Fiscal Year 2026 United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP)

The Fiscal Year 2026 United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP) solicitation, designated by number 693JF725R000010 and administered by the Maritime Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation, invites applications for grants aimed at expanding marine-based transportation alternatives to reduce landside congestion and promote the use of vessels documented under 46 U.S.C. chapter 121. The program, authorized under 46 U.S.C. 55601, focuses on projects that develop, expand, or promote Marine Highway Transportation, with funding totaling up to $10,772,270 from a combination of $5 million in new appropriations and unexpended prior-year funds. Applications must demonstrate a high need to develop or expand marine highway services, show measurable benefits from such expansion, provide evidence of strong project support, leverage federal funding effectively, and prove technical capacity and low risk in NEPA and permitting processes. Only submissions rated “High” in the first two merit criteria and “Medium” or higher in the remaining ones qualify as “Highly Recommended” for funding, with awards determined through a holistic trade-off evaluation rather than low-price selection. Applicants must submit a comprehensive project narrative capped at 20 pages, along with required forms including SF-424, SF-424C where applicable, letters of financial commitment, and route sponsor endorsements, all in PDF format and submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59:59 p.m. EDT on August 31, 2026. Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov with a valid Unique Entity Identifier and comply with federal requirements including the Build America, Buy America Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and 2 CFR Part 200 regarding financial stewardship and subrecipient oversight. Federal funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis after allowable expenses are incurred, and the Maritime Administration retains 3% for program administration. Recipients with federal awards exceeding $10 million annually must maintain current integrity and performance records in SAM.gov, and all applicants must address cybersecurity risks in alignment with NSM-22, submit confidentiality notices for proprietary data, and comply with Davis-Bacon wage requirements. Private-sector applicants must provide audited financial statements, entity profiles, and evidence of matching fund commitments. All reviewers must sign non-disclosure agreements to protect application confidentiality.