Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program-COVID-19 Supplemental (AFG-S), 28028-28031 [2020-10044]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 92 / Tuesday, May 12, 2020 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
[Docket ID FEMA–2020–0022]
[Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA–4525–
DR; Docket ID FEMA–2020–0001]
Utah; Amendment No. 1 to Notice of a
Major Disaster Declaration
Federal Emergency
Management Agency, DHS.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice
of a major disaster declaration for the
State of Utah (FEMA–4525–DR), dated
April 4, 2020, and related
determinations.
This amendment was issued
April 30, 2020.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dean Webster, Office of Response and
Recovery, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, 500 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646–2833.
The notice
of a major disaster declaration for the
State of Utah is hereby amended to
include Individual Assistance limited to
the Crisis Counseling Program for those
areas determined to have been adversely
affected by the event declared a major
disaster by the President in his
declaration of April 4, 2020.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Individual Assistance limited to the Crisis
Counseling Program for all areas in the State
of Utah (already designated for emergency
protective measures [Category B] not
authorized under other Federal statutes,
including direct Federal assistance).
The following Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used
for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030,
Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora
Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling;
97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034,
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA);
97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant;
97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to
Individuals and Households In Presidentially
Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049,
Presidentially Declared Disaster Assistance—
Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals
and Households; 97.050 Presidentially
Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals
and Households—Other Needs; 97.036,
Disaster Grants—Public Assistance
(Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039,
Hazard Mitigation Grant.
Pete Gaynor,
Administrator, Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
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Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program—COVID–19 Supplemental
(AFG–S)
Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA),
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: On March 27, 2020, the
President signed into law the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security Act (‘‘CARES Act’’). This bill
provides $100 million for AFG–S to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to
coronavirus, domestically or
internationally. Specifically, AFG–S
funds shall be for the purchase of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
and related supplies, including
reimbursements for previously
purchased PPE back to January 1, 2020.
Pursuant to the Federal Fire Prevention
and Control Act of 1974, as amended,
the Administrator of FEMA is
publishing this notice describing the
AFG–S application process, deadlines,
and award selection criteria. This notice
explains the differences, if any, between
these guidelines and those
recommended by representatives of the
national fire service leadership during a
Criteria Development meeting, which
was held April 20, 2020. The
application period for the FY 2020
AFG–S Program opened on April 28,
2020, and will close on May 15, 2020,
and was announced on the AFG website
at: https://www.fema.gov/welcomeassistance-firefighters-grant-program, as
well as at www.grants.gov.
DATES: Grant applications for AFG–S
will be accepted electronically at
https://go.fema.gov, from April 28,
2020, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard
Time through May 15, 2020, at 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time.
ADDRESSES: Assistance to Firefighters
Grant Branch, DHS/FEMA, 400 C Street
SW, 3N, Washington, DC 20472–3635.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Catherine Patterson, Branch Chief,
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Branch,
1–866–274–0960.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY
2020 AFG–S is a supplemental funding
opportunity under the Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). The
AFG is one of three grant programs that
constitute DHS/FEMA’s focus on
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enhancing the safety of the public and
firefighters with respect to fire and firerelated hazards. AFG–S accomplishes
this by providing financial assistance
directly to eligible fire departments,
nonaffiliated emergency medical service
(NAEMS) organizations, and State Fire
Training Academies (SFTAs) for critical
PPE and supplies needed to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to the COVID–
19 public health emergency.
Applications for AFG–S will be
submitted and processed online at
https://go.fema.gov. Before the
application period started, the FY 2020
AFG–S Notice of Funding Opportunity
(NOFO) was published on the AFG
website. The AFG website provides
additional information and materials
useful to applicants including
Frequently Asked Questions. FEMA
anticipates receiving 1,000–5,000
applications for AFG–S, and the ability
to award approximately 1,000 grants.
Congressional Appropriations:
Congress appropriated $100 million for
AFG–S (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security (CARES) Act, Div. B
(Pub. L. 116–136)). The CARES Act
provides an additional amount of
Federal assistance through the
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
to prevent, prepare for, and respond to
coronavirus, domestically or
internationally. Accordingly, the
amount provided shall be for the
purchase of PPE and related supplies,
including reimbursements.
Allocations and Restrictions of
Available Grant Funds by Organization
Type:
Aggregate Cap: Awards are capped at
1 percent of the total AFG–S grant
funding.
Nonaffiliated EMS (NAEMS)
Organizations: Not more than 2 percent
of available grant funds shall be
collectively awarded to all NAEMS
organization recipients.
