fy 2011 safer-program guidance[1][1].pdf

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Issued By: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Grant Programs Directorate

Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

97.083

CFDA Title:

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

Funding Opportunity Announcement Title:

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

Authorizing Authority for Program:

The authority for SAFER is derived from the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. §2229a et seq.).

Appropriation Authority for Program:

The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (Public Law 112-10).

FOA Number:

DHS-11-GPD-083-000-99

Key Dates and Time:

Application Start Date: 01/30/2012

Application Submission 02/24/2012 at 5:00:00 PM EDT Date:

Funding Selection Date: N/A

Award Date: No later than 09/30/2012

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

Intergovernmental Review: Is an intergovernmental review required? Yes No

FOA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Program Type: Select the applicable program type:

New Continuing One-time

Opportunity Category: Select the applicable opportunity category:

Discretionary/Competitive Mandatory/Non-competitive Both

Application Process: Use the following text:

DHS makes all funding opportunities available through the common electronic “storefront” grants.gov accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call the grants.gov customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726.

Applications are accessible via http://www.fema.gov/firegrants. The automated application is designed with help screens and drop-down menus to assist the applicant throughout the application process. Applicants can save their work and retrieve it for updates and revisions through the end of the application period.

Note: Once an application has been completed and submitted, no changes can be made.

The automated system does not allow an applicant to submit an incomplete application.

The system alerts the applicant when required information has not been entered. By submitting an application online, the applicant will automatically receive confirmation via e-mail the application was successfully submitted.

The online system will allow one authorized representative of an eligible organization to log on and create a user name and password. The selection of the authorized representative is at the discretion of each applicant.

Applicants also should record their user name and password for future access to their application.

Paper applications are available. However, they are discouraged because of the inherent delays associated with processing. Additionally, paper applications do not have the built-in assistance of the electronic application or the assurance the application has been accurately completed. Applicants who wish to use a paper application may request one be sent to them via US Postal Service by calling the Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960.

Paper applications will not be sent to prospective applicants via overnight delivery, fax, or e-mail.

Paper applications must be mailed to:

Cabezon Group ATTN: AFG Grant Program 11821 Parklawn Drive, Suite 230 Rockville, MD 20852

Applications mailed to any other address may miss the appointed closing date and therefore will be disqualified and ineligible for funding.

All applications must be completed and submitted electronically, or postmarked on or before the close of business, by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on Friday, February 24, 2012.

Only electronic applications submitted via the online, automated grant application system will receive a confirmation of receipt. Applicants should print a copy of the confirmation for their records upon receiving verification that their application has been successfully submitted. No confirmation will be issued for paper applications. Incomplete applications or applications submitted via any other electronic means, including e-mail or fax, automatically would be deemed ineligible.

Applicants are allowed to hire, or otherwise employ the services of, a grant writer to assist in the application process. However, the applicant is responsible for ensuring the information contained in the submitted application is a true and accurate reflection of their organization and represents the scope of effort being proposed and the time and cost required to achieve it. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to review all work produced by grant writers, or other third parties on their behalf, prior to submission of their application. Applicants who falsify their application, or misrepresent their organization or proposal in any manner, will have their application deemed ineligible by the Program Office and referred to the Office of Inspector General for further action, as appropriate.

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

Volunteer Fire Departments may apply for funding in the following categories:

• Hiring of Firefighters Category (hiring career firefighters)

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Category

• Both categories; if the applicant wishes to apply for both categories, two separate applications must be completed, one for each category

Combination Fire Departments may apply for funding in the following categories:

• Hiring of Firefighters Category

• Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Category

• Both categories; if the applicant wishes to apply for both categories, two separate applications must be completed, one for each category

Note: Each of the above eligible applicants is limited to one application for recruitment and retention, and/or one application for hiring per application period.

Example: An applicant may not submit two applications for the same activity (e.g., Hiring of Firefighters Category) during a single application period. Should this occur, both applications would be disqualified.

Career Fire Departments may apply for funding in the following category:

• Hiring of Firefighters Category

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. Each eligible applicant is limited to one application for hiring per application period.

Example: An applicant may not submit two applications for the same activity (e.g., Hiring of Firefighters Category) during a single application period. Should this occur, both applications would be disqualified.

Statewide or local volunteer firefighter interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters and individual fire departments (volunteer or combination) may apply for funding for regional projects under Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Category.

