FY 2020 NOFO FEMA NEHRP Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance FINAL 06-08-2020.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance

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), Risk Management

Directorate, Planning Safety and Building Sciences Division, Building Science Branch

2. Assistance Listings (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)

Number)

97.082

3. Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title)

Earthquake State Assistance

4. Funding Opportunity Title

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-20-MT-082-00-01

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Section 7704 (a)(2)(B) and (b)(2)(A) (i) of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction

Program (42 U.S.Code. § 7704). Public Law No.115-307, National Earthquake Hazards

Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018.

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law No. 116-93)

8. Announcement Type

Initial http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2011-title42/USCODE-2011-title42-chap86-sec7704 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1768/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22S.1768%22%5D%7D&r=1 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1768/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22S.1768%22%5D%7D&r=1 https://www.congress.gov/public-laws/116th-congress

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) seeks to mitigate earthquake losses in the United States through basic and directed research and implementation activities in the fields of earthquake science and engineering. NEHRP is a multi-agency program consisting of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST), FEMA, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the National Science

Foundation (NSF). The NEHRP program supports the mission area of the Quadrennial

Homeland Security Review titled “Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience,” as well as the national preparedness goal of mitigation, as provided in the Presidential Policy

Directive (PPD-8). NEHRP also supports the FEMA 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, by contributing to the accomplishment of Strategic Goal 1: Build a Culture of Preparedness and Strategic Goal 2: Ready the Nation for Catastrophic Disasters.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to provide grant funding to non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education who possess the expertise and experience necessary to develop and deliver multi-State and National earthquake mitigation and preparedness products and services (See Appendix A.), on behalf of States participating FEMA NEHRP State Assistance program (See Appendix H.).

This NOFO funds Multi-State and National activities and is not intended to provide assistance to any one particular State or Territory.

All activities funded by the FEMA NEHRP, Multi-State and National Earthquake

Assistance grant program must be consistent with NEHRP Vision, Mission, Goals and

FEMA Program Responsibilities (See Appendix C.), and ultimately result in a measurable enhancement of National seismic safety and earthquake risk awareness.

10. Performance Metrics

See Appendix B for detailed Performance Metrics.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $1,900,000.00

2. Projected number of Awards: 4 to 6

3. Period of Performance: 12 months

Extensions to the Period of Performance are allowable. Refer to Section H. 1. Additional

Information, Period of Performance

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 08/01/2020

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 07/31/2021 https://www.nehrp.gov/ https://www.dhs.gov/2018-quadrennial-homeland-security-review https://www.dhs.gov/2018-quadrennial-homeland-security-review https://www.fema.gov/strategic-plan https://www.fema.gov/strategic-plan

6. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

a. Nonprofit organizations as defined by 2 C.F.R. §200.70

b. Institutions of higher education as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.55

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility is restricted to those nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education, with a demonstrated capability and capacity to develop, promote and deliver

National and/or Multi-State seismic risk reduction activities referenced in Appendix A.

Allowable Activities, and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff and leadership at the highest levels of State and Federal government.

3. Other Eligibility Criteria

Not applicable

4. Maintenance of Effort (MOE)

The is no maintenance of effort required.

5. Cost Share or Match

Cost Share is not required

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: 05/26/2020

b. Application Submission Deadline: 06/25/2020 at 5:00:00 PM

Eastern Daylight Time

c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date: 07/21/2020

d. Anticipated Award Date: 07/28/2020

All complete applications must be received by the established deadline.

The Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System has a date stamp that indicates when an application is submitted. Applicants will receive an electronic message confirming receipt of submission. For additional information on how an applicant will be notified of application receipt, see the subsection titled “Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of

Timely Submission” in Section D.

DHS/FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider these late applications for funding. DHS/FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate that good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, other exigent or emergency circumstances, or statutory requirements for DHS/FEMA to make an award.

Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify

FEMA as soon as possible and prior to the application deadline. Failure to timely notify FEMA of the issue that prevented the filing of the application within the required timeframe may preclude consideration of the award. “Timely notification” of FEMA means the following: prior to the application deadline and within 48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue.

