The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fiscal Year 2022 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)

Effective April 4, 2022, the Federal Government transitioned from using the Data Universal Numbering System or DUNS number, to a new, non-proprietary identifier known as a Unique Entity Identifier or UEI. For entities that have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to the April 4 date, the UEI has automatically been assigned and no action is necessary. For all entities filing a new registration in SAM.gov on or after April 4, 2022, the UEI will be assigned to that Entity as part of the SAM.gov registration process.

Unique Entity Identifier registration information is available on GSA.gov at: Unique Entity Identifier Update | GSA.

Grants.gov registration information can be found at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.  Detailed information regarding UEI and SAM is also provided in Section D of this funding notice.

Table of Contents

1. Program Description

   1. Issued By
   2. Assistance Listings Number
   3. Assistance Listings Title
   4. Funding Opportunity Title
   5. Funding Opportunity Number
   6. Authorizing Authority for Program
   7. Appropriation Authority for Program
   8. Announcement Type
   9. Program Category
   10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities
   11. Performance Measures

2. Federal Award Information

   1. Available Funding for the NOFO:  $12 million
   2. Projected Number of Awards:    12-20
   3. Maximum Award Amount:    $1 million   
   4. Period of Performance:      36 months
   5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s):   October 1, 2022
   6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s):  September 30, 2025
   7. Funding Instrument Type:     Grant

3.  Eligibility Information

   1. Eligible Applicants
   2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria
   3. Other Eligibility Criteria
   4. Cost Share or Match

4. Application and Submission Information

   1. Key Dates and Times
   2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award
   3. Address to Request Application Package
   4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application
   5. Electronic Delivery
   6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov
   7. How to Submit an Initial Application to FEMA via Grants.gov
   8. Submitting the Final Application in ND Grants
   9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission
   10. Content and Form of Application Submission
   11. Intergovernmental Review
   12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

5.  Application Review Information

   1. Application Evaluation Criteria
   2. Review and Selection Process

6. Federal Award Administration Information

   1. Notice of Award
   2. Pass-Through Requirements
   3.  Administrative and National Policy Requirements
   4. Reporting
   5.  Monitoring and Oversight

7.  DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

   1. Contact and Resource Information
   2. Systems Information

8.  Additional Information

   1. Unique Entity Identifier
   2. Program Evaluation
   3. Period of Performance Extensions
   4. Disability Integration
   5. Conflicts of Interest in the Administration of Federal Awards or Subawards
   6. Procurement Integrity
   7. Record Retention
   8. Actions to Address Noncompliance
   9. Audits
   10. Payment Information
   11. Whole Community Preparedness
   12. Appendices

Appendix A: 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (2021)

Appendix B: Project Narrative Template

Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

Appendix D: Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Template

Appendix E: FY 2021 RCPGP Project Summaries

 

A.    Program Description

1.    Issued By

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)

2.    Assistance Listings Number

97.111

3.    Assistance Listings Title

Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)

4.    Funding Opportunity Title

Fiscal Year 2022 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)

5.    Funding Opportunity Number

Grant Program Title	NOFO Number
RCPGP – Region I	DHS-22-GPD-111-01-01
RCPGP – Region II	DHS-22-GPD-111-02-01
RCPGP – Region III	DHS-22-GPD-111-03-01
RCPGP – Region IV	DHS-22-GPD-111-04-01
RCPGP – Region V	DHS-22-GPD-111-05-01
RCPGP – Region VI	DHS-22-GPD-111-06-01
RCPGP – Region VII	DHS-22-GPD-111-07-01
RCPGP – Region VIII	DHS-22-GPD-111-08-01
RCPGP – Region IX	DHS-22-GPD-111-09-01
RCPGP – Region X	DHS-22-GPD-111-10-01

6.    Authorizing Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-103)

7.    Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-103)

8.    Announcement Type

Initial

9.    Program Category

Preparedness: Emergency Management

10.    Program Overview, Objectives and Priorities

a.    Overview

Preparedness is a shared responsibility that spans across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; the private sector; non-governmental organizations; and the American people. It requires an approach that engages individuals, families, communities, private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and all levels of government across the whole community. The purpose of the RCPGP is to build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration, across the whole community, for catastrophic incident preparedness.

As part of this whole community approach, it is critical that regional catastrophic preparedness investments focus on the needs of underserved communities and vulnerable populations. Natural disasters, worsened by the effects of climate change, often disproportionately affect people in underserved communities where weakened infrastructure, fewer resources, and less support invested in hazard mitigation can compound a disaster’s impact, thus worsening inequality already present in society. Therefore, in order to effectively address equity in emergency management, the evolving threats and risks associated with climate change^[1] and other factors that affect community-level resiliency must also be considered when developing RCPGP investments.

The FY 2022 RCPGP represents one part of a comprehensive set of actions authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to build preparedness capabilities. The National Preparedness Goal (the Goal) defines what it means to be prepared for a wide range of threats and hazards, including catastrophic incidents.

The National Preparedness System is the instrument the nation employs to build, sustain, and deliver core capabilities needed to achieve the goal of a more secure and resilient nation. Each community contributes to achieving the Goal by addressing the risks that are most relevant and urgent for them individually, which in turn strengthens the collective security and resilience of the Nation. They do this through the National Preparedness System components of:

• Identifying and Assessing Risk;
• Estimating Capability Requirements;
• Building and Sustaining Capabilities;
• Planning to Deliver Capabilities;
• Validating Capabilities; and
• Reviewing and Updating.

Of the five basic mission areas in the DHS Strategic Plan, the RCPGP supports Goal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience, which holds that the United States can effectively manage emergencies and mitigate the harm to American communities by thoroughly preparing local communities, rapidly responding during crises, and supporting recovery. The FY 2022 RCPGP also complements the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan which outlines a bold vision and three ambitious goals designed to address key challenges the agency faces during a pivotal moment in the field of emergency management. Wide-ranging and long-term, the goals defined in the plan respond to the changing landscape in which we find ourselves. The goals to meet this challenge are:

• Goal 1 – Promote and Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management;
• Goal 2 - Lead Whole of Community in Climate Resilience; and
• Goal 3 - Promote and Sustain a Ready FEMA and Prepared Nation.

These goals position FEMA to address the increasing range and complexity of disasters, support the diversity of communities we serve, and complement the nation’s growing expectations of the emergency management community. FEMA invites all its stakeholders and partners to also adopt these goals and join in building a stronger, more prepared, and resilient nation.

In support of the above goals, the strategic priority for the FY 2022 RCPGP is investing in the following core capabilities: community resilience, housing, and long-term vulnerability reduction. Community and regional level resilience plans and strategies address the full range of hazards and stressors affecting the ability of communities to survive, adapt, and thrive and enable effective risk reduction. Communities facing severe challenges with affordable housing that is resilient to all hazards, or long-term vulnerability reduction, may use this planning grant to develop specific targeted resilience strategies and plans, or integrate these challenges into broader approaches. Communities may also use this grant to enhance existing plans and strategies to better address the broad range of resilience challenges they may face. These plans and strategies can serve as a tool for leveraging federal investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well as other sources of funding.

Furthermore, priority will be given to those planning efforts that address the needs of disadvantaged communities who might be at special risk as a result of current hazards, including those associated with climate change. By addressing the needs of underserved, at-risk communities, the FY 2022 RCPGP aims to ensure consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals before, during, and after a disaster.

b. Objectives

The primary objective of the RCPGP is to build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration for catastrophic incident preparedness. The National Response Framework (4^th Edition or superseding edition) defines a catastrophic incident as any natural or man-made incident, including terrorism, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, or government functions. The regional interdependencies of effective prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery activities require a cohesive regional approach to catastrophic planning, to include community-level stakeholder involvement to maximize both regional and community-level resilience. 

In addition to the above, the following core capability descriptions, and related objectives for each, can help guide development FY 2022 RCPGP project proposals:

• FEMA defines the Community Resilience core capability as:

  Enable the recognition, understanding, communication of, and planning for risk and empower individuals and communities to make informed risk management decisions necessary to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from future incidents.

  The Core Capability Development Sheet for Community Resilience includes two specific objectives:

  1. Maximize the coverage of the U.S. population that has a localized, risk-informed mitigation plan developed through partnerships across the entire community.
  2. Empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions to facilitate actions necessary to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from future incidents
      
• FEMA defines the Long-term Vulnerability Reduction core capability as:

  Build and sustain resilient systems, communities, and critical infrastructure and key resources lifelines so as to reduce their vulnerability to natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards by lessening the likelihood, severity, and duration of the adverse consequences.

  The Core Capability Development Sheet for Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction includes one specific objective:

  1. Achieve a measurable decrease in the long-term vulnerability of the Nation against current baselines amid a growing population base, changing climate conditions, increasing reliance upon information technology, and expanding infrastructure base.
      
• FEMA defines the Housing core capability as:
  
  Implement housing solutions that effectively support the needs of the whole community and contribute to its sustainability and resilience.
  
  The Core Capability Development Sheet for Housing includes three specific objectives:
   
  1. Establish a resilient and sustainable housing market that meets the needs of the community, including the need for accessible housing within the specified time-frame in the recovery plan.
  2. Assess preliminary housing impacts and needs, identify currently available options for temporary housing, and plan for permanent housing.
  3. Ensure community housing recovery plans continue to address interim housing needs, assess options for permanent housing, and define a timeline for achieving a resilient, accessible, and sustainable housing market.

c.   Priorities

In support of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan, Equity, Climate Resilience, and Readiness are the strategic priorities of the RCPGP. These priorities can also be viewed as strategic outcomes for RCPGP-funded projects. When developing their RCPGP project proposals, applicants should consider how the proposed project can address these priorities and produce meaningful results, using the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan as a guide.

Because the purpose of the RCPGP is to build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration across the whole community for catastrophic incident preparedness, this requires focusing RCPGP-funded projects on developing core capabilities that present persistent preparedness challenges, with specific focus on community-level resilience, with emphasis on addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities, and long-term vulnerability reduction within those communities. Additionally, consistent with previous years, housing remains a key focus area, especially through the lenses of equity, climate resilience, and readiness. The decision to maintain housing as a focus area recognizes a continuing need for communities to address this capability area based on FEMA’s analysis of THIRA/SPR results, as well as the relatively small number of RCPGP awards (35 total) issued over the past three years. Additionally, maintaining year-over-year consistency facilitates FEMA’s efforts to evaluate program effectiveness.

The FY 2022 RCPGP requires that applicants develop and deliver one planning project that addresses specific capability gaps based on THIRA/SPR results and focuses on housing, community resilience, and long-term vulnerability reduction, with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities, within the strategic priorities of equity, climate resilience, and readiness. Additionally, FY 2022 RCPGP applicants are encouraged to develop projects that build a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, and exercising with regional partners across the whole community to improve their collective readiness posture.

RCPGP Focus Area	Examples of Allowable Activities
Community Resilience	Partner with local community leaders, emergency managers, and other key stakeholders to develop localized, risk-informed mitigation plans. Develop a unified, regional mitigation plan that addresses the needs of disadvantaged communities and other socially vulnerable populations and supports the local community mitigation plans.Develop a plan to provide necessary outreach and training to leaders and other key stakeholders representing disadvantaged communities to enable and empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions to facilitate actions necessary to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from disasters. Conduct outreach and training with local community leaders and partners to identify at-risk, disadvantaged communities, analyze their risks, capabilities, and needs, and address those needs as part of a broader planning project that aims to improve community-level resilience. Partner with local community leaders, emergency managers and other key stakeholders to exercise emergency operations plans to identify gaps in preparedness capabilities that affect the resilience of disadvantaged communities.
Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction	Conduct a comprehensive regional vulnerability assessment aimed at understanding the needs of disadvantaged communities and other socially vulnerable populations relative to identified capability gaps. In coordination with local community leaders and other key stakeholders, analyze long-term vulnerabilities, including the effects of climate change, affecting disadvantaged communities across the region and develop a plan for reducing those vulnerabilities. Conduct outreach and training with local community leaders and partners to identify at-risk, disadvantaged communities, analyze their long-term vulnerabilities, current capabilities, and long-term needs, and address those needs as part of a broader project that includes developing a plan for reducing vulnerabilities in affected communities.
Housing	Establish a resilient and sustainable housing market that meets the needs of the community, including the need for accessible and affordable housing. Partner with local community leaders, community development officials, emergency managers, and other key stakeholders to review applicable state and local housing assessments, like the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Consolidated Plans and Action Plans, which are designed to assess affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions. Conduct assessments of affordable housing stock to determine investment strategies to make existing housing more resilient to all hazards.Develop a unified, regional housing plan that addresses the needs of disadvantaged communities and other socially vulnerable populations and supports the local community planning goals. Develop a unified regional plan for upgrading existing housing stock to be more resilient to climate change and all hazards.Develop a regional housing plan that addresses housing instability caused by changes in the climate and includes solutions to increase communities’ climate resilience. Design new programs that incentivize and enable investment in resilient and affordable housing. Develop a regional resilient housing committee that includes subject matter experts on vulnerable populations to support assessment and planning.Identify and address gaps in resilient housing for the disabilities, access, and functional needs community and pet/animal sheltering. Conduct trainings with regional partners on topics related to affordable housing and climate resilience. Develop a unified regional plan for long-term housing after a catastrophic event that identifies and takes steps to rectify capability gaps related to increasing the number of people able to find and secure affordable and resilient long-term housing after a disaster focusing on populations more impacted by disasters. In coordination with local community leaders and other key stakeholders, review existing disaster housing plans and update as needed to ensure compliance with the latest planning and disaster housing guidance (see reference links below) with a focus on the needs of disadvantaged communities.

Planning Resources

A wealth of guidance is available on the internet to support preparedness and resilience guidance to inform and aid development of RCPGP applications. Applicants are advised to conduct their own research but should consider reviewing the information available through FEMA’s website and the other websites listed below, which represents a partial listing of publicly available planning resources.

• National Preparedness | FEMA.gov
• Planning Guides | FEMA.gov
• Planning Considerations: Disaster Housing (fema.gov)
• Equity | FEMA.gov
• Recovery and Resilience Resource Library | FEMA.gov
• Roadmap to Federal Resources for Disaster Recovery | FEMA.gov
• Individuals and Communities | FEMA.gov
• Risk Management | FEMA.gov
• Mitigation Best Practices | FEMA.gov
• Hazard Mitigation Planning | FEMA.gov
• Building Science | FEMA.gov
• Tools for Practitioners | FEMA.gov
• Preparedness Toolkit (fema.gov)
• FEMA Case Study Library | FEMA.gov
• PrepTalks | FEMA.gov
• National Low Income Housing Coalition (nlihc.org)
• Disaster Housing Recovery | National Low Income Housing Coalition (nlihc.org)
• Disaster Housing Recovery Federal Resources | National Low Income Housing Coalition (nlihc.org)

Supplemental Equity Guidance

Underserved communities suffer disproportionately from disasters. Disasters compound the challenges faced by these communities and increase their risk to future disasters. By instilling equity as a foundation of emergency management and striving to meet the unique needs of underserved communities, the emergency management community can work to break this cycle of compounding risks and build a more resilient nation.

A disadvantaged community may be characterized by variables including, but not limited to: low income; high and/or persistent poverty; high unemployment and underemployment; racial and ethnic segregation, particularly where the segregation stems from discrimination by government entities; linguistic isolation; high housing cost burden and substandard housing; distressed neighborhoods; high transportation cost burden and/or low transportation access; disproportionate environmental stressor burden and high cumulative impacts; limited water and sanitation access and affordability; disproportionate impacts from climate; high energy cost burden and low energy access; jobs lost through the energy transition; access to health care; and all geographic areas within Tribal jurisdictions.

