FY 2022 _FMA Swift Current NOFO.pdf

FY 2022 FMA Swift Current NOFO Back to the Top

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fiscal Year

2022 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Swift Current

NOTE: All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have an official identifier. Currently, the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, which is a unique nine-digit number established and assigned by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) free of charge, is the official identifier for doing business with the U.S. Government. D&B assigns a DUNS number for each physical location of a business. Requesting a DUNS number takes about 10 minutes. Receiving a DUNS number takes 1–2 business days (under normal circumstances) when using the D&B web form. System for Award Management (SAM), SAM.gov information can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

Grants.gov registration information can be found at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO.

On April 4, 2022, the DUNS number will be replaced by a “new, non-proprietary identifier” requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

This new identifier is being called the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Planned Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Updates and Grant Application Forms are available on gsa.gov at https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update.

Additional Information can be found on Grants.gov:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html

Table of Contents A. Program Description

1. Issued By

2. Assistance Listings Number

3. Assistance Listings Title

4. Funding Opportunity Title

5. Funding Opportunity Number

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Category

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

11. Performance Measures

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $60,000,000.00 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html

2. Projected Number of Awards`

3. Period of Performance

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s)

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s):

6. Funding Instrument Type:

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

3. Other Eligibility Criteria

4. Cost Share or Match

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

3. Address to Request Application Package

4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for

Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application

5. Electronic Delivery

6. How to Register to Apply

7. Submitting the Application in MT eGrants

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

10. Other Submission Requirements

11. Intergovernmental Review

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. Monitoring and Oversight

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1. Contact and Resource Information

2. Systems Information

H. Additional Information

1. Termination Provisions

2. Unique Entity Identifier

3. Program Evaluation

4. Period of Performance Extensions

5. Disability Integration

6. Conflicts of Interest in the Administration of Federal Awards or Subawards

7. Procurement Integrity

8. Record Retention

9. Actions to Address Noncompliance

10. Audits

11. Payment Information

12. Whole Community Preparedness

13. Extraordinary Circumstances

14. Integrating Mitigation and Planning

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Resilience/Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA)/Mitigation Directorate/Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Division

2. Assistance Listings Number

97.029

3. Assistance Listings Title Flood Mitigation Assistance

4. Funding Opportunity Title Fiscal Year 2022 Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current (FMA Swift Current)

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-22-MT-029-000-99

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Section 1366 of The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended (Pub. L. No. 90-

448) (42 U.S.C. § 4104c) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. No. 117- 58).

7. Appropriation Authority for Program Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. No. 117-58 135 Stat. 1387–1388 (2021).

8. Announcement Type Initial

9. Program Category

Mitigation: Natural Hazards

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program makes federal funds available to states, U.S.

territories, federally recognized tribal governments, and local communities to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The FY22 FMA Swift Current Program aims to better align the delivery of FMA flood mitigation funding to the disaster survivor experience. Under this limited program, funds will be made available to Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi for individual flood mitigation projects. (Refer to Section C.1, Eligible Applicants). Making Swift Current funds available in four states across four FEMA regions will provide FEMA with learning opportunities to inform future iterations of Swift Current moving forward. A four-state implementation in FY22 is manageable and appropriate due to the limited amount of funding available. Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi received major disaster declarations from Hurricane Ida or Remnants of Hurricane Ida. Of states that received major disaster declarations from this event, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi were selected because they have the highest severe repetitive loss (SRL)/repetitive loss (RL) insured unmitigated properties and total claims (by count) within their respective FEMA Regions.

FMA Swift Current recognizes growing flood hazards associated with climate change,1 and of the need for flood hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to flooding. These include both acute, extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in the future.

The FMA Swift Current Program aligns with the 2020-2024 DHS Strategic Plan through pursuing Goal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience. Specifically, Objective 5.1: Build a National Culture of Preparedness has several sub-objectives that the FMA Program supports.

FMA serves primarily to bolster Sub-Objective 5.1.1: Incentivize investments that reduce risk and increase pre-disaster mitigation, including expanding the use of insurance to manage risk through funding flood mitigation projects. The FMA Swift Current program addresses Presidential Policy Directive 21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience, and supports the mitigation mission area through Objective 1.2 Remove barriers to FEMA programs through a people first approach and Objective 2.2 Build climate resilient communities, of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan.

b. Objectives The FMA Swift Current aims to obligate flood mitigation dollars for SRL, RL, and Substantially Damaged properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as quickly and equitably as possible following a disaster event.