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

Information.” If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk

(CSID) by phone at (800) 368-6498 or by e-mail at askcsid@fema.gov Monday through

Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

e. Other Key Dates

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this

NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov.

For a hardcopy of the full NOFO, please email or write a request to:

G. David Javier

NEHRP Senior Program Specialist

Building Science Branch, Risk Management Directorate

DHS/FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

400 C Street SW

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

Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Starting application in

Grants.gov One week before actual submission deadline

Submitting complete application in ND Grants

System

One week before actual submission deadline mailto:askcsid@fema.gov http://www.grants.gov/

Washington, DC 20009

Email: Gabriele.javier@fema.dhs.gov

Office: 202-646-4037

Jonathon Foster

FEMA/NEHRP Program Specialist

Building Science Branch, Risk Management Directorate

DHS/FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

400 C Street SW, Suite 313

Washington, DC 20472-3020

Email: Jonathon.foster@fema.dhs.gov

Office: 202-212-7852

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

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

Initial applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal and final and complete application submissions will be processed through Non-Disaster Grant System

(ND Grants).

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 (D&B) and Employer ID Number (EIN)

b. In the application, provide a valid Data Universal Numbering System 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. Create a Grants.gov account;

f. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account;

g. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov;

h. Submit an initial application in Grants.gov;

i. Submit the final application in the ND Grants, and

j. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

Applicants are advised that DHS 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 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 mailto:Gabriele.javier@fema.dhs.gov mailto:Jonathon.foster@fema.dhs.gov https://www.login.gov/ time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, DHS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

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.

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a. Registering in Grants.gov is a multi-step process. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, then you may begin with step 3, Create a Grants.gov account, listed below.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but DUNS and

SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

1) Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a 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 for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

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

2) Register with SAM: All organizations 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 for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

3) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with

Grants.gov. Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

4) Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the DUNS Number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html

5) EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for

Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

6) Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

7) Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the

AOR role; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

7. How to Submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each NOFO, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

c. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

d. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

e. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number.

To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first.

Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the

Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-

48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My

Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number

1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov

Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist

DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

8. Submitting the Final Application in the Non-Disaster Grants System (ND Grants)

After submitting the initial application in Grants.gov, eligible applicants will be notified by DHS/FEMA and asked to proceed with submitting their complete application package in ND Grants. Applicants can register early with ND Grants and are encouraged to begin their ND Grants registration at the time of this announcement or, at the latest, seven days before the application deadline. Early registration will allow applicants to have adequate time to start and complete their applications.

Applicants needing assistance registering for the ND Grants system should contact ndgrants@fema.gov or (800) 865-4076. For step-by-step directions on using the ND

Grants system and other guides, please see https://www.fema.gov/non-disaster-grants-management-system.

In ND Grants, applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information required as described below. The Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab under the SF-424 family on Grants.gov. Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required:

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-construction)

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-construction)

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• Indirect Cost Agreement, if the budget includes indirect costs. If there is no current indirect cost agreement and the budget includes indirect costs, then the applicant must contact the relevant Program Analyst or Grants Management

Specialist for further instructions.

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

a. All applications must be received by 5:00:00 PM Eastern time on the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:ndgrants@fema.gov https://www.fema.gov/non-disaster-grants-management-system https://www.fema.gov/non-disaster-grants-management-system https://www.grants.gov/forms/sf-424-family.html the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DHS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role attempting to submit the application. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

As application submission is a two-step process, the applicant with the Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR) role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgment of receipt, a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from

Grants.gov with the successful transmission of the initial application. This notification does not serve as proof of timely submission as the application is not complete until it is submitted in ND Grants. Initial applications are processed through grants.gov and final and complete applications are processed through ND

Grants. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting their applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting their application may automatically disqualify their application from funding. All applications must be received in ND Grants by

5:00 PM Eastern Time on 06/25/2020.

