The U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fiscal Year 2024 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (2024)

Download the NOFO.

All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have a unique entity identifier (UEI). The UEI number is issued by the SAM system. Requesting a UEI using Sam.gov can be found at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

Grants.gov registration information can be found at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

Updates in Grant Application Forms:

The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number was replaced by a new, non-proprietary identifier requested in, and assigned by SAM.gov. This new identifier is the Unique Entity Identifier.

Additional Information can be found on Grants.gov:https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-development/planned-uei-updates

Table of Contents

Updates in Grant Application Forms:

A. 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

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding: $10,800,000
2. Projected Number of Awards: 5-10
3. Maximum Award Amount: $3,000,000
4. Period of Performance: 36 months
5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): October 1, 2024
6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): September 30, 2027
7. Projected Budget Period(s)
8. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants
2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria
3. Subawards and Beneficiaries
4. Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions
5. Cost Share or Match

D. 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. Requirements: Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Register in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
5. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application
6. Electronic Delivery
7. How to Register to Apply
8. Submitting the Application
9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission
10. Content and Form of Application Submission
11. Intergovernmental Review
12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Cost

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

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

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1. Contact and Resource Information
2. Systems Information

H. Additional Information

1. Termination Provisions
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. Report issues of fraud, waste, abuse
13. Hazard-Resistant Building Codes
14. Procedures for Establishing Indirect Cost Rates
15. 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 2023 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 2024 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-24-GPD-111-01-99

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-47, Title III, Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (2024 DHS Appropriations Act)

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-47, Title III, Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (2024 DHS Appropriations Act)

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.

The National Response Framework (4^th Edition or superseding edition) defines a catastrophic incident as any natural or manmade incident, including terrorism, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption 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.

As part of this whole community approach, it is critical that regional catastrophic preparedness investments focus on the needs of disadvantaged communities, including vulnerable populations within such communities. Natural disasters, worsened by the effects of climate change, often disproportionately affect people in disadvantaged communities where weakened infrastructure, fewer resources, and less support invested in hazard mitigation can compound a disaster’s impact, thus worsening inequalities already present in society. Therefore, 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 Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 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. Please see Section A.10.b of this NOFO for a table of potential RCPGP activities, and Appendix E of this NOFO for a comprehensive list of projects approved and funded in FY 2023.

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.

b. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

Goals: The goal of the RCPGP is to enhance regional resilience by supporting comprehensive planning, coordination, and collaboration across jurisdictions to improve preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience in the face of catastrophic events. The RCPGP is a covered program under the Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments such as climate and other investment areas flow to disadvantaged communities. Therefore, RCPGP-funded investments are targeted to disadvantaged communities.

Objectives: The RCPGP provides resources that supports states and local governments in meeting the following objectives (with associated core capabilities noted in parentheses where applicable):

• Build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration among emergency managers and other preparedness stakeholders.
• Involve regional stakeholders in the development of plans to address those core capabilities that present persistent preparedness challenges, with specific focus on community-level resilience, and an emphasis on addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities and long-term vulnerability reduction within those communities.
• Establish a resilient and sustainable housing market that meets the needs of the community, including the need for accessible housing within the specified timeframe in the recovery plan. (Housing)
• Assess preliminary housing impacts and needs, identify currently available options for temporary housing, and plan for permanent housing. (Housing)
• 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. (Housing)
• Maximize the coverage of the U.S. population that has a localized, risk-informed mitigation plan developed through partnerships across the entire community. (Community Resilience)
• Empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions to facilitate actions necessary to adapt to, withstand, and quickly recover from future incidents. (Community Resilience)
• 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. (Long-term Vulnerability Reduction)

In addition to the objectives above, the core capability descriptions can help guide development FY 2024 RCPGP project proposals, as explained below.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Priorities: In support of the 2022–2026 FEMA Strategic Plan,Equity, Climate Resilience, and Readiness continue to be the strategic priorities of the RCPGP. Also, in addition to being a required focus area, Housing is added as a priority. 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, and an 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, especiallythrough the lenses of equity, climate resilience, and readiness. Housing is also included as a strategic priority to emphasize its vital importance to the disaster recovery mission.

To accomplish the priorities and objectives outlined above, the FY 2024 RCPGP requires that applicants develop and deliver one planning project that addresses specific capability gaps based on Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) results and focuses on housing,community resilience, AND/OR long-term vulnerability reduction (i.e., must address one or more of the three core capability focus areas), with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities, within the strategic priorities of equity, climate resilience, readiness, and housing. Furthermore, the project must be regional in nature, meaning that the geographic reach of the project must, at a minimum, span the entire Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Additionally, FY 2024 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. This includes use of RCPGP funding to: formalize new or sustain existing interdisciplinary working groups for effective coordination of planning efforts; ensure synchronization of plans and shared best practices; implement citizen and community preparedness campaigns; and develop plans for pre-positioning of needed commodities and equipment.

FY 2024 RCPGPFocus Area

Planning Resources

A wealth of guidance is available on the internet that can be leveraged 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 other websites such as those listed below, which represent 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
• Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
• Climate Essentials for Emergency Managers | FEMA.gov
• Climate Mapping for Resilience & Adaptation | Climate.gov
• Climate Adaptation Planning Guidance for Emergency Managers | FEMA.gov
• Home | FEMA Community Disaster Resilience Zones (arcgis.com)
• Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) | FEMA.gov
• CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
• Community Resilience Estimates (census.gov)
• EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | US EPA
• Recovery and Resilience Resource Library | FEMA.gov
• Roadmap to Federal Resources for Disaster Recovery | FEMA.gov
• Community Recovery Management Toolkit | 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
• Housing Counseling Disaster Resources - HUD Exchange
• HUD Disaster Resources | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• PrepTalks | FEMA.gov
• National Low Income Housing Coalition (nlihc.org)

Supplemental Guidance on Equity and Environmental Justice

Underserved and disadvantaged 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 provide equitable access for and ensure that we meet the unique needs of underserved and disadvantaged communities and the broader affected public, the emergency management community can work to break this cycle of compounding risks and build a more resilient nation.

