Appendix C to Subpart C of Part 170 - Relative Need Distribution Factor

The Relative Need Distribution Factor (RNDF) is a mathematical formula for distributing the IRR Program construction funds using the following three factors: Cost to Construct (CTC), Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), and Population (POP).

1. What Is the Formula for the RNDF?

The Relative Need Distribution Factor is as follows:

$ER19JY04.004$ Where: A = percent Relative Need for an individual tribe CTC = Total Cost to Construct calculated for an individual tribe Total C = Total Cost to Construct calculated for all tribes shown in the IRR Inventory VMT = Total vehicle miles traveled for all routes in the IRR Inventory for a given tribe Total VMT = Total vehicle miles traveled for all routes for all tribes in the IRR Inventory POP = Population of an individual tribe Total POP = Total population for all tribes α, β, δ, = 0.50, 0.30, 0.20 respectively = Coefficients reflecting relative weight given to each formula factor Example:

Tribe X has the following data:

CTC = $51,583,000Total CTC  = $10,654,171,742VMT = 45,680Total VMT  = 10,605,298POP = 4,637Total POP  = 1,010,236A = 0.50 [CTC ÷ Total CTC] + 0.30[VMT ÷ Total VMT] + 0.20[ POP ÷ Total POP] A = 0.50 [51,583,000 ÷ 10,654,171,742] + 0.30 [45,680 ÷ 10,605,298] + 0.20 [4,637 ÷ 1,010,236]A = 0.00242 + 0.00129 + 0.00092A = 0.00463 or 0.463 percent If IRR Program construction funds available for the fiscal year are $226,065,139Then the allocation amount would be: $226,065,139 × 0.00463 = $1,046,682

2. How Does BIA Estimate Construction Costs?

The methodology for calculating the Cost to Construct is explained in Appendix D of this subpart.

3. What Is the Cost to Construct for an Individual Tribe?

The Cost to Construct for an individual tribe is the sum of all eligible and approved project costs from the tribe's IRR Inventory.

4. What Is the Cost to Construct Component in the RNDF?

The Cost to Construct component is the total estimated cost of a tribe's transportation projects as a percentage of the total estimated cost nationally of all tribes' transportation facilities. Costs are derived from the IRR inventory of eligible IRR transportation facilities developed and approved by BIA and tribal governments through Long-Range Transportation Planning.

5. May the Cost to Construct Component of the RNDF Be Modified?

Yes, BIA and FHWA, with input and recommendations provided by the IRR Program Coordinating Committee, may consider revisions to the data elements used in calculating the Cost to Construct component.

6. What Is the Source of the Construction Cost Used To Generate the CTC?

(a) The construction cost will be derived from the average of the following three project bid tabulation sources:

(1) Tribal bid tabulations or local BIA bid tabulations;

(2) State bid tabulations for the region of the State in which the tribe's project will be constructed;

(3) National IRR Program bid tabulations.

(b) If one or more of these bid tabulation sources is unavailable, use the average of the available sources.

(c) BIADOT will collect the national IRR Program bid tabulation data and enter it into the Cost to Construct database.

7. What Is the VMT Component and How Is It Calculated?

VMT is a measure of the current IRR transportation system use. BIA calculates VMT using the sum of the length of IRR route segments in miles multiplied by the Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of the route segment.

8. What IRR Route Sections Does BIA Use To Calculate VMT?

All IRR route sections in the IRR Inventory are used to calculate VMT, but percentage factors are applied in accordance with Appendix C to subpart C, question (10).

9. What Is the Population Component and How Is It Determined?

The population component is a factor used to define a portion of transportation need based on the number of American Indian or Alaska Native people served. The population data used will be the American Indian and Alaska Native Service Population developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.).

10. Do All IRR Transportation Facilities in the IRR Inventory Count at 100 Percent of Their CTC and VMT?

No. The CTC and VMT must be computed at the non-Federal share requirement for matching funds for any transportation facility that is added to the IRR inventory and is eligible for funding for construction or reconstruction with Federal funds, other than Federal Lands Highway Program funds.

However, if a facility falls into one or more of the following categories, then the CTC and VMT factors must be computed at 100 percent:

(1) The transportation facility was approved, included, and funded at 100 percent of CTC and VMT in the IRR Inventory for funding purposes prior to the issuance of these regulations.

(2) The facility is not eligible for funding for construction or reconstruction with Federal funds, other than Federal Lands Highway Program funds; or

(3) The facility is eligible for funding for construction or reconstruction with Federal funds, however, the public authority responsible for maintenance of the facility provides certification of maintenance responsibility and its inability to provide funding for the project.