fy2012 fp&s funding opportunity announcement-final.pdf

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants

Funding Opportunity Announcement

December 2012

Fiscal Year 2012

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Issued By: US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 97.044

CFDA Title: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

Funding Opportunity Announcement Title: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S)

Authorizing Authority for Program: Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. § 2229 et seq.), as amended.

Appropriation Authority for Program: Firefighter Assistance Grants Section within the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2012, (Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-74).

FOA Number: DHS-12-GPD-044-000-98

Key Dates and Times:

Application Start Date: 12/17/2012 Application Submission Date: 1/18/2013 at 5:00 p.m. ET Funding Selection Date: N/A Award Date: No later than 9/30/13

FEMA will commence the panel review process within 60 days of the end of the application period.

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: DHS makes all funding opportunities available through the common electronic “storefront” Grants.gov and is 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.

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select “Apply for Grants,” and then select “Download Application Package.”

Enter the CFDA and/or the funding opportunity number located on the cover of this announcement.

Select “Download Application Package,” and then follow the prompts to download the application package. To download the instructions, go to “Download Application Package” and select “Instructions.”

The FY 2012 FP&S Grants Application will be accessible beginning 12/17/2012 at 8:00 am (ET) on the AFG Web site at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants/ and the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov.

The automated application has been designed with “help screens” and “drop-down menus” to assist the applicant throughout the application process. The application can be saved and retrieved for update and revision until the end of the application period.

Please 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.

Accordingly, the system alerts the applicant when required information has not been entered. By submitting an application on-line, the applicant will automatically receive confirmation via e-mail that their application has been successfully submitted. Do not submit multiple applications. Multiple applications submitted on behalf of any one applicant will all be deemed ineligible.

Paper applications are available. However, they are discouraged because of the inherent delays associated with their processing. Additionally, paper applications do not have the advantage of the built-in assistance of the electronic application or the assurance the application has been accurately completed before mailing.

Applicants who wish to apply for FP&S Grants by paper may request a paper application to 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.

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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, January 18, 2013. Only electronic applications submitted via the on-line 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. Applicants should also record their username and password for future access to their application. No confirmation will be issued for paper applications.

Incomplete applications or applications submitted via any other electronic means, including e-mail or fax, will automatically be deemed ineligible.

Paper applications should be mailed to the following address:

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 will be disqualified and ineligible for funding.

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 their 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 the Inspector General for further action, as appropriate.

Applicants are encouraged to utilize available application tools to prepare a competitive grant application while adhering to the FP&S Application Requirements. The FY2012 FP&S Grants Get Ready Guide identifies important elements that must be addressed during the grant application process. The FY2012 FP&S Grant Self-Evaluation Sheet was developed to assist applicants understand the evaluation criteria that must be addressed in the Narrative Statement. These tools are available for applicants at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants/.

A.Content and Form of Application Eligible applicants apply for FP&S Grant funding on-line via the “e-Grants” application. The system will allow an authorized representative of an organization to log in and create a username and password for the applicant. The selection of the authorized representative is at the discretion of each applicant. If your organization submitted an application in previous years, we advise you to use the same username and password used for previous applications.

If your organization is submitting more than one FY 2012 application (AFG or SAFER), you must use the same username and password used for prior year applications for each FY 2012 application.

Failure to use your existing user name and password could delay the processing of your application.

When filling out the on-line application, applicants are required to provide general information regarding their departments and the community they serve. The applicant will provide detailed information regarding the items or activities for which they are seeking funding.

The applicant will also have to provide a Narrative Statement describing such project details as cost of the project, their financial needs, and the benefits that the project will have on the applicant’s operations.

Finally, applicants will have to fill out Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities and FEMA Form 20-16C, Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

B. DUNS Number As of October 1, 2003, all applicants applying for federal grants are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

The DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company Dun & Bradstreet. Applicants are encouraged to obtain the DUNS number either prior to the start of the application period or early in the application period, since it may take up to 14 business days to obtain one.

There is no charge for a DUNS number. It can be requested by registering on-line at http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html or by calling 1-800-333-0505.

Applicants who already have a DUNS number under other grant opportunities of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program or any other federal program should use the same number on their FY 2012 FP&S Application.

