Side by Side Comparison of Reporting Requirements for New Starts, Small Starts, Very Small Starts, and "Exempt" Projects

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July 2007

Prepared by:
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Planning and Environment
US Department of Transportation

Reporting Item	Required Information	New Starts	Small Starts	Very Small Starts	Exempt
Project Background
Project Description	Project Description Template
Case for the Project Document *	Narrative, Data, Maps, Graphics
Certification of Technical Methods and Planning Assumptions	Signed Certification
Documentation of existing, benefiting transit riders in corridor	Data, methodology, maps of affected routes, evidence of benefit for affected riders
Project Maps
Project Site Map	Map
Vicinity Map	Map
Capital Costs
Standard Cost Categories, including schedule, inflation, and funding	SCC Worksheets
Annualized Cost Worksheets for Build and Baseline	SCC Worksheets
Travel Forecasts **
User Benefits Forecasts	Summit Reports
Thematic Maps and Legend	Summit Output
Summary of Travel Forecasts	Travel Forecast Template, Narrative, Data (as necessary)
Operating and Maintenance Costs
Summary of O&M Cost Productivities	Narrative, Data
Project Justification
Mobility Improvements	Mobility Improvements and Cost Effectiveness Template
Cost Effectiveness (2030)	Mobility Improvements and Cost Effectiveness Template
Cost Effectiveness (Opening Year)	Cost Effectiveness for Small Starts Template
Annualization Factor Justification	Narrative, Data
Transit Supportive Existing Land Use and Future Patterns
Quantitative Land Use Information for New Starts	Quantitative Land Use Information Template
Qualitative Land Use Information for New Starts	Qualitative Land Use Information Template, Narrative, Data, Maps
Quantitative Land Use Information for Small Starts	Quantitative Land Use Information for Small Starts Template
Qualitative Land Use Information for Small Starts	Qualitative Land Use Information for Small Starts Template
Other Factors (Optional)
Evidence of Economic Development, Congestion Pricing, and other project benefits	Narrative, Data, Maps
Local Financial Commitment ***
Financial Plan Summary	Finance Template
Checklist for Financial Submittals	Checklist
20-year Capital Operating Plan	Financial Plan, 20-Year Cash Flow
20-year Operating Financial Plan	Financial Plan, 20-Year Cash Flow
Evidence of Agency Financial Condition	Audited Financial Statements
Evidence that Project O&M Costs are within 5% of Systemwide O&M Costs	O&M Cost Analysis
Supporting Financial Documentation	Narrative, Plans, Data, etc.

* Evaluated as an "Other Factor"; submission of any "Other Factor" is optional.

** Simplified travel forecasting procedures and results may be acceptable for Small Starts projects. Sponsors should discuss such procedures with FTA.

*** Assumes Small Starts/Very Small Starts qualify for streamlined financial evaluation. If not, New Starts financial reporting requirements must be met, but only covering the period up to including the opening year.