FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency
04/16/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/16/2024 09:26
The U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fiscal Year 2024 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program
Release Date:
April 16, 2024
Download a PDF copy of this webpage.
All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have a unique entity identifier (UEI). The UEI number is issued by the SAM system. Requesting a UEI using SAM.gov can be found at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
Grants.gov registration information can be found at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
Updates in Grant Application Forms:
The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number was replaced by a new, non-proprietary identifier requested in, and assigned by SAM.gov. This new identifier is the Unique Entity Identifier.
Additional Information can be found on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-development/planned-uei-updates.
Table of Contents
A. Program Description
- Issued By
- Assistance Listings Number
- Assistance Listings Title
- Funding Opportunity Title
- Funding Opportunity Number
- Authorizing Authority for Program
- Appropriation Authority for Program
- Announcement Type
- Program Category
- Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities
- Performance Measures
B. Federal Award Information
- Available Funding for the NOFO: $13,500,000
- Period of Performance: 36 months
- Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 09/01/2024
- Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 08/31/2024
- Projected Budget Period
- Funding Instrument Type: Grant
C. Eligibility Information
- Eligible Applicants
- Applicant Eligibility Criteria
- Subawards and Beneficiaries
- Other Eligibility Criteria
- Cost Share or Match
D. Application and Submission Information
- Key Dates and Times
- Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award
- Address to Request Application Package
- Requirements: Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Register in the System for Award Management (SAM)
- Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application
- Electronic Delivery
- How to Register to Apply
- Submitting the Application
- Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission
- Content and Form of Application Submission
- Intergovernmental Review
- Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs
E. Application Review Information
- Application Evaluation Criteria
- Review and Selection Process
F. Federal Award Administration Information
- Notice of Award
- Administrative and National Policy Requirements
- Reporting
- Monitoring and Oversight
G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information
- Contact and Resource Information
- Systems Information
H. Additional Information
- Unique Entity Identifier
- Program Evaluation
- Period of Performance Extensions
- Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure
- Report Issues of Fraud, Waste, Abuse
A. Program Description
1.Issued By
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)
2.Assistance Listings Number
97.067
3.Assistance Listings Title
Homeland Security Grant Program
4.Funding Opportunity Title
Fiscal Year 2024 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)
5.Funding Opportunity Number
DHS-24-GPD-067-00-99
6.Authorizing Authority for Program
Section 2005 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. No. 107-296, as amended) (6 U.S.C. § 606)
7.Appropriation Authority for Program
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-47, Title III, Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (2024 DHS Appropriations Act)
8.Announcement Type
Initial
9.Program Category
Preparedness: Community Security
10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities
a. Overview
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) is one of three grant programs that support DHS/FEMA's focus on enhancing the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to terrorist attacks. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to help strengthen the nation's communities against potential terrorist attacks.
Tribal Nations face substantially increased risks that are not adequately addressed through other existing grant programs. Factors such as remote locations, limited access to resources, technological infrastructure challenges, and historical tensions make them more susceptible to emerging threats. The need to bolster technology and information infrastructure is crucial to address these challenges adequately. The THSGP respects the sovereign rights of Tribal Nations by allowing them to apply and be awarded preparedness grant funding as a direct recipient to address their unique risks and needs.
For FY 2024, DHS is focused on the criticality of information sharing and collaboration to building a national culture of preparedness and protecting against terrorism and other threats to our national security. The threats to our nation have evolved during the past two decades. We now face continuous cyber threats by sophisticated actors, threats to soft targets and crowded places, and threats from domestic violent extremists, who represent one of the most persistent threats to the nation today. Therefore, for FY 2024, DHS has identified six priority areas related to the most serious threats to the nation. Recipients are not required, but are encouraged, to address those priority areas with their THSGP funds.
For FY 2023, 43 applications were received and 19 approved for funding. For a full list of recipients, please refer to Information Bulletin (IB) 490a.
b. Goals, Objectives and Priorities
Goals: The THSGP will provide funding directly to eligible tribes to strengthen their capacities to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to potential terrorist attacks.
Objectives: The THSGP provides resources that support eligible Tribal Nations in meeting the following objectives:
- Build and sustain core capabilities in accordance with annual program priorities;
- Address capability gaps identified in their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) process; and
- Implement a comprehensive and coordinated (all-inclusive) approach to address enduring security needs of communities that crosscut the homeland security enterprise, including planning, training and awareness campaigns, equipment and capital projects, and exercises.
Priorities: Given the evolving national security threat landscape, DHS/FEMA continuously evaluates the national risk profile and sets priorities that help inform appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile for FY 2024, six areas attract the most concern and thus are national priority areas:
- Enhancing cybersecurity;
- Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places;
- Enhancing information and intelligence sharing and analysis;
- Combating domestic violent extremism;
- Enhancing community preparedness and resilience; and
- Enhancing election security.
Additional information about these priority areas and how they relate to anti-terrorism security is included in Section D.10.b.
Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise. The following are second-tier priorities that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing communities:
- Effective planning;
- Training and awareness campaigns;
- Equipment and capital projects; and
- Exercises.
The table below provides a breakdown of these priority areas for the FY 2024 THSGP, showing both the core capabilities enhanced and lifelines supported, as well as examples of eligible project types for each area. More information on allowable investments can be found in Section D.12 "Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs" below. THSGP applicants are not required, but are encouraged, to address these areas in their applications. However, as discussed in Section E of this funding notice, investments that sufficiently address one or more of the National Priority Areas (enhancing cybersecurity; enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places; combating domestic violent extremism; enhancing information and intelligence sharing and analysis; enhancing community preparedness and resilience; and enhancing election security) will have their final review scores increased by a multiplier of 20%. The example project types in the table below are allowable to prepare for disasters unrelated to acts of terrorism as long as they also help achieve target capabilities related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism.
FY 2024 THSGP Funding Priorities
All priorities in this table concern Safety and Security Lifelines.
National Priorities
| Priority Areas | Core Capabilities | Examples of Allowable Activities |
| Enhancing Cybersecurity |
|
|
| Enhancing the Protection of Soft Targets/Crowded Places |
Risk management for protection programs and activities |
|
| Enhancing information and intelligence sharing and analysis |
|
|
| Combating Domestic Violent Extremism |
|
|
| Enhancing Community Preparedness and Resilience |
|
|
| Enhancing Election Security |
|
|
Enduring Needs
| Priority Areas | Core Capabilities | Examples of Allowable Activities |
| Planning |
|
|
| Training & Awareness |
|
|
| Equipment & Capital Projects |
|
|
| Exercises |
|
|
DHS/FEMA requires THSGP recipients to complete the THIRA and SPR, and to prioritize grant funding to support building capability and/or closing capability gaps or sustaining capabilities that address national priorities and/or support enduring needs. Additional information on the THIRA/SPR process, including other National Preparedness System tools and resources, can be found at National Preparedness System | FEMA.gov.
c. Alignment to Program Purpose and the DHS and FEMA Strategic Plan
Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024 the THSGP supports the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience.
The 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan outlines three bold, ambitious goals in order to position FEMA to address the increasing range and complexity of disasters, support the diversity of communities we serve, and complement the nation's growing expectations of the emergency management community. The THSGP supports FEMA's efforts to achieve equitable outcomes for those we serve (Goal 1.3), as well as to promote and sustain a ready FEMA and prepared nation (Goal 3). We invite our stakeholders and partners to also adopt these priorities and join us in building a more prepared and resilient nation.