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C. System for Award Management (SAM) On July 29, 2010, the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) was moved into the System for Award Management (SAM). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance to federal agencies which requires all prime recipients of federal grants to register in SAM. SAM is the primary vendor database for the US Federal Government to collect, validate, store, and disseminate data from a secure centralized system. SAM consolidated the capabilities found in CCR and other federal procurement systems into one new system.

There is no charge to register in SAM.gov. Your registration must be completed on-line at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. It is your organization’s responsibility to have a valid DUNS number at the time of registration. If you had an active record in CCR, you have an active record in SAM but may need to validate your organization’s information.

For registration, go to https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

• A DUNS number is required to apply for a grant and to register in SAM.

• The new SAM registration is not a requirement to apply for a grant but as a potential grantee, you should register.

• If your city already has a DUNS number, check first to see if the city is already registered in SAM and if their SAM is current.

• SAM Registrants must revalidate their registration at least once per year to maintain an active status.

Step 1: Access the SAM on-line registration through the SAM home page.

Click Start New Registration. You must have a Data Universal Numbering (DUNS) number in order to begin the registration process.

Step 2: Complete and submit the on-line registration. If you already have the necessary information on hand, the on-line registration takes approximately one hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of your business or organization.

The necessary information includes:

1. General Information – Includes, but is not limited to, DUNS number, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, company name, Federal Tax Identification Number (TIN), location, receipts, employee numbers, and web site address.

2. Corporate Information – Includes, but is not limited to, organization or business type and Small Business Association (SBA)-defined socioeconomic characteristics.

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3. Goods and Services Information – Includes, but is not limited to, North American Industry

Classification System (NAICS) code, Product Service (PSC) code, and Federal Supply Classification (FSC) code.

4. Financial Information – Includes, but is not limited to, financial institution, American Banking Association (ABA) routing number, account number, remittance address, lock box number, automated clearing house (ACH) information, and credit card information.

5. Point of Contact (POC) Information – Includes, but is not limited to, the primary and alternate points of contact and the electronic business, past performance, and government points of contact.

6. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Information – Includes, but is not limited to, the EDI point of contact and his or her telephone, e-mail, and physical address. (Note: EDI Information is optional and may be provided only for those businesses interested in conducting transactions through EDI.)

Once a grantee has registered within SAM, the registration is valid for 12 months. The grantee must renew his/her registration each year. If a grantee’s registration is expired or inactive, the user must get his/her registration reset by calling the SAM Helpline at 866- 606-8220.

D. Other Submission Requirements All applicants are required to provide details of their projects in a written Narrative Statement as well as a specific description of the supporting budget. The Narrative Statement should correlate the proposed projects to the evaluation criteria defined below (Part V).

In the process of submitting an on-line application, all applicants should use the Web site’s “save” feature often, as the electronic application includes an inactivity “time-out” feature. If no “save” activity is detected for a period of time, the “time-out” feature is activated and all information entered, but not previously saved, will be lost.

Therefore, it is recommended applicants type the Narrative Statement off-line using either a word processing program such as MSWord, Word Perfect, Notepad, etc., or the Narrative Worksheet available in the on-line applicant tutorial by using copy-and-paste to transfer the narrative text into the on-line Narrative Block to avoid losing any information.

Fire Prevention and Safety Activity

Fire Prevention and Safety Activity (FP&S Activity) Applications are limited to a maximum of five pages per project. The applicant enters information into the Narrative Text Box. The Narrative Block does not allow for formatting. Do not include tables, special fonts, graphs, and quotation marks or type your application in all capital letters.

Research and Development Activity

Research and Development (R&D) Activity Applications must comply with the following guidelines:

• Application must include one Narrative Statement and one Appendix document (per project).

• The Narrative Statement for the Research and Development (R&D) Activity is limited to 20 pages per project. The first page of the Narrative Statement must include an abstract of about 250 words that address purpose and aims, relevance, methods, and anticipated outcomes. In addition, it must include the R&D category which the project is addressing, and contact information (e-mail address and telephone number) for the principal investigator must be provided on the first page of the Narrative Statement.

• It may be useful to organize the Narrative Statement to follow the R&D Evaluation Criteria.

• All text, including references, footnotes, tables, figures, and illustrations, must be in the Narrative Statement, with total page count not exceeding 20 pages.