Executive Order (EO) 13985 on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (January 20, 2021) defines equity as  “the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment,” and further defines underserved communities as “populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, who have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life…such as Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native American , Alaska Native and Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, Middle Eastern, and North African persons. It also includes individuals who belong to communities that face discrimination… (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons) …” The EO definition of underserved communities also includes members of religious minorities, persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. See Goal 1 - Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan for additional information on this topic.

The focus on equity and investing in strategies that meet the needs of underserved communities will strengthen the whole of community system of emergency management. Substantial and ongoing prioritization of, and investment in, underserved communities is essential for the entire system to be effective and efficient. Engaging the whole community requires all members of the community to be part of the emergency management team, including representatives of underserved communities, diverse community members, social and community service groups and institutions, faith-based and disability advocacy groups, academia, professional associations, the private and nonprofit sectors, and government agencies that may not traditionally have been directly involved in emergency management. The whole community includes children; older adults; individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs; those from religious, racial, and ethnically diverse backgrounds; people with limited English proficiency; and owners of animals including household pets and service animals.

Supplemental Climate Resilience Guidance

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing emergency managers today, and it will continue to shape the field of emergency management for the next several decades. To meet this challenge, the emergency management field needs to anticipate the increasing demands generated by more extreme and frequent disasters, from wildfires and coastal storms to inland flooding. Additionally, emergency managers must learn to manage and support climate-related emergencies such as drought and extreme heat. Natural disasters, worsened by the effects of climate change, often disproportionately affect people in underserved communities where weakened infrastructure, fewer resources, and less support invested in hazard mitigation can compound a disaster’s impact. Therefore, FEMA recommends that climate change and resilience considerations be cornerstones of how the nation builds resilient communities. Emergency managers at the federal, state and local levels need to make targeted efforts to increase resilience, including climate resilience, for underserved individuals and communities.

Climate change has both acute and chronic impacts; communities must be resilient against threats as varied as extreme flooding, drought, hurricanes, and wildfires. Many communities are faced with aging infrastructure, which can increase risk from major disasters. As the frequency of these disasters accelerates, the Agency must increase climate adaptation investments across the nation. To have the greatest impact, FEMA encourages smart investments in system-based, community-wide projects to protect those with the most severe and persistent risk: communities can better target investments to the most transformational projects when they better understand the unique risks posed by climate change.

The future disaster environment will not resemble that of the past, or even what is experienced today. To build long-term resilience, communities must understand their future risk and have the resources and capacity to reduce that risk. Even within the same geographic area, different communities will face differing levels of risk due to their unique demographic, economic, and physical characteristics. It is important for the emergency management community to develop capacity to access and interpret accurate information about this localized risk, specifically in light of future conditions. This information will help communities better understand their own risks and identify the most appropriate resilience actions. See Goal 2 - Lead Whole of Community in Climate Resilience of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan for additional information on this topic.

11. Performance Measures

Communities provide data on their proficiency across 32 core capabilities through the  THIRA/SPR, after-action reports, and other preparedness data.

a. Performance Measures

1. FEMA will measure the percent change in targeted capability gaps and percent improvement in the Housing, Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction core capabilities, as reported through the required THIRA/SPR covering the community.

B. Performance Criteria:

I. FEMA will compare the current baseline capability level of the Housing, Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction core capabilities against the community’s capability level as reported at the end of the grant. Baseline capability assessments will be taken from the calendar year 2020 THIRA/SPR data; end of the grant performance data will be drawn from the calendar year 2024 THIRA/SPR data.

The specific capability assessments FEMA will use in the RCPGP performance measure analysis include the following:

1. Housing:  Within (#) (time) of an incident, (#) people requiring long-term housing, including (#) people with access and functional needs requiring accessible long-term housing, find and secure long-term housing.
2. Community Resilience: Within (#) (time), (#) households are covered by risk-appropriate insurance, including homeowners, flood, windstorm, and seismic. Every (#) (time), conduct (#) outreach events or activities to increase awareness of locally significant threats and hazards to help the residents be more prepared to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from those events.
3. Long Term Vulnerability Reduction: Every (#) (time), (#) jurisdictions review their building codes, and, if necessary, enact or update risk-appropriate, disaster resilient building codes.

Note: the applicant will provide the (#) and (time) based on their current level of capability and desired/target level of capability that will be achieved with RCPGP grant funds.

B.    Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO:                            

$12 million

2.   Projected Number of Awards:                                         

12-20

3.   Maximum Award Amount:                                             

$1 million

4.   Period of Performance:                                                    

36 months

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information on period of performance extensions, please refer to Section H of this funding notice.

FEMA awards under most programs, including this program, only include one budget period, so it will be same as the period of performance. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 for definitions of “budget period” and “period of performance.”

5.   Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s):              

October 1, 2022

6.   Projected Period of Performance End Date(s):               

September 30, 2025

7.   Funding Instrument Type:                                                           

Grant

 

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

The following are eligible applicants for this funding opportunity:

• States as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 (this definition includes the District of Columbia and territories); and
• Local governments as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1.

The following eligibility restrictions for these groups apply:

• A state or territory is eligible to apply if one or more of the 100 most populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) per the Census Bureau’s 2021 Population Estimates (as listed in Appendix A: 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas [2021]) is located within the state or territory. Additionally, the state or territory must obtain the support of the relevant MSA to apply on its behalf. See Section D.10.b Program-Specific Required Forms and Information for additional details on this requirement.
• Local governments must be located within one of the 100 most populous MSAs. DHS/FEMA will accept no more than one application per MSA.

The application may be submitted by either:

• The State Administrative Agency (SAA);
• The first principal city, as indicated in Appendix A: 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas [2021] in bold; or,
• A different local government located within the MSA, only if the application includes a signed letter of support from the office of the chief executive (e.g., mayor or city manager) of the first principal city, as indicated in Appendix A: 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas [2021].

2.   Applicant Eligibility Criteria

Applications must conform to the guidance provided in Appendix B: Project Narrative Template of this funding notice. Applicants that do not meet eligibility and application submission requirements will not be evaluated and scored by the review panel.

3.   Other Eligibility Criteria

a.   National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

Prior to allocation of any federal preparedness awards, recipients must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. The list of objectives used for progress and achievement reporting is on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/implementation-training.

Emergency management and incident response activities require carefully managed resources (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment, and/or supplies) to meet incident needs. Utilization of the standardized resource management concepts such as typing, credentialing, and inventorying, promote a strong national mutual aid capability needed to support delivery of core capabilities. Additional information on resource management, NIMS resource typing definitions, job titles, and position qualifications is on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components.

FEMA developed the National Incident Management System Guideline for the National Qualification System to describe national credentialing standards and to provide written guidance regarding the use of those standards. This guideline describes credentialing and typing processes and identifies tools that Federal Emergency Response Officials and emergency managers at all levels of government may use both routinely and to facilitate multijurisdictional coordinated responses.

Although state (including territorial), local, tribal, and private sector partners (including nongovernmental organizations) are not required to credential their personnel in accordance with these guidelines, FEMA strongly encourages them to do so to leverage the federal investment in the Federal Information Processing Standards 201 infrastructure and to facilitate interoperability for personnel deployed outside their home jurisdiction.

Additional information about NIMS in general is available on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims.

b.   Project Eligibility Requirements

Project submissions must also meet the requirements outlined in Section D.10. Content and Form of Application Submission and Appendix B: Project Narrative Template of this funding notice.

4. Cost Share or Match

There is no mandatory cost share requirement. However, up to four (4) bonus points will be added to applications that commit to a 10% or higher cost share in their budget submission. The proposed cost share commitment must be indicated as a percentage of the total project cost (federal amount plus cost share amount). Unless otherwise authorized by law, federal funds cannot be matched with other federal funds. Details of the application scoring process can be found in Appendix D: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring.

Applicants may choose to voluntarily commit to include a cost share in their applications pursuant to the terms of Section E and Appendices C and D of this funding notice. A voluntary committed cost share is not a requirement to apply for or receive an award. Any applicant choosing to include a voluntary committed cost share in their application will, however, be required to include that cost share should they receive an award. Applicants that include a voluntary committed cost share will have their proposed cost share included as a binding requirement of any federal award they receive as a term and condition of that award. For example, if an applicant voluntarily offers a 10% cost share in its application that is approved for a federal award by FEMA, that federal award will include a binding 10% cost sharing requirement.

An example of the cost share calculation is provided below for an application requesting a federal award amount of $1,000,000 (federal share), and with a voluntary cost share of 10%.

• Federal Share ($1,000,000) is 90% of the total project cost
• Cost Share would be $111,111 (10% of the total project cost)
• Total Project Cost is $1,111,111 (sum of federal share and cost share)

Calculations:

• Total Project Cost = $1,000,000 (federal share requested or awarded) divided by 0.90 (federal share percentage) = $1,111,111
• Cost Share = $1,111,111 (total project cost) multiplied by 0.10 (cost share percentage) = $111,111

FEMA administers cost-sharing requirements in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.306. To meet cost sharing requirements, a recipient’s contributions must be verifiable, reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary under the grant program and must comply with all federal requirements and regulations. The non-federal entity cost share contribution can be cash or third-party in-kind.

D. Application and Submission Information

1.   Key Dates and Times

a.   Application Start Date:                                                    

June 27, 2022

b.   Application Submission Deadline:                                  

August 5, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET

All applications must be received by the established deadline.

The Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System has a date stamp that indicates when an application is submitted. Applicants will receive an electronic message confirming receipt of their submission. For additional information on how an applicant will be notified of application receipt, see the subsection titled “Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission” in Section D of this funding notice.

FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider these late applications for funding. FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate that good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, other exigent or emergency circumstances, or statutory requirements for FEMA to make an award.

Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify FEMA as soon as possible and before the application deadline. Failure to timely notify FEMA of the issue that prevented the timely filing of the application may preclude consideration of the award. “Timely notification” of FEMA means prior to the application deadline and within 48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue.

A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G of this funding notice, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information.” For additional assistance using the ND Grants System, please contact the ND Grants Service Desk at (800) 865-4076 or NDGrants@fema.dhs.gov. The ND Grants Service Desk is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Preparedness Officer or Grants Specialist. If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the FEMA Grants Information Desk by e-mail at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET.

c.   Anticipated Funding Selection Date:    

No later than August 31, 2022

d.   Anticipated Award Date:                        

No later than September 30, 2022

e.   Other Key Dates:

Event	Suggested Deadline for Completion
Obtaining Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Obtaining a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN)	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Creating an account with login.gov	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Registering in SAM or Updating SAM registration	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Registering in Grants.gov	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Registering in SAM or Updating SAM registration	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Registering in ND Grants	Four weeks before actual submission deadline
Starting application in Grants.gov	One week before actual submission deadline
Submitting the final application inND Grants	By the submission deadline

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this funding notice and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

Initial applications are processed through the Grants.gov portal. Final applications are completed and submitted through FEMA’s Non-Disaster Grants (ND Grants) System. Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov.

4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application

Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Applicants are encouraged to register early as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines.

Please review the table above for estimated deadlines to complete each of the steps listed. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting an application may disqualify that application from funding.

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

1. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number from SAM.gov and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;
2. In the application, provide an UEI number;
3. Have an account with login.gov;
4. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;
5. Create a Grants.gov account;
6. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account;
7. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov;
8. Register in ND Grants;
9. Submit an initial application in Grants.gov;
10. Submit the final application in ND Grants, including electronically signing applicable forms; and
11. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

Specific instructions on how to apply for, update, or verify a UEI number, if applicable, or SAM registration or establish an AOR are included below in the steps for applying through Grants.gov.

Applicants are advised that FEMA may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when FEMA is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant’s or recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, FEMA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(c)(2)(iii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from obtaining an UEI number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible by contacting fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov and providing the details of the circumstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If FEMA determines that there are exigent circumstances and FEMA has decided to make an award, the applicant will be required to obtain a UEI number, if applicable, and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.

For this funding opportunity, FEMA requires applicants to submit initial applications through Grants.gov and a final application through ND Grants.

6.   How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a.   General Instructions: 

Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for FEMA funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have a UEI number, an EIN, an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration and Grants.gov account to apply for grants.

Organizations must also have a Grants.gov account to apply for an award under this program. Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but UEI and SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.

If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

b.   Obtain an UEI Number:

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, prior to April 4, 2022, must have a UEI number. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to: Sam.gov.

c.   Obtain Employer Identification Number

All entities applying for funding must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the IRS by visiting: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

d.   Create a login.gov account:

Applicants must have a login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account here: https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3.

 

Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For applicants that are existing SAM users, use the same email address for the login.gov account as with SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

 

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

e.   Register with SAM:

All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html.

Note: As a new requirement per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

i.    Additional SAM Reminders

Existing SAM.gov account holders should check their account to make sure it is “ACTIVE.” SAM registration should be completed at the very beginning of the application period and should be renewed annually to avoid being “INACTIVE.” Please allow plenty of time before the grant application submission deadline to obtain a UEI number, if applicable, and then to register in SAM. It may be four weeks or more after an applicant submits the SAM registration before the registration is active in SAM, and then it may be an additional 24 hours before FEMA’s system recognizes the information.

It is imperative that the information applicants provide is correct and current. Please ensure that your organization’s name, address, and EIN are up to date in SAM and that the UEI number (if applicable) or UEI used in SAM is the same one used to apply for all other FEMA awards. Payment under any FEMA award is contingent on the recipient’s having a current SAM registration.

ii.   Help with SAM

The SAM quick start guide for new recipient registration and SAM video tutorial for new applicants are tools created by the General Services Administration (GSA) to assist those registering with SAM. If applicants have questions or concerns about a SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do or call toll free (866) 606-8220.

f. Create a Grants.gov Account:

The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. If applicable, applicants must know their organization’s UEI number to complete this process.

For more information, follow the on-screen instructions or refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

See also Section D.8 in this funding notice, “Submitting the Final Application in ND Grants,” for instructions on how to register early in ND Grants.

g.   Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account:

A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, if applicable, enter the UEI number for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html.

h.   EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles:

After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

i.    Track Role Status:

To track your role request, refer to:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html.

j.    Electronic Signature:

When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

7. How to Submit an Initial Application to FEMA via Grants.gov

Standard Form 424 (SF-424) is the initial application for this funding notice.

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using a workspace. A workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each Notice of Funding Opportunity, you can create individual instances of a workspace. Applicants are encouraged to submit their initial applications in Grants.gov at least seven days before the application deadline.

In Grants.gov, applicants need to submit the following forms:

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

a.   Create a Workspace:

Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b.   Complete a Workspace:

Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission.

c.   Adobe Reader:

If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard or DHS forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

 

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

d.   Mandatory Fields in Forms: 

In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

e.   Complete SF-424 Fields First:

The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and UEI number, if applicable, or UEI. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f.    Submit a Workspace:

An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the “Sign and Submit” button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g.   Track a Workspace:

After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

h.   Additional Training and Applicant Support:

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 (except federal holidays) support via the toll-free number (800) 518-4726, email at support@grants.gov and the website at https://www.grants.gov/support.html. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist FEMA with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

8.   Submitting the Final Application in ND Grants

After submitting the initial application in Grants.gov, eligible applicants will be notified by FEMA and asked to proceed with submitting their complete application package in ND Grants. Applicants can register early with ND Grants and are encouraged to begin their ND Grants registration at the time of this announcement or, at the latest, seven days before the application deadline. Early registration will allow applicants to have adequate time to start and complete their applications.

