PKG00250126-instructions.pdf

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

FY 19 Community Assistance Program-State Support Services Element

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 from Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. 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), Federal Insurance & Mitigation Administration (FIMA), Risk Mitigation Directorate.

Assistance Listings Number (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number) 97.023 Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title) Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE) Notice of Funding Opportunity Title FY 19 Community Assistance Program-State Support Services Element

NOFO Number

FEMA Region FEMA Region

1 DHS-19-MT-023-01-01 6 DHS-19-MT-023-06-01

2 DHS-19-MT-023-02-01 7 DHS-19-MT-023-07-01

3 DHS-19-MT-023-03-01 8 DHS-19-MT-023-08-01

4 DHS-19-MT-023-04-01 9 DHS-19-MT-023-09-01

5 DHS-19-MT-023-05-01 10 DHS-19-MT-023-10-01

Authorizing Authority for Program The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (Pub. L. No. 90-448), as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 4001 et seq.).

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Appropriation Authority for Program The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-6), Title III Protection, Preparedness, Response and Recovery, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Flood Insurance Fund.

Program Type New

Program Overview, Goals, Priorities, and Performance Metrics

Overview The Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element (CAP- SSSE) program provides funding to states to provide technical assistance to communities in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and to evaluate community performance in implementing NFIP floodplain management activities. CAP-SSSE aligns with and supports Presidential Policy Directive 8 - to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience. CAP- SSSE strives to leverage state knowledge and expertise to provide support to communities through activities that most effectively reduce flood losses. The CAP-SSSE grant funds eligible activities to enable state NFIP coordinating offices to meet the provisions set forth in 44 C.F.R. § 60.25 and the goals and performance expectations of the funding agency: FEMA and the NFIP.

Goals The CAP-SSSE program goals detailed below align directly to the national Floodplain Management Program multi-year plan. These goals provide the framework for guiding the activities of the FEMA Regions and state NFIP coordinating offices as they work to meet the vision of the NFIP and the FEMA Strategic Plan. Annually, and in collaboration with FEMA, states are expected to develop and meet performance commitments for funded activities and community outcomes that align to the achievement of the CAP-SSSE program goals.

Goal 1: Grow local capacity and capability to improve resiliency through floodplain management States shall leverage engagements and relationships with communities to build their capability and capacity to manage flood risk by adopting and enforcing the minimum standards of the NFIP. States should encourage participation in the NFIP and ensure that communities are maintaining or improving their compliance with the program.

Goal 2: Build state floodplain management capability and promote strong state interagency coordination and collaboration State NFIP Coordinating offices should invest in growing their own technical expertise and capacity and position the office to better serve as the central coordination point for bringing the entire state’s capabilities and resources together to advance floodplain management and mitigation.

Goal 3: Promote the benefits and drive demand for strong floodplain management development standards and insurance States shall ensure they are employing opportunities to most effectively educate communities and the public on the value (e.g., economic, environmental, social benefits) of higher standards and insurance coverage.

Priorities In Fiscal Year 2019, the program will continue to focus on implementing the CAP-SSSE transformation recommendations, including defining a model state program with identified performance measures and state assessment criteria and creating a tiered structure to build/reward state capabilities. As an important implementation step in this transformation, states will be expected to collaborate with the FEMA Regions to establish annual performance commitments that will be monitored on a quarterly basis primarily through Community Information System (CIS) reporting. Additionally, states will be expected to ensure enhanced community compliance with substantial damage provisions of floodplain management regulations. States will also be required to support any 2019 Endangered Species Act implementation activities and focus outreach and training activities to promote the purchase of flood insurance. Finally, states will be expected to support efforts to improve compliance with the NFIP regulations for new and existing state-owned property in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

Performance Metrics In addition to annual performance commitments agreed upon between FEMA and the state NFIP Coordinating Offices, there are several specifically required performance metrics that states must meet. States must meet the national metric of 93% map adoptions for those participating communities that receive Letters of Final Determination (LFDs) in their state.

In addition, states must have contact with a designated percentage of the participating communities in their State by Community Assistance Visits (CAVs), Community Assistance Contacts (CACs), General Technical Assistance (GTA), Regulation Assistance or Workshops. The percentage of contacts will be negotiated with the FEMA Regional CAP Coordinator and defined in the Statement of Work (SOW). In order to promote CAP-SSSE transformation success, the states will support all transformation activities and attend at least two CAP Transformation engagement activities: the Hazard Mitigation (HM) Workshop at the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), State Coordinators Session at Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Conference, or the Video Teleconference (VTC) planned for the fall of 2019.

