1.2.1_DIP RFI.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

70FA3125I00000010

Instructions:

After reviewing the background information, potential approaches and use cases, answer the 7 questions using the prescribed format and provide responses to the 11 use cases. The response shall be no more than 40 pages.

Any questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted in the attached Excel file to Ross Wakeman at ross.wakeman@fema.dhs.gov no later than 2p ET on Tuesday, 06/17/2025.

All RFI responses are due to Ross Wakeman at ross.wakeman@fema.dhs.gov no later than 2p ET on Thursday, 06/26/2025.

Prescribed format: All submissions shall be in PDF format with a cover page, which does not count against the page count, containing the following information: Vendor Name, Vendor UEI, Point of Contact, Vendor NAICS Code and PSC code, Vendor Indefinite Delivery Vehicle/Multiple Award Schedule number and Vendor mailing address. The PDF document shall be formatted such that, if printed, paper size shall be 8 1/2 by 11-inch white paper with printing on one (1) side only, using Times New Roman or Arial type, not less than 12-point font. Each page shall have adequate margins on each side (at least one (1) inch) of the page. It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to ensure that the electronic media submitted is virus-free and can be opened and read by the Government.

No phone calls will be accepted regarding this RFI. All Inquiries and responses must be submitted in writing. The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred by contractors in the preparation or submission of responses to this RFI. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

In the following pages, please find use cases 0-10 along with background and Individual Assistance systems that should be reviewed and incorporated wholistically into the vendor’s answers to the questions/requests below. Where applicable, FEMA to provide screenshots, diagrams, or other graphical representations of their responses to the Use Cases outlined in this RFI:

(1) Which solution (custom, COTS, or hybrid) are you proposing? Vendors may choose more than one at their discretion.

(2) How will the proposed solution(s) meet FEMA’s requirements as described in the background and use cases?

(3) Describe your proposed high-level technical architecture for your proposed solution(s).

(4) For each use case, provide a detailed description of how your solution(s) will meet the “specific tests” noted. Where COTS, please articulate which feature or features from your product would be leveraged to meet the “specific tests.” Where custom, please articulate the technical approach to the feature or features you would design to meet the “specific tests.”

(5) What is your proposed project management/design approach and team structure (e.g., agile, waterfall, etc.)

a. Please provide detailed information about your “train and sustain” approach, including how the existing FEMA workforce will be upskilled to maintain the solution without (or with very limited) ongoing involvement from the vendor.

mailto:ross.wakeman@fema.dhs.gov mailto:ross.wakeman@fema.dhs.gov

b. As part of your project management/design approach, please describe how you will support program simplification and customer experience improvements, or partner with industry leaders to support these efforts.

(6) Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) that provides both a low and high range estimate of cost for (a) development/implementation and (b) ongoing licensing, operation, and maintenance costs.

a. Where applicable, please provide information on the assumptions that drove the price estimate including any options that FEMA may elect to reduce cost or reduce implementation timeframe.

b. Where applicable, please provide information about any elements of their proposed solution that are consumption-based (e.g., pay as you use).

c. With respect to pricing estimates, FEMA invites respondents to offer unique approaches to funding development and long-term utilization of the proposed solution.

(7) Provide a high-level project plan from kick-off to full operational capability.

To the extent possible, please describe your proposed solutions from EACH of the following perspectives:

(1) Survivor

a. Via a Computer

b. Via a Smart Phone

c. Via a Call Center

(2) FEMA Employee

a. Via a Computer

b. Via a Smart Phone

c. Via a Call Center

(3) FEMA Technologists – understanding the mechanics/infrastructure/set up processes.

Note: At a later date, FEMA may invite respondents to demonstrate, to the extent practicable, their technology (or proposed solution) based on the use cases.

Background

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a variety of services and/or financial assistance to Disaster Survivors in the aftermath of an emergency or disaster. Together these make up FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program. The type of services, value of financial awards, and other eligibility criteria (e.g., location, type and duration of impact, etc.) varies from disaster to disaster and may vary at different portions of a disaster response (e.g., not all “services” may be activated at the start of disaster and may be phased in over time). For all services, FEMA requires Survivors to register for assistance, pass an identity and occupancy validation check, provide supporting documentation (varies based on type of assistance required), and potentially have a physical or virtual home inspection.

Survivors may register and apply for these services via (a) an online portal (b) by phone through a FEMA call center (c) by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center in the field or (d) through a Disaster Survivor Assistance Team offering assistance at a variety of locations in a community. Through these various touchpoints, FEMA’s Individual Assistance Programs have more than 10,000,000 interactions with Survivors each year.

The Individual Assistance Program is presently delivered through more than 25 different systems, applications, and services with some of the technology dating back to the 1990s. The current technology ecosystem does not allow FEMA to deliver the seamless, integrated, modern experience that Americans have come to expect from private sector companies. Additionally, many of FEMA’s processes rely heavily on human capital and have opportunities for efficiency improvements. With an increasing number of disasters impacting more and more people and building on lessons learned from previous disasters, FEMA is seeking to upgrade, modernize, and integrate the technology that enables delivery of Individual Assistance to survivors. Over the past several months, FEMA has conducted independent market research, engaged with a variety of vendors, and consulted with information technology and customer experience experts inside and outside of government. Based on this research, FEMA has concluded that its needs will be met through the procurement and implementation of one of three solutions:

(1) Custom Software/System – Designing, building, and maintaining a bespoke solution to meet FEMA’s unique needs.

