Lesson 4 Overview and Objectives

This lesson identifies the actions within Phase II of the Public Assistance Delivery Model and the roles and responsibilities of the Recipient and Applicant.

Upon completion of this lesson, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the key actions within Phase II of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of the Recipient and Applicant
Select this link to access a full image description.
Phase I Transition to Phase II

At the end of Phase I, the following should have occurred:

  • Project formulation from disaster-related damage
  • Placement of the Applicant's projects into lanes
Phase II Objective
Four Phases of the Public Assistance Delivery Model. Phase I: Operational Planning; Phase II: Damage Intake & Eligibility Analysis (highlighted); Phase III: Scoping & Costing; Phase IV: Obligation
Phase II Objective: Capture Applicants' disaster-related damage within 60 days of the Recovery Scoping Meeting.
Phase II Overview (1 of 2)
DEVB01 M04 Image 5
PA Phase II Lanes. Please see Appendix 4-2 for a full description.
select the image to view Phase II of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
Phase II of the Public Assistance Delivery Model is broken up into three lanes: Completed/Fully Documented Lane, Standard Lane, and Specialized Lane. At the beginning of Phase II, FEMA decides which lane an Applicant’s project(s) is appropriate.
Phase II Overview (2 of 2)

The following activities occur within their respective lanes during Phase II:

  • Completed/Fully Documented Lane
    • Program Delivery Manager submits Essential Elements of Information to the Applicant
    • Applicant submits Essential Elements of Information documentation via Grants Portal
    • FEMA determines work eligibility
    • Program Delivery Manager submits project to the Consolidated Resource Center
  • Standard Lane
    • Program Delivery Manager submits Essential Elements of Information to Applicant
    • Applicant submits Essential Elements of Information documentation via Grants Portal
    • FEMA, the Recipient, and the Applicant conduct the site inspection
    • Applicant reviews and signs the Damage Description and Dimensions
    • Program Delivery Manager submits project to the Consolidated Resource Center
  • Specialized Lane
    • Program Delivery Manager submits Essential Elements of Information to Applicant
    • Applicant submits Essential Elements of Information documentation via Grants Portal
    • FEMA, the Recipient, and the Applicant conduct the site inspection
    • Applicant reviews and signs the Damage Description and Dimensions
    • Program Delivery Manager submits project to the Consolidated Resource Center
Completed/Fully Documented Lane
DEVB01 M04 Image 7


If an Applicant's project is 100% complete or will be within two weeks of the Recovery Scoping Meeting, the Program Delivery Manager routes the project to the Completed/Fully Documented Lane.

In this lane, the Program Delivery Manager works with the Recipient and Applicant to collect documentation from the Applicant to fully document all work completed.

The Program Delivery Manager sends the Applicant the Essential Elements of Information request via Grants Portal, which covers all documentation required to support the grant.

The Applicant needs to upload or attach their documentation to the Essential Elements of Information document request in Grants Portal.

Once the Essential Elements of Information is fulfilled, the Program Delivery Manager submits the project to the Consolidated Resource Center.

The Specialized Lane requires technical expertise to review and conduct the site inspection.

Phase II Completed Work Lane. See appendix 4-3 for full description.
select the image to view Phase II Completed Work Lane
Standard and Specialized Lanes
DEVB01 M04 Image 8

Standard Lane consist of projects less than 100% of the work completed. This lane is where a majority of projects are placed for processing. They consist of standard type of damages that do not require a technical expertise to inspect or review the supporting documentation.

Standard Lane project examples include but are not limited to::

  • PA gravel road and culvert washed out during a flood
  • There was six (6) inches of water intrusion into a building affecting glue down carpet, drywall, insulation, baseboard and contents
  • Lift stations were impacted during a recent flood event
  • A county owned park has been damaged resulting in impacts to the grounds and facilities at the baseball, football and soccer fields as well as playground equipment
  • A vegetative debris operation Center

Specialized Lane also is for projects less than 100% completed work.  This lane of projects requires the technical expertise of a specialist/engineer to conduct the site inspection and review complicated reports and designs.

Specialized Lane projects examples include but are not limited to:

  • An EF-4 tornado has heavily damaged the Courthouse resulting in impacts to structural members, electrical and mechanical components
  • During a flood, a bridge sustained impacts from high velocity water
  • An entire electrical distribution system was compromised by a 2 inch ice accretion during the recent winter storm resulting in catastrophic damage to the system
  • Due to the flood, 12 feet of water impacted the City Water Treatment Plant damaging the primary facility, clarifiers, etc.
Phase II completed work lane. Please see Appendix 4-3 for a full description.
select the image to view standard and specialized lanes
Request for Essential Elements of Information

Similar to the Completed/Fully Documented Lane, the Program Delivery Manager submits a request for Essential Elements of Information through Grants Portal for the Applicant to fulfill. Essential Elements of Information is the required documents to support your grant.