B. Federal Award Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions Available Funding for the NOFO: $10,400,000

Projected number of Awards: 52

Period of Performance: 12 months

An extension to the Period of Performance for this program is allowed. For details on the requirements for requesting an extension to the Period of Performance, please refer to Section H of this announcement

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 07/01/2019

Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 06/30/2020

Funding Instrument Cooperative Agreement

Each state receiving a CAP-SSSE award will sign a cooperative agreement with FEMA describing the terms of the award, including responsibilities of the grant recipient. There is substantial FEMA Regional Office involvement throughout the performance of the CAP- SSSE Cooperative Agreements. Overall, FEMA reserves the authority to manage and direct recipient actions. The FEMA Regional Office determines the appropriate number of activities and ensures performance metrics are being met.

FEMA maintains the following approval authorities on activities conducted by grant recipients:

• FEMA retains the authority to decide whether to admit communities to the NFIP, including determinations related to state-reviewed, community-submitted regulations supporting a community’s application. FEMA requires states receiving CAP-SSSE awards to incorporate a mandatory Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) adoption rate of 93% or higher into their CAP-SSSE cooperative agreements. This requirement helps to ensure that communities applying to join the NFIP have an adopted flood regulation referencing the most current updated flood map.

• FEMA collaborates with States, but retains final approval as to which communities receive state-provided training and technical assistance funded under the CAP-SSSE.

• FEMA requires all States to conduct Community Assistance Visits and approves the annual number States will conduct. FEMA retains final approval for the community locations for these visits, based on application of FEMA’s priority list and after consultation with the States.

• FEMA approves compliance follow-up actions conducted by states and requires advance approval before any follow-up actions that lead towards FEMA placing a community on probation or suspension from the NFIP.

• FEMA retains final approval for states affected by declared disasters to provide CAP technical assistance to communities and negotiates these levels with states.

• FEMA provides continuous technical assistance and feedback to states on the performance of CAP activities.

• FEMA requires detailed activity descriptions and approvals of state recipient’s selections for sub-contracts to achieve program goals.

• FEMA requires state recipient’s close collaboration with FEMA mitigation staff for the purpose of monitoring all aspects of the recipient’s performance of program activities.

• FEMA must approve state requests to vary or substitute activities performed including staffing, overtime, and other management processes of the state recipient.

• FEMA may exercise its authority to stop a state’s funded activity immediately if the state fails to meet one or more of the above conditions.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are eligible to apply for CAP-SSSE funding.

Eligibility Criteria State agencies designated by statute or Governor’s declaration as a National Flood Insurance Program State Coordinating Agency as described in 44 C.F.R. § 60.25.

Other Eligibility Criteria N/A

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) There is no Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement.

Cost Share or Match There is a 25 percent non-federal cost match required for all recipients of CAP-SSSE funds with no restrictions on the types of costs allowed (e.g., in-kind contribution).

For a cost match the recipient contribution is calculated based on the federal contribution as:

Percent recipient contribution multiplied by the value of the federal contribution in US dollars.

For example, the CAP-SSSE requires a 25% cost match. If the federal contribution is $100,000 the recipient contribution is calculated as (0.25) X $100,000 = $25,000.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times

Date Posted to Grants.gov: 04/15/2019

Application Submission Deadline: 05/15/2019 at 11:59 PM EDT

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: 06/15/2019

Applications that are not submitted within the stated Application Submission Deadline will not be reviewed or considered for funding. System issues with the Grants.gov or other unforeseeable circumstances that are out of the applicants’ control will be taken into consideration with regards to the stated Application Submission Deadline of this NOFO.

Other Key Dates

Address to Request Application Package Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov , select “Applicants” then “Apply for Grants.” In order to obtain the application package select “Download a Grant Application Package.” Enter the Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA) and/or the funding opportunity number located on the cover of this NOFO, select “Download Package,” and then follow the prompts to download the application package.

For a hardcopy of the full NOFO, please e-mail a request to: julie.grauer@fema.dhs.gov

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

Applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal. Final and complete applications will be processed through the Non-Disaster Grant System (ND Grants).