(2) Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) – Configuring existing software solutions that can meet FEMA’s unique needs.

(3) Hybrid – Combining one or more COTS products with custom software/systems that, together, meet FEMA’s unique needs.

Regardless of the solution or solutions, the product must be a highly available, highly scalable, highly resilient, secure, extensible, and adaptable platform that is capable of enabling FEMA to deliver the Individual Assistance Program to tens of millions of Americans simultaneously and at a moment’s notice.

FEMA is eager to leverage modern and emerging technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services to survivors.

Individual Assistance Programmatic Background

FEMA offers a variety of assistance types for each disaster. Some assistance types are activated for all disasters, others are only activated at the request of the State, Tribal, or Territorial (STT) Government (See Form at Appendix B). FEMA and the STT Government partner work together to establish disaster-specific funding levels, caps, and other parameters for each disaster. Additionally, some assistance-specific caps apply against an overall statutory cap, while others do not. For Fiscal Year 2025:

• Home Repair/Replacement Assistance Cap (HA): $43,600

• Other Needs Assistance Cap (ONA): $43,600

It is important that respondents fully describe their software’s “decision engine” or “rules engine” given these dynamic circumstances. See Appendix C for program details in addition to information throughout this RFI.

Assistance Type Definition All/Some Disasters

Considerations Subject to Cap?

Serious Needs – Regular

Funding to support the purchase of life-sustaining goods (e.g., medication, food, baby formula, diapers, etc.)

All A home inspection and/or declaration that the home was damaged by the disaster.

Yes (ONA)

Serious Needs Assistance – Expedited

Immediate funding to support the purchase of life-sustaining goods (e.g., Some May be geographically restricted based on damage information; awarded without an inspection

Yes (ONA) medication, food, baby formula, diapers, etc.)

Clean and Sanitize Immediate funding to support clean-up of damaged homes to prevent mold growth

Some Typically requires an inspection, but inspection requirement may be waived in high registration volume disasters for survivors who report minor damage

Yes (ONA)

Rental Assistance (Initial)

Funding to support rental of a non-damaged property while the Survivor/household develops and executes a permanent housing plan.

All Paid based on the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent (FMR) rates which is based on location and number of bedrooms.

Depending on local market conditions, FEMA may increase the FMR up to 200%.

Initial payment is for two

(2) months.

If an applicant receives Displacement Assistance they must call or write FEMA to request initial rental assistance.

No

Rental Assistance (Continuing)

Funding to support rental of a non-damaged property while the Survivor/household develops and executes a permanent housing plan.

All Paid based on the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent (FMR) rates which is based on location and number of bedrooms.

Depending on local market conditions, FEMA may increase the FMR up to 200%. Additionally, household income calculations are required.

See Appendix F for details.

Payments typically made in three (3) month increments for up to 18 months. FEMA has the authority to extend beyond 18 months when necessary and compelling.

No

Lodging Expense Reimbursement

(LER)

Funding to reimburse a survivor for temporary lodging in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

All Limited to room charges and taxes, typically in a hotel.

No

Home Repair or Replacement

Funding to repair or replace a damaged home subject to the statutory cap.

All This is based on FEMA-verified losses and after insurance payouts. FEMA is able to provide support to underinsured homeowners for up to the difference between the insurance payout and the FEMA -verified loss, not to exceed the HA cap. See Appendix I for details.

Yes (HA)

Transportation Assistance – Repair

Funding to repair or replace a damaged vehicle.

Some Can be paid post-inspection or based on documents (receipts/estimates). Must be the survivor’s only vehicle unless exceptions apply. Vehicle must be registered and comply with STT minimum liability insurance requirements.

Unlike most forms of assistance, the survivor does not have to live in the declared area to be eligible.

Yes (ONA)

Transportation Assistance – Replacement

Funding to replace a destroyed vehicle.

Some Can be paid post-inspection or based on documents (receipts/estimates). Must be the survivor’s only vehicle unless exceptions apply. Vehicle must be registered and comply with STT minimum liability insurance requirements.

Unlike most forms of assistance, the survivor does not have to live in the declared area to be eligible.

Yes (ONA)

Funeral Assistance Funding to cover interment, re-interment, and/or

Some Documentation-based, receipts or estimates required along with death cremation and released ceremonial expenses.

certificate showing the death was caused by the disaster. May be capped “per decedent” or “per household.”

Unlike most forms of assistance, the survivor does not have to live in the declared area to be eligible.

Child Care Assistance

Funding to cover a disaster-caused childcare need.

Some Reimbursement-based, receipts and other documentation required.

May be capped “per child” or “per household.”

Yes (ONA)

Displacement Assistance

Funding to reimburse a survivor for temporary lodging in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

Some Provided to eligible survivors for 14 days prior to requesting Rental Assistance. Amount of money based on either the GSA or STT-set rate for a given county.

