Public Assistance Applicant Briefing

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Georgia Emergency Management Agency
Office of Homeland Security
Public Assistance Applicant Briefing
FEMA-DR-1858-GA
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The Public Assistance Program
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(No Transcript)
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Factors of Eligibility
ELIGIBILITY
Cost
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Facility Eligibility Requirements

• Damaged as a result of a declared event

• Located within an area declared by the President

• The legal responsibility of an eligible Applicant

• In active use at the time of the disaster

• Not under the authority of another federal agency

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AGENT RESPONSIBILITY
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The Applicants Agent Responsibility

• Request for Public Assistance
• List Sites
• Document Damage
• Review PWs

• Project Management
• Prepare Reports
• Inspections / Audit
• Primary Point of Contact

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Request for Public Assistance
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Purpose of Kickoff Meeting

• Introduce Applicant and PAC
• Explain PA process, forms, and timelines
• Discuss Applicant damages
• Assess Applicant needs
• Answer Applicant questions

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PROJECT WORKSHEET (PW)

• Determines Scopes of Works and Costs to Replace /
  Restore Publicly Owned Facilities
• PW Teams composed of State, and Local (Applicant)
  Representatives

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Project Worksheet
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Role of Local Government in the PW Process

• Facility / Location
• Identify Damage / Cause
• SCOPE OF WORK
• Estimate of Eligible Work

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Project Worksheet

• Scope of Eligible Work
• Most important part of the PW
• Specific damage to the facility and proposed
  repairs must be described in quantitative terms

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Project Worksheet

• Cost of the work recorded on the PW Data Sheet
• Quantity of work and material to perform the
  eligible work

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Project Worksheet

• FEMA/GEMA/Local - should agree on the scope of
  work and estimated cost

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WORK ELIGIBILITY
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Eligible Work

• Damage must be acquired as a direct result of the
  declared event
• Damage must be within designated disaster area
• Responsibility of the Applicant

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Three general types of work

• Debris Removal
• - Category A
• Emergency Protective Measures
• -Category B
• Permanent Restoration
• - Categories C - G

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Emergency Work
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Emergency Work

• Debris Removal

• Emergency Protective Measures

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Debris Removal

• Eliminate immediate threat to life, health and
  safety
• Eliminate immediate threat to improved property
• Ensure economic recovery of the community and
  provide a benefit for the community-at-large

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Emergency Protective Measures Category B

• Activities undertaken by a community before,
  during, and following a disaster to save lives,
  protect pubic health and safety, and protect
  improved public and private property

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Permanent Work
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Permanent Work

• Road and Bridge Systems
• Water Control Facilities
• Public Buildings/Equipment
• Public Utilities
• Other (Parks, Recreation)

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Roads and Bridges Category C

• Repair/Replacement of roads, bridges, culverts,
  etc.
• NOTEFederal- Aid Roads, streets, and highways
  are ineligible

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Water Control Facilities Category D

• Includes repair or replacement of
• Dams
• Levees
• Drainage Channels
• Shore Protective Devices
• Pumping Facilities

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Buildings and Equipment Category E

• Includes
• Buildings / Contents
• Equipment (all types including vehicles)
• Less any insurance

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Utilities Category F

• Repair / Replace disaster related damage to
  predisaster function
• Increases in operating expenses, even if they are
  a result of the disaster, are not eligible

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Parks, Recreational and Other Category G

• Buildings, roads, utilities, etc. located in
  parks or in similar areas
• Playground equipment, swimming pools, tennis
  courts, etc. are also eligible
• Structured beaches that meet a certain criteria
  are eligible

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Eligible Permanent Work

• Repair, restore or replace damaged facilities in
  accordance with regulations
• Restore to pre-disaster design, capacity and
  function in accordance with applicable codes and
  standards
• The work must be required as a result of the
  disaster
• May include cost effective hazard mitigation
  measures

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General Cost Eligibility
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Special Considerations
Hazard Mitigation
Environmental Requirements
Historic Preservation Cultural Resources
Special Flood Hazard Areas
Insurance Requirements
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Insurance Considerations

• Anticipated coverage is subtracted from PA
  funding
• No duplication
• Must be obtained and maintained
• On insurable facilities for which PA funding has
  been provided
• Projects less than 5,000 exempt
• Self-insurance
• State Only for PA purposes
• Insurance Requirements Waiver
• State Insurance Commissioner
• certification required if not reasonably
• available

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Insurance Considerations Applicant Actions

• Identify insurable facilities
• Type and amount of coverage
• Deductibles and policy limits
• Identify facilities that previously received PA
• Provide pertinent information
• Policies
• Declarations
• "Statements of Loss
• Pursue payment under insurance policies

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Environmental Debris

• Site Information
• Name of Debris Site
• Location (Lat/Long (preferred), address).
• Type (i.e. temporary storage, grinding, burn,
  landfill, etc.).
• Documentation
• Permanent sites? Permit number.
• Landfill Permits
• For temporary sites?proof the applicant has
  contacted GA DNR and received field authorization
  (letter or e-mail)
• Failure to provide information may delay
• disbursement of funds.

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Environmental Historic

• Need to know year built (all structures),
  regardless of age
• Structures gt 49 years of age require additional
  review
• In coordination with the State Historic
  Preservation Office (SHPO)
• Proposed disturbance of previously undisturbed
  ground

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Environmental Other

• Does project affect (but not limited to)
• Endangered Species
• Wetlands
• Floodplains
• Waters of the United States
• Coastal Barrier Resource Units
• Low Income or Minority Populations

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Consequences of Non-Compliance

• Loss of funding
• Delays
• Legal issues
• Negative publicity

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PROJECT FORMULATIONandMANAGEMENT
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What is Project Formulation?