Emergency Medical Services
Providers: Not less than 3.5 percent of
available grant funds shall fund
emergency medical services provided by
fire departments and NAEMS
organizations.
State Fire Training Academies
(SFTAs): Not more than 3 percent of
available grant funds shall be
collectively awarded to all SFTA
recipients. Further, not more than
$500,000 of available grant funds are
eligible per applicant.
Micro Grants: The selection of the
voluntary Micro Grant option
(cumulative Federal funding of $3,000)
for eligible activities does not impact an
applicant’s request or Federal
participation under regional projects.
Applicants who select Micro Grants as
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a funding opportunity choice may still
apply for a regional project. Further, at
least $150,000 of the available funds
will be allocated toward this applicant
type.
Regional Projects: A regional
application is an opportunity for a Fire
Department or a NAEMS organization to
act as a host and apply for funding on
behalf of itself and any number of other
participating AFG eligible organizations
(a NAEMS organization who is a host
regional applicant can only host other
NAEMS organizations). Fire
Departments that serve as host regional
applicants can apply on behalf of other
eligible fire departments and NAEMS
organizations within the same
application. SFTAs are not eligible to
apply under the regional activity.
Regional activities should achieve cost
effectiveness, support regional
efficiency and resilience, and benefit
more than one local jurisdiction
(county, parish, town, township, city, or
village) directly from the activities
implemented with the grant funds.
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Application Evaluation Criteria
Prior to making a grant award, FEMA
is required by 31 U.S.C. 3321 note, 41
U.S.C. 2313, and 2 CFR 200.205 to
review information available through
any Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) designated repositories of
government-wide eligibility
qualification or financial integrity
information. Therefore, application
evaluation criteria may include the
following risk-based considerations of
the applicant: (1) Financial stability; (2)
quality of management systems and
ability to meet management standards;
(3) history of performance in managing
Federal awards; (4) reports and findings
from audits; and (5) ability to effectively
implement statutory, regulatory, or
other requirements.
Funding priorities and criteria for
evaluating AFG–S applications are
established by FEMA based on the
recommendations from the Criteria
Development Panel (CDP). The CDP is
comprised of fire service professionals
that make recommendations to FEMA
regarding the creation of new or the
modification of previously established
funding priorities, as well as developing
criteria for awarding grants. The content
of the NOFO reflects implementation of
the CDP’s recommendations with
respect to the priorities and evaluation
criteria for awards.
The nine major fire service
organizations represented on the CDP
are:
• International Association of Fire
Chiefs
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• International Association of Fire
Fighters
• National Volunteer Fire Council
• National Fire Protection Association
• National Association of State Fire
Marshals
• International Association of Arson
Investigators
• International Society of Fire Service
Instructors
• North American Fire Training
Directors
• Congressional Fire Service Institute
Review and Selection Process
AFG applications will be reviewed
through a multi-phase process. All
applications will be electronically prescored and ranked based on how well
they align with the funding priorities
outlined in the NOFO. Applications
with the highest pre-score rankings will
then be scored competitively by (no less
than three) members of the Peer Review
Panel process. Applications will also be
evaluated through a series of internal
FEMA review processes for
completeness, adherence to
programmatic guidelines, technical
feasibility, and anticipated effectiveness
of the proposed project(s). Below is the
process by which applications will be
reviewed.
i. Pre-Scoring Process
The application undergoes an
electronic pre-scoring process based on
established program priorities listed
within the NOFO and answers to
activity-specific questions within the
online application. Application
narratives are not reviewed during prescoring. Request details and budget
information should comply with
program guidance and statutory funding
limitations. The pre-score is 50 percent
of the total application score.
ii. Peer Review Panel Process
Applications with the highest prescore will undergo peer review. The
peer review panel is comprised of fire
service representatives recommended by
CDP national organizations. The
panelists assess the merits of each
application based on the narrative
section of the application, including the
evaluation elements listed in the
Narrative Evaluation Criteria below.
Panelists will independently score each
project within the application, discuss
the merits and/or shortcomings of the
application with his or her peers, and
document the findings. A consensus is
not required. The panel score is 50
percent of the total application score.
iii. Technical Evaluation Process
The highest ranked applications are
considered within the fundable range.