• All references and footnotes pertaining to the Narrative Statement must be in the Narrative Statement rather than the Appendix document. Major tables and figures may be in the Narrative Statement.

• The Appendix is limited to 20 pages per project that includes curriculum vitae and may include other items, such as data collection instruments, additional tables and figures, illustrations, specifications for product designs, and letters of commitment.

• Curriculum Vitae (CVs) for the Principal Investigator (PI) and lead scientists, as well as other key research personnel listed in the budget, are to be included in the Appendix, but are limited to a maximum of two pages per CV. Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow the biographical sketch sample (see Appendix 2 of this document) in preparing CVs.

• Font: Times New Roman or other standard font.

• Font Size: Font size must be 12 points (12 pt) or larger.

• Page Dimensions: Page dimensions must be 8.5” x 11” (21.6 cm x 27.9 cm) or smaller.

• Margins: All margins (top, bottom, left, and right) must be at least 1” (2.54cm).

• Header: The header on each page of the Narrative Statement and the Appendix should contain:

PI (family name) Institution name (abbreviated) Project Short Title Page Number

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

1. Fire Prevention and Safety Activity (FP&S): Eligible applicants for this activity include fire departments, national, regional, state, local, Native American tribal organizations, and/or community organizations that are recognized for their experience and expertise in fire prevention and safety programs and activities. Both private and public non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding in this activity. For-profit organizations, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible to receive a FP&S Grant Award.

2. Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity (R&D): Eligible applicants for this activity include national, regional, state, and local organizations, such as academic (e.g., universities), public health, occupational health, and injury prevention institutions. Both private and public non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding in this activity.

The aforementioned entities are encouraged to apply, especially those that are recognized for their experience and expertise in firefighter safety, health, and wellness research and development activities.

Under the governing statute, fire departments are not eligible to apply for funding in this activity. Additionally, for-profit organizations, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible to receive a R&D Grant Award.

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

Type of Funding Instrument: Grant Cooperative Agreement Loan

Cost Share or Match: Cost Match Cost Share None Required

Fire departments are subject to the same cost share requirements applicable under the AFG Program. Specifically, fire departments that serve populations of less than 20,000 people must match the federal grant funds with an amount of non-federal funds equal to five percent of the total project cost.

Fire departments serving areas with a population between 20,000 and 50,000 people, inclusive, must match the federal grant funds with an amount of non-federal funds equal to 10 percent of the total project cost.

Fire departments that serve populations of more than 50,000 people must match the federal grant funds with an amount of non-federal funds equal to 20 percent of the total project costs.

All non-federal funds must be in cash, i.e., in-kind contributions are not eligible, per 15 U.S.C. § 2229(b)(6). No waivers of this requirement will be granted except for applicants located in Insular Areas as provided for in 48 U.S.C. §1469a.

Note: There is no cost share for grants under the FP&S Activity or the R&D Activity for eligible national, regional, state, local, or community organizations (other than fire departments as described above).

Grantees representing fire departments and non-affiliated EMS organizations must share in the costs of the projects funded under this grant program (15 U.S.C. § 2229(b)(6)).

Management and Administration:

Both the FP&S Activity and the R&D Activity have other costs eligible to be included in the grant request. The combined total of administrative, audit, indirect, and grant writer costs charged to the grant shall not exceed three percent of the total grant award.

1. Administrative Costs: Administrative costs are allowable under the program areas listed above, in accordance with Cost Principles for Educational Institutions 2 CFR Part 220 (OMB Circular A-21), Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments 2 CFR Part 225 (OMB Circular A-87), Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations 2 CFR 230 (OMB Circular A- 122), and Contracts with Commercial Organizations (Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2, codified at 48 CFR Part 31.2), as applicable. (The cost principles are listed in Part VI 1.2.

For more information about the Circulars, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars.)

Administrative costs are identifiable costs that are directly associated with the implementation and management of the grant. Applicants can apply for administrative costs only if the expenses are directly related to the implementation of their proposed project and cannot exceed three percent of the award. The costs should be listed under the “other” category in the budget and explained in the Project Narrative. FEMA will only reimburse costs that are based on actual expenses and not on a percentage of the overall grant. Examples of eligible administrative costs include shipping, office supplies, computers, and software associated with the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) reporting requirements.