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

Applicants must submit the following in ND Grants at the time of they submit their application:

1) Work Plan Narrative. A summary (narrative) of an applicant’s Work Plan for the grant funding that identifies the proposed Allowable Activities, tasks, schedule, and deliverables, and the project management strategy. Appendix F provides the template.

2) Master Schedule/Deliverable Table. A sample table that combines both 1 and 2 is found in Appendix G. This one document will combine a schedule of planned activities https://intranet.fema.net/org/pnp/gpd/collab/GPD%20Front%20Burner/GPD%20Front%20Burner%2002.03.2020.xlsx?web=1 with milestones and expected dates for completion, along with their associated deliverables (i.e. people trained, publications distributed, conferences/workshops/drills held, policies made, website improvements, etc.)

3) Budget. The applicant must provide a detailed budget for the funds requested. The budget must be submitted with the grant application as a file attachment within the ND

Grants system at https://portal.fema.gov. The budget must be complete, reasonable, and cost-effective in relation to the proposed project. The budget should provide the basis of computation of all activity-related costs, any appropriate narrative, and a detailed justification of Management and Administrative (M&A) costs.

To prepare the Budget, the grantee must use Earned Value Management methodology to report the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (Projected Costs), and the Actual Cost of

Work Performed. The Budget shall be prepared with Work Breakdown Structure cost categories. Tasks and sub-tasks will be categorized in terms of discrete effort and shall correlate directly with the Work Plan master schedule and deliverables identified in the work plan delivery table. See Appendix I. SAMPLE Grant Budget.

11. Other Submission Requirements

No additional requirements

12. Intergovernmental Review

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

Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the State’s process under Executive

Order 12372.

(See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html;

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

13. Funding Restrictions

Federal funds made available through this award may only be used for the purpose set forth in this award and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award.

Award funds may not be used for matching funds for any other Federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity.

14. Allowable Costs

a. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-Award Costs are not allowed under this program

b. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

M&A activities are those directly relating to the management and administration of

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funds, such as financial management and monitoring. Recipients may retain a maximum of 5 percent of Multi-State and https://portal.fema.gov/ https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf

National Earthquake Assistance funds awarded for M&A purposes associated with the Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance award. An organization partnering with a recipient (limit one per recipient) may in turn retain 5 percent of the subaward they receive from the recipient for M&A purposes.

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

Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.414.

With the exception of recipients who have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f), recipients must have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with their cognizant Federal agency to charge indirect costs to this award. A copy of the approved rate (a fully executed, agreement negotiated with the applicant’s cognizant federal agency) is required at the time of application and must be provided to FEMA before indirect costs are charged to the award.

d. Direct Costs

The following conditions/restrictions apply to Direct Costs:

1) Planning related costs are allowed under this program.

2) Personnel costs are allowable under this program.

3) Training related costs are allowed under this program.

4) Exercise related costs are allowed under this program.

5) Equipment costs are NOT allowed under this program.

6) Domestic travel costs are allowed under this program.

7) International travel is not an allowable cost under this program unless approved in advance otherwise by FEMA.

8) Construction and renovation costs are NOT allowed under this program.

9) Earth Science related costs are NOT allowed under this program.

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

a. Programmatic Criteria

Applications must conform with the guidance provided in Section D. Application and Submission Information, and Appendix F. Sample Work Plan. Applications will also be evaluated for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed activities.

Failure to obtain a Satisfactory Score in any single criteria listed below, will result in the Application not being considered for award.

Below is a summary of the evaluation criteria. The full criteria are found in Appendix K. Evaluation and Scoring Criteria, which details the specific criteria and the number of possible points awarded for each of the Project Narrative Requirements below:

1) Demonstration of Experience and Expertise. The applicant demonstrates that it possesses the experience and expertise necessary to carry out the objectives of

NEHRP, in accordance with Appendix C. Program Vision, Mission, Goals and FEMA

Responsibilities.