11. Performance Measures
Performance metrics for this program are as follows:
- Percentage of funding allocated by the recipient to core capabilities to build or sustain the national priorities identified in the section above;
- Percentage of funding and projects allocated by the recipient that align to capability gaps identified through the THIRA/SPR process; and
- Percentage of projects identified by the recipient that address a capability gap in a core capability that has a target(s) rated as high priority.
FEMA will calculate and analyze the above metrics through a review of recipient SPR submissions and required programmatic reports/award monitoring to ensure that the funds are expended for their intended purpose and achieve the stated outcomes in the grant application.
B. Federal Award Information
1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $13,500,000
2. Period of Performance: 36 months
Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information on period of performance extensions, please refer to the Preparedness Grants Manual (FM-207-23-001).
3.Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 09/01/2024
4. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 08/31/2027
5.Projected Budget Period
There will be only a single budget period with the same start and end dates as the period of performance.
6. Funding Instrument Type: Grant
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Directly eligible tribes. "Directly eligible tribe" is defined in Section C.2 "Applicant Eligibility Criteria" below.
2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to receive THSGP funding, recipients must be directly eligible tribes. Directly eligible tribes are federally recognized tribes that meet the criteria set forth in Section 2001 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (6 U.S.C. § 601).
Federally recognized tribes are those tribes appearing on the list published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (Pub. L. No. 103-454) (25 U.S.C. § 5131).
Per 6 U.S.C. § 601(4), a "directly eligible tribe" is any federally recognized Indian Tribe that meets the following criteria:
(A) any Indian Tribe―
(i) that is located in the continental United States;
(ii) that operates a law enforcement or emergency response agency with the capacity to respond to calls for law enforcement or emergency services;
(iii)
- that is located on or near (100 miles) an international border or a coastline bordering an ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico) or international waters;
- that is located within 10 miles of a system or asset included on the prioritized critical infrastructure list established under section 2214(a)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (6 U.S.C. § 664(a)(2) or has such a system or asset within its territory;
- that is located within or contiguous to one of the 50 most populous
metropolitan statistical areas in the United States; or
- the jurisdiction of which includes not less than 1,000 square miles of Indian country, as that term is defined in section 1151 of title 18, United States Code; and
(iv) that certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security that a state has not provided funds under section 2003 (Urban Area Security Initiative) or 2004 (State Homeland Security Program) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (6 U.S.C. § 604 or 605, respectively) to the Indian Tribe or consortium of Indian Tribes for the purpose for which direct funding is sought; and
(B) A consortium of Indian Tribes if each tribe satisfies the requirements of subparagraph (A).
In summary, directly eligible tribes must meet each of the requirements set forth in (A)(i), (A)(ii), and (A)(iv). Tribes must also meet at least one of the requirements set forth in (A)(iii), that is either (A)(iii)(I), (A)(iii)(II), (A)(iii)(III), or (A)(iii)(IV). Finally, under subparagraph (B), a consortium may also be eligible to be a recipient if each Indian Tribe in the consortium meets the criteria for a directly eligible tribe under subparagraph (A).
In FY 2024, applicants must self-certify as to whether they meet the eligibility requirements. Self-certification will be provided on the THSGP Eligibility Certification Form as part of the application Investment Justification (IJ). Additionally, DHS/FEMA will verify grant recipient eligibility against these criteria. Any questions regarding an applicant's proximity to a Critical Infrastructure site, as described in the eligibility criteria, may be directed to FEMA Grants News by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
An application submitted by an otherwise eligible non-federal entity (i.e., the applicant) may be deemed ineligible when the person that submitted the application is not: 1) a current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the non-federal entity; and 2) duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of application.
Further, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be a duly authorized current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the recipient. They mustprovide an email address unique to the recipient at the time of application and upon any change in assignment during the period of performance. Consultants or contractors of the recipient are not permitted to be the AOR of the recipient.
3. Subawards and Beneficiaries
a. Subaward allowability
Subawards are not allowed under the THSGP.
b. Beneficiaries or Participants
This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant or beneficiary.
4. Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions
a. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation
Prior to allocation of any federal preparedness awards, recipients must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. The list of objectives used for progress and achievement reporting is on FEMA's website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/implementation-training.
Please see the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on NIMS.
b. Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) Development
By December 31, 2025, as a condition of award, THSGP recipients are required to complete a THIRA/SPR that addresses all 32 core capabilities and is compliant with the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201, Third Edition. The THIRA must be updated and resubmitted every three years while the award remains open. However, the SPR must be updated and submitted annually. For additional guidance on the THIRA/SPR, please refer to the CPG 201, Third Edition.
Please see the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on the THIRA/SPR requirements.
5. Cost Share or Match
Cost share or cost match is not required under this program. Applicants that propose a cost share will not receive additional consideration in the scoring.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Key Dates and Times
a. Application Start Date: 04/16/2024
b. Application Submission Deadline: 06/24/2024 at 5 p.m. ET
All applications must be received by the established deadline.
FEMA's Grants Outcomes System (FEMA GO) automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the AOR role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission. For additional information on how an applicant will be notified of application receipt, see the subsection titled "Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission" in Section D of this NOFO.
FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider these late applications for funding. FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate that good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant's control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, other exigent or emergency circumstances, or statutory requirements for FEMA to make an award.
Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify FEMA as soon as possible and before the application deadline. Failure to timely notify FEMA of the issue that prevented the timely filing of the application may preclude consideration of the award. "Timely notification" of FEMA means the following: prior to the application deadline and within 48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue.
A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G of this NOFO, "DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information." For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk at [email protected] or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Preparedness Officer or Grants Management Specialist. If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact [email protected], Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date: No later than August 23, 2024
d. Anticipated Award Date: No later than September 30, 2024
e. Other Key Dates
| Event | Suggested Deadline for Completion |
| Obtaining Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number |
Four weeks before actual submission deadline |
| Obtaining a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN) | Four weeks before actual submission deadline |
| Creating an account with login.gov | Four weeks before actual submission deadline |
| Registering in SAM or updating SAM registration | Four weeks before actual submission deadline |
| Registering Organization in FEMA GO | Prior to beginning application |
| Submitting complete application in FEMA GO | One week before actual submission deadline |
2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award
By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.
3. Address to Request Application Package
Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.
4. Requirements: Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Register in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
Each applicant, unless they have a valid exception under 2 CFR §25.110, must:
- Be registered in Sam.Gov before application submission.
- Provide a valid UEI in its application. Continue to always maintain an active SAM registration with current information during the federal award process. Note: Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.300, subrecipients are NOT required to go through the full SAM registration process. First-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds directly from the recipient) are only required to obtain a UEI through SAM, but they are not required to complete the full SAM registration in order to obtain a UEI. Recipients may not make subawards unless the subrecipient has obtained and provided the UEI.
Lower-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds passed through by a higher-tier subrecipient) are not required to have a UEI and are not required to register in SAM. Applicants are also not permitted to require subrecipients to complete a full registration in SAM beyond obtaining the UEI.
5.Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award Management (SAM), and Submit an Application
Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Applicants are encouraged to register early as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. Please review the table above for estimated deadlines to complete each of the steps listed. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting an application may disqualify that application from funding.
To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:
- Apply for, update, or verify their UEI number and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;
- In the application, provide an UEI number;
- Have an account with login.gov;
- Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;
- Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the AOR. The organization's electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go/startup
- Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and
- Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant's immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.
Applicants are advised that FEMA may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant's SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when FEMA is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant's or recipient's SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant's SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, FEMA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.
Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(c)(2)(iii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from obtaining an UEI number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible by contacting [email protected] and providing the details of the circumstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If FEMA determines that there are exigent circumstances and FEMA has decided to make an award, the applicant will be required to obtain an UEI number, if applicable, and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.
6. Electronic Delivery
DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.
For this funding opportunity, FEMA requires applicants to submit applications through FEMA GO.
7. How to Register to Apply
a. General Instructions:
Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for FEMA funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.
The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.
Organizations must have an UEI number, an EIN, and an active SAM registration to apply for a federal award under this funding opportunity.
b. Obtain an UEI Number:
All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI number. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form.
For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to: SAM.gov
c. Obtain Employer Identification Number
All entities applying for funding must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the IRS by visiting: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.
d. Create a login.gov account:
Applicants must have a login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account here: https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd3.
Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For applicants that are existing SAM users, use the same email address for the login.gov account as with SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.
For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.
e. Register with SAM:
All applicants applying online through FEMA GO must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent an applicant from completing the application in FEMA GO. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Organizations will be issued a UEI number with the completed SAM registration.
For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/Register/RegisterWithSAM.htm.
Note: Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, applicants must also provide the applicant's immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.
i. Additional SAM Reminders
Existing SAM.gov account holders should check their account to make sure it is "ACTIVE." SAM registration should be completed at the very beginning of the application period and should be renewed annually to avoid being "INACTIVE." Please allow plenty of time before the grant application submission deadline to obtain an UEI number and then to register in SAM. It may be four weeks or more after an applicant submits the SAM registration before the registration is active in SAM, and then it may be an additional 24 hours before FEMA's system recognizes the information.
It is imperative that the information applicants provide is correct and current. Please ensure that your organization's name, address, and EIN are up to date in SAM and that the UEI number used in SAM is the same one used to apply for all other FEMA awards. Payment under any FEMA award is contingent on the recipient's having a current SAM registration.
ii. Help with SAM
The SAM quick start guide for new recipient registration and SAM video tutorial for new applicants are tools created by the General Services Administration (GSA) to assist those registering with SAM. If applicants have questions or concerns about a SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.door call toll free (866) 606-8220.
f. Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR:
Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization's electronic business point of contact (EBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go/startup
Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Internet Explorer
- Mozilla Firefox
- Apple Safari
- Microsoft Edge
Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.
8. Submitting the Application
Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D.10 of this NOFO, "Content and Form of Application Submission." The Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab under the https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.
After submitting the final application, FEMA GO will provide either an error message or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the AOR that submitted the application. Applicants using slow internet connections, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before FEMA GO receives your application.
For additional application submission requirements, including program-specific requirements, please refer to the subsection titled "Content and Form of Application Submission" under Section D of this NOFO.
9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission
All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the AOR role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application.
Applicants who experience system-related issues will be addressed until 3:00 PM ET on the date applications are due. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.
10. Content and Form of Application Submission
a. Standard Required Application Forms and Information
Generally, applicants have to submit either the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and SF-424B) or construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D), meaning that applicants that only have construction work and do not have any non-construction work need only submit the construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D) and not the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and SF-424B), and vice versa. However, applicants who have both construction and non-construction work under this program need to submit both the construction and non-construction forms.
The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family
- SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
- Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying
-
SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)
- For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information (Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424A
-
SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction)
- For construction under an award, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances (Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424B
- SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
b .Program-Specific Required Forms and Information
The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in FEMA GO:
- THSGP IJ (Office of Management and Budget [OMB] Control Number: 1660- 0113/FEMA Form: 089-22), which is located in the "Related Documents" tab on Grants.gov; and
- Self-certification form stating the tribe's eligibility per the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (the self-certification is contained within the THSGP IJ).
i. Priority Investments
Cybersecurity
Today's world is more interconnected than ever before, but with increased connectivity comes increased risk of our adversaries, including terrorists, exploiting cyber vulnerabilities and weaknesses to disrupt our way of life. Cybersecurity investments must support the security and functioning of critical infrastructure and core capabilities as they relate to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism. Therefore, FEMA is giving priority to investments that enhance the tribe's cybersecurity efforts.
Additional resources and information regarding cybersecurity and cybersecurity performance goals are available through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Soft Targets and Crowded Places
Soft targets and crowded places are increasingly appealing to terrorists and other violent extremist actors because of their relative accessibility and the large number of potential targets. This challenge is complicated by the prevalent use of simple tactics and less sophisticated attacks. Segments of our society are inherently open to the general public, and by nature of their purpose do not incorporate strict security measures. Given the increased emphasis by terrorists and other violent extremist actors to leverage less sophisticated methods to inflict harm in public areas, it is vital that the public and private sectors collaborate to enhance security of locations such as transportation centers, parks, restaurants, shopping centers, special event venues, and similar facilities.
Additional resources and information regarding securing soft targets and crowded places are available at Securing Public Gatherings (SPG) | CISA.
Information and Intelligence Sharing and Analysis
Effective homeland security operations rely on access to, analysis of, and the timely sharing of open source, unclassified and classified information, suspicious activity reports, tips/leads, and actionable intelligence on indicators and behaviors. This information is crucial to accurately identify, assess, and mitigate a wide array of threats against the United States, including terrorism, threats to life, targeted violence, and other threats within the DHS mission space. Accordingly, DHS works diligently to enhance intelligence collection, integration, analysis, and information sharing capabilities to ensure partners, stakeholders and senior leaders receive actionable intelligence and information necessary to inform their decisions and operations. A critical and statutorily charged mission of DHS is to deliver intelligence and information to federal, state, local and tribal governments, and private sector partners. Cooperation and information sharing among state, federal, and local partners, while upholding privacy, civil rights and civil liberties protections, is critical to homeland security operations and the prevention of, preparation for, protection against, and response to acts of terrorism and other threats to life and criminal acts of targeted violence. This is critical across all areas of the homeland security enterprise, including counterterrorism (both international and domestic), cybersecurity, border security, transnational organized crime, immigration enforcement, economic security, and other areas.
Additional resources and information regarding collaboration and information sharing are available through the Department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
Domestic Violent Extremism
As stated in the Homeland Threat Assessment 2024, terrorism, including domestic violent extremism, remains a top threat to the Homeland. These violent extremists capitalize on social and political tensions, which have resulted in an elevated threat environment. They utilize social media platforms and other technologies to spread violent extremist ideologies that encourage violence and influence action within the United States.
Additional resources and information regarding domestic violent extremism are available through Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships | Homeland Security (dhs.gov).
Community Preparedness and Resilience
Community organizations are the backbones of American civic life, both during "blue skies" and in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Community organizations, such as homeless shelters, food banks, public libraries, faith-based institutions, and nonprofit medical providers must have the capabilities to withstand acts of terrorism and provide essential services, especially to members of underserved communities, in the aftermath of an attack. In addition, individual citizens and volunteer responders, such as Community Emergency Response Teams, are often the first on the scene after a terrorist attack. The ability of these volunteers to provide assistance to their fellow citizens prior to the arrival of professional first responders is paramount to a community's resilience. According to FEMA's 2023 National Household Survey only 57% of adults have taken at least three preparedness actions to bolster individual and household resilience. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant burden on community-based organizations such as homeless shelters, food banks, public libraries, faith-based institutions, and nonprofit medical providers and their ability to continue to provide key services during and after disasters, including acts of terrorism.