Grant writer fees, if specifically listed on your application, are eligible and can be charged to the grant as an administrative cost in accordance with the provisions outlined (see Part VI c.).

The AFG Program Office has the option to assess the reasonableness of requested administrative costs in each application and will determine what is appropriate and in the best interest of the program.

Applicants are required to provide the Grants Management Specialists with the documentation to support this pre-award expenditure, e.g., a copy of a cancelled check or bank statement.

2. Indirect Costs: An indirect cost rate is an expense based on a percentage of the overall operational costs of an organization.

Applicants can charge indirect costs to the grant, but are limited to the combined total of three percent, as stated above, unless they have a previously negotiated and approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. This indirect cost rate is established by a federal department or agency for http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars� the grantee’s organization that the grantee uses to compute the dollar amount they can charge to the grant for indirect costs incurred during the execution of the grant agreement.

(Information about Indirect Cost Rate Agreements can be found at http://rates.psc.gov/.)

Prior to submitting any claims for reimbursement of indirect costs, applicants must first submit a copy of their negotiated and approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement to FEMA for review and approval. The indirect cost rate is applicable as long as it is consistent with the established terms of the agreement.

For example, some indirect cost rates may not apply to capital procurements. In these cases, indirect cost rates would not apply for grant equipment.

Indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified within a particular final cost objective. A cost may not be allocated to an award as an indirect cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose, in like circumstances, has been assigned to an award as a direct cost.

Typical examples of indirect costs for many non-profit organizations may include depreciation or use allowances on buildings and equipment, the costs of operating and maintaining facilities, and general administration. Other general expenses, such as the salaries and expenses of executive officers, personnel administration, and accounting staff, may also be categorized as indirect costs.

Indirect costs shall be classified within the following two broad categories:

Facilities

Facilities is defined as depreciation and use of allowances on buildings, equipment and capital improvement, interest on debt associated with certain buildings, equipment and capital improvements, and operations and maintenance expenses.

Administration

Administration is defined as general administration and general expenses, such as the cost for the director's office, accounting, personnel, library expenses, and all other types of expenditures not specifically chargeable to the grant.

3. Audit Costs: Recipients of federal funding that spend in excess of $500,000 of federal funds in a fiscal year must comply, in that fiscal year, with the Single Audit Acts Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. §§7501-7507); 31 U.S.C. §§503, 1111; Executive Order 8248; Executive Order 11541; and revised OMB Circular A-133.

Reasonable costs incurred for such an audit would be an eligible expenditure if included in the proposal’s budget. Applicants should consider including anticipated costs of an audit if applying for a significant level of funding. FEMA does not require any other type of audit;

therefore, other audit costs not related to the A-133 portion of the organizations audit are not eligible. Audit costs are considered “administrative” expenditures.

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4. Renovation and Equipment Installation Costs: Construction costs are not eligible under the

FP&S Grants. Construction includes major alterations to a building that changes the profile or footprint of the structure.

Renovations to an existing facility are limited to minor interior alterations costing less than $10,000. In order to be eligible, renovations must be essential to the successful completion of the grant scope of work and costs must be reasonable and justified.

Installation of fire suppression, fire alarms, or detection systems are not considered renovations and are not subject to the cost limits identified above. Fire departments who are considering installation of suppression, fire alarm, or detection systems in a fire department facility are encouraged to apply under the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program under Modification to Facilities.

5. Vehicle Costs: Tow vehicles or other means of transport may be eligible as a transportation expense, if adequately justified in the proposal. Vehicle costs are limited to $6,000 per application.

6. Pre-award Costs: Generally, grantees cannot use grant funds to pay for products and contracted services or purchases prior to the effective date of the grant. However, expenses incurred after the application deadline, but prior to award, may be eligible for reimbursement if the expenses were justified, unavoidable, consistent with the grant’s scope of work, and specifically approved by FEMA. Requests for reimbursement for pre-award costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

7. Pre-application Costs: Expenses, obligations, commitments or contracts incurred, or entered into, prior to the application deadline are not eligible as a grant expense with the exception of grant preparation costs (see (8) below).

