[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 92 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29164-29169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10193]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2022-0016]


Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program; Fire Prevention and 
Safety Grants

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
1974, as amended, the Administrator of FEMA is publishing this notice 
describing the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) 
Program 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 the annual Criteria Development Panel (CDP), which 
was held June 25, 2021. The application period for the FY 2021 FP&S 
Program was January 18, 2022, to February 18, 2022, and was announced 
on the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program (AFGP) website at 
https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters, as well as 
www.grants.gov.

DATES: Grant applications for the FP&S Program were accepted 
electronically at https://go.fema.gov from January 18, 2022, through 
February 18, 2022, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

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

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA awards FP&S Program grants directly to 
eligible fire departments, and national, regional, State, local, Tribal 
governments and nonprofit organizations such as academic (e.g., 
universities), public health, occupational health, and injury 
prevention institutions to enhance the safety of the public and 
firefighters, by assisting fire prevention programs and supporting 
firefighter health and safety research and development. Eligible 
organizations must be 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 government.
    Applications for the FY 2021 FP&S Program were submitted and 
processed online at https://go.fema.gov. Before the application period 
started, the FY 2021 FP&S Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 
was published on the FEMA FP&S Program website at Fire Prevention & 
Safety Documents [verbar] FEMA.gov, as well as www.grants.gov. The FP&S 
Program website provides additional information and materials useful 
for FY 2021 FP&S Program applicants including Frequently Asked 
Questions, Application Checklist, Self-Evaluation Sheet, and a Cost 
Share Calculator. FEMA received 491 applications for the FY 2021 FP&S 
Program, and anticipates awarding approximately 150 grants.

Congressional Appropriations

    The funding for the FP&S Program is through the Assistance to 
Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. For the FY 2021 AFG Program, Congress 
appropriated $360 million through the Department of Homeland Security 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) and $100 million through the 
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2) for a total of $460 
million. From these amounts, a total of $46 million was made available 
for FY 2021 FP&S Program awards, pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 2229(h)(5), 
which states that not less

[[Page 29165]]

than 10% of available grant funds each year are awarded under the FP&S 
Program. Funds appropriated for FY 2021 will be available for 
obligation and award until September 30, 2022.

Background of the FP&S Program

    Since FY 2002, the FP&S Program has provided grant funding to 
provide critically needed resources to fire departments and nonprofit 
organizations to carry out fire prevention education and training, fire 
code enforcement, fire/arson investigation, firefighter safety and 
health programming, prevention efforts, and research and development. 
FEMA awards grants on a competitive basis to applicants that best 
address the FP&S Program's priorities and provide the most compelling 
justification. Applications that best address FP&S Program priorities, 
as identified in the Application Evaluation Criteria section of the 
FP&S Program NOFO, are reviewed by a panel composed of fire service 
personnel.
    The FP&S Program activities include:
    1. FP&S Activity: Activities designed to reach high-risk target 
groups and mitigate the incidence of death, injuries, and property 
damage caused by fire and fire-related hazards. The five project 
categories eligible for funding under this activity are:
     Community Risk Reduction;
     Wildfire Risk Reduction;
     Code Enforcement/Awareness;
     Fire and Arson Investigation; and,
     National/State/Regional Programs and Projects.
    2. Research and Development (R&D) Activity: Projects aimed at 
improving firefighter safety, health, or wellness through research and 
development that reduce firefighter fatalities and injuries. The five 
project categories eligible for funding under this activity are:
     Clinical Studies;
     Technology and Product Development;
     Database System Development;
     Preliminary Studies; and,
     Early Career Investigator.
    The priorities for each activity are fully outlined in the NOFO.