Additionally, equity in emergency management requires proactively prioritizing actions that reinforce cultural competency, accessibility, and inclusion, as well as reflect the historical context of specific groups of people. To that end, tribes are strongly encouraged to explore how THSGP-funded activities can address the needs of underserved, at-risk communities to help ensure consistent and systematic, fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals before, during and after a disaster, consistent with applicable law.
The focus on equity and investing in strategies that meet the needs of underserved communities will strengthen the whole of community system of emergency management. Substantial and ongoing prioritization of, and investment in, underserved communities is essential for the entire system to be effective and efficient. Engaging the whole community requires all members of the community to be part of the emergency management team, including representatives of underserved communities, diverse community members, social and community service groups and institutions, faith-based and disability advocacy groups, academia, professional associations, the private and nonprofit sectors, and government agencies that may not traditionally have been directly involved in emergency management. The whole community includes children; older adults; individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs; those from religious, racial and ethnically diverse backgrounds; people with limited English proficiency; and owners of animals including household pets and service animals.
Additional resources and information regarding community preparedness and resilience are available through Individuals and Communities | FEMA.gov.
Election Security
In January 2017, DHS designated the infrastructure used to administer the nation's elections as critical infrastructure. This designation recognizes that the United States' election infrastructure is of such vital importance to the American way of life that its incapacitation or destruction would have a devastating effect on the country. Additionally, the Homeland Threat Assessment 2024 indicates that electoral processes remain an attractive target for many adversaries.
Securing election infrastructure, ensuring its continued operation in the face of threats and harassment, advancing the safety of election officials, and ensuring an election free from foreign interference are national security priorities. Threats to election systems are constantly evolving, so defending these systems requires constant vigilance, innovation, and adaptation.
Additional resources and information regarding election security are available through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
11. Intergovernmental Review
An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state's process under Executive Order 12372
(See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html; Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) (whitehouse.gov)
12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs
All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO, the terms and conditions of the award, or the Preparedness Grants Manual. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA awards under this program is the same as the period of performance).
Federal funds made available through this award may be used for the purpose set forth in this NOFO, the Preparedness Grants Manual, and the terms and conditions of the award and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Award funds may not be used for matching funds for any other federal awards, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on funding restrictions and allowable costs.
a. Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services
See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on prohibitions on expending FEMA award funds for covered telecommunications equipment or services.
b. Pre-Award Costs
Pre-award costs are not allowable and will not be approved, with the exception of costs resulting from pre-award grant writing services provided by an independent contractor that shall not exceed $1,500 per applicant, per award.
c. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs
M&A costs are allowed by the 2024 DHS Appropriations Act. Recipients may use up to 5% of the amount of the award for M&A. Where applicable, subrecipients may use up to 5% of the amount they receive for M&A. M&A activities are those defined as directly relating to the management and administration of THSGP funds, such as financial management and monitoring. M&A expenses must be based on actual expenses or known contractual costs. M&A requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement.
M&A costs are not operational costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the federal award or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such, M&A costs can be itemized in financial reports. Other M&A costs examples include preparing and submitting required programmatic and financial reports, establishing and/or maintaining equipment inventory, documenting operational and equipment expenditures for financial accounting purposes, responding to official informational requests from state and federal oversight authorities, including completing the Civil Rights Evaluation Tool as required by DHS, and grant performance measurement or evaluation activities. Reasonable costs of grant management training are also allowable. If an applicant uses an outside consultant or contractor to provide pre-award grant writing services or post-award grant management services, additional considerations and restrictions shall apply as detailed in the Other Direct Costs subsection below.
d. Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs
Indirect (F&A) costs (IDC) mean those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved. IDC are allowable by the recipient [and subrecipients] as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated IDC rate agreement who desire to charge indirect costs to a federal award must provide a copy of their IDC rate agreement with their applications. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement. Applicants that are not required to have a negotiated IDC rate agreement but are required to develop an IDC rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal with their applications. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to FEMA for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must reach out to the FEMA Point of Contact for further instructions. As it relates to the IDC for subrecipients, a recipient must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.332 and 200.414 in approving the IDC rate for subawards. For information on procedures for establishing indirect cost rates, see the Preparedness Grants Manual.
e. Evaluation Costs
Evaluation costs are allowable. See Section H.2 "Program Evaluation" for more details.
f. Other Direct Costs
The following pages outline global allowable costs guidance specifically applicable to THSGP. Allowable activities made in support of the national priorities, as well as other capability-enhancing projects must fall into the categories of planning, organization, equipment, training, or exercises (POETE). Additional detail about each of these allowable expense categories, as well as sections on additional activities including explicitly unallowable costs is provided. In general, recipients should consult their FEMA Preparedness Officer prior to implementing any investment to ensure that it clearly meets the allowable expense criteria established by the guidance.
Recipients are encouraged to use grant funds for evaluating grant-funded project effectiveness and return on investment aligned to the relevant POETE element, and FEMA encourages grant recipients to provide the results of that analysis to FEMA.
In addition to the sections below, the Preparedness Grants Manual provides additional guidance on allowable costs in Chapters 3 and 8, including topics such as critical emergency supplies and maintenance and sustainment.
i. Planning
Planning costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice and Chapter 8 of the Preparedness Grants Manual.
Planning efforts can include prioritizing needs; conducting risk and resilience assessments on increasingly connected cyber and physical systems, on which security depends, using the Infrastructure Resilience Planning Framework and related CISA resources; updating preparedness strategies; and allocating resources across stakeholder groups (e.g., law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, health care systems, public health, behavioral health, public works, rural water associations, agriculture, information technology, emergency communications, and the general public, including people with disabilities) and levels of government. Planning provides a methodical way to engage the whole community in thinking through the life cycle of potential crises, determining required capabilities, and establishing a framework for roles and responsibilities. Planning must include participation from all stakeholders in the community who are able to contribute critical perspectives and may have a role in executing the plan. Planning should be flexible enough to address incidents of varying types and magnitudes.
Planning activities should focus on the prevention, protection, mitigation, and response mission areas outlined in the Goal. All jurisdictions are encouraged to work with Citizen Corps Whole Community Councils, nongovernmental entities, and the general public in planning activities. Whole community planning should integrate program design and delivery practices that ensure representation and services for under-represented diverse populations that may be more impacted by disasters including children, seniors, individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs, individuals with diverse culture and language use, individuals with lower economic capacity and other underserved populations. Recipients must use the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101 v3 in order to develop robust and effective plans.
For additional planning and resource information, please see:
- FEMA CPG 101 v3 - https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_cpg-101-v3-developing-maintaining-eops.pdf
- CISA Infrastructure Resilience Planning Toolkit - http://www.cisa.gov/idr-program
- FEMA Citizen Corps - http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corps
- FEMA CERT - http://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams
- Ready.gov - www.ready.gov/
- Emergency Planning with Children
- National Disaster Recovery Framework
Additionally, THSGP funds may be used for planning activities related to 911 call capabilities, alert and warning capabilities, and implementation of the REAL ID Act (Pub. L. No. 109-13).
ii.Organization
Organization costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice and Chapter 8 of the Preparedness Grants Manual.
Organizational activities may include, paying salaries and benefits for personnel, including individuals employed to serve as qualified intelligence analysts. Personnel hiring, overtime, and backfill expenses are permitted under this grant only to the extent that such expenses are for the allowable activities within the scope of the grant. Other organizational activities may include implementing standardized resource management concepts such as typing, inventorying, organizing, and tracking to facilitate the dispatch, deployment, and recovery of resources before, during, and after an incident.
