AFG-FY14-FOA -FINAL 10-30-14.pdf

US Department of Homeland Security

Funding Opportunity Announcement

FY 2014 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS (AFG)

Overview Information

Issued By US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)

Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 97.044

CFDA Title Assistance to Firefighters Grants

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Title Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG)

Authorizing Authority for Program Section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended (15

USC § 2229)

Appropriation Authority for Program Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014 (Pub. L. No. 113-76)

Opportunity ID Number

DHS-14-GPD-044-000-99

Key Dates and Time Application Start Date: 11/3/2014 at 8:00 AM EST Application Submission Deadline Date: 12/5/2014 at 5:00 PM EST Anticipated Program Office Review Dates: 01/12/2015 – 01/16/2015 Anticipated Funding Selection Date: 03/2/2015 Anticipated Award Date: 03/9/2015

Other Key Dates Projected Award Start Date(s): 03/9/2015 Projected Award End Date(s): 09/21/2015

Intergovernmental Review Is an intergovernmental review required? Yes No

Pursuant to Executive Order 12372, an intergovernmental review may be required by applicable State law or regulation. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State’s process under Executive Order 12372. Name and addresses of the SPOCs are maintained at the Office of Management and Budget’s home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc to ensure currency.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc

Application Submission Extension Is an extension to the application submission deadline permitted? Yes No

FOA Executive Summary Funding Category

Select the applicable program type:

New Continuation One-time

Date of origin for Program 10/30/2000

Funding Opportunity Category Select the applicable opportunity category:

Discretionary Mandatory Competitive Non-competitive

Application Process DHS makes all funding opportunities available through the common electronic “storefront” Grants.gov, accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. For details on how to apply through Grants.gov, please read the full FOA, Section IX. How to Apply. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at (800) 518-4726.

AFG Application Home Page Links to the AFG Application portal are available via Grants.gov, the US Fire Administration, or the AFG Website.

For additional details, please see the full FOA, Section IX. How to Apply.

Eligible Applicants The following entities are eligible to apply directly to FEMA under this solicitation:

Fire Department Nonaffiliated EMS organization State Fire Training Academy

For additional details, please see the full FOA, Section III. Eligibility Information.

Type of Funding Instrument Select the applicable funding instrument:

Grant Cooperative Agreement

Cost Share or Match Select the applicable requirement:

Cost Share Cost Match Voluntary

NOTE: Grantee cost sharing, unless modified by waiver, shall be either 5 percent, 10 percent, or 15 percent and shall be based on the population of the jurisdiction(s) served by the applicant or region. For additional details, see Appendix C, I. Cost Sharing and Maintenance of Effort Requirements, A. Cost Sharing.

Maintenance of Effort Is there a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement?

http:Grants.gov http:Grants.gov http:http://www.grants.gov

Yes No

An applicant seeking an AFG Grant shall agree to maintain during the term of the grant the applicant’s aggregate expenditures relating to activities allowable under this FOA at not less than 80 percent of the average amount of such expenditures in the two fiscal years preceding the fiscal year in which the grant award is received. For additional details, see Appendix C, I. Cost Sharing and Maintenance of Effort Requirements, B.

Maintenance of Effort.

Management and Administration No more than three percent of the federal share of AFG Funds awarded may be retained by the grantee for management and administration (M&A) purposes associated with the AFG Award. For additional details, please see Appendix C, II. Other Allowable Costs, A.

Administrative Costs, Management and Administration.

If requesting management and administrative expenses, you must itemize the actual expenses under the “Other” category in the budget and explain the purpose for the administrative costs in your Project Narrative.

NOTE: Management and administrative expenses should be based only on actual expenses or known contractual costs; requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be considered for reimbursement.

Indirect Costs Indirect costs are allowable only if the applicant has an approved indirect cost rate with the cognizant federal agency. 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. Indirect costs will be evaluated as part of the application for federal funds to determine if allowable and reasonable.

For additional details, see Appendix C, II. Other Allowable Costs, A. Administrative Costs and B. Indirect Costs.

Full Funding Opportunity Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Program Overview and Priorities AFG is a suite of competitive discretionary grants comprised of three interconnected component programs—Operations and Safety, Vehicle Acquisition, and Joint/Regional— for awarding direct financial assistance to fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, and State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs).