  • The answers the Program Delivery Manager received from the Applicant while asking questions from the Essential Elements of Information questionnaire during the Recovery Scoping Meeting produce documentation requirements in Grants Portal
  • The Program Delivery Manager submits these requirements and Grants Portal notifies the Applicant that they must fulfill the request
  • The Program Delivery Manager submits the request for Essential Elements of Information prior to the site inspection so the Applicant can upload the required documentation while the Applicant's representative and the FEMA Site Inspector collect information to develop the Damage Description and Dimensions

For more information on Essential Elements of Information, please refer to the courses: IS-1003 Exploratory Call, Damage Inventory, and Recovery Scoping Meeting, or IS-1002 FEMA Grants Portal - Transparency at Every Step.

Category E Essential Elements of Information questionnaire.
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Scheduling the Site Inspection (1 of 2)

Once the Program Delivery Manager submits their request for Essential Elements of Information, they begin to schedule site inspections. Based upon the project's lane, the Program Delivery Manager schedules a site inspection with the appropriate personnel.

  • Standard Lane: The Program Delivery Manager requests a Site Inspector to conduct the site inspection

 

  • Specialized Lane: The Program Delivery Manager works with their leadership to identify the appropriate Technical Specialist to conduct the site inspection
    • This Technical Specialist may come from the Consolidated Resource Center or the region depending on the type of specialized damages
A woman answering a phonecall and other staff working on laptops
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Scheduling the Site Inspection (2 of 2)

The process of ordering a site inspection is as follows:

  • Prior to the Recovery Scoping Meeting, the Program Delivery Manager coordinates with the Site Inspection Task Force Leader to identify windows of Site Inspector availability

 

  • During the Recovery Scoping Meeting, the Program Delivery Manager reviews suggested site inspection dates with the Applicant and comes up with a mutually available time

 

  • The Program Delivery Manager formally requests the site inspection which can be viewed in Grants Portal

 

  • The Program Delivery Manager briefs the Site Inspector/Technical Specialists on the Applicant, disaster-related damage, and the site inspection date and time

 

  • The assigned Site Inspector/Technical Specialist calls the Applicant representative a day before the site inspection to confirm the date, time, and location of where they will meet

 

    • The Site Inspector also coordinates with environmental and historic preservation and hazard mitigation teams if they are participating in the site inspection
Scheduling the Site Inspection: Recipient and Applicant Responsibilities

The Recipient and Applicant have responsibilities during the scheduling of the site inspection.

Recipient:

  • If participating in site inspections, the Recipient confirms mutually available time and attends the site inspection to ensure damages are captured accurately

Applicant:

  • Communicates with the Program Delivery Manager to schedule the site inspection. S/he will confirm:
    • Date
    • Time
    • Location to meet the Site Inspector/Technical Specialist
  • Must ensure that they have an Applicant Representative at the site inspection that has knowledge of the inspected damages and can sign the Site Inspection Report confirming the damages inspected
  • Confirms the site inspection with the Site Inspector/Technical Specialist and that damages are not yet repaired
  • Contacts the Program Delivery Manager immediately to cancel the site inspection, if needed
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Conducting the Site Inspection

Once the Applicant confirms the site inspection with the Site Inspector/Technical Specialist, it occurs the following day. The site inspection is used to codify damages and create the Damage Description and Dimensions.

To conduct the site inspection:

  • Applicant's Representative, the Recipient, and the Site Inspector/Technical Specialist travel to the Applicant's damaged sites
    • Environmental and Historic Specialists and/or Hazard Mitigation Specialists also attend based on the project's special considerations
  • Site Inspector/Technical Specialist conduct the site inspection by reviewing damages in the Damage Inventory, collecting damage-specific information, taking photographs, and developing site sketches
  • Applicant answers special considerations questions
  • Applicant signs the Site Inspection Report, which should include:
    • Description of the facility
    • Exact dimensions of the damage, including the specific materials and the size/capacity/model of the damaged components
    • Cause of damage
    • Applicant's method of repair for each damage line item being inspected
    • Sketch of the site to capture profile, and cross-sectional perspectives
  • Site Inspector discusses next steps with the Applicant and Recipient

Note: For more information on site inspections, please refer to the course: IS-1004 FEMA Site Inspection

Standard and Specialized Lanes: Developing the Damage Description and Dimensions

The Site Inspector/Technical Specialist takes the information collected during the site inspection and creates the Damage Description and Dimensions.

