FY20_AFG_S_NOFO_final.jv_508ABjv.pdf

FY 2020 AFG-S NOFO

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - COVID-19

Supplemental (AFG-S)

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS

Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take four weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available from Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D – Application and Submission Information of this

NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application Submission. An active registration is required in order to apply for funding.

A. Program Description

Issued By

Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Grant

Programs Directorate (GPD)

Assistance Listings (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number)

97.044

Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title)

Assistance to Firefighters Grants

Funding Opportunity Title

FY2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID-19 Supplemental

Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-20-GPD-044-00-99

Authorizing Authority for Program

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Div. B (Pub. L. No. 116-136); Section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended (15 U.S.C §

2229)

Appropriation Authority for Program

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Div. B (Pub. L. No. 116-136)

Announcement Type

New http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

Overview

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID-19

Supplemental (AFG-S) is a supplemental funding opportunity under the Assistance to

Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). AFG is one of three grant programs that constitute the

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s

(FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The AFG-S Program accomplishes this by providing financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service (NAEMS) organizations, and State Fire Training Academies (SFTA) for critical Personal Protective

Equipment Personal Protective Equipment and supplies needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The AFG-S Program represents part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security

Review, the AFG-S Program supports the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and

Resilience. In awarding grants, the Administrator of FEMA is required to consider:

• The findings and recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Panel;

• The extent of an applicant’s need for an AFG-S grant and the need to protect America as a whole; and

• The number of calls requesting or requiring a firefighting or emergency medical response received by an applicant.

The 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan creates a shared vision for the field of emergency management and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country. The AFG-S Program supports the goal of Readying the Nation for

Catastrophic Disasters. We invite all of our stakeholders and partners to also adopt these priorities and join us in building a stronger agency and a more prepared and resilient Nation.

Objectives

The objectives of the AFG-S program are to provide critically needed resources that equip personnel to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and support community resilience.

Priorities

Information on program priorities and objectives for the FY2020 AFG-S can be found in Appendix A, FY2020 AFG-S Programmatic Information and Priorities.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for this program are as follows:

https://www.fema.gov/strategic-plan

• Percentage of AFG-S PPE recipients who equipped 100 percent of on-duty active members with PPE in compliance with applicable National Fire Protection Association and Occupational Safety and Health

Administration standards.

B. Federal Award Information

Available Funding for the NOFO: $100 million

Projected number of Awards: 1,000

Period of Performance: Twelve months from the date of award. For additional information on period of performance extensions, refer to Section H.

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): May 30, 2020

Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): May 29, 2021

Funding Instrument: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

• Fire Departments

• Nonaffiliated EMS Organizations

• State Fire Training Academies

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

Fire Departments: Fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in the

District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization. A fire department is an agency or organization having a formally recognized arrangement with a state, local, tribal or territorial authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town or other governing body) to provide fire suppression to a population within a geographically fixed primary first due response area.

NAEMS organizations: NAEMS organizations operating in any of the 50 states, as well as, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization. A NAEMS organization is an agency or organization that is a public or private nonprofit emergency medical service entity providing medical transport that is not affiliated with a hospital and does not serve a geographic area in which emergency medical services are adequately provided by a fire department. FEMA considers the following as hospitals under the AFG-S Program:

• Clinics

• Medical centers

• Medical college or university

• Infirmary

• Surgery centers

• Any other institution, association, or foundation providing medical, surgical, or psychiatric care and/or treatment for the sick or injured

State Fire Training Academies: A State Fire Training Academy (SFTA) operates in any of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants must be designated either by legislation or by a Governor’s declaration as the sole fire service training agency within a state, territory, or the District of Columbia. The designated SFTA shall be the only agency/bureau/division, or entity within that state, territory or the District of Columbia, to be an eligible

AFG-S SFTA applicant. SFTA are limited to applying for activities that are directly associated with

Personal Protective Equipment and supplies needed to respond to COVID-19 public health emergency.

Eligible Activities

All activities under this solicitation are limited to the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This includes reimbursement for expenditures made since Jan. 1, 2020.