On equity, Executive Order (EO) 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Throughout the Federal Government (Jan. 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.

The focus on equity and investing in strategies that expand access for and meet the needs of the public, including underserved and disadvantaged communities, will strengthen the whole of community system of emergency management. FEMA as a whole prioritizes access for and meeting the needs of underserved and disadvantaged communities through implementation of Goal 1 - Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management of the 2022–2026 FEMA Strategic Plan.

Engaging the whole community to ensure needs can be met requires providing opportunities for all members of the community to be part of the emergency management team, including representatives of underserved and disadvantaged 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.

In addition, substantial and ongoing prioritization of, and investment in, disadvantaged communities as part of the Justice40 Initiative and consistent with applicable law, is essential for the entire system to be effective and efficient.

Executive Order 14008 directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to create a geospatial tool and annually publish interactive maps highlighting disadvantaged communities. This tool is called the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). On Jan. 27, 2023, OMB, the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, and CEQ issued a memorandum[2] directing federal agencies to use the CEJST to “identify geographically defined disadvantaged communities for any covered program under the Justice40 Initiative and for programs where a statute directs resources to disadvantaged communities, to the maximum extent possible and permitted by law.”[3] The tool has an interactive map and uses datasets that are indicators of burdens in eight categories: climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and workforce development. The tool uses this information to identify communities that are experiencing these burdens. These are the geographically defined communities that are disadvantaged because they are overburdened by pollution and marginalized by underinvestment. In addition, all Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal entities are recognized as disadvantaged communities, whether or not they have land. Since the RCPGP is included as a covered program under theJustice40 Initiative, applicants are directed to use the CEJST to identify disadvantaged communities that will be involved and will directly benefit from the proposed RCPGP project. See Section D.10.b, “Program-Specific Required Forms and Information,” for additional information relating to use of the CEJST.

Finally, on September 6, 2023, FEMA announced the initial designation of 483 census tracts as Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ). In accordance with the CDRZ Act of 2022, communities within the designated zones are eligible for increased federal support to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather worsened by climate change. To that end, applicants should consult the online CDRZ tool to identify CDRZs within their jurisdictions and consider how the identified vulnerabilities and needs of those communities can be addressed within their proposed projects.

All currently designated CDRZ communities are considered disadvantaged communities in accordance with the CEJST. Thus, the CDRZ communities are essentially a small subset of a much larger set of geographically defined disadvantaged communities as identified by the CEJST. FEMA therefore recommends that applicants assess the needs of the CDRZ communities first, then examine other disadvantaged communities within the applicable geographic area and consider how their common needs can potentially be addressed in their project proposal.

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 and disadvantaged 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 all levels of government 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 also faced with aging infrastructure, which can increase the risk of major disasters. As the frequency of these disasters accelerates, FEMA 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 potential 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.

Housing and tenancy status is a critical factor in determining social vulnerability. Investigations of the 2016 flooding incident in Lumberton, NC, conducted by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the NIST Center of Excellence for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning, found a quantitative linkage between flood damage and socio-economics. The initial findings showed housing displacement to be higher for Black and Native American households than for white households. These findings were primarily because households of color were much more likely to be residing in housing located in flood zones. Subsequent reports found connections between populations and their rate of recovery, namely that social vulnerabilities related to race, ethnicity, income, tenancy status, and education levels had the largest impact on recovery rates. Additionally, the 2023 National Preparedness Report identifies Housing as one of the lowest achieving core capabilities (bottom 5) across all communities. It is also one of the least funded.

From a catastrophic risk and national gaps perspective, some of the key capability gap themes that were identified by emergency management experts relating to housing/population resettlement gaps include:

• There’s a need for plans to address population and commodity movements across borders, as well as the cascading impact of surrounding states receiving overwhelming populations.
• Planning must include partners outside emergency management, such as housing and community development agencies and authorities, to be successful and implementable.
• In terms of capacity/funding there are significant pre-existing economic challenges, including the ongoing housing crisis, that would worsen the impacts of a catastrophic event and require more resources to address housing and resettlement.
• There’s a need for exercises to better address the complications of en masse population movements across borders.

c. Alignment to Program Purpose and the DHS and FEMA Strategic Plan

Of the five basic mission areas in theDHS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024, 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 2024 RCPGP also aligns to 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 toalso adopt these goals and join in building a stronger, more prepared, and resilient nation.

11. Performance Measures

Communitiesprovidedataontheirproficiencyacross32corecapabilitiesthroughthe THIRA/SPR,after-actionreports,andotherpreparednessdata. FEMA’s evaluation of FY 2024 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.

To evaluate program performance,FEMA will measure the percent change in targeted capability gaps and percent improvement in the Housing, Community Resilience,andLong-Term Vulnerability Reductioncore capabilities, as reportedthroughtherequired THIRA/SPRcoveringthe community.

FEMA will comparethe community’s current baseline capability level of the Housing, Community Resilience,and/orLong-Term Vulnerability Reductioncorecapabilitiesagainstthecapabilitylevel as reported at the end of the grant. Baseline capability assessments will be taken fromthecalendaryear2023THIRA/SPRdata;endofthegrantperformancedatawill be drawn from the calendaryear 2027THIRA/SPRdata.

The capability assessments FEMA will use in the RCPGP performance analysisare guided by the standard measures listed below (the applicant will provide the relevant (#)’s and (time)’s based on their current level ofcapabilityanddesired/targetlevelofcapabilitythatwillbeachievedwith RCPGP grant funds).

1. Housing: Within (#) (time) of an incident, (#) people requiring long-term housing, including (#) people with access and functional needs requiring accessiblelong-termhousing,findandsecurelong-termhousing.
2. Community Resilience:
   1. Within (#) (time), (#) households are covered by risk-appropriate insurance, including homeowners, flood, windstorm, and seismic.
   2. Every (#) (time - frequency), 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 (i.e., concerning the risk faced by that particular area), disaster resilient building codes (see FEMA’s Building Codes Documents for more information).