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. 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

Event Suggested Deadline For Completion Obtaining 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 Starting application in Grants.gov Three weeks before actual submission deadline Submit final application in ND Grants Two weeks before actual submission deadline http://www.grants.gov/

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 federal awarding agency.

DHS may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. 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.

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 Submit an 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 Webforms within an application. For each Notice of Funding Opportunity, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

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.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

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

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

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.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

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 DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Online Submissions. All applications must be received by Midnight Eastern Standard Time on the due date established for each 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov 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.

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) Grants.gov Lobbying Form 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.

These forms can be found at Grants.gov under the Forms tab.

Applicants are also required to submit the following in ND Grants:

Statement of Work:

A summary (narrative) of an applicant’s Statement of Work for cooperative agreement funding that identifies the strategies, goals, and proposed activities from the Eligible Activities identified in Appendix A with any priorities identified by the Region.

Detailed Budget The applicant must provide a Detailed Budget for the funds requested. The Detailed Budget must be submitted with the grant application as a file attachment within the ND Grants system at https://portal.fema.gov. The budget must be complete, reasonable, and http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://portal.fema.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://portal.fema.gov/ cost-effective in relation to the proposed activities. The budget should provide the basis of computation of all activity-related costs, and any appropriate narrative.

If revision of the work plan or required forms is required as a result of the negotiation process (discussions between FEMA and Applicant following the submission of the application), these documents may be re-submitted directly by email to the appropriate FEMA Regional CAP-SSSE Program Manager and Grants Specialist. This review and negotiation process may continue until a complete, compliant, and reasonable application is met and approved by the FEMA Regional CAP-SSSE Program Manager and Grants Specialist.

Funds will not be made available for obligation, expenditure, or drawdown until the applicant’s budget and budget narrative have been approved by FEMA.

Applicants will also be required to assure compliance with all Standard and Special Terms and Conditions before being eligible to receive an award under this program.

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

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 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.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. Award funds may not be used for matching funds for any 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.

CAP-SSSE funds cannot be used for: conducting floodplain studies, developing floodplain maps, supporting/maintaining web-based digital mapping platforms, Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) or other professional association dues/memberships. CAP- SSSE funds cannot be used to duplicate/reimburse states for state-required and state-funded (through appropriation or permit fee income) review activities, such as state permitting.

Recipients must request prior approval for budget and program plan revisions in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.308.

Recipients are encouraged to have at least one full-time person dedicated to CAP-SSSE to ensure adequate coordination and communication with the FEMA Regional Office and help maintain NFIP expertise and capability. CAP-SSSE funds can only be used to reimburse state staff for negotiated, eligible activities that they complete within the period of performance.

mailto:ndgrants@fema.gov https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf

If a recipient does not maintain the necessary expertise and capability to conduct CAP-SSSE activities, the Region and recipient will develop a remedial plan. If the necessary expertise and capability has not been developed by the recipient, the following year’s CAP-SSSE funding may be reduced or withheld.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs.

Management and Administration costs are NOT allowed under this program. Management and Administration activities are those defined as directly relating to the management and administration of CAP-SSSE funds, such as financial management, monitoring, and application development.

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.

Direct Costs

• Planning related costs are allowed under this program.

• Training related costs are allowed under this program, including grant administration and floodplain management training.

• Personnel costs for eligible activities are allowed under this program.

• Non-floodplain management exercise related costs are NOT allowed under this program.

• Equipment costs are allowed under this program.

• Support for Enhanced Information Technology (IT) equipment costs are allowed.

• Domestic travel costs are allowed under this program

• International travel is NOT an allowable cost under this program unless approved in advance otherwise by the managing Federal agency.

• Construction and renovation costs are NOT allowed under this program.

CAP-SSSE encourages the purchase and use of IT tools including computers (desktops and laptops), cameras, and printer/scanners for performing all aspects of State Coordinator duties related to the Community Assistance Program. The goal is to move away from printing paper products (including printed maps) and towards using and transferring products digitally. For example, FEMA encourages a recipient to use a Laptop with National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) mapping overlay onto Google Earth (or other platform) when conducting a Community Assistance Visit (CAV), rather than using printed paper maps. A desktop and laptop hardware and software configuration to seamlessly manage these and other activities is an approved expense subject to justification of reasonableness.

Please refer to Appendix A for Eligible Activities for the CAP-SSSE and more specific information on allowable costs for these activities.

