U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FISCAL YEAR 2009 INTEROPERABLE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS GRANT PROGRAM GUIDANCE AND APPLICATION KIT NOVEMBER 2008 U.S.DEPARTMENT OFHOMELANDSECURITY Title of Opportunity: Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP) Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-09-GPD-001-1969 Federal Agency Name: FEMA Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Announcement Type: Initial Dates: Completed applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM EST, January 13, 2009. Additional Overview Information: The following are some of the key changes impacting FY 2009 IECGP as compared to last year’s program. Interoperable Emergency Communications Equipment as an allowable cost category. Per FY 2009 IECGP funding objectives, the applicant has the flexibility to use IECGP funds to purchase interoperable emergency communications equipment if and only if it has achieved or will achieve all Priority Group 1 and 2 objectives. A State Administrative Agency (SAA) must certify that its State or territory has fulfilled these governance, planning, training and exercise objectives prior to proposing a project for the purchase of interoperable communications equipment with any remaining IECGP funds. Refer to page 26 for additional information. 75/25 Cost Share on Equipment Purchases. In FY 2009, IECGP has a 75% Federal and 25% State cost share, cash or in-kind, requirement for equipment purchases only. Refer to page 11 for additional information. 50 percent Personnel Cap. No more than 50 percent of total program funds may be used for personnel activities. In general, the use of IECGP grant funding to pay for staff and/or contractor regular time or overtime/backfill is considered a personnel cost. Office equipment costs are also allowable, including personal computers, computer peripherals (for example, printers and external hard drives), and office telephones to support IECGP-related personnel. These expenses are permitted under this grant in order to perform allowable FY 2009 IECGP planning, training, and exercise activities. Refer to page 25 for additional information. i CONTENTS Contents........................................................................................................................ 1 Part I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION......................................................... 2 Part II. AWARD INFORMATION .................................................................................... 7 Part III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION .......................................................................... 11 A. Eligible Applicants................................................................................. 11 B. Cost Sharing .......................................................................................... 11 C. Restrictions ............................................................................................ 12 Part IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ...................................... 13 A. Address to Request Application Package ........................................... 13 B. Content and Form of Application ......................................................... 13 C. Submission Dates and Times ............................................................... 21 D. Intergovernmental Review .................................................................... 21 E. Funding Restrictions............................................................................. 21 Part V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ........................................................ 31 A. Review Criteria....................................................................................... 31 B. Review and Selection Process ............................................................. 31 C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates .................................... 31 PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION .............................................. 32 A. Notice of Award ..................................................................................... 32 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements ............................. 33 C. Reporting Requirements ....................................................................... 40 Part VII. FEMA CONTACTS.........................................................................................44 1 PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION The Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP) is a grant program created by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53), (hereafter referred to as the 9/11 Act). IECGP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate (GPD), in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC). In Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, $48,575,000 was appropriated for IECGP grants to States and territories by the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 (Public Law 110-329). This package provides the formal grant guidance and application materials needed to apply for funding under IECGP, including IECGP funding allocations, eligibility criteria, and detailed application requirements. The eligible applicants for this grant program are the SAAs of the 56 States and territories. In FY 2009, IECGP provides governance, planning, training and exercise funding to States, territories, and local and tribal governments to carry out initiatives to improve interoperable emergency communications, including communications in collective response to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. All activities proposed under IECGP must be integral to interoperable emergency communications and must be aligned with the goals, objectives, and/or initiatives identified in the grantee’s approved Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan (SCIP). If an SAA certifies that its State or territory has fulfilled such governance, planning, training and exercise objectives, the Program provides the flexibility to purchase interoperable communications equipment with any remaining IECGP funds. IECGP will also advance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) near-term priorities that are deemed critical to improving interoperable emergency communications and are consistent with the goals and objectives of the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), which was delivered to Congress in July 20081. The NECP has established three strategic goals for the Nation: • Goal 1—By 2010, 90 percent of all high-risk urban areas designated within the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within 1 hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies. • Goal 2—By 2011, 75 percent of non-UASI jurisdictions are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within 1 hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies. 1 The NECP is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/national_emergency_communications_plan.pdf 2 • Goal 3—By 2013, 75 percent of all jurisdictions are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within 3 hours, in the event of a significant incident as outlined in national planning scenarios. GPD and OEC have established program and policy guidelines for IECGP and will ensure that all grants awarded under IECGP comply with– • The SCIP for that State or territory required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6 U.S.C. §194(f)); and, • The NECP goals and objectives. The Administrator of FEMA will administer IECGP, pursuant to the authority given to FEMA under the 9/11 Act. The FEMA Administrator will ensure that grant funds are awarded consistent with policies established by the Director of OEC. Program Funding Goals IECGP provides funding to improve interoperable emergency communications capabilities across States, territories, local and tribal governments and to support the implementation of the SCIPs. Each State and territory now has an approved SCIP, which outlines goals, objectives and initiatives for enhancing interoperability statewide according to a common set of criteria. The NECP establishes goals and objectives for ensuring interoperable emergency communications nationwide. IECGP funding is provided to States and territories and to local and tribal governments to support achievement of the goals, objectives, and/or initiatives of the SCIPs and to ensure that SCIPs are aligned with the NECP. For FY 2009, GPD and OEC have identified the following objectives deemed critical for advancing interoperable emergency communications in alignment with the criteria established for the SCIP process. These objectives have been developed to address NECP goals and objectives and to support SCIP implementation. • Priority Group 1: Gaps in Leadership and Governance and Common Operational Planning and Protocols • Priority Group 2: Emergency Responder Skills and Capabilities Development through Training and Exercises Funding retained by the State or territory must be used to address the objectives in Priority Group 1 prior to selecting projects to address the objectives in Priority Group 2 . Pass-through recipients at the local and tribal levels of government may address objectives in either Priority Group 1 or Priority Group 2 based on the most critical needs consistent with SCIP goals, objectives, and/or initiatives. Note: In addition to these IECGP funds, other DHS grant programs exist and are expected to be leveraged to help promote the funding priorities outlined below. For 3 example, interoperable communications funds were available through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program, and continue to be available through the annual Homeland Security Grant Program. Priority Group 1 – Gaps in Governance and Common Operational Planning and Protocols Establishment of formal interoperable emergency communications governance structures Governing bodies for interoperable emergency communications efforts are essential to ensure coordinated and consistent planning, implementation, and resource allocation for emergency communications solutions. Each State is expected to establish a formal statewide interoperability governing body. The NECP established the national milestone that statewide interoperability governing bodies in all 56 States and territories should be established with the necessary authority (e.g., via legislation or executive order) and representation as recommended in the Statewide Interoperability Planning Guidebook2 by July 2009. Local and tribal governments should establish local and/or regional interoperability governing bodies as needed to coordinate emergency communications initiatives and interface with the statewide body. While governance committees provide the needed guidance and input on statewide activities, there is a need for a single point of contact to manage the complex and time consuming process of maintaining and implementing the SCIP and aligning the SCIP to the NECP. The NECP established a national milestone, which specifies that all States and territories should establish full-time statewide interoperability coordinators or equivalent positions by July 2009. In addition, local and tribal governments should consider whether or not regional or local interoperability points of contact are needed to connect local, tribal, or regional initiatives with statewide initiatives. FY 2008 IECGP funds were prioritized to establish formal interoperable emergency communications governance structures and establish dedicated statewide, as well as regional and local (where applicable), interoperability coordinators. States and territories are expected to prioritize FY 2009 IECGP funds to address any remaining governance, interoperability coordinator, or support office gaps. Establishment of common planning and operational protocols As stated, Goal 1 of the NECP is to ensure that, by 2010, 90 percent of all high- risk urban areas designated within the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) are able to demonstrate response-level emergency communications within 1 hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies. States, territories, 2 http://www.safecomprogram.gov/NR/rdonlyres/18F02413-CC4D-41B2-9097F5FF04E080C7/ 0/StatewidePlanningGuidebookFINAL.pdf 4 and Urban Areas are expected to establish the necessary common planning and operational protocols to ensure that designated UASIs or other metropolitan areas or regions (as designated by the State or territory) will meet this goal. Grantees should continue strategic and tactical emergency communications planning efforts (e.g. SCIPs and Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans [TICP]). By the end of Calendar Year 2010, States and territories will be expected to align SCIPs to the NECP. Additionally, grantees are expected to establish common operational protocols through activities, such as the development of standard operating procedures (SOP), consistent use of interoperability channels, plain language protocols, and common channel naming. SOPs should be in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS). Planning may also include system life cycle planning for interoperable emergency communications equipment and sustainability of the interoperable emergency communications program if Federal grant funds are reduced or no longer available in the future. Priority Group 2 –Emergency Responder Skills and Capabilities Enhancement of emergency responder skills and capabilities through training and exercises Many public safety agencies do not conduct regular training or exercises to ensure that emergency responders have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to operate emergency communications solutions or follow procedures. The absence of such skills and capabilities can lead to ineffective performance during an actual emergency, as reported in recent assessments including the National Communications Capabilities Report. States, territories, and Urban Areas are expected to use IECGP funding to perform training and exercises to demonstrate accomplishment of Goal 1 of the NECP. Further, Goal 2 of the NECP states that, by 2011, 75 percent of non-UASI jurisdictions are able to demonstrate response- level emergency communications within 1 hour for routine events involving multiple jurisdictions and agencies. States and territories should consider these goals and the potential for future reporting against the goals as they plan for future training and exercise activities. Interoperable emergency communications-specific training and exercises that are compliant with Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) criteria with respect to technology solutions and operational protocols should be offered and conducted on a regular basis. Further, applicants should identify issues in after-action reports and improvement plans and resolve these issues. Agencies must enhance their own knowledge, skills, and abilities, but must also prioritize training and exercise development with all their partners across disciplines, jurisdictions, and levels of government. 