The FMA program also aims to promote equity in delivery of FMA Swift Current funds in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. In implementing the Justice40 Initiative, the FMA program is prioritizing assistance that benefits disadvantaged communities as referenced in Executive Order (EO) 14008. A disadvantaged community may be characterized by variables including, but not limited to: low income, high and/or persistent poverty, high unemployment and underemployment, racial and ethnic segregation particularly where the segregation stems from discrimination by government entities, linguistic isolation, high housing cost burden and substandard housing, distressed neighborhoods, high transportation cost burden and/or low transportation access, disproportionate environmental burden and high cumulative impacts, limited water and sanitation access and affordability, disproportionate climate impacts, and high energy cost burden and low energy access, jobs lost through the energy transition, and access to health care, and all geographic areas within Tribal jurisdictions.

FY22 FMA Swift Current funds are sourced from funding made available for FY22 Flood Mitigation Assistance via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding allows increased federal cost share for properties located within a census tract with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) score of not less

1 Climate change is defined as “Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types of severe weather events, and changes to other features of the climate system.” (National Climate Assessment) https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2021/07/20/the-path-to-achieving-justice40/ than 0.5001. (Refer to Section C.4, Cost Share or Match).

In FY22 FMA Swift Current, the FMA program is using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) at the census tract level for selection prioritization for state subapplications if needed after the expiration of the estimated state allocations.

c. Priorities FEMA will distribute the available FY22 FMA Swift Current funding within the Estimated State Allocations in the following priorities:

I. INDIVIDUAL FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS OF SRL, RL, AND

SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED PROPERTIES

Projects that mitigate the risk of flooding to individual NFIP-insured structures that are SRL, RL, and structures that have been deemed Substantially Damaged after August 26, 2021.

For more information on FY22 FMA Swift Current funding priorities and eligible activities, see Section E, Application Review Information, Review, and Selection Process.

For more information about uses of assistance under the FY22 FMA Swift Current refer to FMA resources at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods/fma-resources.

11. Performance Measures

The FMA Swift Current aims to implement projects that reduce flood risks posed to repetitively flooded properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) quickly and equitably, by funding priority projects and activities after a state receives a Major Disaster Declaration. Recipients will be required to provide critical data, and this information will be used for performance management and program evaluation. Following award notification, FEMA will provide additional guidance on required data collection(s).

FEMA will track the rate of obligation for individually flooded properties (specifically, the average number of days between the disaster declaration date and the obligation date) and benefits to Justice40 communities. FEMA will also collect data in order to assess the performance and evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced outreach to disadvantaged communities.

FEMA will assess input and output indicators of each federal award by measuring the total properties mitigated that carry a Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) and Repetitive Loss (RL) definition pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 4104c(h)(2) and (3), are deemed Substantially Damaged pursuant to 44 C.F.R. § 59.1 after August 26, 2021, that are included in a final mitigation action.

Additionally, FEMA’s approach to benefit-cost analysis (BCA) is a method used to determine whether a project is cost-effective and is generally described as an estimation of the future benefits of a project compared to its cost (also known as the benefit-cost ratio [BCR]). Simply put, the BCR is derived from a project’s risk-reduction benefits divided by its project cost. A project is considered to be cost effective when the BCR is 1.0 or greater, indicating FEMA expects the benefits of a prospective hazard mitigation project are sufficient to justify the costs. For more information on FEMA’s BCA methodology, please visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods/fma-resources https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis.

FEMA will further assess the recipient’s performance against the program objective during the award closeout process as outlined in Section F.3.c of this NOFO.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $60,000,000.00

a. Estimated State Allocation for Louisiana: $40,000,000.00

b. Estimated State Allocation for New Jersey: $10,000,000.00

c. Estimated State Allocation for Pennsylvania: $ 5,000,000.00

d. Estimated State Allocation for Mississippi: $ 5,000,000.00

Funds available in the FY22 FMA Swift Current are prioritized to selected states impacted by Hurricane Ida or Remnants of Hurricane Ida. Estimated state allocation determinations are roughly proportionate to the number of SRL/RL properties in each of the eligible states.

