FY21 SAFER NOFO - final_508_3.pdf

FY 2021 SAFER Program NOFO Back to the Top

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

Fiscal Year 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained an Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), or your SAM registration is not active, please take immediate action to obtain an EIN and DUNS Number, if applicable, and then register immediately in SAM or, if applicable, renew your SAM registration. It may take four weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available from Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS, EIN, and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO under the subsection titled “How to Register to Apply.” Detailed information regarding the time required for each registration is also provided in Section D of this NOFO under the subsection titled “Other Key Dates.”

Table of Contents A. Program Description

Issued By Assistance Listings Number Assistance Listings Title Funding Opportunity Title Funding Opportunity Number Authorizing Authority for Program Appropriation Authority for Program Announcement Type Program Category Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities Performance Measures

B. Federal Award Information Available Funding for this NOFO Projected Number of Awards Period of Performance Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s) Projected Period of Performance End Date(s) Funding Instrument Type

C. Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants Applicant Eligibility Criteria Other Eligibility Criteria http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

D. Application and Submission Information Key Dates and Times Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award Address to Request Application Package Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application Electronic Delivery How to Register to Apply Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission Content and Form of Application Submission Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

E. Application Review Information Application Evaluation Criteria Review and Selection Process Narrative Evaluation Criteria

F. Federal Award Administration Information Notice of Award Administrative and National Policy Requirements Reporting Monitoring and Oversight

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information Contact and Resource Information Systems Information

H. Additional Information Termination Provisions Period of Performance Extensions Disability Integration Conflicts of Interest in the Administration of Federal Awards or Subawards Procurement Integrity Record Retention Actions to Address Noncompliance Audits Payment Information Whole Community Preparedness Appendix A – FY 2021 SAFER Program Updates Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities Appendix C – Award Administration Information

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

Assistance Listings Number 97.083

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

Funding Opportunity Title Fiscal Year 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant

Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-21-GPD-083-00-99

Authorizing Authority for Program Section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended (15 U.S.C § 2229a); and Section 4013 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2

Appropriation Authority for Program Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. No. 116-260); and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2)

Announcement Type Initial

Program Category Preparedness: Fire and Life Safety

Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program (hereafter referred to as the SAFER Program) is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER Program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. The SAFER Program has awarded approximately $4.8 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources to hire new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters), to rehire laid off firefighters, or to retain firefighters facing layoff, as well as recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Information about success stories for this program can be found at Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program | FEMA.gov.

The SAFER Program is part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Strategic Plan, the SAFER Program supports the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience. In awarding grants, the FEMA Administrator is required to consider:

• The findings and recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Panel;

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

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

• The number of calls requesting or requiring a firefighting or emergency medical response received by an applicant.

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

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

c. Priorities Information on program priorities and objectives for the FY 2021 SAFER Program can be found in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities of this NOFO.

Performance Measures The grant recipient is required to collect data to allow FEMA to measure performance of the awarded grant in support of the SAFER Program metrics, which are tied to the programmatic objectives and priorities. In order to measure performance, FEMA may request information throughout the period of performance. In its final performance report submitted at closeout, the recipient must submit sufficient information to demonstrate it has met the performance goal as stated in its award. FEMA will measure the recipient’s performance of the grant by comparing the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities needed and requested in its application with the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities acquired and delivered by the end of the period of performance using the following programmatic metrics:

https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/success-stories https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/fema-strategic-plan_2018-2022.pdf

• Percent of “majority career” SAFER Program recipients’ structural fire responses that complied with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 structural response standards.

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

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

B. Federal Award Information Available Funding for this NOFO: $560,000,000.00

Projected Number of Awards: 500

Period of Performance: 12-48 months

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): June 1, 2022 (will vary based on award date and activity type)

Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): May 31, 2023 – May 31, 2026 (will vary based on award date and activity type)

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants

• Hiring of Firefighters (Hiring) Activity: The period of performance for applications funded under the Hiring Activity will be 36 months.

• Recruitment and Retention (R&R) Activity: The period of performance for applications funded under the R&R Activity will be 12, 24, 36 or 48 months.

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

FEMA awards only include one budget period, 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.”

a. Hiring Activity Fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, 1 Note that this figure differs from the total amount appropriated under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260. In this FY 2021 SAFER Program NOFO, percentages of “available grant funds” refers to the total amount appropriated—$360,000,000—by Pub. L. No. 116-260 to meet the statutory requirements of § 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended (codified at 15 U.S.C. § 2229a). Additionally, the total available funding amount includes an additional $200,000,000 appropriated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2.

Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,2 or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization. A fire department is an agency or organization having a formally recognized arrangement with a state, local, tribal, or territorial authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or other governing body) to provide fire suppression to a population within a geographically fixed primary first due response area.

b. R&R Activity Volunteer and combination fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,2 or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization. A fire department is an agency or organization having a formally recognized arrangement with a state, local, tribal, or territorial authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or other governing body) to provide fire suppression to a population within a geographically fixed primary first due response area. National, regional, state, local, tribal and nonprofit interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are eligible to receive a SAFER Program award under the R&R Activity.

Information on ineligible applications and/or organizations is in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities of this NOFO.

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

a. Hiring Activity: The Hiring Activity offers grants to support applications to hire new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters), rehire laid off firefighters, or to retain firefighters facing layoff. National, regional, state, local, tribal and nonprofit interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are not eligible to receive a SAFER Program award under the Hiring Activity.

b. R&R Activity: The R&R Activity offers grants to support applications to assist fire departments with the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters who are involved with or trained in the operations of firefighting and emergency response. Career fire departments are not eligible to apply for funding under the R&R Activity.

Each activity has its own application and eligibility requirements, as further outlined in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities of this NOFO.

An application submitted by an otherwise eligible non-federal entity (i.e., the applicant) may be deemed ineligible when the person that submitted the application is not: 1) a current employee, personnel, official, staff or leadership of the non-federal entity; and 2) duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of

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

See 15 U.S.C. § 2203(10).

application.

Further, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be a duly authorized current employee, personnel, official, staff or leadership of the recipient and provide an email address unique to the recipient at the time of application and upon any change in assignment during the period of performance. Consultants or contractors of the recipient are not permitted to the AOR of the recipient.

Other Eligibility Criteria

a. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

SAFER Program applicants are not required to comply with NIMS to apply for SAFER Program funding or to receive a SAFER Program award. Any applicant who receives an FY 2021 SAFER Program award must achieve the level of NIMS compliance required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over the applicant’s emergency service operations (e.g., a local government), prior to the end of the grant’s period of performance.

b. Maintenance of Effort (MOE) There is no MOE or minimum budget requirement for the FY 2021 SAFER Program.

c. Cost Share or Match There is no cost share or match or position cost limit for the FY 2021 SAFER Program. The award budget will not account for any voluntary committed cost sharing or overmatch. The use of an overmatch is not given additional consideration when scoring applicants.

d. Economic Hardship Waivers Because there is no minimum budget requirement, no cost share requirement, and no position cost limit, an economic hardship waiver process is not necessary. Therefore, no economic hardship waiver process applies to the FY 2021 SAFER Program.

D. Application and Submission Information Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: January 3, 2022 at 8 a.m. ET

b. Application Submission Deadline: February 4, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET

All applications must be received by the established deadline.

FEMA’s Grants Outcomes System (FEMA GO) automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the Authorized Organization Representative role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission. 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. FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate that good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, other exigent or emergency circumstances, or statutory requirements for FEMA to make an award.

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.

A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information.” For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Help Desk at FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET.

For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Preparedness Officer or Grants Management Specialist. If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the SAFER Program Help Desk by phone at (866) 274-0960 or by e-mail at FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.

c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date: No later than May 31, 2022

d. Anticipated Award Date: Beginning on approximately May 30, 2022 and continuing thereafter until all FY 2021 SAFER Program grant awards are issued, but no later than Sept. 30, 2022

e. Other Key Dates

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline Obtaining a valid 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 Organization in FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) System Prior to beginning application

Submitting complete application in FEMA GO One week before actual submission deadline mailto:femago@fema.dhs.gov mailto:firegrants@fema.dhs.gov

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.

Address to Request Application Package Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.

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

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 and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide a valid DUNS number, which is currently the unique entity identifier;

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 FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR). The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607;

f. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; 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.

https://go.fema.gov/ https://login.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607

Applicants are advised that FEMA may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and 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)(ii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from receiving a DUNS number 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 and complete SAM registration within 30 calendar days of the federal award date.

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

FEMA GO.

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 Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

mailto:AskCSID@fema.dhs.gov

b. Obtain a DUNS Number:

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" 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.

Note: At some point, the DUNS Number will be replaced by a “new, non-proprietary identifier” requested in, and assigned by, SAM.gov. This new identifier is being called the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), or the Entity ID. Grants.gov has begun preparing for this transition by educating users about the upcoming changes and updating field labels and references to the DUNS Number (the current identifier) within the Grants.gov system. Users should continue using the DUNS Number in UEI fields until further notice. To learn more about SAM’s rollout of the UEI, please visit https://gsa.gov/entityid.

c. Obtain Employer Identification Number:

In addition to having a DUNS 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-a62b99571fd.

