FY 2020 BRIC Notice of Funding Opportunity_081320_508compliant.pdf

FY 2020 BRIC NOFO

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

FY 2020 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

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 4 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 of this NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application

Submission.

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA), Mitigation

Directorate, Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Division

2. Assistance Listings (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance [CFDA]

Number)

97.047

3. Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title)

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

4. Funding Opportunity Title

Fiscal Year 2020 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-20-MT-047-00-99

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

(Stafford Act), as amended (Pub. L. No. 93-288) (42 U.S.C. § 5133) as implemented by

Hazard Mitigation Assistance: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (FP:

104-008-05).

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-6); Section

203(i) of the Stafford Act, as amended (Pub. L. No. 93-288) (42 U.S.C. § 5133).

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

8. Announcement Type

Initial

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

Overview

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program makes federal funds available to states, U.S territories, Indian tribal governments, and local communities for pre-disaster mitigation activities. The guiding principles of the program are to (1) support state and local governments, tribes, and territories through capability-and capacity-building to enable them to identify mitigation actions and implement projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards; (2) encourage and enable innovation while allowing flexibility, consistency, and effectiveness; (3) promote partnerships and enable high-impact investments to reduce risk from natural hazards with a focus on critical services and facilities, public infrastructure, public safety, public health, and communities; (4) provide a significant opportunity to reduce future losses and minimize impacts on the Disaster Relief Fund; and (5) support the adoption and enforcement of building codes, standards, and policies that will protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public, take into account future conditions, and have long-lasting impacts on community risk reduction, including for critical services and facilities and for future disaster costs.

To achieve these principles, FEMA will provide financial assistance to eligible BRIC

Applicants for the following activities: (1) Capability- and Capacity-Building (C&CB)

– activities which enhance the knowledge, skills, expertise, etc., of the current workforce to expand or improve the administration of mitigation assistance. This includes activities in the following sub-categories: building codes activities, partnerships, project scoping, mitigation planning and planning-related activities, and other activities; (2) Mitigation

Projects – cost-effective projects designed to increase resilience and public safety;

reduce injuries and loss of life; and reduce damage and destruction to property, critical services, facilities, and infrastructure; and (3) Management Costs – financial assistance to reimburse the Recipient and subrecipient for eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a specific mitigation measure or project in an amount up to 15 percent of the total amount of the grant award, of which not more than 10 percent of the total award amount may be used by the Recipient and 5 percent by the subrecipient for such costs. FEMA will also provide non-financial Direct Technical Assistance to communities to build a community’s capacity and capability to improve its resiliency to natural hazards and to ensure stakeholders are capable of building and sustaining successful mitigation programs, submitting high-quality applications, and implementing new and innovative projects that reduce risk from a wide range of natural hazards.

For more detailed program information, please go to https://www.fema.gov/bric.

https://www.fema.gov/bric

Objectives

The 2018–2022 FEMA Strategic Plan provides a framework for supporting the United

States before, during, and after disasters and improving the Agency’s execution of its fundamental mission of helping people. BRIC also will support the National Mitigation

Investment Strategy. One of BRIC’s purposes is to help achieve 2018–2022 FEMA

Strategic Plan Objective 1.1: incentivize investments that reduce risk, including pre-disaster mitigation, and reduce disaster costs at all levels. The BRIC program is also an instrumental part of achieving other FEMA strategic objectives, including Objective 1.3, help people prepare for disasters, and Objective 1.4, better learn from past disasters, improve continuously, and innovate.

Priorities

For FY2020, the priorities for the program are to incentivize public infrastructure projects; incentivize projects that mitigate risk to one or more lifelines; incentivize projects that incorporate nature-based solutions; and increase funding to Applicants that facilitate the adoption and enforcement of the latest published editions of building codes.

Mitigation Plan Integration

In addition, communities are encouraged, but not required, to pursue Plan Integration, which is a process in which communities look critically at their existing planning framework and align efforts. Integration of hazard mitigation principles into other local planning mechanisms (comprehensive plans, transportation plans, floodplain ordinances, etc.) and vice versa is vital to build a safer, more resilient community. This two-way exchange of information supports community-wide risk reduction, both before and after disasters occur. Not only will the community’s planning efforts be better integrated, but by going through this process there is a higher level of interagency coordination, which is just as important as the planning mechanisms themselves. Additional information on Plan

Integration can be found at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1908-

25045-0016/integrating_hazmit.pdf.

