oppDHS-18-NPD-007-00-01-cfda97.007-instructions.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take 4 weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available at Grants.gov. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application Submission.

A. Program Description

Issued By U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Protection and National Preparedness, Office of Preparedness Integration and Coordination (OPIC)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 97.007

CFDA Title Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program (HSPTAP)

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program (HSPTAP)

NOFO Number

DHS-18-NPD-007-00-01

Authorizing Authority for Program Section 503(b)(2)(G) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (Pub. L. No.

107-296), (6 U.S.C. § 313(b)(2)(G))

Appropriation Authority for Program Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-141)

Award Type New

Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

The Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program (HSPTAP) is established to build State, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major events, including threats or acts of terrorism.

Through this NOFO, FEMA will provide financial assistance to support the National Homeland Security Consortium (NHSC) and the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council (GHSAC).

• The NHSC is a forum for public and private sector disciplines to coalesce efforts and perspectives about how best to protect America in the 21st Century. The Consortium consists of 22 national organizations that represent local, state and private professionals.

• The GHSAC is a structure through which the homeland security advisors from each state, territory and the District of Columbia can discuss homeland security issues, share information and expertise and keep governors informed of the issues affecting homeland security policies in the states.

This overarching programmatic goal of building state and local capabilities will be achieved through various means and methods, each one aimed at achieving the National Preparedness Goal and furthering our collective efforts to remain a safe and secure nation.

Specific program activities anticipated for achieving this goal will include, but will not be limited to:

• production and dissemination of written products relating to emerging homeland security, emergency management and public safety issues and established or model state homeland security and emergency management efforts;

• providing educational seminars, training and workshops for apprising newly appointed Governor’s Homeland Security Advisors and Emergency Management Directors of federal homeland security doctrine, best-practices and established principles;

• facilitating calls, meetings, or discussions amongst representatives from key stakeholder groups on a regular basis which serve to share information, knowledge, experiences, and practices relating to current and emerging homeland security, emergency management and public safety issues; and,

• convening trainings, workshops, and other meeting opportunities designed to bring together in a common forum nationwide Homeland Security Advisors, state, local and tribal Emergency Management Directors, as well as other professional organizations in the public and private sectors and to inform partners on the impacts of federal homeland security, emergency management and public safety legislation, regulations and policies on the states.

Each recipient will conduct these specific activities to support either State Emergency Management Directors or Homeland Security Advisors to further build SLTT capabilities.

An additional key purpose for the HSPTAP is that the program also furthers the building of a national system of emergency management capabilities that can effectively and efficiently utilize the Nation's resources to respond to catastrophic incidents, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made emergencies or events. HSPTAP recipients will conduct activities that bring together the collective perspectives of state and local elected officials and the private sector to provide a broad-based sounding board on homeland security issues for all national stakeholders. The program will serve to establish, provide, and maintain a forum for organizations to exchange ideas, conduct targeted discussions, as well as to provide technical assistance to governors’ offices, associations and organizations on all relevant homeland security policy areas.

Finally, HSPTAP will engage the recipient organizations which can work closely with FEMA to develop, transfer, and institutionalize pertinent knowledge at the State and local level for addressing current public policy challenges facing State Emergency Management Directors, HSAs and other state and local emergency management officials.

HSPTAP recipients, through collaboration with FEMA and other national, regional, state and local entities, will facilitate focused and enhanced communication and coordination among all disciplines and levels of government to address the complex challenges of developing and implementing homeland security policies and practices including:

intelligence sharing; State homeland security organization, structure and governance;

communications interoperability; critical infrastructure protection; and all hazards disaster prevention, protection, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to include areas of emergency management, homeland security, fire, law enforcement, Emergency Management Services (EMS), agriculture, National Guard, emergency communications, and public works.

In addition to building state and local capabilities, the activities conducted under the HSPTAP are structured to address the National Preparedness System and full spectrum of mission areas and core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.

Performance Metric:

Percent of NHSC and GHSAC representatives participating in HSPTAP programs this grant period as compared to the previous grant period.

Number of trainings, seminars, and workshops developed and/or delivered by the NHSC and GHSAC to build state and local capabilities specific to the National Areas of Improvement as outlined in the National Preparedness Report.

B. Federal Award Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

Available Funding for the NOFO: $525,000

Projected number of Awards: 2

Period of Performance: 12 months An extension to the Period of Performance for this award is NOT allowed

Projected Period of Performance Start Date: 09/15/2018

Projected Period of Performance End Date: 09/14/2019

Funding Instrument Cooperative Agreements

1. There will be substantial FEMA involvement in the activities of the recipient throughout the period of performance. FEMA’s involvement in post-award activity will be to provide ongoing programmatic and technical guidance and support to the HSPTAP recipients.