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:

In addition to having a DUNS number, 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.

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://gsa.gov/entityid 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-a62b99571fd https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd 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

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

II. HELP WITH SAM

Existing SAM.gov account holders should check their account to make sure it is “ACTIVE.”

SAM registration should be completed at the very beginning of the application period and should be renewed annually to avoid being “INACTIVE.” Please allow plenty of time before the grant application submission deadline to obtain a DUNS number and then to register in SAM. It may be four weeks or more after an applicant submits the SAM registration before the registration is active in SAM, and then 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, DUNS number, and Employer Identification Number, or EIN, are up to date in SAM and that the DUNS number used in SAM is the same one used to apply for all other FEMA awards. Payment under any FEMA award is contingent on the recipient’s having a current SAM registration.

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

f. Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR:

Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607.

Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:

• Google Chrome

• Internet Explorer

• Mozilla Firefox

• Apple Safari

• Microsoft Edge

Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.

Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D of this NOFO, “Content and https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do

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, FEMA GO will provide either an error message or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the AOR that submitted the application. Applicants using slow internet connections, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before FEMA GO 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.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the AOR role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application.

Applicants who experience system-related issues will be addressed until 3 p.m. ET on the date applications are due. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

Applicants using unreliable internet connections, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that submission can take some time before FEMA GO receives your application.

FEMA GO will display red validation errors if areas that need additional information in order to submit the application. Once your application is successfully submitted your application status will change from “pending submission” to “submitted to FEMA”. The FEMA GO Support Center reports that some applicants end the submission because they think that nothing is occurring during the submission process. Do not do this as it may cause your application to fail to be submitted and consequently not be considered for funding. Please give the system time to process the application.

Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Standard Required Application Forms and Information

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction) https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

• 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 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.

b. Program-Specific Required Forms and Information For program-specific required and optional forms and information, please see the Appendices to this NOFO.

Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in this NOFO, or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA awards is the same as the period of performance).

In general, the Cost Principles establish standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or administrative costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost. More specifically, except as otherwise stated in this NOFO, the terms and condition of an award, or other program materials, costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must be consistent with the Cost Principles for Federal Awards located at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E. In order to be allowable, all costs charged to a FEMA award or applied to the cost share must be reasonable in nature and amount and allocable to the particular FEMA award.

Additionally, all costs charged to awards must comply with the grant program’s applicable statutes, policies, requirements in this NOFO as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. If FEMA staff identify costs that are inconsistent with any of these requirements, these costs may be disallowed, and FEMA may recover funds as appropriate, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

As part of those requirements, grant recipients and subrecipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award.

Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity.

Additionally, federal employees are prohibited from serving in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on the development of any proposal submitted under this program.

In addition to the subsections below, please see Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section e. Restrictions on Use of Award Funds for additional information on funding restrictions and allowable costs.

a. Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services Recipients and subrecipients of FEMA federal financial assistance are subject to the prohibitions described in section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019 NDAA), Pub. L. No. 115-232 (2018) and 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.326, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Beginning August 13, 2020, the statute – as it applies to FEMA recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors and subcontractors – prohibits obligating or expending federal award funds on certain telecommunications and video surveillance products and contracting with certain entities for national security reasons.

Additional guidance is available at Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services (Interim) FEMA Policy #405-143-1.

Effective August 13, 2020, FEMA recipients and subrecipients may not use any FEMA funds under open or new awards to:

(1) Procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system;

(2) Enter into, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system; or

(3) Enter into, extend, or renew contracts with entities that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system.

I. REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

FEMA grant funding may be permitted to procure replacement equipment and services impacted by this prohibition, provided the costs are otherwise consistent with the requirements of this NOFO.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=txt https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=txt https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_prohibitions-expending-fema-award-funds-covered-telecommunications-equipment-services.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_prohibitions-expending-fema-award-funds-covered-telecommunications-equipment-services.pdf

II. DEFINITIONS

Per section 889(f)(2)-(3) of the FY 2019 NDAA and 2 C.F.R. § 200.216, covered telecommunications equipment or services means:

i. Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation, (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

ii. For the purpose of public safety, security of Government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

iii. Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment; or

iv. Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the People’s Republic of China.

Examples of the types of products covered by this prohibition include phones, internet, video surveillance, and cloud servers when produced, provided, or used by the entities listed in the definition of “covered telecommunications equipment or services.” See 2 C.F.R. § 200.471.

b. Pre-Award Costs Only costs incurred during the period of performance are allowable. However, recipients of an R&R Activity award may be reimbursed for grant writer fees. See also Appendix C – Award Administration Information for further information regarding grant writer fees and the "Additional Information” section of this NOFO for general procurement under grants requirements.