(NOTE: For the purpose of this document and the AFG Application, the terms “Regional” and “Joint/Regional” are interchangeable.)

Criteria Development Panel (CDP) FEMA annually convenes the Criteria Development Panel (CDP), a panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) representing major fire service organizations, responsible for recommending fair and consistent application criteria and program priorities to FEMA.

For additional details, see Appendix B, I. Criteria Development Panel (CDP).

Community Classification FEMA has determined that due to the inherent differences among urban, suburban, and rural communities, priority rankings of High , Medium , or Low will be assigned to eligible AFG Program activities within each community, based on community type.

For additional details, please see Appendix B, VIII. Community Classifications.

Program Purpose and Objective

• The purpose of the AFG Program is to enhance, through direct financial assistance, the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel and to provide a continuum of support for emergency responders regarding fire, medical, and all-hazard events.

• The objective of the FY 2014 AFG Program is to award grants directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, and SFTAs for critically needed resources to protect the public, train emergency personnel, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

• Eligible activities requested that have an immediate impact on the safety of emergency responders, other personnel, or the public may receive additional consideration during the application review process. For additional details, see Appendix B, II. AFG Programs and Eligible Activities.

• FY 2014 AFG Programs play an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System (NPS) by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal (NPG) of a secure and resilient Nation. Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level of government.

• Examples of tangible outcomes from the FY 2014 AFG Programs’ allowable costs include building, sustaining, and delivering the following core capabilities:

For additional details, please see “National Preparedness Goal, First Edition, September 2011” at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/prepared/npg.pdf.

II. Funding Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions Available Funding for the FOA: $304,503,7641

Projected number of Awards: 2,700

Projected Award Start Date(s): 03/9/2015

Projected Award End Date(s): 09/21/2015

Period of Performance: 12 months from the date of award2

Applicants will be notified via email, through the AFG eGrants award management system, of the offer of an award. Applicants must accept their grant awards no later than 30 days from the award date. The awardee shall notify FEMA, the awarding agency, of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the grant or provide a written notice of intent to decline. Funds will remain on hold (for a maximum of 90 days) until the grantee accepts the award via the online AFG eGrants system. Declinations may be submitted via the online AFG eGrants system or through official correspondence (e.g., written, electronic signature, signed letter, or fax) to the Grant Programs Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 800 K. Street NW, 9th Floor North Tower, Washington, DC 20001, Fax 202-786-9938.

1 Note that this figure differs from the total amount appropriated under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014, Pub. L. No. 113-76. In the FY 2014 AFG FOA, percentages of “available grant funds” refers to the total amount appropriated—$340,000,000—by Pub. L. No. 113-76 to meet the statutory requirements of § 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended (15 USC § 2229).

2 AFG Grants are awarded on a rolling basis.

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/prepared/npg.pdf

NOTE: Failure to accept the grant award within the 90-day timeframe may result in a loss of funds.

For additional details, please see Appendix A.

Period of Performance The period of performance is 12 months from the date of award.

Is an extension to the period of performance permitted?

Yes No

Grantees may submit a request for an extension of their grant award due to compelling legal, policy, or operational challenges. See Appendix C, XI. Extensions to the Grant Period of Performance.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligibility Criteria

i. Eligible Applicants

• Fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations (as defined by 15 USC

§ 2229(a)(7)) operating in any of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any federally recognized Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or an Alaskan native village, Alaska Regional Native Corporation, or the Alaska Village Initiatives, and

• Any State Fire Training Academy operating in any of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A listing of eligible State Fire Training Academy organizations and institutions can be found at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pocs/.

For more details on Eligible Applicants, see Appendix B, III. Eligible/Ineligible Applicants.

NOTES:

• No organization eligible to apply for and receive a grant shall be required to meet any training requirement or attain any performance standard as a prerequisite for that eligible organization to submit an application to any AFG Program. For more information on entities that qualify as eligible applicants and additional details, see Appendix B, III. Eligible/Ineligible Applicants.

• FEMA considers two or more separate fire departments or two or more nonaffiliated EMS organizations sharing facilities as being one organization.

This determination is designed to avoid duplication of benefits. If two or more http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pocs like organizations share facilities and each submits an application in the same program area, FEMA may deem all of those program area applications ineligible.