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Applications that are in the fundable
range undergo both a technical review
by a subject-matter expert, as well as a
FEMA AFG Branch review prior to
being recommended for an award. The
FEMA AFG Branch will assess the
request with respect to costs, quantities,
feasibility, eligibility, and recipient
responsibility prior to recommending an
application for award. Once the
technical evaluation process is
complete, the cumulative score for each
application will be determined and
FEMA will generate a final application
ranking. FEMA will award grants based
on this final ranking and the statutorily
required funding limitations listed in
this notice and the NOFO.
Narrative Evaluation Criteria
1. Financial Need (25 Percent)
Applicants should describe their
financial need and how consistent it is
with the intent of the AFG–S Program.
This statement should include details
describing the applicant’s financial
distress, such as summarized budget
constraints, unsuccessful attempts to
secure other funding, and proving that
the financial distress is out of their
control.
2. Project Description and Budget (25
Percent)
The Project Description and Budget
statement should clearly explain the
applicant’s project objectives and its
relationship to the applicant’s budget
and risk analysis. Applicants should
link the proposed expenses to
operations and safety, as well as to the
completion of the project’s goals.
Applicants should describe how their
current response capabilities are
impacted by COVID–19 as well as the
overall rate of COVID–19 in their
community. Applicants can reference
data supported by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
through referencing state level data from
the following website https://
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
cases-updates/cases-in-us.html. This
data will be taken into consideration
when prioritizing funding.
3. Cost Benefit (25 Percent)
Applicants should describe how they
plan to address the operations and
personal safety needs of their
organization, including cost
effectiveness and sharing assets. This
statement should also include details
about gaining the maximum benefits
from grant funding by citing reasonable
or required costs, such as specific
overhead and administrative costs. The
applicant’s request should also be
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consistent with their mission and
identify how funding will benefit their
organization and personnel.
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4. Statement of Effect on Daily
Operations (25 Percent)
The Statement of Effect on Operations
should explain how this funding request
will enhance an organization’s overall
effectiveness. It should address how an
award will impact the daily operations
and reduce an organization’s risk(s).
Applicants should include how
frequently the requested item(s) will be
used and in what capacity. Applicants
should detail whether award funding
will seek reimbursement of pre-award
expenses related to the acquisition of
eligible PPE, acquire PPE for immediate
use, or acquire PPE resources to
strengthen future response capabilities.
Applicants will be evaluated on the
current inventory of supplies, response
usage of requested supplies, and
anticipated future needs (i.e., actual or
anticipated burn rate percentage of PPE
resources).
Eligible Applicants
Fire Departments: Fire departments
operating in any of the 50 States, as well
as fire departments in the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or
any Federally-recognized Indian Tribe
or Tribal organization.
A fire department is an agency or
organization having a formallyrecognized arrangement with a State,
local, Tribal, or territorial authority
(city, county, parish, fire district,
township, town, or other governing
body) to provide fire suppression to a
population within a geographically
fixed primary first due response area.
NAEMS organizations: NAEMS
organizations operating in any of the 50
States, as well as the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or
any Federally-recognized Indian Tribe
or Tribal organization.
A nonaffiliated EMS organization is
an agency or organization that is a
public or private nonprofit emergency
medical services entity providing
medical transport that is not affiliated
with a hospital and does not serve a
geographic area in which emergency
medical services are adequately
provided by a fire department.
FEMA considers the following as
hospitals under the AFG–S Program:
• Clinics
• Medical centers
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•
•
•
•
Medical colleges or universities
Infirmaries
Surgery centers
Any other institutions, associations,
or foundations providing medical,
surgical, or psychiatric care and/or
treatment for the sick or injured.
State Fire Training Academies
(SFTAs): An SFTA operates in any of
the 50 States, as well as the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Applicants must be designated either by
legislation or by a Governor’s
declaration as the sole fire service
training agency within a State, territory,
or the District of Columbia. The
designated SFTA shall be the only
agency/bureau/division, or entity within
that State, territory, or the District of
Columbia to be an eligible AFG–S SFTA
applicant. SFTAs are limited to
applying for activities that are directly
associated with Personal Protective
Equipment and supplies needed to
respond to the COVID–19 public health
emergency.
Cost Sharing and Maintenance of Effort
Grant recipients must share in the
costs of the projects funded under this
grant program as required by 15 U.S.C.
2229(k)(1) and in accordance with
applicable Federal regulations at 2 CFR
part 200, but they are not required to
have the cost-share at the time of
application nor at the time of award.