Additionally, migrating online services to the ".gov" internet domain is an allowable expense.
iii. Equipment
Equipment costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice and Chapters 3 and 8 of the Preparedness Grants Manual.
Recipients should analyze the costs and benefits of purchasing versus leasing equipment, especially high-cost items, and those subject to rapid technical advances. Large equipment purchases must be identified and explained. For more information regarding property management standards for equipment, please reference 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.310, 200.313, and 200.316. Also see 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.471, and FEMA Policy #405-143-1, Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services, issued May 10, 2022.
Recipients that are using THSGP funds to support emergency communications equipment activities must comply with the SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants (SAFECOM Guidance), including provisions on technical standards that ensure and enhance interoperable communications. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information.
Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and critical emergency supply costs are allowable under this program. See the Preparedness Grants Manualfor more information.
Additionally, THSGP funds may be used for equipment purchases related to 911 call capabilities, alert and warning capabilities, and implementation of the REAL ID Act (Pub. L. No. 109-13).
Controlled Equipment
For decades, the federal government has provided equipment to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies (LEAs) through federal grants. Some federal grant programs have assisted LEAs as they carry out their critical missions to keep the American people safe. The equipment acquired by LEAs through these programs includes administrative equipment, such as office furniture and computers. Some federal grant programs also may include military and military-styled equipment, firearms and tactical vehicles provided by the federal government, including property covered under 22 C.F.R. Part 121 and 15 C.F.R. Part 774 (collectively, "controlled equipment").
However, not all equipment that is considered controlled equipment is allowable under the THSGP. As discussed further below, there are certain "prohibited equipment" that are not allowable under the THSGP. And for the procurement of certain controlled equipment that is allowable under the THSGP, there are additional submission requirements and reviews that must be met before DHS/FEMA will permit funding to be used for this purpose, including but not limited to the provision of policies and procedures in place to safeguard individuals' privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
DHS/FEMA will continue to collaborate with federal agency partners to ensure that there is a consistent and reasonable approach to the restrictions placed on controlled equipment expenditures while continuing to support these investments when there is a justifiable need. Further, DHS/FEMA will continue to maintain an awareness of the evolving policy developments related to controlled equipment expenditures and keep grant recipients up to date on future developments.
The 21 allowable prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery equipment categories and equipment standards for THSGP are listed on the web-based version of the Authorized Equipment List (AEL). Unless otherwise stated, equipment must meet all mandatory regulatory and DHS-adopted standards to be eligible for purchase using these funds. In addition, recipients and subrecipients, as applicable, agencies will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining all necessary certifications and licenses for the requested equipment. Recipients may purchase equipment not listed on the AEL, but only if they first seek and obtain prior approval from FEMA.
Grant funds under this program may not be used for the purchase of equipment not approved by DHS/FEMA. The purchase of tracked armored vehicles, camouflage uniforms, weapons, and weapons accessories, including ammunition, is not allowed with THSGP funds. Grant funds must comply with FEMA Policy 207-22-0002, Prohibited or Controlled Equipment Under FEMA Awards and may not be used for the purchase of the following unallowable equipment: 1) firearms; 2) ammunition; 3) grenade launchers; 4) bayonets; or 5) weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind with weapons installed.
Construction and Renovation
Construction and renovation costs to achieve capability targets related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism are allowed under this program. All proposed construction and renovation activities must undergo an Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) review, including approval of the review from FEMA, prior to undertaking any action related to the project. Failure of a grant recipient to meet these requirements may jeopardize Federal funding. For construction costs to be allowed, they must be specifically approved by DHS/FEMA in writing prior to the use of any program funds for construction or renovation. Additionally, recipients are required to submit a SF-424C Form and Budget detail citing the project costs. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for additional information.
iv.Training and Exercises
Training and exercise costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice and Chapter 8 of the Preparedness Grants Manual.
Tribes are strongly encouraged to use THSGP funds to develop or maintain a homeland security training program. Allowable training-related costs under the THSGP include the establishment, support, conduct, and attendance of training specifically identified under the THSGP or in conjunction with emergency preparedness training by other federal agencies (e.g., the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Transportation). Training conducted using THSGP funds should address a performance gap identified through an assessment or contribute to building a capability that will be evaluated through a formal exercise. Exercises should be used to provide the opportunity to demonstrate and validate skills learned in training, as well as to identify training gaps. Any training or training gaps evaluated though a formal exercise, including those for vulnerable populations including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs should be identified in an AAR/IP.
All training and exercises conducted with THSGP funds should support the development and testing of the jurisdiction's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), consistent with the priorities in the National Preparedness System. Recipients are encouraged to use existing training rather than developing new courses. When developing new courses, recipients are encouraged to apply the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) model of instruction design, available with additional training information at First Responder Training System and FRT-TRDC ADDIE (firstrespondertraining.gov).
FEMA supports and encourages the coordination of all emergency preparedness training towards the achievement of the Goal. To this end, FEMA supports the establishment of a Tribal Training Point of Contact (TTPOC). The role of the TTPOC is to coordinate the tribes' training needs and activities with FEMA and FEMA's federal training partners and holds the same authority and roles that state training points of contact serve within SAAs nationwide. FEMA will coordinate with Tribal Training Officers (TTOs) as it relates to FEMA training when notified by recipients.
Recipients are encouraged to consider tuition-free courses offered by FEMA first, before investing in training. For more information and a catalog of courses please refer to the National Preparedness Course Catalog at NTED.
For additional information on training and exercises under THSGP, please refer to Chapters 7 and 8 in the Preparedness Grants Manual.
vi. Personnel Activities
Personnel hiring, overtime, and backfill expenses are permitted under this grant in order to perform allowable THSGP planning, training, exercise, and equipment activities.
Not more than 50% of total THSGP funds may be used for personnel activities as directed by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by the Personnel Reimbursement for Intelligence Cooperation and Enhancement (PRICE) of Homeland Security Act (Pub. L. No. 110-412) (6 U.S.C. §609(b)(2)(A)). This 50% cap may be waived, however, per 6 U.S.C. § 609(b)(2)(B). For further details, THSGP recipients should refer to IB 421b, or contact their FEMA HQ Preparedness Officer. THSGP 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.
vii. Travel
Domestic travel costs are allowed under this program, as provided for in this funding notice. International travel is not an allowable cost under this program unless approved in advance by DHS/FEMA.
viii. Maintenance and Sustainment
Maintenance and sustainment costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice and Chapter 3 of the Preparedness Grants Manual.
ix. Authorized Use of Contractual Grant writers and/or Grant Managers
A grant applicant may procure the services of a contractor to provide support and assistance for pre-award grant development services (grant writing) or post-award grant management and administrative services (grant management). As with all federal grant-funded procurements, grant writer or grant management services must be procured in accordance with the federal procurement standards at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 - 200.327. See the Preparedness Grants Manual regarding Procurement Integrity, particularly the sections applicable to non-state entities that discuss organizational conflicts of interest under 2 C.F.R. § 200.319(b) and traditional conflicts of interest under 2 C.F.R. § 200.318(c)(1). States must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements of its non-federal funds, pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.317, which also applies 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.321, 200.322, 200.323, and 200.327.