5 Other DHS grant programs substantially fund infrastructure and equipment acquisitions and upgrades. As the Interoperability Continuum (see Figure 1) demonstrates, and as emphasized in the assessments noted previously, effective interoperable emergency communications is not achieved solely through technological means. Thus, for FY 2009, IECGP funding priorities will focus on key interoperability issues beyond infrastructure and equipment, which are critical for ensuring that the Nation has the necessary capabilities to communicate during emergencies. These interoperable emergency communications capabilities of the Interoperability Continuum cannot be achieved without the crucial leadership and governance, common planning and operational protocols, and training and exercises. If an SAA certifies that its State, territory, and/or pass-through recipients have fulfilled all of the objectives of Priority Groups 1 and 2, the State, territory, and/or pass-through recipients may purchase interoperable communications equipment with any remaining FY 2009 IECGP funds. Figure 1 - Interoperability Continuum 6 PART II. AWARD INFORMATION This section summarizes the award period of performance and the total amount of funding available under the FY 2009 IECGP, describes the basic distribution method used to determine final grant awards, and identifies all eligible applicants for FY 2009 funding. Award Period of Performance The period of performance of this grant is 24 months. Extensions to the period of performance will be considered only through formal requests to FEMA with specific and compelling justifications why an extension is required. Available Funding In FY 2009, the total amount of funds distributed under IECGP will be $48,575,000. FY 2009 IECGP funds will be allocated based on risk. Each State will receive a minimum allocation under IECGP using the thresholds established in the 9/11 Act. All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will receive a minimum of 0.50 percent of the total funds allocated. Four territories (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) will receive a minimum allocation of 0.08 percent of the total funds allocated. Table 1 - IECGP State/Territory Final Allocations State/Territory IECGP Funding Alabama $565,150 Alaska $286,624 American Samoa $47,524 Arizona $923,912 Arkansas $307,672 California $6,089,369 Colorado $689,951 Connecticut $477,707 Delaware $242,875 District of Columbia $583,306 Florida $2,039,553 Georgia $1,086,225 Guam $77,846 Hawaii $282,595 Idaho $242,875 Illinois $2,071,676 Indiana $747,138 Iowa $410,885 7 Kansas $398,560 Kentucky $506,778 Louisiana $859,524 Maine $242,875 Maryland $970,428 Massachusetts $1,015,791 Michigan $1,054,673 Minnesota $716,462 Mississippi $370,239 Missouri $727,260 Montana $242,875 Nebraska $324,195 Nevada $463,349 New Hampshire $242,875 New Jersey $1,433,469 New Mexico $303,544 New York $6,999,813 North Carolina $978,635 North Dakota $242,875 Northern Mariana Islands $49,045 Ohio $1,243,674 Oklahoma $427,352 Oregon $521,506 Pennsylvania $1,696,454 Puerto Rico $315,572 Rhode Island $242,875 South Carolina $453,159 South Dakota $242,875 Tennessee $664,285 Texas $3,466,275 U.S. Virgin Islands $62,715 Utah $345,593 Vermont $242,875 Virginia $1,112,249 Washington $1,185,623 West Virginia $242,875 Wisconsin $550,020 Wyoming $242,875 Total $48,575,000 General Program Requirements SAAs will be responsible for the administration of FY 2009 IECGP funds. SAAs must coordinate with the statewide interoperability coordinator and the statewide interoperability governing body as required by the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria and the appropriate SCIP stakeholders and committees at the State, regional, local, and tribal levels of government to ensure support for the projects selected and to ensure IECGP program requirements are met. Additionally, States should ensure that unreasonable or unduly burdensome requirements are not placed on a tribal 8 government as a condition of receiving grant funds or resources. In administering the program, the SAA must work with the POCs, stakeholders, and eligible applicants to comply with the following general requirements. 1. SCIP Implementation Reports The 9/11 Act requires States and territories to submit annual reports to OEC on progress in implementing that State’s SCIP and achieving interoperability at the interstate, State, county, regional, and city levels as a condition of receiving funding. OEC developed a SCIP Implementation Report for all 56 States and territories based on a comprehensive review of each respective SCIP. Each State and territory will be required to update its SCIP Implementation Report within 30 days after the end of the IECGP reporting period (July 30 for the reporting period of January 1 through June 30). Beginning in FY 2009, States and territories are encouraged to begin aligning SCIPs to the NECP. By the end of Calendar Year 2010, alignment will need to be reflected in the SCIP Implementation Reports. 2. Grant funds The SAA must obligate 80 percent of the funds awarded under IECGP to local and tribal governments within 45 days of receipt of the funds. No pass-through requirements will be applied to the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Each State (as well as Puerto Rico) may retain a portion of the 80 percent pass-through for expenditures made by the State on behalf of local or tribal governments. This may occur only with the written consent of the local or tribal unit of government, with the written consent specifying the amount of funds to be retained and the intended use of funds. 3. Priority Guidance As stated in the Program Funding Goals Section, funding retained by the State or territory must be used to achieve the objectives in Priority Group 1 prior to selecting projects to address the objectives in Priority Group 2. Before moving to Priority Group 2, the Investment Justification must demonstrate that the State or territory has achieved or will achieve through IECGP funding the following Priority Group 1 objectives: • Establishment of a formal statewide interoperability governing body consistent with the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria, which has– o Representation from each public safety discipline (e.g., emergency medical services [EMS], fire, law enforcement.) o Representation across each level of government–Federal, State, local and tribal (if applicable) o Representation from each region within the State or territory (as applicable, and/or defined in the SCIP) o Executive or legislative authority and a formal charter 9 • Establishment of a full-time statewide interoperability coordinator with sufficient capabilities/resources (e.g., project management and technical expertise) to effectively execute his/her mission, consistent with the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria • State or Territorial agency development of SOPs that demonstrate consistent use of at least one of the following: interoperability channels, plain language protocols, common channel naming • State or Territorial agency development of SOPs that demonstrate compliance with NIMS ICS Before using IECGP funds for interoperable emergency communications equipment acquisition, the State or territory must fulfill both the above Priority Group 1 requirements and the following Priority Group 2 objectives: • Applicant demonstration of compliance with NECP Goal 1 through preparation of approved incident and exercise After Action Report (AAR), and • State or territory completion of a State-level multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency training and exercise event. Pass-through recipients at the local and tribal levels of government, though encouraged to establish and enhance governance structures and establish common planning and operational protocols, have the flexibility to select projects in Priority Group 1 or Priority Group 2. However, pass-through recipients must also fulfill both Priority Group 1 and Priority Group 2 objectives prior to using IECGP funds for interoperable emergency communications equipment acquisition. Note: For all proposed FY 2009 IECGP projects that relate to personnel, applicants must identify sustainable sources of funding (or a plan for obtaining sustainable sources) and work to integrate new staff into the State budget in future years to maintain this capability. 10 PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION A. Eligible Applicants The Governor of each State and territory has designated an SAA, which can apply for and administer the funds under IECGP. The SAA is the only agency eligible to apply for IECGP funds. The SAA is responsible for the management and administration of all funds provided through this award and is accountable for all the deadlines, requirements, and limitations of this award. The SAA is responsible for obligating IECGP funds to eligible pass-through recipients, as well as for overseeing and monitoring the activity of these sub-recipients. To be eligible to receive FY 2009 IECGP funding, applicants must meet NIMS compliance requirements. The NIMSCAST will be the required means to report FY 2008 NIMS compliance for FY 2009 preparedness award eligibility. All State and territory grantees were required to submit their compliance assessment via the NIMSCAST by September 30, 2008 in order to be eligible for FY 2009 preparedness programs. The State or territory department/agency grantee reserves the right to determine compliance reporting requirements of their sub-awardees (locals) in order to disperse funds at the local level. For FY 2009 there are no new NIMS compliance objectives. If FY 2008 NIMS compliance was reported using NIMSCAST and the grantee has met all NIMS compliance requirements, then NIMSCAST will only require an update in FY 2009. Additional information on achieving compliance is available through the FEMA National Integration Center (NIC) at http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/. B. Cost Sharing In FY 2009, IECGP has a 75% Federal and 25% State cost share, cash or in-kind, requirement for equipment purchases only. Unless otherwise authorized by law, Federal funds cannot be matched with other Federal funds. In accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469a, match requirements are waived for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. FEMA administers cost sharing requirements in accordance with 44 CFR §13.24, which is located at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_07/44cfrv1_07.html. 11 C. Restrictions Please see Part IV.E. for Management & Administration (M&A) limits and allowable/unallowable costs guidance. 12 PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION A. Address to Request Application Package DHS participates in the Administration’s e-government initiative. As part of that initiative, all applications must be filed using the Administration’s common electronic “storefront” --grants.gov. Eligible SAAs must apply for funding through this portal, accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. To access application forms and instructions, select “Apply for Grants,” and then select “Download Application Package.” Enter the CFDA and/or the funding opportunity number located on the cover of this announcement. Select “Download Application Package,” and then follow the prompts to download the application package. To download the instructions, go to “Download Application Package” and select “Instructions.” If you experience difficulties or have any questions, please call the grants.gov customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726. B. Content and Form of Application 1. On-line application. The on-line application must be completed and submitted using grants.gov after Central Contractor Registry (CCR) registration is confirmed. The on-line application includes the following required forms and submissions: • Investment Justification • Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance • Standard Form 424A, Budget Information • Standard Form 424B Assurances • Standard Form 424C, Budget Information – Construction Form (if applicable) • Standard Form 424D, Assurances – Construction Programs (if applicable) • Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities The program title listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) is “Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program.” The CFDA number is 97.001. When completing the on-line application, applicants should identify their submissions as new, non-construction applications. 