2. FEMA will maintain the authority to direct, or suspend the recipient’s federally funded activity where FEMA deems the activity inconsistent with, or counter to the purposes and goals of the program. FEMA will maintain final approval of recipient’s key personnel who will be working on grant-funded activities.

3. FEMA will actively engage with recipients on the development of all program materials and will maintain final approval authority over the recipient’s communication and collaboration efforts.

4. FEMA will review and maintain final approval authority over recipient plans to conduct any meetings, workshops, or trainings proposed to carry out the purposes of the HSPTAP program.

5. FEMA will review and maintain approval authority over the recipient’s scope of services to ensure they focus on key areas of homeland security such as infrastructure protection, catastrophic planning, and grant guidance.

6. FEMA will also monitor the recipient’s development and or communication of clear and consistent best practices in the area of coordination of Federal, state, and local emergency preparedness strategies and activities to improve and enhance coordination of preparedness efforts with governors and state emergency management officials through those established guidance and policies.

7. FEMA will oversee the recipient’s efforts to provide homeland security professional development to state and local HSAs, emergency response providers and emergency management professionals carried out through a series of policy and leadership forums, conferences and other trainings.

8. FEMA will require the recipient to maintain a common understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and legal boundaries for emergency management; build an emergency management community of practice; and establish professional contacts as well as provide the opportunity to obtain a standard and comprehensive grounding in all key aspects of the field.

9. Overall, FEMA will provide direct oversight of the recipient’s activities to ensure that the activities enhance SLTT, regional, national homeland security, emergency management, and public safety capabilities and improve the nation's ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from all emergencies, disasters, and threats to our nation's security.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)

National Governors Association (NGA)

Eligibility Criteria The recipients for HSPTAP funding will be non-profit organizations whose applications demonstrate their experience and capacity to establish, provide, and maintain a collaborative forum which can reach, inform, educate and engage key homeland security and emergency preparedness stakeholders nationwide. Such key stakeholders include all Governor’s HSAs, state, local and tribal Emergency Management Directors, as well as other important professional organizations in the public and private sectors, which deliver homeland security services that are vital to safety and security of the United States.

The recipient organizations must demonstrate their experience and ability to work closely with FEMA to develop and provide direct technical assistance in the area of current homeland security doctrine, policy, and best practices to State Emergency Management Directors, Governor’s HSAs, and other state, local and tribal officials. Such technical assistance will be instrumental to furthering the adoption and use of established best practices and will strongly contribute to the building of state, regional, local, and Tribal capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major events, including threats or acts of terrorism.

Lastly, the non-profit organizations should be a known entity with a national scope that is recognized by the DHS and FEMA as able to work in partnership with Federal agencies to establish and maintain the capability to address and inform on issues of common concern, state homeland security efforts, and safety and security of citizens and first responders nationwide.

Other Eligibility Criteria National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation Prior to allocation of any FY 2018 Federal preparedness awards, recipients must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. Emergency management and incident response activities require carefully managed resources (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment, and/or supplies) to meet incident needs. Use of the standardized resource management concepts such as typing, credentialing, and inventorying promotes a strong national mutual aid capability needed to support delivery of core capabilities. Additional information on resource management and NIMS resource typing definitions and job titles/position qualifications is available on DHS/FEMA’s website under http://www.fema.gov/resource-management-mutual-aid.

DHS/FEMA developed the NIMS Guideline for Credentialing of Personnel to describe national credentialing standards and provide written guidance regarding the use of those standards. That guideline describes credentialing and typing processes and identifies tools that Federal Emergency Response Officials (FEROs) and emergency managers at all levels of government may use, both routinely and to facilitate multijurisdictional coordinated responses.

Although local, state, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners—including nongovernmental organizations—are not required to credential their personnel in accordance with NIMS guidelines, DHS/FEMA strongly encourages them to do so in order to leverage the Federal investment in the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 201 infrastructure and to facilitate interoperability for personnel deployed outside their home jurisdiction. Additional information is available at http://www.fema.gov/nims-doctrine-supporting-guides-tools.

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) There is no maintenance of effort requirement for this program

Cost Share or Match There is no cost share or cost match requirement for this program.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times

Date Posted to Grants.gov: 06/26/2018

Application Submission Deadline: 07/27/2018 at 11:59:59 PM [Eastern]

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: 09/01/2018

Anticipated Award Date: 09/15/2018 Applicants must submit their application by the established deadline. The Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System will date stamp a submitted application and applicants will receive an electronic message confirming receipt of the full application. In general, FEMA will not review or consider for funding applications submitted after the established deadline.