Yes (ONA)

Medical and Dental Assistance

Funding to reimburse a survivor for disaster-caused medical and/or dental expenses.

Some Documentation-based, receipts/estimates and other documentation required.

Yes (ONA)

Personal Property Assistance

Funding to reimburse a survivor for disaster-caused losses of a specific item or items

Some Generally paid post inspection, but some items (for example, essential tools required for self-employment) require receipts/estimates and other documentation.

Yes (ONA)

Moving and Storage Expenses

Funding to reimburse a survivor for moving and/or storing personal belongings from a disaster-damaged or destroyed structure.

Some Requires an inspection and/or landlord statement proving the applicant relocated due to the disaster. Documentation-based, receipts/estimates and other documentation required.

Yes (ONA)

Miscellaneous Items

Reimbursement for certain items on a disaster-by-disaster basis.

Some Documentation-based, receipts/estimates and other documentation required.

Yes (ONA)

Generators Reimbursement for purchase of temporary generators to power disaster-

Some May be limited to survivor certifying that they need power to maintain impacted dwelling without power.

necessary medical equipment

Current Integrations/Automations (for validation checks, payments, fraud detection etc.)

o Lexis Nexis (identity, ownership, occupancy verification for damaged dwelling, Social Security death master file) o Login.gov (account creation and verification) o CoreLogic (address correction with USPS standards and format) o OCFO systems make the payments o NIFRA (flood policy verification, flood zone cases – impacts case’s path) o Trumpia text messaging provider (external affairs) o DMARTS (document repository – linked to NEMIS for casework review)* o HOMES (direct housing system)* o ACE (automated construction estimator – inspections services mobile application – used by both contract support and in-house inspectors)* o RS means – low, medium, high-cost estimates for construction materials based on geographic area.

o RI application integration – to provide information back to DAC account.* o Process to replicate data to data repositories (ODS, EDW – future replication to FEMA Dex Data

Lake)* o Corporate Lodging – CLC – send them data files of eligible applicants to be shared to participating hotels.

*FEMA is open to replacing (instead of integrating) these existing custom-applications as part of a new system.

Future Integrations/Automations Desired (for validation checks and related information)

• Insurance companies (homeowners and auto policy validation and settlements)

• Departments of Motor Vehicles

• Social Security Administration (benefit validation)

• Internal Revenue Service (income validation)

• Commercial aggregators (income validation)

• Fraud detection (some initial processes to stamp cases for potential fraud, but next steps are currently manual)

• Other integrations to support eligibility criteria including but not limited to ownership/occupancy and/or income. (mortgages, banks, etc.)

Current Documentation and Calculation Information for FEMA Assistance

• See Appendix A for a working list of Jobs To Be Done and associated categories.

• See Appendix B for Administrative Options Form.

• See Appendix C for Quick Reference Guides to Described Programs.

• See Appendix D for Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance Form.

• See Appendix E for Supplemental Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance

• See Appendix F for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance Calculator.

• See Appendix G for Ownership and Occupancy Acceptable Documents

• See Appendix H for Privacy Release Form

• See Appendix I for Insurance Calculation Examples

• See Appendix J for the Recovery Technology Programs Division (RTPD) Systems Overview - 2

• See Appendix K for Future survivor Journey Seamless and Simplified

Jobs To Be Done

FEMA has done extensive analysis of its existing systems, programmatic, and operational requirements. A full list of Jobs To Be Done can be found in Appendix A. The Jobs To Be Done represents the critical tasks that a system or systems need to complete for its users (Survivors, FEMA staff, and its partners) and are based on the overall goals that need to be achieved. They are not a comprehensive list of functional or non-functional requirements. Final functional, non-functional, UI/UX, and other requirements are anticipated to be developed with the vendor, vendors, and their partners following acquisition.

Respondents to this RFI should review the Jobs To Be Done and make every effort to describe how their system or systems are able to accomplish all of them.

Use Case 0 Vendor Description of System Architecture, Resiliency, Cybersecurity, and Capabilities Overview

FEMA is eager to upgrade the technology supporting delivery of its Individual Assistance Program to disaster survivors and SLTT partners. For context, in 2024 FEMA processed 4.65 million applications, conducted 1.27 million home inspections, answered 6.4 million calls, and delivered $4.59 billion dollars in individual assistance. Regular staffing of approximately 1,700 at FEMA’s fixed facilities can quickly (in days) scale to well over 10,000 across fixed facilities, disaster field facilities, and contract staff supporting call center operations. Recognizing FEMA’s mission set, critical need for uninterrupted program delivery during times of crisis, and security of Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (SPII) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII), it is imperative that any system or systems that FEMA utilizes are highly secure, high-availability (near 100% up time), and hosted in geographically distributed United States-based data centers that, at a minimum, rely independently, on different sections of the United States Power Grid, are at risk for different threats and hazards, are asynchronously backed up, and have the ability to autonomously scale during periods of high disaster activity. For purposes of this RFI, respondents should assume the Maximum Tolerable Period of Downtime and Maximum Acceptable Outage to be no longer than 15 minutes. The Maximum Tolerable Data Loss is zero (0) transactions. Beyond system security and availability, FEMA is eager for the vendor community to describe their system’s architecture and capabilities. As applicable, respondents should differentiate which portions of their solution are native capabilities, which require configuration, and which require customization. When describing configuration and customization, respondents should identify any risk configurations or customizations have on viability of future upgrades and associated risk mitigation strategies.

