At the end of every calendar year, MPOs are required to publish a list of projects for which federal funds have been obligated in the most recent Federal Fiscal Year, which runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year. Obligation is the federal government’s commitment to provide a specific amount of money for specific work on a particular project. The annual MPO publication is intended to help illustrate the federal role in providing transportation services and facilities, and to increase transparency in the planning process.