However, before a grant is awarded,
FEMA will contact potential awardees
to determine whether the grant recipient
has the funding in hand or if the grant
recipient has a viable plan to obtain the
funding necessary to fulfill the costsharing requirement.
In general, an eligible applicant
seeking a grant shall agree to make
available non-Federal funds equal to not
less than 15 percent of the grant
awarded. However, the cost share will
vary as follows based on the size of the
population served by the organization,
with exceptions to this general
requirement for entities serving smaller
communities:
• Applicants that serve populations
of 20,000 or less shall agree to make
available non-Federal funds in an
amount equal to not less than 5 percent
of the grant awarded.
• Applicants serving areas with
populations above 20,000, but not more
than 1 million, shall agree to make
available non-Federal funds in an
amount equal to not less than 10 percent
of the grant awarded.
• Applicants serving areas with
populations above 1 million shall agree
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to make available non-Federal funds in
an amount equal to not less than 10
percent of the grant awarded. The cost
share for SFTAs will apply the
requirements above based on the total
population of the State.
Cost share of non-Federal cash is the
only allowable recipient contribution
for AFG–S activity. On a case-by-case
basis, FEMA may allow recipients
already owning assets acquired with
non-Federal cash, to use the trade-in
allowance/credit value of those assets as
cash for the purpose of meeting the costshare obligation. For FEMA to consider
a trade-in allowance/credit value as
cash, the allowance amount must be
reasonable, and the allowance amount
must be a separate entity clearly
identified in the acquisition documents.
In-kind cost share is not allowable for
AFG–S.
In cases of demonstrated economic
hardship, and at the request of the grant
recipient, the Administrator of FEMA
may waive or reduce certain recipient’s
AFG–S cost-share requirement or
maintenance of expenditure
requirement. FY 2020 AFG–S applicants
must indicate at the time of application
whether they are requesting a waiver
and whether the waiver is for the costshare requirement, maintenance of effort
requirement, or both. The FEMA
Administrator is required by statute to
establish guidelines for determining
what constitutes economic hardship.
FEMA has published these guidelines at
FEMA’s website: https://www.fema.gov/
media-library-data/1518026897046483d76a37022b8a581ffb7d42fa9b17e/
Eco_Hardship_Waiver_FPS_SAFER_
AFG_IB_FINAL.pdf.
Prior to the start of the FY 2020 AFG–
S application period, FEMA conducted
applicant workshops and/or internet
webinars to inform potential applicants
AFG–S. In addition, FEMA provided
applicants with information at the AFG
website: https://www.fema.gov/
welcome-assistance-firefighters-grantprogram to help them prepare quality
grant applications. The AFG Help Desk
is staffed throughout the application
period to assist applicants with the
automated application process as well
as assistance with any questions.
Applicants can reach the AFG Help
Desk through a toll-free telephone
number during normal business hours
(1–866–274–0960) or electronic mail at
firegrants@fema.dhs.gov.
Application Process
Organizations may submit one
application per application period in
each of the three AFG program activities
(e.g., one application for Operations and
Safety, and/or a separate application to
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be a Joint/Regional Project host). If an
organization submits more than one
application for any single AFG program
activity (e.g., two applications for
Operations and Safety, two for Joint/
Regional Project, etc.), either
intentionally or unintentionally, both
applications may be disqualified.
Applicants can access the grant
application electronically at https://
portal.fema.gov. The application is also
accessible from the U.S. Fire
Administration’s website https://
www.usfa.fema.gov and https://
www.grants.gov. New applicants must
register and establish a username and
password for secure access to the grant
application. Previous AFG grant
applicants must use their previously
established username and passwords.
Applicants must answer questions
about their grant request that reflect the
AFG–S funding priorities, described
above. In addition, each applicant must
complete a separate narrative for each
project or grant activity requested. Grant
applicants will also provide relevant
information about their organization’s
characteristics, call volume, and
existing organizational capabilities.
System for Award Management (SAM)
Per 2 CFR 25.200, all Federal grant
applicants and recipients must register
in https://SAM.gov. SAM is the Federal
Government’s System for Awards
Management, and registration is free of
charge. Applicants must maintain
current information in SAM that is
consistent with the data provided in
their AFG–S grant application and in
the Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) database.
FEMA may not accept any application,
process any awards, and consider any
payment or amendment requests, unless
the applicant or grant recipient has
complied with the requirements to
provide a valid DUNS number and an
active SAM registration. The grant
applicant’s banking information, EIN,
organization/entity name, address, and
DUNS number must match the same
information provided in SAM.