Application Evaluation Criteria

    Before making a grant award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. 3354, as 
enacted by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, Public Law 
116-117 (2020), 41 U.S.C. 2313, and 2 CFR 200.206 to review information 
available through any Office of Management and Budget 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.
    FEMA will rank all complete and submitted applications based on how 
well they align with program priorities for the type of activity 
requested. Answers to activity-specific questions provide information 
used to determine each application's ranking relative to the stated 
program priorities.
    Funding priorities and criteria for evaluating FP&S Program 
applications are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from 
the CDP. The CDP is comprised of fire service professionals that make 
recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation of new, or the 
modification of previously established, funding priorities, as well as 
developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of the FP&S 
Program NOFO reflects implementation of the CDP's recommendations with 
respect to the priorities and evaluation criteria for awards.
    The nine major fire service organizations represented on the CDP 
are:
 Congressional Fire Service Institute
 International Association of Arson Investigators
 International Association of Fire Chiefs
 International Association of Fire Fighters
 International Society of Fire Service Instructors
 National Association of State Fire Marshals
 National Fire Protection Association
 National Volunteer Fire Council
 North American Fire Training Directors

Review and Selection Process

    FP&S Program applications will be scored competitively by no less 
than three members of a Peer Review Panel. Applications with the 
highest score rankings per activity will also be evaluated through a 
series of internal FEMA review processes for completeness, adherence to 
programmatic guidelines, technical feasibility, costs/quantities, and 
anticipated effectiveness of the proposed project(s). Below is the 
process by which applications will be reviewed:

i. Peer Review Panel Process

    FP&S Activity Projects: All applications will be evaluated through 
the Peer Review Panel process. The panelists will assess the merits of 
each project within the application based on the narrative section of 
the application using the evaluation elements listed in the Narrative 
Evaluation Criteria below will be used to calculate the narrative's 
score for each activity requested. Panelists will independently score 
each requested 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.
    R&D Activity Projects: The Peer Review Panel process is composed of 
a Fire Service Panel Review and a Science Panel Review.
Fire Service Panel Review
    All eligible project applications will first be reviewed and scored 
by a panel of fire service experts to assess the need for the research 
results and the likelihood that the results would be implemented by the 
fire service in the United States. The projects that are determined 
most likely to be implemented to enable improvement in firefighter 
safety, health, or well-being will be deemed to be in the ``competitive 
range'' and will be forwarded to the second level of project review, 
which is the scientific panel review process. A consensus is not 
required.
Science Panel Review
    This panel will be comprised of scientists and technology experts 
who have expertise pertaining to the subject matter of the proposal. 
Scientific reviewers will independently score projects in the 
competitive range and, if necessary, discuss the merits or shortcomings 
of the project in order to reconcile any major discrepancies identified 
by fellow reviewers. A consensus is not required.

ii. Technical Evaluation Process

    The highest scoring project(s) for both activities, will be 
considered within the fundable range. Projects that are in the fundable 
range will undergo a technical review by the FEMA FP&S Program Office 
before being recommended for award. The FEMA FP&S Program Office will 
assess the request with respect to costs, quantities, feasibility, 
eligibility, and recipient responsibility prior to recommending any 
application for award. Additionally, FEMA will review whether the 
project duplicates other federally funded research or prevention 
activities in order to avoid duplication.

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Once the technical evaluation process is complete, each project's final 
score is determined, and a final ranking of projects will be created. 
FEMA will award grants based on this final ranking and the ability to 
meet statutorily required funding limitations listed in this notice and 
the NOFO.