Recognizing that capability needs can vary significantly across different jurisdictions and there may be better ways to measure the effectiveness of a project against a specific core capability, the performance measures listed above should be viewed as examples only. Applicants are permitted to develop their own performance measures to suit the unique capability evaluation needs of the covered communities. As stated above, FEMA will comparethe community’s current baseline capability level of the Housing, Community Resilience,and/orLong-Term Vulnerability Reductioncorecapabilitiesagainstthecapabilitylevel as reported at the end of the grant. Therefore, the only requirement is that the customized performance measure enable a quantitative comparison of the applicable capability both before and after completion of the funded project.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding

$10,800,000

2. Projected Number of Awards

5-10

3. Maximum Award Amount:

$3,000,000

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 NOFO.

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

October 1, 2024

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

September 30, 2027

7. Projected Budget Period(s)

There will be only a single budget period with the same start and end dates as the period of performance.

8. Funding Instrument Type

Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Thefollowingareeligibleapplicantsforthisfundingopportunity:

• States as defined byeCFR: 2 CFR 200.1 -- Definitions. This definition includes the District of Columbiaand territories); and
• Localgovernmentsas definedbyeCFR: 2 CFR 200.1 -- Definitions.

Thefollowingeligibilityrestrictionsforthesegroupsapply:

• Astate or territory is eligible to apply if one or more of the 100 most populousMetropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)per theCensus Bureau’s 2021 PopulationEstimates(as listed inAppendix 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. SeeSection D.10.b, “Program-Specific Required Forms and Information,” for additional details on thisrequirement.
• Localgovernmentsmustbelocatedwithinoneofthe100mostpopulousMSAs.DHS/FEMAwill acceptno morethan oneapplicationper MSA.

Theapplicationmaybesubmittedbyeither:

• TheStateAdministrativeAgency(SAA);
• The first principal city, as indicated inAppendix 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 inAppendix A“100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (2021).”

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

Applications must conform to the guidance provided in Appendix B “Project NarrativeTemplate”ofthisfunding notice.Applicantsthatdonotmeeteligibilityandapplicationsubmission requirementswill notbeevaluated andscored bythe reviewpanel.

3. Subawards and Beneficiaries

a. Subaward allowability

Subawards are not allowed under the RCPGP.

b. Beneficiaries or Participants

This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant or beneficiary.

4. Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions

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 inSection D.10 “Content and Form of Application Submission”and Appendix B “Project Narrative Template” of this funding notice.

5. Cost Share or Match

Thereisnomandatorycostsharerequirement and no additional points for project scoring will be given for voluntary cost share.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date:

05/23/2024

b. Application Submission Deadline:

07/25/2024 at 5 p.m. ET

All applications mustbe received by the established deadline.

FEMA’s Grants Outcomes System (FEMA GO) automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely 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 NOFO.

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 circ*mstances, 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 the following: 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 NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information.”For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Preparedness Officer or Grants Management Specialist. If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date:

No later than 09/09/2024

d. Anticipated Award Date:

No later than 09/30/2024

e. Other Key Dates

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

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

3. Address to Request Application Package

Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.

Hard copies of the NOFO can be downloaded at Grants.gov or obtained via email from the Awarding Office points of contact listed in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information” or by TTY (800) 462-7585.

4. Requirements: Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Register in the System for Award Management (SAM)

Each applicant, unless they have a valid exception under 2 CFR §25.110, must:

1. Be registered in Sam.Gov before application submission.
2. Provide a valid UEI in its application.
3. Continue to always maintain an active SAM registration with current information during the federal award process. Note: Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.300, subrecipients are NOT required to go through the full SAM registration process. First-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds directly from the recipient) are only required to obtain a UEI through SAM, but they are not required to complete the full SAM registration in order to obtain a UEI. Recipients may not make subawards unless the subrecipient has obtained and provided the UEI.

Lower-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds passed through by a higher-tier subrecipient) are not required to have a UEI and are not required to register in SAM. Applicants are also not permitted to require subrecipients to complete a full registration in SAM beyond obtaining the UEI.

5. 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 UEI number 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. Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish theAOR. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, seehttps://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go/startup
6. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and
7. 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.

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 circ*mstances 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 circ*mstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If FEMA determines that there are exigent circ*mstances and FEMA has decided to make an award, the applicant will be required to obtain an UEI number, if applicable, and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

6. 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 applications through FEMA GO.

7. How to Register to Apply

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 an UEI number, an EIN, and an active SAM registration to apply for a federal award under this funding opportunity.

b. Obtain an UEI Number:

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, 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:

Allapplicants applying online through FEMA GO must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent an applicant from completing the application in FEMA GO. SAM registration must be renewed annually.Organizations will be issued a UEI number with the completed SAM registration.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer tohttps://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/Register/RegisterWithSAM.htm

Note: 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 awardedfederal contracts or federalfinancial 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 an UEI number 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 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 athttps://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.door call toll free (866) 606-8220.

f. Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR:

Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go/startup

Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Internet Explorer
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge

Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.

8. Submitting the Application

Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D.10 of this NOFO, “Content and Form of Application Submission.” The Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab under the https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.

After submitting the final application, FEMA GO will provide either an error message or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the AOR that submitted the application. Applicants using slow internet connections, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before FEMA GO receives your application.

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

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the AOR role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application.