As applicable to non-state entities, DHS/FEMA considers a contracted grant writer to be an agent of the recipient for any subsequent contracts the recipient procures under the same federal award for which the grant writer provided grant writing services. Federal funds and funds applied to the award's cost share generally cannot be used to pay a contractor to carry out the work if that contractor also worked on the development of such specifications, unless the original contract was properly procured and included both grant writing and grant management services in the solicitation's scope of work.
As applicable to all non-federal entities, regardless of whether an applicant or recipient uses grant writing and/or grant management services, the recipient is solely responsible for the fiscal and programmatic integrity of the grant and its authorized activities and expenditures. The recipient must ensure adequate internal controls, including separation of duties, to safeguard grant assets, processes, and documentation, in keeping with the terms and conditions of its award, including this funding notice, and 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
Grant Writers
Grant writing contractors may assist the applicant in preparing, writing, and finalizing grant application materials and assisting the applicant with handling online application and submission requirements in FEMA GO. Grant writers may assist in a variety of ways. Ultimately, however, the applicant that receives an award is solely responsible for all grant award and administrative responsibilities.
By submitting the application, applicants certify that all of the information contained therein is true and an accurate reflection of the organization and that regardless of the applicant's intent, the submission of information that is false or misleading may result in actions by DHS/FEMA. These actions include, but are not limited to, the submitted application not being considered for award, temporary withholding of funding under the existing award pending investigation, or referral to the DHS Office of Inspector General.
To assist applicants with the cost of grant writing services, DHS/FEMA is permitting a one-time pre-award cost of no more than $1,500 per applicant per year for contractual grant writing services as part of the recipient's M&A costs. This is only intended to cover costs associated with a grant writer and may not be used to reimburse an applicant for its own time and effort in the development of a grant application. Additionally, the applicant may be required to pay this fee with its own funds during the application preparation and submission period. If the applicant subsequently receives an award, it may then request to be reimbursed once grant funds become available for that cost, not to exceed $1,500. If the applicant does not receive an award, this cost will not be reimbursed by the Federal Government. The applicant must understand this risk and be able to cover this cost if an award is not made.
If an applicant intends to request reimbursement for this one-time pre-award cost, it must include this request in its application materials, including in the budget section in each IJ. Failure to clearly identify this as a separate cost in the application may result in its disallowance. This is the only pre-award cost eligible for reimbursement. Recipients must maintain grant writer fee documentation including, but not limited to, a copy of the solicitation, such as a quote request, rate request, invitation to bid, or request for proposals, if applicable; a copy of the grant writer's contract agreement; a copy of the invoice or purchase order; and a copy of the cancelled check or proof of payment. These records must be made available to DHS/FEMA upon request.
Consultants or contractors are not permitted to be the AOR of the recipient. Further, an application must be officially submitted by 1) a current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the non-federal entity; and 2) duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of application.
Grant Managers
Grant management contractors provide support in the day-to-day management of an active grant and their services may be incurred as M&A costs of the award. Additionally, grant recipients may retain grant management contractors at their own expense.
Consultants or contractors are not permitted to be the AOR of the recipient. The AOR, or Authorized Official, is responsible for submitting programmatic and financial Performance reports, accepting award packages, signing assurances and certifications, and submitting award amendments.
Restrictions Regarding Grant Writers and Grant Managers
Pursuant to 2 C.F.R. Part 180, recipients may not use federal grant funds to reimburse any entity, including a grant writer or preparer, if that entity is presently suspended or debarred by the Federal Government from receiving funding under federally funded grants or contracts. Recipients must verify that a contractor is not suspended or debarred from participating in specified federal procurement or non-procurement transactions pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 180.300. FEMA recommends recipients use SAM.gov to conduct this verification.
Further, regardless of whether any grant writer fees were requested, as applicable to non-state entities, unless a single contract covering both pre- and post-award services was awarded to the grant writer and procured in compliance with 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.317 - 200.327, federal funds cannot be used to pay the grant writer to provide post-award services.
x. Multiple Purpose or Dual-Use of Funds
Many activities that support the achievement of target capabilities related to terrorism preparedness may simultaneously support enhanced preparedness for other hazards unrelated to acts of terrorism. See 6 U.S.C. § 609I. However, all THSGP-funded projects must assist recipients and subrecipients in achieving target capabilities related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism.
g. Other Allowable Costs
i. Secure Identification
Secure identification project costs are allowed under this program only as described in this funding notice. THSGP funds may be used to support the development and production of enhanced tribal documents (e.g., Enhanced Tribal Cards) designed to meet the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). More information on the WHTI may be found at Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative | Homeland Security (dhs.gov) and Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov).
When completing the Investment Justification, refer to the National Preparedness Goal at for a list of the core capabilities that best fit the proposed activities and costs. For additional assistance in determining the core capabilities that fit the proposed WHTI project, please contact FEMA Grants News at [email protected] OR by phone at (800) 368-6498.
ii. Fidelity Bonds
Reasonable costs of fidelity bonds (or like insurance as provided for by applicable state or tribal laws) covering the maximum amount of THSGP funds the officer, official, or employee handles at any given time for all personnel who disburse or approve disbursement of THSGP funds may be allowable if required by the terms and conditions of the award or if generally required by the tribe in its general operations. If a fidelity bond is required by a tribe in its general operations, those costs must be charged as indirect costs. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.427.
E. Application Review Information
1. Application Evaluation Criteria
a. Programmatic Criteria
FY 2024 THSGP applications will be evaluated through a three-part review and selection process:
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Applications will first be reviewed by a FEMA HQ Preparedness Officer to ensure that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements. To determine eligibility, the FEMA HQ Preparedness Officer will review submitted applications for completeness. Completeness is determined by confirming:
- The applicant has submitted the self-certification form stating the tribe's eligibility per the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (see Section C "Eligibility Information" for further information);
- The information provided in the self-certification form is accurate;
- Activities under each investment are allowable; and
- The application meets all the administrative criteria identified in this funding notice, to include the required submission of an IJ by the established due dates.
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Eligible and complete applications will then be reviewed using a process to individually score each proposed investment. Scoring is based on the following four criteria:
- Overview (description of the investment);
- Baseline (goals/objectives/capabilities of the investment);
- Project management and milestones (funding amount/core capabilities/projects); and
- Accomplishments and impacts (outcomes).
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FEMA HQ Grants Management Specialists will conduct a financial review of the top scoring investments using the following criteria:
- Allowability, allocability, and financial reasonableness of the proposed budget and investment information; and
- Whether the recipient meets the financial and legal requirements listed in 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
b. Financial Integrity Criteria
Prior to making a federal award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3354, as enacted by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-117 (2020); 41 U.S.C. § 2313; and 2 C.F.R. § 200.206 to review information available through any Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-designated repositories of governmentwide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, including whether SAM.gov identifies the applicant as being excluded from receiving federal awards or is flagged for any integrity record submission. FEMA may also pose additional questions to the applicant to aid in conducting the pre-award risk review. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:
i. Financial stability.
ii.Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.
iii. History of performance in managing federal award.
iv. Reports and findings from audits.
v.Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.
c. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review
Prior to making a federal award where the anticipated total federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000:
i. FEMA is required by 41 U.S.C. § 2313 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.206(a)(2) to review and consider any information about the applicant, including information on the applicant's immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors, if applicable, that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through the System for Award Management (SAM), which is currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS).
ii.An applicant, at its option, may review information in FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered.
iii. FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.