• Fire-based EMS organizations are not eligible to apply as a nonaffiliated EMS organization. Fire-based EMS training and equipment must be applied for as a fire department under the AFG Component Program Operations and Safety.

IV. Funding Restrictions

Restrictions on Use of Award Funds DHS Grant funds shall only be used for the purpose set forth in the grant and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds shall not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds shall not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Applicants may submit more than one application but no more than one application for each AFG component program (e.g., Operations and Safety, Vehicle Acquisition, or Regional). If more than one application within the same program advances to award, the applicant cannot receive total award funding that exceeds the funding allocation cap. For additional details, see Appendix A, III. Available Grant Funds by Population Served. Any applicant that submits more than one application for the same component program, or requests the same activities in multiple component programs (e.g., Regional and Operations & Safety) may have all applications for any duplicated request(s) deemed ineligible.

Applicants for Regional projects will be subject to the limitations based on the total population the Regional project will serve, and that award will not be included in the host organization’s funding limitations.

For additional details, see Appendix A, II. Allocations and Restrictions of Available Grant Funds by Organization Type.

NOTE:

Pre-award costs are those unavoidable acquisition costs incurred after an application’s submission but prior to an offer of award. Pre-award costs may be eligible for reimbursement if:

• The applicant has provided written notification to FEMA prior to an offer of award and concurrent with their acquisition(s); and

• The AFG Program Office determines that the acquisition expenses were justified, unavoidable, and consistent with the Requested Details of the grant’s scope of work.

Please see Appendix C, II. Other Allowable Costs, E. Pre-Award Costs.

For additional details, see Appendix B, IV. Restrictions on Use of Award Funds.

Overview of AFG component programs (Vehicle Acquisition, Operations & Safety, and Regional)

• Fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations may apply for each, any, or all of the five Operations and Safety component activities (i.e., Training, Equipment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Wellness and Fitness, and Modification to Facilities), and Vehicles, and to act as a Regional host,

NOTE: While fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations share some common program priorities, there are restricted activities for nonaffiliated EMS organizations. Nonaffiliated EMS organizations are not eligible to request any acquisition activity that is specific or unique to structural/proximity or wildland firefighting.

Overview of Activities

Operations and Safety Activities

• Training: Requested activities should meet or exceed any national, state, and/or

DHS- recognized consensus standards (e.g., NFPA, ANSI, and/or OSHA). If a training request does not meet DHS-recognized consensus standards, applicants must submit an explanation of the reasons their proposed training will serve the needs of the applicant better than training that meets or exceeds those standards to FEMA in compliance with 15 USC § 2229(o). FEMA has determined the most benefit is derived from hands-on, instructor-led training that leads to a national or state certification.

• Equipment: Requested equipment should enhance the safety and/or effectiveness of firefighting, rescue, and/or the enhancement of emergency medical services provided by fire based EMS and/or nonaffiliated EMS organizations. Equipment requested shall meet or exceed any voluntary national, state, and/or DHS-recognized consensus standards. All equipment requested and awarded to the applicant organization shall be for the sole and proprietary use of the applicant organization. Awarded equipment may be shared to facilitate all-hazards response but shall not be relocated, distributed, gifted, or loaned long term to any other organization by the grantee.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE is defined as those compliant items “worn” for protection by firefighter/nonaffiliated EMS personnel. Requested PPE shall meet or exceed any voluntary national, state, and/or DHS-recognized consensus standards. PPE does not include uniforms or station-wear.

• Wellness and Fitness: Requested activities should assist First Responders to ensure their mental, physical, and emotional capabilities are resilient enough to withstand the demands of emergency services response.

• Modifications to Facilities: Requested activities may only retrofit existing structures built prior to 01/01/2003 that do not already have those AFG eligible safety features (being requested) in place. Structures built prior to 01/01/2003, which have been expanded/added on to, may be eligible for an award to retrofit those areas built prior to 01/01/2003. Projects that include prior and post 01/01/2003 construction may be awarded on a prorated basis. Site preparation to accommodate or modify any facility that is a permanent or semi-permanent improvement, including but not limited to: landscaping, cutting or grading an access road, trenching, paving, exterior stairs or sidewalks, or the installation of utilities, is an ineligible and non-reimbursable activity.