Applicants needing assistance registering for the ND Grants system should contact ndgrants@fema.dhs.gov or (800) 865-4076. For step-by-step directions on using the ND Grants system and other guides, please see https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system.

In ND Grants, applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D.10 of this funding notice, “Content and Form of Application Submission.” The Standard Forms (SF) are auto generated in ND Grants, but applicants may access these forms in advance through the Forms tab under the SF-424 family on Grants.gov. Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.

For additional application submission requirements, including program-specific requirements, please refer to the subsection titled “Content and Form of Application Submission” under Section D of this funding notice.

9.   Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

As application submission is a two-step process, the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application in Grants.gov will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of its initial application. This notification does not serve as proof of timely submission, as the application is not complete until it is submitted in ND Grants. Applicants can also view the ND Grants Agency Tracking Number by accessing the Details tab in the submitted workspace section in Grants.gov, under the Agency Tracking Number column. Should the Agency Tracking Number not appear, the application has not yet migrated from Grants.gov into the ND Grants System. Please allow 24 hours for your ND Grants application tracking number to migrate.

All applications must be received in ND Grants by 5 p.m. ET on the application deadline. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by ND Grants. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by ND Grants. Additionally, the applicant(s) listed as contacts on the application will receive a system-generated email to confirm receipt.

 

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

a.   Standard Required Application Forms and Information

The following forms or information are required to be submitted in either Grants.gov or ND Grants. The Standard Forms (SF) are submitted either through Grants.gov, through forms generated in ND Grants, or as an attachment in ND Grants. Applicants may also access the SFs at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.

I.    Grants.Gov

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, initial application submitted through Grants.gov
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying, submitted through Grants.gov

II.   ND Grants

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants
  • For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information (Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants, in addition to or instead of SF-424A
• · SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants
  • For construction under an award, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances (Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants, in addition to or instead of SF-424B
• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants
• Indirect Cost Agreement or Proposal, submitted as an attachment in ND Grants if the budget includes indirect costs and the applicant is required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal. If the applicant does not have or is not required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal, please see Section D.13 of this funding notice, “Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs,” for further information regarding allowability of indirect costs and whether alternatives to an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal might be available, or contact the relevant FEMA staff identified in Section G of this funding notice, DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information for further instructions.

 

b.   Program-Specific Required Forms and Information

RCPGP-specific submission requirements include a project narrative, a budget worksheet and budget narrative (see Appendix E for a Budget and Budget Narrative template that applicants may use), and information regarding regional preparedness partners, as described below. All project narratives must conform with the guidance provided in Appendix B: Project Narrative Template.

The following program-specific forms or information for FY 2022 RCPGP applications are required to be submitted in ND Grants:

• For States and Territories Only: A written, signed statement explaining the statewide or multi-state impact of the proposed investment and attesting to the advance coordination and support of at least one of the 100 most populous MSAs within the state or territory. Applications submitted without the required evidence of support from the applicable MSA will be deemed ineligible.
• For Local Governments Only: A written, signed statement certifying that the applicant’s chief executive (e.g., mayor, city manager, or county executive) and, as applicable, the chief executive of the first principal city of the MSA, supports the application as the local government’s single application being submitted for consideration by FEMA. FEMA reserves the right to exclude multiple applications submitted from the same jurisdiction or to exclude multiple applications from multiple jurisdictions located within the same MSA.
• All Applicants:
  • Names of all entities partnering on the project, including but not limited to states, territories, local or tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and other non-government entities, including those partnering as subrecipients. Partner entities can extend beyond the boundaries of the state/territory or MSA and can be located in other states/territories or MSAs, for the purposes of regional collaboration.
  • Letters of support from partner entities or a written, signed statement certifying the involvement and support of all partner entities that will participate in the proposed project and, if applicable, information on the relationship between the applicant and partnering entities, e.g., existing letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements, such as a signed Memorandum of Understanding.

The involvement of regional preparedness partners is critical to the success of this program. Therefore, DHS/FEMA will take necessary actions to verify the accuracy of written statements that are submitted to satisfy the requirements outlined above. Applications found to contain false or inaccurate information will be rejected. In addition, FEMA will conduct post-award monitoring activities to verify that RCPGP-funded projects are carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award, to include verifying the involvement of committed partner entities as indicated in the application. Failure to comply the terms and conditions of the award is addressed in the Actions to Address Noncompliance section of this funding notice.

Applicants not familiar with conducting their own THIRA/SPR should consult with their SSAA to utilize the SAA’s THIRA/SPR information or for help developing capability assessments as part of their application. For additional information on the THIRA/SPR, also refer to the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201, Third Edition.

RCPGP recipients should include their community’s capability levels and target statements for all core capabilities identified as priorities under the FY 2022 RCPGP (i.e., Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction) into their own THIRA/SPR, and/or incorporate their results of those capability assessments into their SAA’s THIRA/SPR.

The following eligibility criteria apply for projects submitted as part of this application:

• Proposed capability-building projects must be regional and benefit multi-state or intrastate regions.
• Applicants need to propose a capability-building project that is replicable and/or sustainable after the grant period of performance ends.
• Recipients should plan to sustain these new capabilities in subsequent years with non- federal resources.
• Applications will be evaluated using the scoring rubric described in Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring.

Each project can address more than one of the Planning, Organization, Training, or Exercise solution areas. Investing in these areas will promote the creation of new capabilities among recipients. Equipment purchases are not allowed under RCPGP.

For more information on the Planning, Organization, Training, or Exercise solution areas, refer to the CPG 201, Third Edition. For further information on application forms or information to submit, see Section D.10, Content and Form of Application Submission. For further information on funding restrictions and allowable costs, see Section D.12, Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs.

11. Intergovernmental Review

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372

(See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html; https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/spoc_1_16_2020.pdf).

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO, or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA awards under this program is the same as the period of performance).

In general, the Cost Principles establish standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or administrative costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost. More specifically, except as otherwise stated in this NOFO, the terms and condition of an award, or other program materials, costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must be consistent with the Cost Principles for Federal Awards located at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E. In order to be allowable, all costs charged to a FEMA award or applied to the cost share must be reasonable in nature and amount and allocable to the particular FEMA award.

Additionally, all costs charged to awards must comply with the grant program’s applicable statutes, policies, requirements in this NOFO as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. If FEMA staff identify costs that are inconsistent with any of these requirements, these costs may be disallowed, and FEMA may recover funds as appropriate, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

As part of those requirements, grant recipients and subrecipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award.

Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity.

a.   Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services

Recipients and subrecipients of FEMA federal financial assistance are subject to the prohibitions described in section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019 NDAA), Pub. L. No. 115-232 (2018) and 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.327, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Beginning August 13, 2020, the statute – as it applies to FEMA recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors and subcontractors – prohibits obligating or expending federal award funds on certain telecommunications and video surveillance products and contracting with certain entities for national security reasons.

Guidance is available at Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services (Interim) FEMA Policy  #405-143-1, or superseding document.

Additional guidance is available at: Contract Provisions Guide: Navigating Appendix II to Part 200 - Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards (fema.gov).

Effective August 13, 2020, FEMA recipients and subrecipients may not use any FEMA funds under open or new awards to:

(1)  Procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system;

(2)  Enter into, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system; or

(3)  Enter into, extend, or renew contracts with entities that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system.

I.    Definitions

Per section 889(f)(2)-(3) of the FY 2019 NDAA and 2 C.F.R. § 200.216, covered telecommunications equipment or services means:

i.    Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation, (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

ii.   For the purpose of public safety, security of Government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

iii.  Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment; or

iv.  Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the People’s Republic of China.

Examples of the types of products covered by this prohibition include phones, internet, video surveillance, and cloud servers when produced, provided, or used by the entities listed in the definition of “covered telecommunications equipment or services.” See 2 C.F.R. § 200.471.

b.   Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs are allowable only with the prior written approval of DHS/FEMA and as included in the award agreement. To request pre-award costs, a written request must be included with the application, signed by the Authorized Representative of the entity. The letter must outline what the pre-award costs are for, including a detailed budget break-out of pre-award costs from the post-award costs, and a justification for approval.

c.   Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

Applicants may use up to 5% of the RCPGP federal award amount for M&A purposes. M&A activities are those defined as directly relating to the management and administration of RCPGP funds, such as financial management, reporting, and program and financial monitoring. Some examples of M&A costs include grants management training for M&A staff, equipment and supplies for M&A staff to administer the RCPGP grant, travel costs for M&A staff to attend conferences or training related to the RCPGP, contractual services to support the M&A staff with M&A activities, and auditing costs related to the grant award to the extent required or permitted by statute or 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Characteristics of M&A expenses can include the following: 1) direct costs that are incurred to administer a particular federal award; 2) identifiable and unique to each federal award; 3) charged based on the activity performed for that particular federal award; and 4) not duplicative of the same costs that are included in the approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable. It should be noted that salaries of state and local emergency managers are not typically categorized as M&A, unless the state or local Emergency Management Agency (EMA) chooses to assign personnel to specific M&A activities. In this case, personnel and fringe benefits for M&A is allowable.

d.   Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs

Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that desire to charge indirect costs to an award must provide a copy of their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement at the time of application. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.  Applicants that are not required by 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement but are required by 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to develop an indirect cost rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal at the time of application. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to the Grants Management Specialist or other relevant FEMA position for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an indirect cost rate must also reach out to the FEMA Grants Management Specialist for further instructions. Post-award requests to charge indirect costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and based upon the submission of an agreement or proposal as discussed above or based upon the de minimis rate or cost allocation plan, as applicable.

e.   Other Direct Costs

1. Planning:
   
   Planning costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

2. Organization:
   
   Organization costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

3. Equipment:
   
   Equipment costs are NOT allowed under this program.

4. Training:
   
   Training costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

5. Exercises:
   
   Exercise costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

6. Personnel:
   
   Personnel hiring, overtime, and backfill expenses, including related fringe benefits, are allowed under this program to perform allowable assessment, planning, training, and exercise activities. Overtime costs for backfill and overtime to enable personnel to train or participate in exercises are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

7. Consultants/Contractors:
   
   Hiring of full-time or part-time contract planners or consultants to assist with identifying gaps, planning, training, and exercise activities are allowed under this program and must be procured in compliance with 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327. Hiring public safety personnel fulfilling traditional public safety duties is not an allowable cost under this program.

8. Travel:
   
   Domestic travel costs are allowed under this program, as provided for in this funding notice. International travel is not an allowed cost under this program unless approved in advance by DHS/FEMA.

9. Conferences:
   
   Rental of space/locations for conferences, meetings, workshops, and webinars are allowed under this program to perform assessments, planning, training, and exercise activities in a manner consistent with 2 C.F.R. § 200.432. Recipients are encouraged to use free public space/locations, whenever available, prior to the rental of space/locations.

10. Supplies:
    
    Materials or supplies are allowed under this program to conduct gap identification, planning, training, and exercise activities.

11. Construction and Renovation:
    
    Construction and renovation costs are not allowed under this program.

12. Maintenance and Sustainment:
    
    Maintenance and sustainment are not allowed under this program.

E. Application Review Information

1.  Application Evaluation Criteria

a.   Programmatic Criteria

In support of the FY 2022 RCPGP priorities, FEMA’s evaluation of project proposals will be measured against core capability gaps identified through relevant THIRA/SPR reports and the potential impact the proposed project will have on improving those capabilities. Additionally, the scoring rubric that FEMA will use to evaluate project proposals includes various qualitative and quantitative criteria relating to equity and climate resilience. This new scoring approach is guided by the Justice40 Initiative which commits the federal government to delivering 40% of the overall benefits of climate and other federal investments to disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.

The highest scoring RCPGP projects will clearly explain:

• Which disadvantaged communities will be involved in the project and/or will benefit from the project, along with an explanation of the risk factors that make those communities vulnerable;
• How representatives of those disadvantaged communities will participate or otherwise be involved in the project;
• How the project will clearly benefit the affected communities, including the anticipated impact described in both qualitative and quantitative terms; and
• How the proposed project will advance the goal of equity in regional emergency management.

To advance considerations of equity in awarding RCPGP grant funding, FEMA will add additional points to the scores of projects that will benefit socially vulnerable populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) created a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) using U.S. Census data to determine the social vulnerability of every U.S. census tract. Census tracts are subdivisions of counties for which the Census collects statistical data. The CDC/ATSDR SVI ranks each tract on 15 social factors, including poverty, lack of vehicle access, and crowded housing, and groups them into four related themes. Each tract receives a separate ranking for each of the four themes, as well as an overall ranking. In scoring RCPGP project proposals, FEMA will consider the geographic reach and impact of the project based on the states and counties involved and/or supported by the project and will use the SVI data to determine the number of Census tracts that represent communities with a “High” SVI ranking (.60 - .79) or “Very High” SVI ranking (.80 – 1.0).

See Appendix B: Project Narrative Template for the requirements for addressing these equity and climate resilience-related considerations and other guidance for completing the narrative portion of the application.

See Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring for additional details on how equity and climate resilience-related considerations and other criteria are factored into the competitive review and scoring process.

Applications must conform with the guidance provided in Appendix B: Project Narrative Template. FY 2022 RCPGP applications will be evaluated for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed Project Narrative template. Below is a short summary of the evaluation criteria. The full criteria can be found in Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring, which details the specific criteria aligned to each of the Project Narrative requirements and the maximum number of points an application can receive for each criterion. The five (5) base criteria earn up to 100 total possible points; the bonus criteria bring the total to 120 possible points.

1. Need: The applicant demonstrates need for grant funds, including identifying their current capabilities (as applicable) and associated gaps/needs for a project to build beyond current capabilities within the core capabilities of interest. Possible Points: 0 – 20.

2. Project Design: The applicant demonstrates an effective and sustainable project approach for building their current capability within the 36-month period of performance, including the specific project implementation, project management, and regional collaboration approaches. Possible Points: 0 – 35.

3. Impact: The applicant demonstrates the proposed project’s regional impact, including how the project will build the applicant’s capabilities, performance measures the project is expected to achieve, and how the project can be scaled or replicated to benefit national preparedness. Possible Points: 0 – 25.

4. Budget: The applicant demonstrates a reasonable and cost-effective budget (based on the Budget Detail Worksheet and Project Narrative), including explanation of reasonable project costs across the requested categories, the project’s relative cost effectiveness and sustainability, and the applicant’s ability to manage federal grants. Possible Points: 0 – 20.

5. Bonus: Up to 20 bonus points will be applied to project proposals that meet one or more of the below areas:

• Benefit multiple states or more than one of the top 100 most-populous MSAs.
• Support socially vulnerable populations based on CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) data.
• Address climate resilience with a focus on equity.
• Commit to a 10% or greater cost share in the proposal. 
• Are submitted by a new or previously unsuccessful RCPGP applicant.

See Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring for additional details on how bonus points will be applied.

b.   Financial Integrity Criteria

Prior to making a federal award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3354, as enacted by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-117 (2020); 41 U.S.C. § 2313; and 2 C.F.R. § 200.206 to review information available through any Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-designated repositories of governmentwide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, including whether the applicant is suspended or debarred. FEMA may also pose additional questions to the applicant to aid in conducting the pre-award risk review. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:

i.    Financial stability.

ii.   Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

iii.  History of performance in managing federal award.

iv.  Reports and findings from audits.

v.   Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

c.   Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review

Prior to making a federal award where the anticipated total federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000:

i.    FEMA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant, including information on the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors, if applicable, that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through the System for Award Management (SAM), which is currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS).

ii.   An applicant, at its option, may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered.

iii.  FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.