Pete Gaynor,
Administrator, Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
[Docket ID FEMA–2020–0016]
Meeting To Develop Pandemic
Response; Voluntary Agreement
Federal Emergency
Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) will
convene a meeting remotely via
teleconference and web conference on
May 21, 2020, to develop a voluntary
agreement under Section 708 of the
Defense Production Act to help provide
for the national defense by maximizing
the effectiveness of the distribution of
critical medical resources nationwide to
respond to pandemics in general, and
COVID–19 specifically. The meeting
will be open to the public. If necessary,
a second meeting will take place on May
27, 2020.
DATES: The meeting will take place on
Thursday, May 21, 2020, from 2:00 to
3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Written
comments for consideration at the
meeting must be submitted and received
by 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 20,
2020. To register to make remarks
during the public comment period,
contact the individual listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
below by 12 p.m. ET on May 20, 2020.
If necessary, a second meeting will
take place on Wednesday, May 27, 2020,
from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET.
ADDRESSES: The meeting(s) will be held
via teleconference and web conference.
It is recommended that attendees
register with FEMA by 12:00 p.m. on
May 20, 2020, by providing their name,
telephone number, email address, title,
and organization to the person listed in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section below.
Reasonable accommodations are
available for people with disabilities
and others with access and functional
needs. To request a reasonable
accommodation, contact the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section below as soon as
possible.
To facilitate public participation,
members of the public are invited to
provide written comments on the issues
to be considered at the meeting. The
‘‘Meeting Objectives’’ section below
outlines these issues. Written comments
for consideration at the meeting on May
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28031
21 must be submitted and received by
12 p.m. ET on May 20, 2020, identified
by Docket ID FEMA–2020–0016, and
submitted by one of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: Defense Production Act
Division, FEMA, FEMA–DPA@
fema.dhs.gov.
Instructions: All submissions must
include the docket ID ‘‘FEMA–2020–
0016.’’ Comments received, including
any personal information provided, may
be posted without alteration at https://
www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read comments received by the FEMA,
go to https://www.regulations.gov, and
search for Docket ID FEMA–2020–0016.
A public comment period will be held
at the FEMA meeting on May 21, 2020,
from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET. All speakers
must limit their comments to 3 minutes.
Comments should be addressed to
FEMA. Any comments not related to the
Meeting Objectives topics will not be
considered at the meeting, which will
be chaired by FEMA. To register to
make remarks during the public
comment period, contact the individual
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section below by 12:00 p.m. on
May 20, 2020. If necessary, FEMA will
limit the number of comments taken
during the public meeting consistent
with the time available, but will
consider relevant and properly
submitted written submissions from all
interested parties.
FEMA encourages interested parties
to make written submissions in advance
of the meeting on May 21 and as a
follow-up to one or both meetings
consistent with the instructions for
submitting comments stated above.
Follow-up comments must be received
within three (3) business days of the last
meeting held in order to be considered.
FEMA will create a transcript for each
meeting and will upload the
transcript(s) to the docket referenced
above for public viewing. No later than
9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, May 22, FEMA
will upload a notice to the docket
stating whether the second meeting will
be held and specifying when the
comment period will be closed,
consistent with the paragraph
immediately above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harold Lucie, Joint DPA Office, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, 500 C
Street SW, Washington, DC 20472–3184,
telephone (202) 212–2900, and email
FEMA–DPA@fema.dhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of
the meeting(s) is provided as required
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28028-28031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10044]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2020-0022]
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program--COVID-19 Supplemental
(AFG-S)
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of
Homeland Security (DHS).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (``CARES Act'').
This bill provides $100 million for AFG-S to prevent, prepare for, and
respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally. Specifically,
AFG-S funds shall be for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) and related supplies, including reimbursements for previously
purchased PPE back to January 1, 2020. Pursuant to the Federal Fire
Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended, the Administrator of
FEMA is publishing this notice describing the AFG-S application
process, deadlines, and award selection criteria. This notice explains
the differences, if any, between these guidelines and those recommended
by representatives of the national fire service leadership during a
Criteria Development meeting, which was held April 20, 2020. The
application period for the FY 2020 AFG-S Program opened on April 28,
2020, and will close on May 15, 2020, and was announced on the AFG
website at: https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program, as well as at www.grants.gov.