Other Eligibility Criteria

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

NFIRS reporting is not a requirement to apply for the AFG-S Program. However, fire departments that receive funding under this program must agree to provide information to the NFIRS for the period covered by the assistance. If a recipient does not currently participate in the incident reporting system and does not have the capacity to report at the time of the award, that recipient must agree to provide information to the system for a 12-month period commencing as soon as possible after they develop the capacity to report.

Capacity to report to the NFIRS must be established prior to the termination of the one-year performance period. The recipient may be asked by FEMA to provide proof of compliance in reporting to NFIRS. Any recipient that stops reporting to NFIRS during their grant’s period of performance may be subject to the remedies for noncompliance at 2 C.F.R. §

200.338, unless it has yet to develop the capacity to report to NFIRS, as described above.

There is no NFIRS reporting requirement for NAEMS organizations or SFTAs.

Note: Although data collection is an important tool for understanding and justifying assistance, participation in other data sources, (e.g., National Fire Operations Reporting

System [NFORS]) does not satisfy the requirement for reporting to NFIRS.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

AFG-S applicants are not required to be in compliance with NIMS to apply for AFG-S funding or to receive an AFG-S award. Any applicant who receives an FY2020 AFG-S award must achieve the level of NIMS compliance required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction over the applicant’s emergency https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system service operations (e.g., a local government), prior to the end of the grant’s period of performance.

Maintenance of Effort

Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 2229(k)(3), an applicant seeking an AFG-S grant shall agree to maintain, during the term of the grant, the applicant’s aggregate expenditures relating to activities allowable under this NOFO and the FY 2019 AFG NOFO, at not less than 80 percent of the average amount of such expenditures in the two fiscal years prior to the fiscal year an AFG-S grant is awarded.

In other words, an applicant agrees that, if it receives a grant award, the applicant agrees to keep its overall expenditures during the award’s period of performance (including those funded with non-Federal funding) for activities that could be allowable costs under this

AFG-S NOFO and the FY 2019 AFG NOFO at a level that is at least 80 percent or more of average of what the applicant spent on such costs for those activities in fiscal years 2018 and

2019.

Cost Share or Match

In general, eligible applicants shall agree to make available non-federal funds to carry out an

AFG-S award in an amount equal to and not less than 15 percent of the grant awarded.

Exceptions to this general requirement apply to entities serving smaller communities as follows:

• When serving a jurisdiction of 20,000 residents or fewer, the applicant shall agree to make available non-federal funds in an amount equal to not less than 5 percent of the grant awarded;

• When serving a jurisdiction of more than 20,000 residents, but not more than 1 million residents, the applicant shall agree to make available non-federal funds in an amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the grant awarded;

The cost share for SFTAs will apply the requirements above based on the total population of the state.

FEMA has developed a cost share calculator tool in order to assist applicants with determining their cost share. The cost share tool is available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/153366

Types of Cost Share

i. Cash (Hard Match): Cost share of non-federal cash is the only allowable recipient contribution for

AFG-S activity.

ii. Trade-In Allowance/Credit: On a case-by-case basis, FEMA may allow recipients already owning assets acquired with non-federal cash, to use the trade- in allowance/credit value of those assets as https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/185574 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/185574 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/119095 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/119095 cash for the purpose of meeting their cost share obligation. For FEMA to consider a trade-in allowance/credit value as cash, the allowance amount must be reasonable, and the allowance amount must be a separate entry clearly identified in the acquisition documents.

iii. In-kind (Soft Match): In-kind cost share is not allowable for AFG-S.

The award budget will not account for any voluntary committed cost sharing or overmatch. The use of an overmatch is not given additional consideration when scoring applications.

Economic Hardship Waivers

The Administrator of FEMA may waive or reduce recipient cost share or maintenance of effort requirements in cases of demonstrated economic hardship. Please see Appendix B: Award

Administration Information for additional information.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times

Application Start Date: April 28, 2020 at 8 a.m. ET

Application Submission Deadline: May 15, 2020 at 5 p.m. ET

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: June 5, 2020

Anticipated Award Date: June 5, 2020

In general, DHS/FEMA will not consider for funding applications received after the deadline.

DHS/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, or other exigent or emergency circumstances. If applicants experience technical issues, they must notify the AFG Help Desk as soon as possible. The AFG Help Desk can be reached at 1-866-

274-0960 or by e-mail: firegrants@fema.dhs.gov. The AFG Help Desk is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.

