[Federal Register: October 20, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 202)]
[Notices]               
[Page 59946-59948]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20oc03-58]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

 
Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Program

AGENCY: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA), Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice of the availability of funds for Fiscal Year 
2003 under the Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety 
Program (the Program) as authorized by the Federal Fire Prevention and 
Control Act of 1974. The Program will make up to $27,500,000 of the 
total appropriated amount of $745,125,000 available for fire prevention 
activities.
    FEMA will fund fire prevention activities based on proposals that 
address the Program's priorities and maximize the benefits to be 
derived from the funds. FEMA is statutorily mandated to provide these 
funds to national, State and/or community organizations (including fire

[[Page 59947]]

departments) that are recognized for their experience and expertise 
with respect to fire prevention or fire safety programs and activities. 
In selecting recipients, FEMA will give priority where practical to 
organizations that focus on prevention of fire or fire-related injuries 
to children.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2229; 44 CFR Part 152, 68 FR 12544 (Final 
Rule published March 14, 2003.)


DATES: Completed applications must be received online or postmarked by 
5 p.m. EST November 14, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Cowan, Chief, Grants Program 
Branch, USFA, FEMA, 500 C Street, SW., Room 330, Washington, DC 20472, 1-866-274-0960, or usfagrants@fema.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Purpose

    The purpose of this notice is to advise of the availability of 
funds for carrying out fire prevention activities pursuant to the 
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, 15 U.S.C. 2229. Up to 
$27,500,000 will be available for this purpose. Under 15 U.S.C. 
1229(b)(4), FEMA must use not less than 5 percent of funding to (1) 
make grants to fire departments to fund fire prevention programs and 
(2) make grants to or enter contracts or cooperative agreements with 
national, State, local, and community organizations for the purpose of 
carrying out fire prevention programming. This notice only addresses 
the latter use of funding; the former comprises the balance of the 5 
percent and is being awarded through the Assistance to Firefighters 
competitive grant to fire departments, as explained in FEMA's March 14, 
2003 notice of funds availability (68 FR 12553).

B. Eligibility

    National, State, local and community organizations (which may 
include fire departments as defined at 44 CFR 152.2) that are 
recognized for their experience and expertise with respect to fire 
prevention or fire safety programs and activities are eligible to 
apply. For the purposes of these Fire Prevention and Safety awards, we 
are acknowledging that fire departments are generally recognized as 
local organizations with experience and expertise in carrying out fire 
prevention activities and are therefore eligible to apply.

C. Program Requirements

    1. Recipients must agree that in the fiscal year for which 
assistance will be received, aggregate expenditures for fire prevention 
activities, exclusive of the amount of assistance received through this 
program, will be maintained at or above the average level of such 
expenditures in the two fiscal years preceding the fiscal year for 
which the assistance is received.
    2. Recipients must agree to a matching cost share of non-Federal 
funds. Generally, recipients must agree to match with an amount of non-
Federal funds equal to 30 percent of the total project cost. However, 
the match for recipients that may be characterized as community 
organizations whose mission serves populations of 50,000 or less shall 
be 10 percent of the total project cost. FEMA, in its discretion, will 
make this determination based upon the organization's primary target 
population as reflected in its bylaws and mission statement. For fire 
departments, FEMA will look at the population of the department's 
primary response area. The non-Federal match must be cash; ``in-kind'' 
contributions are not permitted.
    3. Fire departments receiving assistance through the Program must 
provide information to the National Fire Incident Reporting System 
(NFIRS) for one year.
    4. Grantees must submit semi-annual and final reports describing 
(i) how the assistance was used and (ii) the benefits derived from the 
funded activities.
    5. Projects funded under this grant will generally have a one-year 
period of performance.

