Overview

The National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT), a national-tier USDOT University Transportation Center, is conducting its first competition for project funding. The NCIT consortium is led by Prairie View A&M University, with partners Arizona State University, Blinn College District, Michigan State University, Rutgers University, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Texas A&M University. NCIT’s research, education, and technology transfer programs focus on improving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure. Our research program is supported by three topical pillars: infrastructure durability and resilience, technology, and policy.

Announcement: Download the Call for Problem Statements Memorandum.

Problem Statement Template: Download the Problem Statement Application Template. Click here to view an Example Problem Statement.

The deadline has passed: Problem Statements were due December 16th. Thank you to everyone who submitted their problem statement to [email protected].

FAQs: Refer to Frequently Asked Questions.

The timeline for NCIT project procurement is as follows:

November 5 Call for Problem Statements Released
December 16 Problem Statements Due.
Mid-Late April Announcement of Winner.

Research Program Priority Areas

Problem Statements are being sought for innovative and impactful multimodal research, which is guided by NCIT’s three topical research pillars:

1. Infrastructure Durability and Resiliency – Aims to increase the life span and resiliency of transportation assets, and enable transportation infrastructure to be prepared for, adapt to, and rapidly recover from natural or/and human-caused disruptions. Included are better ways to design, build, and maintain all modes of transportation infrastructure; pavements research with a strong focus on sustainability and resilience elements; new and innovative construction materials and intelligent construction methods; and ways to enhance environmental stewardship by recycling and reuse of waste materials.

2. Technology – Aims to address the impacts and potential benefits of technological innovation, including connected and automated vehicles, the electrification of vehicles on transportation infrastructure, remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles for asset health monitoring and management, the use of technology to enhance construction project delivery, and more. Also of interest is the use of artificial intelligence to enhance infrastructure management through machine learning, Internet of things (IoT), big data, and other advanced technologies.

3. Policy – Aims to improve decision-making for financial resource allocation, including equity and social justice considerations, improved economic analysis for transportation improvements, innovative transportation finance methods, environmental stewardship, policy pertaining to enhanced project delivery methods, innovative construction methods, cybersecurity, and other infrastructure-related policy issues.

Project Statements are also accepted for projects addressing education and workforce development (EWD) and technology transfer and collaboration (T2C). EWD and T2C activities rise to the level of a project (rather than a program, which is funded through other means) when it results in a unique product or deliverable and/or has a research component. EWD projects may include the development of curriculum or educational modules, for example. T2C projects may include such things as activities involved in the commercialization of project outputs or professional development training.