In completing the Department Characteristics section of the application, the regional applicant must include data approximating the characteristics of the entire region affected by the grant.

For additional information, see the Eligibility Criteria section of this FOA.

Type of Funding Instrument: Select the applicable funding instrument

Grant Cooperative Agreement Loan

Cost Share or Match:

Cost Match Cost Share None Required

Maintenance of Effort:

Is there a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement? Yes No

Management and Administration:

Administrative costs up to 3% of the awarded amount are allowable under the Recruitment and Retention Activity only.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Program Overview and Priorities:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate implements and administers the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants.

SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters, rehire firefighters that have been laid off, retain firefighters facing imminent layoffs, or fill positions that were vacated through attrition.

The goal of the SAFER Grants is to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities in order to respond to emergencies, assuring communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

FEMA strongly encourages applicants, to the extent practicable, to seek, recruit, and hire post-9/11 veterans to increase their ranks within your department in order to take advantage of the provisions of the VOW To Hire Heroes Act of 2011. More information on the Act can be found at http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/other_programs/vow.html. In FY 2012, FEMA anticipates a requirement that all SAFER applicants have a policy in place addressing their intent to implement strategies to support this Act and have recruiting efforts aimed at post-9/11 veterans.

Program Objectives:

The objective of the SAFER program is to augment or restore local fire departments’ staffing and deployment capabilities so they may more effectively respond to emergencies.

With the enhanced or restored staffing, a SAFER grantee’s response time will be reduced sufficiently and an appropriate number of trained personnel will be assembled at the incident scene.

While not required for a SAFER grant, it is preferable that the enhanced or restored staffing levels of all SAFER grantees should improve the safety of firefighters by ensuring all first-arriving apparatus are staffed with a minimum of four qualified personnel (to meet OSHA standards (1910.134) who are capable of initiating the suppression response.

Ultimately, SAFER grantees should be able to demonstrate that they have achieved more efficient responses and safer incident scenes, thereby ensuring communities have improved protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

SAFER grants are comprised of two primary categories: the Hiring of Firefighters Activity and the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity.

The highest priority in the Hiring of Firefighters activity is for departments seeking to rehire firefighters who have been laid off.

Hierarchy of Priorities

First priority: Rehiring laid-off firefighters Second priorities: Retention of firefighters who face imminent layoff and/or filling positions vacated through attrition but not filled due to economic circumstances Third priority: Hiring new firefighters

The exceptions to these priorities are the statutory requirements that no less than 15 percent be awarded to new hire applicants as discussed in the Hiring of New Firefighters Activity, and the statutory requirement to award no less than 10 percent of funds to volunteer and mostly volunteer departments.

Under the Recruitment and Retention Activity, the highest priority is to assist departments experiencing a high rate of turnover and have staffing levels significantly below the ideal staffing level required to comply with NFPA standards 1710 or 1720.

II. Funding Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions:

Available Funding for the FOA: $380,747,000.00

Projected Number of Awards:

Projected Award Start Date(s):

05/01/2012

Projected Award End Date(s): 09/30/2012

Period of Performance:

24 months under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity; Up to 48 months for the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity

Period of Performance: Is an extension to the period of performance permitted?

Yes No

Extensions to the period of performance will be considered only through formal requests to FEMA with specific and compelling justifications why an extension is required. All extension requests must be submitted to FEMA at least 60 days prior to the end of the period of performance and must address:

• Reason for delay

• Current status of the activity/activities

• Approved period of performance termination date and new project completion date

• Remaining available funds, both federal and non-federal

• Budget outlining how remaining federal and non-federal funds will be expended

• Plan for completion including milestones and timeframes for achieving each milestone and the position/person responsible for implementing the plan for completion

• Certification that the activity/activities will be completed within the extended period of performance without any modification to the original Statement of Work approved by FEMA

III. Eligibility Information

The following applicant types are ineligible to apply under this announcement:

Ineligible Applicants

• 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

• In the Hiring of Firefighters category, local, and statewide organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters, supporting firefighter volunteerism, or otherwise having an interest in volunteer firefighters.

