Public AssistanceSouth Carolina Emergency Management Division

Public Assistance

Supplemental financial assistance to State and local governments and certain private non-profit

organizations for response and recovery activities required as a direct result of a declared disaster.

Federal cost share isnot less than 75% of eligible costs.

The Public Assistance Process

Governor’s Request

Exploratory Call RPA

Initial Damage Inventory

Recovery Scoping Meeting

Site Inspections (If Required)

Applicant Briefings

PDA

Project Closeout

Recovery Transition Meeting

Project Formulation

Disaster Event Initiate

FEMA Programs

Declaration

General Program Eligibility

Cost

Work

Facility

Applicant

Eligible Applicants

• State Agencies• Counties• Cities / Towns / Villages• Other Political Subdivisions of the State• Federally Recognized Native American Tribes or Tribal Organizations

• Certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) Organizations that provide critical or essential services

PA Program Partnership

• FEMA – manages the program, provides technical assistance, determines eligibility

• State – serves as the Grant Recipient, educates applicants, works with FEMA to administer the program, manages funds, monitors awarded projects

• Local – identifies damage, provides documentation, manages funded projects

Private Non-Profits with Critical Services

•Private Non-Profits that own facilities that provide Critical Services can be eligible for Emergency work and Permanent work

•Critical services are defined by FEMA as educational, medical, utility or emergency services

Private Non-Profits with Essential, Non-critical Services

•Private Non-Profits that own facilities that provide Essential, Non-Critical Services can be eligible for Emergency work• These would include Community Centers, Houses of Worship, Libraries, Museums and other facilities identified on page 13 of the PAPPG v3.1

•Must apply for both FEMA assistance and an SBA disaster loan for permanent work

Requests for Public Assistance (RPA)

• May be submitted electronically via SC Recovery Grants.

• RPAs must be submitted to FEMA, through the State, within 30 days of the respective area being designated in the declaration.

• FEMA granted an extension to the RPA deadline for 8 counties.

• Does your organization have a DUNS number?• A DUNS # is a unique nine digit identification number required to

receive Federal grants.• Go to https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

• First, you will also need to register for SC Recovery Grants, if you have not done so already.

• All PNP applicants are required to fill out FEMA’s PNP Facility Questionnaire to be included with their RPA.

• With their RPA, all PNPs will also be required to include:• A current ruling letter from the IRS granting tax exemption under

sections 501(c), (d), or (e); OR documentation from the State substantiating it is a non-revenue producing, nonprofit entity organized or doing business under State law

• If the Applicant owns the facility, proof of ownership • If the Applicant leases the facility, proof of legal responsibility to

repair the incident-related damage • List of services provided in the facility and when and to whom • For more documentation to be included by PNPs with their RPAs,

see Table 5 on page 131 of 2018 PAPPG V3.1

Private Non-Profit (PNP) RPA Requirements

General Program Eligibility

Cost

Work

Facility

Applicant

Facility and Work Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for FEMA’s PA program, a facility must be:

• Damaged as a result of a declared event• Located within an area declared by the President• The legal responsibility of an eligible Applicant and in active use at the time of the disaster

• Not under the authority of another federal agency

General Program Eligibility

Cost

Work

Facility

Applicant

Types of Work

Emergency WorkEliminates or lessens immediate threats to life or property

Permanent WorkRestores a facility to pre-disaster function, capacity and design.

Types of Work

Emergency WorkA. Debris RemovalB. Emergency Protective Measures

Permanent WorkC. Roads and Bridge WorkD. Water Control FacilitiesE. Public Buildings / EquipmentF. Public UtilitiesG. Other (Parks, Recreation, etc.)

Project Completion Deadlines

Type of Work Completion Deadline*

Emergency Work 6 monthsPermanent Work 18 months

* From the date of disaster declaration

• It is required from the applicant that all time extension requests must be sent and approved for eligibility of work completed after the associated deadline

PLEASE NOTE: If the deadline for any project is reached, no work past that date will be funded without an approved Time Extension.

General Program Eligibility

Cost

Work

Facility

Applicant

Eligible Costs

Eligible Costs must be:• Directly tied to the performance of eligible

work• Adequately Documented• Reduced by applicable credits including

insurance and salvage value• Consistent with the Applicant’s internal

policies, regulations and procedures• Necessary and reasonable to accomplish the

work properly and efficiently

Special Considerations

Insurance Requirements

Environmental Requirements

Historic Preservation &Cultural Resources

Hazard Mitigation

Special Flood Hazard Areas

Hazard Mitigation

• Cost effective measures that reduce or eliminate the potential for damages to a facility from a future event

• Must apply only to the damaged elements of the eligible facility

• Cost-effective mitigation activities are listed in Appendix J of 2018 PAPPG v3.1

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures (PAAP) Program

Debris RemovalThe two procedures available are:• Force Account Labor

• Reimbursement for staff straight time as well as overtime

• Debris Management Plans, if approved by FEMA• One Time 2% Cost Share Incentive

Subrecipients must notify FEMA of their intent to participate in the alternative procedures by signing and submitting the PAAP Debris Acknowledgement before obligation of their first subaward for debris removal.

PAAP Program- Policy Update

PAAP Pilot Guide for Debris Removal (Version 6)This version of the pilot is in effect for incidents declared on or

after June 28, 2018.Overall Updates/changes:• Discontinued use of the Increased Federal Cost Share (Sliding

Scale) procedure. • Discontinued use of Recycling Revenue procedure.