10. Performance Metrics

As a metric and as an eligibility criterion, all mitigation projects must have a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.0 or greater. Applicants can document BCR through a Benefit-Cost

Analysis (BCA) tool FEMA developed according to requirements set forth in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-94, Guidelines and Discount Rates for

Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs (October 29, 1992), which is available on the

Internet at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/circulars. BCA, under OMB Circular A-94, is a systematic quantitative method of assessing the desirability of government projects when their benefits and costs to society occur in different time periods. The BCR metric of 1.0 or greater indicates that FEMA expects that funded BRIC projects will meet the objective of reducing risk and future disaster costs in excess of the cost of mitigation.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1908-25045-0016/integrating_hazmit.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/circulars

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $500,000,000

a. State/Territory Allocation Subtotal: $ 33,600,000

b. Tribal Set-Aside Subtotal: $ 20,000,000

c. National Competition Subtotal: $446,400,000

Any funds that are not awarded from the State/Territory Allocation or Tribal Set-Aside will be re-allocated to the national competition.

State/Territory Maximum Allocation & Activity Caps $600,000

• The maximum allocation for a state or territory under this category is $600,000, covering all activities/projects.

• Each state/territory may apply for up to $600,000 in the State/Territory

Allocation. The State/Territory Allocation may be used for C&CB activities and/or mitigation projects. The combined cost for any C&CB activities and/or mitigation projects under the State/Territory Allocation must not exceed $600,000 federal cost share per Applicant. Additionally, the Applicant’s highest ranked subapplication (C&CB activity or mitigation project) for the State/Territory

Allocation must not exceed $600,000 federal cost share.

• Up to $300,000 of the State/Territory Allocation may be used for mitigation planning and planning-related activities per Applicant.

• Up to 10 percent of any subapplication may be used for information dissemination activities, including public awareness and education (brochures, workshops, videos, etc.) related to a proposed C&CB activity or mitigation project.

Tribal Set-Aside Activity Caps

• The combined cost for any C&CB activities under the Tribal Set-Aside must not exceed $600,000 federal cost share per Applicant. Additionally, the Applicant’s highest ranked subapplication (C&CB activity) for the Tribal Set-Aside must not exceed $600,000 federal cost share.

• Up to $300,000 of the Tribal Set-Aside may be used for mitigation planning and planning-related activities per Applicant.

• Up to 10 percent of any subapplication may be used for information dissemination activities, including public awareness and education (brochures, workshops, videos, etc.) related to a proposed C&CB activity or mitigation project.

• In the event that more than $20,000,000 in subapplications is submitted under the

Tribal Set-Aside, the C&CB activities and highest-ranked mitigation project subapplications up to $20,000,000 will be selected. Once the $20,000,000 is selected, all remaining tribal mitigation project subapplications will be evaluated under the national competition.

National Competition Cap $50,000,000

• Applicants may submit an unlimited number of mitigation project subapplications each valued up to $50,000,000 federal share to the national competition.

• Up to 10 percent of any subapplication may be used for information dissemination activities, including public awareness and education (brochures, workshops, videos, etc.) related to a proposed mitigation project.

Management Costs

• In addition to funding awarded under the State/Territory Allocation, Tribal Set-

Aside, and national competition, Applicants may submit up to 10 percent of the

Application budget for Applicant management costs for Applicants to administer and manage award and subaward activities; and 5 percent of C&CB activity and mitigation project subapplication budget for subapplicant management costs for subapplicants to manage their subaward activities. For additional information, please refer to Section D.13.b, Management Costs.

2. Period of Performance: 36 months

The Period of Performance (POP) is 36 months, starting on the date of the Recipient’s federal award. Any subsequent amendments to the federal award will not extend the POP unless explicitly stated. For highly complex projects, the Applicant may submit a request for a longer POP in the Application for FEMA to review and approve.

Extensions to the POP are allowed. For additional information on POP extensions, please refer to Section H.2, Additional Information, Period of Performance Extensions.

3. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): Will vary by award

4. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 36 months from date of the award

5. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

1. Eligible Applicants

C. Eligibility Information

• States

• District of Columbia

• U.S. territories

• Indian tribal governments (federally recognized)

Each state, territory, the District of Columbia, and Indian tribal government (federally recognized) shall designate one agency to serve as the Applicant for BRIC funding. Each

Applicant’s designated agency may submit only one BRIC grant Application to FEMA.