For more details on Operations and Safety, see Appendix B, X. AFG Program Priorities and Eligible/Ineligible Activities, A. Operations and Safety.

Regional Program A Regional Application is an opportunity only for a fire department or a nonaffiliated EMS organization to act as a “host” applicant and apply for large-scale projects on behalf of itself and any number of other participating local AFG-eligible organizations. Eligible Regional program activities are Vehicle Acquisition and Operations and Safety (but only Training, Equipment, and PPE). Regional program activities should achieve cost effectiveness, support regional efficiency and resilience, and benefit more than one local jurisdiction (county, parish, town, township, city, or village) directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds.

Host organizations should provide specific details in their application narrative, fully explaining the distribution of any grant-funded acquisitions or grant-funded contracted services between the Host and the partner organizations.

Regional host applicants and participating partner agencies must execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or equivalent document, signed by all parties participating in the award, prior to submitting an application under the Regional program activities. The agreement should specify the individual and mutual responsibilities of the participating partners, the participant’s level of involvement in the project(s), and the proposed distribution of all grant funded assets. Successful Regional Applicants shall provide a copy of the signed MOU at the time of award. Any entity named in the application as benefiting from the award shall be a party the MOU or equivalent document.

State Fire Training Academies are not eligible to apply under the Regional program.

For more details on Regional programs, see the full FOA, IV. Funding Restrictions, Overview of AFG component programs (Vehicle Acquisition, Operations & Safety, and Regional Component Programs), Overview of Activities, Regional Program.

Vehicle Acquisition

• Only new custom, stock, or demonstration vehicles are eligible for reimbursement under the AFG Vehicle Acquisition program.

• Refurbished and used (previously owned) vehicles are no longer eligible for acquisition and will not be reimbursed by FEMA.

• Fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, and State Fire Training

Academies are eligible for all AFG Vehicle Acquisition activities. Organizations applying for a vehicle under the Regional program should choose the Vehicle Acquisition activity in their application.

For more details on Vehicles, see Appendix B, X. AFG Program Priorities and Eligible/Ineligible Activities, H. Vehicle Acquisition.

Maintenance and Sustainment for All AFG Programs The use of FEMA preparedness grant funds for the costs of repairs or replacement, as well as maintenance contracts, warranties, and user fees may be allowable.

The intent of eligible Maintenance and Sustainment activities is to provide direct support to the critical capabilities developed using FEMA and other DHS Grants and support activities. Routine upkeep and the supplies, expendables, or one-time use items that support routine upkeep (e.g., gasoline, tire replacement, routine oil changes, monthly inspections, and/or grounds and facility maintenance) are the responsibility of the grantee and may not be funded with preparedness grant funding.

When purchasing a maintenance agreement, service contract, or extended warranty for systems or equipment, the period of coverage provided under such a plan may not extend beyond the period of performance of the grant with which the agreement, warranty, or contract is purchased.

However, only if the maintenance contract or extended warranty is purchased incidental to the original purchase of the system or equipment may grantees procure maintenance or warranty coverage which exceeds the period of performance, as explained in FEMA Policy 205-402-125-1 (document available at http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1915-25045-9444/gpd_maintenance_policy.pdf).

The duration of an extended warranty purchased incidental to the original purchase of the equipment may exceed the period performance as long as the coverage purchased is consistent with that which is typically provided for, or available through, these types of agreements, warranties, or contracts. When purchasing a stand-alone warranty, or extending an existing maintenance contract on an already-owned piece of equipment or system, coverage purchased may not exceed the period of performance of the award used to purchase the maintenance agreement or warranty. As with warranties and maintenance agreements, this policy extends to licenses and user fees as well.

Please remember that even if purchased incidental to the original purchase of the equipment, the duration of an extended maintenance agreement or warranty must also be reasonable for the type of equipment or system also being purchased. For example, if a vendor offers a 10-year extended warranty incidental to the purchase of a piece of equipment, but the useful life of that equipment being purchased is five years, the purchase of a 10-year extended warranty would not be a reasonable cost and may not be charged to the grant.

http://www.fema.gov/media-library

V. Application Review Information and Selection Process

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

FY 2014 AFG Applications will be scored competitively by three members of the Peer Panel Review process. Applications will also be evaluated through a series of internal FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed project(s).

