FY 2019 SAFER NOFO - Final 4.2.20 -.pdf

FY 2019 SAFER NOFO – Appendix A

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

FY 2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take four weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information.

Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available from Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application Submission.

A. Program Description

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

Assistance Listings (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number) 97.083

Assistance Listings Title Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

NOFO Number

DHS-19-GPD-083-000-99

Authorizing Authority for Program Section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended) (15 U.S.C. § 2229a)

Appropriation Authority for Program Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-6)

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

Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

Overview

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program is one of three grant programs that comprise the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER program accomplishes this by providing funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. The SAFER program represents one part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS.

Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, the SAFER Program supports the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience. In awarding these grants, the Administrator of FEMA is required to consider:

• The findings and recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP);

• The degree to which an award will reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage by reducing the risks associated with fire related and other hazards; and

• The extent of an applicant’s need for a SAFER grant and the need to protect the United States as a whole.

SAFER offers grants to support projects in two areas:

• Hiring of Firefighters Activity is to hire new, additional firefighters to improve staffing levels or changing the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters.

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity is to assist fire departments with the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters who are involved with or trained in the operations of firefighting and emergency response.

The 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan creates a shared vision for the field of emergency management and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country. The SAFER Program supports FEMA’s goal of Readying the Nation for Catastrophic Disasters. We invite all of our stakeholders and partners to also adopt these priorities and join us in building a stronger Agency and a more prepared and resilient Nation.

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

Objectives

The objectives of the SAFER grant program are to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies and assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Local fire departments accomplish this by improving staffing and deployment capabilities, so they may more effectively and safely respond to emergencies. With enhanced staffing levels, recipients should experience a reduction in response times and an increase in the number of trained personnel assembled at the incident scene.

Priorities

Each activity has specific priorities and objectives. For additional details, please see Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section IV. Funding Priorities.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for the program are as follows:

• Percent of “majority career” SAFER recipients’ structural fire responses that complied with NFPA 1710 structural response standards.

• Percent of “majority volunteer” SAFER recipients’ structural fire responses that complied with NFPA 1720 structural response standards.

• Percent of SAFER hiring recipients who reported and provided evidence that the grant funding increased compliance with NFPA 1710 or 1720 assembly and deployment standards.

B. Federal Award Information

Award amounts, important dates, and extensions

Available funding for the NOFO: $350,000,000

Projected number of Awards: 300

Period of performance: 12-48 Months

• Hiring of Firefighters Activity: The period of performance will be 36 months for all grants awarded under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity.

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity: The period of performance will be between 12 and 48 months for all grants awarded under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity.

Projected period of performance start date(s): July 1, 2020

Projected period of performance end date(s): June 30, 2021-June 30, 2024

Funding instrument: Grant

Extensions: Extensions to the period of performance under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity generally are not allowable. FEMA will consider extension requests to the period of performance under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity only in extenuating circumstances (such as those fire departments whose operations were significantly impacted due to presidentially declared disasters). Extensions to the period of performance under the Hiring Activity are not allowable.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

Under the FY 2019 SAFER Grant Program, eligible applicants are limited to those entities described below within each activity:

• Hiring of Firefighters Activity Volunteer, combination, and career fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,1 or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization are eligible to apply for funding. National, state, local, or federally recognized tribal organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are not eligible to receive a SAFER Grant Award under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity.

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity Volunteer and combination fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,2 or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization are eligible applications. Additionally, national, state, local, territorial, or federally recognized tribal organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are eligible to apply for funding under this Activity. Career fire departments are not eligible to receive a SAFER Grant Award under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity.

1 The District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are all defined as “States” in the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. See 15 U.S.C. § 2203(10).

2 The District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are all defined as “States” in the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. See 15 U.S.C. § 2203(10).

Volunteer fire departments and combination fire departments may apply for funding under both activities; however, departments must complete separate applications for each activity. Applicants are limited to one application per activity, per application period. If an applicant submits two applications for the same activity during a single application period, FEMA will disqualify both applications.