1. See Appendix A

Specific Parameters

None, respondent-driven presentation

Specific Tests (minimum, the more the better)

1. Respondent-driven response

2. When describing FedRAMP compliance, articulate any differences between feature availability to all customers vs. customers within various FedRAMP boundaries.

3. Provide product documentation demonstrating API access or export capabilities for all system and user-provided data enabling periodic backups and potential future migration to other solutions.

Identify all data fields not exportable or accessible via API.

4. Identifying release cycle, security patch cycle, end of life schedules, and support offerings

5. For each capability described, identify how system handles configuration vs. customization and risks and associated mitigation strategies with respect to future system updates/upgrades.

6. Respondent describes their accessibility compliance, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in particular and provides an Accessibility Compliance Report if available.

7. Respondent describes compliance with various security standards for both the application and data storage (e.g., FedRAMP, encryption of data in transit, encryption of text fields and attachments, ISO certifications and associated SSAE certifications, single sign on, role-based access control and access control list configurability to define data access).

8. Respondent describes how their solution (holistically) is highly scalable to massive demand spikes from internal and external users during periods of high disaster activity where hundreds of thousands to millions of survivors could be accessing the system simultaneously.

9. Respondent describes how their system manages APIs and other web services/data integrations (e.g., API gateway, REST/SOAP, e-mail, file upload, LDAP, ODBC/JDBC, PowerShell, SSH, Java, etc.)

Use Case 1 Configure Disaster Parameters, Update Disaster Parameters

As described previously, following a disaster declaration, FEMA working with its State, Tribal, and/or Territorial Partners will establish the list of programs and services available to survivors, corresponding award levels, and associated eligibility criteria. When executing this use case, the vendor shall describe how these activities would be set up in your tool and how that set up would apply said eligibility criteria to Survivors who register. Further, some programs or services may not be activated immediately following a disaster declaration and may be activated several weeks to months later and eligibility criteria may be modified with time. The vendor shall describe how such services would be turned on after the initial disaster configuration, how eligible survivors would be identified for new services, and how, in the event of an eligibility change, newly eligible survivors would be identified. More explicitly, the vendor system needs to describe its capability to retroactively reapply business rules on a selective basis (e.g., configuration changes for some disasters, but not for others). Some cases may need to have a set of rules applied based on parameters (e.g., their filing date, location, etc.) even if the rule set changed after that whereas other cases will need to have the latest rules applied.

1. FEMA establishes eligibility criteria and program-specific guidance for individual disasters and/or locations.

2. FEMA adjusts eligibility criteria after initial configuration with minimal impact to operations or survivors.

3. System responds to policy changes and identifies applications that were previously ineligible but should be pulled back into the process when a policy change makes them eligible.

4. System retains necessary configurations by state and ensures additional guidance (e.g., pricing for replacement costs) is directly incorporated and kept up to date.

5. FEMA staff do not require specialized technical knowledge to complete disaster configuration because the disaster setup process is guided and automated wherever possible.

6. System prevents error paths and places guardrails & validations/checks automatically based on information in system; reduced risk of misdirecting or misinforming a survivor.

7. System can validate and standardize mailing address, email address, and phone numbers to increase deliverability.

1. The disaster is declared in New York State.

2. The disaster has initially been declared for the following county:

a. Broome

3. Several days later the following county was added on:

a. Tioga

4. New York State completed FEMA Form FF-104-FY21-114 and stipulated the following item amounts and parameters for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program Other Needs Assistance:

a. Serious Needs Assistance - $770

b. Clean and Sanitize - $300

c. Transportation Repair - $5,000

d. Transportation Replacement (total loss) - $15,000

e. Funeral Assistance (Maximum) - $7,000 per decedent

f. Child Care Assistance (Maximum) - $3,000 per household

g. Displacement Assistance – 14 days at $117/day based on the General Services

Administration (GSA) Standard Lodging Rate.

h. Medical and Dental Assistance – $10,000

i. Personal Property Assistance - $10,000

j. Moving and Storage Expenses - $10,000

5. Services Turned On At Start for Broome County:

Service Eligibility Criteria Global Questions (all services) 1. Is the survivor in the declared area?

2. Did the survivor pass ownership/occupancy/identity/fraud validations?

Serious Needs Assistance (Expedited) – Countywide

1. Is the survivor in the geofenced area (ZIP or Shapefile)

2. Did the survivor report an immediate need during intake?

Serious Needs Assistance (Regular) 1. Did an inspection find at least minor damage?

Clean and Sanitize 1. Did an inspection find minor damage that does not impact habitability?

Transportation Assistance (Replace) 1. Is this the survivor’s only vehicle?