8. Grant Writer Fees: Fees for grant writers may be included as a pre-award or pre-application expenditure. However, fees payable on a contingency basis are not an eligible expense. For grant writer fees to be eligible as a pre-award expenditure, the fees must be specifically identified and listed in the application.

In order to be eligible, the fees must also be paid prior to award, (e.g., paid within 60 days of the end of the application period). Applicants are required to provide the Grants Management Specialists with the documentation to support this pre-award expenditure, e.g., a copy of a cancelled check or bank statement.

Hiring a grant writer, or use of any other third parties in the preparation of the application, does not eliminate the applicant’s responsibility for assuring the information contained in the application is true and correct. Grant writer fees are considered “administrative” expenditures.

9. Personnel Costs: Due to the maintenance of expenditure requirement, personnel costs are eligible as long as the personnel costs are “new” to the grantee (i.e., the costs would not be incurred if it were not for the grant).

For example, in a fire prevention project, the grantee might ask for staff or firefighters to work overtime to deliver the project during off-duty hours. In this case, the overtime would not have been required if it was not for the fire prevention project.

Another example might be hiring of a new staff person to deliver the project. The grantee would incur this cost as a result of the fire prevention or R&D Project.

10. Annual Meeting (R&D Activity only): Applicant must include the costs associated with two people traveling in the United States to attend the two-day FEMA Research and Development Grantees Annual Meeting. It is required the Principal Investigator and one other senior researcher who is scientifically knowledgeable about the project attend this meeting every year of the grant duration. The main purpose of this annual meeting is for R&D Grantees to report progress on funded projects.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The purpose of the AFG Program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The Grant Programs Directorate administers the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants as part of the AFG Program.

FP&S Grants are offered to support projects in two activities:

1. Activities designed to reach high-risk target groups and mitigate the incidence of death and injuries caused by fire and fire-related hazards (“Fire Prevention and Safety Activity”)

2. Projects aimed at improving firefighter safety, health and wellness through research and development that reduces firefighter fatalities and injuries (“Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity”)

This Program Guidance provides potential applicants with the details of requirements, processing, and evaluation of an application for financial assistance for both of these activity areas.

The authority of the AFG Program is derived from the Federal Fire Protection and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. § 2229 et seq.), as amended.

In FY 2012, Congress appropriated a total of $337.5 million under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division D-Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2012), Public Law 112- 74 to carry out the activities of the AFG Program.

Pursuant to the Federal Fire Protection and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. § 2229 et seq.), no less than five percent of the funds appropriated for the AFG Program must support fire prevention and safety activities. Therefore, no less than $16.875 million of the FY 2012 appropriation must be awarded for fire prevention and safety activities. This, however, is the minimum required under the statute.

Recognizing the importance of fire prevention and safety projects, FEMA has reserved $35 million for the FP&S Grant initiative.

The grants under FP&S will be awarded on a competitive basis. The appropriated funds are available for obligation by FEMA until September 30, 2013.

II. Funding Information Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions:

Available Funding for the FOA: $35,000,000 Projected Award Start Date(s): 03/01/2013 Projected Award End Date(s): 09/30/2013 Period of Performance: 12 months

In FY 2012, the total amount distributed under this grant will be $35 million. Congress appropriated a total of $337,500,000 to carry out the activities of the FY 2012 AFG Program.

However, FEMA will continue to separate FP&S Grants from AFG, and will have a separate application period devoted solely to FP&S Grants. Congress directed FEMA to administer Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Funds as indicated below.

• No less than five percent of appropriated funds ($16.875 million in fiscal year 2012) must be made available to make grants for fire prevention activities (FP&S Grants). However, due to the importance of fire prevention activities, the FY 2012 FP&S Program has been allocated $35 million for FP&S Grants.

• Applications are limited to a maximum federal share of $1 million dollars, regardless of applicant type.

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

Applicants under the Research and Development (R&D) Activity can propose projects that reflect a period of performance of up to three years. 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.