DATES: Grant applications for AFG-S will be accepted electronically at
https://go.fema.gov, from April 28, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard
Time through May 15, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
ADDRESSES: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Branch, DHS/FEMA, 400 C
Street SW, 3N, Washington, DC 20472-3635.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Patterson, Branch Chief,
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Branch, 1-866-274-0960.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY 2020 AFG-S is a supplemental funding
opportunity under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG).
The AFG is one of three grant programs that constitute DHS/FEMA's focus
on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to
fire and fire-related hazards. AFG-S accomplishes this by providing
financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments,
nonaffiliated emergency medical service (NAEMS) organizations, and
State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs) for critical PPE and supplies
needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 public
health emergency. Applications for AFG-S will be submitted and
processed online at https://go.fema.gov. Before the application period
started, the FY 2020 AFG-S Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was
published on the AFG website. The AFG website provides additional
information and materials useful to applicants including Frequently
Asked Questions. FEMA anticipates receiving 1,000-5,000 applications
for AFG-S, and the ability to award approximately 1,000 grants.
Congressional Appropriations: Congress appropriated $100 million
for AFG-S (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act,
Div. B (Pub. L. 116-136)). The CARES Act provides an additional amount
of Federal assistance through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus,
domestically or internationally. Accordingly, the amount provided shall
be for the purchase of PPE and related supplies, including
reimbursements.
Allocations and Restrictions of Available Grant Funds by
Organization Type:
Aggregate Cap: Awards are capped at 1 percent of the total AFG-S
grant funding.
Nonaffiliated EMS (NAEMS) Organizations: Not more than 2 percent of
available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all NAEMS
organization recipients.
Emergency Medical Services Providers: Not less than 3.5 percent of
available grant funds shall fund emergency medical services provided by
fire departments and NAEMS organizations.
State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs): Not more than 3 percent of
available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all SFTA
recipients. Further, not more than $500,000 of available grant funds
are eligible per applicant.
Micro Grants: The selection of the voluntary Micro Grant option
(cumulative Federal funding of $3,000) for eligible activities does not
impact an applicant's request or Federal participation under regional
projects. Applicants who select Micro Grants as
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a funding opportunity choice may still apply for a regional project.
Further, at least $150,000 of the available funds will be allocated
toward this applicant type.
Regional Projects: A regional application is an opportunity for a
Fire Department or a NAEMS organization to act as a host and apply for
funding on behalf of itself and any number of other participating AFG
eligible organizations (a NAEMS organization who is a host regional
applicant can only host other NAEMS organizations). Fire Departments
that serve as host regional applicants can apply on behalf of other
eligible fire departments and NAEMS organizations within the same
application. SFTAs are not eligible to apply under the regional
activity. Regional activities should achieve cost effectiveness,
support regional efficiency and resilience, and benefit more than one
local jurisdiction (county, parish, town, township, city, or village)
directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds.
Application Evaluation Criteria
Prior to making a grant award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. 3321
note, 41 U.S.C. 2313, and 2 CFR 200.205 to review information available
through any Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated
repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial
integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may
include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant: (1)
Financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to
meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing
Federal awards; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability
to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.
Funding priorities and criteria for evaluating AFG-S applications
are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria
Development Panel (CDP). The CDP is comprised of fire service
professionals that make recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation
of new or the modification of previously established funding
priorities, as well as developing criteria for awarding grants. The
content of the NOFO reflects implementation of the CDP's
recommendations with respect to the priorities and evaluation criteria
for awards.
The nine major fire service organizations represented on the CDP
are:
International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Fire Fighters
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Fire Protection Association
National Association of State Fire Marshals
International Association of Arson Investigators
International Society of Fire Service Instructors
North American Fire Training Directors
Congressional Fire Service Institute
Review and Selection Process
AFG applications will be reviewed through a multi-phase process.
All applications will be electronically pre-scored and ranked based on
how well they align with the funding priorities outlined in the NOFO.
Applications with the highest pre-score rankings will then be scored
competitively by (no less than three) members of the Peer Review Panel
process. Applications will also be evaluated through a series of
internal FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to
programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, and anticipated
effectiveness of the proposed project(s). Below is the process by which
applications will be reviewed.
i. Pre-Scoring Process
The application undergoes an electronic pre-scoring process based
on established program priorities listed within the NOFO and answers to
activity-specific questions within the online application. Application
narratives are not reviewed during pre-scoring. Request details and
budget information should comply with program guidance and statutory
funding limitations. The pre-score is 50 percent of the total
application score.
ii. Peer Review Panel Process
Applications with the highest pre-score will undergo peer review.