• Scope of Work and Cost Estimates
• Combining Sites Into Projects
• Sorting Projects Into Small and Large Projects
• Note Special Consideration

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Who Identifies the Issues?

• Applicant responsibility
• PAC
• Specialist

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Documentation is establishing and maintaining
records.
The Public Assistance Program Doc-42
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Documentation

• Document! Document!! Document!!!
• Existing systems may be sufficient
• Maintain records at least three (3) years after
  closeout!

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Documentation
Remember . . . Undocumented eligible expenses
WILL NOT be reimbursed!
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Summary Records
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Force Account Labor

• Overtime costs are only eligible (if it is an
  established policy to pay overtime)
• If compensatory time is usually given to replace
  overtime, then that policy stands and OT is not
  eligible.
• Fringe benefit rates are eligible for
  reimbursement (normally regular rates and OT
  rates are different)
• Temporary hires are eligible for regular and
  overtime costs (must be used for disaster
  assistance only)

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Force Account Equipment

• Equipment is eligible for regular time and
  overtime
• Standby time is ineligible
• Hourly costs for trucks, back-hoes, etc.
• Mileage costs for automobiles, crew cabs, etc.
• Must use FEMA cost codes or your own costs codes,
  whichever is less

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Materials

• Material costs are eligible
• Keep invoices and/or purchase orders
• Keep all canceled checks
• Keep record of any inventory used from stock
• Maintenance or up-keep items (ie. Oil, gasoline)
  are not eligible

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Mutual Aid

• Must have contractual agreement between both
  parties IN WRITING!
• Must be reasonable costs
• Agency providing the assistance must submit bill
  to applicant
• Damage assessment costs are ineligible
• Regular and overtime costs are eligible

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Contracts and Procurement

• Reasonable Cost
• Competitively Bid
• Must Comply With Standards
• Federal (44CFR Part 13)
• State (as applicable)
• Local (own adopted code/policy)

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Contract

• Approval/Award Contract/Start Repairs
• DO NOT USE
• Debarred Contractors
• Cost Plus Contracts
• Contingency Contracts
• Time Materials after 70 hours

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Acceptable Types of Contracts

• Lump Sum
• Unit Price
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee

AVOID Time and Materials contracts after first
70 hours of work

NO Suspended, Debarred Contractors Cost Plus
Percentage of Costs Contracts
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Procurement Methods
FEMA Finds theses methods acceptable

• Small Purchases
• Informal, several price quotes
• Sealed Bids
• Formal, advertised, lowest responsive bidder
• Competitive Proposals
• Formal, similar to bid, award based on
  contractor qualifications
• Non-Competitive Proposals
• Single source, limited circumstances, legal
  under applicable code

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What are the Timelines?

• Start date . . . . . . . .
• Debris removal . . . .
• Emergency work . .
• Permanent work . . .

• Date of declaration
• 6 months
• 6 months
• 18 months

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Project Management

• Project Funding
• Progress Payments
• Completion of Project
• Final Inspection PW
• Final Payment
• Administrative Closeout

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Reports

• Quarterly Progress Reports On Large Projects
• Project status
• Completion date
• Potential problems
• Final Inspection Reports

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PROJECT FUNDING
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Types of Grants

• Large Projects
• Small Project

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Small Projects

• Threshold Amount under 64,200
• Usually based on estimates
• Paid at 100 of PW
• Small Project Netting available

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Large Projects

• Threshold amounts are 64,200 and above
• Can be one project
• Initial Payment 25
• Additional funding require progress payments with
  adequate back up documentation

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Progress Payments

• Applicant Requests and Submits Information
• Documentation is required
• Final 10 of Approved PW Amount Withheld

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Completion of Project

• Notification from Applicant
• Collection of Information
• On - Site Final Inspection
• Required for all large projects

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Final Inspection PW

• Release of final 10 / Deobligation of Funds
• Final Inspection Report
• GAR reviews and evaluates
• Review

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Final Payment

• Prepare Final Payment Form
• Review / Approval
• Request money from OPB
• Check delivered to Applicant
• Receive Final Package from GEMA

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What Is Closeout?

• A final accounting
• A process for grant evaluation of
• Work completed
• Funds disbursed

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Initiating Closeout

• Small projects
• Group closeout
• Large projects
• Project-by-project closeout
• Based on actual, eligible final costs

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Closeout Flowchart
Sub-Grantee certifies work complete.
Sub-Grantee notifies State.
State conducts final inspection.
State makes final payment.
Files closed.
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What Happens Next?

• Once RPA is received Kick Off Meeting will be
  scheduled
• Project Formulation will take place
• Conduct Exit Briefing once all project worksheets
  complete
• Receive Initial Applicant Package
• Funding Process starts

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Applicants Package

• GAR Letter
• Grantee/Subgrantee Agreement
• Other documents
• Exhibit A
• PWs
• Summary Application Report

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This concludes the overview of the Public
Assistance Applicant Briefing

• Additional information can be obtained
• by calling
• 1-800-TRY-GEMA
• http//www.gema.ga.gov

Questions?
Submit RPA at this time
J. Ward 11/20/97
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Public Assistance Declared Counties

• Carroll DeKalb Newton
• Catoosa Dooly Paulding
• Chattooga Douglas Peach
• Cherokee Fulton Rockdale
• Cobb Gwinnett Stephens
• Crawford Heard Taylor
• Dawson Houston Walker