Applicants who experience system-related issues will be addressed until 3:00 PM ET on the date applications are due. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Standard Required Application Forms and Information

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. They are incorporated into the FEMA GO application module and therefore, do not need to be submitted as separate attachments. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying
• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)
• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction)
• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

b. Program-Specific Required Forms and Information

RCPGP-specific submission requirements include a project narrative, a budget worksheet and budget narrative(see Appendix D “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Template” for atemplate that applicants may use), and information regarding regional preparedness partners, as described below. All project narratives must conform with theguidanceprovided in Appendix B “Project Narrative Template

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in FEMA GO:

• For States and Territories Only:A written, signed statement explaining the statewide ormulti-state impact of the proposed investment and attesting to the advancecoordination and support of at least one of the 100 most populous MSAs within the stateor 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’schief 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 asthe local government’s single application being submitted for consideration byFEMA. FEMA reserves the right to exclude multiple applications submitted from the same jurisdiction or to exclude multiple applications from multiple jurisdictionslocatedwithin the sameMSA.
• AllApplicants:
  • Names of all entities partnering on the project, including but not limited tostates, territories, local or tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, andother non-governmental entities.Partner entities can extend beyond the boundaries of the state/territory orMSA and can be located in other states/territories or MSAs, for the purposes ofregional collaboration.
  • Letters of support from partner entities or a written, signed statement certifying theinvolvement and support of all partner entities that will participate in theproposed project and, if applicable, information on the relationship betweenthe applicant and partnering entities, e.g., existing letters ofcooperation/support or administrative agreements, such as a signed Memorandum of Understanding.
  • A list of all counties and disadvantaged communitiesthat will be involved in the project and will directly benefit from the project, including the Census tract numbers associated with each disadvantaged community based on the CEJST.

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 writtenstatements that are submitted to satisfy the requirements outlined above. Applications found to contain false or inaccurate information will be rejected. In addition, FEMA will conductpost-award monitoring activities to verify that RCPGP-funded projects are carried out inaccordancewiththetermsandconditionsoftheaward,toincludeverifyingtheinvolvement of committed partner entities and other project details as indicated in the application. Failure to comply with the terms andconditions of the award is addressed in Section H.8 “Actions to Address Noncompliance” of this funding notice.

Applicants not familiar with conducting their own THIRA/SPR should consult with theirSAA to utilize the SAA’s THIRA/SPR information orfor help developing capability assessments as part of their application. For additionalinformationontheTHIRA/SPR,alsorefertotheComprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201,Third Edition.

RCPGP recipients should include their community’s capability levels and target statementsfor all core capabilities identified as priorities under the FY 2024 RCPGP (i.e., Community Resilience, Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction, and Housing)into their own THIRA/SPR, and/or incorporate their results of those capability assessments into theirSAA’s THIRA/SPR.

Thefollowingeligibilitycriteriaapplyforprojectssubmittedaspartofthisapplication:

• Proposed capability-building projects must be regional (spanning at least the entire MSA) and benefit multi-state or intrastateregions.
• Applicants need to propose a capability-building project that is replicable and/or sustainableafterthegrant periodofperformance ends.
• Recipients should plan to sustain these new capabilities in subsequent years with non-federalresources.
• ApplicationswillbeevaluatedusingthescoringrubricdescribedinAppendix C “EvaluationCriteria andScoring.”

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 amongrecipients.Equipment purchasesarenot allowedunder 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 orinformationtosubmit,seeSectionD.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;Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) (whitehouse.gov)

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

All costs charged to federal awards (including both federal funding and any non-federal matching or cost sharing funds) must comply with applicable statutes, rules and regulations, and policies, this NOFO, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. They must also 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 federal award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred and products and services must be delivered within the budget period. 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h). The following identifies a list of activities for which a recipient may not use federal funds and any cost sharing or matching funds under federal awards:

• Matching or cost sharing requirements for other federal grants and cooperative agreements (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.306)
• Lobbying or other prohibited activities under 18 U.S.C. § 1913 or 2 C.F.R. § 200.450
• Prosecuting claims against the federal government or any other government entity (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.435) See subsections below for information on any other funding restrictions.

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

Recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors must comply with the prohibitions set forth in Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Actfor Fiscal Year 2019, Pub. L. No. 115-232 (2018) (FY 2019 NDAA) and 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.327, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200. The FY 2019 NDAA and these regulations, as they apply to recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors and subcontractors, provide for two distinct prohibitions: (1) prevent the use of federal award funds to procure or obtain covered telecommunications equipment or services; and (2) prevent the use of federal award funds to contract with an entity that uses such covered telecommunications equipment or services.

Guidance is available at FEMA Policy #405-143-1 - Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services.

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

FEMA recipients and subrecipients may not use any FEMA funds under open or new awards 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;
• 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
• 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. Replacement Equipment and Services

FEMA grant funding may be permitted to procure replacement equipment and services impacted by this prohibition, provided the costs are otherwise consistent with the requirements of the NOFO.

ii. 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:

1. Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation, (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);
2. 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);
3. Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment; or
4. 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 asincluded in the award agreement. To request pre-award costs, a written request must beincluded with the application, signed by the Authorized Representative of the entity. Theletter must outline what the pre-award costs are for, including a detailed budget break-out of pre-awardcosts fromthe post-awardcosts,andajustification forapproval.

c. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

Award recipients 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. M&A are not operational costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the federal award or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such, M&A costs can be itemized in financial reports.

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 costs, 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 costs are allowable.

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

Indirect (F&A) costs (IDC) mean those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved. IDC are allowable by the recipient and subrecipients as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated IDC rate agreement who desire to charge indirect costs to a federal award must provide a copy of their IDC rate agreement with their applications. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement. Applicants that are not required to have a negotiated IDC rate agreement but are required to develop an IDC rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal with their applications. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to FEMA for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must reach out to the FEMA Point of Contact for further instructions. As it relates to the IDC for subrecipients, a recipient must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.332 and 200.414 in approving the IDC rate for subawards.See Section H of this NOFO for additional information on the procedures for establishing an indirect cost rate.

e. Evaluation Costs

Evaluation costs are allowable. See Section H.2 “Program Evaluation” for more information.

f. Other Direct Costs

I. Planning:Planning costsare allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

II. Organization: Organization costsare allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

III. Equipment:Equipment costsare NOTallowed under this program.

IV. Training:Training costsare allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

V. Exercises:Exercise costsare allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice.

VI. 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.

VII, Consultants/Contractors: Hiring of full-time or part-time contract planners or consultants to assist with identifying gaps, planning, training, and exercise activitiesare 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 isNOT an allowable cost under this program.

VIII. Travel: Domestic travel costsare allowed under this program, as provided for in this funding notice. International travel isnot an allowed cost under this program unless approved in advance by DHS/FEMA.