2. Review and Selection Process
A panel of reviewers will analyze and score the investments from all applications that the FEMA HQ Preparedness Officers determine to be complete and eligible. DHS/FEMA will assign reviewers who shall have direct experience working with tribes and tribal professionals and must also meet at least one of the following additional criteria:
- Federal employees experienced in a variety of disciplines, including homeland security, preparedness, emergency management, law enforcement, fire and rescue, etc.; and/or
- Familiar with applications for funding and the application review process.
The reviewers will analyze and score the anticipated effectiveness of each individual proposed investment. Effectiveness is determined based on completeness and adherence to programmatic guidelines. Reviewers will score each investment individually using six questions to assess how well the investments satisfy the four criteria sections in the IJ template: Overview, Baseline, Project Management and Milestones, and Accomplishments and Impact.
The questions the reviewers will score are:
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Overview Section
- How well are the activities described, including any activities that include planning, organization, equipment, training and/or exercises?
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Baseline Section
- How well does this identify existing capability levels and address capability gaps?
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Project Management and Milestones Section
- How well does the activity support the selected core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal?
- Does the budget narrative provide a clear explanation of why funds are needed and the outcomes the recipient wants to achieve?
- Will the projects/activities achieve progress during the grant's period of performance towards achieving the investment?
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Accomplishments and Impact Section
- Does the outcome(s) demonstrate progress towards building the capability gap(s) identified in the investment?
Each of the six questions that the reviewers score is worth a maximum of five points. Using their subject matter expertise, the reviewers will provide a score from 1-5 for each question and will include comments to justify each score. Each investment will be reviewed by no less than two reviewers. In addition, a panel review session will be facilitated by THSGP program staff to discuss the individual review results with the reviewers and arrive at consensus on the scores and comments. The resulting consensus review scores will be used to determine the final scores for each investment.
Reviewers will use the following scoring scale to assess how well the information provided in each investment answers the question being scored:
1 = Little to None
2 = Inadequate
3 = Adequate
4 = Substantial
5 = Strong
To calculate the final score for each proposed investment, the scores from the six investment questions are first normalized by taking the average of the six scores, dividing this number by five, and multiplying the result by 100. For example, if an investment received the following scores for the six questions:
Question 1: 2
Question 2: 3
Question 3: 5
Question 4: 5
Question 5: 3
Question 6: 5
The sum of the scores is 23, and the average score is 3.8. The average score, 3.8, is then divided by 5, and the result is multiplied by 100. The resulting normalized score is 76.67.
Investments that sufficiently address one or more of the National Priorities will receive an additional 20% score increase to the overall average normalized score for each investment submitted.
In addition, applicants who have not received funding in prior years will receive five additional points that will be added to the overall average normalized score for each investment submitted.
All final investment scores will be sorted in descending order by final score, and investments will be selected for recommendation from the highest score to lowest score until available FY 2024 THSGP funding has been exhausted. In the event of a tie during the investment recommendation determination process, DHS/FEMA will give priority to the tribal entity that is proposing an investment that aligns with one of the National Priorities. If giving priority based on the National Priorities does not break the tie, DHS/FEMA will then give priority to the tribal entity that has not received prior year funding.
DHS/FEMA will use the results of the review process to make funding recommendations to the Secretary of DHS. Final funding determinations will be made by the DHS Secretary.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Notice of Award
Before accepting the award, the AOR and recipient should carefully read the award package. The award package includes instructions on administering the grant award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO and the Preparedness Grants Manual as well as any specific terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.
See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on Notice of Award.
FEMA will provide the federal award package to the applicant electronically via FEMA GO. Award packages include an Award Letter, Summary Award Memo, Agreement Articles, and Obligating Document. An email notification of the award package will be sent through FEMA's grant application system to the AOR that submitted the application.
Recipients must accept their awards no later than 60 days from the award date. The recipient shall notify FEMA of its intent to accept and proceed with work under the award through the FEMA GO system.
Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award through the FEMA GO system and all other conditions of the award have been satisfied or until the award is otherwise rescinded. Failure to accept a grant award within the specified timeframe may result in a loss of funds.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
In addition to the requirements of in this section and in this NOFO, FEMA may place specific terms and conditions on individual awards in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
In addition to the information regarding DHS Standard Terms and Conditions and Ensuring the Protection of Civil Rights, see the Preparedness Grants Manual for additional information on administrative and national policy requirements, including the following:
- Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance
- FirstNet
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation
- SAFECOM
a. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions
All successful applicants for DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, which are available online at: DHS Standard Terms and Conditions.
The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be those in effect at the time the award was made. What terms and conditions will apply for the award will be clearly stated in the award package at the time of award.
b. Ensuring the Protection of Civil Rights
As the Nation works towards achieving the National Preparedness Goal, it is important to continue to protect the civil rights of individuals. Recipients and subrecipients must carry out their programs and activities, including those related to the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities, in a manner that respects and ensures the protection of civil rights for protected populations.
Federal civil rights statutes, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with DHS and FEMA regulations, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or economic status in connection with programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from FEMA, as applicable.
The DHS Standard Terms and Conditions include a fuller list of the civil rights provisions that apply to recipients. These terms and conditions can be found in the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions. Additional information on civil rights provisions is available at https://www.fema.gov/about/offices/equal-rights/civil-rights.
Monitoring and oversight requirements in connection with recipient compliance with federal civil rights laws are also authorized pursuant to 44 C.F.R. Part 7 or other applicable regulations.
In accordance with civil rights laws and regulations, recipients and subrecipients must ensure the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment.
c. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance
See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on EHP compliance.
d. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation
In expending funds under this program, recipients that are state, local, tribal, or territorial governments must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. The state, local, tribal, or territorial government must show adoption of NIMS during any point of the period of performance. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information about NIMS implementation.
e. Mandatory Disclosures
The non-Federal entity or applicant for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. (2 CFR 200.113)
Please note applicants and recipients may report issues of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or other criminal or noncriminal misconduct to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603, and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.
3. Reporting
Recipients are required to submit various financial and programmatic reports as a condition of award acceptance. Future awards and funds drawdown may be withheld if these reports are delinquent.
See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on reporting requirements.
4. Monitoring and Oversight
The regulation at 2 C.F.R. § 200.337 provides DHS and any of its authorized representatives with the right of access to any documents, papers, or other records of the recipient [and any subrecipients] that are pertinent to a federal award in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. The right also includes timely and reasonable access to the recipient's or subrecipient's personnel for the purpose of interview and discussion related to such documents. Pursuant to this right and per 2 C.F.R. § 200.329, DHS may conduct desk reviews and make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems to evaluate project accomplishments and to provide any required technical assistance. During site visits, DHS may review a recipient's or subrecipient's files pertinent to the federal award and interview and/or discuss these files with the recipient's or subrecipient's personnel. Recipients and subrecipients must respond in a timely and accurate manner to DHS requests for information relating to a federal award.
See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on monitoring and oversight.
G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information
1. Contact and Resource Information
a. Program Office Contact
FEMA has assigned region-specific Preparedness Officers for the THSGP. If you do not know your Preparedness Officer, please contact FEMA Grants News by e-mail at [email protected] OR by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
b. FEMA Grants News
FEMA Grants News is a non-emergency comprehensive management and information resource developed by FEMA for grants stakeholders. This channel provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels. When necessary, recipients will be directed to a federal point of contact who can answer specific programmatic questions or concerns. FEMA Grants News can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] OR by phone at (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
c. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration Division
GPD's Award Administration Division (AAD) provides support regarding financial matters and budgetary technical assistance. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the AAD's Help Desk via e-mail at [email protected].
d. FEMA Regional Offices
FEMA Regional Offices also may provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance such as conducting cash analysis, financial monitoring, and audit resolution to the grant program under this NOFO. The assigned Preparedness Officer in FEMA GPD will provide programmatic support and technical assistance.