FEMA may 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, or other exigent or emergency circumstances. Applicants that experience technical issues must notify the respective FEMA Headquarters Program Analyst katrina.woodhams@fema.dhs.gov as soon as possible.

Other Key Dates The chart below presents suggested deadlines for completing the five steps required for a successful application submission prior to the deadline. These dates are only recommendations as applicants are responsible for planning far enough in advance to complete their application. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting their application may disqualify their application from funding.

Event Suggested Deadline For Completion

Obtain DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Submit Initial application in Grants.gov One week before actual submission deadline

Submit Final application in ND Grants One week before actual submission deadline

Address to Request Application Package Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov on the Workspace application platform. To access the application package, select “Applicants” then “Apply for Grants” followed by “Get Application Package.” Enter the Funding Opportunity Number or Opportunity Package ID located in this NOFO. Select “Apply” and then “Create Workspace.” Follow the prompts to download the instructions and begin the application.

Hardcopies of the NOFO and associated application materials are not available.

In addition, the Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) and/or Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) number available for this Notice is: (800) 462-7585.

Applicants must submit their initial application through the Grants.gov portal and submit their complete application through the ND Grants System.

Content and Form of Application Submission Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Applicants should start the required application submission steps well in advance of their submission. Please review the table above for estimated deadlines to complete each of the six steps listed below. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting their application may disqualify their application from funding.

The steps involved in applying for an award under this program are:

1. Applying for, updating or verifying their DUNS Number

2. Applying for, updating or verifying their EIN Number

3. Updating or verifying their SAM Number

4. Establishing an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.

Gov

5. Submitting an initial application in grants.gov, and

6. Submitting the complete application in ND Grants

For additional information regarding the DUNS Number, EIN Number, Sam Number, and AOR requirements, please see the section below entitled Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, System for Award Management (SAM), and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).

Before applying for a DHS grant at grants.gov, applicants must have a DUNS number, SAM registration, and be approved as an AOR.

Applicants are encouraged to register early. The registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Therefore, applicants should complete the registration process in sufficient time to ensure it does not affect the applicant’s ability to meet required submission deadlines.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) All applicants for this award must:

1. Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;

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

3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a DHS FAO.

DHS may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DHS is ready to make a federal award. DHS 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.

The Standard Language for Using Grants.gov Apply is provided to aid in fulfilling these requirements:

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 applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

1. Instructions: Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS 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. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants.

If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, refer to the Application Registration page.

Organization applicants can find complete instructions online.

2. Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering System (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.

Detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number are available online.

3. Register with SAM: In addition to having a DUNS number, all organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

Detailed instructions for registering with SAM are available online.

4. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process.

For more information, follow the on-screen instructions.

5. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the DUNS Number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile.

Detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov are available online.

6. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

Detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov are available online.

7. Track Role Status: You can track your role request online.

8. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Initial Application to DHS via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. Access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace are available online.

1. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission.

3. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard or DHS forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software.

4. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

5. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

6. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the “Sign and Submit” button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

7. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

Additional training resources, including video tutorials, are available online.

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

Submitting an Initial Application in Grants.gov The initial application cannot be started or submitted in Grants.gov unless the applicant’s registration in SAM is confirmed.

The initial application in grants.gov requires completing Standard Form 424 (SF424), Application for Federal Assistance. Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. Applicants must now use the grants.gov Workspace to apply. The Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each NOFO you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their initial application in Grants.gov at least 7 days before the final application deadline.

In addition, Grants.gov recommends submitting application packages through the workspace at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov constitute an electronically signed application. When submitting the application through Grants.gov, the name of the applicant’s AOR will be inserted into the signature line of the application.

Submitting the Final Application in Non Disaster Grants System (ND Grants)

After submitting the initial application in Grants.gov, eligible applicants will be notified by DHS/FEMA and asked to proceed with submitting their complete application package in ND Grants. Applicants can register early with ND Grants and are encouraged to begin their ND Grants registration at the time of this announcement. Early registration will allow applicants to have adequate time to start and complete their application.

In ND Grants applicants will be prompted to submit all of the information contained in the following forms:

Standard Form 424A, Budget Information (Non-construction) Standard Form 424B, Standard Assurances (Non-construction) Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if the grantee has engaged or intends to engage in lobbying activities), as well as Assure compliance with all Standard and Special Terms and Conditions, before being eligible to receive an award under this program.

