[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73287-73290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25330]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2020-0034]


Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program--COVID-19 Supplemental 
Round 2 (AFG-S 2)

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (``CARES Act''). 
This bill provides $100 million for AFG-S to prevent, prepare for, and 
respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally. Specifically, 
AFG-S funds shall be for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment 
(PPE) and related supplies, including reimbursements for previously 
purchased PPE back to January 1, 2020. On May 12, 2020, FEMA published 
a Notice of availability announcing the application period for the 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 AFG-S Program which opened on April 28, 2020 and 
closed on May 15, 2020. By law, at least 25 percent of available AFG-S 
funds must be awarded to volunteer fire departments and at least 
another 25 percent must be awarded to combination fire departments. 
FEMA did not receive enough applications to award at least 25 percent 
of the available AFG-S funds to volunteer or combination fire 
departments under that initial application period. As a result, FEMA 
has opened a second application period for the remaining $31 million 
available. This second application--or AFG-S 2--is limited to volunteer 
and combination fire departments to fulfill this requirement. Volunteer 
and combination fire departments are eligible to apply in this round 
even if they had a successful application in the first round of AFG-S 
funding. However, such applications must support new or additional 
needs or capabilities. Departments that applied in the first round of 
AFG-S funding but were unsuccessful can reapply to be

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considered for funding in this round. Applications from the first round 
of AFG-S funding will not automatically carry forward to this round for 
consideration. Pursuant to the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act 
of 1974, as amended, the Administrator of FEMA is publishing this 
notice describing the AFG-S 2 application process, deadlines, and award 
selection criteria. This notice explains the differences, if any, 
between these guidelines and those recommended by representatives of 
the national fire service leadership during a Criteria Development 
meeting, held April 20, 2020. The application period for the FY 2020 
AFG-S Program opened on October 6, 2020, and closed on November 13, 
2020, and was announced on the AFG website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters, as well as at http://www.grants.gov.

DATES: Grant applications for AFG-S 2 will be accepted electronically 
at https://go.fema.gov, from October 6, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time through November 13, 2020, at 5 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Branch, DHS/FEMA, 400 C 
Street SW, 3N, Washington, DC 20472-3635.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Patterson, Branch Chief, 
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Branch, 1-866-274-0960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY 2020 AFG-S 2 is a modified 
supplemental funding opportunity under the Assistance to Firefighters 
Grant (AFG) Program. AFG is one of three grant programs that constitute 
DHS/FEMA's focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters 
with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. AFG-S 2 accomplishes 
this by providing financial assistance directly to eligible volunteer 
and combination fire departments for critical PPE and supplies needed 
to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 public health 
emergency. Applications for AFG-S 2 will be submitted and processed 
online at https://go.fema.gov. Before the application period started, 
the FY 2020 AFG-S 2 NOFO was published on the AFG website, which 
provides additional information and materials useful to applicants 
including Frequently Asked Questions. FEMA anticipates receiving 500 to 
1,000 applications for AFG-S 2, and the ability to award approximately 
500 grants.
    Congressional Appropriations: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 
Security (CARES) Act, Div. B (Pub. L. 116-136). The CARES Act provides 
an additional amount of Federal assistance through the AFG Program to 
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or 
internationally. Accordingly, the amount provided shall be for the 
purchase of PPE and related supplies, including reimbursements.

Allocations and Restrictions of Available Grant Funds by Organization 
Type

    Aggregate Cap: Awards are capped at 1 percent of the total 
available grant funds for the entire FY 2020 AFG-S, or $1 million. FEMA 
may waive this aggregate cap of $1 million in certain cases as 
described in the AFG-S 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that is 
published on the AFG website.
    Micro Grants: The selection of the voluntary Micro Grant option 
(cumulative Federal funding of $3,000) for eligible activities does not 
impact an applicant's request or Federal participation under regional 
projects. Applicants who select Micro Grants as a funding opportunity 
choice may still apply for a regional project. Further, at least 
$150,000 of the available funds will be allocated toward this applicant 
type.
    Regional Projects: A regional application is an opportunity for a 
volunteer or combination fire department to act as a host and apply for 
funding on behalf of itself and any number of other participating AFG-S 
2 eligible organizations. Fire Departments that serve as host regional 
applicants can apply on behalf of other eligible fire departments 
within the same application. Career fire departments are not eligible 
to apply under the Regional activity or be included in a Regional 
award. Regional activities should achieve cost effectiveness, support 
regional efficiency and resilience, and benefit more than one local 
jurisdiction (county, parish, town, township, city, or village) 
directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds.
    Application Evaluation Criteria: Prior to making a grant award, 
FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. 3321 note, 41 U.S.C. 2313, and 2 CFR part 
200 to review information available through any Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) designated repositories of government-wide eligibility 
qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, 
application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based 
considerations of the applicant: (1) Financial stability; (2) quality 
of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) 
history of performance in managing Federal awards; (4) reports and 
findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement 
statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.
    Funding priorities and criteria for evaluating AFG-S 2 applications 
are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria 
Development Panel (CDP). CDP is composed of fire service professionals 
that make recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation of new or the 
modification of previously established funding priorities, as well as 
developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of the FY 2020 
AFG-S 2 NOFO reflects implementation of CDP's recommendations with 
respect to the priorities and evaluation criteria for awards.
    The nine major fire service organizations represented on the CDP 
are:
     International Association of Fire Chiefs;
     International Association of Fire Fighters;
     National Volunteer Fire Council;
     National Fire Protection Association;
     National Association of State Fire Marshals;
     International Association of Arson Investigators;
     International Society of Fire Service Instructors;
     North American Fire Training Directors; and
     Congressional Fire Service Institute.