Note: FEMA reserves the right to re-evaluate and disallow pre-award costs at time of award monitoring if it is later determined that the services were not properly procured or do not satisfy the requirements of 2 C.F.R. § 200.458.

c. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs M&A activities are those directly related to the management and administration of the SAFER award funds, such as financial management and monitoring. M&A expenses should be based only on actual expenses or known contractual costs; requests that are simple percentages of the award or estimates, without supporting justification or adequate documentation will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement. Salaries and fringe benefits for personnel directly supporting the grant are not required to be included in the M&A budget line item. No more than (3% of the federal share of SAFER Program funds awarded may be expended by the recipient for M&A for purposes associated with the SAFER Program award. M&A costs are not eligible under the Hiring Activity.

d. Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs Indirect costs are allowable only under R&R Activity for this program as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that desire to charge indirect costs to an award must provide a copy of their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement at the time of application. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. Applicants that are not required by 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement but are required by 2 C.F.R. Part 200 to develop an indirect cost rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal at the time of application. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to the FEMA Preparedness Officer for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an indirect cost rate must also reach out to FEMA Preparedness Officer for further instructions. Post-award requests to charge indirect costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and based upon the submission of an agreement or proposal as discussed above or based upon on the de minimis rate or cost allocation plan, as applicable. Indirect costs are not allowable under the Hiring Activity.

e. Other Direct Costs

• Construction

Construction costs are not eligible under the SAFER Program. Construction includes major alterations to a building that changes the profile or footprint of the structure.

Modifications to facilities activities described in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, Section f. Funding Priorities are not considered construction costs for purposes of general award cost categorization and may be eligible. However, modifications to facilities activities might be considered “construction” for purposes of applicable procurement under grants requirements or environmental protection and historic preservation purposes.

E. Application Review Information Application Evaluation Criteria

a. Programmatic Criteria Funding priorities and programmatic criteria for evaluating SAFER Program applications are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria Development Panel (CDP). Each year, FEMA convenes a panel of fire service professionals to develop funding priorities for the SAFER Program. The panel makes recommendations about funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants.

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

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• National Volunteer Fire Council

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• International Association of Arson Investigators

• International Society of Fire Service Instructors

• North American Fire Training Directors; and

• Congressional Fire Service Institute

The CDP is charged with making recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation or modification of previously established funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of this NOFO reflects implementation of the CDP’s recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and criteria for awards.

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

b. Financial Integrity Criteria Prior to making a federal award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3354, as amended by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-117 (2020); 41 U.S.C. § 2313;

and 2 C.F.R. § 200.206 to review information available through any Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-designated repositories of governmentwide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, including whether the applicant is suspended or debarred.

FEMA may also pose additional questions to the applicant to aid in conducting the pre-award risk review. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:

i. Financial stability.

ii. Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

iii. History of performance in managing federal award.

iv. Reports and findings from audits.

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

c. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review Prior to making a federal award where the anticipated total federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000:

i. FEMA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant, including information on the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors, if applicable, that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through the System for Award Management (SAM), which is currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS).

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

https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/#/home https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/#/home

iii. FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.

Review and Selection Process SAFER Program applications are reviewed through a multi-phase process. All applications are electronically pre-scored and ranked based on how well they align with the funding priorities outlined in this NOFO. All applications are then scored competitively by no less than three members of a Peer Review Panel.

Applications with the highest score rankings per activity will also be evaluated through a series of internal FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, costs/quantities, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed project(s). Below is the process by which applications will be reviewed:

i. Pre-scoring Process The application undergoes an electronic pre-scoring process based on established program priorities listed in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities and answers to activity-specific questions within the online application. Application Narratives are not reviewed during the pre-score process. “Request Details” and “Budget” information should comply with program guidance and statutory funding limitations. The pre-score is 50% of the total application score under the Hiring Activity, and 30% of the total application score under the R&R Activity.

ii. Peer Review Panel Process All applications will be evaluated through the Peer Review Panel process. A panel of peer reviewers is comprised of fire service representatives recommended by the CDP.

Peer reviewers will assess the merits of each application based on the narrative statement on the requested activity. The evaluation elements listed in the “Narrative Evaluation Criteria” below will be used to calculate the narrative’s score for each activity requested. Panelists will independently score each requested activity within the application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings of the application with his or her peers, and document the findings. A consensus is not required. The panel score is 50% of the total application score under the Hiring Activity, and 70% of the total application score under the R&R Activity.

iii. Technical Evaluation Process (TEP) The highest scoring applications from both activities…