Applicants will also be required to submit copies of the following in ND Grants:

• Detailed work plan

• Detailed budget worksheet

• Approved Indirect Cost Rate

If you need assistance registering for the ND Grants system, please contact ndgrants@fema.gov or (800) 865-4076.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission Online Submissions. All applications must be received by the due date established for this program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DHS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Intergovernmental Review An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the State’s process under Executive Order 12372 (see http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/rgeo12372.pdf).

Funding Restrictions Federal funds made available through this award may only be used for the purpose set forth in this award, and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. The use of Award funds for matching funds for any other Federal grants/cooperative agreements, for lobbying, or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings are not allowable. In addition, grant award recipients cannot sue the Federal government or any other government entity using Federal funds awarded through a Federal grant or cooperative agreement.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs.

Management and Administration costs are activities directly related to managing and administering the award. FEMA has determined that recipients may use up to 5 % of the amount of the award for their M&A

Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs.

Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. With the exception of recipients who have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f), recipients must have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with their cognizant Federal agency to charge indirect costs to this award. A copy of the approved rate (a fully executed, agreement negotiated with the applicant’s cognizant Federal agency) is required at the time of application, and must be provided to FEMA before indirect costs are charged to the award.

Other Submission Requirements Not applicable

E. Application Review Information

Application Evaluation Criteria Applicants must meet the Eligibility Criteria in Section C of this NOFO and comply with the Application Submission information presented in Section D.

Prior to making a federal award, the DHS FAO is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3321 and 41 U.S.C. § 2313 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant:

1. Financial stability.

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

3. History of performance in managing federal award.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

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

Review and Selection Process

OPIC will review and recommend applications for funding based on the following factors:

1. Demonstrate experience and capacity to establish, provide, and maintain a collaborative forum that can reach, inform, educate and engage key homeland security and emergency preparedness stakeholders nationwide. Key stakeholders include all Governor’s HSAs, state, local and tribal Emergency Management Directors, as well as other important professional organizations in the public and private sectors which deliver homeland security, emergency management and public safety services which are vital to safety and security of the United States.

2. Demonstrate experience and ability to work closely with FEMA to develop and provide direct technical assistance in the area of current homeland security, emergency management and public safety doctrine, policy, and best practices to State Emergency Management Directors, Governor’s HSAs, and other state, local and tribal officials.

3. Demonstrate the ability to work in partnership with Federal agencies to establish and maintain the capability to address and inform on issues of common concern, state homeland security, emergency management and public safety efforts, and safety and security of citizens and first responders nationwide

Prior to making a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $150,000 DHS is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM, currently Federal Awardee Performance Integrity Information System (FAPIIS).

An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.

DHS will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, 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 CFR § 200.205 federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Notice of Award Notification of award approval is made through the ND Grants System through an automatic email to the awardee point of contact (the “authorized official”) listed in the initial application. The date the approval of award is the “award date.” The awardee should follow the directions in the notification to accept the award.

Recipients must accept their awards no later than 90 days from the award date. The recipient shall notify the awarding agency of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the award through the ND Grants system. For instructions on how to accept or decline an award in the ND Grants system, please see pages 40-43 in the ND Grants Grantee Training Manual. Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award through the ND Grants system and all other conditions of award have been satisfied, or FEMA will rescind the offer of an award. Failure to accept the grant award within the 90-day timeframe may result in a loss of funds.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements All successful applicants for DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions.

The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be for the last year specified at that URL, unless the application is for a continuation award. In that event, the terms and conditions in effect for the fiscal year that award was originally made will apply.

Before accepting the award, the AOR should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the grant award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any special terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Reporting Recipients are required to submit various financial and programmatic reports as a condition of their award acceptance. FEMA may withhold future awards and fund drawdowns if these reports are delinquent.

Federal Financial Reporting Requirements.

The Federal Financial Reporting Form (FFR) (SF-425 OMB #4040-0014) is available online.

Recipients must report obligations and expenditures on a quarterly basis through the Federal Financial Reporting Form (FFR) to FEMA. Recipients must file the FFR electronically using Payment and Reporting System (PARS). A quarterly FFR report is required throughout the period of performance, including partial calendar quarters, as well as for periods where no grant award activity occurs. FEMA may withhold future awards and fund drawdowns if these reports are delinquent or are insufficient in detail.

The following reporting periods and due dates apply for the FFR:

Program Performance Reporting Requirements.

The recipient is required to report on the following information in its quarterly PPR and/or provide the following activities and/or products to the Program office.

• Written products relating to emerging homeland security, emergency management and public safety issues and established or model state homeland security and emergency management efforts;

• Educational, seminars, training and workshops for apprising newly appointed Governor’s HSAs, and Emergency Management Directors

• Calls, meetings, or discussions amongst representatives from key stakeholder groups on a regular basis which serve to share information, knowledge, experiences, and practices relating to current and emerging homeland security, emergency management and public safety issues.