Four months after the application period opens, the estimated state allocations will expire. Any remaining unused funds will be available to any other eligible applicant under this NOFO (i.e., Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi). Applicants are encouraged to include subapplications beyond their estimated allocation amount. Federal funding caps for the FMA Swift Current are as follows:

Estimated State Allocation & Activity Caps

• The estimated state allocation may be used for individual flood mitigation projects that mitigate the risk of flooding to individual NFIP-insured structures that are SRL, RL, or are structures that have been deemed Substantially Damaged after August 26, 2021.

• The federal share requested in the federal share of a subapplication may not exceed the state’s designated estimated allocation.

Management Costs Applicants and subapplicants are eligible to receive management costs (direct and indirect administrative costs pursuant to 2 CFR part 200 Subpart E).

Subapplicants may submit up to 5 percent of the total budget of the subapplication for management costs. The total budget refers to the sum of non-federal and federal shares of the proposed subapplication. Subapplicants must use subapplicant management costs to manage their subaward activities. Subapplicant management costs will not exceed 5 percent of the total subapplication budget.

Applicants may submit up to 10 percent of the application budget inclusive of subapplicant management costs for applicants to administer and manage award and subaward activities.

The subapplicant management costs (up to 5 percent) must be added to the subapplication total budget prior to the calculation of the applicant management costs (up to 10 percent). Applicant management costs will not exceed 10 percent of the total application budget.

https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis

If the applicant is also acting as the subapplicant, the applicant is allowed to claim subapplicant (up to 5 percent) and applicant management costs (up to 10 percent). Uses of the applicant management costs must be distinct from subapplicant management costs and must adhere to the stated uses, even if being used by the same entity. The total management cost still will not exceed 15 percent of the total award.

For more information about the cost share for management costs, refer to Section D.12.c Management Costs of this NOFO and Part III Section C Cost Sharing in HMA Guidance available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/103279.

Indirect costs of administering the FMA program are eligible as part of the 10 percent management costs for the recipient or the 5 percent management costs of the subrecipient, but in no case do they make the recipient eligible for additional management costs that exceed the caps identified in the language above in this section. In addition, all costs must be in accordance with the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Parts 200 and 3002. Refer to Section D.12.c Management Costs of this NOFO.

2. Projected Number of Awards:

3. Period of Performance: 36 months

4 awards, 30 subawards

The Period of Performance (POP) is 36 months, starting on the date of the recipient’s federal award. Any subsequent amendments to the federal award will not extend the POP unless explicitly stated.

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information on period of performance extensions, please refer to Section H of this NOFO, Additional Information, Period of Performance Extensions.

FEMA awards typically only include one budget period, including under this program, so it will be same as the period of performance. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 for definitions of “budget period” and “period of performance.”

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

FEMA anticipates making awards on a rolling basis throughout the application period and up to six months after the closing of the application period.

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 36 months from date of award unless otherwise approved by FEMA

6. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

• Louisiana

• New Jersey

• Pennsylvania https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/103279

• Mississippi

Each eligible state shall designate one agency to serve as the applicant for FMA Swift Current funding. Each applicant’s designated agency may submit only one FMA grant application to

FEMA.

Local governments, including cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and tribal governments (including federally recognized tribes who choose to apply as subapplicants), are considered subapplicants and must submit subapplications to their state applicant agency. Certain political subdivisions (i.e., regional flood control districts or county governments) may apply and act as subapplicants if they are part of a community participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) where the political subdivision provides zoning and building code enforcement or planning and community development professional services for that community. Contact information for the State Hazard Mitigation Officers (SHMOs) is provided on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/state-contacts.

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

• All subapplicants must be participating in the NFIP, and not be withdrawn, on probation, or suspended. NFIP community status can be verified at https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-status-book.

• Structures identified in the subapplication must have an NFIP policy (including a Group Flood Insurance Policy [GFIP]) in effect prior to the opening of the application period and the policy must be maintained throughout the life of the structure. The requirement of maintaining flood insurance shall apply during the life of the property, regardless of transfer of ownership of such property. If the subapplicant does not comply with this requirement, FEMA may take one or more actions as remedies for noncompliance, as appropriate. This could include disallowing all or part of the cost of the activity or action not in compliance. For additional details see 2 C.F.R. § 200.339.

• Applicants must have a FEMA-approved State Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 201 by the application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds for subapplications. More detailed information is provided in Part III, E.5, Hazard Mitigation Plan Requirement, of the HMA Guidance, available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/103279. Integrating mitigation and planning, while not required, is encouraged. See section H.13 for additional information.