Municipalities and fire districts may submit applications on behalf of fire departments lacking the legal status to do so, such as those under the support of the municipality or district. The municipality or fire district may submit only one application under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity per application period for each eligible fire department within the municipality or fire district.

The following entities are NOT eligible to apply under this announcement:

• Federal fire departments and fire departments under contract to the Federal Government whose sole responsibility is the suppression of fires on federal installations or lands;

• For-profit fire departments and organizations (e.g., fire departments that do not have specific nonprofit status or that are not municipally based);

• Ambulance services, emergency medical service organizations, rescue squads, auxiliaries, dive teams, and urban search and rescue teams;

• Non-federal airport or port authority fire departments whose sole responsibility is the suppression of fires on the airport grounds or port facilities, unless the airport/port fire department has a formally recognized arrangement with the local jurisdiction to provide fire suppression on a first-due basis outside the confines of the airport or port facilities;

• Fire stations that are part of, controlled by, or under the day-to-day operational direction of a larger fire department or agency, or that are not otherwise independent; and

• State and local agencies, such as forest service, fire marshals, emergency management offices, hospitals, and training offices.

Each activity has its own application and eligibility requirements, as outlined in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section IV. Funding Priorities.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum Budget Requirement At the time of application, both SAFER Hiring of Firefighters Activity and Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity grant applicants are required to certify their annual budget for fire-related programs and emergency response must not have been reduced below 80 percent of the applicant’s average funding level in the three years prior to the date it applies for the grant. See 15 U.S.C. § 2229a(c)(2).

Applicants experiencing economic hardship may apply for a waiver of this requirement.

Please see Appendix C: Award Administration Information.

Other Eligibility Criteria

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation SAFER Grant Program applicants are not required to be in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to apply for funding under this NOFO or to be awarded a grant under this NOFO. However, any applicant that receives an FY 2019 SAFER Grant Program award must achieve the level of NIMS compliance required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over the applicant’s emergency service operations (e.g., a local government), prior to the end of the grant’s period of performance.

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) There is no MOE requirement for the FY 2019 SAFER grant program.

Cost Share or Match

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity

Recipients of SAFER Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity grants are not required to contribute a Cost Share or Match (non-federal funds).

• Hiring of Firefighters Activity

Recipients of SAFER Hiring of Firefighters Activity grants are required to contribute non-federal funds subject to a Position Cost Limit and a Cost Share, as described below.

All recipients should ensure that they are thoroughly familiar with FEMA’s cost sharing requirements identified below, as well as the appropriate cost principles as identified at 2 C.F.R. § 200.101(b)(1).

FEMA does not require the recipient to have the cost share at the time of application.

However, before FEMA awards a grant, it may contact potential awardees to determine whether the recipient has the funding in hand or if the recipient has a viable plan to obtain the funding necessary to fulfill the cost-sharing requirement.

Position Cost Limit (Waiver Available) The amount of federal funding provided to a recipient under the SAFER Hiring of Firefighters Activity for hiring a new firefighter in any fiscal year may not exceed:

• In the first and second years of the grant, 75 percent of the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department at the time the grant application was submitted; and

• In the third year of the grant, 35 percent of the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department at the time the grant application was submitted.

https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system

“Usual annual costs” includes the base salary (excluding non-FLSA overtime) and the standard benefits package (including the average health cost, dental, vision, FICA, life insurance, retirement/pension, etc.) offered by fire departments to first-year (i.e., entry-level) firefighters. Please refer to Appendix B: Programmatic Information and Priorities regarding eligible and ineligible costs for SAFER Hiring of Firefighter Activity grants.

FEMA’s new grant application portal, FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) may be accessed at https://go.fema.gov. FEMA GO automatically calculates the Position Cost Limit in the Budget section of the application.

Cost Share (Waiver Available) Under the SAFER Hiring of Firefighters Activity, grant recipients are required to contribute a Cost Share toward the actual cost of hiring firefighters under this program. The Federal portion of the costs of hiring firefighters under this grant may not exceed:

• 75 percent of the actual costs incurred in each of the first and second years of the grant; and

• 35 percent of the actual costs incurred in the third year of the grant.