Funding priorities and criteria for evaluating AFG Applications are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria Development Panel. For more information, see Appendix B, I. Criteria Development Panel (CDP).

A. Application Selection Process

i. Prescoring Process The application undergoes an electronic prescoring process based on established program priorities. Application Narratives are not reviewed during prescore. Make sure your Request Details and Budget information comply with program guidance and statutory funding limitations.

If the application is determined to be in the competitive range after prescoring, it will proceed to the peer review process. Each eligible activity/project in an application is scored on its own merits.

Final application scores will be comprised of 50 percent from the electronic prescore and 50 percent from the Peer Panel Review process calculated by the average score of three Peer Panel Reviewers.

ii. Peer Review Process Peer Review Panelists will consider all expenses budgeted, including the individual costs of the items requested, as well as sustainment costs such as warranties or maintenance costs, administrative costs, and/or indirect costs. Panelists may object to costs that are requested but not fully explained in the application.

Panelists will provide objective comments and qualitative judgment on the merits of each AFG component activity requested and score the project(s) based on the following criteria:

• Proposed project description and budget

• Financial need

• Cost benefits

life and property. If a Regional host is proposing a Regional project, a list of all the participating eligible organizations is required

• The presence of critical infrastructure systems or key resources that if attacked, would result in catastrophic loss of life or catastrophic economic loss. Critical infrastructure includes:

sporting events or concerts

iii. Fundable Range Review Process

Each activity category (within an application) that scored in the competitive range will individually advance for Peer Panel Review. If the combined electronic prescore and the Peer Panel Review score is sufficient, the activity(ies) will be considered to be in the fundable range.

Fundable range activities will then undergo a Post Panel Review (PPR) by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). In the PPR, the SME will assess the technical feasibility of the project.

After the technical review, the Program Office will conduct an additional and final review to assess the request with respect to costs, quantities, feasibility, and eligibility prior to recommending the project for award.

Prior AFG Grant(s) management performance will also be considered in the recommendation for award.

The highest funding priority and consideration will be given to those projects that can be completed within the one-year period of performance and that are not dependent on other applications requesting supporting equipment or projects.

iv. State Strategy and Communications Technical Review

Each state will provide an SME to the AFG Program Office to conduct a technical review of Peer Panel Reviewed applications requesting communications systems equipment or Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) equipment.

This state review will focus on requests for communications systems equipment and related training that should conform to the state’s Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan (SCIP).

Applicants are encouraged to coordinate requested communications projects with their Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC), Statewide Interoperability Governing Body (SIGB), or equivalents to ensure their proposed projects support the SCIP for their State.

VI. Post-Selection and Pre-Award Guidelines

A. Notice of Award

Successful applicants for all DHS Grants are required to comply with DHS Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions available within Section 6.1.1 of the CFO Authority for Financial Assistance and Oversight. For more information, please contact the AFG Help Desk at (866) 274-0960 or by email at firegrants@fema.gov.

For more information, please see Appendix C, VIII. CFO Authority for Financial Assistance and Oversight.

Upon approval of an application, the award will be made in the form of a grant. The date the approval of award is entered in the system is the “Award Date.” Notification of award approval is made through the eGrants system through an automatic email to the grantee point of contact listed in the initial application.

Once an award has been approved and recorded in the system, a notice is sent to the grant official authorized by the grantee in the application. The authorized grant official should follow the directions in the notification to accept the award documents. The authorized grant official should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the grant and to learn more about the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards.

AFG will evaluate and act on applications within 90 days following close of the application period.

i. Administrative and Federal Financial Requirements A complete list of Federal Financial Requirements is available at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms. All successful applicants for all DHS Grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions, which are http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms mailto:firegrants@fema.gov enumerated in the DHS Chief Financial Officer Financial Management Policy Manual and are available online at:

http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Proposed%20FY%2014 %20Standard%20TC%202013-12-04.pdf

NOTE: Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if these reports are delinquent.

ii. Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) Recipients of AFG Grants awarded on or after October 1, 2009, are required to submit semi-annual Federal Financial Reports (FFR) (SF-425).