Subapplications under which two or more entities would carry out the award are eligible, such as a multi-state or multi-tribal initiative; however, only one entity may be the

Applicant with primary responsibility for carrying out the award.

Local governments, including cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and Indian tribal governments (including federally recognized tribes who choose to apply as subapplicants) are considered subapplicants and must submit subapplications for financial assistance or letters of interest for non-financial Direct Technical Assistance to their state/territory/tribal Applicant agency. Contact information for the State Hazard

Mitigation Officers (SHMOs) is provided on the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers.

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

• States and territories that have had a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act in the 7 years prior to the annual Application period start date are eligible to apply to

FEMA for federal assistance under BRIC (Applicants). As a result of numerous major disaster declarations, all states, territories, and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply in FY2020.

• Indian tribal governments (federally recognized) that have had a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act in the 7 years prior to the annual Application period start date or are entirely or partially located in a state or territory that had a major disaster declaration in the 7 years prior to the annual Application period start date are eligible to apply to FEMA for federal assistance under BRIC as Applicants or subapplicants to eligible states and territories. As a result of numerous major disaster declarations, all Indian tribal governments (federally recognized) are eligible to apply in FY2020.

• Local governments are eligible to apply to eligible states and territories for federal assistance under BRIC (subapplicants). Individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations are not eligible to apply for HMA funds; however, an eligible Applicant or subapplicant may apply for funding on behalf of individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

• Applicants are required to have a FEMA-approved State or Tribal Hazard Mitigation

Plan in accordance with Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 201 by the Application deadline and at the time of obligation of the award.

• Subapplicants are required to have a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard

Mitigation Plan in accordance with 44 CFR Part 201 by the Application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds for mitigation projects and C&CB activities

(with the exception of mitigation planning).

• To be considered for financial assistance, all Applicants must submit their FY2020

BRIC grant Applications to FEMA via FEMA’s grant application system (see Section

D, Application and Submission Information).

• To be considered for non-financial Direct Technical Assistance, all Applicants may submit one letter of interest provided to them by a local government/community to

BuildBRIC@fema.dhs.gov (see Section D, Application and Submission Information).

Communities are eligible to request this assistance even if they are not applying for financial assistance under this NOFO.

3. Other Eligibility Criteria http://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers mailto:BuildBRIC@fema.dhs.gov

• All activities under BRIC must be in conformance with all applicable environmental planning and historic preservation (EHP) laws, regulations, executive orders, and agency policies including 44 CFR Part 9; DHS Directive 023-01 Rev 01, Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (October 31, 2014), and

Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01 Rev 01, Implementation of the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (November 6, 2014); FEMA Directive 108-1, Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Responsibilities and Program

Requirements (October 10, 2018); FEMA Instruction 108-1-1, Instruction on

Implementation of the Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

Responsibilities and Program Requirements (October 10, 2018), accessible at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/118323. EHP Job Aids and

Supplements are available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/102051.

• All activities under BRIC must be in conformance with all applicable federal, state, tribal, and local floodplain and land use laws and regulations including 44 CFR §

60.3 (floodplain management criteria).

• Activities under BRIC must not duplicate activities that another federal agency or program has more specific authority to conduct.

• All activities under BRIC must be in conformance with any other criteria established by FEMA that is specific to the proposed activity.

• Construction activities for which ground disturbance has already been initiated or completed are not eligible for funding. Non-construction activities that have already started may not be considered for funding.

• C&CB activities must result in a resource, strategy, or tangible mitigation product that will reduce or eliminate risk and damage from future natural hazards, increase resiliency, and promote a culture of preparedness.

• Mitigation projects must align with State Mitigation Plan and Local or Tribal

Mitigation Plan approved under 44 CFR Part 201, or for Indian tribal government

(federally recognized) acting as Applicants, align with the Tribal Mitigation Plan approved under 44 CFR § 201.7. Applicants must identify in the BRIC Application where specifically the needs for the proposed project types are referenced or included in the State or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan (page number, section title, etc.).

• Mitigation projects must, at a minimum, be in conformance with the latest published editions (meaning either of the two most recently published editions) of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs.