Therefore, the recipient is required to contribute at least the following in non-Federal funds:

• 25 percent of the actual costs incurred in each of the first and second years of the grant; and

• 65 percent of the actual costs incurred in the third year of the grant.

A Cost Share of non-federal cash is the only allowable recipient contribution. Grant recipients can apply to waive this requirement.

Example: Position Cost Limit and Cost Share The Position Cost Limit and Cost Share work together, depending on amount expended, to limit the federal share. For example:

Suppose the applicant submits a SAFER Hiring of Firefighter Activity grant application for one new firefighter. At the time that application is submitted, the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department is $100,000. No matter what the department ends up paying the firefighter (for example, even if the department ends up paying the new hire $110,000), the Position Cost Limit, will cap the federal funding to:

• Year 1 = $75,000

• Year 2 = $75,000

• Year 3 = $35,000.

https://go.fema.gov/

But, suppose the grant is awarded and the department accrues actual costs that are different from the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in the department. If the following actual costs during the term of the grant are:

• Year 1 = $80,000

• Year 2 = $95,000

• Year 3 = $110,000.

Then the Cost Share will further limit the federal contribution, unless this requirement is waived. In other words, the federal portion can neither be more than the Position Cost Limit nor be more than the Cost Share, and applicants must assess both restrictions to determine where and whether the caps apply. In this example, the federal portion will be:

• Year 1 o If the Cost Share requirement is not waived Federal funds will be limited to $60,000, or 75 percent of actual costs incurred ($80,000) o If the Cost Share requirement is waived Federal funds will cover no more than $75,000, or 75 percent of the usual cost of a firefighter at the time of application ($100,000)

• Year 2 o If the Cost Share requirement is not waived Federal funds will be limited to $71,250, or 75 percent of actual costs incurred ($95,000) o If the Cost Share requirement is waived Federal funds will cover no more than $75,000, or 75 percent of the usual cost of a firefighter at the time of application ($100,000)

• Year 3 o If the Cost Share requirement is not waived Federal funds will be limited to $35,000 due to the Position Cost Limit of 35 percent of the usual cost of a firefighter at the time of application ($100,000).

o If the Cost Share requirement is waived Federal funds will cover no more than $35,000, or 35 percent of the usual cost of a firefighter at the time of application ($100,000).

Economic Hardship Waivers

The Administrator of FEMA may waive or reduce the Cost Share, Position Cost Limit, Minimum Budget, or Supplanting requirements in cases of demonstrated economic hardship. Please see Appendix C: Award Administration Information.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times Date posted to Grants.gov: April 7, 2020 Application start date: April 13, 2020 at 8 a.m. Eastern Time Application submission deadline: May 15, 2020 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time Anticipated funding selection date: June 1, 2020 Anticipated award date: July 1, 2020

In general, DHS/FEMA will not review applications received after the deadline or consider them for funding. However, DHS/FEMA may extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline or other exigent or emergency circumstances. If applicants experience technical issues, they must notify the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program’s (AFGP) Help Desk as soon as possible. The AFGP Help Desk can be reached at 1-866-274-0960 or by sending an e-mail to firegrants@fema.dhs.gov. The AFGP Help Desk is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.

– 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Other Key Dates

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion

Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid EIN Eight weeks before actual submission deadline

Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Submitting complete application in FEMA GO One week before actual submission deadline

Address to Request Application Package The online FY 2019 SAFER application is available through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program’s FEMA GO (FEMA Grants Outcomes) application portal, at https://go.fema.gov. There are several ways to access application information:

• AFGP website (http://www.fema.gov/firegrants)

• Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov)

• U.S. Fire Administration (http://www.usfa.fema.gov)

Hard copies of the application are not available. However, the Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) and/or Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) number available for this Notice is (800) 462-7585.