Narrative Evaluation Criteria

FP&S Activity Projects

1. Financial Need (Fire Departments-10%; Interest Organizations-0%)
    Applicants must describe with particularity their unique financial 
need in the Applicant Information section of the application and detail 
how consistent it is with their need for financial assistance to carry 
out the proposed project(s). Applicants may include other unsuccessful 
attempts to acquire financial assistance. Applicants should provide 
detail about the applicant's operating budget, including a high-level 
breakdown of the budget, the applicant's inability to address financial 
needs without federal assistance, and other actions the applicant has 
taken to meet their needs (e.g., state assistance programs or other 
grant programs).
2. Commitment to Mitigation (Fire Departments Only-5%)
    Fire department applicants that can demonstrate their commitment 
and proactive posture to reducing fire risk will receive higher 
consideration. Applicants must explain their code adoption and 
enforcement (to include Wildland Urban Interface and commercial/
residential sprinkler code adoption and enforcement) and mitigation 
strategies (including whether or not the jurisdiction has a FEMA-
approved mitigation strategy). Applicants can also demonstrate their 
commitment to reducing fire risk by applying to implement fire 
mitigation strategies (code adoption and enforcement) via this 
application.
3. Vulnerability Statement (Fire Departments-15%, Interest 
Organizations-25%)
    The assessment of fire risk is essential in the development of an 
effective project goal, as well as meeting FEMA's goal to reduce risk 
by conducting a risk assessment as a basis for action. Vulnerability is 
a ``weak link,'' demonstrating high-risk behavior, living conditions, 
or any type of high-risk situation. The Vulnerability Statement should 
include a detailed description of the steps taken to determine the 
vulnerability and identify the target audience. The methodology for 
determination of vulnerability (i.e., how the vulnerability was found) 
should be discussed in-depth in the application's Narrative Statement.
4. Project Description (Fire Departments-20%, Interest Organizations-
25%)
    Applicants must describe in detail not only the project components 
but also how the proposed project addresses the identified capability 
gap due to financial need and/or the specific vulnerabilities 
identified in the vulnerability statement. The following information 
should be included:
     Project components;
     Review of any existing programs or models that have been 
successful;
     Detailed description of how the proposed project 
components fill the identified capability gap; and,
     If working with Fire Service Partners/Organizations, 
identify each partner/organization and the role(s) they will fill in 
the successful completion of the proposed project.
5. Implementation Plan (Fire Departments-25%, Interest Organizations-
30%)
    Each project proposal should include nuanced details on the 
implementation plan that discusses the proposed project's goals and 
objectives. The following information should be included to support the 
implementation plan:
     Goals and objectives;
     Details regarding the methods and specific steps that will 
be used to achieve the goals and objectives;
     Timelines outlining the chronological project steps (this 
is critical for determining the likelihood of the project's completion 
within the period of performance);
     Where applicable, examples of marketing efforts to promote 
the project, who will deliver the project (e.g., effective 
partnerships), and the manner in which materials or deliverables will 
be distributed;
     Requests for props (i.e., tools used in educational or 
awareness demonstrations), including specific goals, measurable 
results, and details on the frequency for which the prop will be 
utilized. Applicants should include information describing the efforts 
that will be used to reach the high-risk audience and/or the number of 
people reached through the proposed project (examples of props include 
safety trailers, puppets, or costumes); and,
     Where human subjects are involved, describe plans for 
submission to the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
6. Evaluation Plan (Fire Departments-15%, Interest Organizations-15%)
    Projects should include a plan for evaluation of effectiveness and 
identify measurable and quantifiable goals. Applicants seeking to carry 
out awareness and educational projects, for example, should identify 
how they intend to determine that there has been an increase in 
knowledge about fire hazards, or measure a change in the safety 
behaviors of the audience. Applicants should demonstrate how they will 
measure risk at the outset of the project in comparison to how much the 
risk decreased after the project is finished. There are various ways to 
measure the knowledge gained about fire hazards, including the use of 
surveys, pre- and post-tests, or documented observations. Applicants 
are encouraged to attend training on evaluation methods, such as the 
National Fire Academy's ``Demonstrating Your Fire Prevention Program's 
Worth.''
7. Cost-Benefit (Fire Departments-10%, Interest Organizations-5%)
    Projects will be evaluated and scored by the Peer Review Panelists 
based on how well the applicant addresses the fire prevention needs of 
the department or organization in an economic and efficient manner. The 
applicant should show how it will maximize the level of funding that 
goes directly into the delivery of the project. The costs associated 
with the project also must be reasonable for the target audience that 
will be reached, and a description should be included of how the 
anticipated project benefit(s) (quantified if possible) outweighs the 
cost(s) of the requested item(s). The application should provide 
justification for all costs included in the project in order to assist 
the Technical Evaluation Panel with their review.