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

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

Ineligible Applicants

• Ambulance services, Emergency Medical Services marshals, emergency management offices, organizations, rescue squads, auxiliaries, dive teams, and urban search and rescue teams

• State and local agencies, such as forest service, fire hospitals, and training offices

• Non-federal airport and/or port authority fire departments whose sole responsibility is 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

• Career fire departments are not eligible for the Recruitment and Retention Activity

IV. Funding Restrictions

Restrictions on Use of Award Funds:

Hiring of Firefighters Activity:

Eligible Expenses

The only eligible costs under the Hiring of Firefighters for new or rehired firefighters activity are:

• Salary

• Associated benefits (actual payroll expenses) SAFER funding will pay 100 percent of the salary and benefit costs for each funded position (see Appendix 1 for SAFER Grant Definitions)

• Firefighters that are employees at time of and/or hired prior to the award date, except if applying under the retention activity, are not eligible under the Hiring of Firefighters category.

• Overtime costs are not eligible. However, costs for overtime fire departments routinely pay as a part of the base salary or the firefighter’s regularly scheduled and contracted shift hours are eligible in order to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

• Federal employees are prohibited from serving in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted for this grant opportunity. Federal employees may not receive funds under this award.

• Only full-time positions will be funded. A full-time position is one position that is funded for at least 2,080 hours per year, i.e., 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. However, recognizing many departments have shifts exceeding a 40-hour workweek, FEMA also will consider funding the job-sharing of a full-time position if the grantee has sufficient justification. A job-share position is a full-time position occupied by more than one person.

Example: A department may hire two part-time staff persons at 28 hours each to fulfill the scheduled work hours of one 56-hour shift position.

Ineligible Expenses

• Pre-application costs, such as grant writer fees, administrative costs, and indirect costs associated with hiring of firefighters

• Costs for training and equipping firefighters (however, the salaries and benefits of firefighters hired under the SAFER grants while they are engaged in training are eligible.)

• Costs for uniforms and physicals

• Funds to support additional hired positions or funds received from federal, state, or local sources cannot be used to supplant normal operating budgets unless a waiver has been granted

Volunteer and mostly volunteer fire departments may hire individuals to fill officer-level positions such as chief, fire inspector, training officer, safety officer, etc.

However, since the purpose of SAFER grants is to enhance incident scene safety, all applicants must certify the primary assignment of all SAFER-funded firefighters will be an operational assignment (e.g., fire suppression) regardless of collateral duties.

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity:

Eligible Expenses

Applicants who propose to initiate a recruitment and retention plan as a part of their application receive equal consideration. Proposals for this category may include providing incentives for volunteer firefighter members to continue service in a fire department.

Examples of initiatives that may receive funding include, but are not limited to:

• Insurance packages such as accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), disability, health, dental, life

• Reimbursement to the member while attending required basic training, e.g., compensation for lost wages, mileage, lodging, per diem

• Marketing costs to recruit new volunteer members

• Station internet access

• Computers in common areas

• LED/electronic signs (note: 75% of usage must be dedicated to Recruitment and Retention activities – additional restrictions apply; see ‘E, Other Allowable Costs’)

• Station duty uniforms for new recruits (pants, shirts, hats)

• Non-uniform clothing (t-shirts, jackets, pullovers, etc.) when as part of an award program

• Station modifications (e.g., converting space into bunkroom - restrictions apply; see ‘E, Other Allowable Costs’)

• Salary and benefits for a recruitment and retention coordinator

• Physicals (consistent with NFPA 1582) for new recruits only

• Explorer, cadet, and mentoring programs

• Staffing needs assessment

• Administrative costs up to 3% of the awarded amount

• Tuition assistance for higher education (including college tuition) and professional certifications (Note: Coursework or certifications in this category should be above and beyond what the department typically funds for required minimum-staffing firefighter certification. Books and lab fees are eligible, but computers are not)

• Awards Program for participation in operational activities (e.g., length of service plaques, gift cards, non-uniform clothing, etc. for responding to incidents, attending operational training. However, payments may not be retroactive for service prior to award.)

• Establish a new Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAP) (funding of existing programs or retroactive payments are not eligible)

• Mileage reimbursement for operational activities (e.g., responding to incidents, attending training)

• Turnout gear after the new recruit undergoes a physical and is certified to firefighter-1 level (restrictions apply; see ‘E, Other Allowable Costs’)

• With proper justification, applications for funding in the Recruitment and Retention Activity could include activities requiring up to 4 years to complete

• For each activity requested, the applicant must establish the link between the activities for which funding is being requested and the identified recruitment and/or retention problems or issues to be addressed. FEMA will not fund activities without the applicant having made a sufficient correlation between the activity and its positive effect on the recruitment and/or retention of volunteer firefighters

• All funded activities under recruitment and retention must be governed by formally adopted standard operating procedures (SOPs). Minimally, these SOPs should specify who qualifies for each of the incentives, specific requirements for earning the incentives, and the disposition of the awarded incentives if an individual fails to fulfill the stipulations

• The limited funding available for SAFER activities precludes the award of funding for operational activities, such as the purchase of firefighting equipment and vehicles.