  • The Damage Description and Dimensions contains different information for each Categories of Work

Information contained in all Damage Description and Dimensions:

  • Describes the cause of damage
  • Describes the facility as it existed prior to the event
  • Describes and quantifies specific disaster-related damage

For more information on the Damage Description and Dimensions, please refer to the course: IS-1007 Detailed Damage Description and Dimensions.

Select this link to access a full image description.

Please see Appendix 4-5 for a full description.
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Reviewing the Damage Description and Dimensions

Once the Site Inspector/Technical Specialist finalizes the Damage Description and Dimensions, s/he submits the Damage Description and Dimensions to the Program Delivery Manager for review.

  • The Program Delivery Manager reviews the Damage Description and Dimensions and discusses it with the Site Inspector if they see any discrepancies from previous notes and the Site Inspector's report

 

  • If an Environmental and Historic Preservation Specialist or Hazard Mitigation Specialist attended the site inspection, the Program Delivery Manager reviews their inspection reports
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Assessing Facility Eligibility

After the Program Delivery Manager reviews the site inspection report(s) for an Applicant's project and FEMA receives all of the Applicant's Essential Elements of Information, then FEMA assesses facility eligibility of the project.

  • The Program Delivery Manager makes recommendations about the facility for Public Assistance eligibility
  • The Program Delivery Manager then assesses the damage to the facility and the proposed method of repair

Eligible:

  • If the Applicant's facility is deemed eligible, then the Applicant signs their project's Damage Description and Dimensions for approval

Ineligible:

  • If the Applicant's facility is deemed ineligible, the Program Delivery Manager discusses the matter with the Public Assistance Group Supervisor
  • The Public Assistance Group Supervisor then discusses the determination with the Recipient
  • Afterwards, FEMA sends the Applicant a Determination Memorandum and Letter
Standard and Specialized Lanes: Signing the Damage Description and Dimensions

Once the Program Delivery Manager concurs with the Damage Description and Dimensions and project eligibility, s/he notifies the Applicant, via Grants Portal, that the Damage Description and Dimensions is ready for their review and signature.

The Program Delivery Manager schedules a meeting with the Applicant to review the Damage Description and Dimensions and discuss any issues.

  • The Applicant reviews the Damage Description and Dimensions and signs it in Grants Portal
    • The process does not continue until the Applicant agrees to the Damage Description and Dimension. If there are any issues, the Program Delivery Manager will work to resolve it with the Applicant to find the underlining issue.

For more information on Grants Portal, please refer to the course: IS-1002 FEMA Grants Portal - Transparency at Every Step.

Standard and Specialized Lanes: Development Guide Questions

During the meeting with the Applicant to discuss their Damage Description and Dimensions, the Program Delivery Manager also asks the Applicant questions from the Development Guide. These questions ask how the Applicant plans to develop their scope of work and cost estimate, and if the Applicant wants to participate in a program (e.g., Public Assistance Alternative Procedures) or has special considerations.

Based on the answers to the questions, the Program Delivery Manager consults with Environmental and Historic Specialists, Hazard Mitigation Specialists, or ensures the Applicant gets into the correct program (e.g., Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Pilot Program for debris removal).

Applicant decides FEMA will develop their scope of work and cost estimates:

  • The Program Delivery Manager provides the Consolidated Resource Center with the Applicant's project and the project transitions to Phase III.

Applicant decides to develop their own scope of work and cost estimates:

  • The Program Delivery Manager provides the Consolidated Resource Center with the Applicant's project and the project begins to transition to Phase III.
Scoping and Costing Considerations for Applicants

If the Applicant chooses to develop their own scope of work and cost estimates for their project, there are certain considerations that should be kept in mind.

  • Does the Applicant have a Certified Engineer or Qualified Cost Estimator Available?

 

  • Are documented local costs (unit costs) readily available?

 

  • Is the disaster recovery on a scale where taking on scoping and costing is beyond capacity?

 

  • Does the work require specialized expertise/ factors/ considerations?

For more information on the scope of work and cost estimate, please refer to the course: IS-1008 Scope of Work Development (Scoping and Costing).

Transition to Phase III

Once the Program Delivery Manager sends the project to the Consolidated Resource Center, the transition to Phase III begins.

Phase III is where the Consolidated Resource Center validates the uploaded documents, writes thes scope of work and cost. This phase also includes all the special considerations reviews including insurance, hazard mitigation, environmental and historic preservation. The projects will then be sent via grants manager back to the program delivery manager for review before the project is sent to the applicant for review and approval

Lesson 4 Summary

In this lesson, participants learned about Phase II of the Public Assistance Delivery Model and Applicant and Recipient roles and responsibilities.

The next lesson provides an overview of Phase III and the major actions that occur within the phase.

Select this link to access a full image description.