R&D Activity Projects

Fire Service Panel Evaluation Criteria

1. Purpose (25%)
    Applicants should clearly identify the specific benefits of the 
proposed research project to improve firefighter safety, health, or 
well-being. The discussion should include:
     The specific risk to firefighter safety, health, or well-
being that the project will address;
     The expected benefits of the project, including how the 
project will prevent, reduce, or mitigate the specific risk;
     The gaps in knowledge that will be addressed; and,

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     The general project methods planned to produce the 
intended results.
2. Potential Impact (15%)
    Applicants should discuss the potential impact of the research 
outcome/product on firefighter safety by quantifying the possible 
reduction in the number of fatal or non-fatal injuries or on projected 
well-being by significantly improving the overall health of 
firefighters.
3. Implementation by the Fire Service (25%)
    Applicants should discuss how the outcomes/products of this 
research, if successful, are likely to be widely/nationally adopted and 
accepted by the fire service as changes that enhance firefighter 
safety, health, or well-being.
4. Barriers (15%)
    Applicants should identify and discuss potential fire service and 
other barriers to successfully completing the study on schedule, 
including contingencies and strategies to deal with barriers if they 
materialize. This may include barriers that could inhibit the proposed 
fire service participation in the study, barriers that could inhibit 
the adoption of successful results by the fire service when the project 
is completed, or project components most likely to cause delay in 
successful completion.
5. Partners (20%)
    Applicants should recognize that participation of the fire service 
as a partner in the research from development to dissemination is 
regarded as an essential part of all projects. Describe the fire 
service partners and contractors that will support the project to 
accomplish the objectives of the study. The specific roles and 
contributions of the partners to the project should be described. 
Partnerships should be formed with national fire-related organizations, 
in addition to local and regional fire departments. Letters of support 
and letters of commitment to actively participate in the project should 
be included in the Appendix of the application. Generally, participants 
of a diverse population, including both career and volunteer 
firefighters, are expected to facilitate acceptance of results 
nationally. In cases where this is not practical due to the nature of 
the study or other limitations, these circumstances should be clearly 
explained.