FEMA will process applications through FEMA GO. Application tutorials and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) explain the current SAFER grant program, assist mailto:firegrants@fema.dhs.gov https://go.fema.gov/ http://www.fema.gov/firegrants http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ with the online grant application, and highlight lessons learned and changes for FY 2019.

For more details, please visit the AFGP website at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Content and Form of Application Submission DHS makes all funding opportunities available on the internet, accessible at http://www.grants.gov. If applicants experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at (800) 518-4726.

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

FEMA GO will allow the applicant’s authorized representative(s) to log in and create their own account. This account is specific to the authorized user and must not be shared with other personnel. The FEMA GO account is separate from any previous accounts created in the eGrants system. Applicants can save, retrieve, update, and revise their work through the end of the application period. The automated system does not allow applicants to submit incomplete applications. The system alerts applicants when required information has not been entered. Prior to final submission, an online application may be saved, retrieved, or edited, up to the application deadline.

Technological Note: FEMA GO is compatible with Internet Explorer (version 11 or higher), Firefox (version 73 or higher), or Chrome (version 80 or higher). Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using

FEMA GO.

NO APPLICATION WILL BE RELEASED BACK TO THE APPLICANT

AFTER FINAL SUBMISSION

After an application has been completed and submitted, no changes can be made. There is no appeal process for inaccurate or incomplete information retained by the system due to improper or multiple browser usage by applicants.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants for this award must:

1. Be registered and active in SAM in order to apply;

2. Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and

3. 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 DHS FEMA.

DHS/FEMA may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DHS/FEMA is ready to make a federal http://www.fema.gov/firegrants http://www.grants.gov/ https://go.fema.gov/ award, DHS/FEMA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making the federal award to another applicant.

Electronic Delivery DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative that provides the grant communities with a single site to find grant funding opportunities. Before applying for a DHS Grant, applicants must have a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and must be registered and active in SAM.

DUNS

Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found here:

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

System for Award Management (SAM) Applicant registration in SAM is free. All applicants must be registered and active in order to apply online. Step-by-step instructions for registering with SAM can be found here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html. Please remember that SAM registration is only active for one year and must be renewed annually.

Existing SAM.GOV account holders should check their account to make sure it is “ACTIVE.” SAM registration should be completed at the very beginning of the application period and should be renewed annually to avoid being “INACTIVE.”

Please allow plenty of time before the grant application submission deadline to obtain a DUNS number and then to register in SAM. It may be four weeks or more after an applicant submits the SAM registration before the registration is active in SAM, and then may be an additional 24 hours before Grants.gov and FEMA GO to recognize the information.

FEMA may not make an award to an entity until the entity has complied with the requirements to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active SAM registration with current information. If the applicant is noncompliant with this requirement at the time FEMA is ready to make a federal award offer, then FEMA may determine the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and may use that determination as a basis for making the federal award to another applicant.

IMPORTANT: Applicants must complete the SAM registration process. It is imperative that the information applicants provide is correct and current. Please ensure that your organization’s name, address, DUNS number, and Employer Identification Number, or EIN, are up to date in SAM and that the DUNS number used in SAM is the same one used to apply for all other FEMA awards. Payment under any FEMA award is contingent on the recipient’s having a current SAM registration.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

Help with SAM The SAM quick start guide for new recipient registration and SAM video tutorial for new applicants are tools created by the General Services Administration (GSA) to assist those registering with SAM. If applicants have questions or concerns about a SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do or call toll free (866) 606-8220.

How to Get a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code To get a CAGE code, applicants must first register with SAM, which is a requirement for doing business with the Federal Government. Applicants will receive a CAGE code as part of the SAM validation process, and as soon as the registration is active, applicants may view the CAGE code online by logging in to their SAM accounts.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission All applications must be received by Friday, May 15, 2020 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application. Applications received by FEMA GO after the established due date for applications will not be considered for funding.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before FEMA GO receives your application. FEMA GO will provide either an error message or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the AOR that submitted the application. The FEMA GO Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Do not do this – it may cause your application to fail to be submitted and consequently not be considered for funding. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Intergovernmental Review An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the State’s process under Executive Order 12372. (See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html; https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC- February-2019.pdf)

Funding Restrictions Applicants may only use the Federal funds made available through this program for the purpose(s) set forth in the award package and this use must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Applicants may not use award funds for matching funds for any other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, applicants may not use federal funds to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity. Failure to adhere to the https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf award conditions will cause the recipient to be considered in default of the grant agreement and may require the return of all federal funds disbursed under the grant.