III. Eligibility Information Eligibility Criteria:

Eligible Categories for the FP&S Activities

• General Education/Awareness

• Fire & Arson Investigation

• Code Enforcement/Awareness

• National/State/Regional Programs and Studies

Ineligible Activities and Items for the FP&S Projects

• Educational props (i.e., tools that are used in educational or awareness demonstrations) that are not a part of an educational curriculum, a planned educational effort, or lack description of these elements

• AED, CPR, or fire extinguisher training for operational staff

• Fire hydrant or dry hydrant installation

• Wildland fire fuel reduction projects that are prescribed burns or fuel reduction equipment

• Weather/disaster notification devices (sirens, etc.)

• Driver simulator training tools that are not part of a state or national education effort that leads to driver certifications compliant to NFPA 1002 or its equivalent

• Fire suppression equipment, supplies, vehicles, firefighting training tools or equipment, personal protective gear, fitness equipment, or immunizations

• Installation of sprinkler systems that do not include an educational component

• Suppression-related training including Firefighter I, Firefighter II, wildland firefighting, training exercises, or drills for suppression or disasters activities

• Communication equipment, including portable radios or computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems

• Community projects that include the use of tot finder/child finder, seniors or pet finder decals

• Hydrant poles or markers

• Fire-retardant house gel(s)

• Sprinkler head caps

• Development of Administrative Documents (e.g., SOPs, manuals)

• Live animals

• Firearms

• Equipment that is considered entertainment as opposed to educational tools that are part of a comprehensive program

• Fire extinguisher training for children under 14 years old

• Fire extinguisher training that is not part of a Prevention/ Education Program

• Fire safety equipment (e.g., smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, surge protectors) that does not adhere to a fire service recognized standard (e.g., non-UL listed fire safety equipment)

• Alarm system and alarm system installation

• Equipment that has no intrinsic fire prevention or life safety education application

• Command Center Packages on fire safety trailers

Eligible Categories for the R&D Projects

• Clinical Studies

• Technology and Product Development

• Database System Development

• Dissemination and Implementation Research

• Preliminary Studies

Ineligible Activities and Items for R&D Activities

• Activities that focus primarily on curriculum development and delivery of education or training materials

• A descriptive study about the fire service or any study without reduced firefighter injury or enhanced firefighter safety aims

• Projects with local emphasis and little or no indication of application to the broader fire service

• Projects that emphasize funding for service delivery

• Applications that request more than one million dollars

• Applications that include violations of intellectual property

• Applications that do not follow the specified page size, font and margin format

IV. Funding Restrictions The following two sections describe categories and specific types of eligible projects that might be proposed as a Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Activity or as a Research and Development (R&D) Activity.

Example projects are described within categories as additional information to help better define the category. Proposed projects outside of the listed categories will be considered as long as the project addresses the overall goals of the FP&S Grants Program.

Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Activity

FEMA desires to provide flexibility to applicants to design innovative strategies and/or unique proposals that reach for a higher level of safety for the public with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. All proposals will be evaluated on how well the applicant demonstrates the understanding of their actual community fire and safety risks. A community Risk Assessment should be used to document the “risk” as a basis for mitigation. If the applicant has evidence of a community risk, the application should be based on solving the problem that will reduce the risk. A Risk Analysis should be the foundation of the application. Risk Assessments are eligible for funding, however, if selected as an activity, no other activities may be eligible for funding in the 2012 FP&S Grants Application Year.

Accordingly, the categories eligible for funding include the following:

• General Education/Awareness

• Code Enforcement/Awareness

• Fire & Arson Investigation

• National/State/Regional Programs and Studies

The following are examples of eligible projects. This list is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of projects that will be considered. Applicants should develop projects based on their determined risks.

Original, creative, and/or new approaches to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters are welcome. Applications should only consist of FP&S Projects that can be completed within the one-year grant performance period.

General Education/Awareness Priority

According to data available to FEMA and the United States Fire Administration, working smoke alarms greatly reduce the risk of fire casualties for the nation’s residents.

Therefore, priority will be given to programs that target a specific high risk population to conduct both door-to-door smoke alarm installations and provide home safety inspections (including sprinkler awareness), as part of a comprehensive home fire safety campaign. The comprehensive home fire safety campaign should also include an educational component that is delivered to the occupant at the time of the installation and inspection.

Further, additional consideration will be given to applicants who incorporate provisions for deaf/hard-of-hearing alarm installations as part of their comprehensive installation and education effort (hardwiring of deaf/hard-of-hearing smoke alarms is eligible).