• Trainings, workshops, and other meeting opportunities designed to bring together in a common forum nationwide HSAs, state, local and tribal Emergency Management Directors, as well as other professional organizations in the public and private sectors and to inform partners on the impacts of Federal homeland security, emergency management and public safety legislation, regulations and policies on the states.

The following reporting periods and due dates apply for the PPR

Reporting Period Report Due Date October 1 – December 31 January 30

January 1 – March 31 April 30 April 1 – June 30 July 30 July 1 – September 30 October 30

Close Out Reporting Requirements.

Within 90 days after the end of the period of performance, or after an amendment has been issued to close out a grant, whichever comes first, recipients must submit a final

Reporting Period Report Due Date October 1 – December 31 January 30

January 1 – March 31 April 30 April 1 – June 30 July 30 July 1 – September 30 October 30

FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments and a qualitative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance, as well as the following documentation:

1) Final request for payment, if applicable;

2) SF-425-Final Federal Financial Report;

3) Final Performance Progress Report;

4) A qualitative narrative summary on the impact of those accomplishments throughout the entire period of performance submitted to the respective Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) HQ Program Analyst in a Word document;

5) SF-428-Tangible Personal Property Report- Inventory of all tangible personal property acquired using funds from this award

6) Other documents required by program guidance or terms and conditions of the award

After these reports have been reviewed and approved by OPIC, a close-out notice will be completed to close out the grant. The notice will indicate the period of performance as closed, list any remaining funds that will be deobligated, and address the requirement of maintaining the grant records for three years from the date of the final FFR.

The recipient is responsible for returning any funds that have been drawn down but remain as unliquidated on recipient financial records.

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

Contact and Resource Information For Program Questions For program questions, please contact the DHS/FEMA Office of Preparedness Integration and Coordination staff, John Allen at john.allen5@fema.dhs.gov or 202-786- 0849 or Katrina Woodhams at Katrina.woodhams@fema.dhs.gov or 202-786-9989

For Financial and Administrative Questions

GPD’s Grant Operations Division Business Office provides financial support and technical assistance, such as for password resets and registration requests, questions regarding Form 1199A, payment status, amendments, closeouts, and tracking de-obligation and award amounts. For additional guidance and information can be obtained contact the FEMA Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov.

Systems Information Grants.gov For technical assistance with Grants.gov, please call the customer support hotline at (800)518-4726.

ND Grants For technical assistance with the ND Grants system, please contact ndgrants@fema.gov or (800)865-4076.

H. Additional Information

Extensions Extensions to this program are not allowed.

Payment

FEMA utilizes the FEMA Payment and Reporting System (PARS) for financial reporting, invoicing and tracking payments. DHS/FEMA uses the Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment to recipients. To enroll in the DD/EFT, the recipients must complete a Standard Form 1199A, Direct Deposit Form.

Monitoring

FEMA staff will monitor grant award recipients annually or as needed in order to review programmatic and financial activities to ensure that the activities and project goals, objectives, performance requirements, timelines, milestone completion, budgets, and other related program criteria are being met. FEMA staff will monitor the grant will either a desk-based review or on-site monitoring visits, or both. Monitoring will involve the review and analysis of the financial, programmatic, performance, compliance and administrative processes, policies, activities, and other attributes of each Federal assistance award and will identify areas where technical assistance, corrective actions and other support may be needed.

Conflict of Interest

To eliminate and reduce the impact of conflicts of interest in the subaward process, recipients and pass-through entities must follow their own policies and procedures regarding the elimination or reduction of conflicts of interest when making subawards.

Recipients and pass-through entities are also required to follow any applicable state, local, or tribal statutes or regulations governing conflicts of interest in the making of subawards.

The recipient or pass-through entity must disclose to FEMA, in writing, any real or potential conflict of interest as defined by the Federal, state, local, or tribal statutes or regulations or their own existing policies that may arise during the administration of the Federal award. Recipients and pass-through entities must disclose any real or potential conflicts to Program Analyst within five days of learning of the conflict of interest.

Similarly, subrecipients must disclose any real or potential conflict of interest to the pass-through entity as required by the Recipient’s conflict of interest policies, or any applicable state, local, or tribal statutes or regulations.

Conflicts of interest may arise during the process of FEMA making a Federal award in situations where an employee, officer, or agent, any members of his or her immediate family, his or her partner has a close personal relationship, a business relationship, or a professional relationship, with an applicant, subapplicant, recipient, subrecipient, or FEMA employee.