IX. Conferences: Rental of space/locations for conferences, meetings, workshops, and webinarsare allowed under this program to perform assessments, planning, training, and exercise activities in a manner consistent with2 C.F.R. § 200.432. Recipients are encouraged to use free public space/locations, whenever available, prior to the rental of space/locations.

X. Supplies: Materials or suppliesare allowed under this program only to support gap identification, planning, training, and exercise activities.

XI. Construction and Renovation: Construction and renovation costsare NOT allowedunder this program.

XII. Maintenance and Sustainment:Maintenance and sustainment areNOT allowedunder this program.

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

a. Programmatic Criteria

In support of the FY 2024 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 uses to evaluate project proposals includes various qualitative and quantitative criteria relating to equity and climate resilience. This scoring approach is guided by the Justice40 Initiative.

In general, the highest scoring RCPGP projects will clearly explain:

• Which disadvantaged communities will be involved in the project and will benefit from the project, along with an optional explanation of any additional risk factors that make those communities particularly vulnerable (if relevant);
• How representatives of those disadvantaged communities will participate or otherwise be involved in the project;
• How the project will clearly benefit disadvantaged 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 disadvantaged communities. Applicants must include the following information to obtain additional points:

• Evidence in the form of letters of support or a written attestation that they coordinated in advance with representatives of the disadvantaged communities that will be directly involved and will benefit from the proposed project; and
• A list of the census tract numbers associated with each disadvantaged community that will be directly involved and will benefit from the proposed project.

Additional points will also be applied to applications that demonstrate use of theClimate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) and other appropriate analytical tools to identify specific risks and vulnerabilities in disadvantaged communities and reference those analytics to help justify their proposed project. In addition to the CEJST, other useful analytic tools include:

• FEMA Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ) Tool
• Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT)
• Community Resilience Estimates (census.gov)

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 NarrativeTemplate.” FY 2024 RCPGP applications will be evaluated for completeness, adherence toprogrammatic guidelines, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed Project Narrativetemplate. Below isa summaryof theevaluationcriteria.Thefull criteriacanbefoundin Appendix C “Evaluation Criteria and Scoring,” which details the specific criteria aligned toeach of the Project Narrative requirements and the maximum number of points an applicationcan receive for each criterion. The five (5) base criteria earn up to 100 total possible points; thebonuscriteria bring the total to 130 possiblepoints.

i. 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.

ii. 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.

iii. 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.

iv. 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.

v. Bonus: Up to 30 bonus points will be applied to applications/project proposals that:

• Provide education, tools, and training for emergency managers and other key stakeholders to identify and address the emerging risks and future conditions caused by climate change and increase community-level resilience within the identified disadvantaged communities;
• Provide education, tools, and training for emergency managers and other key stakeholders to support integration of climate change data into local planning, including hazard mitigation, emergency management, and community planning processes;
• Plan for and develop research-supported, proactive investments in community resilience;
• Support a relatively large number of disadvantaged communities based on CEJST data;
• Benefit multiple states or more than one of the top 100 most-populous MSAs; and/or
• 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 whetherSAM.gov identifies the applicant as being excluded from receiving federal awards or is flagged for any integrity record submission. 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 by 41 U.S.C. § 2313 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.206(a)(2) 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 2024 RCPGP applications to verify applicant eligibility andensure 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 eligibilityscreening:

1. Applicant is an eligible jurisdiction as defined under the “Eligible Applicants” header of SectionCofthis funding notice.
2. ApplicanthasconformedtotheEligibilityCriteriainSectionCofthisfunding notice.
3. Applicanthassubmittedallrequiredassurancesandstandardforms.
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 requirementsspecifiedinAppendix B “ProjectNarrative Template.”
6. Application includes a Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Appendix D “Budget Detail Worksheet Template”).

b. ApplicationReviewProcess

Review Panel:Applications that pass the initial eligibility review will be reviewed andscored by a review panel comprised of personnel from FEMA headquarters and regionaloffices. 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 applicationsbased on specific criteria aligned to the requirements outlined in Appendix B “ProjectNarrative Template.” Each application will be reviewed by no less than two reviewers. Thereview 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 intoconsideration completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, and anticipatedeffectivenessof the proposed project.

c. ApplicationSelectionProcess

All final scores will be sorted in descending order and applicants will be selected forrecommendationfromthehighestscoretolowestscoreuntilavailableFY2024RCPGP fundinghasbeen exhausted.

FEMA senior leadership will review all ranked scoring results to prioritize the top-scoring applications.FinalfundingdeterminationswillbemadebytheAdministratorofFEMA.

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 NOFO as well as any specific terms andconditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

FEMA will provide the federal award package to the applicant electronically via FEMA GO. Award packages include an Award Letter, Summary Award Memo, Agreement Articles, and Obligating Document. An email notification of the award package will be sent through FEMA’s grant application system to the AOR that submitted the application.

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 through the FEMA GO system.

Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award through the FEMA GO 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 specified timeframe may result in a loss of funds.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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

a. 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.

b. Ensuring the Protection of Civil Rights

As the Nation works towards achieving theNational 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 receivingfederal financial assistance from FEMA, as applicable.

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 theDHS Standard Terms and Conditions. Additional information on civil rights provisions is available athttps://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 or other applicable regulations.

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.

c. 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.

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 including, but not limited to, threatened or endangered species and historic properties; and identify mitigation measures and/or alternative courses of action that may lessen any impact to those resources.

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 in compliance with applicable EHP laws, Executive Orders, regulations, and policies. FEMA may recommend mitigation measures and/or alternative courses of action to lessen any impact to environmental resources and bring the project into compliance with EHP requirements.

Guidance on the EHP process is found at Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation. The site contains links to various documents including those identifying agency EHP responsibilities and program requirements, such as implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act and other EHP laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. DHS and FEMA EHP policy is also found in the .