D. Application Process

    FEMA encourages all applicants to apply online using FEMA's 
electronic (e-grant) application process, although paper applications 
will also be accepted. The e-grant application incorporates data from 
all of FEMA's grant forms. The application will include questions 
requesting general information about the applicant as well as activity-
specific questions for each activity that the applicant plans to 
implement with grant funds. Applicants will be asked to provide details 
concerning the various budget items necessary to accomplish their 
proposed projects. The application will include a program narrative in 
which the applicant must provide a detailed description of each planned 
project, experience in conducting prevention activities, and the 
benefits to be derived from the costs of the project. The narrative 
should not exceed 10 pages (double-spaced with one-inch margins and 12-
point font). The narrative should also address the eligible activities, 
program priorities, identified risk analysis, program goals, and 
evaluation methodology. Completed narratives should address each of the 
following items:
    1. General information such as the history and description of the 
applicant organization, the organization's capability to achieve 
proposed objectives and past successes achieving project goals, the 
organization's experience with fire and injury prevention issues, and 
the qualifications of the project manager and the primary team members.
    2. A project overview which includes at least: a problem statement 
describing the issues to be addressed, project goals, and objectives, 
as well as the necessary tasks to achieve those goals and objectives; a 
description of what will be accomplished during the grant performance 
period; an explanation of how the project will address the stated 
problem; and a project description addressing the following questions 
as applicable:
    a. Will this establish a new project, expand an existing project 
into new areas, or augment an existing fire prevention project?
    b. What is the target audience? A USFA-identified target 
population(s) (children under the age of 14, seniors over the age of 
65, and firefighters) or another high-risk population? Why are they the 
target audience?
    c. Will this project establish a multi-organization partnership 
with other groups in the community? If so, describe how.
    3. A list of project benchmarks, phases, or milestones.
    4. A description of the method or procedure for project 
implementation.
    5. A detailed explanation of the project budget (i.e., all budget 
line items such as contracting personnel or equipment, etc.), including 
a cost-benefit assessment comparing the benefits to be realized with 
the costs of achieving those benefits.
    6. An explanation of the means with which the project will be 
sustained, if it will continue beyond the grant period (typically one 
year).
    7. A description of the methodology that will be used to assess, 
evaluate and identify results of the project.
    Effective October 1, 2003, all grant applicants must obtain a DUNS 
number, (a unique nine-character identification number provided by the 
commercial company Dun & Bradstreet). There is no charge to obtain a 
DUNS number, and it is the applicant's responsibility to obtain one. 
Applicants are encouraged to apply for a DUNS number well in advance of 
the application period because it may take 14 business days to obtain 
the number online. Applicants

[[Page 59948]]

can also call 1-800-333-0505 to apply. Applications that do not include 
a DUNS number are incomplete and cannot be considered for award. If 
applying using the online system, this field will be a mandatory entry 
and your application cannot be completed without it. If applying on 
paper, use the box entitled ``Federal Identifier'' on the SF 424, 
Application for Federal Assistance, to enter the DUNS number.
    Completed applications must be received online or postmarked by 5 
p.m. EST November 14, 2003. Paper applications are required to include 
a narrative addressing items D.1--8 above, and all of the following 
FEMA forms: 20-16 Assurances and Certifications, 20-20 Budget 
Information-Nonconstruction Programs, and SF 424 Request for Federal 
Assistance. These forms are available online at http://www.fema.gov/ofm/grants2.shtm
 or can be requested by calling 1-866-274-0960. Failure to 
submit all of the required forms will result in a disqualification of 
the paper application. The paper application should be mailed to AFG 
Program Office, 500 C Street, SW., Room 330, Washington, DC 20472. If 
an online application is submitted, applicants should not submit a 
supplemental paper application.

