State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls | 693JJ923R000206

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls Grant

What is the State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls grant?

The State Process for Informing Consumers of Recalls grant is a discretionary funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Its purpose is to help states create and operate a practical, consistent process for notifying drivers about open motor vehicle safety recalls during the vehicle registration process.

What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 693JJ923R000206.

Which federal agency administers this program?

The program is administered by NHTSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

What is the central goal of the grant?

The central goal is to make recall notifications harder to miss by connecting recall status checks to vehicle registration transactions, so that owners and lessees are alerted to unresolved safety recalls at a moment when the state is already interacting directly with them.

Why is vehicle registration the focus of this program?

Vehicle registration is a routine, high-coverage interaction that most vehicle owners must complete periodically. The grant is designed to use that existing point of contact to deliver recall information when it is most likely to be seen and acted upon.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligibility is aimed at state governments, specifically eligible departments or offices within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Is this grant available to local governments, nonprofits, universities, or private companies?

Based on the provided information, eligibility is listed under state governments (state departments or offices within the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico). No other applicant types are described in the provided text.

What types of activities does the grant support?

The funded work is framed around building and operating a full recall-notification program tied to registration, including (1) developing a methodology to determine whether a vehicle has an open recall, (2) establishing a method to inform owners and lessees of open recalls at registration, and (3) evaluating results using recall completion data.

What does "develop a methodology for determining whether a vehicle has an open recall" mean in practice?

It means creating or improving a reliable process to check recall status and integrate that check into state workflows. The description suggests this typically involves using vehicle identifiers and designing processes that support dependable lookups and integration with registration transactions.

When are vehicle owners and lessees notified under this program?

Notifications are expected to occur when the vehicle is presented for registration, so the program delivers recall information at the point of service during registration transactions.

Does the program apply to online, mail, and in-person registration?

Yes. The program description explicitly notes that registration may occur online, by mail, or in person, and the recall notification approach is expected to function at the point of service across these channels.

What are the three major components states are expected to implement?

The program centers on three pieces: (1) methodology to determine open recalls for a vehicle, (2) method to inform owners/lessees about open recalls during registration, and (3) evaluation by analyzing completed recalls to assess performance.

Is a state required to actually operate the notification program, or can it stop after planning?

A key requirement in the provided description is that award recipients must run the notification program for a two-year implementation period and then evaluate results. This indicates the work is expected to go beyond planning or pilots into sustained operation.

How long is the implementation period?

The required implementation period is two years of operating the notification program, followed by an evaluation of results.

Why does the program require a two-year implementation period?

The two-year window is intended to move the effort beyond planning into real-world execution, giving states time to address issues that arise in practice, such as data matching, customer communications, staff procedures, system interoperability, and how the public responds to notifications.

What does the evaluation component involve?

The evaluation focuses on analyzing completed recalls to assess how well the notification process is performing. The emphasis is on measuring outcomes (recall remedy completion) rather than only building technical capability.

What outcome is the program ultimately trying to improve?

The core safety outcome described is increasing recall remedy rates (more completed recall repairs) by ensuring consumers are informed of open safety recalls during registration.

What is the activity category for this grant?

The activity category is transportation.

What is the CFDA (Assistance Listing) number for this opportunity?

The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 20.614.

What is the maximum award amount listed (award ceiling)?

The posted award ceiling is $7,500,500.

How many awards will be made?

The provided information does not specify the number of expected awards.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2023-07-18.

When did the application period close?

The opportunity originally closed on 2023-08-30.

What makes this an "outcomes-driven" grant program?

The program description emphasizes not only implementing recall notifications but also measuring whether those notifications translate into more completed recall repairs. That built-in evaluation requirement ties the work directly to safety results.

What is the role of recall completion data in the program?

Recall completion data is used after the two-year implementation period to evaluate performance, helping states and NHTSA assess how effective the registration-based notifications are at increasing completed remedies.

Does the grant specifically focus on motor vehicle safety recalls?

Yes. The stated purpose is to notify consumers about open motor vehicle safety recalls tied to their vehicles.

At a high level, what problem is this program trying to solve?

It is designed to reduce the chance that consumers overlook recall notices by embedding recall status checks and notifications into a routine state process (vehicle registration) that reaches a broad share of vehicle owners and lessees.