All FEMA actions, including grant-funded actions, must comply with National Flood Insurance Program criteria or any more restrictive federal, state, or local floodplain management standards or building code (44 CFR § 9.11(d)(6)). All FEMA-funded non-critical actions in 1% annual chance floodplains (also known as 100-year floodplains) that involve new construction or substantial improvement of structures must be elevated, at a minimum, to the lower of:

• Two feet above the 1% annual chance flood elevation (also known as the base flood elevation), in accordance with the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) “Freeboard Value Approach” (FVA); or
• The 0.2% annual chance flood elevation. Where 0.2% annual chance flood elevations are not available, such actions must be elevated to at least two feet above the 1% annual chance flood elevation.

All FEMA-funded critical actions in 1% annual chance floodplains or 0.2% annual chance floodplains (also known as 500-year floodplains) that involve new construction or substantial improvement of structures must be elevated, at a minimum, to the higher of:

• Three feet above the 1% annual chance flood elevation; or
• The 0.2% annual chance flood elevation. Where 0.2% annual chance flood elevations are not available, such actions must be elevated to at least three feet above the 1% annual chance flood elevation.

See Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended by Executive Order 13690, Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input.

The GPD EHP screening form is located at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_ehp-screening_form_ff-207-fy-21-100_5-26-2021.pdf. 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/sites/default/files/documents/fema_gpd-ehp-policy-guidance.pdf.

d. 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.

e. Mandatory Disclosures

The non-Federal entity or applicant for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. (2 CFR 200.113)

Please note applicants and recipients may report issues of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or other criminal or noncriminal misconduct to theOffice of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603, and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.

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://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF425-V1.0.pdf

Recipients must file the FFR electronically using FEMA GO.

ii. FFR Reporting Periods and Due Dates

An FFR must be submitted quarterly throughout the 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:

b. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements

i. Performance Progress Report (PPR)

Recipients are responsible for providing updated performance reports to FEMA Regionsusing a Microsoft Word document summary attached in FEMA GO on a semiannual basis. The PPRs must bebasedon the approvedRCPGPProject Narrative.

ThePPRmustincludethefollowinginthestatussummary:

• Provideabriefnarrativeoftheoverallprojectstatus;
• Identifyaccomplishmentsandmilestonesachievedastheyrelatedtobuildingthe approvedproject byPlanning, Organization,Training, andExercises;
• SummarizebuildexpendituresbyPlanning,Organization,Training,andExercises;
• 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;
• Describeanypotentialissuesthatmayaffectprojectcompletion;and
• Describe any potential changes to the selected performance measures for the project.

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

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 SPRthey must either partner with their state and use the state’s annual SPR submission to meetthis requirement or work with their SAA to develop the THIRA/SPR capability assessmentaspartof theirgrant applicationandagainat theend ofthe periodof performance.

ii. After-Action Reports/Improvement Plans

For FY 2024 RCPGP funded projects that include exercise activities, recipients must submit an After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) tohseep@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 atPreparedness 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:

i. The final request for payment, if applicable.

ii. The final FFR (SF-425).

iii. The final progress report detailing all accomplishments, including a narrative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance. If applicable the recipient must include with the final progress report an inventory of all construction projects.

iv. A qualitative narrative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the entire period of performance submitted to the respective FEMA Preparedness Officer.

v. Other documents required by this NOFO, terms and conditions of the award, or other FEMA guidance. If the final FFR and performance report periods coincide with the end of the period of performance, FEMA has discretion under 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to waive the last quarterly/semiannual/annual reports and only require the final FFR and performance report for closeout purposes. The recipient is responsible for returning any balances of unobligated or unliquidated funds that have been drawn down that are not authorized to be retained per 2 C.F.R. § 200.344(d).

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 FEMAduring 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 circ*mstances 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).

ii. Administrative Closeout

Administrative closeout is a mechanism for FEMA to unilaterallymove 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 FEMAneeds 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 NOFO, 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 Contracting Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) 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 FEMAif 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

Appendix XII to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 sets forth a term and condition related to recipient integrity and performance matters that will apply to all federal awards under this funding opportunity. If the total value of currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all federal awarding agencies exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a federal award under this funding opportunity, then a recipient must maintain the currency of information reported in the Contracting Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) 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

A recipient that expends $750,000 or more during the recipient’s fiscal year in federal awards (as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1) must have a single audit conducted in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.514 except when it elects to have a program-specific audit conducted in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.501. The audit must be conducted in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart F and, as required by 2 C.F.R. § 200.514, in accordance with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, which can be found on the Yellow Book page of the GAO website.

4. Monitoring and Oversight

The regulation at 2 C.F.R. § 200.337 provides DHS and any of its authorized representatives with the right of access to any documents, papers, or other records of the recipient [and any subrecipients] that are pertinent to a federal award in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. The right also includes timely and reasonable access to the recipient’s or subrecipient’s personnel for the purpose of interview and discussion related to such documents. Pursuant to this right and per 2 C.F.R. § 200.329, DHS may conduct desk reviews and make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems to evaluate project accomplishments and to provide any required technical assistance. During site visits, DHS may review a recipient’s or subrecipient’s files pertinent to the federal award and interview and/or discuss these files with the recipient’s or subrecipient’s personnel. Recipients and subrecipients must respond in a timely and accurate manner to DHS requests for information relating to a federal 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 programmaticquestionsregardingtheFY2024RCPGP. TheProgramOfficecanbereachedbye-mailat 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 News can be reached by e-mail at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

c. FEMA Regional Offices

Following award selection and announcement, FEMA Regional Offices 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 RCPGP. The Regions also provide technical assistance to RCPGP recipients.

FEMA Regional Office contact information is available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.

d.Civil Rights

The FEMA Office of Civil Rights (OCR) 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 NOFO should be sent to FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.

E. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

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

2. Systems Information

a.FEMA GO

For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk atfemago@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET.

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 NOFO, 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 in this NOFO.

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 caseofpartial 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

Federal agencies are required to structure NOFOs that incorporate program evaluation activities from the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully document and measure their progress towards meeting agency priority goal(s) and program outcomes.

OMB Memorandum M-21-27, Evidence-Based Policymaking: Learning Agendas and Annual Evaluation Plans, implementing Title I of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-435 (2019) (Evidence Act), urges federal awarding agencies to use program evaluation as a critical tool to learn, improve equitable delivery, and 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).