The peer review panel is comprised of fire service representatives
recommended by CDP national organizations. The panelists assess the
merits of each application based on the narrative section of the
application, including the evaluation elements listed in the Narrative
Evaluation Criteria below. Panelists will independently score each
project within the application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings
of the application with his or her peers, and document the findings. A
consensus is not required. The panel score is 50 percent of the total
application score.
iii. Technical Evaluation Process
The highest ranked applications are considered within the fundable
range. Applications that are in the fundable range undergo both a
technical review by a subject-matter expert, as well as a FEMA AFG
Branch review prior to being recommended for an award. The FEMA AFG
Branch will assess the request with respect to costs, quantities,
feasibility, eligibility, and recipient responsibility prior to
recommending an application for award. Once the technical evaluation
process is complete, the cumulative score for each application will be
determined and FEMA will generate a final application ranking. FEMA
will award grants based on this final ranking and the statutorily
required funding limitations listed in this notice and the NOFO.
Narrative Evaluation Criteria
1. Financial Need (25 Percent)
Applicants should describe their financial need and how consistent
it is with the intent of the AFG-S Program. This statement should
include details describing the applicant's financial distress, such as
summarized budget constraints, unsuccessful attempts to secure other
funding, and proving that the financial distress is out of their
control.
2. Project Description and Budget (25 Percent)
The Project Description and Budget statement should clearly explain
the applicant's project objectives and its relationship to the
applicant's budget and risk analysis. Applicants should link the
proposed expenses to operations and safety, as well as to the
completion of the project's goals. Applicants should describe how their
current response capabilities are impacted by COVID-19 as well as the
overall rate of COVID-19 in their community. Applicants can reference
data supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
through referencing state level data from the following website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html. This
data will be taken into consideration when prioritizing funding.
3. Cost Benefit (25 Percent)
Applicants should describe how they plan to address the operations
and personal safety needs of their organization, including cost
effectiveness and sharing assets. This statement should also include
details about gaining the maximum benefits from grant funding by citing
reasonable or required costs, such as specific overhead and
administrative costs. The applicant's request should also be
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consistent with their mission and identify how funding will benefit
their organization and personnel.
4. Statement of Effect on Daily Operations (25 Percent)
The Statement of Effect on Operations should explain how this
funding request will enhance an organization's overall effectiveness.
It should address how an award will impact the daily operations and
reduce an organization's risk(s). Applicants should include how
frequently the requested item(s) will be used and in what capacity.
Applicants should detail whether award funding will seek reimbursement
of pre-award expenses related to the acquisition of eligible PPE,
acquire PPE for immediate use, or acquire PPE resources to strengthen
future response capabilities. Applicants will be evaluated on the
current inventory of supplies, response usage of requested supplies,
and anticipated future needs (i.e., actual or anticipated burn rate
percentage of PPE resources).
Eligible Applicants
Fire Departments: Fire departments operating in any of the 50
States, as well as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any
Federally-recognized Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
A fire department is an agency or organization having a formally-
recognized arrangement with a State, local, Tribal, or territorial
authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or
other governing body) to provide fire suppression to a population
within a geographically fixed primary first due response area.
NAEMS organizations: NAEMS organizations operating in any of the 50
States, as well as the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any Federally-recognized
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
A nonaffiliated EMS organization is an agency or organization that
is a public or private nonprofit emergency medical services entity
providing medical transport that is not affiliated with a hospital and
does not serve a geographic area in which emergency medical services
are adequately provided by a fire department.
FEMA considers the following as hospitals under the AFG-S Program:
Clinics
Medical centers
Medical colleges or universities
Infirmaries
Surgery centers
Any other institutions, associations, or foundations providing
medical, surgical, or psychiatric care and/or treatment for the sick or
injured.
State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs): An SFTA operates in any of
the 50 States, as well as the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants must be
designated either by legislation or by a Governor's declaration as the
sole fire service training agency within a State, territory, or the
District of Columbia. The designated SFTA shall be the only agency/
bureau/division, or entity within that State, territory, or the
District of Columbia to be an eligible AFG-S SFTA applicant. SFTAs are
limited to applying for activities that are directly associated with
Personal Protective Equipment and supplies needed to respond to the
COVID-19 public health emergency.