Possible Points: 0 – 20 maximum; a satisfactory score is 15 points, with up to 5 additional points possible if narrative demonstrates previous successful implementation of earthquake mitigation projects/activities, and/or previous and ongoing participation in multi-state and national efforts that advance the goals of the

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.

2) Work Plan. The applicant describes (on behalf of themselves and their partner, if applicable) an effective work plan that incorporates all elements listed in Appendix F.

SAMPLE, Work Plan

Possible points: 0 – 30 maximum; satisfactory score is 20 points.

3) Deliverable Schedule. The applicant provides a Deliverable Schedule in accordance with Appendix G. SAMPLE, Deliverable Schedule. The Deliverable Schedule must categorize all projects/activities by Allowable Activity (see Appendix A. Allowable

Activity) and detail when the activity will be implemented during the Period of

Performance. The Deliverable Schedule should consider scheduling activities leveraging established national and state events/activities. The Deliverable Schedule should also coincide with the proposed Budget.

Possible Points: 0 – 15; satisfactory score is 10 points.

4) Outcomes of full Work Plan Implementation. The applicant demonstrates the impact of their proposed work plan, detailing how the implementation of their propose activities will result in measurable earthquake risk-reduction and earthquake risk awareness, nationally or in the multi-state region they intend to support (Eastern or

Western region).

Possible Points: 0 – 20 maximum.

5) Budget. The applicant demonstrates a reasonable and cost-effective budget, including an explanation of project costs and relative cost effectiveness across the requested categories, and their ability as an applicant to manage federal grants (on behalf of themselves and their partner, if applicable).

Possible Points: 0 – 15 maximum

b. Financial Integrity Criteria

Prior to making a federal award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3321 note, 41

U.S.C. § 2313, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 to review information available through any

OMB-designated repositories of government wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:

1) Financial stability.

2) Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

3) History of performance in managing federal award.

4) Reports and findings from audits.

5) Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

c. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review

Prior to making a federal award where the anticipated total federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000 (see Section 805 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-91, OMB Memorandum M-18-18 at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf):

1) FEMA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM, which is currently the Federal Awardee

Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) and is accessible through the SAM website.

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

3) FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2

C.F.R. § 200.205.

d. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance

Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance. As a Federal agency, FEMA is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and/or historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by the agency, including grants-funded projects, comply with Federal EHP regulations, laws and Executive Orders as applicable. FEMA has prepared a Record of Environmental

Consideration dated 02/26/2020 that documents EHP compliance for the range of activities eligible for funding under this NOFO pursuant to FEMA’s Instructions on

Implementation of the Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

Responsibilities and Program requirements, FEMA Instruction 108-1

2. Review and Selection Process

FY 2020 Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance applications will be evaluated through a two-part review and selection process that encompasses: 1) an Initial Eligibility

Review; and 2) a National Panel Review.

Initial Eligibility Review

Prior to application consideration, FEMA will conduct an initial review of all applications to verify applicant eligibility and ensure each application is complete. FEMA will not process incomplete applications for further review and will not consider them for https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/index.action https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/index.action https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/118323 funding. All eligible and complete applications will progress to the FEMA Program

Office where it will be evaluated and scored by a National Panel of FEMA subject matter experts.

National Panel Review

Applications will be reviewed and scored by a review panel comprised of personnel from

FEMA. Applicants that do not meet initial eligibility and application submission requirements will not be evaluated and scored by the national review panel. The review panel will score applications based on specific criteria described in Appendix K.

Evaluation and Scoring Criteria.

In addition to meeting all programmatic criteria, the following additional factors will be used by the National Review Panel in selecting applications for federal awards:

a. Multiple State (Multi-State) Assistance

1) FEMA will select one Applicant for each of the two assistance regions. Those recipients will provide multi-State assistance for each of the two national multi-

State assistance regions (Eastern and Western) as indicated in Appendix D.

2) FEMA will select for funding those Applicants who demonstrate most clearly in their applications that their proposed activities will result in measurable earthquake risk-reduction and earthquake risk awareness in the region they will be supporting (Eastern or Western region).