• Subapplicants must have a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with 44 C.F.R. Part 201 by the application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds for project subapplications. Integrating mitigation and planning, while not required, is encouraged. See section H.13 for additional information.

3. Other Eligibility Criteria

• All non-critical structure elevation, dry floodproofing, and mitigation reconstruction projects in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) must apply, at a minimum, the flood elevations of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard’s Freeboard Value Approach. All other types of projects are strongly encouraged to apply the flood elevations of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard’s Freeboard Value Approach. For more information about partial implementation of the Federal Flood Risk https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/state-contacts https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/state-contacts https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-status-book

Management Standard for Hazard Mitigation Programs, view FEMA Policy FP-206-21- 0003.

• For critical actions in the Special Flood Hazard Area, the elevation requirements from 44 C.F.R. § 9.11 continue to apply. For any new construction or substantial improvement of structures, the lowest floor of the structure (including the basement) must be at or above the level of the 500-year flood.

• All individual flood mitigation project subapplications submitted as part of an FMA Swift Current grant application must be consistent with the goals and objectives identified in: the current, FEMA-approved State or Tribal (Standard or Enhanced) Mitigation Plan, and the local mitigation plan for the jurisdiction in which the project is located. Hazard Mitigation Plans should reflect state-wide mitigation priorities, across all potential federal and non-federal mitigation funding sources.

• Properties included in individual flood mitigation project subapplications must be SRL properties, RL properties, or properties that were deemed Substantially Damaged after August 26, 2021.

• Per 44 C.F.R. § 59.1, Substantial Damage means damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred. A determination of “Substantial Damage” applies to a severely damaged home or other structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area, regardless of the cause of damage, where the community participates in the NFIP. FEMA does not make substantial damage determinations; the determination is made by a local building official or floodplain manager. For more details, see https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/substantial-damage-determinations. See Section C Eligibility Information, Cost Share or Match for definitions of SRL and RL properties.

4. Cost Share or Match Cost share is required for all subapplications funded under this program.

FEMA may contribute up to 100 percent federal cost share for severe repetitive loss (SRL) properties within individual property flood mitigation projects. An SRL property as defined under 42 U.S.C. § 4104c(h)(3) (updated by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012) is a structure that:

(a) Is covered under a contract for flood insurance made available under the NFIP; and

(b) Has incurred flood-related damage

i. For which four or more separate claims payments (includes building and contents) have been made under flood insurance coverage with the amount of each such claim exceeding $5,000, and with the cumulative amount of such claim payments exceeding $20,000, or

ii. For which at least two separate claims payments (includes only building) have been made under such coverage, with the cumulative amount of such claims exceeding the market value of the insured structure.

FEMA may contribute up to 90 percent federal cost share for repetitive loss (RL) properties.

An RL property as defined under 42 U.S.C. § 4121(a)(7) is a structure covered by a contract for flood insurance made available under the NFIP that:

https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/substantial-damage-determinations https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/substantial-damage-determinations

(a) Has incurred flood-related damage on two occasions, in which the cost of the repair, on the average, equaled or exceeded 25 percent of the market value of the structure at the time of each such flood event; and

(b) At the time of the second incidence of flood-related damage, the contract for flood insurance contains Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage.

To receive an increased federal cost share under these provisions, properties must meet one of the definitions for either a SRL or RL property. Applicants and subapplicants that are requesting an increased federal cost share must submit documentation with their application or subapplication demonstrating that properties meet these definitions. If documentation is not submitted with the application or subapplication to support a reduced non-federal cost share, FEMA will provide no more than 75 percent federal cost share of the total eligible costs. The remaining 25 percent of eligible activity costs are derived from non-federal sources.

Further, as a result of funding made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), FEMA may contribute up to 90 percent federal cost share for a property located within a census tract with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) score of not less than 0.5001. Subapplicants and applicants can view their CDC SVI at https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/data_documentation_download.html.

For structures that are not SRL or RL or not located within a census tract with a CDC SVI score of 0.5001 or greater, the cost share for this program is 75 percent federal / 25 percent non-federal. This means federal funding is available for up to 75 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 25 percent of eligible costs must be derived from non-federal sources. For example, if the total cost of the activity is $400,000 and the non-federal cost share is 25 percent, then the non-federal contribution is $100,000: 25 percent of $400,000 is $100,000. This amount would be provided by the applicant. Likewise, the federal share of that activity would be $300,000:

75 percent of $400,000 is $300,000. This amount would be provided by FEMA. FEMA may consider the non-federal cost share based on availability of remaining federal funds, as noted in Section E, Application Review Information.