2. Is the vehicle duly registered?

3. Is the vehicle duly insured?

4. Did the survivor present insurance settlement information?

5. Did the survivor have uninsured losses?

6. Did the survivor present proof of loss and a replacement estimate or appraisal?

Transportation Assistance (Repair) 1. Is this the survivor’s only vehicle?

2. Is the vehicle duly registered?

3. Is the vehicle duly insured?

4. Did the survivor present insurance settlement information?

5. Did the survivor have uninsured losses?

6. Did the survivor present a repair bill estimate?

Funeral Assistance 1. Was the survivor responsible for the burial, cremation, and/or funeral costs?

2. Did the decedent or decedents die as aa result of the declared disaster?

3. Did the survivor present a Death

Certificate?

4. Did the survivor present a bill for funeral-related services?

Child Care Assistance 1. Were the child or children the legal responsibility of the survivor?

2. Was the need for childcare services or extra child care services caused by the disaster?

3. Was the childcare provided by <what are the criteria here?

4. Did the survivor present proof of cost?

Displacement Assistance 1. Is FEMA going to require and inspection?

2. If yes, did the inspection find the home is uninhabitable or inaccessible?

Medical and Dental Assistance 1. Did the survivor present documentation the medical or dental need was disaster-caused?

2. Did the survivor present details of an insurance settlement or affirm they are uninsured?

3. Did the survivor present receipts or quotes for the provided services?

Personal Property Assistance 1. Did the survivor present documentation that the personal property was damaged or destroyed or needed as a result of the disaster?

2. Did the survivor present quotes or receipts for the damaged/destroyed personal property repair/replacement/purchase?

Moving and Storage Expenses 1. Did the survivor present documentation that the moving and storage expenses were necessary as a result of the disaster?

2. Did the survivor present quotes or receipts for the moving and storage expenses?

6. Policy Decisions for Broome County:

a. Expedited Serious Needs Assistance is activated for the entire county.

b. Inspections are waived for Clean and Sanitize

c. Inspections are waived for Displacement Assistance

7. Services Turned on at Start for Tioga County:

Service Eligibility Criteria

Global Questions (all services) 1. Is the survivor in the declared area?

2. Did the survivor pass ownership/occupancy/identity/fraud validations?

Serious Needs Assistance (Regular) 1. Did an inspection find at least minor damage?

Clean and Sanitize 1. Did an inspection find minor damage that does not impact habitability?

Transportation Assistance (Replace) 1. Is this the survivor’s only vehicle?

2. Is the vehicle duly registered?

3. Is the vehicle duly insured?

4. Did the survivor present insurance settlement information?

5. Did the survivor have uninsured losses?

6. Did the survivor present proof of loss and a replacement estimate or appraisal?

Transportation Assistance (Repair) 1. Is this the survivor’s only vehicle?

2. Is the vehicle duly registered?

3. Is the vehicle duly insured?

4. Did the survivor present insurance settlement information?

5. Did the survivor have uninsured losses?

6. Did the survivor present a repair bill estimate?

Funeral Assistance 1. Was the survivor responsible for the burial, cremation, and/or funeral costs?

2. Did the decedent or decedents die as aa result of the declared disaster?

3. Did the survivor present a Death

Certificate?

4. Did the survivor present a bill for funeral-related services?

Child Care Assistance 1. Were the child or children the legal responsibility of the survivor?

2. Was the need for childcare services or extra child care services caused by the disaster?

3. Was the childcare provided by <what are the criteria here>?

4. Did the survivor present proof of cost?

Displacement Assistance 1. Is FEMA going to require and inspection?

2. If yes, did the inspection find the home is uninhabitable or inaccessible?

Medical and Dental Assistance 1. Did the survivor present documentation the medical or dental need was disaster-caused?

2. Did the survivor present details of an insurance settlement or affirm they are uninsured?

3. Did the survivor present receipts or quotes for the provided services?

Personal Property Assistance 1. Did the survivor present documentation that the personal property was damaged or destroyed or needed as a result of the disaster?

2. Did the survivor present quotes or receipts for the damaged/destroyed personal property repair/replacement/purchase?

Moving and Storage Expenses 1. Did the survivor present documentation that the moving and storage expenses were necessary as a result of the disaster?

2. Did the survivor present quotes or receipts for the moving and storage expenses?

8. Policy Decisions for Tioga County:

a. Expedited Serious Needs Assistance is NOT activated for the entire county.

b. Inspections are NOT waived for Clean and Sanitize

c. Inspections are NOT waived for Displacement Assistance

9. Maximum Assistance Limit for Housing Assistance - $43,600

10. Maximum Assistance Limit for Other Needs Assistance $43,600

11. Inspection Management and Routing

a. Survivor-Reported Minor Damage – Held in Triage

b. Survivor Reported Moderate Damage – Routed to Contract Inspection Team

c. Survivor-reported Major Damage – Routed to FEMA In-House Inspectors

12. Identify NFIP Sanctioned Communities

13. State/Governor Co-Branding – The Governor of New York State requests co-branding of letters

a. English

b. Spanish

14. Import pricing from RS Means for repair/replacement costs (county level data)

15. HUD Fair Market Rent Data

Specific Tests (minimum, the more the better)

1. Describe how the various specific parameters are entered into the system.

2. Describe how a county can be added into the system after the start of a disaster.

3. Describe how the system can differentiate the specific parameters between two disasters impacting different geographies.

a. Note different inspection requirements/waivers between Broome and Tioga Counties.