As such, recipients and subrecipients are required to participate in a DHS-, Component, or Program Office-led evaluation if selected, which may be carried out by a third-party on behalf of the DHS, its component agencies, or the Program Office. Such an evaluation may involve information collections including but not limited to surveys, interviews, or discussions with individuals who benefit from the federal award program operating personnel, and award recipients, as specified in a DHS-, component agency-, or Program Office-approved evaluation plan. More details about evaluation requirements may be provided in the federal award, if available at that time, or following the award as evaluation requirements are finalized. Evaluation costs incurred during the period of performance are allowable costs (either as direct or indirect). Recipients and subrecipients are also encouraged, but not required, to participate in any additional evaluations after the period of performance ends, although any costs incurred to participate in such evaluations are not allowable and may not be charged to the federal award.

3. Period of Performance Extensions

Extensions to the period of performance (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 Preparedness Officerand must contain specific and compelling justifications as to why an extension is required. Recipients are advised to coordinate with the FEMA Preparedness Officer 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 justificationand 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 circ*mstances 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. Extensions 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 qualified individuals with disabilities.

Grant and cooperative agreement 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 or cooperative agreement.

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 and intellectual disabilities to the extent practicable.
  • Provide auxiliary aids and services, including American Sign Language interpreters, 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, needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and information access

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 NOFO 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 NOFO 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 Preparedness Officer 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 – 200.327when 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 thePDAT Field Manual andContract 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

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 inPurchasing 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 from48 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.12.a of the NOFO 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 athttps://www.gsa.gov/resources-for/programs-for-State-and-local-governments andhttps://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 thePDAT 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 datein 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. See2 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. See2 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. See2 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 submittedfor 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. See2 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, NOFOs, 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, civil rights complaint investigations and compliance reviews, 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 or other applicable regulations.

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 may 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 NOFO.

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 as 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 may attempt to recover include, but are not limited to, improper payments, cost share reimbursem*nts, 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, seesection F of this NOFO under the header “Single Audit Report” within the subsection 3.d “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 theFederal 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.

Payment requests are submitted through FEMA GO.

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 Communityincludes:

• 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. Report issues of fraud, waste, abuse

Please note, when applying to this notice of funding opportunity and when administering the grant, applicants may report issues of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or other criminal or noncriminal misconduct to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603, and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.

13.Hazard-Resistant Building Codes

Hazard-resistant building codes are a foundational element of a more resilient nation, safeguarding communities and lives against natural disasters, with an estimated $11:1 return on investment. The adoption, enforcement and application of modern building codes mitigates community vulnerabilities, reduces disaster recovery costs, and strengthens nationwide capability. FEMA is working to promote and support building codes in all areas of its work in support of the multi-agency National Initiative to Advance Building Codes. In the interest of building a stronger, more resilient nation, FEMA encourages all grant recipients and subrecipients to meet current published editions of relevant consensus-based building codes, specifications and standards, and to exceed them where feasible.”

14. Procedures for Establishing Indirect Cost Rates

The process for establishing the indirect cost rate varies based on the type of entity and the amount of funding they receive:

• If the entity is a non-governmental entity, and is a subrecipient, indirect cost rate procedures are outlined in 2 CFR 200.332(a)(4). These types of entities may either use the de minimis rate or negotiate a rate with the pass-through entity.
• If the subrecipient is a state or local governmental entity, indirect cost rate procedures are established in 2 CFR 200, Appendix VII.
  • Per Paragraph D.1.b. of Appendix VII, state or local governmental entities receiving grant funds must develop an indirect cost rate proposal.
• If the state or local entity receives more than $35 million in grant funding, the proposal must be approved by the cognizant agency.
• If a state or local entity receives $35 million or less in grant funding, they have to develop an indirect cost rate proposal, but that indirect cost rate proposal does notneed to be approved by the cognizant agency unless specifically requested.
• If a state or local governmental entity wants to use the de minimis rate (instead of developing an indirect cost rate proposal), they can request a case-by-case exception from FEMA (per 2 CFR 200.102(b)).

15.Appendices

A:. 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas (2021)
B. Project Narrative Template
C. Evaluation Criteria and Scoring
D. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Template
E. FY 2023 RCPGP Project Summaries

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

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

Appendix B: Project Narrative Template

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 sheet and supplemental information, such as: lists of project partners/subrecipients, disadvantaged communities, census tract numbers; letters of support; Memorandums of Understanding; budget spreadsheet; etc.:

(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.

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 endorsem*nt or support submitted separately from an application. If statements of endorsem*nt or support testimony are provided, they must be included in the Project Narrative.

Project Narrative

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

Appendix D:BudgetDetailWorksheet and Budget NarrativeTemplate

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

General Instructions

• Populatethetablestoidentify and itemizethecoststoimplementtheproposedproject.
• Listanddescribeallactivitiesandassociatedcostsrequiredtoimplementtheproject.
• 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 2024 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 costsare not allowed for FY 2024 RCPGP funding.
• The Budget Narrative should include a description and justification of costs for eachitem and should align with the Budget portion ofthe ProjectNarrative. 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 reimbursem*nt.

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., for gap analysis only) 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. As noted in the Section D.12 “Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs,” allowable supplies are limited to costs that support gap identification, planning, training, and exercise activities.

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 Template(PDF)

AppendixE:FY2023RCPGPProjectSummaries

Below are project summaries from applications that were awarded FY 2023 RCPGP funding.They are offered as examples to assist potential applicants in identifying competitive projects inthe FY 2024 RCPGP.