– 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Note that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided Federal awarding agencies authority to publish emergency NOFOs for less than 30 days. See OMB Memorandum M-20-11, Administrative

Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel

Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 9, 2020).

Other Key Dates

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion

Register Organization in FEMA GO Prior to beginning application

Submitting complete application in FEMA

GO

One week before actual submission deadline mailto:firegrants@fema.dhs.gov https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/M-20-17.pdf

Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, the applicant agrees to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of its award, should the applicant receive an award.

Address to Request Application Package

The online FY2020 AFG-S application is only available via the Assistance to Firefighters Grant

Program’s FEMA GO (FEMA Grants Outcomes) application portal, at https://go.fema.gov.

Note: Hard copies of the application are not available. However, the Telephone Device for the Deaf

(TDD) and/or Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) number available for this Notice is: (800) 462-

7585.

Steps Required to Submit an Application.

DHS makes all funding opportunities available on the internet, accessible at http://www.grants.gov. If applicants experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call the Grants.gov

Contact Center at (800) 518-4726.

The Grants.gov website will direct applicants to FEMA GO, at https://go.fema.gov, which contains the online AFG-S application. The online AFG-S application incorporates all required forms.

FEMA GO will allow the applicant’s authorized representative(s) to log in and create their own account.

This account is specific to the authorized user and must not be shared with other personnel. The FEMA

GO account is separate from any previous accounts created in the eGrants system. Applicants can save, retrieve, update and revise their work through the end of the application period. The automated system does not allow applicants to submit incomplete applications. The system alerts applicants when required information has not been entered. Prior to final submission, an online application may be saved, retrieved, or edited up to the application deadline.

Note: FEMA GO is compatible with Internet Explorer (version 11 or higher), Firefox (version 63 or higher), or Chrome (version 70 or higher). Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.

There is no appeal process for inaccurate or incomplete information retained by the system due to improper or multiple browser usage by applicants.

Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative that provides the grant communities a single site to find grant funding opportunities. Before applying for a DHS Grant, applicants must have a Data Universal

Number System, or DUNS number, and must be registered and active in SAM.

DUNS Number

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering https://go.fema.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://go.fema.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found at the following website:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization- registration/step-1-obtain-duns- number.html.

System for Award Management (SAM)

Applicant registration in SAM is free. All applicants must be registered and active in order to apply online. Step-by-step instructions for registering with SAM can be found here: SAM Registration Home

Page. Please remember that SAM registration is only active for one year and must be renewed annually.

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 renewed annually to avoid becoming "INACTIVE."

Please allow plenty of time before the grant application submission deadline to obtain a DUNS number and then to register in SAM. It may take four weeks or more after the applicant submits the

SAM registration before the registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize the information.

Important: SAM registrations expiring before May 16, 2020 will be afforded a one-time 60-day extension. In conjunction with this exception, GSA has completed implementation of 60-day extensions to SAM.gov registrations that have expiration dates ranging between March 19, 2020 and May 17, 2020.

This effort is intended as relief for those otherwise required to renew their SAM registrations during that time frame. At the time of award, the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants continue to apply. Note that this extension only applies to existing

SAM registrations. Applicants who are not currently registered in SAM must still register in order to apply for this funding opportunity.

FEMA may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable

DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DHS is ready to make a federal award. DHS 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.

IMPORTANT: The SAM registration process must be completed by the applicant. It is imperative that the information provided by the applicant is correct and current. Please ensure that your organization’s name, address, DUNS number, and Employer Identification Number, or EIN, are up to date in SAM and that the DUNS number used in SAM is the same one used to apply for all other FEMA awards. The organization’s name on the SF 1199A Direct Deposit Form must be entered as it appears in SAM.

Payment under any FEMA award is contingent on the recipient’s having a current SAM registration.

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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online applicants have questions or concerns about a SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd- gov/home.do or call toll free (866) 606-8220.

How to Get a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

To get a CAGE code, applicants must first be registered in SAM, which is a requirement for doing business with the Federal Government. Applicants will be assigned a CAGE code as part of the SAM validation process, and as soon as the registration is active, applicants may view the CAGE code online by logging in to the SAM account.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be received by May 15, 2020 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. 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 on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application. Applications received by FEMA GO after the established due date for applications will be considered late and will not be considered for funding.