Cost Sharing and Maintenance of Effort
Grant recipients must share in the costs of the projects funded
under this grant program as required by 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(1) and in
accordance with applicable Federal regulations at 2 CFR part 200, but
they are not required to have the cost-share at the time of application
nor at the time of award. However, before a grant is awarded, FEMA will
contact potential awardees to determine whether the grant recipient has
the funding in hand or if the grant recipient has a viable plan to
obtain the funding necessary to fulfill the cost-sharing requirement.
In general, an eligible applicant seeking a grant shall agree to
make available non-Federal funds equal to not less than 15 percent of
the grant awarded. However, the cost share will vary as follows based
on the size of the population served by the organization, with
exceptions to this general requirement for entities serving smaller
communities:
Applicants that serve populations of 20,000 or less shall
agree to make available non-Federal funds in an amount equal to not
less than 5 percent of the grant awarded.
Applicants serving areas with populations above 20,000,
but not more than 1 million, shall agree to make available non-Federal
funds in an amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the grant
awarded.
Applicants serving areas with populations above 1 million
shall agree to make available non-Federal funds in an amount equal to
not less than 10 percent of the grant awarded. The cost share for SFTAs
will apply the requirements above based on the total population of the
State.
Cost share of non-Federal cash is the only allowable recipient
contribution for AFG-S activity. On a case-by-case basis, FEMA may
allow recipients already owning assets acquired with non-Federal cash,
to use the trade-in allowance/credit value of those assets as cash for
the purpose of meeting the cost-share obligation. For FEMA to consider
a trade-in allowance/credit value as cash, the allowance amount must be
reasonable, and the allowance amount must be a separate entity clearly
identified in the acquisition documents. In-kind cost share is not
allowable for AFG-S.
In cases of demonstrated economic hardship, and at the request of
the grant recipient, the Administrator of FEMA may waive or reduce
certain recipient's AFG-S cost-share requirement or maintenance of
expenditure requirement. FY 2020 AFG-S applicants must indicate at the
time of application whether they are requesting a waiver and whether
the waiver is for the cost-share requirement, maintenance of effort
requirement, or both. The FEMA Administrator is required by statute to
establish guidelines for determining what constitutes economic
hardship. FEMA has published these guidelines at FEMA's website:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1518026897046-483d76a37022b8a581ffb7d42fa9b17e/Eco_Hardship_Waiver_FPS_SAFER_AFG_IB_FINAL.pdf.
Prior to the start of the FY 2020 AFG-S application period, FEMA
conducted applicant workshops and/or internet webinars to inform
potential applicants AFG-S. In addition, FEMA provided applicants with
information at the AFG website: https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program to help them prepare quality
grant applications. The AFG Help Desk is staffed throughout the
application period to assist applicants with the automated application
process as well as assistance with any questions.
Applicants can reach the AFG Help Desk through a toll-free
telephone number during normal business hours (1-866-274-0960) or
electronic mail at [email protected].
Application Process
Organizations may submit one application per application period in
each of the three AFG program activities (e.g., one application for
Operations and Safety, and/or a separate application to
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be a Joint/Regional Project host). If an organization submits more than
one application for any single AFG program activity (e.g., two
applications for Operations and Safety, two for Joint/Regional Project,
etc.), either intentionally or unintentionally, both applications may
be disqualified.
Applicants can access the grant application electronically at
https://portal.fema.gov. The application is also accessible from the
U.S. Fire Administration's website https://www.usfa.fema.gov and https://www.grants.gov. New applicants must register and establish a username
and password for secure access to the grant application. Previous AFG
grant applicants must use their previously established username and
passwords.
Applicants must answer questions about their grant request that
reflect the AFG-S funding priorities, described above. In addition,
each applicant must complete a separate narrative for each project or
grant activity requested. Grant applicants will also provide relevant
information about their organization's characteristics, call volume,
and existing organizational capabilities.
System for Award Management (SAM)
Per 2 CFR 25.200, all Federal grant applicants and recipients must
register in https://SAM.gov. SAM is the Federal Government's System for
Awards Management, and registration is free of charge. Applicants must
maintain current information in SAM that is consistent with the data
provided in their AFG-S grant application and in the Dun & Bradstreet
(DUNS) database. FEMA may not accept any application, process any
awards, and consider any payment or amendment requests, unless the
applicant or grant recipient has complied with the requirements to
provide a valid DUNS number and an active SAM registration. The grant
applicant's banking information, EIN, organization/entity name,
address, and DUNS number must match the same information provided in
SAM.
Pete Gaynor,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2020-10044 Filed 5-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-64-P