Other Cost Requirements

Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance

As a Federal agency, FEMA is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and/or historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by the agency, including grants-funded projects, comply with Federal EHP regulations, laws and Executive Orders as applicable. Recipients and sub-recipients proposing projects that have the potential to impact the environment, including but not limited to construction of communication towers, modification or renovation of existing buildings, structures and facilities, or new construction including replacement of facilities, must participate in the FEMA EHP review process. The EHP review process involves the submission of a detailed project description that explains the goals and objectives of the proposed project along with supporting documentation so that FEMA may determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources and/or historic properties. In some cases, FEMA is also required to consult with other regulatory agencies and the public in order to complete the review process. The EHP review process must be completed before funds are released to carry out the proposed project. FEMA will not fund projects that are initiated without the required EHP review.

Other Submission Requirements N/A

E. Application Review Information

Application Evaluation Criteria

Prior to making a federal award, the DHS Financial Assistance Office (FAO) is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3321 note, 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 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 awards.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

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

6. The SOW will define the state’s agreement to meet the following performance metrics:

i. 93% adoption rate for communities receiving LFD.

ii. Contact a percentage of participating communities by CAV, CAC, Regulations Assistance, GTA, or Workshop.

iii. Participate in at least 2 CAP Transformation engagement activities.

Applications will be reviewed to ensure conformance with the Eligibility Criteria in Section C of this NOFO and Application Submission in D. Applicants that do not meet eligibility or application submission requirements will be removed from consideration.

Applications will be reviewed to verify that the state recipient meets the 25 percent non-federal cost match required for all recipients of CAP-SSSE funds. However, there are no restrictions on the types of costs allowed for the match (e.g., in-kind contribution)

Review and Selection Process FEMA Regional Offices staff are professionally and technically qualified in floodplain management and will evaluate applications and select applicants for funding. Applicants are encouraged to review CAP-SSSE requirements and eligible activities available at: https://www.fema.gov/community-assistance-program-state-support-services-element

Applicants will be evaluated and selected for funding based on their ability to demonstrate the following:

Expertise in floodplain management or the ability to attain expertise in floodplain management through participation in the CAP-SSSE program;

The ability to develop, implement and manage floodplain management activities;

Proposed projects are compatible with CAP-SSSE priorities and requirements;

and

Proposed costs are complete, reasonable and cost-effective in relation to proposed projects and tasks.

Supplemental Financial Integrity Review If the anticipated federal share of a federal award will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000 (see Section 805 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2008, Pub. L. No. 115-91, OMB Memorandum M-18-18 at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf):

i. Prior to making a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, 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 FAPIIS).

ii. 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.

iii. 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 https://www.fema.gov/community-assistance-program-state-support-services-element https://www.fema.gov/community-assistance-program-state-support-services-element https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 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 by the FEMA Regional Office to the Grants recipient.

The awardee should follow the directions in the notification to accept the award. The “award date” for this program will be the date FEMA approves the award.

Recipients must accept their awards no later than 60 days from the award date. The recipient shall notify the awarding agency of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the award, or provide a written notice of intent to decline. Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award. Failure to accept the grant award within the 60-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, which are available online at:

DHS Standard Terms and Conditions

The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be those in effect at the time the award was made, unless the application is for a continuation award. In that event, the terms and conditions in effect at the time the original award was made will generally apply. What terms and conditions will apply for the award will be clearly stated in the award package at the time of award.

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) is available online at:

SF-425 OMB #4040-0014

http://www.dhs.gov/publication/fy15-dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1

Program Performance Reporting Requirements.

Recipients are responsible for providing updated performance reports on a quarterly basis.

The report is due within 30 days after the end of the reporting period. Recipients must submit it as an attachment to the ND Grants system.

Performance Reporting Periods and Due Dates The following reporting periods and due dates apply for the CAP-SSSE program.

Reporting Period Report Due Date July 1 – September 30 October 31 October 1 – December 31 January 31 January 1 – March 31 April 30 April 30 – June 30 July 31

Recipients are responsible for providing updated quarterly performance reports. The narrative reports must be submitted within 30 days after the end of the reporting period electronically into the ND Grants system.

Community Information System (CIS) Mandatory: State recipients must use the CIS to enter and update information on regulations adoption, CAVs and CACs, training, general technical assistance, and updating all other fields they are authorized to update. Updates within the CIS are to be made as tasks are accomplished. FEMA will use quarterly CIS reports and state narratives to measure state progress on the above activities and to approve funding drawdowns.