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. 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. The FEMA GO Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Do not do this

– it may cause your application to fail to be submitted and consequently not be considered for funding.

Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Intergovernmental Review

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of

Contact (SPOC) to comply with the State’s process under Executive Order 12372 (see https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive- order/12372.html;

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC- February-2019.pdf).

Funding Restrictions

Federal funds made available through this award may only be used for the purposes set forth in this award and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Award funds may not be used for matching funds for any other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the

Federal Government or any other government entity. Failure to adhere to the award conditions will cause the recipient to be considered in default of the grant agreement and may require the return of all federal funds disbursed under the grant.

Federal employees are prohibited from serving in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on the development of any proposal submitted under this program.

Allowable Costs https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf

Pre-award Costs

Pre-award expenditures for eligible Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies are eligible under this program. The expenditures must have been made after Jan. 1, 2020. Fees for grant writers are also included as a pre-award expenditure.

Fire Departments and Nonaffiliated EMS organizations

The total amount of funding a fire department or NAEMS organization recipient may receive under an

AFG-S award is limited to maximum amounts set by §33(c)(2) of the Federal Fire Prevention and

Control Act of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. § 2229(c)(2)). These award limits are based on two factors:

population served and a one percent aggregate amount of available grant funds.

The population of the jurisdiction served by the recipient will determine the maximum amount of AFG-S funding a recipient is eligible to receive but no recipient may receive an award that exceeds one (1) percent of available grant funds in FY2020, or $1,000,000. FEMA may waive this aggregate cap of $1 million in individual cases where FEMA determines that a recipient has an extraordinary need for a grant that exceeds the aggregate cap. FEMA may not waive the statutory funding caps based on population size.

The following table explains the maximum funding that a recipient may receive under this solicitation:

Population of Jurisdiction

Served by the Recipient Maximum Award in

FY2020 (AFG-S)

Statutory Waiver Available

Subject to Extraordinary Need?

100,000 or fewer people No more than $1 million None available

100,001 – 500,000 people No more than $1 million Yes, but no more than $2 million

500,001 – 1,000,000 people No more than $1 million Yes, but no more than $3 million

1,000,001 – 2,500,000 people No more than $1 million Yes, but no more than $6 million

More than 2,500,000 people No more than $1 million Yes, but no more than $9 million

The cost share for a Regional application will apply the requirements above based on the aggregate population of the primary first due response areas of the Host and participating partner organizations that execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Allocations and Restrictions of Available Grant Funds by Organization Type

• Nonaffiliated EMS Organizations: Not more than 2 percent of available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all NAEMS organization recipients.

• Emergency Medical Services Providers: Not less than 3.5 percent of available grant funds shall fund emergency medical services provided by fire departments and NAEMS organizations.

• State Fire Training Academy: Not more than 3 percent of available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all State Fire Training Academy recipients. Further, not more than $500,000 of available grant funds are eligible per applicant.

• Micro Grants: The selection of the voluntary Micro Grant option (cumulative federal funding of $3,000) for eligible activities does not impact an applicant’s request or federal participation under Regional projects. Applicants who select Micro

Grants as a funding opportunity choice may still apply for a Regional project.

Further, at least $150,000 of the available funds will be allocated toward this applicant type.

• Regional Projects: A Regional application is an opportunity for a Fire Department or a nonaffiliated EMS (NAEMS) organization to act as a host and apply for funding on behalf of itself and any number of other participating AFG eligible organizations

(a NAEMS organization who is a host regional applicant, can only host other NAEMS organizations). Fire Departments that serve as host regional applicants can apply on behalf of other eligible fire departments and NAEMS organizations within the same application. SFTAs are not eligible to apply under the Regional activity.

Regional activities should achieve cost effectiveness, support regional efficiency and resilience, and benefit more than one local jurisdiction (county, parish, town, township, city, or village) directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds.

The community identification characteristic (e.g., Rural, Urban, or Suburban) and the organizational status of the host applicant (e.g., Career, Combination, or Volunteer) will be entered and used for the regional application, regardless of the composition of the participating partners.