4. Describe how the system prevents a specific survivor from receiving more than the maximum assistance limit for Housing Assistance

5. Describe how the system prevents a specific survivor from receiving more than the maximum assistance limit for Other Needs Assistance.

6. Describe how the system prevents a specific survivor from receiving more than the authorized maximum assistance for a particular service.

7. Describe how the system relates the specific parameters to identify eligible survivors (eligible at time of set-up)

8. Describe how the system relates the specific parameters to identify eligible survivors (eligible after the time of set-up)

9. Describe how the system prevents a survivor who registers but is not in a declared area (e.g., Tioga) from receiving payments at the start of a disaster.

a. Describe how the system automatically processes awards for that same survivor after their county is added (e.g., Tioga).

10. Describe how data would be transported, exchanged, or exported to other systems that are or are not integrated with the main solution.

Use Case 2 Registration, Update Registration, Identity Validation, and Receive Case Updates

Overview

As described previously, Survivors must register and prove their identity prior to receiving assistance from FEMA. FEMA currently uses a variety of automated and, where necessary, manual processes to validate a Survivors identity. An existing gap in FEMA’s system is Survivors are unable to update their information after registering. Additionally, FEMA does not maintain a Survivor’s information disaster-after-disaster, requiring Survivors to re-start the entire process and re-submit documentation each time.

FEMA hopes to close these gaps with new technology. FEMA has only nascent technology to text survivors and would like to improve this capability in the new system. When executing this use case, the vendor shall describe how these activities would take place in your tool.

Jobs To Be Done

1. Survivors apply for assistance through multiple channels depending on preference (e.g., online, e-mail, phone, SMS, paper mail, in-person). Digital channels are mobile-friendly.

2. Survivors start their application based on information provided in previous disasters, where applicable, and are given the opportunity to validate information.

3. FEMA provides a consistent application experience across channels that does not impact survivor outcomes.

4. FEMA collects documentation at the time of application based on a survivor’s initial responses, whenever provided by an applicant.

5. FEMA collects documentation when presented by the survivor at the time of application.

6. Survivors return to their application to update or provide additional information as needed, without the need for extra steps to save their progress.

7. System can link applications (e.g., roommates or joint ownership) to assist in the processing of related cases; but applicants can receive assistance independently of one another.

8. System adapts to changing survivor needs and keeps them alerted about all aid types/applications:

survivors are able to change the assistance they are applying for or apply for additional assistance throughout the process.

9. Survivors can enter into the process easily to meet the initial deadline, and FEMA makes it as easy as possible to add/update information as their needs and situations evolve and emerge.

10. Survivors receive confirmation of submission and case updates via their preferred method(s) immediately upon registration and at each stage of the process.

11. FEMA conducts accurate identity verification at the time of application (automated whenever possible).

Specific Parameters

1. Name

2. Address (with address checking/correction)

a. Damaged Home/place of loss

b. Current mailing

3. Date of Birth

4. Social Security Number

a. Applicant

b. Co-Applicant

5. Household composition

a. Name of Household Members

b. Age of Household Member

c. Relationship to applicant

i. Immediate family

ii. Friend or relative

iii. Landlord

iv. Boarder

6. Total Household Income

7. Property Damage

a. Home

b. Vehicle

c. Personal Property

8. Emergency Needs

a. Food, clothing, shelter, gas, medication, or medical equipment

b. Essential utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer)

9. Home access (blocked entry, damage to accessibility equipment like a ramp, unsafe roads)

a. Private Access Route (Road/Bridge)

b. Public Access Route

c. Mandatory Evacuation

d. Damage to my home’s medical or accessibility feature (ramp, elevator)

e. I can leave and enter my home safely

10. Other Expenses

a. Funeral or reburial expenses

b. Lodging expenses (hotels, motels)

c. Medical or dental expenses

d. New or extra childcare costs

e. Home safety item costs (dehumidifier, chainsaw, smoke detectors, etc.)

11. Confirmation of “primary” home

12. What caused the damage

a. Fire, Lava Flow, Ash

b. Tornado, Wind, Wind-driven rain

c. Flood

d. sewer backup

e. seepage

f. power surge/lightning

g. Earthquake

h. Snow/Ice

13. Date(s) of loss

14. Current living situation/location

a. Damaged home

b. Friends/family

c. Mass shelter

d. House of Worship

e. Workplace

f. FEMA-provided housing unit

g. My vehicle

h. RV/Camper

i. New Rental

j. Bought new home

15. Confirm Citizenship “I declare that I or someone in my household is a citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen of the United States. *

16. Disability/Reasonable accommodation needs

17. Banking/electronic payment information

18. Accept Privacy Statement and Declaration of Eligibility

Specific Tests (minimum, the more the better)

1. Survivor is able to register for assistance and provide all information required at the time.

2. Survivor is able to return to the application and provide updated information based on new information requirements.

3. Survivor is able to indicate how they want to receive information (system defaults to e-mail and

SMS).