Applicants may submit only one application per eligible activity. Any applicant that submits more than one application per activity will have all applications within that activity deemed ineligible.

For more information on restrictions on use of funds, please see Appendix B:

Programmatic Information and Priorities.

Construction or Remodeling/Renovation Costs. Construction costs are not eligible under the SAFER grant program. Construction includes major alterations to a building that changes the profile or footprint of the structure. To support eligible awarded activities under the SAFER Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity, remodeling/renovations to an existing facility are limited to minor interior alterations costing less than $10,000 and should be requested under Modification to Facilities. IMPORTANT: Some of these activities may require an Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review; certain costs associated with an EHP Review are eligible for reimbursement.

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

Recipients proposing projects that have the potential to impact the environment, including but not limited to modification or renovation of existing buildings, structures, and facilities, must participate in the FEMA EHP Review process. The EHP Review process involves the submission of a screening form that includes a detailed project description that explains the goals and objectives of the proposed project along with supporting documentation so that FEMA may determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources and/or historic properties. In some cases, FEMA must also to consult with other regulatory agencies and the public to complete the review process. The EHP Review process must be completed before funds are released to carry out the proposed project. FEMA will not fund projects that are initiated without the required EHP Review. Applicants will be notified via email if an EHP Review is required and will be provided instructions on how to comply.

Additionally, all recipients are required to comply with FEMA EHP Policy Guidance.

This EHP Policy Guidance is located in FEMA Policy (FP) 108-023-1, Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Policy Guidance.

SAFER projects that involve installation of equipment not specifically excluded from a FEMA EHP Review per the GPD Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA);

ground-disturbing activities; or modification/renovation of existing buildings or https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85376 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85376 structures must undergo FEMA EHP Review. No facilities modification project can proceed, with the exception of project planning, prior to formal FEMA approval.

Recipients may request funds for activities that do not require EHP Review.

The following activities would not require submission of the FEMA EHP Screening Form:

• Planning and development of policies or processes;

• Management, administrative or personnel actions;

• Classroom-based training; and

• Acquisition of mobile and portable equipment (not involving installation) on or in a building.

Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs Indirect F&A costs are those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective. These costs are not readily assignable to the costs objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved.

Indirect costs are allowable under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity, 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. Applicants must submit copies of the indirect cost rate agreements, along with the SAFER application number, electronically to FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA will evaluate indirect costs as part of the application for federal funds and these costs must be included as a line item in the Request Details section of the application, so FEMA can determine if they are allowable, if they are reasonable, or if they disproportionally impact an application’s cost benefit.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs M&A expenses are not operational costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or as a consequence of it. As such, these costs can be itemized in financial reports. Applicants should base M&A expenses only on actual expenses or known contractual costs; requests that are simple percentages of the award without supporting justification will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement. Salaries and fringe benefits for personnel directly supporting the grant should not be included in the M&A budget line item.

No more than 3 percent of the federal share of SAFER Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity funds may be expended by the recipient for M&A purposes associated with the SAFER award. M&A costs are not eligible under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity.

mailto:FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov

Pre-award Costs Only costs incurred during the period of performance are allowable. However, recipients under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity may request reimbursement for grant writer fees (see Appendix C: Award Administration Information, Section II. Grant Writer/Preparation Fees; see also Appendix B:

Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section V. Eligible and Ineligible Costs).

E. Application Review Information

Each year, FEMA convenes a panel of fire service professionals to develop funding priorities for the SAFER grant program. The panel makes recommendations about funding priorities as well as about developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of this NOFO reflects implementation of this Criteria Development Panel’s (CDP) recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and criteria for awards.