2.   Review and Selection Process

a. Initial Review

Eligibility Screening: FEMA will conduct an initial review of all FY 2022 RCPGP applications to verify applicant eligibility and ensure each application is complete. All eligible and complete applications will progress to the review panel phase for further review. FEMA will not process incomplete applications for further review and will not consider them for funding.

FEMA staff will review the following during the eligibility screening:

1. Applicant is an eligible jurisdiction as defined under the Eligible Applicants header of Section C of this funding notice.
2. Applicant has conformed to the Eligibility Criteria in Section C of this funding notice.
3. Applicant has submitted all required assurances and standard forms.
4. Applicants from states or territories have submitted a signed letter or statement from the applicable MSAs involved in the project.
5. Application includes a Project Narrative that aligns with the format requirements specified in Appendix B: Project Narrative Template.
6. Application includes a Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Appendix E: Budget Detail Worksheet Template).

b. Application Review Process

      Review Panel: Applications that pass the initial eligibility review will be reviewed and scored by a review panel comprised of personnel from FEMA headquarters and regional offices. Applicants that do not meet eligibility and application submission requirements will not be evaluated and scored by the review panel. The review panel will score applications based on specific criteria aligned to the requirements outlined in Appendix B: Project Narrative Template. Each application will be reviewed by no less than two reviewers. The review panel will score applications based on the evaluation criteria described in Section E of this funding notice and Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring, taking into consideration completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed project.

c. Application Selection Process

 All final scores will be sorted in descending order and applicants will be selected for recommendation from the highest score to lowest score until available FY 2022 RCPGP funding has been exhausted.

 FEMA senior leadership will review all ranked scoring results to prioritize the top-scoring applications. Final funding determinations will be made by the Administrator of FEMA.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

Before accepting the award, the AOR and recipient should carefully read the award package. The award package includes instructions on administering the grant award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this funding notice as well as any specific terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Notification of award approval is made through the ND Grants system through an automatic electronic mail to the recipient’s authorized official listed in the initial application. The recipient should follow the directions in the notification to confirm acceptance of the award.

Recipients must accept their awards no later than 60 days from the award date. The recipient shall notify FEMA of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the award or provide a notice of intent to decline through the ND Grants system. For instructions on how to accept or decline an award in the ND Grants system, please see the ND Grants Grant Recipient User Guide, which is available at https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system along with other ND Grants materials.

Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award through the ND Grants system and all other conditions of the award have been satisfied or until the award is otherwise rescinded. Failure to accept a grant award within the 60-day timeframe may result in a loss of funds. 

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

In addition to the requirements of in this section and in this funding notice, FEMA may place specific terms and conditions on individual awards in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

1. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions

All successful applicants for DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, which are available online at: DHS Standard Terms and Conditions.

The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be those in effect at the time the award was made. What terms and conditions will apply for the award will be clearly stated in the award package at the time of award.

2. Ensuring the Protection of Civil Rights

As the Nation works towards achieving the National Preparedness Goal, it is important to continue to protect the civil rights of individuals. Recipients and subrecipients must carry out their programs and activities, including those related to the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities, in a manner that respects and ensures the protection of civil rights for protected populations.

Federal civil rights statutes, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with DHS and FEMA regulations, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or economic status in connection with programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from FEMA.

The DHS Standard Terms and Conditions include a fuller list of the civil rights provisions that apply to recipients. These terms and conditions can be found in the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions. Additional information on civil rights provisions is available at https://www.fema.gov/about/offices/equal-rights/civil-rights.

Monitoring and oversight requirements in connection with recipient compliance with federal civil rights laws are also authorized pursuant to 44 C.F.R. Part 7.

In accordance with civil rights laws and regulations, recipients and subrecipients must ensure the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment.

3. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance

As a federal agency, FEMA is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by FEMA, including grant-funded projects, comply with federal EHP laws, Executive Orders, regulations, and policies, as applicable.

All non-critical new construction or substantial improvement of structures in a Special Flood Hazard Area must, at a minimum, apply the flood elevations of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard’s Freeboard Value Approach unless doing so would cause the project to be unable to meet applicable program cost-effectiveness requirements. All other types of projects may choose to apply the flood elevations of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard’s Freeboard Value Approach. See Executive Order (EO) 14030, Climate-Related Financial Risk and FEMA Policy #-206-21-0003, Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs (Interim) (fema.gov). 

Recipients and subrecipients proposing projects that have the potential to impact the environment, including, but not limited to, the construction of communication towers, modification or renovation of existing buildings, structures, and facilities, or new construction including replacement of facilities, must participate in the FEMA EHP review process. The EHP review process involves the submission of a detailed project description along with any supporting documentation requested by FEMA in order to determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources or historic properties.

In some cases, FEMA is also required to consult with other regulatory agencies and the public in order to complete the review process. Federal law requires EHP review to be completed before federal funds are released to carry out proposed projects. FEMA may not be able to fund projects that are not incompliance with applicable EHP laws, Executive Orders, regulations, and policies.

DHS and FEMA EHP policy is found in directives and instructions available on the FEMA.gov EHP page, the FEMA website page that includes documents regarding EHP responsibilities and program requirements, including implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act and other EHP regulations and Executive Orders.

The GPD EHP screening form is located at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/90195. Additionally, all recipients under this funding opportunity are required to comply with the FEMA GPD EHP Policy Guidance, FEMA Policy #108-023-1, available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85376.

4. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

In expending funds under this program, recipients that are state, local, tribal, or territorial governments must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. The state, local, tribal, or territorial government must show adoption of NIMS during any point of the period of performance. The list of objectives used for progress and achievement reporting is at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/implementation-training.

Emergency management and incident response activities require carefully managed resources (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment, and/or supplies) to meet incident needs. Using standardized resource management concepts such as typing, credentialing, and inventorying, promote a strong national mutual aid capability needed to support delivery of core capabilities. Additional information on resource management, NIMS resource typing definitions, job titles, and position qualifications is on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components.

FEMA developed the National Incident Management System Guideline for the National Qualification System to describe national credentialing standards and to provide written guidance regarding the use of those standards. This guideline describes credentialing and typing processes and identifies tools which Federal Emergency Response Officials and emergency managers at all levels of government may use both routinely and to facilitate multijurisdictional coordinated responses.

Although state, local, tribal, and private sector partners (including nongovernmental organizations) are not required to credential their personnel in accordance with these guidelines, FEMA strongly encourages them to do so to leverage the federal investment in the Federal Information Processing Standards 201 infrastructure and to facilitate interoperability for personnel deployed outside their home jurisdiction.

Additional information about NIMS in general is available at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims.

3. Reporting

Recipients are required to submit various financial and programmatic reports as a condition of award acceptance. Future awards and funds drawdown may be withheld if these reports are delinquent.

a.   Financial Reporting Requirements

i.    Federal Financial Report (FFR)

Recipients must report obligations and expenditures through the FFR form (SF-425) to FEMA.

Recipients may review the Federal Financial Reporting Form (FFR) (SF-425) at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1.

Recipients must file the FFR electronically using the Payment and Reporting Systems (PARS).

ii.   FFR Reporting Periods and Due Dates

An FFR must be submitted quarterly throughout the period of performance (POP), including partial calendar quarters, as well as in periods where no grant award activity occurs. The final FFR is due within 120 calendar days after the end of the POP. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if these reports are delinquent, demonstrate lack of progress, or are insufficient in detail.

Except for the final FFR due at 120 days after the end of the POP for purposes of closeout, the following reporting periods and due dates apply for the FFR:

Reporting Period	Report Due Date
October 1 – December 31	January 30
January 1 – March 31	April 30
April 1 – June 30	July 30
July 1 – September 30	October 30

b.   Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements

i.    Performance Progress Report (PPR)

Recipients are responsible for providing updated performance reports to FEMA Regions using a Microsoft Word document summary attached in ND Grants on a semiannual basis. The PPRs must be based on the approved RCPGP Project Narrative.

The PPR must include the following in the status summary:

• Provide a brief narrative of the overall project status;
• Identify accomplishments and milestones achieved as they related to building the approved project by Planning, Organization, Training, and Exercises;
• Summarize build expenditures by Planning, Organization, Training, and Exercises;
• Explain how your project addresses equity considerations (if applicable), including the tasks associated with the project that directly addresses equity;
• Explain how your project addresses the impacts of climate change (if applicable), including the tasks associated with the project that directly addresses the impact of climate change;
• Explain how your project addresses readiness (if applicable), including the tasks associated with the project that directly addresses readiness;
• Describe any potential issues that may affect project completion; and
• Describe any potential changes to the selected performance measures for the project.

The following reporting periods and due dates apply for the PPRs:

Reporting Period	Report Due Date
January 1 – June 30	July 30
July 1 – December 31	January 30

Grant recipients will be required to submit an application, annual SPR submission, and final narrative report. If the grant recipient is not otherwise required to complete an annual SPR they must either partner with their state and use the state’s annual SPR submission to meet this requirement or work with their SAA to develop the THIRA/SPR capability assessment as part of their grant application and again at the end of the period of performance.

ii.   After-Action Reports/Improvement Plans

For FY 2022 RCPGP funded projects that include exercise activities, recipients must submit an After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) to hseep@fema.dhs.gov and copy their Regional RCPGP Program Manager. Submission of AAR/IPs must take place within 90 days following completion of the single exercise or progressive series. Recipients can access a sample AAR/IP template at Preparedness Toolkit Improvement Planning Templates.

c.   Closeout Reporting Requirements

i.    Closeout Reporting

Within 120 calendar days after the end of the period of performance for the prime award or after an amendment has been issued to close out an award before the original POP ends, recipients must liquidate all financial obligations and must submit the following:

• The final request for payment, if applicable.
• The final FFR (SF-425).
• The final progress report detailing all accomplishments, including a narrative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the POP.
• A qualitative narrative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the entire POP submitted to the respective FEMA Program Analyst.
• Other documents required by this funding notice, terms and conditions of the award, or other FEMA guidance.

In addition, pass-through entities are responsible for closing out their subawards as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.344; subrecipients are still required to submit closeout materials within 90 calendar days of the period of performance end date. When a subrecipient completes all closeout requirements, pass-through entities must promptly complete all closeout actions for subawards in time for the recipient to submit all necessary documentation and information to FEMA during the closeout of the prime award.

After the prime award closeout reports have been reviewed and approved by FEMA, a closeout notice will be completed to close out the grant. The notice will indicate the period of performance as closed, list any remaining funds that will be deobligated, and address the requirement of maintaining the grant records for at least three years from the date of the final FFR. The record retention period may be longer, such as due to an audit or litigation, for equipment or real property used beyond the period of performance, or due to other circumstances outlined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.334.

The recipient is responsible for refunding to FEMA any balances of unobligated cash that FEMA paid that are not authorized to be retained per 2 C.F.R. § 200.344(d).

1. Administrative Closeout

Administrative closeout is a mechanism for FEMA to unilaterally move forward with closeout of an award using available award information in lieu of final reports from the recipient per 2 C.F.R. § 200.344(h)-(i). It is a last resort available to FEMA, and if FEMA needs to administratively close an award, this may negatively impact a recipient’s ability to obtain future funding. This mechanism can also require FEMA to make cash or cost adjustments and ineligible cost determinations based on the information it has, which may result in identifying a debt owed to FEMA by the recipient.

When a recipient is not responsive to FEMA’s reasonable efforts to collect required reports needed to complete the standard closeout process, FEMA is required under 2 C.F.R. § 200.344(h) to start the administrative closeout process within the regulatory timeframe. FEMA will make at least three written attempts to collect required reports before initiating administrative closeout. If the recipient does not submit all required reports in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.344, this funding notice, and the terms and conditions of the award, FEMA must proceed to administratively close the award with the information available within one year of the period of performance end date. Additionally, if the recipient does not submit all required reports within one year of the period of performance end date, per 2 C.F.R. § 200.344(i), FEMA must report in FAPIIS the recipient’s material failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the award.

If FEMA administratively closes an award where no final FFR has been submitted, FEMA uses that administrative closeout date in lieu of the final FFR submission date as the start of the record retention period under 2 C.F.R. § 200.334.

In addition, if an award is administratively closed, FEMA may decide to impose remedies for noncompliance per 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, consider this information in reviewing future award applications, or apply special conditions to existing or future awards.

d.   Additional Reporting Requirements

i.    Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335

This reporting requirement pertains to disclosing information related to government-wide suspension and debarment requirements. Before a recipient enters into a grant award with FEMA, the recipient must notify FEMA if it knows if it or any of the recipient’s principals under the award fall under one or more of the four criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335:

i.    Are presently excluded or disqualified;

ii.   Have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it or any of the recipient’s principals for one of those offenses within that time period;

iii.  Are presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state or local) with commission of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a); or

iv.  Have had one or more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default.

At any time after accepting the award, if the recipient learns that it or any of its principals falls under one or more of the criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335, the recipient must provide immediate written notice to FEMA in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 180.350.

ii.   Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance

Per 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix I § F.3, the additional post-award reporting requirements in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix XII may apply to applicants who, if upon becoming recipients, have a total value of currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all federal awarding agencies that exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of an award under this funding opportunity.

Recipients that meet these criteria must maintain current information reported in FAPIIS about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings described in paragraph 2 of Appendix XII at the reporting frequency described in paragraph 4 of Appendix XII.

iii. Single Audit Report

For audits of fiscal years beginning on or after December 26, 2014, recipients that expend $750,000 or more from all federal funding sources during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report, also known as the single audit report.

 

The audit must be performed in accordance with the requirements of U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Government Auditing Standards, located at https://www.gao.gov/yellowbook/overview, and the requirements of Subpart F of 2 C.F.R. Part 200, located at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=sp2.1.200.f.

4. Monitoring and Oversight

Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.337, FEMA, through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits or conduct desk reviews to review project accomplishments and management control systems to review award progress and to provide any required technical assistance. During site visits or desk reviews, FEMA will review recipients’ files related to the award. As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, recipients must permit FEMA, upon reasonable notice, to review grant-related records and to interview the organization’s staff and contractors regarding the program. Recipients must respond in a timely and accurate manner to FEMA requests for information relating to the award.

Effective monitoring and oversight help FEMA ensure that recipients use grant funds for their intended purpose(s); verify that projects undertaken are consistent with approved plans; and ensure that recipients make adequate progress toward stated goals and objectives. Additionally, monitoring serves as the primary mechanism to ensure that recipients comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations, program guidance, and requirements. FEMA regularly monitors all grant programs both financially and programmatically in accordance with federal laws, regulations (including 2 C.F.R. Part 200), program guidance, and the terms and conditions of the award. All monitoring efforts ultimately serve to evaluate progress towards grant goals and proactively target and address issues that may threaten grant success during the period of performance.

FEMA staff will periodically monitor recipients to ensure that administrative processes, policies and procedures, budgets, and other related award criteria are meeting Federal Government-wide and FEMA regulations. Aside from reviewing quarterly financial and programmatic reports, FEMA may also conduct enhanced monitoring through either desk-based reviews, onsite monitoring visits, or both. Enhanced monitoring will involve the review and analysis of the financial compliance and administrative processes, policies, activities, and other attributes of each federal assistance award, and it will identify areas where the recipient may need technical assistance, corrective actions, or other support.

