At the State's request, an initial briefing of the Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) program will be conducted for State officials by the PRISM Program Managers staff. This briefing is meant to give State officials an outline of the PRISM program and its benefits to the State's safety initiatives.

If as a result of the initial briefing, a State decides to join the PRISM program, they must state their intentions to implement the program in a "Letter of Intent" addressed to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) State Division Administrator.

Once the Letter of Intent is received, a two-day in-depth PRISM training session will be scheduled for the respective State. This training will include a general overview of the program and a thorough review of the grant requirements included in the PRISM Implementation Guide. As part of this process, the FMCSA PRISM Program Management Team and the FMCSA State Division Office will lead the State through the process of developing their own plan. Group efforts will include the identification of responsible parties, development of implementation timelines, cost estimates, etc. Therefore, State attendees at this training should include International Registration Plan (IRP), Intelligent Transportation Systems and Commercial Vehicle Operations (ITS/CVO), and enforcement personnel with the authority to make decisions for the State.

After the PRISM Implementation Plan is approved by the State officials, the FMCSA Division Administration, and the PRISM Program Office, the State must complete and submit the PRISM application package electronically through http://www.grants.gov. The FMCSA State Division Office will notify the State officials when the PRISM grant has been awarded.