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

• Congressional Fire Service Institute

• International Association of Arson Investigators

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• International Society of Fire Service Instructors

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Volunteer Fire Council

• North American Fire Training Directors

1. Application Evaluation Criteria Additionally, prior to making a federal award, DHS/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:

• Financial stability;

• Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards;

• History of performance in managing federal award;

• Reports and findings from audits; and

• Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

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

• Is the applicant on any exclusion lists as identified in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)?

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

Part 200, Subpart F?

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

• Are the costs proposed by the applicant in the budget information and justification allowable and reasonable based on the criteria set forth in this Manual and the applicable appendix, NOFO, and regulations?

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

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

Cost Rate agreement?

• Is the applicant delinquent on any federal debt?

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

• Is the applicant on the Do Not Pay List?

Based on the outcome of this review, DHS/FEMA may determine that it will not make an award to an applicant that poses a risk of noncompliance. DHS/FEMA may also determine that it will make an award to an at-risk applicant, subject to additional terms and conditions as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.207.

2. Supplemental Financial Integrity Review

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

434, Increases and Changes to the Micro-Purchase and Simplified Acquisition Thresholds):

• DHS/FEMA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through the System for Award Management (SAM), which is currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) and is also accessible through the SAM website.

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

• DHS/FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, when 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.

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.fema.gov/media-library-data/1535477410796-10abe5c8fc5bb73f170e3025c6fbfc6a/IB_Changes_to_the_Micro_Purch_and_Simp_Acquisition_Thresholds_signed_508.pdf https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1535477410796-10abe5c8fc5bb73f170e3025c6fbfc6a/IB_Changes_to_the_Micro_Purch_and_Simp_Acquisition_Thresholds_signed_508.pdf https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1535477410796-10abe5c8fc5bb73f170e3025c6fbfc6a/IB_Changes_to_the_Micro_Purch_and_Simp_Acquisition_Thresholds_signed_508.pdf

3. Review and Selection Process

FEMA competitively scores and reviews all applications submitted under this NOFO a through the multi-phase process outlined below:

a. Pre-scoring

FEMA evaluates all complete and eligible applications relative to the SAFER Grant Program funding priorities (see information on the funding priorities in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section IV. Funding Priorities). This review is accomplished through pre-scoring and the peer review panel process. General and activity-specific information submitted in the application will determine an applicant’s initial standing relative to SAFER grant funding priorities. Applications most consistent with the SAFER grant funding priorities score higher in the automated pre-score evaluation. The pre-score represents 50 percent of the total application score under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity. The pre-score represents 30 percent of the total application score under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity. Application Narrative Statements are not reviewed during pre-score.

b. Peer Review Panel A panel of at least three peer reviewers performs the second phase of an application’s evaluation. The panel is composed of fire service representatives recommended by the national organizations from the CDP. These panelists evaluate the application using the Narrative Statement, answers to the general questions, and answers to the activity-specific questions provided in the application. Further, peer reviewers will review the Request Details section of the application including descriptions of each line item requested in the application.

The panelists evaluate each application on its own merits against established criteria and not compared to other applications. The peer review panel score represents 50 percent of the total application score. Panelists use the Narrative Evaluation Criteria listed on pages 18-21 of this NOFO to score each Narrative Statement.

4. Narrative Evaluation Criteria

The Narrative Statements must provide specific details about the activity for which the applicants seek funding, including budget details. Applicants must explain how the proposed activity(ies) relate to the Hiring of Firefighters Activity or the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity. FEMA reviews and compares applications for duplication. Therefore, all elements of the Narrative Statements must be original.

In applications for the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity, applicants must provide details regarding how volunteers will qualify for the incentives (i.e., who will be eligible for initiatives funded under the grant and discuss any prerequisites). For example, an organization might withhold paying nominal stipends until members participate in a minimum number of operational activities.

This type of information needs to be in the Narrative Statement.

