The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation program, known as PROTECT, helps make surface transportation more resilient to weather events, natural disasters, and changing conditions. For civil engineering firm Firm owners, the program can support work that helps transportation agencies assess risk, plan improvements, and protect infrastructure and evacuation routes.
What it funds
PROTECT supports four types of activities: planning, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. Planning may include vulnerability assessments, resilience plans, predesign and design, data tools, technical capacity building, and evacuation planning.
Resilience improvement projects may strengthen existing transportation assets against hazards such as flooding, wildfire, extreme weather, and sea level rise. Community resilience and evacuation route projects can improve safe passage during emergencies and reduce the risk of damage to routes. At-risk coastal infrastructure work can protect highways and related infrastructure, including bridges, roads, walkways, bicycle lanes, culverts, and tide gates.
Who applies
PROTECT has a formula program and a competitive grant program. Formula funds go directly to State departments of transportation. Competitive grants are available to State DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, Indian tribes, territories for at-risk coastal activities, and other eligible entities.
Consultants do not apply for PROTECT grants as the project sponsor. Agencies and other eligible entities apply for funding, then procure consulting services under the rules that apply to them. Eligibility and application details can depend on the activity and funding track, so check the official FHWA PROTECT program page.
Award size and funding available
The official program page reports $7.3 billion in formula funding over five years, distributed to State DOTs, and $1.4 billion in contract authority for competitive grants over five years. These amounts cover fiscal years 2022 through 2026. Check the official program page and current funding notice for award limits and available funding.
A Resilience Improvement Plan is voluntary and risk-based. For PROTECT Formula and Competitive Grant projects, such a plan can reduce the non-Federal match by up to 10 percent. Agencies should confirm the requirements and match calculation for the specific project.
Cycle and current status
The official program page describes funding for fiscal years 2022 through 2026. The PROTECT Competitive Grant Questions and Answers are noted as updated September 25, 2026, and the program page is marked updated August 28, 2026. Check the official program page for current notices, deadlines, and status.
How consultants win the design work
Agencies apply for PROTECT funding. Consultants are selected separately by the agency through its procurement process. For planning, agencies may seek support with resilience planning, vulnerability assessments, predesign, and design. They may also procure benefit-cost analysis and grant writing support where allowed. Grant writing and other application assistance must follow the agency's procurement rules and any applicable funding requirements.
After an award, agencies may procure design and construction phase services for the funded work. Qualifications-based selection (QBS) applies where required for professional engineering services, alongside the agency's procurement rules. Firm owners should track agency opportunities and understand each agency's solicitation and selection process.
What owners should do now
- Review the official PROTECT page for the current funding track, notices, eligible activities, and application status.
- Talk with transportation agencies about their resilience plans, vulnerable assets, evacuation needs, and potential PROTECT projects.
- Prepare relevant qualifications in resilience planning, risk assessment, benefit-cost analysis, grant support where allowed, design, and construction phase services.
- Check procurement requirements before pursuing work, and confirm project-specific match and award details with the funding agency.
Official program page: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/protect/. Check it for current notices of funding opportunity before advising a client.