In the application narrative, a Regional host must include a list of all the AFG eligible participating organizations benefitting from a proposed Regional project, including validated points of contact, each organization’s Employee Identification Number (EIN), and clear and detailed information on the regional activities requested.

Host organizations should provide specific details, fully explaining the distribution of any grant-funded acquisitions or grant-funded contracted services, as well as the responsibilities between the host and the partner organizations.

The host will be required to enter information that captures the macro demographics (e.g., total square miles) and master listings of information (e.g., combined SCBA inventories) of the partners that serve the region.

All participants of a Regional applicant must be compliant with AFG requirements, including being current with past grants, closeouts, and other reporting requirements. Upon notification by the AFG Program Office, the host agency shall not distribute grant funded assets or provide grant-funded contractual services to non-compliant partner organizations. The host and the delinquent partners will be notified by the AFG Program Office of their specific deficiency.

Regional host applicants and participating partner agencies must execute a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) or equivalent document signed by the host and all participating organizations. The agreement should specify the individual and mutual responsibilities of the participating partners, the participant’s level of involvement in the project(s), and the proposed distribution of all grant funded assets and/or contracted services. Copies of the MOU will be requested during the technical evaluation of the application.

The MOU must specify the individual and mutual responsibilities of the host and participating partners, the host’s and participant’s level of involvement in the project(s), the participating partner’s EIN numbers, and the proposed distribution of all grant funded assets or contracted services. Any entity named in the application as benefiting from the award must be an eligible

AFG organization and must be a party to the MOU or equivalent document.

Regional applicants will be subject to the funding limitations based on the total population served by the host and participating partners. Additionally, Regional grants awarded are included in the host organization’s funding limitations. For example: if a recipient serves a population of 100,000 or fewer and is the recipient of a Regional award for $1 million, they have met their cap and are no longer eligible for additional funds through this solicitation.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs: Expenses should be based only on actual expenses or known contractual costs; requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement. No more than 3 percent of the federal share of AFG-S funds awarded may be expended by the recipient for management and administration (M&A) for purposes associated with the AFG-S award.

Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs: Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. pt. 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that desire to charge indirect costs to an award must provide a copy of their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement at the time of application.

Applicants that are not required by 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 to have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement but are required by 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 to develop an indirect cost rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal at the time of application. Copies of the indirect cost rate agreements or proposals, along with the AFG-S application number, must be submitted electronically to FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov. 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.

Environmental and Historical Preservation (EHP)

As a federal agency, DHS/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 the agency, including grant-funded projects, comply with Federal EHP regulations, laws, and

Executive Orders as applicable.

E. Application Review Information

Funding priorities and criteria for evaluating AFG-S applications are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria Development Panel. FEMA convened a panel of fire service professionals to develop funding priorities for the AFG-S grant program. The panel made recommendations about funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants.

The nine major fire service organizations represented on the panel are:

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• National Volunteer Fire Council mailto:FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• International Association of Arson Investigators

• International Society of Fire Service Instructors

• North American Fire Training Directors

• Congressional Fire Service Institute

The Criterial Development Panel is charged with making recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation or modification of previously established funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of this NOFO reflects implementation of the panel’s recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and criteria for awards.

FEMA will rank all complete and submitted applications based on how well they match the program priorities for the type of jurisdiction(s) served. Answers to the application’s activity specific questions provide information used to determine each application’s ranking relative to the stated program priorities.

Eligible Activities

AFG-S has three activities:

• Operations and Safety – Personal Protective Equipment;

• Regional Projects; and

• Micro Grants, Each activity has its own eligibility requirements. These requirements are outlined in

Appendix A: Programmatic Information and Priorities.

Application Evaluation Criteria

Prior to making a federal award, the federal-awarding agency is required by 31 U.S.C.§ 3321 note, 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 to review information available through any

OMB- designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant: (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal award (s); (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

All investments selected for recommendation will also undergo an additional risk review conducted by the DHS/FEMA Grants Management Specialist to evaluate the risk for noncompliance in carrying out the federal award. Using their subject matter expertise, the questions the DHS/FEMA Grants Management Specialist may assess include, but are not limited to:

• Is the applicant on any exclusion lists as identified in the System for Award

Management (SAM.gov)?

• If the applicant has received federal funding in the past, has the applicant performed all audits required by the Single Audit requirements under 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart F?

