Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletin
No. 366
July 7, 2011

	
TO: 		All State Administrative Agency Heads
      All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact
All Urban Area Security Initiative Points of Contact
      All State Homeland Security Directors
      All State Emergency Management Agency Directors
      All Eligible Regional Transit Agencies
      All Private-Sector Transportation Security Partners
      All Public- and Private-Sector Port Security Partners
      All Tribal Nation Points of Contact
      All State Departments of Motor Vehicle Points of Contact
      
FROM:            Elizabeth M. Harman
Assistant Administrator
Grant Programs Directorate
Federal Emergency Management Agency
      	
SUBJECT:	Clarification of FY11 Exercise Guidance 
		
The purpose of this Information Bulletin is to clarify the exercise guidance included in the following FY11 grant packages: 

* Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG)
* Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)
* Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)
* Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)
* Intercity Passenger Rail (AMTRAK)
* Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)
* Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)
* Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)

Submission of After Action Report/Improvement Plans

An After Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) must be completed and submitted to hseep@dhs.gov within 90 days after conduct of an exercise funded through the grant programs listed above.  Please ensure the AAR/IP document is encrypted (password-protected) and the password is also sent to hseep@dhs.gov via a separate email.


Submission of Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plans (TEPs)

State grantees must conduct an annual Training and Exercise Plan Workshop (TEPW) to develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan (TEP) and update it annually.  All TEPs developed at the UASI level should roll-up to one overarching State TEP, which should be submitted to your respective FEMA Regional Exercise Officer (points of contact listed on the HSEEP website) and to hseep@dhs.gov within 90 days after conducting the TEPW. 

Grantees are encouraged to utilize the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), including the National Exercise Schedule (NEXS) and the Corrective Action Program (CAP) System for exercise scheduling and monitoring and tracking of corrective actions. 

Number of Exercises Required in EMPG

All EMPG State grantees will develop and maintain a progressive exercise program consistent with the National Exercise Program Base Plan, to include the planning and conduct of no less than four quarterly exercises (one exercise per quarter) of any type (e.g., Drills, Tabletop Exercises, Functional), and one full-scale exercise within a 12-month period beginning on the date of the grant award.  In addition, all EMPG-funded personnel at both the State and local levels shall participate in no less than three exercises in a 12-month period.  Real world events do not count toward meeting this requirement.

This guidance, including the process and timeline for submitting AAR/IPs to FEMA, is retroactive to prior years grant guidance.

Additional information and guidance related to AAR/IPs, the CAP System and the NEP Base Plan can be found on the HSEEP website: https://hseep.dhs.gov.  Questions regarding HSEEP guidance may be directed to HSEEP@dhs.gov; for HSEEP Toolkit technical support, contact the HSEEP helpdesk at support@hseep.net or 877-612-HELP (4357).




		              U.S. Department of Homeland Security
                                                        Washington, DC 20528