What is the STIC Incentive Program?
The FHWA offers technical assistance and funds—up to $125,000 per STIC this fiscal year —to support the costs of standardizing innovative practices in a state transportation agency or other public sector STIC stakeholder.
Proposed STIC project ideas are prioritized by the NJ STIC for each federal fiscal year. Selected projects are then submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for approval. The request submittal does not guarantee funding nor award of funding.
NJDOT is the primary recipient of the STIC Incentive Grant. Other public sector STIC stakeholders such as MPOs, local governments or tribal governments are eligible to receive STIC Incentive funding as sub-recipients to the NJDOT.
FY25 STIC Fund Eligible Projects/Activities
The requirements for eligibility of a project or activity are as follows:
- The project must have a statewide impact in fostering a culture for innovation or in making an innovation a standard practice.
- The project/activity for which STIC Incentive funding is requested must align the FHWA’s Technology Innovation Deployment (TIDP) goals.
- The project/activity must be eligible for Federal-aid assistance and adhere to applicable federal requirements.
- The project/activity must be started as soon as practical (preferably within 6 months of award, but no later than 1 year) after notification of approval for STIC Incentive funding and the funds must be expended within 2 years.
The NJ STIC is particularly interested in projects and activities that advance the Every Day Counts (EDC) innovations that are being promoted by FHWA.
STIC Incentive funding may be used to conduct internal assessments; build capacity; develop guidance, standards, and specifications; implement system process changes; organize peer exchanges; offset implementation costs; or conduct other activities the STIC identifies to address TIDP goals and to foster a culture for innovation or to make an innovation a standard practice in New Jersey.
Examples of allowable activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- develop standards and specifications;
- develop and deliver training to facilitate widespread use of an innovation;
- refine current specifications based on lessons learned from implementing an innovation;
- develop memoranda of agreement;
- prepare standard operating procedures or technical guidance for an innovation;
- prepare a report summarizing the lessons learned and economic analysis of an innovation;
- develop a decision matrix for use of an innovation;
- prepare an implementation plan for an innovation, including performance measures; or
- sponsor an innovation workshop/exchange sharing best practices.
For more information on EDC Innovations and other projects eligible for funding please visit FHWA’s Website, or contact Christopher Paige at Christopher.Paige@dot.gov.
How to Apply
The solicitation of STIC Incentive projects opens at the beginning of the Federal fiscal year (October 1st) and closes on July 1st. If July 1st falls into Saturday or Sunday, the solicitation will close the Friday before.
Proposals may be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis. The proposals should include:
- Description of the proposed work;
- End product/ result;
- Amount of STIC Incentive funding requested;
- Commitment of other funding;
- Budget justification; and
- Project schedule
If you have questions about your project’s eligibility for the STIC Incentive Program, email: Bureau.Research@dot.nj.gov or call us at: (609) 963-2242.
Projects Supported with STIC Funding:
The New Jersey STIC has distributed funds to several types of projects to advance and implement innovation. Below are examples of STIC-funded projects from the past rounds of grant funding.
List of Projects
Please click here to see a list of current STIC Incentive Projects