By: CAGTC Staff

Before the new year, the White House announced a series of initiatives to promote stable supply chains and prevent future disruptions. As we move into 2024, these 30 new federal initiatives will be important to pay attention to and monitor developments as they become fully implemented. The new initiatives, which span across the federal government, stand to affect supply chain partners and create future opportunities for stakeholder input and involvement.

The White House announced the new initiatives at the inaugural convening of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience. Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg introduced President Biden at the first Council meeting, highlighting supply chain investments at U.S. ports, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) efforts to facilitate data exchanges between supply chain partners, and President Biden’s Trucking Action Plan to improve conditions for truck drivers. During the meeting, the various cabinet secretaries who serve on the council focused on the importance of creating resilient supply chains to protect national and economic security as well as additional opportunities collaboration between agencies to advance the administration’s priorities through data sharing efforts. Moreover, the Council discussed the importance of increasing engagement with the private sector to diversify critical supply chains and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

The formal launch of the USDOT Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy (Freight Office) was included as part of the White House announcement. Currently leading the Freight Office is Allison Dane Camden, who USDOT appointed to serve as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight. Allison Dane Camden previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Multimodal Development and Delivery for the Washington State Department of Transportation – a member of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC). A statement from CAGTC Executive Director Elaine Nessle on the Freight Office launch may be viewed here.

As prescribed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Freight Office will execute the national multimodal freight policy; administer multimodal freight grant programs, including the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program, the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, and the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) program; research opportunities to improve multimodal freight mobility; help states and cities develop supply chain expertise; and coordinate with other federal agencies. According to USDOT, a priority for the Freight Office will be to advance the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) initiative, an industry information exchange partnership to facilitate data sharing between a wide range of industry stakeholders.

The White House announcement included several initiatives outside of USDOT’s wheelhouse, including a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Supply Chain Resilience Center (SCRC) that will focus on private sector collaboration to improve supply chain security and prevent disruptions that may be caused by conflict or climate change. Specifically, the SCRC will collaborate with USDOT and port authorities as well as shipping, transportation, and logistics stakeholders to identify and address security vulnerabilities at seaports. To receive stakeholder feedback on the SCRC’s work, Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas will host a roundtable to learn how the Center can best support supply chain operations.

Additionally, the Department of Commerce announced a new Supply Chain Center, which will develop risk assessment tools by integrating industry knowledge and data analytics as well as coordinate analyses on critical supply chains to inform targeted actions. In 2024, the Department of Commerce will host a Supply Chain Data and Analytics Summit to discuss risk assessment tools and opportunities to improve data flows with public and private stakeholders.

Other initiatives announced by the White House will focus on mitigating drug pharmaceutical shortages, investing in clean energy supply chains to revitalize communities impacted by coal mine closures, investing in domestic food supply chains to support consumers and farmers, examining climate impacts on commodity prices as well as trade disruptions, and deepening engagement with foreign partners to strengthen global supply chains.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for 2024. The popular program helps communities around the country carry out projects with significant local or regional impact.

RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the state and local levels, including municipalities, Tribal governments, counties, and others complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects. The eligibility requirements of RAISE allow project sponsors to obtain funding for projects that may be harder to support through other U.S. DOT grant programs.

“Across the country, I have seen firsthand how projects funded by our RAISE program are helping communities realize long-held dreams and well-planned visions for better infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we are delivering safer, cleaner infrastructure to communities of every size and in every part of the country, creating a new generation of jobs and helping families build generational wealth in the process.”

RAISE projects are rigorously reviewed and evaluated on statutory criteria of safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism, state of good repair, partnership and collaboration, and innovation.

As was the case in previous years, the Department is encouraging applicants to consider how their projects can address climate change, ensure racial equity, and remove barriers to opportunity. The Department also intends to use the RAISE program to support lowering costs for household budgets, wealth creation and the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union, the incorporation of strong labor standards, and training and placement programs, especially registered apprenticeships.

The NOFO is available here. The deadline for applications is 11:59 PM EST on February 28, 2024 and selections will be announced no later than June 27, 2024.

Read the full release here.