Structures with different federal cost-share requirements can be submitted in a single project subapplication. The overall project federal cost share documented in the Cost Share Section of the project subapplication should reflect the combined federal cost shares of the structures. For example, a project with $100,000 costs for one SRL structure funded at 100 percent federal cost share plus $100,000 costs for one RL structure funded at 90 percent federal cost share will have an overall project federal cost share of 95 percent, or $190,000, of the $200,000 total cost for both structures.

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

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/data_documentation_download.html

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

More detailed information is provided in Part III, C, and Cost Sharing, of the HMA Guidance, available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/103279.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: 04/01/2022

b. Expiration of Estimated State Allocations: 08/01/2022 at 12:00:00 PM ET

Applications will be reviewed for eligibility on a rolling timeline as they are submitted to FEMA. Four months after the application period opens, the estimated state allocations will expire. Any remaining funds will be available to eligible applicants. For more information see Section E, Application Review Information, Review, and Selection Process.

c. Application Submission Deadline: 10/03/2022 at 12:00:00 PM ET

All applications must be received by the established deadline.

Please note that FEMA deadlines listed in this NOFO refer to application deadlines for the applicants. Subapplicants should consult with their applicant agency to confirm subapplication deadlines to the applicant if applicable.

To be considered timely, an FMA Swift Current grant application must be submitted by the application deadline via FEMA’s MT eGrants, and the applicant must have received a confirmation message in MT eGrants that indicates successful FMA Swift Current grant submission to FEMA. For additional information on how an applicant will be notified of application receipt, see the subsection titled “Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission” in Section D of this NOFO.

FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider these late applications for funding.

Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify FEMA as soon as possible and before the application deadline. Failure to timely notify FEMA of the issue that prevented the timely filing of the application may preclude consideration of the award. “Timely notification” of FEMA means the following: prior to the application deadline and within 48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue. FEMA may extend the application deadline for technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission by the deadline.

A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information.” For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Program Analyst or Grants Management Specialist. If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) by phone at (800) 368-6498 or by e-mail at askcsid@fema.dhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

d. Other Key Dates

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion

Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline Obtaining a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Creating an account with login.gov Four weeks before actual submission deadline Registering in SAM or Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Registering in MT eGrants system Four weeks before actual submission deadline Submitting the final application in MT eGrants By the submission deadline

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

FEMA will only process applications received via MT eGrants.

Information, training and resources on MT eGrants are available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/mitigation-egrants-system-resources (see section G, DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information, of this

NOFO).

Hard copies of the NOFO can be downloaded at Grants.gov or obtained via email from the Awarding Office points of contact listed in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information” or by TTY (800) 462-7585.

For a hard copy of the full NOFO, please write a request to:

Angela Gladwell Director, Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division, Mitigation Directorate Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Federal Emergency Management Agency mailto:askcsid@fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/mitigation-egrants-system-resources https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/mitigation-egrants-system-resources https://www.grants.gov/

400 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472

4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award

Management (SAM), and Submit an Application Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Applicants are encouraged to register early as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines.

Please review the table above for estimated deadlines to complete each of the steps listed.

Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting an application may disqualify that application from funding.

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

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if applicable, and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide a valid DUNS number, if applicable, or UEI;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

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

e. Register in MT eGrants;

f. Submit the complete application in MT eGrants; and

g. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

Applicants are advised that FEMA may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when FEMA is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant’s or recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, FEMA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(c)(2)(iii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from receiving a DUNS number, if applicable, and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible by contacting askcsid@fema.dhs.gov and providing the details of the circumstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If FEMA determines that there are exigent circumstances and FEMA has decided to make an award, the applicant will be required to obtain a DUNS number, if applicable, and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award https://www.login.gov/ mailto:askcsid@fema.dhs.gov date.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.

For this funding opportunity, FEMA requires applicants to submit applications through MT eGrants.