Personal protective clothing may be funded for newly recruited firefighters, but personal protective equipment for other types of members or existing members is not eligible

• Costs incurred prior to award

• Payments or recognition for service prior to award (i.e., no retroactive payments)

• Cash payments for non-operational activities

• Payments for travel to and/ or participation in leisure activities such as theatre tickets, entertainment tickets, and tips (professional ball games, etc.)

• Costs associated with award banquets, such as food, refreshments, entertainment, or rental facilities. Reimbursement for actual awards, e.g., plaques, and trophies, is eligible

• Costs for training regularly covered under the department’s operating budget, such as tuition or instructor fees for department-mandated, basic-level training

• Services at a members personal residences (e.g., internet access, plowing of driveways, etc.)

• Furniture, TV’s, fixtures, appliances (refrigerators, etc.), entertainment equipment

• “Giveaways” such as pencils, pens, t-shirts, cups, mugs, balloons, etc. for recruitment events

• Fees for courses and training that are also available free of charge on the internet or at a state/local training facilities (NIMS 100, 700, 800, etc.)

V. Application Review and Selection Information

Application Review Information:

All complete and eligible applications are evaluated based on the substance of the application relative to the established SAFER Grant funding priorities. The answers to activity-specific questions, as well as information under Department Characteristics, provide the basis to determine the application’s standing relative to stated priorities. This initial evaluation assesses how closely each application matches the program’s established priorities (see information on the funding priorities in Part I. Funding Opportunity Description).

Applications most consistent with the SAFER Grant funding priorities score higher in the automated evaluation than those applications not aligned with the priorities. The initial scores are combined later with the scores of the applications after they receive peer review evaluations; each score represents 50 percent of the total application score with respect to the final award determinations.

A panel of at least three peer review panelists performs the second phase of the applications’ evaluations. These panelists evaluate the application using the narrative statement, along with the answers to the general questions and the activity-specific questions, to determine the worthiness of the request for an award. Each application is judged on its own merits against established criteria and is not compared to other applications.

Panelists will evaluate and score the following criteria:

1. Hiring of Firefighters Category Narrative Elements

The narrative statement for applications requesting funding in this category must include the following five elements. Each element will be evaluated independently by the peer review panelist. The relative weight of the evaluation criteria in the determination of the grant award is listed below.

a. Project Description (30%): This statement should describe why the applicant needs the grant funds, i.e., how the requested firefighters will be used within the department and a description of the specific benefit these firefighters will provide for the fire department and community. If the applicant is requesting funding under the rehiring of firefighters activity, the narrative should provide details as to when and why the vacancies occurred, and how the vacancies have affected the service to the community. Applications must also discuss how the grant would enhance the department’s ability to protect critical infrastructure.

b. Impact on Daily Operations (30%): This statement should explain how the community and current firefighters are at risk without the requested firefighters, and to what extent that risk will be reduced if the applicant is awarded. What impact will the newly funded positions have on NFPA and/or OSHA (1910.134) compliance?

c. Financial Need (30%): This statement should explain the applicant’s organizational budget and its inability to address the need without federal assistance, including other actions the applicant has taken to meet their staffing needs.

d. Cost/Benefit (10%): This statement should explain, as clearly as possible, what benefits your department and/or your community will realize if the project described is funded (e.g., anticipated savings and/or efficiencies).

e. Performance (Additional Consideration): Applicants should explain whether they have a proven record of accomplishment for timely project completion and satisfactory performance of other AFG, FP&S, and SAFER awards.

2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity Narrative Elements

The narrative statement for applications requesting funding for this activity must include the following five elements. The relative weight of the evaluation criteria in the determination of the grant award is listed below.