• Has the applicant provided sufficient budget information and justification as required by the NOFO?

• Are the costs proposed by the applicant in the budget information and justification allowable and reasonable based on the criteria set forth in this

Manual and the applicable appendix, NOFO, and regulations?

• Is the budget representative of the total cost of performance of the projects?

• If indirect costs are included, has the applicant provided an approved Indirect Cost

Rate agreement?

• Is the applicant delinquent on any federal debt?

• Has the applicant had substandard performance in a prior award?

• Is the applicant on the Do Not Pay List?

Based on the outcome of this review, DHS/FEMA may determine that it will not make an award to an applicant that poses a risk of noncompliance. DHS/FEMA may also determine that it will make an award to an at-risk applicant, subject to additional terms and conditions as described in 2 C.F.R. § 20.0.207.

Supplemental Financial Integrity Review

Prior to making a federal award where the anticipated federal share of a federal award will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000 (see Section 805 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-91, OMB

Memorandum M-18-18 at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-

18.pdf; see also FEMA Information Bulletin No. 434, Increases and Changes to the Micro-

Purchase and Simplified Acquisition Thresholds):

• DHS/FEMA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant 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) and is also accessible through the SAM website.

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

• DHS/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.

Review and Selection Process

AFG-S applications are reviewed through a multi-phase process. All applications are electronically pre-scored and ranked based on how well they align with the funding priorities outlined in this NOFO.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf

Applications with the highest pre-score rankings are then scored competitively by (no less than three) members of a Peer Reviewer Panel. Applications will also be evaluated through a series of internal

FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed project(s). Below is the process by which applications will be reviewed:

i. Pre-Scoring Process

The application undergoes an electronic pre-scoring process based on established program priorities listed in Appendix A and answers to activity specific questions within the online application. Application Narratives are not reviewed during pre-score process. “Request

Details” and “Budget” information should comply with program guidance and statutory funding limitations. The pre-score is 50 percent of the total application score.

ii. Peer Review Panel Process

Applications with the highest rankings from the pre-score process will undergo a peer review process. A panel of peer reviewers is comprised of fire service representatives recommended by the national organizations from the CDP. Peer reviewers will assess each application’s merits based on the narrative statement on the requested activity. The evaluation elements listed in the “Narrative Evaluation Criteria” below will be used to calculate the narrative’s score for each activity requested. Panelists will independently score each requested activity within the application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings of the application with his or her peers, and document the findings. A consensus is not required. The panel score is 50 percent of the total application score.

iii. Technical Evaluation Process (TEP)

The highest ranked applications will be considered within the fundable range. Applications that are in the fundable range will undergo both a Technical Review by a Subject-Matter

Expert (SME) as well as a FEMA Program Office review prior to being recommended for award. The FEMA Program Office will assess the request with respect to costs, quantities, feasibility, eligibility, and recipient responsibility prior to recommending any application for award.

Once the TEP is complete, each application’s cumulative score will be determined, and a final ranking of applications will be created. FEMA will award grants based on this final ranking and the ability to meet statutorily required funding limitations outlined in Appendix B, Restrictions on Use of Award Funds.

Narrative Evaluation Criteria

1. Financial Need (25 percent)

Applicants should describe their financial need and how consistent it is with the intent of the AFG-S Program. The Financial Need statement should include details describing the applicant’s financial distress such as summarizing budget constraints, unsuccessful attempts to secure other funding, and proving the financial distress is out of their control.

2. Project Description and Budget (25 percent)

The Project Description and Budget statement should clearly explain the applicant’s project objectives and its relationship to the applicant’s budget and risk analysis.

Applicants should link the proposed expenses to operations and safety, as well as to the completion of the project’s goals. Applicants should describe how their current response capabilities are impacted by COVID-19 as well as the overall rate of COVID-19 in their community. Applicants can reference data supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through referencing state level data from the following website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html. This data will be taken into consideration when prioritizing funding.

3. Cost Benefit (25 percent)

Applicants should describe how they plan to address the operations and personal safety needs of their organization, including cost effectiveness and sharing assets. The Operations and Safety/Cost Benefit statement should also include details about gaining the maximum benefits from grant funding by citing reasonable or required costs, such as specific overhead and administrative costs.