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 FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments and a qualitative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance.

If applicable, an inventory of all construction projects that used funds from this program must be reported with the final progress report.

After these reports have been reviewed and approved by the DHS FAO, a closeout notice will be completed to close out the grant. The notice will indicate the period of performance as closed, list any remaining funds that will be de-obligated, 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.

Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335 This reporting requirement pertains to disclosing information related to government-wide suspension and debarment requirements. Before a recipient enters into a grant award with a federal agency, the recipient must notify the federal agency if it knows if any of the recipient’s principals under the award fall under one or more of the four criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335. At any time after accepting the award, if the recipient learns that any of its principals falls under one or more of the criteria listed at 2 C.F.R. § 180.335, the recipient must provide immediate written notice to the federal agency in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 180.350.

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

Contact and Resource Information For Program and Grant Administrative Questions, contact the appropriate FEMA Region at:

For Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Questions, contact Portia Ross at:

Portia.ross@fema.dhs.gov

H. Additional Information

Extensions Extensions to this program are allowed.

Extensions to the initial period of performance identified in the award will be considered only through formal, written requests to the recipient’s respective Regional Office and must contain specific justifications as to why an extension is required.

Recipients are advised to coordinate with the Regional Office CAP-SSSE Coordinator well in advance, when preparing an extension. All extension requests must address the following:

1. Grant Program, Fiscal Year, and award number;

2. Reason for delay – this must include details of the legal, policy, or operational challenges being experienced that prevent the final outlay of awarded funds by the applicable deadline;

3. Current status of the activity/activities;

4. Approved period of performance termination date and new project completion date;

5. Amount of funds drawn down to date;

6. Remaining available funds, both Federal and non-Federal;

7. Budget outlining how remaining Federal and non-Federal funds will be expended;

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

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

Awardees should submit all proposed extension requests to DHS/FEMA for review and mailto:Portia.ross@fema.dhs.gov approval no later than 60 days prior to the end of the Period of Performance.

Other Payment FEMA utilizes the Payment and Reporting System (PARS) for financial reporting, invoicing and tracking payments. Additional information can be obtained at https://isource.fema.gov/sf269/execute/LogIn?sawContentMessage=true

DHS/FEMA uses the Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment to Recipients. To enroll in the DD/EFT, the Recipient must complete a Standard Form 1199A, Direct Deposit Form.

Grant Award recipients will be monitored programmatically and financially on an annual and as needed basis by FEMA staff to ensure that the activities and project goals, objectives, performance requirements, timelines, milestone completion, budgets, and other related program criteria are being met.

Monitoring Monitoring may be accomplished through 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 improvement is needed and provide technical assistance.

https://isource.fema.gov/sf269/execute/LogIn?sawContentMessage=true

Appendix A: FY 2019 CAP-SSSE Eligible Activities

FEMA Regional Offices are to determine the appropriate levels of effort in each activity to ensure that performance metrics are being met. FEMA expects all of the activities described below to be done by the state NFIP Coordinator’s office in coordination with the Region and to be defined in the Statement of Work (SOW).

Selection of Communities that Receive CACs, CAVs, Trainings, or other Technical Assistance: States should work with the Regions to determine which communities will be engaged with some form of program support (e.g., CAVs, CACs, training, outreach, or other forms of technical assistance) during the period of performance. Community selection should be based on attributes pertaining to a community’s risk, the opportunity to influence a community’s built environment, and a community’s demonstrated interest or need for support. To support this prioritization, States will be required to use the outputs of the Floodplain Management Program’s new Community Engagement Prioritization Tool (CEPT) to guide and negotiate community selection with the FEMA Region.

1. Community Information System (CIS) Entry: CIS entry is mandatory, State CAP- SSSE grant recipients must use CIS to enter and update information on regulations adoption, CAVs and CACs, training, general technical assistance, and update all other fields in CIS that document their grant activities. Updates within the CIS are to be made as tasks are accomplished, and will be monitored. FEMA will use quarterly CIS reports along with State narratives to measure progress on the eligible activities and to approve funding drawdowns.

2. Community Assistance Visits (CAVs) and Community Assistance Contacts (CACs):

States participating in CAP-SSSE are required to conduct CAVs and CACs. States will be required to conduct these activities as described in the “National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Guidance for Conducting Community Assistance Contacts and Community Assistance Visits” FEMA F-776/April 2011.