Science Panel Evaluation Criteria

1. Project Goals, Objectives and Specific Aims (15%)
    Applicants should address how the purpose, goals, objectives, and 
specific aims of the proposal will lead to results that will improve 
firefighter safety, health, or well-being. Describe the specific goals 
and objectives for each year of the project.
2. Literature Review (10%)
    Applicants should provide a literature review that is relevant to 
the project's goals, objectives, and specific aims. The citations 
should be placed in the narrative text and references listed at the end 
of the Narrative Statement (and not in the Appendix) of the 
application. The review should be of sufficient depth to make it clear 
that the proposed project is necessary, adds to an existing body of 
knowledge, is different from current and previous studies, and offers a 
unique contribution.
3. Project Methods (Early Career Investigator Applicants-15%, All Other 
Applicants-20%)
    Applicants should provide a description of how the project will be 
carried out, including demonstration of the overall scientific and 
technical rigor and merit of the project. This includes the operations 
to accomplish the purpose, goals, and objectives, and the specific aims 
of the project. Plans to recruit and retain human subjects, where 
applicable, should be described.
4. Project Measurements (Early Career Investigator Applicants-15%, All 
Other Applicants-20%)
    Applicants should provide evidence of the technical rigor and merit 
of the project, such as data pertaining to validity, reliability, and 
sensitivity (where established) of the facilities, equipment, 
instruments, standards, and procedures that will be used to carry out 
the research. The applicant should discuss the data to be collected to 
evaluate the performance methods, technologies, and products proposed 
to enhance firefighter safety, health, or well-being. The applicant 
should demonstrate that the measurement methods and equipment selected 
for use are appropriate and sufficient to successfully deliver the 
proposed project objectives.
5. Project Analysis (Early Career Investigator Applicants-15%, All 
Other Applicants-20%)
    The applicant should indicate the planned approach for analysis of 
the data obtained from measurements, questionnaires, or computations. 
Specify within the plan what will be analyzed, the statistical methods 
that will be used, the sequence of steps, and interactions as 
appropriate. It should be clear that the Principal Investigator (PI) 
and research team have the expertise to perform the planned analysis 
and defend the results in a peer review process.
6. Dissemination and Implementation (15%)
    Applicants should indicate dissemination plans for scientific 
audiences (e.g., plans for submissions to specific peer review 
publications) and for firefighter audiences (e.g., via websites, 
magazines, and conferences). Also, assuming positive results and where 
applicable, indicate future steps that would support dissemination and 
implementation throughout the fire service. These are likely to be 
beyond the current study, so those features of the research activity 
that will facilitate future dissemination and implementation should be 
discussed. All applicants should specify how the results of the 
project, if successful, might be disseminated and implemented in the 
fire service to improve firefighter safety, health, or well-being.
7. Mentoring (Early Career Investigator Applicants Only-15%)
    An important factor in the evaluation of Early Career Investigator 
projects is the participation of a mentor(s) in the project. A mentor 
for the PI should be an experienced researcher in areas appropriate to 
the research project and be able to provide support to the PI for 
ongoing development of knowledge and skills throughout the project. The 
mentor needs to have relationships with the fire service community 
sufficient to assist the PI in building relationships with fire 
departments and fire service organizations. The mentor has a role to 
support the applicant from submitting the application for funding 
through the completion of a funded project. The applicant should 
identify the mentor(s) that has agreed to support the applicant and the 
project. The applicant should discuss the role of the mentor(s) in the 
project and the expected benefits of the mentoring relationship to the 
applicant and the project. A biographical sketch and letter of 
commitment/support from the mentor(s) are required to be included in 
the Appendix document.

Eligible Applicants

    FP&S Activity: Fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, 
as well as fire departments in the District of

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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 government. A fire 
department is an agency or organization having a formally recognized 
arrangement with a state, local (city, county, parish, fire district, 
township, town, or other governing body), Tribal government, or 
territorial authority to provide fire suppression to a population 
within a geographically fixed primary first due response area.
    National, regional, state, local, Tribal government, and nonprofit 
interest organizations that are recognized for their experience and 
expertise in fire prevention and safety programs and activities are 
eligible applicants.
    Firefighter Safety R&D Activity: National, state, local, federally 
recognized Tribal government, and nonprofit organizations, such as 
academic (e.g., universities), public health, occupational health, and 
injury prevention institutions.

Ineligibility

     To avoid a duplication of benefits, FEMA reserves the 
right to review all program activities or grant applications where two 
or more organizations share a single facility. To be eligible as a 
separate organization, two or more fire departments, national, state, 
local, federally recognized Tribal government, and nonprofit interest 
organizations, and other nonprofit organizations, such as academic 
(e.g. universities), public health, occupational health, and injury 
prevention institutions will have different funding streams, personnel 
rosters, or Employer Identification Numbers (EINs). If two or more 
organizations share facilities and each submits an application in the 
same activity (e.g., Community Risk Reduction, Wildfire Risk Reduction, 
Code Enforcement/Awareness, Fire and Arson Investigation, or National/
State/Regional Programs and Projects), FEMA will carefully review all 
of those program area applications for eligibility.
     For-profit organizations, federal agencies, and 
individuals are not eligible to apply for FP&S Program funding.

Statutory Limits to Funding

    FP&S Program awards are limited to a maximum federal share of $1.5 
million dollars regardless of applicant type, in accordance with 15 
U.S.C. 2229(d)(2). FP&S R&D Activity applicants that applied under the 
Early Career Investigator category are limited to a maximum federal 
share of $200,000 per project year.

