Staying "In the Know" with FEMA's Public Assistance Alternative Procedures

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..otherwise limiting the usage of the pilot’s sliding scale provision to high impact incidents that meet the following criteria:

• • High concentration of localized damage; large quantities of debris (over $20M or 1.5 million cubic yards); and
• • Disasters declared very soon after the incident (8 days) to incentivize rapid debris removal 4.

The other three provisions available under the pilot remain unchanged. Version 5 of the guide is applicable to disasters declared on or after June 28, 2017. The changes to the sliding scale provision are applicable to disasters declared on or after August 28, 2017.

Alternative Procedures for Permanent Work

Much like the alternative procedures for debris removal, FEMA has developed various program guides for permanent work. According to the PAAP Alternative Procedures Pilot Program Guide for PermanentWork (Version 3) dated March 29, 2016, the provisions of Section 428 that relate to permanent work allow for:

• • Making awards for permanent work projects on the basis of fixed estimates to provide financial incentives and disincentives for the timely or cost- effective completion of work if the state, tribal, or local government, or owner or operator of the private nonprofit facility agrees to be responsible for actual costs that exceed the estimate.
• • Provides an option for a state, tribal or local government, or owner or operator of the private nonprofit facility to receive an in-lieu contribution, without reduction, on the basis of estimates for repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of a public facility and management expenses (i.e., eliminates the penalty for alternate projects under sections 406(c)(1)&(2) of the Stafford Act).
• • Allows for consolidating, as determined by the Administrator, the facilities of a state, tribal or local government,...

“Because FEMA has several versions of policy guidance that apply based on the date of the disaster — with each potentially superseding the previous — it is important for sub-recipients to reference the appropriate version that applies to their declared disaster.”