Each element will be evaluated independently by the peer review panelists:

a. Project Description (30%): This statement should describe how the applicant will use the grant funds. The project description should include:

• How the recruitment of new volunteer firefighters and/or retention of current volunteer firefighters will impact the department’s or organization’s identified operational needs or capabilities

• A description of the specific benefit these firefighters will provide for the fire department(s) or community

• A description of the recruitment and/or retention problems or issues the department has identified

• How the activities being requested address those identified needs

• Specifics about the recruitment and/or retention plan

• If applicable, specifics about which activities are part of the regional request and which activities are exclusive to the host applicant

• A list of the participating third-party organizations that will benefit from the regional project if the project is approved

b. Impact on Daily Operations (30%): This statement should explain how the community and current firefighters (or geographic areas of concern for an eligible organization) are at risk without the requested firefighters, and to what extent that risk will be reduced if the applicant is awarded.

c. Financial Need (30%): This statement should explain the applicant’s organizational budget and its inability to address the need without federal assistance, including other actions the applicant has taken to meet their staffing needs.

d. Cost/Benefit (10%): This statement should explain, as clearly as possible, what benefits your department and/or your community will realize if the project described is funded (e.g., anticipated savings and/or efficiencies). Is there a high benefit for the cost incurred? Are the costs reasonable? Provide justification for the budget items relating to the cost of the requested items.

e. Performance (Additional Consideration): Applicants should explain whether they have a proven track record for timely project completion and satisfactory performance in other AFG, FP&S, and SAFER awards.

Application Selection Process:

Specific Funding Parameters

The appropriated funds are to be administered as indicated:

• 15 percent is set aside for the hiring of new firefighters.

• 10 percent is set aside for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.

• 10 percent is set aside for grants awarded to volunteer or mostly volunteer departments for hiring of firefighters. A mostly volunteer fire department is made up of more than 50 percent of personnel who do not receive financial compensation for their services, other than life, health, and worker’s compensation insurance, or a stipend payment such as paid-on-call. It may be necessary to go out of rank order to select a sufficient number of applications in order to meet the 10 percent requirement.

• If less than 10 percent of the funds available for the hiring of firefighters are awarded to volunteer and mostly volunteer fire departments, the remaining funds must be transferred to the provide grants for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.

VI. Post-Selection and Pre-Award Guidelines

Notice of Award:

FEMA will commence the panel review process within 60 days of the end of the application period. Award decisions for the FY 2011 program will be completed on or before September 30, 2012.

Administrative and Federal Financial Requirements:

All successful applicants for all DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions available on page 6 of http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cfo-financial-management-policy-manual.pdf.

A complete list of Federal Financial Requirements is available at:

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

In addition to the DHS Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions administrative, financial, and reporting requirements list any program-specific administrative and financial reporting requirements successful applicants must comply with once they have received funds.

This information should allow successful applicants to identify any conditions of an award prior to accepting an award.

Programmatic Reporting Requirements:

Reporting requirements must be met throughout the life of the grant (refer to the program guidance and the special conditions found in the award package for a full explanation of these requirements).

Any reports or documents prepared as a result of this grant shall be in compliance with federal “plain English” policies, directives, etc.

1. Federal Financial Report (FFR) – required semi-annually. Recipients of any SAFER grants awarded on or after October 1, 2009, are required to submit a semi-annual Federal Financial Report (FFR, SF-425). The FFR, to be submitted using the online e- Grant system, will be due semi-annually based on the calendar year beginning with the period after the award is made. Grant recipients will be required to submit a FFR throughout the entire period of performance of the grant.

Reporting periods and due dates:

• January 1 – June 30; due July 30

• July 1 – December 31; due January 30

2. Financial and Compliance Audit Report. Recipients that expend $500,000 or more of federal funds during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report. The audit must be performed in accordance with 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/sites/default/files/omb/circulars/a133/a133.pdf. Audit reports are currently due to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse no later than nine months after the end of the recipient’s fiscal year.

In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Comptroller General of the United States shall have access to any books, documents, and records of recipients of FY 2011 assistance for audit and examination purposes, provided that, in the opinion of the Secretary or the Comptroller, these documents are related to the receipt or use of such assistance. The grantee will also give the sponsoring agency or the Comptroller, through any authorized representative, access to, and the right to examine all records, books, papers or documents related to the grant.

The state shall require that sub-grantees comply with the audit requirements set forth in OMB Circular A-133. Recipients are responsible for ensuring that sub-recipient audit reports are received and for resolving any audit findings.

