FEMA Preparedness Section

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Preparedness Section, a sub-agency within the Department of Homeland Security, procures goods, services, and disaster-preparedness support to equip federal and state emergency-response capacity. The Preparedness Section is a civilian contracting entity that manages FEMA's contract portfolio for facility operations, training delivery, equipment maintenance, and preparedness infrastructure.

FEMA Preparedness has issued 15,536 federal contract awards cumulatively since 2003, with combined potential value of $2.22 billion and $1.76 billion obligated to date (79% of potential value). Award volume has contracted sharply in recent years: the agency issued 2,342 awards in 2017, 152 in 2018, 123 in 2019, 92 in 2020, and 46 in 2021, with the most recent recorded award dated September 9, 2021. The portfolio spans 2,092 distinct prime contractors, reflecting a highly fragmented competitive base.

Contract set-asides are skewed toward open competition: 82 percent of all awards carry no set-aside designation. Small Business awards represent 15 percent of the portfolio, followed by 8(a) Sole Source at 2 percent and HUBZone at 1 percent. SDVOSB, EDWOSB, WOSB, and other socioeconomic designations collectively account for less than 1 percent of awards.

Current procurement activity shows recent engagement around facilities maintenance and training delivery. In September 2026, FEMA Region 2 Materiel Support Division solicited Total Small Business set-aside support for preventive maintenance on forklifts and electrical components at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey, with due date September 24, 2026. The Center for Domestic Preparedness issued a Request for Information on training delivery services (due October 9, 2026) to gather market research on contractor capability to support CDP operations. The National Fire Academy posted a sole-source Special Notice (August 2026) with the Colorado Department of Public Safety for Unmanned Aircraft System training program delivery under simplified acquisition procedures. In late July 2026, FEMA Region 2 also solicited ceiling tile procurement for Naval Weapons Station Earle under Total Small Business set-aside, due August 7, 2026.

The absence of awards after September 2021 signals a material gap in current contracting velocity. Firms pursuing active opportunities should focus on Total Small Business and open-competition vehicles, particularly for facilities and infrastructure support at FEMA regional locations.