In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is providing $89,140,285 to improve emergency management and preparedness capabilities. These funds will support flexible, sustainable, secure, strategically located, and fully interoperable Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) with a focus on addressing identified deficiencies and needs.
Overview
Among the five homeland security missions outlined in the DHS Strategic Plan for FY 2020-2024, the EOCGP supports the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience. The EOCGP also supports Goal 3 of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan to Promote and Sustain a Ready FEMA and a Prepared Nation. Fully capable emergency operations facilities are an essential element of a comprehensive national emergency management system and are necessary to ensure coordination and unity of effort among multiple emergency management organizations and across multiple jurisdictions during all-hazard incidents.
Funding
In FY 2023, the EOCGP will provide $89,140,285 for equipping, upgrading, or constructing specific EOC projects noted in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328).
Authorization
The FY 2023 EOCGP is authorized by the Section 614 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5196c) as amended by section 202 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.
Eligibility
Only State Administrative Agencies (SAA) (on behalf of state and local units of government) with identified projects in Appendix A of the FY 2023 EOCGP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are eligible to apply. Please refer to Section C of the NOFO for more information on eligibility.
Allowable Costs
Allowable cost guidance is outlined in Section D.13 of the FY 2023 EOCGP NOFO. Eligible applicants and subrecipients are encouraged to review this guidance prior to developing the required Investment Justification, which must be submitted as part of the application process.
Application Process
Applicants should review Section D in the FY 2023 EOCGP NOFO for detailed information and instructions on the steps for the application. 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.
Eligible applicants should submit their initial application at least three days prior to the April 14, 2023 deadline through the Grants.gov portal at www.grants.gov. Applicants needing Grants.gov support should contact the Grants.gov customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726, which is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, except federal holidays.
Eligible applicants will be notified by FEMA and asked to proceed with submitting their complete application package in the Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System by the application deadline. Applicants needing technical support with the ND Grants system should contact ndgrants@fema.dhs.gov or (800) 865-4076, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
Completed applications must be submitted in the ND Grants system no later than 5 p.m. ET on Friday, April 14, 2023.
EOCGP Resources
A variety of resources are available to address programmatic, technical, and financial questions applicants may have:
- The FY 2023 EOCGP NOFO is located online at www.fema.gov/grants, as well as on www.grants.gov.
- For additional program-specific information, please contact the FEMA Grants Information Desk at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR at (800) 368-6498. Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
- For support regarding financial grants management and budgetary technical assistance, applicants may contact the FEMA Award Administration Help Desk via e-mail to ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.
- The FEMA Regions also provide technical assistance to EOCGP direct recipients. A list of contacts in the FEMA Regions is available at www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.
- All identified EOC projects will be subject to an Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) review conducted by FEMA in accordance with federal EHP laws. No construction activities (including site preparation, utility installations, and any groundbreaking activities) or equipment installations on existing structures may begin until the EHP review process is complete. The EHP review process involves the submission of a detailed project description along with any supporting documentation requested by FEMA to determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources or historic properties. The submission must show the project complies with all EHP requirements including applicable laws and regulations for the project to proceed. DHS and FEMA EHP policy can be found on the FEMA.gov EHP page, including documents regarding EHP responsibilities and program requirements, implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other EHP regulations and Executive Orders.
- All EOC infrastructure projects will be subject to the domestic preference requirements in the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). No awards or funding obligated for “infrastructure” projects will be provided “unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States.” For additional information on the BABAA requirements, please visit the FEMA.gov BABAA page.