FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is administering a discretionary funding opportunity under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This program, titled the FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program, allocates up to $120 million in federal grant funding to support critical infrastructure improvements at airport-owned air traffic control towers. The program’s core objective is to enhance and modernize non-approach control towers by funding projects that address structural aging, improve communications systems, and ensure long-term operational efficiency and safety within the National Airspace System. This opportunity is part of the FAA’s broader efforts to maintain the safety and functionality of the U.S. aviation system through strategic investment. Specifically, the FY 2026 cycle makes available $20 million in new appropriations and up to $100 million from unobligated funds from previous years, focusing on capital projects. Eligible uses of funding include sustaining, constructing, repairing, improving, rehabilitating, modernizing, replacing, or relocating airport traffic control towers. The program also supports the acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, and related equipment, as well as the construction of FAA-certified remote towers. Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to airport sponsors that are approved under the FAA’s Contract Tower Program or Contract Tower Cost Share Program, as defined under 49 U.S.C. § 47124. These include public agencies, private entities, state agencies, Indian Tribes or Pueblos that own public-use airports listed in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), the Secretary of the Interior for Midway Island, and certain Pacific island nations including the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. A minimum request amount of $25,000 is required, with no cost-sharing or matching requirement imposed on applicants. The application process is structured around the use of FAA Form 5100-144, which must be completed in full and submitted via email as a digitally signed fillable PDF to [email protected] by the deadline of February 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET. Late or improperly submitted applications will not be considered. Applicants are also expected to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and maintain an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Selected applicants must then complete further requirements under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), including the submission of Standard Form SF-424 and FAA Form 5100-100. The FAA will evaluate applications based on their alignment with program goals, implementation readiness, and potential impact on the National Airspace System. Key evaluation criteria include the project's ability to be obligated by September 1, 2026, the age and condition of existing facilities, operational limitations, and the integration of modern safety or communication improvements. Grant recipients will be notified through a Notice of Intent to Fund and subsequent communication from the appropriate FAA regional offices or agencies. This opportunity is non-recurring and follows a set application timeline. Awards will be made subject to standard AIP grant assurances, applicable federal regulations including Buy America and Build America, Buy America Act compliance, and civil rights requirements. Selected applicants will be required to ensure cybersecurity and physical security resilience, and must agree to performance and program evaluations as part of the federal oversight process.

Use only the official FAA form; submit via email; ensure projects can be obligated by Sep 1, 2026; include complete technical and budget documentation.