Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) – Border Reinforcement Program (BRP)

OPSG-BRP supports enhanced cooperation and coordination among Customs and Border Protection (CBP)/United States Border Patrol (USBP), and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to strengthen border security.

OPSG-BRP supports enhanced cooperation and coordination among CBP/USBP, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to strengthen border security.

The only eligible applicants are applicable to State Administrative Agencies (SAAs), as identified in the NOFO. Eligible subrecipients include county-level or equivalent governments and federally recognized tribal governments in states bordering Canada or Mexico, or those with international water borders. Applicants must have active USBP operations coordinated with a CBP sector office to qualify.

All costs charged to awards covered by the OPSG-BRP must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in this manual, the applicable program NOFO, or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance (POP) of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA preparedness grant awards is the same as the POP). In general, the Cost Principles establish standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or administrative costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost. More specifically, except as otherwise stated in the applicable program chapter to this manual, the program NOFO, or the terms and conditions of an award, costs charged to awards covered by this manual must be consistent with the Cost Principles for Federal Awards located at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E. To be allowable, all costs charged to a FEMA award or applied to the cost share must be reasonable in nature and amount and allocable to the FEMA award. Additionally, all costs charged to awards must comply with the grant program's applicable statutes, policies, NOFOs, and requirements in this manual, as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. If FEMA staff identify costs that are inconsistent with any of these requirements, these costs may be disallowed, and FEMA may recover funds as appropriate, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. As part of those requirements, grant recipients and subrecipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in this manual, applicable NOFOs, and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity.

All costs charged to awards covered by the OPSG-BRP must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in this manual, the applicable program NOFO, or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance (POP) of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA preparedness grant awards is the same as the POP). In general, the Cost Principles establish standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or administrative costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost. More specifically, except as otherwise stated in the applicable program chapter to this manual, the program NOFO, or the terms and conditions of an award, costs charged to awards covered by this manual must be consistent with the Cost Principles for Federal Awards located at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E. To be allowable, all costs charged to a FEMA award or applied to the cost share must be reasonable in nature and amount and allocable to the FEMA award. Additionally, all costs charged to awards must comply with the grant program's applicable statutes, policies, NOFOs, and requirements in this manual, as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. If FEMA staff identify costs that are inconsistent with any of these requirements, these costs may be disallowed, and FEMA may recover funds as appropriate, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. As part of those requirements, grant recipients and subrecipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in this manual, applicable NOFOs, and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity

Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity

Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity

Eligible applicants will apply for assistance using FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO). 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity

Period of performance (POP) extension requests must be requested in writing, with specific and compelling justification, and submitted to the FEMA Preparedness Officer or Program Manager. The following information is required in the request: Grant program, fiscal year, and award number; Reason for delay (legal, policy, or operational challenges); Current status of activities; Approved POP termination date and proposed new completion date; Funds drawn down to date; Remaining available funds (federal and, if applicable, non-federal); Budget for remaining funds; Completion plan (milestones, timeframes, responsible personnel); Certification of completion within the extended POP, with no changes to the original scope. The following are eligible reasons for extension: Contractual commitments with vendors; Complex environmental review requirements; Long-term project design; Other special or extenuating circumstances. Requests should be submitted at least 120 days before the current POP ends. Extensions are generally granted for up to six months. Recipients should coordinate with their FEMA Preparedness Officer or Program Manager when preparing extension requests.

Not applicable, OPSG_BRP does not have a formal appeal process for applications that are not selected for funding, and there is no built-in "rework" period after FEMA issues final award decisions. However, clarification and feedback are possible. Potential applicants can ask their FEMA Preparedness Officer of Program Manager for feedback on why a proposal or element was not funded and use this feedback to strengthen future-year applications.