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

Monitoring will be accomplished through a combination of desk-based reviews and on-site monitoring visits. Monitoring will involve the review and analysis of the financial, programmatic, performance and administrative issues relative to each program and will identify areas where technical assistance and other support may be needed.

The recipient is responsible for monitoring award activities, to include sub-awards, to provide reasonable assurance that the federal award is administered in compliance with requirements. Responsibilities include the accounting of receipts and expenditures, cash management, maintaining of adequate financial records, and refunding expenditures disallowed by audits.

4. Grant Close-Out 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 drawndown but remain as unliquidated on grantee financial records.

Required submissions:

(1) Final SF-425; due 90 days from end of grant period

(2) Final progress report; due 90 days from the end of the grant period

VII. DHS FEMA Contact Information This section describes several resources that may help applicants in completing a FEMA grant application.

Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID)

CSID is a non-emergency comprehensive management and information resource developed by DHS for grants stakeholders. CSID provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels. CSID can be reached by phone at (800) 368-6498 or by e-mail at ASKCSID@dhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.

– 6:00 p.m. (EDT).

Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)

FEMA GPD’s Grants Management Division will provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance, to the grant programs included in this solicitation. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the FEMA Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov.

SAFER Help Desk The SAFER program staffs a help desk throughout the application period. The Help Desk can provide assistance with navigation through the automated application as well as provide programmatic assistance with respect to questions of eligibility. The Help Desk can be contacted at 1-866-274-0960 or via e-mail at firegrants@dhs.gov. Hours of operation for the Help Desk during the application period are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(EDT), Monday through Friday.

FEMA Regional Fire Program Specialists Each of the FEMA Regions has specialists that can assist applicants with the application process. Interested parties may contact the SAFER Help Desk for information on the nearest regional specialists.

VIII. Other Critical Information

Additional Information: N/A

IX. How to Apply

DHS makes all funding opportunities available through the common electronic “storefront” grants.gov, accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call the grants.gov customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726.

Applications are accessible via http://www.fema.gov/firegrants. The automated application is designed with help screens and drop-down menus to assist the applicant throughout the application process. Applicants can save their work and retrieve it for updates and revisions through the end of the application period.

X. Application and Submission Information

Applicants will obtain FOA Overviews and Full Announcement information from the Grants.gov website where the full FOA is posted.

For a hardcopy of the full announcement, please call:

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Help Desk 1-866-274-0960

Applications will be processed through http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants

Appendix I Application and Review Information

January 2012

Fiscal Year 2011

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

OVERVIEW

Title of Opportunity: Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency

Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-10-GPD-083-000-01

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

Announcement Type: Annual

Application Dates: Monday, January 30, 2012 to Friday, February 24, 2012.

STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY

RESPONSE GRANTS PROGRAM

What’s New – Fact Sheet

AVAILABLE FUNDING

Appropriated Amount - $404,190,000 Available for Funding - $380,747,000

NEW TOOLS

Get Ready Guide – A handy guide to give you a kick start in prepping your grant application and better prepare you to thoroughly answer the application questions is available at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Quick Reference Guide – A reference guide to assist you in answering application questions and funding priorities is available at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Guidance and Application Kit

1) Appendix l – Application and Review Information

Part l. Funding Opportunity Description Program priorities are listed as High , Medium , or Low .

Within each identified program priority (H, M, L), all the proposed activities within that priority have an equal value.

Part ll. Award Information Part lll. Eligibility Information Part lV. Application and Submission Information Part V. Application Review Information Part VI. Other Information

2) Appendix II – Award Administration Information Part l. Award Administration Information Part ll. FEMA Contacts Part lll. Other Information

Note: These changes ONLY affect the FY 2011 SAFER grants; the new conditions are NOT retroactive and may not remain in effect beyond FY 2011.

ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW INFORMATION – KEY CHANGES

The content of this Program Guidance reflects the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary and FEMA’s implementation of P.L. 112-10 and P.L. 112-74.

Under authorities provided under P.L. 112-74, the following requirements are being waived for the FY 2011 SAFER Grant Program:

Salary limits: There are no annual salary limits.

Cost-share: There is no prescribed cost-share.

Retention commitment: Grantees that are hiring firefighters do not have to commit to retaining the SAFER-funded firefighters.

Period of performance: For Hiring of Firefighters Activity grants, the period of performance has been reduced to 2 years.