4. System is able to immediately notify survivor that their application has been received via their selected contact preferences.

5. System is able to notify survivor via their selected contact preferences that they need to return to submit additional information as they may be eligible for additional assistance.

6. Survivor is able to return to their application and submit additional information via omnichannel means (texting, signing in, calling the call center, etc.).

7. Survivor is able to upload documentation into their case via an intuitive user interface.

8. Survivor is able to see what documentation is still needed that they have not yet uploaded.

9. FEMA is able to see the documentation immediately when uploaded.

10. FEMA is able to see what documentation is still needed and request that from the survivor via omnichannel means.

11. System is able to complete automated identity and fraud mitigation checks and surface that information to FEMA and automatically advance the application to the next stage of the process (if passed)

12. System is able to complete automated identity and fraud mitigation checks and surface that information to FEMA and automatically prevent advancement of the application to the net stage of the process (if failed)

13. Survivors can view/update prior existing disaster submissions as well as current When system detects that survivor did not pass automated ownership/occupancy verification, proactively prompts them to upload documents as proof (See Appendix G for acceptable documents)

Use Case 3 Inbound Phone Call, IVR/IVA, Call Queuing, Info Collection via Phone, Call Center Management

Overview

FEMA operates several fixed facilities that receive inbound phone calls, make outbound phone calls, and support survivors through a combination of registration and intake, document request/receipt, and case work/case processing. FEMA utilizes the Genesys Cloud 3 phone system for handling the inbound and outbound call volume. Staff answering phone calls can surge from 1,000+ per day during low-activity periods to more than 10,000 during high-disaster periods. Any solution needs to be able to scale to this volume and beyond. Presently, FEMA staff must interact with multiple systems across 3-5 separate screens to access the information needed to review information, inform survivors of their status, and adjudicate information. FEMA hopes to have an integrated solution through the selected vendor or vendors.

Jobs To Be Done

1. Survivors are provided with a consistent set of information (and level of detail) about their application and status no matter what touch point and channel they choose (e.g., Call vs. DAC vs.

DRC vs. IVR, etc.)

2. Application clearly and plainly communicates assistance types that are available and the process to survivors regardless of application method. Program details and benefits should be in plain language.

3. Survivors apply for assistance through multiple channels depending on preference (online, e-mail, phone, SMS, paper mail, in-person). Digital channels are mobile friendly.

4. Survivors start their application based on information provided in previous disasters, where applicable, and are given the opportunity to validate info.

5. FEMA provides a consistent application experience across channels that does not impact survivor outcomes.

6. Survivors can enter into the process easily to meet the initial deadline, and FEMA makes it as easy as possible to add/update information as their needs and situations evolve and emerge.

7. Survivors receive confirmation of submission and case updates via their preferred method(s) immediately upon registration and at each stage of the process.

8. Survivors are provided with a consistent set of information about the program and assistance available regardless of touch point and channel. The same level of information should be accessible through all channels, including language or communication access services.

9. Survivors can request a call-back as an alternative to waiting on hold (by maintain their place in queue)

10. FEMA records all actions on a case including timestamps (and call transcript)

11. FEMA staff receive integrated in-app guidance without the need to refer to separate documentation. Where possible, guidance is tailored to a particular case and the task they are trying to complete.

12. System prevents error paths and places guardrails & validations/checks automatically based on information in system; reduced risk of misdirecting or misinforming a survivor.

13. System automatically assigns cases to work queues that match the intervention needed to the skill level and training of agents.

14. System automatically identifies and verifies who is calling based on their phone number and additional information.

Specific Parameters

1. Name

2. Address (with address checking/correction)

a. Damaged Home/place of loss

b. Current mailing

3. Date of Birth

4. Social Security Number

a. Applicant

b. Co-Applicant

5. Household composition

a. Name of Household Members

b. Age of Household Member

c. Relationship to applicant

i. Immediate family

ii. Friend or relative

iii. Landlord

iv. Boarder

6. Total Household Income

7. Property Damage

a. Home

b. Vehicle

c. Personal Property

8. Emergency Needs

a. Food, clothing, shelter, gas, medication, or medical equipment

b. Essential utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer)

9. Home access (blocked entry, damage to accessibility equipment like a ramp, unsafe roads)

a. Private Access Route (Road/Bridge)

b. Public Access Route

c. Mandatory Evacuation

d. Damage to my home’s medical or accessibility feature (ramp, elevator)

e. I can leave and enter my home safely

10. Other Expenses

a. Funeral or reburial expenses

b. Lodging expenses (hotels, motels)

c. Medical or dental expenses

d. New or extra child care costs

e. Home safety item costs (dehumidifier, chainsaw, smoke detectors, etc.)