The FFR is to be submitted using the online eGrants system based on the calendar year beginning with the period after the award is made. Grant recipients are required to submit an FFR throughout the entire period of performance of the grant. Reports are due

January 31

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

For line-by-line instructions for completing the SF425, please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/standard_forms/ ffr_instructions.pdf.

iii. Grant Closeout Process Within 90 days after the end of the period of performance, grantees must submit a final FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments throughout the period of performance. 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 the requirement of maintaining the grant records for three years from the date of the final FFR. The grantee is responsible for returning any funds that have been drawn down but remain as unliquidated on grantee financial records. Please also see Appendix C – Award Administration Information, XI. Payments/Drawdown/Rebates, C. Payment Requests During Closeout.

Return of Funds to FEMA Information on how to return funds to FEMA is available at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31261?id=7080.

iv. Program Performance Reporting Requirements AFG (Programmatic) Performance Report The awardees will be responsible for providing updated project(s) information on a semi-annual basis. The grantee is responsible for completing and submitting a programmatic Performance Report using the http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31261?id=7080 http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/standard_forms http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Proposed%20FY%2014 eGrants system. The programmatic Performance Report is due six months after the grant’s award date and every six months after if applicable.

v. Monitoring Grant recipients will be monitored periodically by FEMA staff, both programmatically and financially, to ensure that the project goals, objectives, performance requirements, timelines, milestone completion, budgets, and other related program criteria are being met.

Monitoring may be accomplished through either a desk-based review or on-site monitoring visits, or both. Monitoring will involve the review and analysis of the financial, programmatic, performance, compliance, and administrative processes and policies, activities, and other attributes of each federal assistance award and will identify areas where technical assistance, corrective actions, and other support may be needed.

Grantees have the opportunity to participate in a Post Award Orientation (PAO) to have questions answered, receive technical assistance and review the terms and conditions of the grant. The Post Award Orientation is optional.

vi. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act This act refers to reporting requirements under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) (Public Law 109- 282), as amended by Section 6202(a) of the Government Funding Transparency Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-252). As defined by the OMB, all new federal awards of $25,000 or more as of October 1, 2010, are subject to FFATA reporting requirements. Federal awards include not only prime awards for grantees, cooperators, and contractors but also awards to sub-recipients. More information can be found at http://www.usaspending.gov/news.

vii. 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 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 CFR Part 200, located at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=55e12eead565605b4d529d82d276105c&node=2:1.1.2.1.1.6&rgn=d iv6.

For audits of fiscal years beginning prior to December 26, 2014, recipients that expend $500,000 or more from all federal funding sources during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report. The audit must be performed in accordance with http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm http://www.usaspending.gov/news

GAO’s Government Auditing Standards, located at http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm, and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, located at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a133_compliance_supplement_20

12. Audit reports are currently due to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse no later than nine months after the end of the recipient’s fiscal year.

viii. Required Performance and Financial Reports for Grant Closeout Final performance report Narrative (within the Closeout module in eGrants) is due 90 days after the end of the period of performance or as amended. The Final SF-425 is due 90 days after the end of the grant period.

VII. DHS/FEMA/GPD/AFG Contact Information

A. Contact and Resource Information Resources are available to:

• Guide applicants in completing AFG Grant Applications; and

• Assist grantees with the programmatic or financial administration of an award.

i. AFG Help Desk The AFG Help Desk provides technical assistance to applicants for the online completion and submission of applications into the eGrants system, answers questions concerning applicant eligibility and grantee responsibilities, and offers assistance in the programmatic administration of awards. The AFG Help Desk can be contacted at (866) 274-0960 or by email at firegrants@fema.gov. Normal hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All times listed are Eastern Time.

ii. FEMA Regional Fire Program Specialists Each FEMA region has specialists who can assist applicants with application information, award administration, and technical assistance. For information on your Regional Specialist, visit http://www.fema.gov/fireGrants-contact-information.

iii. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) FEMA will provide pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance for 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 email at ASK-GMD@dhs.gov.

iv. eGrants System Information For technical assistance with the eGrants system or AFG Application or Award questions, please contact the AFG Help Desk. The Help Desk can also be contacted at (866) 274-0960.

mailto:ASK-GMD@dhs.gov http://www.fema.gov/fireGrants-contact mailto:firegrants@fema.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a133_compliance_supplement_20 http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm

VIII. Other Critical Information

Note on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards AFG Grantees are required to follow all applicable federal regulations, including regulations governing administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for federal awards which are in place on the date in which a grant is awarded by FEMA to the grantee.