Attrition of firefighters during the period of performance: FY 2011 grantees who are unable to back-fill firefighting positions that were vacated due to documentable economic hardship may petition FEMA for a waiver of staffing maintenance requirements. In order to qualify for this waiver, the economic hardship must affect the entire public safety sector in your jurisdiction and not only the fire department.

Under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity, we will distinguish between grants to hire new firefighters and grants to rehire laid-off firefighters, giving applications for the rehiring of firefighters who have been laid off the highest priority over any other hiring request.

Helping our post-9/11 veterans: FEMA strongly encourages applicants, to the extent practicable, to seek, recruit, and hire post-9/11 veterans to increase their ranks within your department in order to take advantage of the provisions of the VOW To Hire Heroes Act of 2011. More information on the Act can be found at http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/other_programs/vow.html. In FY 2012, FEMA anticipates a requirement that all SAFER applicants have a policy in place addressing their intent to implement strategies to support this Act and have recruiting efforts aimed at post-9/11 veterans.

APPENDIX I- CONTENTS

Overview 1 What’s New – Fact Sheet 2 Contents 4 Part I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION 6

A. Introduction 6 B. Criteria Development Process 8 C. Funding Priorities 8

1. Hiring of Firefighters Category 9

a. Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety 9

b. Hiring of New Firefighters Activity 10

c. Meeting National Standards 11

d. Call Volume and Population Served 12

e. Firefighter Health Measures 12

f. Automatic Mutual Aid 13

2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters 13

a. Meeting Staffing Standards 13

b. Volunteer Membership 14

c. Recruitment/Retention Plan 14

d. Call Volume Served 14

e. Firefighter Health Measures 15

f. Training Requirements 15

g. Regional Requests 16

Part II. AWARD INFORMATION 17 Part III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 19

A. Eligible Applicants 19 B. Ineligible Applicants 20 C. Cost Sharing 21 D. Restrictions 21

1. Hiring of Firefighters Category 21

2. Recruitment and Retention Category 22

E. Other Allowable Costs 25 F. Other Funding Restrictions 27 G. Reasonableness of Requests 27

Part IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 28 A. Address to Request Application Package 28 B. Content and Form of Application 28 C. Submission Dates and Times 28

1. Applications are available online 28

2. Paper applications 29

3. DUNS Number 30

4. CCR Registration 30

D. Program Narrative 31 E. Funding Restrictions 32

Part V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 33 A. Review Criteria 33 B. Review and Selection Process 33

1. Hiring of Firefighters Category Narrative Elements 33

a. Project Description 33

b. Impact on Daily Operations 34

c. Cost/Benefit 34

d. Financial Need 34

e. Performance (additional consideration) 34

2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters 34 Activity Narrative Elements

a. Project Description 34

b. Impact on Daily Operations 35

c. Financial Need 35

d. Cost/Benefit 35

e. Performance (additional consideration) 35

C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 35 Part VI. SAFER Grant Definitions 36

PART I.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate implements and administers the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants.

SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters, rehire firefighters that have been laid off, retain firefighters facing imminent layoffs, or fill positions that were vacated through attrition.

SAFER Goal

Assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities in order to respond to emergencies, assuring communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

SAFER offers grants to support activities in two categories:

1. Hiring of Firefighters

2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters

The authority for SAFER is derived from the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. §2229a et seq.).

SAFER Funding Amount

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, Congress appropriated $404,190,000 for SAFER grants; the amount available for funding will be $380,747,000. The FY 2011 appropriated funds are available until September 30, 2012.

Cost Share Waivers

According to P.L 112-74, there are no cost-sharing requirements for funds under the FY 2011 appropriations.

Maintenance of Staffing Requirement

According to P.L. 112-74, FY 2011 grantees who are unable to back-fill firefighting positions that were vacated due to documentable economic hardship may petition FEMA for a waiver of staffing maintenance requirements. In order to qualify for this waiver, the economic hardship must affect the entire public safety sector in your jurisdiction, and not only the fire department.

Period of Performance

For Hiring of Firefighters Activity grants, the period of performance has been reduced to 2 years, according to P.L. 112-74.

Salary Cap Waiver

According to P.L. 112-74, there are no annual salary limits.

Retention of Firefighters

There is a waiver on supplanting in light of the provisions in Public Law 112-74. The primary intent for the supplanting waiver is to assist departments that have issued a formal layoff notice.