Review and Selection Process

    AFG-S 2 applications are reviewed through a multi-phase process. 
All applications are electronically pre-scored and ranked based on how 
well they align with the funding priorities outlined in the FY 2020 
AFG-S 2 NOFO. Applications with the highest pre-score rankings are then 
scored competitively by (no less than three) members of the Peer Review 
Panel process. Applications will also be evaluated through a series of 
internal FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to 
programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, and anticipated 
effectiveness of the proposed project(s). Below is the process by which 
applications will be reviewed.

i. Pre-Scoring Process

    The application undergoes an electronic pre-scoring process based 
on established program priorities listed within the FY 2020 AFG-S 2 
NOFO and answers to activity-specific questions within the online 
application. Application narratives are not reviewed during pre-
scoring. Request details and

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budget information should comply with program guidance and statutory 
funding limitations. The pre-score is 50 percent of the total 
application score.

ii. Peer Review Panel Process

    Applications with the highest pre-score will undergo peer review. 
The peer review panel is comprised of fire service representatives 
recommended by CDP national organizations. The panelists assess the 
merits of each application based on the narrative section of the 
application, including the evaluation elements listed in the Narrative 
Evaluation Criteria below. Panelists will independently score each 
project within the application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings 
of the application with his or her peers, and document the findings. A 
consensus is not required. The panel score is 50 percent of the total 
application score.

iii. Technical Evaluation Process

    The highest ranked applications are considered within the fundable 
range. Applications that are in the fundable range undergo both a 
technical review by a subject matter expert, as well as a FEMA AFG 
Branch review prior to being recommended for an award. The FEMA AFG 
Branch will assess the request with respect to costs, quantities, 
feasibility, eligibility, and recipient responsibility prior to 
recommending an application for award. During this review, priority for 
award will be given to applications that did not receive funding in the 
first round of AFG S application.
    Once the technical evaluation process is complete, the cumulative 
score for each application will be determined and FEMA will generate a 
final application ranking. FEMA will award grants based on this final 
ranking and the statutorily required funding limitations listed in this 
notice and the FY 2020 AFG-S 2 NOFO.

Narrative Evaluation Criteria

1. Financial Need (25 Percent)

    Applicants should describe their financial need and how consistent 
it is with the intent of the AFG-S 2 Program. This statement should 
include details describing the applicant's financial distress, such as 
summarized budget constraints, unsuccessful attempts to secure other 
funding, and proving that the financial distress is out of their 
control.

2. Project Description and Budget (25 Percent)

    The Project Description and Budget statement should clearly explain 
the applicant's project objectives and its relationship to the 
applicant's budget and risk analysis. Applicants should link the 
proposed expenses to operations and safety, as well as to the 
completion of the project's goals. Applicants should describe how their 
current response capabilities are impacted by COVID-19 as well as the 
overall rate of COVID-19 in their community. Applicants can reference 
data supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
through referencing state level data from the website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html. This 
data will be considered when prioritizing funding.

3. Cost Benefit (25 Percent)

    Applicants should describe how they plan to address the operations 
and personal safety needs of their organization, including cost 
effectiveness and sharing assets. This statement should also include 
details about gaining the maximum benefits from grant funding by citing 
reasonable or required costs, such as specific overhead and 
administrative costs. The applicant's request should also be consistent 
with their mission and identify how funding will benefit their 
organization and personnel.

4. Statement of Effect on Daily Operations (25 Percent)

    The Statement of Effect on Operations should explain how this 
funding request will enhance an organization's overall effectiveness. 
It should address how an award will impact the daily operations and 
reduce an organization's risk(s). Applicants should include how 
frequently the requested item(s) will be used and in what capacity. 
Applicants should detail whether award funding will seek reimbursement 
of pre-award expenses related to the acquisition of eligible PPE, 
acquire PPE for immediate use, or acquire PPE resources to strengthen 
future response capabilities. Applicants will be evaluated on the 
current inventory of supplies, response usage of requested supplies, 
and anticipated future needs (i.e., actual or anticipated burn rate 
percentage of PPE resources).

Eligible Applicants

    Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments: Volunteer and 
Combination fire departments operating in any of the 50 States, as well 
as fire departments in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any federally-recognized 
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
    A fire department is an agency or organization having a formally 
recognized arrangement with a state, local, tribal or territorial 
authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or 
other governing body) to provide fire suppression to a population 
within a geographically fixed primary first due response area.
    Combination Fire Department, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 2229, means a 
fire department that has paid firefighting personnel and volunteer 
firefighting personnel. Departments that pay fees or stipends to 
firefighting personnel for each event to which they respond (paid on 
call) are also considered under this category.
    Volunteer Fire Department, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 2229, means a 
fire department that has an all-volunteer force of firefighting 
personnel.