2. Application via grants.gov. FEMA participates in the Administration’s e- government initiative. As part of that initiative, all applicants must file their applications using the Administration’s common electronic “storefront” --grants.gov. Eligible SAAs must apply for funding through this portal, accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. 13 3. DUNS number. The applicant must provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number with their application. This number is a required field within grants.gov and for CCR Registration. Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number, or take the steps necessary to obtain one, as soon as possible. Applicants can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at (866) 705-5711. 4. Valid Central Contractor Registry (CCR) Registration. The application process also involves an updated and current registration by the applicant. Eligible applicants must confirm CCR registration at http://www.ccr.gov, as well as apply for funding through grants.gov. 5. Investment Justification. As part of the FY 2009 application process, applicants must develop an Investment Justification that addresses each initiative being proposed for funding. These Investment Justifications must demonstrate how proposed projects address gaps and deficiencies in current programs and capabilities. The Investment Justification must demonstrate the ability to provide enhancements consistent with the purpose of the program and guidance provided by FEMA. Applicants must ensure that the Investment Justification is consistent with all applicable requirements outlined in this application kit. IECGP Overview The IECGP Investment Justification must provide a detailed description of the proposed use of the FY 2009 IECGP funds, including the intended planning, training, and exercise initiatives for improving interoperable emergency communications. The State or territory may propose activities at a local level, as well as activities that have statewide application. When proposing FY 2009 IECGP projects, the SAA must consider the following key factors– • Alignment with the SCIP. Grantees must demonstrate alignment between proposed IECGP projects and the SCIPs (specifically, goals, objectives, and specific initiatives to address interoperable emergency communications gaps). • IECGP Funding Objectives and Priority Groups 1 and 2. Grantees must prioritize and select projects consistent with IECGP funding objectives: 1) Priority Group 1, Gaps in Governance and Common Planning and Operational Protocols; and 2) Priority Group 2, Emergency Responder Skills and Capabilities. For State- or territory-level projects, Priority Group 1 objectives must be prioritized over Priority Group 2 objectives. Local or tribal pass-through recipient projects can be selected from either Priority Group. • Equipment purchase. If an SAA certifies that its State, territory, and/or pass- through recipients have fulfilled all of the objectives of Priority Groups 1 and 2, 14 the State, territory, and/or pass-through recipients have the flexibility to purchase interoperable communications equipment with any remaining IECGP funds. • Grant program requirements. Grantees must meet the minimum 80 percent pass-through to local or tribal government entities. Note: SAAs must coordinate with the statewide interoperability coordinator, statewide interoperability governing body as required by the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria,3 and the appropriate SCIP stakeholders and committees at the State, regional, local, and tribal levels of government to ensure support for the projects selected and to ensure that IECGP program requirements are met. Further, per the 9/11 Act, States and territories are required to report to OEC annually on the use of grant funds in order to track their progress in implementing the SCIPs and achieving interoperability at the city, county, regional, State, and interstate levels. To assist in the development of IECGP Investment Justifications, States and territories can refer to the IECGP Program Guidance and Application Kit, as well as any follow-up application reference materials as needed. The IECGP Investment Justification must include an overall Portfolio Narrative and Portfolio Budget, as well as specific Project Outline(s). IECGP projects must be outlined using the Project Outline Template. FY 2009 Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP) Portfolio Please complete the following sections just once. Portfolio Narrative: (not to exceed 1 page) • Overview of State or territory’s interoperable emergency communications priorities and needs for planning, training, and exercises in FY 2009; • Overview of the governance structure that will oversee the development and implementation of the project(s) funded by IECGP; o Describe the methodology used for prioritizing FY 2009 IECGP projects and the stakeholders involved in that prioritization. • Summary of the agencies involved in IECGP initiatives (e.g., State, local, tribal) and a description of their involvement. • Summary and justification of anticipated M&A expenditures. 3 FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria can be found on the SAFECOM website at: http://www.safecomprogram.gov/SAFECOM/library/grant/1304_fy2007.htm. 15 Portfolio Budget: (not to exceed 1 page) Include a breakdown of all FY 2009 IECGP funds by project name and the Management and Administration amount withheld at the State or territory level. In addition, the State or territory must outline how it intends to meet the pass-through requirement. The pass-through requirement will be monitored via the Grants Reporting Tool (GRT) throughout the grant’s period of performance. Portfolio Budget Total Cost State or territory M&A (up to 3%) $XX If the State or territory intends to use M&A funding, it must provide a summary and justification of anticipated expenditures in the Portfolio Narrative. State or territory supported projects $XX Project Name: E.g., Update SCIP Project Cost: $XX Project Name: E.g., Hire Statewide Interoperability Coordinator Project Cost: $XX Local pass-through projects (80%) $XX Project Name: E.g., Interoperable Communications Training and Exercises Project Cost: $XX Project Name: E.g., Developing Standard Operating Procedures Project Cost: $XX Total IECGP Funds $XX FY 2009 IECGP, Project #[x], Project Name Please complete the following sections for each individual project. IECGP Objective: (not to exceed a ½ page) Briefly describe the project as a whole and its primary objective. Include a description of the interoperable emergency communications gap to be filled and the end result/outcome(s) of the project.4 Alignment to IECGP Priority Groups: Please select the Priority Group and Objective(s) to which this project aligns: Priority Group 1, Leadership and Governance and Common Planning and Operational Protocols. Establishment of formal interoperable emergency communications governance structures; Establishment of common planning and operational protocols. Or: Priority Group 2 Emergency Responder Skills and Capabilities. Enhancement of emergency responder skills and capabilities through training and exercises. 4 Note that if this is a Priority 1 project directed at personnel, applicants must explain how they are working to integrate new staff into the State budget in future years to maintain the capability, as appropriate. 16 For State/territory-level Projects Only: Per FY 2009 IECGP funding objectives, State and territory level applicants are expected to prioritize Priority 1 Group, Leadership and Governance and Common Planning and Operational Protocols, objectives over Priority Group 2. If applicants are unable to check all of the following boxes, it is expected that FY 2009 IECGP funds be directed to meet these minimum expectations prior to choosing Priority Group 2 projects. The State or territory has a formal statewide interoperable emergency communications governance committee, consistent with the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria, which has: Representation from each public safety discipline; Representation across each level of government: Federal, State, local, and tribal (if applicable); Representation from each region within the State or territory (as applicable, and/or defined in the SCIP); Executive or legislative authority and a formal charter. Please also verify the following: The State or territory has hired a full-time statewide interoperability coordinator with sufficient capabilities/resources (e.g., project management, technical expertise) to effectively execute his/her mission, consistent with the FY 2007 Statewide Planning Criteria. If not, please provide an explanation of why and how the State or territory intends on ensuring SCIP implementation efforts are effectively coordinated statewide. The State or territory has developed SOPs that demonstrate consistent use of interoperability channels, plain language protocols, common channel naming; and The State or territory has developed SOPs that demonstrate compliance with NIMS ICS. For State/territory and Local level Projects: Per FY 2009 IECGP funding objectives, the applicant has the flexibility to use IECGP funds to purchase interoperable emergency communications equipment if and only if it has achieved or will achieve all of the above listed expectations for Priority Group 1 and the following Priority Group 2 objectives: The State, territory, and/or pass-through recipients have demonstrated compliance with NECP Goal 1 through preparation of approved incident and exercise AAR; and The State or territory has completed a State-level multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency training and exercise event. (Not applicable to pass-through recipients) If the State, territory, and/or pass-through recipient plans to use IECGP funds to purchase interoperable emergency communications equipment, it must certify the following: The State, territory, and/or pass-through recipient certifies that it has achieved or will achieve both Priority Group 1 and 2 objectives. 17 Alignment to SCIP Goals, Objectives, and/or Initiatives: (not to exceed 1 page) Identify how the project aligns to the SCIP: 1) needs and/or gaps identified; 2) goals and objectives; and 3) specific initiative(s). Describe where the need/gap, goal, objective, and/or initiative was identified (provide specific header and page number references). Priority and Need E.g., Hire Interoperability Coordinator Related Goal(s) Goal X, (SCIP Section x: Page x): Insert description of the goal(s) Related Objective(s) Objective X, (SCIP Section x: Page x): Insert description of the objective(s) Related Strategic Initiative(s) Strategic Initiative X, (SCIP Section x: Page x): Insert description of the initiative(s) Alignment to TICP AAR, or other Assessment/Tool: (not to exceed a ½ page) If applicable, identify how the project aligns to the TICP AAR, and/or other interoperable emergency communications assessments/tools. Governance: (not to exceed a ½ page) Identify the governance structures in place that will support the development and implementation of the project. Explain how this objective will be communicated to the statewide interoperable emergency communications governance committee. Performance Measure(s) and Basis of Evaluation: (not to exceed a ½ page) Indicate the performance measure(s) that will be used to evaluate this project’s impact and the basis for developing the measure(s). The performance measures should focus on quantifiable outcomes. For example, an outcome could be: o Improved coordination between adjacent local jurisdictions or improved coordination between Federal, State, or local entities in the same location. o Exercise results demonstrating increased operability, increased inter-operability, or an increased area of coverage. Milestones: (not to exceed a ½ page) Provide specific milestones for the project over the FY 2009 IECGP period of performance, including a description, start and end dates for each milestone. As many as 10 milestones may be provided. Examples of milestones could be estimates of the: o Date that an interoperability coordinator will be hired o Dates of completion for governance documents, policies, and Standard Operating Procedures o Dates for any meetings or conferences of major significance o Dates for completion of any training o Dates for completion of any exercises 18 Challenges/Risks: (not to exceed a ½ page) Identify any potential challenges to implementing this project. Examples of challenges and risks could include anything that could impact the schedule or cost, such as hiring an interoperability coordinator by a certain date, collection of Memoranda of Understanding, or completion of a related project. Project Budget: (not to exceed 1 page) Explain how the costs were estimated and justify the need for the costs. The applicant should break down the project budget by allowable cost category, and M&A, and the anticipated expenditures within each category. For clarification, please list out anticipated expenditures under each allowable cost category and M&A on separate lines. Note: If the applicant is proposing a project for the purchase of interoperable emergency communications equipment, the State or territory must include cost share information in the table below to demonstrate that it is in compliance with the 25% State cost share requirement. The information should include: • Amount of State (or local) cost share funding; • Source of cost share funding (e.g., State, local); and • Category of in-kind (e.g., donated volunteer services, salaries, equipment, or property or indirect costs) and/or cash cost share (e.g., State, local). To calculate cost share, the applicant must first determine the total project cost for equipment and then calculate the State and Federal shares respectively. The applicant should keep in mind that the total project cost does not equal the proposed amount of IECGP federal funding. For example, if a State is purchasing interoperable emergency communications equipment for a total cost of $100,000, the State may apply for $75,000 (75% of total project cost) of federal IECGP grant funds if it provides $25,000 (25% of total project cost) of State or local cost share funds. Anticipated Expenditures (by Allowable Cost Category) Cost Planning: E.g., Personnel $XX E.g., Contract Support $XX Total Planning Costs $XX Training: E.g., Number trained and training cost per person $XX Total Training Costs $XX Exercises: E.g., Overtime/Backfill $XX E.g., Travel. $XX Total Exercise Costs $XX Personnel: E.g., Estimated Salary and Benefits $XX 19 Equipment: E.g., Interoperable Emergency Communications Equipment $XX Total Equipment Costs $XX Equipment Cost Share: (if applicable) Cost share amount (25% of total project cost) $XX Cost share source (E.g., State, local) Cost share category (E.g., cash, in-kind) M&A (up to 3%): $XX E.g., Hiring of staff to assist with the management of IECGP $XX Total Project Cost: $XX Bi-annual Activities: For every 6 month period, briefly identify the milestone and expected outcome. Note: The Expected Outcomes section should be completed as feasibly as possible. Actual progress data will be identified through input in the GRT as well as through programmatic monitoring. The outcomes may include information such as the Governance Board including certain stakeholders or addressing certain issues; the exercise addressing increased operability or interoperability; or the training resulting in x number of people trained to x capability. 