• Mitigation projects must be technically feasible and effective.

• Mitigation projects must solve a problem independently or constitute a functional portion of a long-term solution for which there is assurance that the project as a whole will be completed or there is a reasonable plan and available funding for completion.

• Mitigation projects must be cost-effective and designed to increase resilience and reduce risk of injuries, loss of life, and damage and destruction of property, https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/118323 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/102051 including critical services and facilities. This means the project, as documented by the Applicant, achieves the following goals:

• Addresses a problem that has been repetitive or that poses a risk to public health and safety and improved property if left unresolved;

• Satisfies applicable cost-effectiveness requirements through completion of a BCA conducted in compliance with OMB Circular A-

94 as discussed in Section A.10, Performance Metrics;

• Contributes, to the extent practicable, to a long-term solution to the problem it is intended to address; and

• Accounts for long-term changes to the areas and entities it protects and has manageable future maintenance and modification requirements.

• If the mitigation project is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, it must meet both of the following conditions:

i. The project is in a jurisdiction participating in the National Flood

Insurance Program that is not on probation, suspended, or withdrawn.

ii. The property owner obtains and maintains flood insurance for the life of the structure, regardless of transfer of ownership, in an amount at least equal to the project cost or to the maximum limit of coverage made available with respect to the mitigated property, whichever is less.

• Applicants should consider high wind and continued sea level rise and ensure responsible floodplain and wetland management based on the history of flood mitigation efforts and the frequency and intensity of precipitation events.

• Non-financial Direct Technical Assistance must result in improvement of the community’s capacity and capability to conduct mitigation activities; increase of the community’s resiliency to natural hazards; or identification of projects that will holistically improve the community’s resiliency and risk reduction efforts.

4. Cost Share or Match

General

Cost share is required for all subapplications funded under this program. Generally, the cost share for this program is 75 percent federal / 25 percent non-federal. This means federal funding is available for up to 75 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 25 percent of eligible costs must be derived from non-federal sources. For example, if the total cost of the activity is $400,000 and the non-federal cost share is 25 percent, then the non-federal contribution is $100,000: 25 percent of $400,000 is $100,000; likewise, the federal share of that activity would be $300,000. FEMA will provide 100 percent federal funding for management costs.

The non-federal cost share may consist of cash, donated or third-party in-kind services, materials, or any combination thereof. Cash and third-party in-kind matches must consist of eligible costs (i.e., same eligibility as the federal share). Applicants cannot apply other federal award funds toward the BRIC non-federal cost share unless the other federal statutory authority allows the funds to be used to meet cost-share requirements. Likewise, third-party in-kind matches used to meet the matching requirement may not be used to meet matching requirements for any other federal grant program. FEMA encourages innovative use of public and private-sector partnerships to meet the non-federal cost share.

Ultimately, the Recipient is responsible for ensuring that it contributes the proper cost share to its actual project costs. If actual total project costs exceed the projected total project costs stated in the federal award, the Recipient will not receive any additional federal funding and will be responsible for contributing additional funds above the required cost match. If actual total project costs are less than the projected total project costs stated in the federal award, the Recipient will be responsible for contributing a cost match calculated as a percentage of those actual project costs.

Small Impoverished Communities

Small, impoverished communities are eligible for an increase in cost share up to 90 percent federal / 10 percent non-federal. The definition of a small impoverished community is a community of 3,000 or fewer individuals identified by the Applicant that is economically disadvantaged, with residents having an average per capita annual income not exceeding 80 percent of the national per capita income, based on best available data.

Applicants and subapplicants who apply as a small impoverished community must request the increased federal cost share amount in the Cost Share section of their C&CB activity, mitigation project, and management costs subapplication(s). Applicants must certify subapplicants’ small impoverished community status and provide documentation with the subapplication(s) to justify the increased federal cost share. If documentation is not submitted with the subapplication, then FEMA will provide no more than 75 percent federal cost share of the total eligible costs.

Indian tribal governments (federally recognized) meeting the definition of a small impoverished community that apply to FEMA directly as Applicants are eligible for a 90 percent federal cost share for their subapplications, which make up their overall BRIC grant Application.

Insular Areas

For insular areas, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA automatically waives the non-federal cost share for the

Recipient when the non-federal cost share for the entire award is under $200,000. If the non-federal cost share for the entire award is $200,000 or greater, FEMA may waive all or part of the non-federal cost share at the request of the Recipient. The Recipient may request the waiver in its Application.