FEMA, through its FP&S Grants, promotes the use of long-life alarms/batteries. Dual sensor (photoelectric/ionization) smoke alarms are also recommended.

Applicants who do not plan on using long-life alarms/batteries should address the rationale for using alternatives and understand that the priority level may decrease slightly.

Other General Education/Awareness Eligible Projects (Note: these projects will not receive a priority rating)

Smoke Alarms: Applicants who are unable to meet the above stated funding priority (door-to-door installations and home safety inspections) for this category are still eligible to apply for smoke alarms, but will not receive a priority rating. This includes projects that encompass educational components that teach how smoke alarms work to provide early warning in case of a fire, while promoting the installation of smoke alarms and/or inspections to assure that previously installed smoke alarms are operational. Applicants who will not perform installation of the alarms should discuss in their Narrative Statement the methodology for ensuring that the alarms will be properly installed. FP&S Grants promote the use of long-life alarms/batteries, as well as dual sensor (photoelectric/ionization) smoke alarms.

Applicants that do not plan on using long-life alarms/batteries should address the rationale for using alternatives.

Public Education: National or local projects that promote the reduction of injury due to fire or other safety hazards are eligible under this activity. Projects may include burn prevention, media/public relations campaigns, injury prevention, or other community risk reductions that could be justified in the Narrative Statement. Educational props (educational tools), including fire extinguisher trainers, must be part of a comprehensive and detailed public safety education campaign. Eligible items include escape planning, model homes, safety trailers, or curriculum delivery tools. Projects that will deliver training to the public in the area of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), or age-appropriate fire extinguisher training will be considered. However, if the projects are for fire department operational staff, these projects should be requested under the AFG Grants.

Sprinkler Awareness: Projects that affect the entire community, such as educating the public about residential sprinklers, promoting residential sprinklers, and demonstrating working models of residential sprinklers, are

Wildland Fire Prevention Programs:

Education and awareness programs that protect lives, property, and natural resources from fire in wildland/urban interface, including Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) or Firewise eligible. Installation of sprinkler systems is only eligible if proposed as part of a sprinkler educational effort.

programs, should be applied for under this activity. Fuel reduction demonstrations, in a targeted location as part of an awareness and education effort, are considered. Prescribed burns and fuel reduction equipment are not eligible.

Training: Local or regional projects to educate or train personnel in the area of public education are eligible under this activity.

Juvenile Firesetter Projects: Projects that are designed to mitigate the instances of fire set by children are eligible under this activity. Projects may have treatment and intervention components. The intervention components should be age appropriate.

General Prevention/Awareness: Projects that include general prevention initiatives, including studies, lock-box installation, Carbon-Monoxide (CO) detectors, address markers, Safe-T-elements, etc., will be eligible under this activity.

Risk Assessments: Applicants may request assistance to conduct formal or informal Risk Assessments of their target audience vulnerabilities with respect to fire. Note:

Applications that request a Risk Assessment are precluded from applying for additional projects.

Code Enforcement/Awareness Priority

Priority is given to projects that focus on first time or reinstatement of code adoption and code enforcement.

Code Enforcement/Awareness Eligible Projects

• Assistance for the adoption or awareness of building codes

• Promotion of code enforcement to improve engineering and/or enacting fire-related ordinances for new construction

• Support for conducting inspections (including personnel costs, equipment, code books, and/or training assistance)

Fire & Arson Investigation Priority

Priority will be given to projects that aim aggressively to investigate every fire.

Fire & Arson Investigation Eligible Projects

• Costs for arson investigation trailers

• Equipment

• Arson investigator training

• Arson prevention training

• Arson-related surveillance equipment

• Personnel costs

• Educational materials

• Media equipment

National/State/Regional Programs and Studies

Priority is given to projects that focus on residential fire issues and/or firefighter safety projects or strategies that are designed to measurably change firefighter behavior and decision-making. Fire departments that wish to carry out internal, local, firefighter safety projects are encouraged to apply for this activity under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

Research and Development (R&D) Activity

The goal of the R&D Grants is to reduce firefighter fatalities and injuries and improve firefighter safety, health, and wellness.