City of El Paso, Texas

The City of El Paso, Texas requested funding to support the development of regional disaster plans that will support the City of El Paso and the surrounding region with focuses on Housing, Community Resilience, and Long-Term Vulnerability. The project team intends to increase awareness of locally significant threats and hazards across the community, and provide knowledge and tools for mitigation, response, and recovery through training, workshops, and exercises. Additionally, the team will initiate planning for a centralized hub to coordinate and manage Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program training, and increase information sharing between emergency managers, community leaders, and local voluntary organizations. The project will focus on supporting disadvantaged communities within the region as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

City of Houston, Texas

The City of Houston, Texas requested funding to assess and address energy and housing needs in the Houston region with special consideration for disadvantaged communities. The Project Team seeks to gain a holistic understanding of the region’s energy resilience, including the commercial availability of electricity and fuel, as well as short-term and long-term housing availability. In partnership with regional stakeholders and contractors, the Project Team will execute an Energy Resilience Gap Analysis to identify and report on equity gaps in the region’s electricity and fuel capabilities. Training and tabletop exercises will be conducted to provide regional stakeholders, community leaders, and emergency managers with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to effectively address courses of action as recommended in the project team’s Energy Reports. The team will collaborate with regional partners and energy providers to produce an Energy Resilience Tool (ERT) to identify existing and emerging equity gaps, where energy service disruptions affect disadvantaged communities, and inform decision making in mitigation and restoration planning. A Housing Inventory Data Analysis and Planning Tool (HIDAPT) will be created to provide real time housing data which can inform response and recovery decisions along with community outreach activities. The project intends to build on previous RCPGP funded Regional Community Lifeline Status Reporting Tools with the integration of the ERT and HIDAPT to equip stakeholders with a comprehensive situational awareness platform.

City of Jacksonville, Florida

The City of Jacksonville, Florida requested funding to address critical failure points from extreme temperature events, and to identify mitigation solutions to minimize damages to energy, transportation, healthcare, and social infrastructures which disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities within the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The project seeks to identify systemic regional vulnerabilities and interdependencies, with a focus on housing, community resilience, and long-term vulnerability reduction. In conjunction with regional stakeholders, including representatives of identified disadvantaged communities, the Project Team will produce a comprehensive risk analysis supported by qualitative and quantitative data collected from the affected communities. The risk analysis will be used to develop and implement changes in disaster response planning. Training events and tabletop exercises will be conducted to equip community leaders with knowledge, skills, and resources to improve the resiliency of disadvantaged communities.

Knox County, Tennessee

Knox County, Tennessee requested funding to develop a regional disaster response program focused on addressing post-disaster housing needs in disadvantaged communities located within the Knoxville MSA, as well as the surrounding counties in Tennessee Homeland Security District 2. The project team, in partnership with regional stakeholders and emergency management agencies, intends to develop and implement evidence-based solutions to specifically increase capabilities and reduce long-term vulnerabilities within disadvantaged communities. Workshops, including Housing Assessment, Empowering Disadvantaged Communities, and Best Practices and Lessons Learned, along with other training events, tabletop, and functional exercises will provide opportunities for community members to gain and utilize the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to identify existing and emerging gaps in short- and long-term housing availability, and to develop solutions that increase housing capability and ensure individuals in disadvantaged communities are safely housed following a catastrophic event.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requested funding to support the Northeast Emergency Management Training and Education Center (NEMTEC) in addressing identified preparedness capability gaps throughout the Northeast, in partnership with other New England states (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). NEMTEC is a recent addition to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, which provides accessible, no-cost, fundamental training in emergency management. The project team will use funding to expand NEMTEC capabilities to include curriculum development addressing capability gaps, increased quality and quantity of educational opportunities, and tabletop and functional exercises to enable regional emergency managers to address the capability gaps within their jurisdictions, with an emphasis on the needs of disadvantaged communities. The project team will conduct pre and post needs assessments to ensure equitable support of disadvantaged communities throughout New England. Through the collaboration, planning, and training supported by this project, emergency management professionals will have the tools to expand their core capabilities within their jurisdictions, increasing community-level resilience, and reducing long-term vulnerability, especially within disadvantaged communities.

City and County of San Francisco, California

The San Francisco County Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the City of San Francisco, requested funding to further develop its existing Equitable Community Resilience Program, which prioritizes preparedness and resiliency among disadvantaged communities throughout the Bay area. The project team will partner with community leaders to enact Phase 2 of the program, which will equip Bay Area communities with the knowledge, tools, and technical assistance necessary to build and sustain readiness capabilities specific to the unique needs of each community. Two information sharing platforms will be made available, including the Regional Community Resilience Platform which will allow community leaders to learn from and build on each other’s experiences, and the Regional Community Engagement Platform, which will serve as a database for resource sharing, statistical data, and a calendar of training and exercise events, as well as outreach activities across the region. The project team will further support disadvantaged communities by developing a Language Access Toolkit, which will aid in emergency response plan revisions and provide guidance on deployment of language assistance services. Phase 2 tools will also be integrated into the Bay Area’s annual Golden Eagle Exercise.

City of Tucson, Arizona

The City of Tucson, Arizona requested funding to build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration across the whole community, with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities. The project will directly build capability in the Community Resilience and Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction core capabilities and leverage a separate project to build capability in the Housing core capability. To achieve this, the project team seeks to better understand the risks, capabilities, and needs of disadvantaged communities in the region, and address those needs as part of a broader resilience hub planning effort. The project will partner with regional jurisdictions, community-based organizations, climate and resilience experts, emergency managers, and other key stakeholders to conduct outreach, engagement, assessment, and planning efforts in the community. The goal is to provide the City of Tucson and its respective partners the opportunity to create a flexible and scalable plan outlining how to create resiliency hub networks in the community.

Commonwealth of Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia requested funding to increase community resilience by developing a coordinated response plan for potential cyberattacks on critical community and Department of Defense infrastructures. The project team will work closely with local, tribal, state, and federal agencies, along with additional private sector stakeholders to conduct studies to identify which populations will be left most vulnerable if/when communications, water, transportation, energy, and/or financial infrastructures are compromised due to coordinated cyberattacks. The team will prioritize infrastructures and develop strategies to maintain stability and continuity of government based on community input. Through training and tabletop exercises, the project team will validate processes and procedures, produce best practices guides, and provide educational resources to regional stakeholders.

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

2. M-23-09 Addendum to the Interim Implementation Guide for the Justice40 Initiative, M-21-28, on using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)

3. M-23-09 (whitehouse.gov)