterrupted service of their AIP grants.
- The Bureau will continue to utilize FAA regulations, guidance and policies to implement projects within the Program such as: Airport Capital Improvement Program; Project Scoping Meetings; Grant Applications; Grant Offers; Grant Reimbursement Requests.
The above Program information is also available as a brochure in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. For additional information or to provide suggestions on website content, please contact Carol Niewola via email or telephone at (603) 271-1675.
Safety and Phasing Plan
As the start of the FY 2008 construction season is fast approaching, this is a reminder for all airport sponsors and their consultants that, as part of its grant oversight activities, the NHDOT/ Bureau of Aeronautics must review and approve Safety and Phasing Plans of all airport construction grants in the block grant program.
In order to ensure consistency and to facilitate the review process, NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics must now require that any new construction grants incorporate a separate stand-alone Safety and Phasing Plan along with a Safety Plan Checklist signed by the airport sponsor. The Safety and Phasing Plan shall be developed in accordance with FAA Advisory Circular 150/5370-2E. One acceptable method for meeting this requirement is to include the full Safety and Phasing Plan along with a Safety Plan Checklist on colored paper as part of the construction contract/specifications. Additionally, to allow efficient coordination with FAA Lines of Business during the review of various project components, NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics requests an electronic version of the Safety and Phasing Plan along with a Safety Plan Checklist. Such documents shall be submitted to NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics during the final phase of project design, ideally prior to bid openings, but at least 30 days before construction starts.
Please contact NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics with any questions or for concurrence on alternative methods to meeting this requirement.
State Funding Process for NPIAS Airports
An overview of how the State processes funding for New Hampshire's NPIAS airports.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Grant Process
FAA recently switched to different forms for grant reimbursement requests and is phasing out the use of FAA Forms 5100-60 and 5100-61, among others. These changes are the result of audit requirements to which FAA is subject. In order to help facilitate the transition to the new FAA forms, below is a summary of the links to the forms FAA prefers to be used (and as a Block Grant state, NH will initially use these forms until further notice). All forms are in Adobe Acrobat format unless otherwise noted.
Grant Applications (Planning projects):
Note: For those non-primary airports within the Block Grant Program, NHDOT requires three (3) grant application packages (at least one must have original signatures) and FAA will no longer receive any grant applications. For those primary airports outside of the Block Grant program, FAA requires (3) grant application packages and NHDOT requires one (1) grant application package.
Note: E.O. 12372, Intergovernmental Review Process, in New Hamshire requires a coverletter and one (1) copy of SF 424, program narrative, the budget sheets from FAA Form 5100-101 or 5100-100 (as appropriate), and project sketch showing the location of the project sent to: Meghan McPherson, Grants Manager, NH Office of Energy and Planning, 4 Chenell Drive, Concord, NH 03301-8501 (phone: 603-271-1098). The coverletter should request that the comment summary be sent to NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics and FAA/Airports Division. Additionally, because the IRP in NH only includes reviews by state organizations, one additional copy of this same coverletter and application package must be sent to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, R5 ES New England FO, 70 Commercial Street, Concord, NH 03301-5087 for their review and comment.
Grant Applications (Development, Land, Equipment projects):
Note:For those non-primary airports within the Block Grant program, NHDOT requires three (3) grant application packages (at least one must have original signatures) and FAA will no longer receive any grant applications. For those primary airports outside of the Block Grant program, FAA requires (3) grant application packages and NHDOT requires one (1) grant application package.
Note:
E.O. 12372, Intergovernmental Review Process, in New Hamshire requires a coverletter and one (1) copy of SF 424, program narrative, the budget sheets from FAA Form 5100-101 or 5100-100 (as appropriate), and project sketch showing the location of the project sent to: Meghan McPherson, Grants Manager, NH Office of Energy and Planning, 4 Chenell Drive, Concord, NH 03301-8501 (phone: 603-271-1098). The coverletter should request that the comment summary be sent to NHDOT/Bureau of Aeronautics and FAA/Airports Division. Additionally, because the IRP in NH only includes reviews by state organizations, one additional copy of this same coverletter and application package must be sent to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, R5 ES New England FO, 70 Commercial Street, Concord, NH 03301-5087 for their review and comment.
Grant Reimbursement Requests (Planning projects):
NHDOT 5555 (Excel)
SF 270
Provide supporting documentation (e.g., invoices, summary of project costs, sponsor administration receipts...)
Note: For those non-primary airports within the Block Grant program, NHDOT requires two (2) grant reimbursement request packages (at least one must have original signatures) and FAA will no longer receive any grant reimbursement requests. For those primary airports outside of the Block Grant program, FAA requires two (2) grant reimbursement request packages and NHDOT requires one (1) grant reimbursement request package.
Grant Reimbursement Requests (Development, Land, Equipment projects):
NHDOT 5555 (Excel)
SF 271
Provide supporting documentation (e.g., invoices, periodic cost estimate of construction costs, summary of project costs, sponsor administration receipts...).
Note: For those non-primary airports within the Block Grant program, NHDOT requires two (2) grant reimbursement request packages (at least one must have original signatures) and FAA will no longer receive any grant reimbursement requests. For those primary airports outside of the Block Grant program, FAA requires two (2) grant reimbursement request packages and NHDOT requires one (1) grant reimbursement request package.
Project Closeout (Development, Land, Equipment projects):
FAA Project Closeout Summary Form (Word)
FAA Project Closeout Summary Form Instructions
Provide supporting documentation (e.g., testing results summary, project photos, copy of grant amendment request (if applicable), copies of change orders...).
Note: For those non-primary airports within the Block Grant program, NHDOT requires two (2) project closeout packages and FAA will no longer receive any project closeout packages. For those primary airports outside of the Block Grant program, FAA requires one (1) project closeout package and NHDOT requires one (1) project closeout package.
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