Financial and programmatic monitoring are complementary processes within FEMA’s overarching monitoring strategy that function together to ensure effective grants management, accountability, and transparency; validate progress against grant and program goals; and safeguard federal funds against fraud, waste, and abuse. Financial monitoring primarily focuses on statutory and regulatory compliance with administrative grant requirements, while programmatic monitoring seeks to validate and assist in grant progress, targeting issues that may be hindering achievement of project goals and ensuring compliance with the purpose of the grant and grant program. Both monitoring processes are similar in that they feature initial reviews of all open awards, and additional, in-depth monitoring of grants requiring additional attention.

Recipients and subrecipients who are pass-through entities are responsible for monitoring their subrecipients in a manner consistent with the terms of the federal award at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.332. This includes the pass-through entity’s responsibility to monitor the activities of the subrecipient as necessary to ensure that the subaward is used for authorized purposes, in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward; and that subaward performance goals are achieved.

In terms of overall award management, recipient and subrecipient responsibilities include, but are not limited to accounting of receipts and expenditures, cash management, maintaining adequate financial records, reporting and refunding expenditures disallowed by audits, monitoring if acting as a pass-through entity, or other assessments and reviews, and ensuring overall compliance with the terms and conditions of the award or subaward, as applicable, including the terms of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1.   Contact and Resource Information

a.   Program Office Contact

GPD’s Program Office coordinates the RCPGP application review and selection process, initiates the issuance of awards, and provides support in addressing specific programmatic questions regarding the FY 2022 RCPGP. The Program Office can be reached by e- mail at FEMA-RCPGP@fema.dhs.gov.

b.   FEMA Grants News

FEMA Grants News is a non-emergency comprehensive management and information resource developed by FEMA for grants stakeholders. This channel provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels. When necessary, recipients will be directed to a federal point of contact who can answer specific programmatic questions or concerns. FEMA Grants Information Desk can be reached by e-mail at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET.

c.   Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration Division

GPD’s Award Administration Division (AAD) provides support regarding financial matters and budgetary technical assistance. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the AAD’s Help Desk via e-mail at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

1. FEMA Regional Offices

Following GPD’s award selection, FEMA Regional Offices will manage, administer, and conduct the application budget review, create the award package, approve, amend, and close out awards, as well as conduct cash analysis, financial and programmatic monitoring, and audit resolution for the RCPGP Program. The Regions also provide technical assistance to RCPGP Program recipients. FEMA Regional Office contact information is available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.

2. Equal Rights

The FEMA Office of Equal Rights (OER) is responsible for compliance with and enforcement of federal civil rights obligations in connection with programs and services conducted by FEMA and recipients of FEMA financial assistance. All inquiries and communications about federal civil rights compliance for FEMA grants under this funding notice should be sent to FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.

3. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

GPD’s EHP Team provides guidance and information about the EHP review process to recipients and subrecipients. All inquiries and communications about GPD projects under this funding notice or the EHP review process, including the submittal of EHP review materials, should be sent to gpdehpinfo@fema.dhs.gov.

2.   Systems Information

a.   Grants.gov

For technical assistance with Grants.gov, call the customer support hotline 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (except federal holidays) at (800) 518-4726 or e-mail at support@grants.gov.

b.   Non-Disaster (ND) Grants

For technical assistance with the ND Grants system, please contact the ND Grants Helpdesk at ndgrants@fema.dhsgov or (800) 865-4076, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. ET. User resources are available at https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system

c.   Payment and Reporting System (PARS)

FEMA uses the Payment and Reporting System (PARS) for financial reporting, invoicing, and tracking payments. FEMA uses the Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment to recipients. To enroll in the DD/EFT, recipients must complete a Standard Form 1199A, Direct Deposit Form. If you have questions about the online system, please call the Customer Service Center at (866) 927-5646 or email ask-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

H. Additional Information

1.   Termination Provisions

FEMA may terminate a federal award in whole or in part for one of the following reasons. FEMA and the recipient must still comply with closeout requirements at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.344-200.345 even if an award is terminated in whole or in part. To the extent that subawards are permitted under this funding notice, pass-through entities should refer to 2 C.F.R. § 200.340 for additional information on termination regarding subawards.

a.   Noncompliance

If a recipient fails to comply with the terms and conditions of a federal award, FEMA may terminate the award in whole or in part. If the noncompliance can be corrected, FEMA may first attempt to direct the recipient to correct the noncompliance. This may take the form of a Compliance Notification. If the noncompliance cannot be corrected or the recipient is non-responsive, FEMA may proceed with a Remedy Notification, which could impose a remedy for noncompliance per 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, including termination. Any action to terminate based on noncompliance will follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.341-200.342 as well as the requirement of 2 C.F.R. § 200.340(c) to report in FAPIIS the recipient’s material failure to comply with the award terms and conditions. See also the section on Actions to Address Noncompliance.

b.   With the Consent of the Recipient

FEMA may also terminate an award in whole or in part with the consent of the recipient, in which case the parties must agree upon the termination conditions, including the effective date, and in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated.

c.   Notification by the Recipient

The recipient may terminate the award, in whole or in part, by sending written notification to FEMA setting forth the reasons for such termination, the effective date, and in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated. In the case of partial termination, FEMA may determine that a partially terminated award will not accomplish the purpose of the federal award, so FEMA may terminate the award in its entirety. If that occurs, FEMA will follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.341-200.342 in deciding to fully terminate the award.

2.  Program Evaluation

Recipients and subrecipients are encouraged to incorporate program evaluation activities from the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully document and measure their progress towards meeting an agency priority goal(s). Title I of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), Pub. L. No. 115-435 (2019) urges federal awarding agencies and federal assistance recipients and subrecipients to use program evaluation as a critical tool to learn, to improve equitable delivery, and to elevate program service and delivery across the program lifecycle. Evaluation means “an assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency.” Evidence Act § 101 (codified at 5 U.S.C. § 311). Evaluation costs are allowable costs (either as direct or indirect), unless prohibited by statute or regulation.

3.   Period of Performance Extensions 

Extensions to the POP for this program are allowed. Extensions to the POP identified in the award will only be considered through formal, written requests to the recipient’s FEMA Program Analyst and must contain specific and compelling justifications as to why an extension is required. Recipients are advised to coordinate with the FEMA Program Analyst as needed when preparing an extension request.

All extension requests must address the following:

a.   The grant program, fiscal year, and award number;

b.   Reason for the delay –including details of the legal, policy, or operational challenges that prevent the final outlay of awarded funds by the deadline;

c.   Current status of the activity(ies);

d.   Approved POP termination date and new project completion date;

e.   Amount of funds drawn down to date;

f.    Remaining available funds, both federal and, if applicable, non-federal;

g.   Budget outlining how remaining federal and, if applicable, non-federal funds will be expended;

h.   Plan for completion, including milestones and timeframes for achieving each milestone and the position or person responsible for implementing the plan for completion; and

i.    Certification that the activity(ies) will be completed within the extended POP without any modification to the original statement of work, as described in the justification and as approved by FEMA.

Extension requests will be granted only due to compelling legal, policy, or operational challenges. Extension requests will only be considered for the following reasons:

• Contractual commitments by the recipient or subrecipient with vendors prevent completion of the project, including delivery of equipment or services, within the existing POP;
• The project must undergo a complex environmental review that cannot be completed within the existing POP;
• Projects are long-term by design, and therefore acceleration would compromise core programmatic goals; or
• Where other special or extenuating circumstances exist.

Recipients should submit all proposed extension requests to FEMA for review and approval at least 120 days prior to the end of the POP to allow sufficient processing time. They are typically granted for no more than a six-month period.

4.   Disability Integration

Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, recipients of FEMA financial assistance must ensure that their programs and activities do not discriminate against other qualified individuals with disabilities.

Grant recipients should engage with the whole community to advance individual and community preparedness and to work as a nation to build and sustain resilience. In doing so, recipients are encouraged to consider the needs of individuals with disabilities into the activities and projects funded by the grant.

FEMA expects that the integration of the needs of people with disabilities will occur at all levels, including planning; alerting, notification, and public outreach; training; purchasing of equipment and supplies; protective action implementation; and exercises/drills.

The following are examples that demonstrate the integration of the needs of people with disabilities in carrying out FEMA awards:

• Include representatives of organizations that work with/for people with disabilities on planning committees, work groups and other bodies engaged in development and implementation of the grant programs and activities.
• Hold all activities related to the grant in locations that are accessible to persons with physical disabilities to the extent practicable.
• Acquire language translation services, including American Sign Language, that provide public information across the community and in shelters.
• Ensure shelter-specific grant funds are in alignment with FEMA’s Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services in General Population Shelters.
• If making alterations to an existing building to a primary function area utilizing federal funds, complying with the most recent codes and standards and making path of travel to the primary function area accessible to the greatest extent possible.
• Implement specific procedures used by public transportation agencies that include evacuation and passenger communication plans and measures for individuals with disabilities.
• Identify, create, and deliver training to address any training gaps specifically aimed toward whole-community preparedness. Include and interact with individuals with disabilities, aligning with the designated program capability.
• Establish best practices in inclusive planning and preparedness that consider physical access, language access, and information access. Examples of effective communication access include providing auxiliary aids and services such as sign language interpreters, Computer Aided Real-time Translation (CART), and materials in Braille or alternate formats.

FEMA grant recipients can fund projects towards the resiliency of the whole community, including people with disabilities, such as training, outreach and safety campaigns, provided that the project aligns with this funding notice and the terms and conditions of the award.

5.   Conflicts of Interest in the Administration of Federal Awards or Subawards

For conflicts of interest under grant-funded procurements and contracts, refer to the section on Procurement Integrity in this funding notice and 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327.

To eliminate and reduce the impact of conflicts of interest in the subaward process, recipients and pass-through entities must follow their own policies and procedures regarding the elimination or reduction of conflicts of interest when making subawards. Recipients and pass-through entities are also required to follow any applicable federal and state, local, tribal, or territorial (SLTT) statutes or regulations governing conflicts of interest in the making of subawards.

The recipient or pass-through entity must disclose to the respective Program Analyst or Program Manager, in writing, any real or potential conflict of interest that may arise during the administration of the federal award, as defined by the federal or SLTT statutes or regulations or their own existing policies, within five days of learning of the conflict of interest. Similarly, subrecipients, whether acting as subrecipients or as pass-through entities, must disclose any real or potential conflict of interest to the recipient or next-level pass-through entity as required by the recipient or pass-through entity’s conflict of interest policies, or any applicable federal or SLTT statutes or regulations.

Conflicts of interest may arise during the process of FEMA making a federal award in situations where an employee, officer, or agent, any members of his or her immediate family, his or her partner has a close personal relationship, a business relationship, or a professional relationship, with an applicant, subapplicant, recipient, subrecipient, or FEMA employees.

6.   Procurement Integrity

Through audits conducted by the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and FEMA grant monitoring, findings have shown that some FEMA recipients have not fully adhered to the proper procurement requirements at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327 when spending grant funds. Anything less than full compliance with federal procurement requirements jeopardizes the integrity of the grant as well as the grant program. To assist with determining whether an action is a procurement or instead a subaward, please consult 2 C.F.R. § 200.331. For detailed guidance on the federal procurement standards, recipients and subrecipients should refer to various materials issued by FEMA’s Procurement Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT), such as the PDAT Field Manual and Contract Provisions Guide. Additional resources, including an upcoming trainings schedule can be found on the PDAT Website: https://www.fema.gov/grants/procurement.

The below highlights the federal procurement requirements for FEMA recipients when procuring goods and services with federal grant funds. FEMA will include a review of recipients’ procurement practices as part of the normal monitoring activities. All procurement activity must be conducted in accordance with federal procurement standards at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327. Select requirements under these standards are listed below. The recipient and any of its subrecipients must comply with all requirements, even if they are not listed below.

Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.317, when procuring property and services under a federal award, states (including territories) must follow the same policies and procedures they use for procurements from their non-federal funds; additionally, states must now follow 2 C.F.R. § 200.321 regarding socioeconomic steps, 200.322 regarding domestic preferences for procurements, 200.323 regarding procurement of recovered materials, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.327 regarding required contract provisions.

All other non-federal entities, such as tribes (collectively, non-state entities), must have and use their own documented procurement procedures that reflect applicable SLTT laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal law and the standards identified in 2 C.F.R. Part 200. These standards include, but are not limited to, providing for full and open competition consistent with the standards of 2 C.F.R. § 200.319 and the required procurement methods at § 200.320.

a.   Important Changes to Procurement Standards in 2 C.F.R. Part 200

OMB recently updated various parts of Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations, among them, the procurement standards. States are now required to follow the socioeconomic steps in soliciting small and minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms per 2 C.F.R. § 200.321. All non-federal entities should also, to the greatest extent practicable under a federal award, provide a preference for the purchase, acquisition, or use of goods, products, or materials produced in the United States per 2 C.F.R. § 200.322. More information on OMB’s revisions to the federal procurement standards can be found in Purchasing Under a FEMA Award: OMB Revisions Fact Sheet.

The recognized procurement methods in 2 C.F.R. § 200.320 have been reorganized into informal procurement methods, which include micro-purchases and small purchases; formal procurement methods, which include sealed bidding and competitive proposals; and noncompetitive procurements. The federal micro-purchase threshold is currently $10,000, and non-state entities may use a lower threshold when using micro-purchase procedures under a FEMA award. If a non-state entity wants to use a micro-purchase threshold higher than the federal threshold, it must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.320(a)(1)(iii)-(v). The federal simplified acquisition threshold is currently $250,000, and a non-state entity may use a lower threshold but may not exceed the federal threshold when using small purchase procedures under a FEMA award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 (citing the definition of simplified acquisition threshold from 48 C.F.R. Part 2, Subpart 2.1).

See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.471, and Appendix II as well as section D.13.a of the funding notice regarding prohibitions on covered telecommunications equipment or services.

b.   Competition and Conflicts of Interest

Among the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.319(b) applicable to all non-federal entities other than states, in order to ensure objective contractor performance and eliminate unfair competitive advantage, contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bids or requests for proposals must be excluded from competing for such procurements. FEMA considers these actions to be an organizational conflict of interest and interprets this restriction as applying to contractors that help a non-federal entity develop its grant application, project plans, or project budget. This prohibition also applies to the use of former employees to manage the grant or carry out a contract when those former employees worked on such activities while they were employees of the non-federal entity.

Under this prohibition, unless the non-federal entity solicits for and awards a contract covering both development and execution of specifications (or similar elements as described above), and this contract was procured in compliance with 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327, federal funds cannot be used to pay a contractor to carry out the work if that contractor also worked on the development of those specifications. This rule applies to all contracts funded with federal grant funds, including pre-award costs, such as grant writer fees, as well as post-award costs, such as grant management fees.

Additionally, some of the situations considered to be restrictive of competition include, but are not limited to:

• Placing unreasonable requirements on firms for them to qualify to do business;
• Requiring unnecessary experience and excessive bonding;
• Noncompetitive pricing practices between firms or between affiliated companies;
• Noncompetitive contracts to consultants that are on retainer contracts;
• Organizational conflicts of interest;
• Specifying only a “brand name” product instead of allowing “an equal” product to be offered and describing the performance or other relevant requirements of the procurement; and
• Any arbitrary action in the procurement process.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.319(c), non-federal entities other than states must conduct procurements in a manner that prohibits the use of statutorily or administratively imposed SLTT geographical preferences in the evaluation of bids or proposals, except in those cases where applicable federal statutes expressly mandate or encourage geographic preference. Nothing in this section preempts state licensing laws. When contracting for architectural and engineering services, geographic location may be a selection criterion provided its application leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project, to compete for the contract.

Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.318(c)(1), non-federal entities other than states are required to maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of their employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts. No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such conflicts of interest would arise when the employee, officer or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization that employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-federal entity may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts. However, non-federal entities may set standards for situations in which the financial interest is not substantial, or the gift is an unsolicited item of nominal value. The standards of conduct must provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violations of such standards by officers, employees, or agents of the non-federal entity.

Under 2 C.F.R. 200.318(c)(2), if the recipient or subrecipient (other than states) has a parent, affiliate, or subsidiary organization that is not a state, local, tribal, or territorial government, the non-federal entity must also maintain written standards of conduct covering organizational conflicts of interest. In this context, organizational conflict of interest means that because of a relationship with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization, the non-federal entity is unable or appears to be unable to be impartial in conducting a procurement action involving a related organization. The non-federal entity must disclose in writing any potential conflicts of interest to FEMA or the pass-through entity in accordance with applicable FEMA policy.

c.   Supply Schedules and Purchasing Programs

Generally, a non-federal entity may seek to procure goods or services from a federal supply schedule, state supply schedule, or group purchasing agreement.

i.    General Services Administration Schedules

States, tribes, and local governments, and any instrumentality thereof (such as local education agencies or institutions of higher education) may procure goods and services from a General Services Administration (GSA) schedule. GSA offers multiple efficient and effective procurement programs for state, tribal, and local governments, and instrumentalities thereof, to purchase products and services directly from pre-vetted contractors. The GSA Schedules (also referred to as the Multiple Award Schedules and the Federal Supply Schedules) are long-term government-wide contracts with commercial firms that provide access to millions of commercial products and services at volume discount pricing.

Information about GSA programs for states, tribes, and local governments, and instrumentalities thereof, can be found at https://www.gsa.gov/resources-for/programs-for-State-and-local-governments and https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/gsa-schedules/schedule-buyers/state-and-local-governments.

For tribes, local governments, and their instrumentalities that purchase off of a GSA schedule, this will satisfy the federal requirements for full and open competition provided that the recipient follows the GSA ordering procedures; however, tribes, local governments, and their instrumentalities will still need to follow the other rules under 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327, such as solicitation of minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, small businesses, or labor surplus area firms (§ 200.321), domestic preferences (§ 200.322), contract cost and price (§ 200.324), and required contract provisions (§ 200.327 and Appendix II).

ii.   Other Supply Schedules and Programs

For non-federal entities other than states, such as tribes, local governments, and nonprofits, that want to procure goods or services from a state supply schedule, cooperative purchasing program, or other similar program, in order for such procurements to be permissible under federal requirements, the following must be true:

• The procurement of the original contract or purchasing schedule and its use by the non-federal entity complies with state and local law, regulations, and written procurement procedures;
• The state or other entity that originally procured the original contract or purchasing schedule entered into the contract or schedule with the express purpose of making it available to the non-federal entity and other similar types of entities;
• The contract or purchasing schedule specifically allows for such use, and the work to be performed for the non-federal entity falls within the scope of work under the contract as to type, amount, and geography;
• The procurement of the original contract or purchasing schedule complied with all the procurement standards applicable to a non-federal entity other than states under at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 – 200.327; and
• With respect to the use of a purchasing schedule, the non-federal entity must follow ordering procedures that adhere to applicable state, tribal, and local laws and regulations and the minimum requirements of full and open competition under 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

If a non-federal entity other than a state seeks to use a state supply schedule, cooperative purchasing program, or other similar type of arrangement, FEMA recommends the recipient discuss the procurement plans with its FEMA Regional Office.

d.   Procurement Documentation

Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.318(i), non-federal entities other than states and territories are required to maintain and retain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement covering at least the rationale for the procurement method, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. States and territories are encouraged to maintain and retain this information as well and are reminded that in order for any cost to be allowable, it must be adequately documented per 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(g).

• Examples of the types of documents that would cover this information include but are not limited to:
• Solicitation documentation, such as requests for quotes, invitations for bids, or requests for proposals;
• Responses to solicitations, such as quotes, bids, or proposals;
• Pre-solicitation independent cost estimates and post-solicitation cost/price analyses on file for review by federal personnel, if applicable;
• Contract documents and amendments, including required contract provisions; and
• Other documents required by federal regulations applicable at the time a grant is awarded to a recipient.
• Additional information on required procurement records can be found on pages 24-26 of the PDAT Field Manual.

7.   Record Retention

a.   Record Retention Period

Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award generally must be maintained for at least three years from the date the final FFR is submitted. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334. Further, if the recipient does not submit a final FFR and the award is administratively closed, FEMA uses the date of administrative closeout as the start of the general record retention period.

The record retention period may be longer than three years or have a different start date in certain cases. These include:

• Records for real property and equipment acquired with Federal funds must be retained for three years after final disposition of the property. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334(c).
• If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the three-year period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334(a).
• The record retention period will be extended if the non-federal entity is notified in writing of the extension by FEMA, the cognizant or oversight agency for audit, or the cognizant agency for indirect costs, or pass-through entity. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334(b).
• Where FEMA requires recipients to report program income after the period of performance ends, the program income record retention period begins at the end of the recipient’s fiscal year in which program income is earned. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334(e).
• For indirect cost rate computations and proposals, cost allocation plans, or any similar accounting computations of the rate at which a particular group of costs is chargeable (such as computer usage chargeback rates or composite fringe benefit rates), the start of the record retention period depends on whether the indirect cost rate documents were submitted for negotiation. If the indirect cost rate documents were submitted for negotiation, the record retention period begins from the date those documents were submitted for negotiation. If indirect cost rate documents were not submitted for negotiation, the record retention period begins at the end of the recipient’s fiscal year or other accounting period covered by that indirect cost rate. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.334(f).

b.   Types of Records to Retain

FEMA requires that non-federal entities maintain the following documentation for federally funded purchases:

• Specifications
• Solicitations
• Competitive quotes or proposals
• Basis for selection decisions
• Purchase orders
• Contracts
• Invoices
• Cancelled checks

Non-federal entities should keep detailed records of all transactions involving the grant. FEMA may at any time request copies of any relevant documentation and records, including purchasing documentation along with copies of cancelled checks for verification. See, e.g., 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.318(i), 200.334, 200.337.

In order for any cost to be allowable, it must be adequately documented per 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(g). Non-federal entities who fail to fully document all purchases may find their expenditures questioned and subsequently disallowed.

8.   Actions to Address Noncompliance

Non-federal entities receiving financial assistance funding from FEMA are required to comply with requirements in the terms and conditions of their awards or subawards, including the terms set forth in applicable federal statutes, regulations, funding notices, and policies. Throughout the award lifecycle or even after an award has been closed, FEMA or the pass-through entity may discover potential or actual noncompliance on the part of a recipient or subrecipient. This potential or actual noncompliance may be discovered through routine monitoring, audits, closeout, or reporting from various sources.

In the case of any potential or actual noncompliance, FEMA may place special conditions on an award per 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.208 and 200.339, FEMA may place a hold on funds until the matter is corrected, or additional information is provided per 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, or it may do both. Similar remedies for noncompliance with certain federal civil rights laws are authorized pursuant to 44 C.F.R. Parts 7 and 19.

In the event the noncompliance is not able to be corrected by imposing additional conditions or the recipient or subrecipient refuses to correct the matter, FEMA might take other remedies allowed under 2 C.F.R. § 200.339. These remedies include actions to disallow costs, recover funds, wholly or partly suspend or terminate the award, initiate suspension and debarment proceedings, withhold further federal awards, or take other remedies that may be legally available. For further information on termination due to noncompliance, see the section on Termination Provisions in the funding notice.

FEMA may discover and take action on noncompliance even after an award has been closed. The closeout of an award does not affect FEMA’s right to disallow costs and recover funds as long the action to disallow costs takes place during the record retention period. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.334, 200.345(a). Closeout also does not affect the obligation of the non-federal entity to return any funds due as a result of later refunds, corrections, or other transactions. 2 C.F.R. § 200.345(a)(2).

The types of funds FEMA might attempt to recover include, but are not limited to, improper payments, cost share reimbursements, program income, interest earned on advance payments, or equipment disposition amounts.

FEMA may seek to recover disallowed costs through a Notice of Potential Debt Letter, a Remedy Notification, or other letter. The document will describe the potential amount owed, the reason why FEMA is recovering the funds, the recipient’s appeal rights, how the amount can be paid, and the consequences for not appealing or paying the amount by the deadline.

If the recipient neither appeals nor pays the amount by the deadline, the amount owed will become final. Potential consequences if the debt is not paid in full or otherwise resolved by the deadline include the assessment of interest, administrative fees, and penalty charges; administratively offsetting the debt against other payable federal funds; and transferring the debt to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for collection.

FEMA notes the following common areas of noncompliance for FEMA’s grant programs:

• Insufficient documentation and lack of record retention.
• Failure to follow the procurement under grants requirements.
• Failure to submit closeout documents in a timely manner.
• Failure to follow EHP requirements.
• Failure to comply with the POP deadline.

9.   Audits

FEMA grant recipients are subject to audit oversight from multiple entities including the DHS OIG, the GAO, the pass-through entity, or independent auditing firms for single audits, and may cover activities and costs incurred under the award. Auditing agencies such as the DHS OIG, the GAO, and the pass-through entity (if applicable), and FEMA in its oversight capacity, must have access to records pertaining to the FEMA award. Recipients and subrecipients must retain award documents for at least three years from the date the final FFR is submitted, and even longer in many cases subject to the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.334. In the case of administrative closeout, documents must be retained for at least three years from the date of closeout, or longer subject to the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.334. If documents are retained longer than the required retention period, the DHS OIG, the GAO, and the pass-through entity, as well as FEMA in its oversight capacity, have the right to access these records as well. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.334, 200.337.

Additionally, non-federal entities must comply with the single audit requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart F. Specifically, non-federal entities, other than for-profit subrecipients, that expend $750,000 or more in federal awards during their fiscal year must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with Subpart F. 2 C.F.R. § 200.501. A single audit covers all federal funds expended during a fiscal year, not just FEMA funds. The cost of audit services may be allowable per 2 C.F.R. § 200.425, but non-federal entities must select auditors in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.509, including following the proper procurement procedures.For additional information on single audit reporting requirements, see section F of this funding notice under the header “Single Audit Report” within the subsection “Additional Reporting Requirements”.

The objectives of single audits are to:

• Determine if financial statements conform to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP);
• Determine whether the schedule of expenditures of federal awards is presented fairly;
• Understand, assess, and test the adequacy of internal controls for compliance with major programs; and
• Determine if the entity complied with applicable laws, regulations, and contracts or grants.

For single audits, the auditee is required to prepare financial statements reflecting its financial position, a schedule of federal award expenditures, and a summary of the status of prior audit findings and questioned costs. The auditee also is required to follow up and take appropriate corrective actions on new and previously issued but not yet addressed audit findings. The auditee must prepare a corrective action plan to address the new audit findings. 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.508, 200.510, 200.511.

Non-federal entities must have an audit conducted, either single or program-specific, of their financial statements and federal expenditures annually or biennially pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.504. Non-federal entities must also follow the information submission requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.512, including submitting the audit information to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within the earlier of 30 calendar days after receipt of the auditor’s report(s) or nine months after the end of the audit period. The audit information to be submitted include the data collection form described at 2 C.F.R. § 200.512(c) and Appendix X to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as well as the reporting package described at 2 C.F.R. § 200.512(b).

The non-federal entity must retain one copy of the data collection form and one copy of the reporting package for three years from the date of submission to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. 2 C.F.R. § 200.512; see also 2 C.F.R. § 200.517 (setting requirements for retention of documents by the auditor and access to audit records in the auditor’s possession).

FEMA, the DHS OIG, the GAO, and the pass-through entity (if applicable), as part of monitoring or as part of an audit, may review a non-federal entity’s compliance with the single audit requirements. In cases of continued inability or unwillingness to have an audit conducted in compliance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart F, FEMA and the pass-through entity, if applicable, are required to take appropriate remedial action under 2 C.F.R. § 200.339 for noncompliance, pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.505.

10. Payment Information

FEMA uses the Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment to recipients. To enroll in the DD/EFT, the recipient must complete SF-1199A, Direct Deposit Form.

FEMA utilizes the Payment and Reporting System (PARS) for financial reporting, invoicing and tracking payments. For additional information, refer to https://isource.fema.gov/sf269/execute/LogIn?sawContentMessage=true.

11. Whole Community Preparedness

Preparedness is a shared responsibility that calls for the involvement of everyone—not just the government—in preparedness efforts. By working together, everyone can help keep the nation safe from harm and help keep it resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemics.

Whole Community includes:

• Individuals and families, including those with access and functional needs
• Businesses
• Faith-based and community organizations
• Nonprofit groups
• Schools and academia
• Media outlets
• All levels of government, including state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal partners

The phrase “Whole Community” often appears in preparedness materials, as it is one of the guiding principles. It means two things:

1. Involving people in the development of national preparedness documents.

2. Ensuring their roles and responsibilities are reflected in the content of the materials.

12. Appendices

1. 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas
2. Project Narrative Template
3. Evaluation Criteria and Scoring
4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Template
5. FY 2021 RCPGP Project Summaries

Appendix A: 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (2021)

The following list of the 100 most populous MSAs is taken from Census Bureau’s 2021 Population Estimates. Bolding indicates the first principal city for each MSA.

1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
3. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area
4. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area
5. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area
7. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area
8. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Metro Area
9. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metro Area
10. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area
11. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area
12. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area
13. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area
14. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area
15. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area
17. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area
18. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area
19. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro Area
20. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area
21. St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area
22. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area
23. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metro Area
24. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area
25. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area
26. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metro Area
27. Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area
28. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area
29. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metro Area
30. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area
31. Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area
32. Columbus, OH Metro Area
33. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metro Area
34. Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metro Area
35. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metro Area
36. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area
37. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area
38. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area
39. Jacksonville, FL Metro Area
40. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
41. Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area
42. Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area
43. Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
44. Richmond, VA Metro Area
45. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro Area
46. Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area
47. New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area
48. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area
49. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metro Area
50. Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area
51. Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
52. Rochester, NY Metro Area
53. Tucson, AZ Metro Area
54. Tulsa, OK Metro Area
55. Fresno, CA Metro Area
56. Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area
57. Worcester, MA-CT Metro Area
58. Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area
59. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area
60. Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area
61. Albuquerque, NM Metro Area
62. Bakersfield, CA Metro Area
63. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area
64. Knoxville, TN Metro Area
65. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area
66. Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area
67. El Paso, TX Metro Area
68. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area
69. New Haven-Milford, CT Metro Area
70. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Metro Area
71. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area
72. Columbia, SC Metro Area
73. Dayton-Kettering, OH Metro Area
74. Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area
75. Boise City, ID Metro Area
76. Stockton, CA Metro Area
77. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area
78. Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area
79. Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area
80. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL Metro Area
81. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area
82. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area
83. Ogden-Clearfield, UT Metro Area
84. Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY Metro Area
85. Akron, OH Metro Area
86. Provo-Orem, UT Metro Area
87. Springfield, MA Metro Area
88. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area
89. Madison, WI Metro Area
90. Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area
91. Syracuse, NY Metro Area
92. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area
93. Wichita, KS Metro Area
94. Toledo, OH Metro Area
95. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area
96. Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area
97. Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area
98. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area
99. Jackson, MS Metro Area
100. Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area

Appendix B: Project Narrative Template

A. Required Format

Applicants must format the application according to the following guidance:

• Document Type: The Project Narrative must be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF
• Spacing: Single
• Typeface:
  • Narrative: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Cambria; 12 pt. font size
  • Citations (in-text, endnote/footnote): Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Cambria; 10, 11, or 12 pt. font sizes
  • Spreadsheet or Table Data Figures, Notes, and Titles: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Cambria; 10, 11, or 12 pt. font sizes
  • Graphics (such as pictures, models, charts, and graphs): Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Cambria; 10, 11, or 12 pt. font sizes
• Margins: One inch
• Indentation/Tabs: Applicant’s discretion
• Page Orientation: Portrait; exception: landscape may be used for spreadsheets and tables
• Maximum number of pages, not including cover and indirect cost rate agreement: 13

(see the Project Narrative below for the maximum number of pages for each section)

• Graphics (e.g., pictures, models, charts, and graphs) will be accepted but are not required
• Primary font color will be black; however, other colors such as red and blue may be used for emphasis as appropriate
• Bold or italicized font may be used but is not required
• Spreadsheet or table format is acceptable where appropriate (e.g., timelines and matrices) but not mandatory

FEMA will not review or consider for funding any application that does not conform to the above specifications.