1st Bi-annual Activity (Year 1) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 2nd Bi-annual Activity (Year 1) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 3rd Bi-annual Activity (Year 2) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 4th Bi-annual Activity (Year 2) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) E.g., Interoperable Emergency Communications Equipment $XX Total Equipment Costs $XX Equipment Cost Share: (if applicable) Cost share amount (25% of total project cost) $XX Cost share source (E.g., State, local) Cost share category (E.g., cash, in-kind) M&A (up to 3%): $XX E.g., Hiring of staff to assist with the management of IECGP $XX Total Project Cost: $XX Bi-annual Activities: For every 6 month period, briefly identify the milestone and expected outcome. Note: The Expected Outcomes section should be completed as feasibly as possible. Actual progress data will be identified through input in the GRT as well as through programmatic monitoring. The outcomes may include information such as the Governance Board including certain stakeholders or addressing certain issues; the exercise addressing increased operability or interoperability; or the training resulting in x number of people trained to x capability. 1st Bi-annual Activity (Year 1) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 2nd Bi-annual Activity (Year 1) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 3rd Bi-annual Activity (Year 2) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 4th Bi-annual Activity (Year 2) Expected Outcome: (not to exceed a ¼ page) 20 C. Submission Dates and Times Completed applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov no later than 11:59 PM EST, January 13, 2009. Late applications will neither be considered nor reviewed. Upon successful submission, a confirmation e-mail message will be sent with a grants.gov tracking number, which is needed to track the status of the application. D. Intergovernmental Review Executive Order 12372 requires applicants from State and local units of government or other organizations providing services within a State to submit a copy of the application to the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC), if one exists, and if this program has been selected for review by the State. Applicants must contact their State SPOC to determine if the program has been selected for State review. Executive Order 12372 can be referenced at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executiveorder/ 12372.html. The names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed on OMB’s home page, available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. E. Funding Restrictions Specific investments made in support of the funding priorities discussed above fall into one of the following five allowable cost categories for IECGP FY 2009: 1. Planning 2. Training 3. Exercise 4. Personnel Activities 5. Equipment Interoperable emergency communications equipment acquisition is an allowable cost category for IECGP in FY 2009. However, the SAA must certify in the Application Template that the State, territory, and/or pass-through recipients have fulfilled the objectives of Priority Groups 1 and 2, as outlined in the Funding Goals section of this grant guidance. Grantees are to use IECGP funds on activities that align with IECGP FY 2009 priorities and their approved SCIPs. The allowable cost matrix summarizes the IECGP allowable cost activities. The following sections provide guidance on activities and allowable costs within each of the five allowable cost categories: 1. Planning Costs. All grantees should use FY 2009 IECGP funds for planning efforts consistent with the goals and objectives identified in the SCIPs. Planning activities help to prioritize needs, build capabilities, update preparedness strategies, allocate resources, and deliver preparedness programs across disciplines (e.g., law enforcement, fire, EMS, public health, public works, and transportation) and levels of 21 government. FY 2009 IECGP funds may be used for the following types of interoperable emergency communication planning activities: • Development and/or enhancement of interoperable emergency communications plans. Grant funds may be used to develop and/or enhance interoperable communications plans and to implement the initiatives identified in the SCIPs. Additionally, funds may be used to update and/or enhance TICPs and expand tactical planning efforts to non-Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) sites. Activities associated with enhancing these plans may include, but are not limited to, the following– a. Establish a planning committee specific to interoperable communications b. Strengthen committees to ensure broad representation of disciplines and jurisdictions c. Complete any initiatives to strengthen and complete any preliminary planning efforts associated with the SCIPs d. Conduct planning activities associated with SCIP implementation e. Conduct periodic updates to SCIPs and TICPs to account for completed or updated priorities and initiatives and evolving requirements f. Develop additional strategic or tactical plans at the regional or local levels, consistent with the SCIP g. Develop system life-cycle plans h. Conduct planning associated with the procurement of communications equipment or systems i. Conduct planning for coordination and interoperability between adjacent States or multiple States within a region • Development and/or enhancement of interoperable emergency communications assessments and inventories. Multi-agency and multi- jurisdictional partnerships should facilitate planning activities, such as assessments of– a. Technology capabilities, specifically the identification and inventorying of infrastructure and equipment5 b. SOPs c. Training and exercises d. Overall interoperable emergency communications requirements e. System life cycle planning for emergency communications equipment f. Sustainability of the interoperable emergency communications program if Federal grant funds are reduced or eliminated in the future 5 Note that the procurement of software packages that support emergency communications asset management activities is an allowable cost in FY 2009 IECGP. 22 • Development and enhancement of interoperable emergency communications protocols. Funds may be used to enhance multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary common planning and operational protocols. Activities may include programming interoperability channels and developing SOPs, common channel naming, fleet maps, and plain language protocols. • Meeting-related expenses. These costs may include the rental of space/locations/facilities for planning activities. This may also include costs for signs, badges, and similar materials. • Public education and outreach. These costs may cover providing interoperable emergency communications education and outreach activities on the SCIP and associated interoperable emergency communications initiatives. • Supplies. Supplies are items that are expended or consumed during the course of the planning project(s). • Travel. Travel costs (e.g. airfare, mileage per diem, or hotels) are allowable as expenses by employees who are on travel status for official business related to professional interoperable emergency communications planning activities, such as the OEC annual National Emergency Communications Workshop. • Other project planning activities with prior approval from DHS. 2. Training Costs. States, territories, and local and tribal governments are strongly encouraged to use IECGP funds to support interoperable emergency communications training activities. Communications-specific training activities should be incorporated into the statewide training and exercise plan and coordinated with the State interoperability coordinator and/or formal statewide interoperable emergency communications governance committee. Training developed or conducted using IECGP funds should address a performance gap identified through the SCIPs, TICP AARs, and/or other assessments. Exercises should be used to provide the opportunity to demonstrate and validate skills learned in training and to identify training gaps. Any training or exercise gaps should be identified in the grantee’s AAR/Improvement Plan (IP) and addressed in the training cycle. FY 2009 IECGP funds may be used for the following interoperable emergency communication training activities– • Funds used to develop, deliver, attend, and evaluate training. Grant funds may be used to develop training programs and materials. Grant funds may also be used to plan, attend, and conduct communications-specific training workshops or conferences, to include covering costs related to planning, meeting space, and other meeting costs, facilitation costs, materials and supplies, travel, and training development. Communications-specific training should focus on– a. Use of established operational protocols (e.g., plain language) b. Use of NIMS Incident Command System (ICS) c. Use of interoperable emergency communications solutions 23 d. Communications Unit Leader Training, Communications Unit Technician, or other ICS Communications Unit position training. • Travel. Travel costs (e.g., airfare, mileage, per diem, or hotel) are allowable as expenses by employees who are on travel status for official business related to the planning and conduct of the training project(s). • Supplies. Supplies are items that are expended or consumed during the course of the planning and conduct of the training project(s). • Meeting-related expenses. These costs may include the rental of space/locations/facilities for planning and conducting training. This may also include costs for signs, badges, and similar materials. 3. Exercise Costs. Exercises conducted using IECGP funds must be managed and executed in accordance with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). HSEEP Volumes I-III provide guidance for exercise design, development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning. HSEEP Volume IV provides sample exercise materials, and HSEEP Volume V: Prevention Exercises provides guidance and recommendations for designing, developing, conducting, and evaluating prevention-focused exercises. All volumes can be found at: http://hseep.dhs.gov. All exercises using IECGP funding must be NIMS-compliant. More NIMS information is available online at: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm. Communications-specific exercise activities should be incorporated into the statewide training and exercise plan and coordinated with the State interoperability coordinator and/or statewide interoperable emergency communications governance committee. FY 2009 IECGP funds may be used for the following interoperable emergency communication exercise activities– • Funds used to design, develop, conduct, and evaluate exercises. Grant funds may be used to enhance existing training, to include an interoperable emergency communications component, or to plan and conduct communications-specific exercise workshops or conferences. This includes costs related to planning, meeting space and other meeting costs, facilitation costs, materials and supplies, travel, and exercise plan development. Funds may be used to design, conduct, and evaluate interoperable emergency communications exercises, including tabletop and fully functional exercises. Exercise activities should focus on the– a. Use of established operational protocols b. Use of interoperable emergency communications solutions c. Use of TICP to exercise on SOPs 24 • Travel. Travel costs (e.g., airfare, mileage, per diem, or hotel) are allowable as expenses by employees who are on travel status for official business related to the planning and conduct of the IECGP exercise project(s). • Supplies. Supplies are items that are expended or consumed during the course of the planning and conduct of the exercise project(s). • Meeting-related expenses. These costs may include the rental of space/locations/facilities for planning and conducting exercises. This may also include costs for signs, badges, and similar materials. 