Panelists will evaluate and score each activity based on the following narrative elements within each activity:

i. Hiring of Firefighters Activity

The Narrative Statement for applications requesting Hiring of Firefighters Activity funding must include all four elements. The panelists will evaluate each element independently. Each element’s relative weight in the determination of the grant award is listed below:

1) Project Description (30 percent):

a) Why does the department need the positions requested in this application?

b) How will the positions requested in this application be used within the department (e.g., fourth firefighter on engine, open a new station, eliminate browned out stations, reduce overtime)?

c) What specific services will the requested positions provide to the fire department and community?

d) Describe how funds awarded through this grant enhance the department’s ability to protect critical infrastructure within the primary response area?

2) Impact on Daily Operations (30 percent):

a) Explain how the community and the current firefighters employed by the department are at risk without the positions requested in this application.

b) How will that risk will be reduced if awarded?

3) Financial Need (30 percent):

a) Provide an income versus expenses breakdown of the current annual budget.

b) Describe the department’s budget shortfalls and inability to address financial needs without federal assistance.

c) What other actions has the department taken to obtain funding elsewhere

(e.g. state assistance programs, other grant programs)?

d) Discuss how the critical functions of the department are affected without this funding.

4) Cost Benefit (10 percent):

Describe the benefits (e.g., quantifying the anticipated savings and/or efficiencies) the department and community will realize if awarded the positions requested in this application.

ii. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity (Fire

Departments) The Narrative Statement for applications requesting this funding must include all four elements. The panelists will evaluate each element independently. Each element’s relative weight in the determination of the grant award is listed below.

The peer review evaluation score represents 70 percent of the total application score.

1) Project Description (30 percent):

a) Describe the problems and issues the department is experiencing in recruiting new volunteer firefighters.

b) What are the problems and issues the department is experiencing in retaining current members?

c) Describe the implementation plan, including the goals, objectives, methods, specific steps, and timelines to directly address the identified problems or issues.

d) Describe the current marketing plan already in place or the marketing program to be put in place with grant funds.

e) Describe how the program will be evaluated for its impact on identified recruitment and retention problems and issues. How will the overall effectiveness of the grant will be measured?

f) Describe the specific services the new volunteer firefighters and/or retention of current volunteer firefighters will provide for the fire department(s) and community.

g) If the grant request will have a regional impact, discuss how the regional partners will benefit and which activities they will benefit from.

a) Describe how the community and current volunteer firefighters in the department are at risk without the items or activities requested in this application.

b) How will the risk be reduced if awarded?

c) Explain the impact the recruitment of new volunteer firefighters and/or the retention of current volunteer firefighters will have on the department’s NFPA compliance.

3) Financial Need (30 percent):

a) Provide an income versus expenses breakdown of the department’s current annual budget.

b) Describe the department’s budget shortfalls and its inability to address financial needs without federal assistance.

c) What other actions has the department taken to obtain funding elsewhere (e.g., state assistance programs, other grant programs)? How have similar projects have been funded in the past?

d) Discuss how the critical functions of the department are affected without this funding.

4) Cost Benefit (10 percent):

Describe the benefits (e.g., quantifying the anticipated savings and/or efficiencies) the department and community will realize if awarded the items or activities requested in this application.

iii. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity (national, state, local, or federally recognized tribal volunteer firefighters interest organizations) The Narrative Statement for applications requesting this funding must include all four elements. The panelists will evaluate each element independently. Each element’s relative weight in the determination of the grant award is listed below.

The peer review evaluation score represents 70 percent of the total application score.

1) Project Description (30 percent):

a) Describe the problems and issues the fire departments that the organization will be reaching with this grant are experiencing in recruiting new volunteer firefighters.

b) What are the problems and issues the same departments are experiencing in retaining current members?

c) Describe the organization’s implementation plan, including the goals, objectives, methods, specific steps, and timelines to directly address the problems or issues identified.

d) Describe the current marketing plan already in place, or the marketing program to be put in place with grant funds.

e) Describe how the program will be evaluated for its impact on the identified recruitment and retention problems and issues of the fire…