•Guidance to be distributed

PAAP Permanent Work

Direct Administrative Costsvs. Management Costs

• Direct Administrative Cost Policy– Page 38, PAPPG FP 104-009-2 / April 2018– Include costs that can be tracked, charged, and

accounted for directly to a specific project, such as staff time to complete field inspection and preparation of a PW.

– Direct costs will be considered project costs.

• Management Cost Interim Policy– Includes direct and indirect costs– Up to 5% of total approved project amounts– Based on actual costs

Exploratory Call

Exploratory Call Goals:• Introduce the Applicant and FEMA Program Delivery Manager (PDMG)

• Get an initial sense of needs and damages• Schedule Recovery Scoping Meeting and

identify those that should attend

Recovery Scoping Meeting

Recovery Scoping Meeting (RSM) Goals:• Review initial Damage Inventory • Gather support documentation and other Essential

Elements of Information (EEI)• Identify a logical grouping of projects• Review applicant priorities• Begin Scheduling Site Inspections• Program Delivery Plan (Preliminary 60 day timeline

of action items)• Begins timeframe for reporting damages to FEMA (60 Days

from RSM)

Sample Damage Inventory

Sample EEI

Project Worksheet Formulation

• Applicants will work with their Program Delivery Managers from FEMA on developing and compiling:• Damage Description and Dimensions (DDD)

• Scopes of Work (SOW)• Estimated Costs• Insurance Documentation

• Applicants may prepare their own DDD and SOW, but they will require FEMA validation

PA TimelinesPhase Deadline

Submit RPA Within 30 days of designation in the declaration

Exploratory Call

Recovery Scoping Meeting

Identify Damage Within 60 days of Recovery Scoping Meeting

Appeal Within 60 days of written notice of FEMA’s determination

Retain Documentation Minimum of 3 years following disaster closeout

Alternate Projects

•When a subrecipient determines that the public welfare would not be best served by restoring a damaged public facility or the function of that facility, the recipient may request that the Regional Administrator approve an alternate project.•More information on Alternate Projects can be found in 44 CFR 206.203(d)(2).

Alternate Projects

Funds are capped at the Federal share of the approved estimate of the approved scope of work, and can be used for:

•Repairs or expansions of other facilities•Construction of new public facilities•Demolition of the original structure•The purchase of equipment

Improved Projects

Applicants performing restoration work on a damaged facility may use the opportunity to make additional improvements while still restoring the facility to pre-disaster minimum capacity and function

•Examples include laying asphalt on a gravel road or expanding a fire station• Can be approved for large or small projects, but must be approved by the State

prior to construction• Funding capped at the approved estimate of the approved scope of work, or

actual cost, whichever is less

PA Resources

• FEMA Public Assistance Policy and Program Guide (PAPPG)• 2018 PAPPG v3.1

• FEMA’s Grants Portal• The Public Assistance Program is administered through this

portal through obligation of all projects associated with the event.

• https://grantee.fema.gov/

• SCEMD Grant Management Website:• This is the State’s system. The Public Assistance Grant is

managed on this system from Obligation through Event Closeout for each applicant.

• https://screcoverygrants.org/

Grants Portal

https://grantee.fema.gov/

SC Grants Management Website

• SCRecoveryGrants.org – Tracks Emergency Management grants in SC

– Manages the recovery process from application through closeout

– Facilitates transparency between SCEMD and the Applicant

• Use this website to:– Submit your RPA or download the form

– Track projects (status, financials)

– Access FEMA forms and policies

– Track payments and submit Request for Reimbursements (RFRs)

SC Recovery Grants

The Public Assistance Process

Governor’s Request

Exploratory Call RPA

Initial Damage Inventory

Recovery Scoping Meeting

Site Inspections (If Required)

Applicant Briefings

PDA

Project Closeout

Recovery Transition Meeting

Project Formulation

Disaster Event Initiate

FEMA Programs

Declaration

Project Funding

• Currently: greater than $3,200, but less than $128,900*• Costs less than $3,200 are not eligible• Funding based on cost of work completed or initial cost estimate• Federal cost share paid upon project approval• Alternate or improved projects or other changes in scope require additional

review by the State and/or FEMA

Small Projects

• Currently: cost $128,900 or greater*• Approved based on estimated or actual costs; paid based on documented

actual costs• Federal cost share is paid as work is completed• Alternate or improved projects or other changes in scope require additional

review by the State and/or FEMA

Large Projects

*Thresholds are adjusted annually and are available at this link.

Request for Reimbursement (RFR)

For Large Projects and all Category Z (management cost) projects:

• The State will disburse payments based on work complete with the submission and validation of an RFR

• All RFRs are submitted within SC Recovery Grants with supporting documentation and proof of payment

•Must confirm that:•Costs were incurred in the performance of eligible work

•Costs are supported with proper source documentation

Request for Reimbursement

•Must comply with 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

Eligible Costs

•2 CFR 200.317-326•A state must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for non-Federal funds

•All other non-Federal entities must follow both federal and local procurement standards.

•FEMA Procurement Disaster Assistance Team resources

Procurement Standards

•See Table 10 in the FEMA PAPPG as a starting point.

•Proof of payment required to demonstrate actual costs

RFR Documentation

•Create a separate “expense” for each invoice or receipt.

• If documentation previously provided:• View “related documents” and use “link” feature in SCRecoverygrants.org

• If documentation not previously provided:• Upload documents to the RFR

•Contact SCEMD for support from your Grants Specialist

RFR Creation

Questions?