For more detailed program information, please go to https://www.fema.gov/bric.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: 09/30/2020

b. Application Submission Deadline: 01/29/2021 at 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

All BRIC Applications must be received by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. FEMA’s

Grants Outcomes System (FEMA GO) automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the Application. The individual with the Authorized Organization Representative

(AOR) role that submitted the Application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission 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 experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify

FEMA by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on 01/27/2021. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G, DHS Awarding Agency Contact

Information. For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the

FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 611-4700. For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Program Analyst or Grants

Management Specialist. If you do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk by phone at (800) 368-6498 or by e-mail at askcsid@fema.dhs.gov, Monday through

Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

c. Other Key Dates

All complete Applications must be received by the established deadline.

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Creating an account with login.gov Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Registering in SAM or updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Registering with FEMA GO One week before actual submission deadline

Submitting the final Application in FEMA

GO

By submission deadline mailto:femago@fema.dhs.gov mailto:askcsid@fema.dhs.gov

By submitting an Application, Applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this

NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award as set forth in the Articles of

Agreement provided in the award package, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/. Hard copies of the NOFO can be downloaded at Grants.gov or obtained via email from the Awarding Office points of contact listed in Section G, DHS

Awarding Agency Contact Information.

For a hardcopy of the full NOFO, please submit a request to:

Kayed Lakhia

Director, Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division, Mitigation Directorate

Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

400 C Street, SW

Washington, DC 20472

In addition, the following Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) and/or Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) number available for this Notice is: 1-800-462-7585.

4. Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for

Award Management (SAM)

To apply for an award under this program, all Applicants must:

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)

Number from Dun & Bradstreet and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the

Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the Application, provide a valid DUNS number, which is currently the unique entity identifier;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

d. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the Application;

e. Register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBIZ POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607;

f. Submit the complete Application in FEMA GO; and

g. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an Application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

https://go.fema.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.login.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607

Applicants are advised that DHS/FEMA may not make a federal award until the

Applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. Therefore, an

Applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of Application, but also during the Application review period and when DHS/FMA is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an Applicant’s or Recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an Applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of Application, expires during Application review, or expires any other time before award, DHS/FEMA may determine that the Applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another Applicant.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires

Applicants to submit their Applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity. For this funding opportunity, FEMA requires Applicants to submit their Applications through FEMA GO.

6. How to Register to Apply

a. Instructions:

Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for

DHS/FEMA funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process.

Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to 4 weeks to complete. To ensure an

Application meets the deadline, Applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Applicants must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

1) Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering 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.

For more detailed instructions on obtaining a DUNS number, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html.

2) Obtain Employer Identification Number: In addition to having a DUNS number, all entities applying for funding must provide an employer Identification Number https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

(EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service by visiting https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

3) Create a login.gov account: Applicants must have a login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account here:

https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-

8323-a62b99571fd3.

Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For Applicants that are existing SAM users, use the same email address for the login.gov account as with

SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

4) Register with SAM: In addition to having a DUNS number, all Applicants applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award

Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

For more detailed instructions on registering with SAM, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html.

5) Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the AOR:

Register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBIZ POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607.

7. Submitting the Application in FEMA GO

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

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All Applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the Application deadline. FEMA

GO automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the Application. The individual with the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role that submitted the Application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607 number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that

FEMA GO received the Application.

Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify

FEMA by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on 01/27/2021. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

Application for Federal Assistance and Assurances and Certifications Forms

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. The

Standard Forms (SF) are also available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-

424-family.html.

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Certification Regarding Lobbying)

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction) o For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information

(Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424A

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction) o For construction under an award, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances

(Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424B

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• Indirect Cost Agreement or Proposal if the budget includes indirect costs and the

Applicant is required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal. See further information below regarding allowability of indirect costs and documentation requirements, including if the Applicant does not have or is not required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal, or contact the relevant DHS/FEMA staff identified in Section G, DHS Awarding Agency

Contact Information, for further instructions.

Applicants may require their subapplicants to complete and attach the grant Application and/or Assurance and Certifications forms to their C&CB activity and mitigation project subapplications in FEMA’s grant application system.