B. Required Application Contents

Applicants must present the contents of the application using the following arrangement.

Applications must not include any classified information and should not include any Law Enforcement Sensitive information.

FEMA will not consider any letters of endorsement or support submitted separately from an application. If statements of endorsement or support testimony are provided, they must be included in the Project Narrative.

Project Narrative

Section	Requirement	Response	Possible Points
Background	Identify the primary applicant applying for the program and the Points of Contact (POC) for this project, including the following:Name of primary applicantName and title of the lead POCPOC’s full mailing addressPOC’s telephone numberPOC’s email addressName and title of the single authorizing official, or AOR, for the organization (e.g., the individual authorized to sign a grant award)Authorizing official’s full mailing addressAuthorizing official’s telephone numberAuthorizing official’s email addressNames of any additional entity(ies) participating in the project.Provide a list of all states and counties that will either be directly involved in the project or will otherwise be supported by the project.	Does not count toward the total page count limitation.	N/A
Need	Select one or more core capability focus area (in addition to Housing, Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction) addressed by the project.Provide or complete a capability assessment for Housing, Community Resilience, Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction, and the selected core capability focus area(s).Describe the applicant’s existing capability levels for the core capability focus areas.Describe the current capability gap/need identified to build within the core capability focus areas.Explain the inequities, risk factors, and needs of disadvantaged communities within the region (relevant to disaster preparedness) who will benefit from the project.	Three (3) pages maximum	0-20
Project Design	Describe the proposed activities of the project, including any planning, organization, training and/or exercises.Describe why/how this project is the best approach to build upon current capabilities.Describe how the project was selected and designed to maximize positive impacts to disadvantaged communities.List the disadvantaged communities that will be involved in the project and/or will benefit from the project.Provide a breakdown of roles and contributions between each of the project partners. If no additional partners are participating, please explain why.Explain how the partnerships will ensure the project meets regional needs, including the needs of disadvantaged communities, and explain the anticipated outcomes of the partnerships.For States and Territories Only: Provide a written, signed statement explaining the statewide or multi-state impact of the proposed investment and attesting to the advance coordination and support of at least one of the 100 most populous MSAs within the state/territory.Local Governments Only: Provide a written statement certifying that the applicant’s chief executive (e.g., mayor, city manager, or county executive) and, as applicable, the chief executive of the first principal city of the MSA, supports the application as the local government’s single application.Describe the overall project plan, timeline and milestones that are critical to the success of the project and associated dates.	Seven (7) pages maximum	0-35
Impact	Complete the performance measures this project is expected to achieve based on the applicable guidance included in the Core Capability Development Sheets.Complete an estimated capability assessment for the core capability focus areas AFTER completion of the project.Describe how core capabilities will be improved/built after the completion of this project.Explain how the project will clearly benefit the identified disadvantaged communities.Describe the project’s anticipated impact on the affected communities in both qualitative and quantitative terms.Provide an estimated percentage of the project’s overall benefit to disadvantaged communities and explain how that figure was calculated.Explain how the proposed project will advance the goal of equity in regional emergency management.Describe how the findings or deliverables from the proposed project can be scaled, replicated, or otherwise benefit national preparedness.	Three (3) pages maximum	0-25
Budget	Provide a budget narrative and detailed budget worksheet of the project, including how project dollars requested will be used in the Planning, Organization, Training, or Exercises solution area(s).Please include total project dollars in the detailed budget worksheet, including alternate funding sources, match, or cost share agreements.Describe the applicant’s plan for sustaining the capabilities built from this funding, including the resources the applicant will use to support sustainment after the grant funds and period of performance expires. If no other funding sources are necessary, please explain.   Describe the applicant’s ability to manage federal grants, such as (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal awards; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to implement effectively statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.	Two (2) pages maximum	0-20

Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

The review panel will score applications based on specific criteria aligned to the Project Narrative requirements. The table below details the specific criteria aligned to each of the Project Narrative requirements, and the maximum number of points an application can receive for each criterion. Each question will be scored based on the complexity within the requirement and priority to the program.

 

Project Narrative Requirement	Evaluation Criteria	Possible Points
Need (0-20 Points)
Select one or more core capabilities (in addition to Housing, Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction) to align with the proposed project. Provide or complete a capability assessment for the core capability focus area(s). Describe the applicant’s existing capability levels for the selected core capability focus area(s). Describe the current capability gaps/needs identified to build within the core capability focus area(s). Explain the inequities, risk factors, and needs of disadvantaged communities within the region (relevant to disaster preparedness) who will benefit from the project.	Do the selected capability assessments align with the stated gaps/needs of the applicant?	0-3
How well does the applicant complete the capability assessment for the core capability focus area(s)?	0-3
How well does the applicant describe existing capability levels?	0-4
How well does the applicant describe current gaps or needs within the focus area(s) of interest?	0-5
How well does the applicant explain the inequities, risk factors, and needs of disadvantaged communities within the region who will benefit from the project?	0-5

Project Narrative Requirement	Evaluation Criteria	Possible Points
Project Design (0-35 Points)
Describe the proposed activities of the project, including any planning, organization, training and/or exercises. Describe why/how this project is the best approach to build upon current capabilities. Describe how the project was selected and designed to maximize positive impacts to disadvantaged communities. Provide a breakdown of roles and contributions between each of the project partners. If no additional partners are participating, please explain why. Explain how the partnerships will ensure the project meets regional needs, including the needs of disadvantaged communities, and explain the anticipated outcomes of the partnerships. For States and Territories Only: Provide a written statement explaining the statewide or multi-state impact of the proposed investment and attesting to the advance coordination and support of at least one of the 100 most populous MSAs within the state/territory. For Local Governments Only: Provide a written statement certifying that the applicant’s chief executive (e.g., mayor, city manager, or county executive) and, as applicable, the chief executive of the first principal city of the MSA, supports the application as the local government’s single application. Describe the overall project plan, timeline and milestones that are critical to the success of the project and associated dates.	Are the proposed project activities clear, logical, and realistic?	0-10
How well does the applicant describe why they selected the project to build the identified core capabilities?	0-5
How well does the applicant describe how the project was selected and designed to maximize positive impacts to disadvantaged communities?	0-3
How well does the applicant describe roles between partners that are clear, logical, and realistic?	0-4
How well does the applicant describe how the partnerships will ensure the project meets regional needs, including the needs of disadvantaged communities, and explain the anticipated outcomes of the partnerships?	0-3
How well does the applicant describe a project plan that includes a clear timeline and milestones?	0-10

Project Narrative Requirement	Evaluation Criteria	Possible Points
Impact (0-25)
Complete performance measures this project is expected to achieve. Complete an estimated capability assessment for the core capability focus area(s) AFTER completion of the project. Describe how core capabilities will be improved/built after the completion of this project. Explain how the project will clearly benefit the identified disadvantaged communities. Describe the project’s anticipated impact on the affected communities in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Provide an estimated percentage of the project’s overall benefit to disadvantaged communities and explain how that figure was calculated. Explain how the proposed project will advance the goal of equity in regional emergency management. Describe how the findings or deliverables from the proposed project can be scaled, replicated, or otherwise benefit national preparedness.	How well do the performance measures align to the project, clearly contribute to building the capabilities of interest, and are realistic to achieve?	0-7
How well does the applicant explain the anticipated impact of the project relative to the needs of disadvantaged communities?	0-5
Is a benefit percentage and explanation provided?  Is the explanation well-reasoned and supported by analytics?  Is the percentage 40% or greater?	0-5
How well does the applicant explain how the project will achieve the Equity goal?	0-5
How well does the applicant describe how the project can benefit the nation?	0-3

 

Project Narrative Requirement	Evaluation Criteria	Possible Points
Budget (0-20 Points)
Provide a budget narrative and detailed budget worksheet of the project, including how project dollars requested will be used by Planning, Organization, Training, and/or Exercises. Please include total project dollars in the detailed budget worksheet, including alternate funding sources, match, or cost share agreements. Describe the applicant’s plan for sustaining the capabilities built from this funding, including the resources the applicant will use to support sustainment after the grant funds and period of performance expires. If no other funding sources are necessary, please explain. Describe the applicant’s ability to manage federal grants, such as (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal awards; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.	Did the applicant provide a budget narrative and detailed budget worksheet that are clear, logical, and identify reasonable items?	0-10
How well does the applicant describe a specific plan and the resources necessary to sustain the built capabilities developed through this effort?	0-5
How well does the applicant describe their capacity and ability to manage federal grants?	0-5
BONUS (20 Points)
BONUS – Multistate/MSA Benefit: The applicant proposes a project that benefits multiple states or more than one of the top 100 most-populous MSAs.	The project benefits multiple states/MSAs.	0-4
BONUS – SVI “Very High” Rank: The applicant proposes a project that benefits a relatively large number of census tracts that have a “Very High” overall SVI rank.	Total number of Census tracts supported by the project with an overall SVI rank of “Very High” exceeds the average SVI rank of all RCPGP project submissions.	0 or 3
BONUS – SVI “High” Rank: The applicant proposes a project that benefits a relatively large number of census tracts that have a “High” overall SVI rank.	Total number of Census tracts supported by the project with an overall SVI rank of “High” exceeds the average SVI rank of all RCPGP project submissions.	0 or 2
BONUS – Climate Resilience: The applicant proposes a project that examines and addresses the evolving threats and risks associated with climate change with a focus on the needs of disadvantaged communities.	The project addresses climate resilience with a focus on equity.	0-4
BONUS – Cost Share: The applicant commits to a 10% or greater cost share or match.	The application indicates a 10% or greater cost share or match commitment.	0-3
BONUS – New or previously unsuccessful applicant	The applicant has not been awarded RCPGP funding within the past three years.	0 or 4

Appendix D: Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Template

The Budget Detail Worksheet Template may be used as a guide to assist applicants in the preparation of their Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative. Applicants may submit the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative using this template or in the format of their choosing (plain sheets, spreadsheets, independently created forms, or a variation of this form). However, applicants must provide all the requested information identified in the general instructions for the worksheet and budget narrative, as well as the instructions for each section, and categorize it by activity and allowable cost.

The purpose of the Budget Narrative is to provide a detailed description of the budget found in the SF-424A and the Budget Detail Worksheet. The budget narrative must include a detailed discussion of how RCPGP funds will be used. The Budget Narrative should 1) justify the need for each line item and the cost estimates; 2) explain how costs relate to the programmatic goals of the project(s); and 3) supplement other budget information provided on the Budget Worksheet. For the Cost Share, applicants must include a detailed description of the source of the cost share/matching funds. If funds or services are to be provided by a third party for in-kind match, a dated letter of commitment is required to document the donation.

General Instructions

• Populate the tables to identify and itemize the costs to implement the proposed project.
• List and describe all activities and associated costs required to implement the project.
• Funds must be aligned to allowable cost categories in the Application for Federal Assistance SF-424a form and those cost categories which are allowable in the FY 2022 RCPGP (e.g., personnel, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, contractual, other direct costs and indirect costs) within each of the four Solution Areas: (1) Planning, (2) Organization, (3) Training, and (4) Exercises.
• Equipment, construction, renovation, maintenance and sustainment costs are not allowed for FY 2022 RCPGP funding.
• The Budget Narrative should include a description and justification of costs for each item and should align with the Budget portion of the Project Narrative. A budget narrative should be completed for each cost category of the budget.

Cost categories and definitions are listed below:

Personnel: List each position with a brief description of the duties and responsibilities (no personnel names), as well as the salary computation for staff. If a Cost-of-Living Adjustment increase and/or merit pay increase in salary will be provided for the position, include those costs in calculations for personnel and the associated fringe benefits on the applicable Budget Detail Worksheet and the Budget Narrative.

Fringe Benefits: List the computation for fringe benefits for each of the personnel listed in the budget worksheet. Estimated rates for fringe are allowable but provide the basis for that estimation in the budget narrative (e.g., average percent fringe paid for most employees within the agency). If not using an estimate, list fringe benefit and the associated costs for each employee that will be paid by RCPGP funding (e.g., Social Security/FICA, Unemployment Compensation, Medicare, Retirement, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, etc.). Also, in cases where fringe benefits costs are included in an indirect cost rate agreement, the fringe benefits cannot also be charged as a direct cost for reimbursement.

Travel: Specify the mileage, per diem, estimated number of trips in-state and out-of-state, number of travelers, and other costs for each type of travel for staff. Travel may be integral to the purpose of the proposed project (e.g., management, monitoring and/or oversight of grant award and/or subrecipients) or related to propose project activities (e.g., attendance at training or meetings related to management of the RCPGP award). Travel costs identified in this section are for employees of the applicant/recipient only. For travel costs related to staff training, include as many details as possible about each proposed training cost, including the name of the training course(s), training provider, personnel who will attend the training, proposed dates (estimates are accepted), etc. Travel category costs do not include 1) costs for travel of consultants, contractors, consortia members, or other partner organizations, which are included in the “Contractual” category; or 2) travel costs for employees of subrecipient agencies (those should be included in the Contractual category, if applicable).

Supplies: Include all tangible personal property other than those described in the definition of “equipment” as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1. Supplies are also defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.1. The budget detail should identify categories of supplies to be procured for RCPGP purposes only (e.g., printing supplies, office supplies, etc.) and the calculation of those costs (e.g., based on monthly rates or based on an average of previous years’ similar costs). Non-tangible goods and services associated with supplies, such as printing service, photocopy services, and rental costs should be included in the “Other” category. Provide the basis for calculation of supplies including the Line-Item Name and list supplies in the Budget Narrative in the same order as listed on the Budget Detail Worksheet.

Contractual: Identify each proposed contract related to RCPGP purposes only and specify its purpose and estimated cost. Contractual/consultant services are those services to be carried out by an individual or organization (do not include company or individual names in budget narrative), other than the applicant, in the form of a procurement relationship. Leased or rented goods (equipment or supplies) for RCPGP purposes should be included in the “Other” category. The applicant should list the proposed contract activities along with a brief description of the scope of RCPGP work or services to be provided and proposed duration. Include the basis for the calculation of contractual services costs (e.g., contractor training instructor speaking fee, contractor travel costs and contractor instructional materials).

Other: This category should include only those types of direct costs that do not fit in any of the other budget categories and are related to RCPGP purposes only. Include a description of each cost by Line-Item Name and in the same order as listed on the applicable Detailed Budget. Include the basis for calculation of the costs. Examples of costs for RCPGP purposes that may be in this category include the following: insurance, rental/lease of equipment or supplies, equipment service or maintenance contracts, printing or photocopying rental, etc.

