Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletin No. 385 (a) June 1, 2012 MEMORANDUM FOR: All State Administrative Agency Heads All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact All Urban Areas Security Initiative Points of Contact All State Homeland Security Directors All State Emergency Management Agency Directors All Tribal Nation Points of Contact FROM: Timothy W. Manning Deputy Administrator Protection and National Preparedness Elizabeth M. Harman Assistant Administrator Grant Programs Directorate SUBJECT: Update to Information Bulletin #385 - Clarification of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) requirement This Information Bulletin clarifies the requirement for grantees to complete a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) in compliance with the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201 as detailed in the FY 2012 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and the FY 2012 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). FY 2012 The following entities are required to complete a THIRA by December 31, 2012 as a performance requirement of their FY 2012 grant funding: * All 56 State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) receiving funding under the FY 2012 HSGP and EMPG programs; and * All 31 Urban Areas receiving funding under the FY 2012 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant program. All tribal nations that are recipients of FY 2012 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) funding (announcement of recipients scheduled for June 29, 2012) are encouraged but not required to complete a THIRA. Other jurisdictions, such as local units of government and regional planning groups, are highly encouraged but not required to complete their own THIRAs (in conjunction with their SAA).  The SAA is expected to engage its whole community to ensure the entire scope of statewide risk is incorporated into the State THIRA. Each SAA is required to submit a State/territory THIRA, as well as an Urban Area THIRA, if applicable, to FEMA via the on-line State Preparedness Report (SPR) Tool by December 31, 2012. The SPR is located on the Preparedness Comprehensive Assessment System Tool (PREPCAST) portal. Urban Areas should coordinate with their SAA to ensure that their THIRA is included as an attachment to the official SPR Assessment. Urban Areas are not expected to complete the SPR. FEMA’s National Integration Center is now providing a Technical Assistance (TA) Program in order to improve the ability of all jurisdictions to conduct a THIRA. All requests for TA should use the TA Request Form located at http://www.fema.gov/about/divisions/pppa_ta (under Technical Assistance Catalog). SAA and Urban Area requests for TA should be submitted to FEMA-TARequest@fema.dhs.gov. Urban Areas should copy their SAA on the request to ensure the coordination of TA deliveries. To assist grantees with completing the THIRA documents, fillable versions of the table templates included in Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201 Supplement 1: Toolkit have been added to the FEMA Library at www.fema.gov/library (after searching for the key word “THIRA,” click on CPG 201 Process Worksheets to download). FY 2012 grant funding will be awarded by September 30, 2012. However, if a grantee does not submit its THIRA by December 31, 2012, its funding may be placed on hold until it submits the required THIRA. FY 2013 The THIRA submission will not be a pre-requisite for applying for grant funding, but it will be an annual performance requirement upon the award of identified FEMA preparedness grants. If you have questions regarding the completion of your THIRA, please contact the National Integration Center at FEMA-TARequest@fema.dhs.gov. If you have any questions about FEMA preparedness grant requirements, please contact your assigned GPD Program Analyst. For general inquiries, please call the GPD Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk at 1-800-368-6498 or email at ASKCsid@fema.dhs.gov.