On December 26, 2013, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) promulgated the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards that establish a new, uniform set of mandatory requirements for federal awards to non-federal entities. OMB codified this final guidance, (also commonly referred to as the “Super Circular” or “Omni Circular”) on December 26, 2013 at 2 CFR Part 200. This final guidance will supersede existing federal regulations governing FEMA Grants for future awards, which include but are not limited to the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments at 44 CFR Part 13, the Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments at 2 CFR Part 225, and Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations at OMB Circular A-133.

OMB has directed the Department of Homeland Security to adopt these new requirements at 2 CFR Part 200 no later than December 26, 2014. Any grant awards made after DHS’s adoption of the regulations at 2 CFR Part 200 will be required to follow the new regulations. FEMA anticipates that all FY 2014 AFG Awards will be made after the adoption of the new regulations. Except as otherwise noted, awards made by FEMA prior to that date – including grants made in previous Fiscal Years – will continue to apply the existing requirements which include, but are not limited to, 44 CFR Part 13 and 2 CFR Part 225. FEMA will provide additional information to AFG Stakeholders and Applicants upon adoption of the new regulations.

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 grant-funded projects, comply with federal Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) regulations, laws, and Executive Orders, as applicable.

The Grants Program Directorate/EHP Branch will no longer be conducting EHP Reviews on projects that have already been initiated or completed, and such projects that are received for review will be recommended to not be funded, unless the project can be modified to eliminate those parts/elements that have already been completed/initiated.

FEMA Policy 108.024.4 (linked below) provides procedural guidelines for completing environmental reviews as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in cases where Federal Emergency Management Agency funded projects require initiation or action prior to the completion of the environmental review.

Please see FEMA Environmental Planning and Historical Preservation Policy 108.024.4, dated December 18, 2013, at http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1388411752234- 6ddb79121951a68e9ba036d2569aa488/18Dec13-NoNEPAReview.pdf.

NOTE: It is FEMA Policy that actions initiated and/or completed without fulfilling the specific documentation and procedural requirements of NEPA may not be considered for funding.

For more details, see Appendix C, II. Other Allowable Costs, I. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Compliance.

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) While NFIRS reporting is strongly encouraged, NFIRS reporting is not a requirement to apply for or be awarded a grant within the AFG Program. However, any fire-based organization(s) that receives an AFG Grant must commence reporting to NFIRS prior to accepting their Award.

The grantee may be asked by FEMA to provide proof of compliance in reporting to NFIRS. Any grantee that stops reporting to NFIRS during their grant’s Period of Performance is subject to having their award(s) modified or withdrawn.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation Prior to allocation of any federal preparedness awards, grantees must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS.

Emergency management and incident response activities require carefully managed resources (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment, and/or supplies) to meet incident needs. Utilization of the standardized resource management concepts such as typing, inventorying, and cataloging promote a strong national mutual aid capability needed to support delivery of core capabilities. Additional information on resource management and national Tier I NIMS Resource Types can be found at http://www.fema.gov/resource-management.

NOTE: FEMA’s current policy does not require AFG Applicants to be in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) either to apply for AFG Funding or to successfully receive an AFG Award. Any applicant that receives an FY 2014 AFG Award must achieve the necessary NIMS compliance level prior to the end of the grant’s period of performance.

• The AFG Application contains a question that asks whether the applicant organization is currently in compliance with NIMS because compliance is required of all FEMA Grantees before the end of their period of performance.

AFG Applicants will be considered NIMS compliant if the organization http://www.fema.gov/resource-management http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1388411752234 submitting the application(s) is compliant with the NIMS requirements of their Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

• Applicants that need NIMS training may request funding for training through the Training activity in the AFG Operations and Safety component program.

However, many online NIMS training courses are available free of charge through the Emergency Management Institute.

• Additional detailed information on NIMS can be obtained from the FEMA NIMS Resource Center Website.