11. Confirmation of “primary” home

12. What caused the damage

a. Fire, Lava Flow, Ash

b. Tornado, Wind, Wind-driven rain

c. Flood

d. sewer backup

e. seepage

f. power surge/lightning

g. Earthquake

h. Snow/Ice

13. Date(s) of loss

14. Current living situation/location

a. Damaged home

b. Friends/family

c. Mass shelter

d. House of Worship

e. Workplace

f. FEMA-provided housing unit

g. My vehicle

h. RV/Camper

i. New Rental

j. Bought new home

15. Confirm Citizenship “I declare that I or someone in my household is a citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen of the United States. *

16. Disability/Reasonable accommodation needs

17. Banking/electronic payment information

18. Accept Privacy Statement and Declaration of Eligibility

Specific Tests (minimum, the more the better)

1. System prompts agent to ask survivor registration questions in an intuitive fashion (with guided services) allowing the Survivor to register for assistance and provide all information required at the time.

2. System prompts an agent that a survivor previously registered but has to provide additional information and is able to quickly verify the survivor’s identity and prompt the survivor to provide just the missing information.

3. System prompts agent to inquire of the survivor how they wish to receive information (with a recommendation for e-mail and SMS).

4. Upon agent completing a registration, system is able to immediately notify survivor that their application has been received via their selected contact preferences.

5. System prompts agent for a missing piece of documentation (e.g., driver’s license, rental agreement, insurance paperwork, etc.) and agent is able to request, receive, and review document vis SMS or secure text message while on the phone with the survivor.

6. System recognizes inbound caller by caller ID and displays case information upon agent picking up the phone.

7. System shows agent and clearly displays what pieces of documentation are still needed and prompts agent to request that information while in-call via omnichannel means.

8. System identifies that there will be an extended hold time and offers the survivor the ability to have a call back while maintaining their place in queue.

9. System identifies that the caller already has a case open and offers (and then delivers) the latest case status via IVR/IVA without connecting to an agent.

10. Upon inbound phone call system detects if caller is calling from a mobile phone. If so, IVR/IVA informs survivor that they can listen to approximately 4 minutes of disclosure information or have the information texted to them. If survivor elects for text message, system immediately delivers required information via text and then proceeds to next step in queuing process.

11. Agent is able to route calls to supervisor or “level 2” support from within the application.

12. System, using natural language processing or similar technology, is able to surface elements of a policy and/or procedure guide based on Survivor and agent’s conversation.

13. System is able to detect and record “abandoned” calls and flag for agents and/or supervisors how many times specific phone numbers call in and abandon their calls.

14. System describes how it supports/integrates call center agent scheduling including, but not limited to, staff assignments, travel plans, project-based schedules, etc.

15. System describes how supervisors and QA/QC agents can conduct audits of prior calls but obscures the evaluator’s name.

16. System describes how management is provided visibility into key performance metrics including, but not limited to, how much time call center agents spend working with applicants, the rate of incoming calls that are answered within a specific timeframe, the amount of time agents are unavailable to answer calls (specifically, the system has live monitoring that provides real-time information on performance)

17. System describes how supervisors and quality control teams can monitor call activity.

18. System describes how supervisors can do “live monitoring” and “alerting” features to monitor call center agent activity in real time.

19. System describes how historical data can be leverages to facilitate year-over-year comparisons to support accurate staffing forecasts.

20. System allows for automated mass updates as new information is received that forecasts need.

Use Case 4 Visit to a Disaster Recovery Center, Registration, Document Collection, Case Look Up, Document Validation

Following a disaster, FEMA, in close coordination with SLTT partners, will open one or more Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). Depending on the jurisdiction these facilities may also be called a Multi- Agency Resource Centers (MARCs). A DRC is a fixed (or mobile) facility typically placed in a repurposed public, non-profit, or faith-based facility (e.g., city/town/village hall, church, temple, community center, etc.) or FEMA communications vehicle where survivors can register and receive updates on their case and receive assistance from other government and non-governmental organizations (e.g., American Red Cross, United Way, Social Services, Department of Motor Vehicles, etc.). Presently, FEMA personnel at a DRC are able to access some information in the system of record but are unable to directly upload or verify documents, unable to verify identity (e.g., by reviewing a driver’s license or passport), and are unable to schedule an inspection. Additionally, DRCs operate on a first-come, first-serve basis and FEMA does not have the ability to schedule appointments or conduct queue management via a technological means. FEMA desires to close these gaps with the new system or systems.

1. FEMA collects documentation up front at the time of application, based on information provided in the application.

2. Survivors can easily upload documents online, in-person, by e-mail, or paper mail and receive immediate confirmation upon receipt.

3. FEMA casework quickly identify document contents, interpret them, and search for specific documentation or content.

4. Case documents are automatically processed for quality with OCR integration. System identifies issues with documentation without human eyes looking at it first.

5. Survivors and staff upload a document directly to a case (manual indexing is eliminated).

6. FEMA sees a history of all survivor interactions, documentation, determinations, and other actions for a given survivor or case across all channels.

7. Survivors schedule (or reschedule) an inspection, DRC visit, or other appointment through multiple channels (online, e-mail, phone, SMS, in-person). Digital channels are mobile friendly.

8. Staff and caseworkers opening a case are immediately provided context to quickly understand the details of the case and the survivor. Information may include a summary of touchpoints of a case (and who conducted them) and metrics like time since application submitted, calls to call center, letters received, DRC visit,…