This includes a specific date for the layoff action, prior to the start of the application period, and those who face imminent layoff, within 90 days of the close of the application period.

Layoffs

SAFER grantees that lay off any firefighters during the SAFER grant’s period of performance will be considered in default of their award and the grant will be terminated.

B. Criteria Development Process Each year, FEMA convenes a panel of fire service professionals to develop funding priorities for AFG grant opportunities. The panel makes recommendations about funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants.

The nine major fire service organizations represented on the panel include:

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• National Volunteer Fire Council

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• International Association of Arson Investigators

• International Society of Fire Service Instructors

• North American Fire Training Directors

• Congressional Fire Service Institute

The content of this SAFER Program Guidance reflects implementation of the criteria development panel’s recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and criteria for awards. Based on the recommendations, funding priority is given to applications that effectively address the evaluation elements as outlined.

C. Funding Priorities SAFER intends to improve or restore local fire departments’ staffing and deployment capabilities so they may more effectively respond to emergencies. With the enhanced or restored staffing, a SAFER grantee’s response time will be reduced sufficiently and an appropriate number of trained personnel will be assembled at the incident scene.

While not required for a SAFER grant, it is preferable that the enhanced or restored staffing levels of all SAFER grantees should improve the safety of firefighters by ensuring all first-arriving apparatus are staffed with a minimum of four qualified personnel (to meet OSHA standards) who are capable of initiating the suppression response. Ultimately, SAFER grantees should achieve more efficient responses and safer incident scenes thereby ensuring communities have improved protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

SAFER grants are comprised of two primary categories

1. Hiring of Firefighters (hiring new or rehiring laid-off firefighters)

2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters

1. Hiring of Firefighters Category The highest priority in the Hiring of Firefighters activity is for departments seeking to rehire firefighters who have been laid off.

Hierarchy of Priorities

First priority: Rehiring laid-off firefighters

Second priorities: Retention of firefighters who face imminent layoff and/or filling positions vacated through attrition but not filled due to economic circumstances

Third priority: Hiring new firefighters

The exceptions to these priorities are the statutory requirements that no less than 15 percent be awarded to new hire applicants as discussed in the Hiring of New Firefighters Activity, and the statutory requirement to award no less than 10 percent of funds to volunteer and mostly volunteer departments.

All grantees under the Hiring Category will have a two-year period of performance

If a SAFER grantee loses any firefighters for any reason such as attrition or termination during the two year commitment, the grantee must fill the position(s) or lose funding for the position(s) until the vacancy or vacancies are filled unless the grantee has been afforded a waiver of this requirement.

Laying off firefighters during the two-year period of performance will result in the termination of the grant award.

a. Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety

Under the rehiring of firefighters activity there are three categories:

• Rehiring of laid off firefighters

• Retention of firefighters facing possible layoffs

• Filling of attrited positions

These grants are awarded directly to combination and career fire departments to enable restoration of staffing levels to attain a more effective level of response and a safer incident scene.

Rehiring

Eligible positions for funding under the rehiring of laid off firefighters category must have been the object of a layoff between January 1, 2008 and the application deadline (February 24, 2012).

Retention

Firefighters who have been issued a formal layoff notice, which includes a specific date for the layoff action, prior to the start of the application period, and who face imminent layoff – within 90 days of the close of the application period – will be eligible for SAFER funding under the retention category.

The application period closes on February 24, 2012 and therefore the layoffs must become effective on or before May 24, 2012.

Note: Any layoff action not executed in accordance with the terms of the official layoff notice or which does not meet the above requirements may not qualify for funding in the rehiring of laid-off firefighters or retention categories. Applicants that do not meet these parameters must apply under the attrition category or Hiring New Firefighters Activity.

Attrition

Eligible vacancies for funding under the attrition category must have occurred between January 1, 2008 and the start of the application period.

Funding provides fire departments with money to pay 100 percent of the salaries and benefits (exclusive of overtime) for grants awarded under the rehiring, retention, and/or attrition categories.

Grantees must maintain staffing at the level that existed at the time of award as well as the SAFER-funded staffing for the two-year commitment.

Laying off firefighters during the two-year commitment will result in termination of the grant award.

Only firefighters hired or rehired after the SAFER Grant award date, except if applying under the retention activity, are eligible for grant funding.

b. Hiring of New Firefighters Activity

New Hire

FEMA…