4. Statement of Effect on Operations (25 percent)

The Statement of Effect on Operations statement should explain how this funding request will enhance an organization’s overall effectiveness. It should address how an award will impact the daily operations and reduce an organization’s risk(s). Applicants should include how frequently the requested item(s) will be used and in what capacity.

Applicants should detail whether award funding will seek reimbursement of pre-award expenses related to the acquisition of eligible PPE, acquire PPE for immediate use, or acquire PPE resources to strengthen future response capabilities. Applicants will be evaluated on the current inventory of supplies, response usage of requested supplies, and anticipated future needs (i.e. actual or anticipated burn rate percentage of PPE resources).

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Notice of Award

Once FEMA has approved and recorded an award in the system, FEMA GO sends an award package to the grant official authorized by the recipient. FEMA GO will provide the award package and email notification. The authorized grant official should follow the directions in the notification to accept the award documents. The authorized grant official should read the award package carefully for instructions on administering the grant, to determine whether there has been an adjustment to the award, and to become familiar with the terms, conditions and responsibilities of federal award recipients.

The offered award will remain on hold and be available for a maximum of 30 days until the recipient either accepts or declines the award via FEMA GO online or unless FEMA grants additional time to accept the award. The recipient should follow the directions in the notification to confirm acceptance of https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html the award. Failure to accept the grant award within 30 days of an offer of award may result in a loss of funds. Recipients may request additional time to accept the award if needed.

Differences Between Application Request and Award

During the review process for an AFG-S award, FEMA may have modified the application request(s).

These modifications will be identified in the award package provided upon the offer of an award. If the awarded activities, scope of work, or requested dollar amount(s) do not match the application as submitted, the recipient shall only be responsible for completing the activities actually funded by FEMA.

The recipient is under no obligation to start, modify, or complete any activities requested by but not funded by the award. The award package will identify any differences under the Approved scope of work section.

Turndown Notifications

FEMA GO will provide all applicants who do not receive an FY2020 AFG-S award with a turndown notification.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All successful applicants for all 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 in which the award was made.

Before accepting the award, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) should carefully read the award package for 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 special terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program. By submitting an application, applicants are deemed to have accepted all of the conditions in this NOFO as well.

Reporting

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

Recipients should keep detailed records of all transactions involving the grant. FEMA may at any time request copies of purchasing documentation along with copies of cancelled checks or other proof of payment documentation for verification.

Record Retention

Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for at least three years from the date the final FFR is submitted or longer if the award or entity is under audit or other circumstances necessitate longer retention of records. See, e.g., 2 C.F.R. § 200.333. 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 three-year retention period.

FEMA requires that recipients maintain the following documentation for federally funded purchases:

• Specifications https://www.dhs.gov/publication/fy15-dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions https://www.dhs.gov/publication/fy15-dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions

• Solicitations

• Competitive quotes or proposals

• Basis for selection decisions

• Purchase orders

• Contracts

• Invoices

• Canceled checks

Recipients should keep detailed records of all transactions involving the grant. FEMA may at any time request copies of purchasing documentation along with copies of canceled checks for verification. See, e.g., 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.318(i), 200.333, 200.336. Recipients who fail to fully document all purchases may find their expenditures questioned and subsequently disallowed.

Federal Financial Reporting Requirements

Federal Financial Reports (FFR)

Recipients of AFG-S grants are required to submit a Federal Financial Report (SF-425) on a semi-annual basis. The FFR is to be submitted using the online FEMA GO based on the calendar year beginning with the period after the award is made. Grant recipients are required to submit an FFR throughout the entire period of performance of the grant.

Reports are due:

• No later than July 30 (for the period Jan. 1 – June 30)

• No later than January 30 (for the period July 1 – Dec. 31)

• Within 90 days after the end of the Period of Performance

The Federal Financial Report Form (SF-425) and instructions are available at the following sites: SF-425

OMB #4040-0014.

Financial and Compliance Audit Report

For audits of fiscal years beginning on or after Dec. 26, 2014, recipients that expend $750,000 or more from all federal funding sources during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report. The audit must be performed in accordance with the requirements of GAO’s Government Auditing Standards, located at http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm, and the requirements of Subpart F of 2 C.F.R.