To identify and address the most important elements of firefighter safety, FEMA looked to the fire service for its input and recommendations. In June 2005, the National Fallen Firefighters’ Foundation (NFFF) hosted a working group to facilitate the development of an agenda for the nation’s fire service, and in particular for firefighter safety. In May 2011, the NFFF again hosted a working group to update the agenda with current priorities. A copy of the research agenda is available on the NFFF Web site at http://www.everyonegoeshome.com/report.pdf.

http://www.everyonegoeshome.com/report.pdf�

Projects that meet the intent of this research and development agenda with respect to firefighter health and safety, as identified by this working group, will be given consideration. However, the applicant is not limited to these specific projects. All proposed projects, regardless of whether they have been identified by this working group, will be evaluated on their relevance to firefighter health and safety.

Applicants are encouraged to seek partnerships with the fire service that will support the ongoing project efforts from design through dissemination and implementation (of positive results). It would be appropriate for most applications to include one or more local or regional fire departments and one or more national or international level fire-related organizations.

Since FP&S R&D Grants aim to improve the safety, health, and wellness of firefighters, having strong partnerships with the fire service is essential to the likely relevance and effectiveness of the project. Letters of commitment to actively participate in the project from the fire service are encouraged and may be inserted in the Appendix.

Applicants should consider focusing R&D Proposals on major causes, and/or types of firefighter fatal and non-fatal injuries. The leading causes of death among firefighters are listed below, highest to lowest:

• Overexertion/cardiovascular, being struck by or coming in contact with an object, and being trapped1

• Strains, sprains, and muscular pains

• Wounds, cuts, bleeding, and bruises

• Burns and smoke/gas inhalation2

Reports of near miss events include clusters of cases regarding falls, loss/trapped/disoriented firefighters, structural collapses, and power lines.

Cost effectiveness analysis is encouraged, in clinical, technology and product development, and dissemination and implementation projects.

The cost effectiveness portion of the project, and the expert staff such as the economists who lead them, should be integrated into the overall proposal. This will ensure relevant measures are included from the early study development stage onward, so all essential costs of implementing the new program, policy, and products are captured.

Such cost data may include, for instance, costs for orientation and training, product purchase, product maintenance, new personnel (if additional staffing is involved), and facilities. The original research investment, such as cost of sample recruitment, retention, and intervention should not be included.

1 Fahy, Rita F., Paul R. LeBlanc and Joseph L. Molis, (June 2011), “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States – 2010,” National Fire Protection Association: Fire Analysis and Research Division. Retrieved from http://www.nfpa.org 2 Karter, Jr., Michael J., and Joseph L. Molis, (October 2010), “US Firefighter Injuries - 2009,” National Fire Protection Association: Fire Analysis and Research Division. Retrieved from http://www.nfpa.org

Outcome cost measures may include estimates for injury cost savings, insurance reductions, staff replacement reductions, etc. Outcome calculations may be based on actual injury data or surrogate marker data if based on known risk factors.

Where local data does not exist, national surveillance data may be used, as long as the assumptions are specified. Ultimately, the use of cost effectiveness results will be based on the overall study being successful and finding that firefighter safety, health, and wellness was improved by the program, policy, or product.

All proposed R&D Activities must address the potential for improvement in firefighter safety, heath, or wellness.

Proposed projects must address the potential for reduction in firefighter fatalities or injury outcomes or provide strong justification proposed outcomes can be readily linked to injury outcomes.

The following are descriptions of five R&D Activity categories not in order of importance. This list is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of projects that will be considered. Applicants may also find the list of previously funded R&D projects on the AFG Web site at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Clinical Studies

Clinical R&D Activities include projects that address behavioral, social science, and cultural research as well as physiological and medical research activities.

Such studies must address the relevant aspects of reducing fatal and non-fatal injuries among firefighters as well as, where possible, have rigorous design that permits attribution of results to the intervention.

In addition to being relevant and rigorous, each study should target the appropriate level of investigation, based on the state of the science.

At the most basic level, the study might be foundational, investigating the underlying risk and protective factors associated with certain injury outcomes.

These may include the following:

• Individual level characteristics

• Departmental/organizational policies

• Firefighters behavioral practices and norms

• Environmental factors Where evidence exists to progress to more applied research, the study should emphasize intervention development and testing for effectiveness,…