• The list of NIMS objectives against which progress and achievement are assessed and reported can be found at http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/ImplementationGuidanceStakeholders.sht m#item.

FEMA has developed the NIMS Guidelines for Credentialing of Personnel to describe national credentialing standards and to provide written guidance regarding the use of those standards. These guidelines describe credentialing and typing processes and identify tools that Federal Emergency Response Officials (FERO) and emergency managers at all levels of government may use routinely to facilitate multijurisdictional coordinated responses.

The Guideline as well as the NIMS Guide 0002 can be found at the NIMS Resource Center at the following URLs:

• The Guideline http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/ResourceMngmnt.shtm#item3

telephone at (202) 646-3850

Although state, local, tribal, and private sector partners, including nongovernmental organizations, are not required to credential their personnel in accordance with these guidelines, FEMA strongly encourages them to do so in order to leverage the federal investment in the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 201 infrastructure and to facilitate interoperability for personnel deployed outside their home jurisdiction.

Additional information can be found at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/nims_alert_cred_guideline.pdf.

SAFECOM Guidance for Emergency Communications Grants Compliance Grantees that are using AFG Funds to support emergency communications activities should comply with the FY 2014 SAFECOM Guidance for Emergency Communications Grants. For more details, see Appendix B, IX. P25 Compliance or http://www.safecomprogram.gov/ecg/2014_safecom_guidance_final.pdf.

http://www.safecomprogram.gov/ecg/2014_safecom_guidance_final.pdf http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/nims_alert_cred_guideline.pdf mailto:FEMA-NIMS@dhs.gov http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/ng_0002.pdf http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/ResourceMngmnt.shtm#item3 http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/ImplementationGuidanceStakeholders.sht

IX. How to Apply

A. Application Instructions The AFG eGrants application system is only accessible through the AFG Application

Portal at https://portal.fema.gov/.

There are several ways to get AFG Application information:

Application tutorials and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) help explain the current AFG Grant Programs, assist with the online grant application, and highlight lessons learned and changes for FY 2014. For more details, please click here to visit the AFG Website at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

NOTE: Do not use any other browsers than Internet Explorer (IE 6 or higher) when entering your information. Do not have multiple browser tabs open when entering your information, even if you are using Internet Explorer (IE 6 or higher). There are several known problems entering application information using non IE browsers or having multiple browsers open, including but not limited to:

Prior to submission and up to the application deadline, the online application can be saved, retrieved, or edited as required.

IMPORTANT

Once you have submitted your application, you cannot change it. There is no appeal process for inaccurate or incomplete information retained by the system due to improper or multiple browser usage by the applicant.

NO APPLICATION WILL BE RELEASED AFTER FINAL SUBMISSION

The primary point of contact listed in the application will automatically be notified via email, via the eGrants award management system, once your application is received.

X. Application and Submission Information

AFG Application via eGrants system

• Eligible applicants can only apply for AFG Funding online via the eGrants application at AFG Application portal. The system will allow an authorized representative to log in and create a user name and password.

http://www.fema.gov/firegrants http:http://www.usfa.fema.gov http:http://www.grants.gov http:Grants.gov http://www.fema.gov/firegrants http:https://portal.fema.gov

• Applicants may submit only one application for each component (Vehicle Acquisition, Operations & Safety, and Regional), but may not submit more than one application in each component. If an applicant submits two applications for the same component activity during a single application period, both applications may be disqualified.

• Username/Password If you have submitted any Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program (AFGP) applications (AFG, SAFER, FP&S, SCG) in a previous grant cycle, then you must continue to use the same username, password, and Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number for every FY 2014 application(s). If you have forgotten your password or your primary point(s) of contact have changed, please visit http://www.fema.gov/frequently-asked-questions-1 for instructions on how to update and correct your organization’s information.

• Turn Down Notifications: All applicants who do not receive an FY 2014 AFG Award will receive a decision notification from FEMA via the eGrants award management system.

§ The turn down email will briefly describe those application factors that did not adequately align to the higher AFG Program Priorities and consequently, why the application did not score high enough for further consideration. Due to the historical volume of turndowns for these grants, a detailed debrief for each applicant will not be possible.

Application Tips

• For the most competitive application, select those local need(s) that most closely align with the highest AFG Program Priority.

Example: Organization “X” serves a coastal…