Eligible Activities

    Activities under this solicitation are limited to the purchase of 
PPE and supplies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 
public health emergency. This includes reimbursement for expenditures 
made since January 1, 2020.

Cost Sharing and Maintenance of Effort

    Grant recipients must share in the costs of the projects funded 
under this grant program as required by 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(1) and in 
accordance with applicable Federal regulations at 2 CFR part 200, but 
they are not required to have the cost-share at the time of application 
nor at the time of award. However, before a grant is awarded, FEMA will 
contact potential awardees to determine whether the grant recipient has 
the funding in hand or if the grant recipient has a viable plan to 
obtain the funding necessary to fulfill the cost-sharing requirement.
    In general, an eligible applicant seeking a grant shall agree to 
make available non-Federal funds equal to not less than 15 percent of 
the grant awarded. However, the cost share will vary as follows based 
on the size of the population served by the organization, with 
exceptions to this general requirement for entities serving smaller 
communities:
     Applicants that serve populations of 20,000 or less shall 
agree to make available non-Federal funds in an amount equal to not 
less than 5 percent of the grant awarded.
     Applicants serving areas with populations above 20,000, 
but not more than 1 million, shall agree to make available non-Federal 
funds in an

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amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the grant awarded.
    Cost share of non-Federal cash is the only allowable recipient 
contribution for AFG-S 2 activity. On a case-by-case basis, FEMA may 
allow recipients already owning assets acquired with non-Federal cash, 
to use the trade-in allowance/credit value of those assets as cash for 
the purpose of meeting the cost-share obligation.
    For FEMA to consider a trade-in allowance/credit value as cash, the 
allowance amount must be reasonable, and the allowance amount must be a 
separate entity clearly identified in the acquisition documents.
    In-kind cost share is not allowable for AFG-S 2.
    In cases of demonstrated economic hardship, and at the request of 
the grant recipient, the Administrator of FEMA may waive or reduce 
certain recipients' AFG-S 2 cost-share requirement or maintenance of 
expenditure requirement. FY 2020 AFG-S 2 applicants must indicate at 
the time of application whether they are requesting a waiver and 
whether the waiver is for the cost-share requirement, maintenance of 
effort requirement, or both. The FEMA Administrator is required by 
statute to establish guidelines for determining what constitutes 
economic hardship. FEMA has published these guidelines at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1518026897046-483d76a37022b8a581ffb7d42fa9b17e/Eco_Hardship_Waiver_FPS_SAFER_AFG_IB_FINAL.pdf.
    Before the start of the FY 2020 AFG-S 2 application period, FEMA 
conducted applicant workshops/internet webinars to inform potential 
applicants AFG-S 2. In addition, FEMA provided applicants with 
information at the AFG website: https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program to help them prepare quality 
grant applications. The AFG Help Desk is staffed throughout the 
application period to assist applicants with the automated application 
process as well as assistance with any questions.
    Applicants can reach the AFG Help Desk through a toll-free 
telephone number during normal business hours (1-866-274-0960) or 
electronic mail ([email protected]).

Application Process

    Organizations may submit one application per application period in 
each of the three AFG program activities (e.g., one application for 
Operations and Safety, and/or a separate application to be a Joint/
Regional Project host). If an organization submits more than one 
application for any single AFG program activity (e.g., two applications 
for Operations and Safety, two for Joint/Regional Project, etc.), 
either intentionally or unintentionally, both applications may be 
disqualified.
    Applicants can access the grant application electronically at 
https://portal.fema.gov. The application is also accessible from the 
U.S. Fire Administration's website http://www.usfa.fema.gov and http://www.grants.gov. New applicants must register and establish a username 
and password for secure access to the grant application. Previous AFG 
grant applicants must use their previously established username and 
passwords.
    Applicants must answer questions about their grant request that 
reflect the AFG-S 2 funding priorities described above. In addition, 
each applicant must complete a separate narrative for each project or 
grant activity requested. Grant applicants will also provide relevant 
information about their organization's characteristics, call volume, 
and existing organizational capabilities.

System for Award Management (SAM)

    Per 2 CFR part 25, all Federal grant applicants and recipients must 
register in https://SAM.gov. SAM is the Federal Government's System for 
Awards Management, and registration is free of charge. Applicants must 
maintain current information in SAM that is consistent with the data 
provided in their AFG-S 2 grant application and in the Dun & Bradstreet 
(DUNS) database. FEMA may not accept any application, process any 
awards, and consider any payment or amendment requests, unless the 
applicant or grant recipient has complied with the requirements to 
provide a valid DUNS number and an active SAM registration. The grant 
applicant's banking information, EIN, organization/entity name, 
address, and DUNS number must match the same information provided in 
SAM. Further guidance is provided in the FY 2020 AFG-S 2 NOFO.

Pete Gaynor,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2020-25330 Filed 11-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-64-P