4. Personnel Activities. No more than 50 percent of total program funds may be used for personnel activities. Grantees who wish to seek a waiver from the personnel cap must provide documentation explaining why the cap is unacceptable; waiver requests will be considered only under extreme circumstances. In general, the use of IECGP grant funding to pay for staff and/or contractor regular time or overtime/backfill is considered a personnel cost. These expenses are permitted under this grant in order to perform allowable FY 2009 IECGP planning, training, and exercise activities. Specifically, this includes personnel associated with the interoperability coordinator function. Applicants must identify sustainable sources of funding (or a plan for obtaining sustainable forces) and work to integrate new staff into the State and local budgets in future years to maintain these capabilities. FY 2009 IECGP funds may not be used to support the hiring of any personnel for the purposes of fulfilling traditional public safety duties or to supplant traditional public safety positions and responsibilities. Activities that are considered “personnel”, and therefore count against the personnel cap of 50 percent (50%) include, but are not limited to: • Hiring of certain full or part-time staff and contractors or consultants. Full or part-time staff may be hired to support IECGP planning, training, exercise, and equipment planning and purchase- related activities. This includes staff to serve in the following roles, consistent with the SCIPs– a. Statewide interoperability coordinator b. Project manager(s)/subject matter expert(s) for the statewide interoperability coordinator function, as appropriate c. Regional, local, or tribal interoperability coordinator(s), as appropriate • Office Equipment. Office equipment costs are allowable, including personal computers, computer peripherals (for example, printers and external hard drives), and office telephones to support IECGP-related personnel. 25 The following are definitions for the terms used in this grant guidance: • Hiring. State and local entities may use grant funding to cover the salary of newly hired personnel who are exclusively undertaking allowable FEMA program activities as specified in this guidance. This may not include new personnel who are hired to fulfill any non-FEMA program activities under any circumstances. Hiring will always result in a net increase of FTEs. • Overtime and Backfill – Overtime costs which are the direct result of attendance at FEMA and/or approved training courses and programs are allowable. Overtime payments related to backfilling personnel who have been sent to training are also allowable, but only for the marginal added cost to the grantee of having to pay overtime instead of regular time. The grantee must maintain financial responsibility for the regular time portion of backfill costs. These costs are allowed only to the extent the payment for such services is in accordance with the policies of the State or unit(s) of local government and has the approval of the State or the awarding agency, whichever is applicable. In no case is dual compensation allowable. That is, an employee of a unit of government may not receive compensation from their unit or agency of government AND from an award for a single period of time (e.g., 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm), even though such work may benefit both activities. • Supplanting. This refers to replacing a State and/or locally budgeted position with one or more full-time employees or contractors supported in whole or in part with Federal funds. Supplanting with grant funds is prohibited. 5. Equipment Planning and Purchase. In addition to purchasing interoperable emergency communications equipment, adequate technical and financial planning is needed to ensure that interoperable communications systems meet the needs of public safety agencies. Consistent with the OEC Recommended Guidance for Federal Grant Programs (SAFECOM Guidance for Grant Programs), grantees must develop a communications system life-cycle plan when using grant funds to purchase communications systems. In addition, grantees are encouraged to migrate to approved open architecture and interoperable next generation systems and to leverage existing and emerging technologies to expand and integrate disaster communications capabilities. Finally, grantees must demonstrate how their procurements will comply with the applicable standards for land mobile radio systems and data-related information sharing systems or provide compelling reasons for using non-standards-based solutions. For applicable standards information, please see the Recommended Guidance for Federal Grant Programs (SAFECOM Guidance for Grant Programs) available at www.safecomprogram.gov. IECGP funds should be used for activities that include, but are not limited to, the following: 26 • Development of communications system life-cycle plans. Emergency response providers must upgrade and regularly maintain communications systems and capabilities to ensure effective operation. System life-cycle planning is needed to ensure long-term sustainability of communications systems and infrastructure. Grantees are required to provide a system life-cycle plan for any communications system purchased with IECGP funding and may use funding for costs associated with the development of a system life-cycle plan. • Equipment Purchases and Related Costs. If an SAA certifies that its State, territory, or pass-through recipient has fulfilled all of the objectives of Priority Groups 1 and 2, the State, territory, or pass-through recipient has the flexibility to purchase interoperable communications equipment with any remaining IECGP funds. When making equipment purchase decisions, grantees should take into account multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional needs. IECGP funds may be used for costs associated with the following– a. Design, implementation, enhancement, replacement, and maintenance of emergency response communications systems and equipment b. Migration to approved open architecture and interoperable next generation systems, where appropriate c. Leveraging of existing and emerging technologies to expand and integrate disaster communications capabilities among emergency response providers d. Governance, development of policies and procedures, and the conduct of training and exercises needed for use of systems and equipment For more information on this allowable cost category, please see the OEC Recommended Guidance for Federal Grant Programs (SAFECOM Guidance for Grant Programs) available at www.safecomprogram.gov. Applications must follow the applicant’s formal written procurement policy or the Federal Acquisition Regulations. M&A limits. A maximum of up to 3 percent of funds awarded may be retained by the State. All such retained funds must be used solely for management and administrative purposes associated with the IECGP award. Local subgrantees may use a maximum of up to 3 percent of their funds for management and administrative purposes associated with the IECGP award. States may also choose to pass through a portion of their State M&A allocation to local subgrantees to support local management and administration activities, so long as the overall subgrantee M&A amount does not equal more than 3 percent. NOTE: Construction related activities are not permitted with funding from the FY 2009 IECGP. 27 Allowable Cost Matrix. Allowable costs under IECGP may include, but are not limited to, the types of activities that are checked [..] below. An allowable cost activity must be related to IECGP activities. These activities are aligned with those described in other DHS grant guidance (e.g., the Homeland Security Grant Program) to offer eligible IECGP applicants a comparison of allowable activities. IECGP Program Activities Planning Costs Allowable Public education and outreach Interoperable emergency communications education and outreach 9 Develop and implement homeland security support programs and adopt ongoing DHS National Initiatives, including State Preparedness Reports, related to interoperable emergency communications 9 Develop and enhance interoperable emergency communications plans, including Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans (SCIP), Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans (TICP), and/or local/regional plans that align with SCIP and/or TICP goals objectives or initiatives 9 Develop and enhance interoperable emergency communications protocols. This may include activities such as developing SOPs, programming interoperability channels, instituting common channel naming and plain language protocols, developing fleet maps, among others. 9 Develop and/or strengthen interoperable emergency communications assessments (including requirements analyses) and/or inventories 9 Establish, enhance, or evaluate Citizen Corps related volunteer programs Hiring full- or part-time staff or contract/consultants to assist with planning activities (not for the purpose of hiring public safety personnel fulfilling traditional public safety duties) as it relates to IECGP. This may include State, regional, or local interoperability coordinator(s), and/or project manager(s)/subject matter expert(s) for the statewide interoperability coordinator function. 9 Conferences to facilitate planning activities 9 Supplies and materials required to conduct planning activities 9 Travel/per diem related to support planning activities 9 Overtime and backfill costs (IAW operational Cost Guidance) 9 Other Equipment Costs Develop requirements definition and analysis 9 Collect asset inventory 9 Conduct technology alternatives and feasibility analyses 9 Develop system design (e.g., engineering or site surveys) 9 Install and build-out communications system infrastructure 9 Distribute portable and mobile equipment 9 Develop deployment and standard operating procedures 9 Develop fleetmap for local and statewide interoperability 9 Conduct system acceptance testing 9 Conduct certification and accreditation 9 Manage interoperability assets through inventorying equipment 9 Develop service-level agreement(s) and payment, including operations and maintenance considerations 9 28 IECGP Program Activities Allowable Equipment Categories6 Personal Protective Equipment Explosive Device Mitigation and Remediation Equipment CBRNE Operational Search and Rescue Equipment Information Technology Cyber Security Enhancement Equipment Interoperable Communications Equipment 9 Detection Equipment Decontamination Equipment Medical Supplies and Limited Pharmaceuticals Power Equipment CBRNE Reference Materials CBRNE Incident Response Vehicles Terrorism Incident Prevention Equipment Physical Security Enhancement Equipment Inspection and Screening Systems Agriculture Terrorism Prevention, Response, and Mitigation Equipment CBRNE Response Watercraft CBRNE Aviation Equipment CBRNE Logistical Support Equipment Intervention Equipment Other Authorized Equipment Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Costs O&M costs of equipment such as Land Mobile Radio, service fees for cellular and satellite-enabled equipment and related communications service 9 Personnel and fringe benefit costs, but only for new personnel (such as a project manager) whose position(s) directly relates to the PSIC Investment. 9 Utilities costs, supplies, repair and replacement costs 9 General logistics support costs 9 Cost of contract support to provide life-cycle operations and maintenance 9 Salaries, benefits, and overtime for existing employees, sworn officers, grant writers, and other staff who do not directly contribute to the implementation of the project Office expenses such as phones, vehicle costs, office rental, furniture and equipment, office supplies, and indirect charges Training Costs Develop, deliver, and evaluate training 9 Overtime and backfill for emergency preparedness and response personnel attending interoperable emergency communications training classes as it relates to IECGP 9 Training workshops and conferences 9 Full- or part-time staff or contractors/consultants 9 Travel 9 Supplies 9 Tuition for higher education Other items Exercises Costs Design, develop, conduct and evaluate an exercise 9 Exercise planning workshop 9 Full- or part-time staff or contractors/consultants 9 6 For additional information regarding FY 2009 IECGP equipment categories, please refer to the web-based version of the Authorized Equipment List (AEL) on the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB), at https://www.rkb.us. 29 IECGP Program Activities Allowable Overtime and backfill for emergency preparedness and response personnel attending interoperable emergency communications exercises classes as it relates to IECGP 9 Implementation of HSEEP, as it pertains to interoperable emergency communications 9 Travel 9 Supplies 9 Other items Management & Administrative Costs Hiring of full- or part-time staff or contractors/consultants to assist with the management of IECGP, application requirements, compliance with reporting and data collection requirements 9 Development of operating plans for information collection and processing necessary to respond to DHS data calls 9 Overtime and backfill costs associated with IECGP 9 Travel 9 Meeting related expenses 9 Authorized office equipment 9 Recurring expenses such as those associated with cell phones and faxes during the period of performance of the grant program Leasing or renting space for personnel during the period of performance of the grant program 30 PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION A. Review Criteria Submitted IECGP Investment Justifications will undergo a joint DHS OEC and FEMA GPD review process to ensure that all Investment Justifications are compliant with program requirements before the funds are awarded. B. Review and Selection Process IECGP Investment Justifications will undergo a two-step review process: Federal and programmatic review. This process will ensure that all proposed projects are compliant with FY 2009 program requirements and objectives. • Federal Review. The Federal reviewers are volunteers from within both GPD and OEC as well as from other Federal agencies. GPD and OEC will select the interoperable communications and grants management subject matter experts whose perspectives will most benefit the overall program. The Federal reviewers will assess the quality of the Investment Justifications based on whether or not the applicant sufficiently met each of the criteria requested in the Investment Justification, such as Alignment to SCIP and Alignment to Priority Groups. • Programmatic Review. GPD will conduct the programmatic review to verify that all required documents, including standard forms, have been submitted and that the applicants’ budget information adheres to program guidance. GPD, along with subject matter experts from OEC, will make final decisions on approvals and special conditions based on the recommendations of the Federal reviewers. GPD will approve and award IECGP funds based on the above criteria, and the applicants will receive correspondence from GPD on the status of their submitted Investment Justifications. C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates FEMA will evaluate and act on applications within 60 days following close of the application period, consistent with the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 110-329). Awards will be made on or before September 30, 2009. 