CERTS Grant Program Guidelines.pdf

The U.S. Department of Treasury issues guidelines for the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Grant Program, established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The program provides $2 billion in grants to eligible motorcoach, school bus, passenger vessel, and pilotage companies that have experienced annual revenue losses of 25% or more due to COVID-19. Grant funds must be used for payroll costs, operating expenses, and debt repayment. Treasury will determine grant amounts based on a company's lost revenues and other factors.

Eligible companies include motorcoach companies, school bus companies, passenger vessel companies, and pilotage companies. Motorcoach companies provide passenger transportation services using buses with elevated passenger decks for local and intercity fixed-route service, commuter service, and/or charter or tour service. Passenger vessel companies provide transportation services using passenger vessels or small passenger vessels with U.S. Coast Guard-issued Certificates of Inspection.

Payroll costs include payments to employees for compensation, vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave, group health care or other group insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and paid administrative leave. Payroll costs exclude compensation in excess of $100,000, taxes imposed or withheld under certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code, compensation of employees whose principal place of residence is outside the United States, qualified sick leave wages, and bonus or raise in excess of inflation.

The grant process involves submitting applications through a web-based portal on treasury.gov, which will be accessible after the portal opens. Applications must be submitted by the deadline, and Treasury will review each application to validate company identity and eligibility, assess the accuracy and completeness of information submitted, and confirm other attributes consistent with the CERTS statute. Approved applications will be contacted by email to invite the company to sign a grant agreement. Grant amounts are non-competitive and will be determined based on a company's lost revenues and other factors.