Comment period announced for Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
The Collier County Public Transit & Neighborhood Enhancement Division announced a 30-day public comment period for two programs: the United States Code Section 5307 & 5339 Federal Transit Administration Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program of Project and the Collier Area Transit Disadvantaged Business Enterprise fiscal years 2026, 2027 and 2028 goal setting.
Each year, the PTNE receives federal grant funds for the CAT System, and the proposed POP, which outlines how these funds will be utilized, is now open for public review as part of the Public Participation Plan. This public comment period for the POP will end on June 29.
The amount allocated to the Bonita Springs/Naples Urbanized Area for the USC Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program is $7,119,688. The portion of the grant funds awarded to Collier County is $5,558,488, and the remainder of $1,561,200 will be distributed to Lee County.
Proposed projects for this funding include a variety of transportation-related projects, including preventive maintenance, operating assistance, Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit services, funding for the replacement of the maintenance and operating facility, bus stop improvement, intelligent transportation system’s annual support and warranty, and facility safety and security.
Additionally, $502,127 is allocated to the Bonita Springs/Naples Urbanized Area for the USC Section 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities Urbanized Area Formula program.
Project proposed for the appropriated funding may include, as funding permits financing for the replacement of the maintenance and operating facility.
Separately, the PTNE is also seeking input on its DBE goal setting for fiscal years 2026, 2027 and 2028.
The Florida Department of Transportation DBE program applies to projects funded from traditional FDOT sources. It was established to ensure nondiscrimination in the award of state and federally funded contracts. The goal of the DBE program is to remedy past and current discrimination against disadvantaged and small business enterprises, ensuring a “level playing field” in which DBEs can compete fairly for FDOT and FTA contracts.
CAT, as a grantee of both the FDOT and the FTA, is in the triennial process of establishing its goal for its DBE program. The final goal will be in effect for the next three fiscal years (2026, 2027, and 2028).
CAT is recommending the following DBE goal for applicable professional, consulting, construction, and procurement contracts during fiscal years 2026, 2027 and 2028, beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept.30, 2028. The overall DBE goal being proposed is 1.73 percent.
The draft goal will be available for public comment for 30 days, and CAT would like to gain your input. Comments can be sent to ridecat.com or submitted in writing.
The public comment period for the POP and DBE goal will end on June 29, 2025. The proposed DBE goal will be considered the final DBE goal unless substantive public comments are received within the public comment period. The documents will be on display at the customer service desks at the sites listed below:
• Naples City Hall
• Collier County Growth Management and Community Development Department
• Collier County Public Transit & Neighborhood Enhancement Division
• Everglades City Hall
• Marco Island City Hall
• Collier County Headquarters Regional Library
• Career Source Southwest Florida in Immokalee
CAT operates in compliance with FTA program requirements and ensures that transit services are made available and equitably distributed and provides equal access and mobility to any person without regard to race, color or national origin.