Subapplicants should contact their Applicant agency for information specific to their state/territory’s/tribe’s application process. Contact information for the SHMOs is provided on the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers.

All Applicants must submit a BRIC grant Application via FEMA’s grant application system by the Application deadline to be considered for funding. The required format for BRIC

Applications and subapplications is built into FEMA’s grant application system.

All Applicants may submit one letter of interest on behalf of a community for non-financial

Direct Technical Assistance to BuildBRIC@fema.dhs.gov no later than 3:00 PM Eastern https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html mailto:BuildBRIC@fema.dhs.gov

Standard Time on January 29, 2021. There is no required format for the letter of interest, but it should contain the following information:

• Point of contact information, including name, position, address, phone number, and email;

• A description of the community’s challenges and need for which the service is being requested; and

• The extent of the community’s capacity to assist in the non-financial Direct

Technical Assistance activity and the staff available to commit to participate in the activity.

Management Costs

Applicant requests for management costs must be submitted in a separate management costs subapplication in FEMA’s grant application system. Applicants may apply for Applicant management costs of up to 10 percent of the total BRIC grant Application for management of the award and all selected subawards.

Subapplicants may include subapplicant management costs of up to 5 percent of the total cost of their C&CB activity or mitigation project subapplication to manage the proposed subaward activities. Subapplicant management cost activities must be added to the Scope of

Work section and identified as a line item in the Cost Estimate section of subapplications in

FEMA’s grant application system.

For additional information, please refer to Section D.13.b, Management Costs.

10. Other Submission Requirements

This section sets forth documentation that must be provided to document specific eligibility criteria set forth in Section C.3, Other Eligibility Criteria.

Benefit-Cost Analysis for Mitigation Projects

Applicants and subapplicants applying for mitigation projects must provide a BCA or other documentation that validates cost-effectiveness. BCA is the method of estimating the future benefits of a project compared to its cost. The end result is a BCR, which is derived from a project’s total benefits divided by its total project cost. The total benefits and costs must be entered in the Cost-Effectiveness section of the project subapplication and a FEMA-approved

BCA must be attached as documentation, as applicable. C&CB activity and management costs subapplications do not require a BCA.

FEMA has created software to ensure that the BCR is calculated in accordance with FEMA’s standardized methodologies and OMB Circular A-94. FEMA’s BCA Toolkit is available on the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis. Version 6.0 or newer are the only versions FEMA will accept as documentation for demonstrating cost-effectiveness. A non-

FEMA BCA methodology may only be used if pre-approved by FEMA in writing.

For more information, visit the BCA webpage at https://www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis.

http://www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis https://www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis

Go/No-Go Milestones

The subapplicant, in coordination with the Applicant, must identify a series of Go/No-Go milestones throughout the work schedule for mitigation activities that FEMA will review and approve. A Go/No-Go milestone is a major milestone in the project that if not completed on time may result in a cancellation of the subaward. Progress towards meeting the Go/No-Go milestones must be reported in the quarterly progress reports submitted to the Recipient and

FEMA. At these Go/No-Go milestones, FEMA will evaluate project performance, schedule adherence, and contribution to FEMA’s program goals and objectives.

National Environmental Policy Act Requirements for Mitigation Projects

Applicants and subapplicants applying for mitigation projects must provide information needed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–

4370h) and the related DHS and FEMA instructions and directives (i.e., DHS Directive 023-

01, DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, FEMA Directive 108-1, FEMA Instruction 108-

1-1). The required information is included in the subapplication in FEMA’s grant application system. EHP Job Aids and Supplements are available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/environmental-historic. The required information is included in the subapplication in FEMA’s grant application system.

For more information, please go to https://www.fema.gov/bric.

Acquisition Project Requirements

The subrecipient must provide FEMA with a signed copy of the Statement of Voluntary

Participation for each property post-award. The Statement of Voluntary Participation formally documents the Notice of Voluntary Interest and information related to the purchase offer. The Statement of Voluntary Participation is available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/13708.

In undertaking a larger-scale migration or relocation effort that is intended to move structures out of high-risk areas, the subapplicant should consider how it can protect and sustain the impacted community and its assets. Accordingly, in undertaking a larger-scale migration or relocation effort, subapplicants must demonstrate to FEMA how they will resettle such areas in a way that mitigates future risk from natural hazards and increasing insurance costs resulting from continued occupation of high-risk areas, through mechanisms that can reduce risks and insurance costs, such as new land use development plans, building codes or construction requirements, protective infrastructure development, or restrictions on future disaster assistance to such properties.