E. Eligible Activities

    Fire prevention and safety projects are the only eligible 
activities under the Program. Installation of sprinkler systems and 
fire alarm systems into existing structures shall be eligible for 
funding. Renovations to an existing facility are allowable only if the 
costs are not construction costs as defined in 44 CFR 152.2. This 
section was amended by the publication of a final rule on March 14, 
2003 at 68 FR 12544. In order to be eligible, renovations must be 
essential to the successful completion of the grant scope of work. 
Construction projects are not eligible under the program. Changes or 
renovations to an existing structure that do not change the footprint 
or profile of the structure but exceed either $10,000 or 50 percent of 
the value of the structure, are also considered construction for the 
purposes of this grant program.
    The following list includes examples of eligible initiatives under 
this program:
    1. Projects that focus on distributing and installing smoke alarms 
and checking to ensure smoke alarms are operational.
    2. Projects that focus on planning and practicing escape routes, or 
conducting home fire safety walkthroughs;
    3. Fire prevention projects targeting high-risk audiences, 
including those:
    a. Enhancing national, State, or local efforts to reduce fires and 
burn injuries affecting children under 14 or seniors over 65;
    b. Targeting geographical areas with a higher incidence of fire-
related deaths and injuries;
    c. Implementing projects that mitigate risk in urban cities or 
high-risk groups to include addressing culturally-sensitive materials 
or socio-economic challenges;
    4. Projects that affect the entire community such as educating the 
public about residential sprinklers, promoting residential sprinklers, 
and demonstrating working models of residential sprinklers;
    5. Projects that promote the adoption or awareness of building 
codes and enforcement, improve engineering or enact fire-related 
ordinances for new construction;
    6. Projects that develop and implement national prevention 
initiatives;
    7. Local or regional projects that address training personnel in 
the area of public education, code enforcement, and arson prevention.
    Projects that address additional fire prevention and safety 
initiatives will be considered.

F. Evaluation Criteria

    FEMA will give priority to projects that focus on the prevention of 
injury to children from fire. Additionally, successful projects will 
have a high potential for achieving the overall goals of USFA, listed 
below. It is unlikely that projects that do not address these goals 
will be funded.
    USFA Goals:
    [sbull] To reduce the overall loss of life from fire by three 
percent per year.
    [sbull] To establish comprehensive multi-hazard risk reduction 
plans led by or including the local fire service in 2,500 communities.
    [sbull] To create the ability for communities to respond 
appropriately to emergent issues in a timely manner.
    FEMA will use the below criteria in making funding decisions. 
Applications that closely meet all of the listed evaluation criteria 
will be more likely to receive favorable consideration. Federal and 
non-Federal experts will assist with the preliminary review of 
proposals and analysis as part of the funding decisions. Regardless of 
the proposed project, all applications will be evaluated on the degree 
to which they meet the criteria below. This list is not in order of 
priority.
    [sbull] Use of an innovative project to address an identified risk 
or enhance traditional methodologies;
    [sbull] Incorporation of partnerships that are established with 
public or private groups/agencies whose mission serves the population 
identified by the project;
    [sbull] Targeting of geographical areas with a higher incidence of 
fire-related deaths and injuries;
    [sbull] Presentation of a high benefit for the cost incurred and 
maximizing the level of funding that goes directly into the delivery of 
the project; i.e., projects that include little or no overhead and 
administrative costs;
    [sbull] Inclusion of sound reasoning regarding the determination of 
the target audience, measurable goals and project evaluation;
    [sbull] Proposing a project that will be sustained beyond the grant 
performance period and has a greater potential for long-term benefits; 
and
    [sbull] Illustration that the applicant has a successful record for 
timely project completion and performance in similar projects.

G. Funding Limitations

    Grant recipients or parties entering into cooperative agreements 
through the program may receive no more that $750,000 in any Federal 
fiscal year. Fire Departments that receive funding under the Assistance 
to Firefighters--competitive grant must consider this limitation, 
because the combined total for the grants is capped at $750,000.

H. Contracts

    FEMA may, in its discretion, enter into contracts for fire 
prevention activities in order to achieve overall program goals. These 
contracts may not be subject to the limitations and requirements set 
forth in this notice.

    Dated: October 14, 2003.
R. David Paulison,
Director of the Preparedness Division, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 03-26408 Filed 10-17-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6718-08-P