6. How to Register to Apply

a. General Instructions:

Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for FEMA funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have a DUNS number (if applicable) or UEI, an EIN, an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration and Grants.gov account to apply for grants.

b. Obtain a DUNS Number, if applicable:

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, prior to April 4, 2022, must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number, if applicable, or UEI in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

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

c. Obtain Employer Identification Number

All entities applying for funding must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

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

d. Create a login.gov account:

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

https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html 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://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3 https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3

Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For applicants that are existing SAM users, use the same email address for the login.gov account as with SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

e. Register with SAM:

All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

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

Note: As a new requirement per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

I. ADDITIONAL SAM REMINDERS

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, if applicable, 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 it may be an additional 24 hours before FEMA’s system recognizes the information.

It is imperative that the information applicants provide is correct and current. Please ensure that your organization’s name, address, and EIN are up to date in SAM and that the DUNS number (if applicable) or UEI 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.

II. 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/gsafsd_sp or call toll free

(866) 606-8220.

f. Register in MT eGrants Applicants must register in MT eGrants. For more information, see https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/fema_mt-egrants-frequently-asked-questions_support_document_March_2018.pdf.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/fema_mt-egrants-frequently-asked-questions_support_document_March_2018.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/fema_mt-egrants-frequently-asked-questions_support_document_March_2018.pdf

7. Submitting the Application in MT eGrants Subapplicants must create project subapplications and submit them to their applicant organization. Subapplicants should contact their applicant agency for information specific to their State’s application process. Contact information for the SHMOs is provided on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers. If a subapplicant does not use FEMA’s grant application system to submit project subapplications to the applicant, then the applicant must enter the subapplication(s) into MT eGrants on the subapplicant’s behalf.

Applicants must review and approve subapplications submitted by their subapplicants.

Applicants must ensure that accurate NFIP policy numbers and RL numbers are included in the Properties section of project subapplications in MT eGrants to be considered for competitive property flood mitigation project funding. For structures that are deemed Substantially Damaged after August 26, 2021, applicants must include a certification that the structures meet these conditions.

Applicants must create an FMA grant application and approve the subapplications. The approved project and management costs subapplications may then be submitted and added to the application by the applicant and/or subapplicants.

While FEMA will be reviewing and awarding projects on a rolling basis, applicants must rank all subapplications in MT eGrants.

Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D.10 of this NOFO, “Content and Form of Application Submission.” The Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab under the SF-424 family on Grants.gov. Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.

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

For additional application submission requirements, including program-specific requirements, please refer to the subsection titled “Content and Form of Application Submission” under Section D of this NOFO.

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be completed in MT eGrants by the application deadline. MT eGrants automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when MT eGrants successfully receives the application. The Applicant who submitted the FMA grant applications prior to the submission deadline will receive a confirmation message, including the assigned FMA application number in FEMA’s grant application system (e.g., FMA-01-MA-2017). In addition, once FEMA receives and delegates the FMA grant application to begin the review process, FEMA’s grant application system will automatically send an email message to the Point(s) of Contact (POC) identified in the grant application.

https://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers https://www.grants.gov/forms/sf-424-family.html

Applicants who experience system-related issues will be addressed until 12:00 PM ET on Thursday, July 28. No new system-related issues will be addressed that arise after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Standard Required Application Forms and Information

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via MT eGrants. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.Applicants may require their subapplicants to complete and attach the grant application and/or Assurance and Certifications forms to their subapplications in MT eGrants. Subapplicants should contact their applicant agency for information specific to their State/territory/tribe’s application process. Contact information for the SHMOs is provided on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers.

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction) o For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information (Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424A

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

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

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• Indirect Cost Agreement or Proposal if the budget includes indirect costs and the applicant is required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal. If the applicant does not have or is not required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal, please see Section D.12 of this NOFO, “Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs,” for further information regarding allowability of indirect costs and whether alternatives to an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal might be available, or contact the relevant FEMA staff identified in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information” for further instructions.

Generally, applicants have to submit either the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and SF-424B) or construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D), meaning that applicants that only have construction work and do not have any non-construction work need only submit the construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D) and not the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and SF-424B), and vice versa. However, applicants who have both construction and non-construction work under this program need to submit both the construction and non-construction forms.

b. Program-Specific Required Forms and Information

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in MT eGrants.

I. MANAGEMENT COSTS

States are eligible to receive management costs consisting of a maximum of 10 percent of the project activities awarded to the State, each fiscal year under FMA. These costs must be included in the application to FEMA.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.fema.gov/state-hazard-mitigation-officers…