Closed CAV Metric: Each Regional Office has determined a metric for the percent of CAVs that must be closed within a set period of time. States must include the number of CAVs to be closed in the cooperative agreement. States must provide appropriate follow-up to CAVs and CACs by providing technical assistance to correct program deficiencies and remedy violations to the maximum extent possible. States must coordinate with the Regional Office to clarify the necessary follow-up actions to be provided. States must refer community compliance problems that they are unable to resolve to the Regional Office. All CAVs and CACs must be entered into CIS so that FEMA can monitor this important floodplain management activity. Regions and states are encouraged to make maximum use of the CAC process and other contacts with communities to identify potential compliance problems and needs for technical assistance.

3. Floodplain Management Regulation Assistance: Assisting communities in reviewing local regulations to ensure compliance with NFIP requirements and adoption before Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) become effective is critically important. This includes necessary regulation revisions based upon new hazard data provided by FEMA, as well as incorporating any regulatory changes to meet minimum floodplain management criteria.

State Cooperative Agreements shall include a performance measure relating to map adoption. The metric will measure the percentage of participating communities that have an adopted regulation referencing the updated map by the FIRM effective date. States must include a mandatory map adoption rate of 93% or higher into their cooperative agreement.

4. Planning: Planning activities that address floodplain management throughout the state are eligible, including strategic planning and Gap Analysis. These plans should support the goals and objectives of the NFIP. Eligible planning activities include providing technical assistance for the development of other state plans.

Strategic Planning: States may create a multi-year floodplain management plan in coordination with the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, CTP Plan, and/or other State planning activities. Strategic Planning, in coordination with the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, provides an opportunity to assess the current status of a state program and plan for future year demands, build state capabilities, find efficiencies, and explore opportunities for expanded services.

CAP Gap Analysis: States may choose to conduct a gap analysis by using the FEMA CAP GAP Analysis Tool provided by the Regional CAP Grant Coordinator or other Gap Analysis tools. The data collected in the analysis is used to create budget justifications for current and future funding levels. States who believe they may benefit from providing a more refined or revised gap analysis may optionally submit this to the Region for consideration of future year funding increases. The gap analysis is also an important part of the strategic planning process and can be utilized by states in their planning efforts.

5. State Model Regulation Updates and Monitoring of State Regulatory Environment:

Most states have developed a state model floodplain management regulation/regulations containing the minimum requirements outlined in 44 C.F.R. § 60.3, as well as any state required floodplain management provisions. In addition, states are encouraged to offer their communities model regulations that include higher regulatory standards and assist communities in updating their model regulations to include higher standards. States are also encouraged to monitor legal issues affecting floodplain management regulations and activities related to State building code adoption and modifications.

Model Building Codes: Many states adopt a building code that is based on one or more of the model codes developed by the International Code Council (ICC) also known as I- Codes. Most states require all or some communities to enforce the code. Unless modified by a state, the model codes contain NFIP consistent flood provisions for buildings and structures. FEMA and states must ensure an understanding of the implications that the enforcement of these codes have on the local regulatory environment in order to provide accurate technical assistance. States should review their model community regulations and work with communities most at risk to ensure that they understand the implications of these building codes and how the codes are enforced with respect to NFIP requirements.

State NFIP coordinators will be required to coordinate with their counterparts in the state code commission or state agency that is responsible for the building code, especially with respect to interpretations that the code commission or state agency may be asked to issue.

Model companion floodplain management regulations designed specifically to coordinate with building codes based on the I-Codes is available from the Building Science staff at the Regional Offices.

6. Outreach, Workshops, and Other Training: States shall conduct outreach, workshops, and other training for local officials and other stakeholders, including insurance agents, lenders, adjustors, realtors, land surveyors, and design professionals to support implementation and enforcement of community floodplain management regulations, promotion of hazard identification, providing NFIP insurance training, and support of local and state planning initiatives. States should conduct workshops and other training and outreach opportunities to promote the purchase of insurance to improve communities’ flood resilience and decrease disaster suffering. States should publish a schedule of trainings at appropriate locations to maximize coverage of all communities in coordination with the Region.

ASFPM Activities and Credentialing: FEMA encourages state floodplain management personnel to attain Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) credentials.