FEMA Regional Office contact information is available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.
e. Equal Rights
The FEMA Office of Equal Rights (OER) is responsible for compliance with and enforcement of federal civil rights obligations in connection with programs and services conducted by FEMA and recipients of FEMA financial assistance. All inquiries and communications about federal civil rights compliance for FEMA grants under this NOFO should be sent to [email protected].
f. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation
GPD's EHP Team provides guidance and information about the EHP review process to recipients and subrecipients. All inquiries and communications about GPD projects under this NOFO or the EHP review process, including the submittal of EHP review materials, should be sent to [email protected].
2. Systems Information
a. FEMA GO
For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk at [email protected] or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET.
b. FEMA Preparedness Toolkit
The FEMA Preparedness Toolkit (PrepToolkit) provides access to the tools and resources needed to implement the National Preparedness System and provide a collaborative community space for communities completing the Unified Reporting Tool (URT). Recipients complete and submit their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR), and other required assessments using the tools on PrepToolkit. For assistance, contact [email protected].
H. Additional Information
GPD has developed the Preparedness Grants Manual to guide applicants and recipients of grant funding on how to manage their grants and other resources. Recipients seeking guidance on policies and procedures for managing preparedness grants should reference the Preparedness Grants Manual for further information. Examples of information contained in the Preparedness Grants Manual include:
- · Actions to Address Noncompliance
- · Audits
- · Case Studies and Use of Grant-Funded Resources During Real-World Incident Operations
- · Community Lifelines
- · Conflicts of Interest in the Administration of Federal Awards and Subawards
- · Disability Integration
- · National Incident Management System
- · Payment Information
- · Period of Performance Extensions
- · Procurement Integrity
- · Record Retention
- · Whole Community Preparedness
- · Report issues of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
- · Hazard Resistant Building Codes
- · Other Post-Award Requirements
1. Termination Provisions
FEMA may terminate a federal award in whole or in part for one of the following reasons. FEMA and the recipient must still comply with closeout requirements at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.344-200.345 even if an award is terminated in whole or in part. To the extent that subawards are permitted under this NOFO, pass-through entities should refer to 2 C.F.R. § 200.340 for additional information on termination regarding subawards. Note that all information in this Section H.1 "Termination Provisions" is repeated in the Preparedness Grants Manual.
a. Noncompliance
If a recipient fails to comply with the terms and conditions of a federal award, FEMA may terminate the award in whole or in part. If the noncompliance can be corrected, FEMA may first attempt to direct the recipient to correct the noncompliance. This may take the form of a Compliance Notification. If the noncompliance cannot be corrected or the recipient is non-responsive, FEMA may proceed with a Remedy Notification, which could impose a remedy for noncompliance per 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, including termination. Any action to terminate based on noncompliance will follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.341-200.342 as well as the requirement of 2 C.F.R. § 200.340(c) to report in FAPIIS the recipient's material failure to comply with the award terms and conditions. See also the section on Actions to Address Noncompliance in the Preparedness Grants Manual.
b. With the Consent of the Recipient
FEMA may also terminate an award in whole or in part with the consent of the recipient, in which case the parties must agree upon the termination conditions, including the effective date, and in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated.
c. Notification by the Recipient
The recipient may terminate the award, in whole or in part, by sending written notification to FEMA setting forth the reasons for such termination, the effective date, and in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated. In the case of partial termination, FEMA may determine that a partially terminated award will not accomplish the purpose of the federal award, so FEMA may terminate the award in its entirety. If that occurs, FEMA will follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.341-200.342 in deciding to fully terminate the award.
2. Program Evaluation
Federal agencies are required to structure NOFOs that incorporate program evaluation activities from the outset of their program design and implementation to meaningfully document and measure their progress towards meeting agency priority goal(s) and program outcomes.
OMB Memorandum M-21-27, Evidence-Based Policymaking: Learning Agendas and Annual Evaluation Plans, implementing Title I of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-435 (2019) (Evidence Act), urges federal awarding agencies to use program evaluation as a critical tool to learn, improve equitable delivery, and elevate program service and delivery across the program lifecycle. Evaluation means "an assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency." Evidence Act, § 101 (codified at 5 U.S.C. § 311).
As such, recipients and subrecipients are required to participate in a DHS-, Component, or Program Office-led evaluation if selected, which may be carried out by a third-party on behalf of the DHS, its component agencies, or the Program Office. Such an evaluation may involve information collections including but not limited to surveys, interviews, or discussions with individuals who benefit from the federal award program operating personnel, and award recipients, as specified in a DHS-, component agency-, or Program Office-approved evaluation plan. More details about evaluation requirements may be provided in the federal award, if available at that time, or following the award as evaluation requirements are finalized. Evaluation costs incurred during the period of performance are allowable costs (either as direct or indirect). Recipients and subrecipients are also encouraged, but not required, to participate in any additional evaluations after the period of performance ends, although any costs incurred to participate in such evaluations are not allowable and may not be charged to the federal award.
3. Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure
a. Build America, Buy America Act
Recipients and subrecipients must comply with the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA), which was enacted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act §§ 70901-70927, Pub. L. No. 117-58 (2021); and Executive Order 14005, Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers. See also 2 C.F.R. Part 184 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-24-02, Implementation Guidance on Application of Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure.
None of the funds provided under this program may be used for a project for infrastructure unless the iron and steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in that infrastructure are produced in the United States.
The Buy America preference only applies to articles, materials, and supplies that are consumed in, incorporated into, or affixed to an infrastructure project. As such, it does not apply to tools, equipment, and supplies, such as temporary scaffolding, brought to the construction site and removed at or before the completion of the infrastructure project. Nor does a Buy America preference apply to equipment and furnishings, such as movable chairs, desks, and portable computer equipment, that are used at or within the finished infrastructure project but are not an integral part of the structure or permanently affixed to the infrastructure project.
For FEMA's official policy on BABAA, please see FEMA Policy 207-22-0001: Buy America Preference in FEMA Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure available at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_build-america-buy-america-act-policy.pdf To see whether a particular FEMA federal financial assistance program is considered an infrastructure program and thus required to include a Buy America preference, please see Programs and Definitions: Build America, Buy America Act | FEMA.gov and https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_build-america-buy-america-act-policy.pdf
b. Waivers
When necessary, recipients (and subrecipients through their pass-through entity) may apply for, and FEMA may grant, a waiver from these requirements.
A waiver of the domestic content procurement preference may be granted by the agency awarding official if FEMA determines that:
- Applying the domestic content procurement preference would be inconsistent with the public interest.
- The types of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality.
- The inclusion of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25%.
For FEMA awards, the process for requesting a waiver from the Buy America preference requirements can be found on FEMA's website at: "Buy America" Preference in FEMA Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure | FEMA.gov.
c. Definitions
For BABAA specific definitions, please refer to the FEMA Buy America website at: "Programs and Definitions: Build America, Buy America Act | FEMA.gov."
Please refer to the applicable DHS Standard Terms & Conditions for the BABAA specific term applicable to all FEMA financial assistance awards for infrastructure.
4. Report issues of fraud, waste, abuse
Please note, when applying to this notice of funding opportunity and when administering the grant, applicants may report issues of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or other criminal or noncriminal misconduct to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603, and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.