31 PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION A. Notice of Award Upon approval of an application, the grant will be awarded to the grant recipient. The date that this is done is the “award date.” Notification of award approval is made through the Grants Management System (GMS). Once an award has been approved, a notice is sent to the authorized grantee official. Follow the directions in the notification and log into GMS to access the award documents. The authorized grantee official should carefully read the award and special condition documents. If you do not receive a notification, please contact your Program Analyst for your award number. Once you have the award number, contact the GMS Help Desk at (888) 549-9901, option 3 to obtain the username and password associated with the new award. Awards made to SAAs for IECGP carry additional pass-through requirements. Pass- through is defined as an obligation on the part of the States to make funds available to local units of government, combinations of local units, or other specific groups or organizations. The State’s pass-through period must be met within 45 days of the award date for IECGP7 . Four requirements must be met to pass-through grant funds: • There must be some action to establish a firm commitment on the part of the awarding entity. • The action must be unconditional (i.e., no contingencies for availability of SAA funds) on the part of the awarding entity. • There must be documentary evidence of the commitment. • The award terms must be communicated to the official grantee. FEMA will track the congressionally-mandated obligation of funds to local units of government through each State’s Initial Strategy Implementation Plan. In addition, FEMA strongly encourages the timely obligation of funds from local units of government to other subgrantees, as appropriate. The period of performance is 24 months. Any unobligated funds will be deobligated at the end of the 90 day close-out period. Extensions to the period of performance will be considered only through formal requests to FEMA with specific and compelling justifications why an extension is required. 7 For purposes of the FY 2009 IECGP, receipt of funds means the date on which funds are available for expenditure (e.g., all special conditions prohibiting obligation, expenditure and draw down have been removed). 32 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 1. State Preparedness Report. The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-295) requires any State that receives Federal preparedness assistance to submit a State Preparedness Report to DHS. FEMA will provide additional guidance on the requirements for updating State Preparedness Reports. Receipt is a prerequisite for applicants to receive any FY 2009 DHS preparedness grant funding. 2. Standard Financial Requirements. The grantee and any subgrantee shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations. A non-exclusive list of regulations commonly applicable to DHS grants are listed below: 2.1 -- Administrative Requirements. • 44 CFR Part 13, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments • 2 CFR Part 215, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-110) 2.2 -- Cost Principles. • 2 CFR Part 225, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments (OMB Circular A-87) • 2 CFR Part 220, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21) • 2 CFR Part 230, Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122) • Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Part 31.2 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures, Contracts with Commercial Organizations 2.3 -- Audit Requirements. • OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations 2.4 -- Duplication of Benefits. There may not be a duplication of any federal assistance, per A-87, Basic Guidelines Section C.3 (c), which states: Any cost allocable to a particular Federal award or cost objective under the principles provided for in this Circular may not be charged to other Federal awards to overcome fund deficiencies, to avoid restrictions imposed by law or terms of the Federal awards, or for other reasons. However, this prohibition would not preclude governmental units from shifting costs that are allowable under two or more awards in accordance with existing program agreements. 3. Non-supplanting Requirement. Grant funds will be used to supplement existing funds, and will not replace (supplant) funds that have been appropriated for the 33 same purpose. Applicants or grantees may be required to supply documentation certifying that a reduction in non-Federal resources occurred for reasons other than the receipt or expected receipt of Federal funds. 4. Technology Requirements. 4.1 -- National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). FEMA requires all grantees to use the latest NIEM specifications and guidelines regarding the use of Extensible Markup Language (XML) for all grant awards. Further information about the required use of NIEM specifications and guidelines is available at http://www.niem.gov. 4.2 -- Geospatial Guidance. Geospatial technologies capture, store, analyze, transmit, and/or display location-based information (i.e., information that can be linked to a latitude and longitude). FEMA encourages grantees to align any geospatial activities with the guidance available on the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/grants. 4.3 -- 28 C.F.R. Part 23 guidance. FEMA requires that any information technology system funded or supported by these funds comply with 28 C.F.R. Part 23, Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Policies, if this regulation is determined to be applicable. 5. Administrative Requirements. 5.1 -- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). FEMA recognizes that much of the information submitted in the course of applying for funding under this program or provided in the course of its grant management activities may be considered law enforcement sensitive or otherwise important to national security interests. While this information under Federal control is subject to requests made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, all determinations concerning the release of information of this nature are made on a case-by-case basis by the FEMA FOIA Office, and may likely fall within one or more of the available exemptions under the Act. The applicant is encouraged to consult its own State and local laws and regulations regarding the release of information, which should be considered when reporting sensitive matters in the grant application, needs assessment and strategic planning process. The applicant may also consult FEMA regarding concerns or questions about the release of information under State and local laws. The grantee should be familiar with the regulations governing Sensitive Security Information (49 CFR Part 1520), as it may provide additional protection to certain classes of homeland security information. 5.2 -- Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII). The PCII Program, established pursuant to the Critical Infrastructure Information Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) (CII Act), created a new framework, which enables State and local jurisdictions and members of the private sector to voluntarily submit sensitive information regarding critical infrastructure to DHS. The Act also provides statutory protection for voluntarily shared CII from public disclosure and civil 34 litigation. If validated as PCII, these documents can only be shared with authorized users who agree to safeguard the information. PCII accreditation is a formal recognition that the covered government entity has the capacity and capability to receive and store PCII. DHS encourages all SAAs to pursue PCII accreditation to cover their State government and attending local government agencies. Accreditation activities include signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DHS, appointing a PCII Officer, and implementing a self- inspection program. For additional information about PCII or the accreditation process, please contact the DHS PCII Program Office at pcii-info@dhs.gov. 5.3 -- Compliance with Federal civil rights laws and regulations. The grantee is required to comply with Federal civil rights laws and regulations. Specifically, the grantee is required to provide assurances as a condition for receipt of Federal funds that its programs and activities comply with the following: • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42. U.S.C. 2000 et. seq. – no person on the grounds of race, color, or national origin will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794 – no qualified individual with a disability in the United States, shall, by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et. seq. – discrimination on the basis of sex is eliminated in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. • The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 6101 et. seq. – no person in the United States shall be, on the basis of age, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Grantees must comply with all regulations, guidelines, and standards adopted under the above statutes. The grantee is also required to submit information, as required, to the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties concerning its compliance with these laws and their implementing regulations. 5.4 -- Services to limited English proficient (LEP) persons. Recipients of FEMA financial assistance are required to comply with several Federal civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, natural origin, and sex 35 in the delivery of services. National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of limited English proficiency. To ensure compliance with Title VI, recipients are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their programs. Meaningful access may entail providing language assistance services, including oral and written translation, where necessary. The grantee is encouraged to consider the need for language services for LEP persons served or encountered both in developing their proposals and budgets and in conducting their programs and activities. Reasonable costs associated with providing meaningful access for LEP individuals are considered allowable program costs. For additional information, see http://www.lep.gov. 5.5 -- Integrating individuals with disabilities into emergency planning. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of emergency mitigation, planning, response, and recovery by entities receiving financial from FEMA. In addition, Executive Order 13347, Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness signed in July 2004, requires the Federal Government to support safety and security for individuals with disabilities in situations involving disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and acts of terrorism. Executive Order 13347 requires the Federal government to encourage consideration of the needs of individuals with disabilities served by State, local, and tribal governments in emergency preparedness planning. FEMA has several resources available to assist emergency managers in planning and response efforts related to people with disabilities and to ensure compliance with Federal civil rights laws: • Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 301 (CPG-301): Interim Emergency Management Planning Guide for Special Needs Populations: CPG-301 is designed to aid tribal, State, territorial, and local governments in planning for individuals with special needs. CPG301 outlines special needs considerations for: Developing Informed Plans; Assessments and Registries; Emergency Public Information/Communication; Sheltering and Mass Care; Evacuation; Transportation; Human Services/Medical Management; Congregate Settings; Recovery; and Training and Exercises. CPG-301 is available at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/media/2008/301.pdf. • Guidelines for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in Disaster: The Guidelines synthesize the array of existing accessibility requirements into a user friendly tool for use by response and recovery personnel in the field. The Guidelines are available at http://www.fema.gov/oer/reference/. 