Indirect Costs: If indirect charges are budgeted, indicate the approved rate and base (the cost categories for which this indirect cost percentage rate will be applied.) Indirect costs are those incurred by the recipient for a common or joint purpose that benefit more than one cost objective or project and are not readily assignable to specific cost objectives or projects as a direct cost. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. Those that are required to have a negotiated indirect cost rate (e.g., fixed, predetermined, final, or provision) must submit their negotiated indirect cost agreement at the time of application. Applicants that are not required by 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement but are required to develop an indirect cost rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal at the time of application. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to the Grants Management Specialist or other relevant FEMA position for further instructions.

Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an indirect cost rate must also reach out to the FEMA Grants Management Specialist for further instructions.

Post-award requests to charge indirect costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and based upon the submission of an agreement or proposal as discussed above or based upon the de minimis rate or cost allocation plan, as applicable.

 

Budget Detail Worksheet (PDF)

Appendix E: FY 2021 RCPGP Project Summaries

Below are project summaries from applications that were awarded FY 2021 RCPGP funding. They are offered as examples to assist potential applicants in identifying competitive projects in the FY 2022 RCPGP.

City of Chicago, Illinois

The City of Chicago requested funding for a Logistics Resource Typing project that will provide data on available response resources throughout the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and help logistics managers track those resources prior to and during incidents. The recipient will engage experts to conduct a large-scale data integration project involving most of the 16 counties in the MSA, the larger municipalities, mutual aid organizations, and the State of Illinois. The project will support development of an online resource database available to all participating partners within the MSA. The database will integrate the dozens of inventory management systems across the region and display each asset, its owner, its status, and other information in an easy-to-access format. During the planning stages of the project, state and local jurisdictions within the MSA will coordinate to determine the resource requirements for the range of emergency events applicable to the region. They will also pre-identify available government (federal, state, local) resources and coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region V on distribution plan updates. Finally, the partners will establish contingency contracts for commodities and services routinely procured for disaster support to reduce the administrative burden of procuring contractual services for state and local jurisdictions during a catastrophic event.

City of Dallas, Texas

The City of Dallas requested funding for a Logistics and Supply Chain Management project that focuses on the food and water community lifeline components. The overarching goal is to develop a regional catastrophic preparedness framework that will include corresponding solutions to current gaps identified by City’s most recent Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA). This will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of food and water delivery to the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) during times of disaster and synchronize logistical capabilities with other population hubs throughout Texas. The goal is to enable the restoration of impacted supply chains due to concurrent disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters, including hurricanes. The DFW MSA, led by Dallas Office of Emergency Management, will address the gaps in this core capability by: 1) improving the resiliency of the supply chain through analysis of dependencies; 2) identifying countermeasures that can be taken to shore up lifelines; and 3) using exercise after-action results to measure their ability to respond to major regional disruptions to the food and water supply chains. The intent of the DFW Community Lifelines Implementation Framework (CLIF) is to develop, enhance, and sustain the preparedness of each DFW MSA regional partner using a whole community approach to multiple and complex disastrous events. The project will produce an integrated regional strategic response framework that will bolster the DFW MSA’s ability to respond to multiple and complex disaster events in conjunction with their communities. 

City of El Paso, Texas

The City of El Paso requested funding for a project to develop a Regional Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan. The project plan will focus primarily on the core capabilities of Public Health, Healthcare, Emergency Medical Services, and Fatality Management Services. The project involves conducting research and data analysis to identify regional pandemic vulnerabilities. Cross-jurisdictional, cross-sector planning activities will be conducted to include: 1) increasing regional standardized protocols for proper decontamination and infection control practices; 2) development and identification of mass fatality management operating procedures and resources; 3) establishing isolation and quarantine shelters and protocols for operation; 4) establishing protocols for multipoint ordering of essential lifeline products and supplies; and 5) identifying financial resource support for communities. The City will collaborate with regional stakeholders to establish formal agreements for coordinating operations, life-line related commodities, staffing support, taskforce creation, and protocols and procedures for distinct, pandemic-related programs. Training and exercises will be developed and made available for emergency managers, public health, public safety, regional stakeholders, and volunteers. A process for continuously assessing and evaluating plans and implementation of lessons learned and best practices will be put in place to improve capabilities.

State of Hawaii

The State of Hawaii requested funding to develop a Regional Catastrophic Logistics and Supply Chain Management Plan that will build a regional capacity to provide food, water, and shelter to vulnerable communities. The project is designed to leverage and strengthen existing resources, promote preparedness, foster multi-sector collaborative partnerships, and increase social capital. All planning activities will consider socially vulnerable populations, including individuals with access and functional needs. A working group comprised of stakeholders and subject matter experts will be formed and tasked to examine all aspects of the supply chain relative to disaster preparedness and identify critical capability gaps. They will also explore innovative methods to ensure critical supplies reach Hawaii’s socially vulnerable populations. The proposed project will address identified capability gaps relating to life-sustaining commodities and services by developing statewide plans and conducting training and exercise to validate and refine plans in coordination with key stakeholders, including those who represent socially vulnerable populations.

City of Houston, Texas

The City of Houston requested funding for their Regional Catastrophic Planning Initiative (RCPI), which will focus on supply chain management during disasters. The project aims to address gaps in the regional supply chain in the aftermath of a disaster, with primary focus on addressing the needs of socially vulnerable communities, which current plans do not adequately address. The Houston RCPI project staff will work with the Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT), contract support, and regional stakeholders to develop four specific products under this initiative: 1) a supply chain dependency map and interdependency matrix; 2) a vulnerable community identification tool, report, and workshop; 3) a “workshop in a box” that will enable jurisdictions to identify their vulnerable communities and impacts to their supply chains; and, 4) a planning team comprised of Houston RCPT personnel who will coordinate all of the new activities under the Food, Water, and Sheltering efforts developed through this project. The project also aims to develop comprehensive training materials for sharing with local jurisdictions; holding regional socialization workshops with local jurisdictions to share upstream supply chain mapping concepts, equality information, and last-mile supply chain mapping to support local preparedness efforts; and a regional exercise to validate the Regional Supply Chain Coordination plan to ensure it meets the needs of the whole community, especially socially vulnerable populations.

State of Idaho

The State of Idaho requested funding for a project that focuses on the provision of emergency housing and mass care services for vulnerable populations. The project will deliver a unified emergency housing plan along with the necessary tools to support statewide implementation of the plan. A whole community approach will be used to conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment aimed at understanding the needs of socially vulnerable populations relative to identified capability gaps. Specifically, the project will: 1) assess the potential nature and magnitude of a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake relative to emergency housing; 2) prioritize individual and household needs that the State of Idaho may need to accommodate; 3) understand the broader characteristics of both evacuees and host communities; and 4) assess available housing options appropriate for anticipated needs. The project includes conducting training and exercises with key stakeholders to validate the emergency housing plan.

City of Los Angeles, California

The City of Los Angeles requested funding for a Regional Supply Chain Resilience project that addresses the likely impacts of a major earthquake event. The project will include a multi-city partnership to create a foundational guide for forging community resiliency before a such a catastrophe. The Regional Supply Chain Resilience Plan will outline efforts to mitigate the effects of a catastrophic incident within the food and water distribution sectors while concentrating on last mile delivery to support vulnerable communities. The project will bring together key regional stakeholders in a Supply Chain Resilience Working Group to participate in all aspects of plan development, private and public sector training, and plan validation. The cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim, and Riverside, as well as the counties of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino, will be project stakeholders and will have active leadership roles in the group. Following development of regional and localized plans, a series of five regional supply chain seminars will be conducted to ensure demand and supply node partners in food and water collaborate with government representatives to share best practices and knowledge of supply chain principles and resource allocation in a catastrophic incident. Additionally, a series of seven Supply Chain Resilience Tabletop Exercises will be conducted with all regional partners, including one specifically focused on water resilience. Three tabletop exercises will regionally highlight operational area resilience in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. City-level tabletops will be conducted for Long Beach, Anaheim, and Los Angeles, where two tabletops will be conducted, each focused on one sector (food and water).

State of New Jersey

The State of New Jersey requested funding for a Pandemic Preparedness project that addresses lessons learned following the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific focus on housing, logistics, and mass care. The project will employ a whole community approach, involving key partners and stakeholders throughout the region, to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable populations are addressed. Project activities include: 1) conducting a vulnerability assessment to identify specific gaps in sheltering and mass care capabilities; 2) refining mass care plans and updating training curriculums for emergency managers; 3) implementing a new training program for community organizations and other support groups throughout the state; and 4) conducting pandemic-focused mass care exercises with the involvement of key stakeholders to validate the updated plans.

State of Oklahoma

The State of Oklahoma requested funding for a Logistics and Supply Chain Management project that focuses on the provision of mass care services. The project involves a multi-faceted collaboration that aims to develop: 1) a Community Profile Program; 2) a Community Lifelines Reporting Dashboard; and 3) a Disaster Finance Tracking tool for the benefit of whole community stakeholders throughout the region. The Community Profile Program will identify resources, assets, and other vital information within local jurisdictions to help understand and build capability, interoperability, and awareness within the state, regional, and local levels of emergency management in Oklahoma. The Community Lifelines Reporting Tool, which includes a geographic information system (GIS) and web-based emergency operation center (EOC) dashboard, will use data collected from local jurisdictions and other reliable sources to provide various data, visual, and spatial analysis products to support regional situational awareness and decision-making. The Disaster Finance Tracking tool will enhance resource management and cost-tracking capabilities in support of multi-jurisdictional resource requests. The project also includes a training and exercise program to ensure regional emergency managers can make effective use of these new tools and to test their capabilities.

State of Oregon

The State of Oregon requested funding to support development of a comprehensive Logistics and Supply Chain Management Plan. The project focuses primarily on the threats and vulnerabilities associated with a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami, and the associated needs of socially vulnerable communities. Key federal, state, local, and tribal partners will be involved in project implementation. In addition to developing the plan, other project activities will include: 1) development of a training and exercise program to support stakeholder awareness and broad implementation of the plan; 2) incorporation of feedback and assessments from training and exercises to refine the plan; and 3) development of an implementation plan for sustaining the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Plan and related planning capabilities.

City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The City of Philadelphia requested funding for a project to develop a regional emergency housing program to address the full continuum of needs following a catastrophic disaster. This will include strategies and solutions to build capabilities in emergency sheltering and interim and long-term disaster housing in the region, incorporating best practices and lessons learned from recent emergency response and recovery efforts including the COVID-19 pandemic. The project includes working with regional partners to conduct an after-action review and completing a comprehensive shelter capacity assessment. This will include a review of county shelter plans to deconflict sheltering capabilities between jurisdictions and to identify nonprofit partner capacity to support regional emergencies and cascading disasters. Shelter assessment findings, plan review recommendations, and documented best practices and lessons learned from recent response and recovery efforts will inform the design and implementation of a large-scale shelter exercise. This exercise will test regional sheltering capabilities and will incorporate guidance on updating mass care and sheltering plans. The region will also develop data reporting standards to better assess emergency housing preparedness capabilities within the counties and with regional partner support.

Pierce County (Seattle), Washington

Pierce County requested funding for a Logistics and Supply Chain Management project. With this funding, Pierce County will enhance the region’s ability to provide life-sustaining commodities to the nearly 5 million residents of Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound area following a major earthquake. Because land and air transportation modes would likely be significantly impacted for months, and potentially years, an FY 2020 RCPGP grant was awarded to King County, WA (Seattle) that focused on connecting maritime transportation for initial response and delivery of life-sustaining commodities such as food and water. This FY 2021 RCPGP grant project will continue that work by focusing on long-term efforts to provide locally available food production and large-scale processing that can support and supplement grocery stores, distribution sites, and shelters. The project includes outreach within the private sector and other regional key stakeholders to document and analyze current food production and processing capabilities in the region. A series of planning development workshops, coupled with training and exercises, will take place in order to fully understand the situation, identify capabilities, determine courses of action, develop the planning framework, assess training needs, assess the planning framework through exercises, and refine and update the products of this program. The grant recipient and regional partners will analyze and test the project’s effectiveness in improving the region’s logistics and supply chain management capabilities through their participation in the Cascadia Rising 2022 National Level Exercise.

City of San Antonio, Texas

The City of San Antonio requested funding for a Disaster Housing and Sheltering project that addresses capability gaps identified from after-action reports following Winter Storm Uri and the COVID-19 pandemic. The project includes community lifeline assessments, planning, training, workshops, and exercises in support of the City’s broader efforts to develop permanent sheltering capabilities that include backup power systems and access to critical lifelines during a disaster. The City will also partner with other Texas cities to develop innovative data-sharing solutions that will enable real-time monitoring and assessment of community lifeline information. The project centers on development of “resilience hubs,” which are community-managed facilities, such as libraries or community centers, that are designed and equipped to provide shelter and other critical support services to vulnerable populations during unforeseen catastrophes and disasters. The project will employ a phased approach that includes stakeholder engagements, capability assessments, and piloting of resilience hubs in the most vulnerable communities. Project deliverables include: 1) finalizing the pilot design for the resilience hubs; 2) holding workshops to educate the public and relevant partners on what the plan contains and creating an implementation procedure for ensuring the project’s sustainability; and 3) conducting training and exercises with all first responders, emergency staff, and finance personnel in the new concepts and technologies that will be employed.

City of San Francisco, California

The City of San Francisco requested funding for a project that focuses on the Logistics and Supply Chain Management core capability in support of the Food, Water, and Sheltering community lifeline. The project is specifically designed to build upon regional planning efforts and leverage lessons learned from previous RCPGP-funded projects. The project will include the following activities: 1) development of a Regional Community Lifelines Strategic Plan to improve public/private partnerships and coordination during disasters; 2) conducting up to nine quarterly discussion-based workshops on supply chain resilience topics to build understanding among whole community partners; 3) development of a playbook for local government agencies and emergency managers detailing the potential impacts of public health and other public safety policy decisions on the supply chain, highlighting impacts to socially vulnerable populations, and providing decision support guidance for emergency managers; and, 4) identification of strategies to ensure that alternate supply chains are extensive and robust enough to serve people with mobility challenges and address the needs of vulnerable populations. Other project activities include conducting 40 training sessions for non-profits and community-based organizations that serve vulnerable populations and holding a series of discussion-based seminars and tabletop exercises designed to engage and educate regional stakeholders on supply chain concepts and the Regional Community Lifelines Strategic Plan.

City of Washington, DC

The District of Columbia (DC) requested funding for a Logistics and Supply Chain Management project that focuses specifically on the provisioning of food and water during and after a disaster. The project centers on development of an assessment tool for area partners to update local plans for food and water needs, and to develop market and supply chain monitoring toolkits (complete with threat awareness and emergency alerts) to identify and prepare for disruptive events impacting food and water supply. The tool will also capture and analyze information on the region’s communications packages, data support requirements, and implementation strategies for provision of food assistance. Results from the tool’s analysis will be provided to food organizations to collect and maintain data for food and water assistance, mutual aid arrangements, and communications between food providers and government response organizations. The City will also establish a public/private, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) steering committee on food distribution, lead a Mid-Atlantic Coordination Team for information sharing, strategy development, and response and recovery related to food and water during events. The NGO will also develop and pilot a training curriculum for regional partners related to preparing for and managing food and water disruptions. The project also includes conducting several tabletop exercises in the Washington, DC area with private sector food and water providers, public agencies, and food assistance organizations, plus one functional exercise with the Mid-Atlantic Coordination Team to examine and test its current response plans and capabilities and to identify improvement areas.

Footnotes

1. Climate change is defined as “Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types of severe weather events, and changes to other features of the climate system.” (National Climate Assessment)