Subrecipients must apply deed-restriction language to all acquired properties to ensure that the property is maintained in perpetuity as open space consistent with natural floodplain functions and allowable uses and structures authorized under 44 CFR Part 80, as agreed to by their accepting FEMA mitigation award funding. Deed-restriction language is applied to acquired properties by recording the open space and deed restrictions with the deed for the property. The FEMA Model Deed Restriction is available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/environmental-historic https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/13708 https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1848-25045-1210/ fema_model_deed_restriction.pdf. Subrecipients, as well as Recipients and FEMA, are responsible for enforcing open space restrictions.

11. Intergovernmental Review

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state’s Single

Point of Contact to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental review of Federal programs. (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).

12. Funding Restrictions

All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 CFR Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO or the terms and conditions of the award.

Federal funds made available through an award under this NOFO may only be used in manner that is consistent with 42 U.S.C. § 5133; FEMA Policy (FP) 104-008-05, Hazard

Mitigation Assistance: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC Policy) available at www.fema.gov/BRIC and meets the eligibility criteria outlined in Section C.3, Other Eligibility Criteria, above and the terms and conditions set forth in this NOFO and the award documentation.

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.

Applicants should analyze the cost benefits of purchasing versus leasing equipment, especially high-cost items and those subject to rapid technical advances. Large equipment purchases must be identified and explained. For more information regarding property management standards for equipment and federal procurement requirements, please reference

2 CFR Part 200, available at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl.

13. Allowable Costs

a. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs directly related to developing the BRIC grant Application or subapplication that are incurred prior to the date of the grant award are allowed subject to

FEMA approval at time of award. Such costs may have been incurred prior to

Application submission, for example gathering NEPA data or developing a BCA (see

Section D, Application and Submission Information), preparing design specifications, or conducting workshops or meetings related to development and submission of subapplications. To be eligible for BRIC funding, pre-award costs must be identified in an individual line item in the cost estimate of the subapplication.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1848-25045-1210/fema_model_deed_restriction.pdf https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf http://www.fema.gov/BRIC http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

Pre-award costs may be cost shared or Applicants and subapplicants may identify them as their non-federal cost share (see Section C, Eligibility Information, Cost Share or Match).

Costs associated with implementation of proposed projects in the submitted grant

Application or subapplication that are incurred prior to the date of the grant award are not allowed. Activities initiated or completed prior to the date of the grant award are generally not eligible.

Applicants and subapplicants who are not awarded awards or subawards will not receive reimbursement for the corresponding pre-award costs.

b. Management Costs

Management costs are any indirect costs, any direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses that are reasonably incurred in administering an award or subaward.

Eligible Applicant or subapplicant management cost activities may include:

• Solicitation, review, and processing of subapplications and subawards

• Subapplication development and technical assistance to subapplicants regarding feasibility and effectiveness and BCA

• Geocoding mitigation projects identified for further review by FEMA

• Delivery of technical assistance (e.g., plan reviews, planning workshops, training) to support the implementation of mitigation activities

• Managing awards (e.g., quarterly reporting including managing Go/No-Go milestones, closeout)

• Technical monitoring (e.g., site visits, technical meetings)

• Purchase of equipment, per diem and travel expenses, and professional development that is directly related to the implementation of HMA programs

• Staff salary costs directly related to performing the activities listed above

In addition to funding received as described in Section B.1, Available Funding for the

NOFO, Applicants may apply for Applicant management costs of up to 10 percent of the total BRIC grant Application for management of the award and all selected subawards.

Applicant requests for management costs must be submitted in a separate management costs subapplication in FEMA’s grant application system (see Section D, Application and

Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission).

Subapplicants may include subapplicant management costs of up to 5 percent of the total cost of their C&CB activity or mitigation project subapplication to manage the proposed subaward activities. Subapplicant management cost activities must be added to the Scope of Work section and identified as a line item in the Cost Estimate section of subapplications in FEMA’s grant application system.

Indirect Cost Rates

As part of management costs, Applicants and subapplicants may charge indirect costs as described in 2 CFR Part 200, including 2 CFR § 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…