36 • Disability and Emergency Preparedness Resource Center: A web- based “Resource Center” that includes dozens of technical assistance materials to assist emergency managers in planning and response efforts related to people with disabilities. The “Resource Center” is available at http://www.disabilitypreparedness.gov. • Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) resource page on Emergency Planning for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs: A true one-stop resource shop for planners at all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and private sector entities, the resource page provides more than 250 documents, including lessons learned, plans, procedures, policies, and guidance, on how to include citizens with disabilities and other special needs in all phases of the emergency management cycle. LLIS.gov is available to emergency response providers and homeland security officials from the Federal, State, and local levels. To access the resource page, log onto http://www.LLIS.gov and click on Emergency Planning for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs under Featured Topics. If you meet the eligibility requirements for accessing Lessons Learned Information Sharing, you can request membership by registering online. 5.6 -- Compliance with the National Energy Conservation Policy and Energy Policy Acts. In accordance with the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 110-329), grant funds must comply with the following two requirements: • None of the funds made available shall be used in contravention of the Federal buildings performance and reporting requirements of Executive Order 13123, part 3 of title V of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 USC 8251 et. Seq.), or subtitle A of title I of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (including the amendments made thereby). • None of the funds made available shall be used in contravention of section 303 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 USC13212). 5.7 -- Environmental and Historic Preservation Compliance. FEMA is required to consider the potential impacts to the human and natural environment of projects proposed for FEMA funding. FEMA, through its Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) Program, engages in a review process to ensure that FEMA-funded activities comply with various Federal laws including: National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act, and Executive Orders on Floodplains (11988), Wetlands (11990) and Environmental Justice (12898). The goal of these compliance requirements 37 is to protect our nation’s water, air, coastal, wildlife, agricultural, historical, and cultural resources, as well as to minimize potential adverse effects to children and low-income and minority populations. The grantee shall provide any information requested by FEMA to ensure compliance with applicable Federal EHP requirements. Any project with the potential to impact EHP resources cannot be initiated until FEMA has completed its review. Grantees may be required to provide detailed information about the project, including the following: location (street address or map coordinates); description of the project including any associated ground disturbance work, extent of modification of existing structures, construction equipment to be used, staging areas, access roads, etc.; year the existing facility was built; natural, biological, and/or cultural resources present in the project vicinity; visual documentation such as site and facility photographs, project plans, maps, etc; and possible project alternatives. For certain types of projects, FEMA must consult with other Federal and State agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State Historic Preservation Offices, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as other agencies and organizations responsible for protecting natural and cultural resources. For projects with the potential to have significant adverse effects on the environment and/or historic properties, FEMA’s EHP review and consultation may result in a substantive agreement between the involved parties outlining how the grantee will avoid the effects, minimize the effects, or, if necessary, compensate for the effects. Because of the potential for significant adverse effects to EHP resources or public controversy, some projects may require an additional assessment or report, such as an Environmental Assessment, Biological Assessment, archaeological survey, cultural resources report, wetlands delineation, or other document, as well as a public comment period. Grantees are responsible for the preparation of such documents, as well as for the implementation of any treatment or mitigation measures identified during the EHP review that are necessary to address potential adverse impacts. Grantees may use these funds toward the costs of preparing such documents and/or implementing treatment or mitigation measures. Failure of the grantee to meet Federal, State, and local EHP requirements, obtain applicable permits, and comply with any conditions that may be placed on the project as the result of FEMA’s EHP review may jeopardize Federal funding. Recipient shall not undertake any project having the potential to impact EHP resources without the prior approval of FEMA, including but not limited to communications towers, physical security enhancements, new construction, and modifications to buildings, structures and objects that are 50 years old or greater. Recipient must comply with all conditions placed on the project as the result of the EHP review. Any change to the approved project scope of work will 38 require re-evaluation for compliance with these EHP requirements. If ground disturbing activities occur during project implementation, the recipient must ensure monitoring of ground disturbance, and if any potential archeological resources are discovered, the recipient will immediately cease construction in that area and notify FEMA and the appropriate State Historic Preservation Office. Any construction activities that have been initiated without the necessary EHP review and approval will result in a non-compliance finding and will not eligible for FEMA funding. For more information on FEMA’s EHP requirements, SAAs should refer to FEMA’s Information Bulletin #271, Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Requirements for Grants, available at http://ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/info271.pdf. Additional information and resources can also be found at http://www.fema.gov/plan/ehp/ehp-applicant-help.shtm. 5.8 -- Royalty-free License. Applicants are advised that FEMA reserves a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and authorize others to use, for Federal government purposes: (a) the copyright in any work developed under an award or sub-award; and (b) any rights of copyright to which an award recipient or sub-recipient purchases ownership with Federal support. Award recipients must agree to consult with FEMA regarding the allocation of any patent rights that arise from, or are purchased with, this funding. 5.9 -- FEMA GPD Publications Statement. Applicants are advised that all publications created with funding under any grant award shall prominently contain the following statement: "This document was prepared under a grant from FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security." 5.10 -- Equipment Marking. Applicants are advised that, when practicable, any equipment purchased with grant funding shall be prominently marked as follows: "Purchased with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security." 5.11 -- Disadvantaged Business Requirement. Applicants are advised that, to the extent that recipients of a grant use contractors or subcontractors, such recipients shall use small, minority, women-owned or disadvantaged business concerns and contractors or subcontractors to the extent practicable. 5.12 -- National Preparedness Reporting Compliance. The Government Performance and Results Act (Public Law 103-62) (GPRA) requires that the Department collect and report performance information on all programs. For grant programs, the prioritized Investment Justifications and their associated milestones provide an important tool for assessing grant performance and 39 complying with these national preparedness reporting requirements. FEMA will work with grantees to develop tools and processes to support this requirement. FEMA anticipates using this information to inform future-year grant program funding decisions. Award recipients must agree to cooperate with any assessments, national evaluation efforts, or information or data collection requests, including, but not limited to, the provision of any information required for the assessment or evaluation of any activities within their grant agreement. This includes any assessments, audits, or investigations conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office. C. Reporting Requirements Reporting requirements must be met throughout the life of the grant (refer to the program guidance and the special conditions found in the award package for a full explanation of these requirements. Please note that FEMA Payment and Reporting System (PARS) contains edits that will prevent access to funds if reporting requirements are not met on a timely basis. 1. Financial Status Report (FSR) -- required quarterly. Obligations and expenditures must be reported on a quarterly basis through the FSR, which is due within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter (e.g., for the quarter ending March 31, FSR is due no later than April 30). A report must be submitted for every quarter of the period of performance, including partial calendar quarters, as well as for periods where no grant activity occurs. Future awards and fund draw downs may be withheld if these reports are delinquent. The final FSR is due 90 days after the end date of the performance period. FSRs must be filed online through the PARS. Reporting periods and due dates: • October 1 – December 31; Due January 30 • January 1 – March 31; Due April 30 • April 1 – June 30; Due July 30 • July 1 – September 30; Due October 30 2. Categorical Assistance Progress Report (CAPR). Following an award, the awardees will be responsible for providing updated obligation and expenditure information on a semi-annual basis. The applicable SAAs are responsible for completing and submitting the CAPR reports. Include a statement in the narrative field of the CAPR that reads: See BSIR. The CAPR is due within 30 days after the end of the reporting period (July 30 for the reporting period of January 1 through June 30; and January 30 for the reporting period of July 1 though December 31). Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if these reports are delinquent. 40 CAPRs must be filed online at http://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. Guidance and instructions can be found at https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/gmsHelp/index.html. Required submission: CAPR (due semi-annually). 3. Initial Strategy Implementation Plan (ISIP). Following an award, the awardees will be responsible for providing updated obligation and expenditure information to meet the pass-through requirement. The applicable SAAs are responsible for completing and submitting the ISIP online. Required submission: ISIP (due within 45 days of the award date). 4. Biannual Strategy Implementation Reports (BSIR). Following an award, the awardees will be responsible for providing updated obligation and expenditure information on a semi-annual basis. The applicable SAAs are responsible for completing and submitting the BSIR reports which is a component of the CAPR. The BSIR submission will satisfy the narrative requirement of the CAPR. SAAs are still required to submit the CAPR with a statement in the narrative field that reads: See BSIR. The BSIR is due within 30 days after the end of the reporting period (July 30 for the reporting period of January 1 through June 30; and January 30 for the reporting period of July 1 though December 31). Updated obligations and expenditure information must be provided with the BSIR to show progress made toward meeting strategic goals and objectives. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if these reports are delinquent. Required submission: BSIR (due semi-annually). 5. Exercise Evaluation and Improvement. Exercises, implemented with grant funds, should be threat and performance-based and should evaluate performance of the targeted capabilities required to respond to the exercise scenario. Guidance related to the conduct exercise evaluations and the implementation of improvement is defined in the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Manual located at http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/administration.shtm. Grant recipients must report on scheduled exercises and ensure that an After Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP) are prepared for each exercise conducted with FEMA support (grant funds or direct support) and submitted to the FEMA secure Portal (https://preparednessportal.dhs.gov/) within 60 days following completion of the exercise. The AAR documents the demonstrated performance of targeted capabilities and identifies recommendations for improvements. The IP outlines an exercising jurisdiction(s) plan to address the recommendations contained in the AAR. At a 41 minimum, the IP must identify initial action items and be included in the final AAR. Guidance for the development of AARs and IPs is provided in the HSEEP manual. Required submissions: AARs and IPs (as applicable). 