3) Applicants providing multi-State assistance must be headquartered within one of the two multi-State assistance regions indicated in Appendix D.

4) Applicants cannot propose activities that would require the use of FEMA NEHRP

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funding to provide support to

States and territories not listed as Program Participants in Appendix D.

5) Applicants cannot propose activities for States and territories outside of the multi-

State assistance region where they are headquartered.

6) As the program will benefit most from activities designed to benefit the largest number of States and territories within an assigned region, FEMA will prioritize applications that demonstrate the greatest economies of scale for activities proposed in their Work Plan.

b. National level Assistance

1) FEMA will select for funding those Applicants who demonstrate in their application the greatest likelihood of successfully developing, promoting and implementing national level assistance activities listed in Appendix A.

2) FEMA will prioritize for funding those national level activities that provide the greatest benefit to the largest number of participating States and territories.

3) FEMA will prioritize for funding those activities that will result in measurable earthquake risk-reduction and earthquake risk awareness nationally.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

Before accepting the award, the AOR and recipient should carefully read the award package. The award package includes instructions on administering the grant award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards.

Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any special terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Notification of award approval is made through the ND Grants system through an automatic e-mail to the awardee point of contact (the “authorized official”) listed in the initial application. The date FEMA approves the award is the “award date.” The awardee should follow the directions in the notification to accept the award.

Recipients must accept their awards no later than 90 days from the award date. The recipient shall notify the awarding agency of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the award or provide a notice of intent to decline through the ND Grants system.

For Instructions on how to accept or decline an award in the ND Grants system, please see pages 47 – 50 in the ND Grants Grantee Training Manual. Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award through the ND Grants system and all other conditions of award have been satisfied, or the award is otherwise rescinded. Failure to accept the grant award within the 90-day timeframe may result in a loss of funds.

The amount of funds stated in the Award Letter may be withdrawn as needed through

PARS, with the submission of the SF-425.

2. Pass-Through Requirements

Subaward recipients are subject to the same conditions of the award as the pass-through entity.

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All successful applicants for DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, which are available online at: DHS

Standard Terms and Conditions.

The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be those in effect at the time the award was made.

4. Reporting

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

Financial and Compliance Audit Report:

For audits of fiscal years beginning on or after December 26, 2014, recipients that expend

$750,000 or more from all federal funding sources during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report. The audit must be https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/25949 http://www.dhs.gov/publication/fy15-dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions http://www.dhs.gov/publication/fy15-dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions performed in accordance with the requirements of GAO’s Government Auditing

Standards, located at http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm, and the requirements of

Subpart F of 2 C.F.R. Part 200, located here.

a. Federal Financial Reporting Requirements

The Federal Financial Report (FFR) form is available online at: SF-425 OMB #4040-

Recipients must report obligations and expenditures on a quarterly basis through the

FFR (SF-425) to DHS/FEMA.

b. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements

Recipients are responsible for providing updated performance reports on a quarterly basis. The performance report is due within 30 days after the end of the reporting period. Recipients must submit their reports through the ND Grants system. See

Appendix E. for detailed reporting requirements and Appendix J. for a SAMPLE

Performance Report template.

The following reporting periods and due dates apply

Reporting Period Report Due Date

August 1 – September 30 October 30, 2020

October 1 – December 31 2020 January 30, 2021

January 1 – March 31, 2021 April 30, 2021

April 1 – June 30, 2021 July 30, 2021

July 1 – 31, 2021 October 30, 2021 FINAL

c. Additional Performance Reporting Requirements

Not applicable

d. Closeout Reporting Requirements

Within 90 days after the end of the period of performance, or after an amendment has been issued to close out a grant, recipients must submit the following:

1) The final request for payment, if applicable;

2) The final FFR (SF-425);

3) The final progress report detailing all accomplishments;

4) A qualitative narrative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance; and

5) Other documents required by this NOFO, terms and conditions of the award, or other FEMA guidance.

If applicable, an inventory of all construction projects that used funds from this program must be reported with the final progress report.