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 the applicable Federal regulations at 2 CFR part 200, 
but they were not required to have the cost share at the time of 
application nor are they required to have it at the time of award. 
However, before a grant is awarded, FEMA validates that the grant 
recipient provided sufficient evidence that the cost-share requirement 
will be fulfilled during the performance period of the grant award.
    In general, an eligible applicant seeking an FP&S Program grant 
shall agree to make available non-federal funds equal to not less than 
5% of the grant awarded. Cash match and in-kind matches are both 
allowable. Cash (hard) matches include non-federal cash spent for 
project-related costs. In-kind (soft) matches include, but are not 
limited to, the valuation of in-kind services; complementary 
activities; and provision of staff, facilities, services, material, or 
equipment. In-kind is the value of something received or provided that 
does not have a cost associated with it. For example, where an in-kind 
match (other than cash payments) is permitted, then the value of 
donated services could be used to comply with the match requirement. 
Also, third party in-kind contributions may count toward satisfying 
match requirements provided the grant recipient receiving the 
contributions expends them as allowable costs in compliance with 
provisions listed above.
    Grant recipients under the FP&S Program must also agree to a 
maintenance of effort requirement as required by 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(3) 
(referred to as a ``maintenance of expenditure'' requirement in that 
statute). A grant recipient shall agree to maintain during the term of 
the grant the applicant's aggregate expenditures relating to the 
activities allowable under the NOFO at not less than 80% of the average 
amount of such expenditures in the two fiscal years preceding the 
fiscal year in which the grant amounts are received.
    In cases of demonstrated economic hardship, and upon the request of 
the grant recipient, the FEMA Administrator may waive or reduce a 
certain grant recipient's cost share or maintenance of expenditure 
requirements (15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(4)(A)). FP&S Program applicants for FY 
2021 must indicate at the time of application whether they are 
requesting a waiver and whether the waiver is for the cost share 
requirement, for the maintenance of effort requirement, or both. As 
required by statute, the Administrator of FEMA is required to establish 
guidelines for determining what constitutes economic hardship. FEMA 
published these guidelines on the FEMA website at (Grant Programs 
Directorate Information Bulletin No. 427): https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/Eco_Hardship_Waiver_FPS_SAFER_AFG_IB_FINAL.pdf. 
Per 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(4)(C), FP&S Program nonprofit organization grant 
recipients that are not fire departments or emergency medical services 
organizations are not eligible to receive a waiver of their cost share 
for economic hardship requirements.

Application Process

    Organizations may apply for funding under both eligible activities 
(FP&S and R&D) but must complete separate applications for each 
eligible activity. Each application may be for up to three projects 
under that activity, however each project within an application must be 
presented separately as a free-standing proposal. Organizations are 
limited to one application per activity, per application period. If an 
organization submits more than one application for the same activity, 
either intentionally or unintentionally, both applications may be 
disqualified.
    Applicants access the grant application electronically at https://go.fema.gov. The application is also accessible from the Grants.gov 
website at http://www.grants.gov. New applicants must register in the 
FEMA Grants Outcomes system (FEMA GO) and establish a username and 
password for secure access to the grant application. Previous FP&S 
Program applicants must use their previously established username and 
password for FEMA GO.
    Applicants are expected to answer questions about their grant 
request that reflect the FP&S Program funding priorities. In addition, 
applicants must complete narratives for each project requested.
    During the FY 2021 FP&S Program application period, FEMA conducted 
applicant internet webinars to inform potential applicants about the 
FP&S Program. In addition, FEMA provided applicants with information at 
the FP&S Program website, https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/safety-awards/documents, to help them prepare quality 
grant applications. The FP&S Program Help Desk is staffed throughout 
the application period to

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assist applicants with the automated application process as well as 
answer any questions.
    Applicants can reach the FP&S Program Help Desk through a toll-free 
telephone number during normal business hours (1-866-274-0960) or email 
at [email protected].

