WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced it will award $11.1 million in over-the-road bus security grants in fiscal 2008, a reduction of one-half million dollars from fiscal 2007.

The deadline for coach operators to apply for the money is noon March 17.

The money, which has been awarded annually since fiscal 2003, is to help operators pay to beef up passenger, bus and facilities security. This year's amount is consistent with what has been awarded in recent years.

And, in keeping with what has become tradition, the Department of Homeland Security has again changed the program parameters. For fiscal '08, there is a:

Cost-sharing/match requirement of at least 25 percent for submitted projects.

Requirement that those applying for a grant must have both a security plan and a vulnerability assessment that has been submitted to DHS.

The '08 Intercity Bus Security Grant Program is weighted in favor of the industry's largest coach operators but far less so than last year.

This year, 55 percent of the money will go to operators having 250 or more over-the-road buses, versus 70 percent last year.

Because the security grant program has two "tiers" one for the largest operators and the other for everyone else, smaller operators do not have to "compete" directly with the big guys for money.

Here's the dollar breakdown for fiscal 08:

Tier I: $6.1 million for operators that have 250 or more over-the-road buses.

Tier II: $5 million for operators that own 249 or fewer over-the-road buses.

There are eight operators in the U.S. with 250 or more motorcoaches that are eligible to compete for the $6.1 million, while the remaining 3,000+ U.S. operators with 249 or fewer coaches will compete for the $5 million share.

There is no minimum number of motorcoaches necessary for an operator to apply, but those seeking the money must provide at least 50 trips annually into areas the Department of Homeland Security has determined to be most at risk of a terrorist attack.

All Intercity Bus Security Grant requests must be completed and submitted online. Apply at www.grants.gov. Click on Find Grant Opportunities, click on Basic Search, go to the Search by CFDA Number box, enter 97.057, click on Search. The CFDA number (97.057) is bureaucratize for Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number.

The grants will be announced in June.

The Department of Homeland Security has a set of "tools" for completing a security plan and threat assessment. Find them at www.tsa.gov/join/grants/ibsgp.shtm.