6. Financial and Compliance Audit Report. Recipients that expend $500,000 or more of Federal funds during their fiscal year are required to submit an organization- wide financial and compliance audit report. The audit must be performed in accordance with the U.S. General Accountability Office, Government Auditing Standards, located at http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm, and OMB Circular A133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, located at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a133/a133.html. Audit reports are currently due to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse no later than nine months after the end of the recipient’s fiscal year. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Comptroller General of the United States shall have access to any books, documents, and records of recipients of FY 2009 IECGP assistance for audit and examination purposes, provided that, in the opinion of the Secretary or the Comptroller, these documents are related to the receipt or use of such assistance. The grantee will also give the sponsoring agency or the Comptroller, through any authorized representative, access to, and the right to examine all records, books, papers or documents related to the grant. The State shall require that sub-grantees comply with the audit requirements set forth in OMB Circular A-133. Recipients are responsible for ensuring that sub- recipient audit reports are received and for resolving any audit findings. Monitoring Grant recipients will be monitored periodically by FEMA staff, both programmatically and financially, to ensure that the project goals, objectives, performance requirements, timelines, milestone completion, budgets, and other related program criteria are being met. Programmatic monitoring may also include the Regional Federal Preparedness Coordinators, when appropriate, to ensure consistency of project investments with Regional and National goals and policies, as well as to help synchronize similar investments ongoing at the Federal, State, and local levels. Monitoring will be accomplished through a combination of office-based reviews and on- site monitoring visits. Monitoring will involve the review and analysis of the financial, programmatic, performance and administrative issues relative to each program and will identify areas where technical assistance and other support may be needed. The recipient is responsible for monitoring award activities, to include sub-awards, to provide reasonable assurance that the Federal award is administered in compliance with requirements. Responsibilities include the accounting of receipts and expenditures, cash management, maintaining of adequate financial records, and refunding expenditures disallowed by audits. 42 Grant Close-Out Process Within 90 days after the end of the period of performance, grantees must submit a final FSR and final CAPR detailing all accomplishments throughout the project. After these reports have been reviewed and approved by FEMA, a close-out notice will be completed to close out the grant. The notice will indicate the project 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 FSR. The grantee is responsible for returning any funds that have been drawndown but remain as unliquidated on grantee financial records. Required submissions: (1) final SF-269a, due 90 days from end of grant period; and (2) final CAPR, due 90 days from the end of the grant period. 43 PART VII. FEMA CONTACTS This section describes several resources that may help applicants in completing a FEMA grant application. During the application period FEMA will identify multiple opportunities for a cooperative dialogue between the Department and applicants through such processes as the mid-term review. This commitment is intended to ensure a common understanding of the funding priorities and administrative requirements associated with the FY 2009 IECGP and to help in submission of projects that will have the highest impact on reducing risks. 1. Centralized Scheduling & Information Desk (CSID) Help Line. CSID is a non- emergency resource for use by emergency responders across the nation. CSID is a comprehensive coordination, management, information, and scheduling tool developed by DHS through FEMA for homeland security terrorism preparedness activities. CSID provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and information on the characteristics of CBRNE, agro-terrorism, defensive equipment, mitigation techniques, and available Federal assets and resources. CSID maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information for homeland security terrorism preparedness programs and events. These contacts include personnel at the Federal, State and local levels. CSID can be contacted at (800) 368-6498 or askcsid@dhs.gov. CSID hours of operation are from 8:00 am–6:00 pm (EST), Monday-Friday. 2. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD). FEMA GPD will provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance, to the grant programs included in this solicitation. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the FEMA Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov. 3. GSA’s State and Local Purchasing Programs. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) offers two efficient and effective procurement programs for State and local governments to purchase products and services to fulfill homeland security and other technology needs. The GSA Schedules (also referred to as the Multiple Award Schedules and the Federal Supply Schedules) are long-term, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, government-wide contracts with commercial firms of all sizes. • Cooperative Purchasing Program Cooperative Purchasing, authorized by statute, allows State and local governments to purchase a variety of supplies (products) and services under 44 specific GSA Schedule contracts to save time, money, and meet their everyday needs and missions. The Cooperative Purchasing program allows State and local governments to purchase alarm and signal systems, facility management systems, firefighting and rescue equipment, law enforcement and security equipment, marine craft and related equipment, special purpose clothing, and related services off of Schedule 84 and Information Technology products and professional services off of Schedule 70 and the Consolidated Schedule (containing IT Special Item Numbers) only. Cooperative Purchasing for these categories is authorized under Federal law by the Local Preparedness Acquisition Act (Public Law 110-248) and Section 211 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (Public Law 107347). Under this program, State and local governments have access to GSA Schedule contractors who have voluntarily modified their contracts to participate in the Cooperative Purchasing program. The U.S. General Services Administration provides a definition of State and local governments as well as other vital information under the frequently asked questions section on its website at http://www.gsa.gov/cooperativepurchasing. • Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program GSA plays a critical role in providing disaster recovery products and services to Federal agencies. Now State and Local Governments can also benefit from the speed and savings of the GSA Federal Supply Schedules. Section 833 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-364) amends 40 U.S.C. §502 to authorize GSA to provide State and Local governments the use of ALL GSA Federal Supply Schedules for purchase of products and services to be used to facilitate recovery from a major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or to facilitate recovery from terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack. GSA provides additional information on the Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program website at http://www.gsa.gov/disasterrecovery. State and local governments can find a list of contractors on GSA’s website, http://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov, denoted with a or symbol. Assistance is available from GSA on the Cooperative Purchasing and Disaster Purchasing Program at the local and national levels. For assistance at the local level, visit http://www.gsa.gov/csd to find a local customer service director in your area. For assistance at the national level, contact Tricia Reed at tricia.reed@gsa.gov, (571) 259-9921. More information is available on all GSA State and local programs at: www.gsa.gov/stateandlocal. 45 4. Exercise Direct Support. FEMA provides support to Regions, States, and local jurisdictions in accordance with State Homeland Security Strategies and the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). Support is available to conduct a Training and Exercise Plan (TEP) workshop, to develop a Multi-year TEP, and to build or enhance the capacity of a jurisdiction to design, develop, conduct, and evaluate effective exercises. In FY 2009, support for planning and conduct of exercises has shifted in strategy from a State-focused approach, organized by National Preparedness Directorate Headquarters, to a regional (multi-State) approach, organized by the FEMA Regions, to more effectively integrate national, regional, territorial, tribal, State, and local preparedness exercises. At this time, the Regional Exercise Support Program will support discussion-based exercises (i.e., seminar, workshop or tabletop), operations-based exercises (i.e. drills, functional exercises, full scale exercises), and TEP workshops within each of the 10 FEMA Regions. The Regional Exercise Support Program support is not limited to new exercise initiatives and can be applied to ongoing exercises to maintain continuity of existing planning schedules. Applicants are encouraged to coordinate requests for exercise support through the appropriate FEMA Regional Exercise Officer. State requests for support will be considered, however, priority will be given to exercise initiatives that support collaboration within a Region. Additional guidance on the Regional Exercise Support Program to include the application process and information on the HSEEP is available on the HSEEP website, https://hseep.dhs.gov. 5. Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program. The Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program (HSPTAP) provides direct support assistance on a first-come, first-served basis (and subject to the availability of funding) to eligible organizations to enhance their capacity and preparedness to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist and all hazard threats. In addition to the risk assessment assistance already being provided, FEMA also offers a variety of other direct support assistance programs. More information can be found at http://www.fema.gov/about/divisions/pppa_ta.shtm. 6. Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) System. LLIS is a national, online, secure website that houses a collection of peer-validated lessons learned, best practices, AARs from exercises and actual incidents, and other relevant homeland security documents. LLIS facilitates improved preparedness nationwide by providing response professionals with access to a wealth of validated front-line expertise on effective planning, training, equipping, and operational practices for homeland security. The LLIS website also includes a national directory of homeland security officials, as well as an updated list of homeland security exercises, events, and conferences. 46 Additionally, LLIS includes online collaboration tools, including secure email and message boards, where users can exchange information. LLIS uses strong encryption and active site monitoring to protect all information housed on the system. The LLIS website is https://www.llis.gov. 7. Information Sharing Systems. FEMA encourages all State, regional, local, and Tribal entities using FY 2009 funding in support of information sharing and intelligence fusion and analysis centers to leverage available Federal information sharing systems, including Law Enforcement Online (LEO) and the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). For additional information on LEO, contact the LEO Program Office at leoprogramoffice@leo.gov or (202) 324-8833. For additional information on HSIN and available technical assistance, contact the HSIN Help Desk at (703) 674-3003. 8. The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) Technical Assistance Catalog. The Catalog describes the services available to requesting jurisdictions or organizations through the OEC Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program. These services, which are provided at no cost, include instruction and assistance with the planning, governance, operational, and technical aspects of developing and implementing interoperable communications initiatives. All OEC technical assistance services may be combined or tailored to meet the specific needs of the requesting organization. The Catalog also contains a technical assistance request form and instructions on how to complete and submit a request. It can be found at http://www.safecomprogram.gov/SAFECOM/statewideplanning/. 9. SAFECOM Reference Library. Detailed information that can assist in technical, planning, training and exercise, and regulatory related communications efforts can be found on the SAFECOM website at www.safecomprogram.gov. 47