System for Award Management (SAM)

    Per 2 CFR 25.200, all Federal grant applicants and recipients must 
register at https://SAM.gov. SAM is the Federal Government's System for 
Award Management, and registration is free of charge. Applicants must 
maintain current information in SAM that is consistent with the data 
provided in their FP&S Program grant application, and for purposes of 
this particular application period, in the Dun & Bradstreet database, 
which previously provided the official unique entity identifier, the 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. As of April 4, 2022, SAM 
has transitioned from the DUNS number to a nonproprietary Unique Entity 
Identifier (UEI) obtained through SAM.gov. For entities that had an 
active registration in SAM.gov prior to April 4, 2022, the UEI was 
automatically assigned and no further action is necessary. Per 2 CFR 
25.205, FEMA may not make a federal award or make any financial 
modifications to an existing award unless the applicant or grant 
recipient complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM 
requirements. The grant applicant's banking information, EIN, 
organization/entity name, address, and unique entity identifier must 
match the same information provided in SAM.

Criteria Development Process Recommendations

    If there are any differences between the published FP&S Program 
guidelines and the recommendations made by the CDP, FEMA must explain 
them and publish the information in the Federal Register prior to 
awarding any grant under the FP&S Program. For FY 2021, FEMA accepted, 
and will implement, all of the CDP's recommendations for the 
prioritization of eligible activities.

Adopted Recommendations for FY 2021

    The FY 2021 FP&S Program NOFO contains some changes to definitions, 
descriptions, and priority categories. Changes to the FY 2021 FP&S 
Program NOFO include:
     Under Applicant Eligibility Criteria:
    [cir] Added information on application submittal and Authorized 
Organization Representatives.
     Under section E--Narrative Evaluation Criteria:
    [cir] Added information on FEMA's review of Narrative Statements.
    [cir] Added guidance regarding R&D Activity Fire Service Panel 
Evaluation Criteria.
    [cir] Reorganized R&D Activity Fire Service Panel Evaluation 
Criteria to include Potential Impact in advance of Implementation by 
Fire Service.
    [cir] Updated the weighted evaluation criteria for R&D Activity 
Early Career Investigator applicants, including a new Science Panel 
Evaluation criterion for Mentoring.
    [cir] R&D Activity Early Career Investigator applicants are 
required to submit a biological sketch of the mentor and a signed 
letter of commitment from the mentor.
     Under section F--Environmental Planning and Historic 
Preservation (EHP) Compliance:
    [cir] Added examples of activities that require EHP review.
     Under Appendix B--Supporting Definitions:
    [cir] Updated definition of Human Subject.
     Under Appendix B--FP&S Activity, Community Risk Reduction 
Category:
    [cir] Added guidance regarding smoke alarm installation.
    [cir] Added guidance regarding LED/electronic signs.
     Under Appendix B--FP&S Activity, Code Enforcement/
Awareness Category:
    [cir] Added pre-planning.
     Under Appendix B--FP&S Activity, National/State/Regional 
Programs and Projects:
    [cir] Added guidance regarding IRB exemption determinations.
     Under Appendix B--FP&S Activity, Ineligible Projects and 
Items:
    [cir] Clarified that remodeling/renovations to an existing facility 
is only eligible if limited to minor interior alterations costing less 
than $10,000.
    [cir] Included emergency medical services equipment/supplies/
vehicles, firefighter physicals, Research and Development, creation of 
new databases, projects requiring IRB approval to work with human 
subjects, fuel or vegetation removal/reduction on public land, and 
evacuation roads.
     Under Appendix B--R&D Activities Overview:
    [cir] Absorbed the Dissemination and Implementation Research 
category into the Clinical Studies category.
     Under Appendix B--R&D Activity, Ineligible Projects and 
Items:
    [cir] Included international travel to attend conferences or 
disseminate results, and projects to purchase stock in any entity.
     Under Appendix C:
    [cir] Added additional information on allowability of costs under 
Grant Writer/Preparation Fees.

(Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2229)

Deanne Criswell,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2022-10193 Filed 5-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-64-P