After these reports have been reviewed and approved by FEMA, a closeout notice will be completed to close out the grant. The notice will indicate the period of performance as closed, list any remaining funds that will be deobligated, and address http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=32e6df101f276bc0653ff9f1f9f1355c&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.f&rgn=div6 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1 the requirement of maintaining the grant records for three years from the date of the final FFR, unless a longer period applies, such as due to an audit or litigation, for equipment or real property used beyond the period of performance, or due to other circumstances outlined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.333.

In addition, any recipient that issues subawards to any subrecipient is responsible for closing out those subawards as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.343. Recipients acting as pass-through entities must ensure that they complete the closeout of their subawards in time to submit all necessary documentation and information to FEMA during the closeout of their prime grant award.

The recipient is responsible for returning any funds that have been drawn down but remain as unliquidated on recipient financial records.

e. Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335

This reporting requirement pertains to disclosing information related to government-wide suspension and debarment requirements. Before a recipient enters into a grant award with FEMA, the recipient must notify FEMA if it knows if it or any of the recipient’s principals under the award fall under one or more of the four criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335:

1) Are presently excluded or disqualified;

2) Have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against it or any of the recipient’s principals for one of those offenses within that time period;

3) Are presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state or local) with commission of any of the offenses listed in 2 C.F.R. § 180.800(a); or

4) Have had one or more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default.

At any time after accepting the award, if the recipient learns that it or any of its principals falls under one or more of the criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335, the recipient must provide immediate written notice to FEMA in accordance with 2

C.F.R. § 180.350.

f. Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance

Per 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix I § F.3, the additional post-award reporting requirements in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix XII may apply to applicants who, if upon becoming recipients, have a total value of currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all federal awarding agencies that exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of an award under this funding opportunity. Recipients that meet these criteria must maintain current information reported in FAPIIS about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings described in paragraph 2 of Appendix XII at the reporting frequency described in paragraph 4 of Appendix XII.

5. Monitoring

a. General. Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.336, FEMA, through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems to review project accomplishments and to provide any required technical assistance. During site visits, FEMA will review grant recipients’ files related to the grant award. As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, grant recipients must permit FEMA, upon reasonable notice, to review grant-related records and to interview the organization’s staff and contractors regarding the program. Recipients must respond in a timely and accurate manner to FEMA requests for information relating to the grant program.

b. FEMA NEHRP State Assistance Grant Program Monitoring Plan

See Appendix H. FEMA NEHRP Monitoring Plan and Enhanced Monitoring, for specific information regarding programmatic monitoring.

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

Grant Programs Directorate (GPD).

FEMA’s Grant Operations Division (GPD) will provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance, to the grant programs included in this solicitation. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the FEMA

Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov.

Program Office Contacts:

G. David Javier

FEMA/NEHRP Sr. Program Specialist

Building Science Branch, Risk Management Directorate

DHS/FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

400 C Street SW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20472-3020

Email: Gabriele.javier@fema.dhs.gov

Office: 202-646-4037

Jonathon Foster

FEMA/NEHRP Program Specialist

Building Science Branch, Risk Management Directorate

DHS/FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration

400 C Street SW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20472-3020

Email: Jonathon.foster@fema.dhs.gov

Office: 202-212-7852

Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (OEHP)

OEHP provides guidance and information about the EHP review process to FEMA programs and its recipients and sub-recipients. All inquiries and communications about EHP mailto:ASK-GMD@dhs.gov mailto:Gabriele.javier@fema.dhs.gov mailto:Jonathon.foster@fema.dhs.gov compliance for FEMA grant projects or the EHP review process should be sent to

Caroline.Walz@fema.dhs.gov.

H. Additional Information

1. Period of Performance Extensions

Extensions to the period of performance under this program are allowed and will be considered and determined on a case-by-case basis.

Extensions to the initial period of performance identified in the award will be considered only through emailed requests to the recipient’s respective FEMA Headquarters’

Earthquake Program Manager, followed up with a modification request on…