Course Overview, Goals, and Objectives

Welcome to The Public Assistance Delivery Model Orientation course.

This course provides an orientation to the changes and improvements of the Public Assistance Delivery Model. By the end of the course, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Applicants and Recipients will be able to describe the foundation and organizational structure for the delivery of the Public Assistance Program. This course is also recommended as a pre-requisite course for the rest of the general course series.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Explain baseline information regarding the organizational structure and foundation of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
  • Describe the key components of the four phases of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
Select this link to access the Public Assistance acronym list.
Lesson 1 Overview and Objectives

This lesson provides an overview of administrative requirements, course goals and objectives, and introduces participants to the Public Assistance Delivery Model.

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

  • Identify Administrative requirements of the course
  • State the goals and objectives of the course
  • Describe the benefits of utilizing Lean Management techniques and tools
  • Describe the theory behind "Get it Right the First Time"
Select this link for a full image description.

 

The Public Assistance Program

In 2014, the Public Assistance Program started a national effort to analyze the delivery of its program and areas for improvement. Public Assistance deconstructed its program to its most basic elements and engaged stakeholders from all levels of government including States, Locals, Tribes, Territories, as well as FEMA Reservist, regional, and headquarters personnel. Public Assistance requested stakeholders to provide feedback on what worked and what needed improvement.

The analysis and feedback demonstrated a need to redesign how Public Assistance conducted their program to achieve better customer service for Recipients and Applicants, transparency in the delivery of the program at all levels of government involved, and standardization of the delivery of the program across the country.

A white box with blue text that says, "Public Assistance".
Lean Management in Public Assistance

Additionally, the analysis and feedback indicated that adopting a lean management approach would improve Public Assistance's overall organizational effectiveness and performance. Public Assistance reached out to Lean Management subject matter experts to obtain best practices of Lean Management and incorporate them into the foundation of the Public Assistance program.

What is lean management?

Lean management is a principle-based management philosophy focused on customer value, elimination of waste, and continuous improvement of productivity and cycle time.

Benefits of Lean Management

The key principles of Lean Management that Public Assistance adopted and integrated into the Program Delivery Model include:

  • Improve customer service
  • Connect operations with strategic goals and organizational purpose
  • Continuously identify opportunities for improvement and efficiency by acquiring internal and external feedback and tracking performance
  • Enable the staff to lead and contribute to the success of the transition and organization by improving the team environment and increasing collaboration
  • Improve performance tracking
  • Improve communication
  • Increase collaboration amongst stakeholders
  • Reduce inefficiencies
Improve Customer Experience
Out of all the Lean Management best practices, Public Assistance worked to identify and focus on incorporating and exemplifying customer service. Public Assistance has accomplished this in numerous ways.
  • Constant interaction
    • Exploratory Call
    • Recovery Scoping Meeting
    • Program Delivery Manager role
  • Reduction of process time
    • Project routing by specific lanes
    • More actively involving Applicants throughout the grant development process
    • Clear performance expectations
  • Systemic elimination of waste
    • Consolidated Resource Center
  • Visual management
    • Grants Portal
    • Huddles and huddle boards
  • Focus on continuous improvement
    • Internal and external feedback resulting in continuous improvement
    • Mentoring
A FEMA Program Delivery Manager reviews Public Assistance guidelines with North Central District Health Department officials.
The Public Assistance Delivery Model

Based on the analysis of the existing program, stakeholder feedback, and input from Lean Management subject matter experts, Public Assistance reengineered its program and processes to optimally meet the demand of its customers. The FEMA cadre established an improved Public Assistance Delivery Model, which they began to implement in 2016.

The improved Public Assistance Delivery Model produced the following:

  • "Get it right the first time"
  • Goals of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
  • Key components of the process
  • Organizational structure
  • Segmenting projects by type
  • Streamlined process with manageable roles, span of control, and expectations
A white box with blue text that says, "The Public Assistance Delivery Model".
"Get it Right the First Time"

FEMA's intent with the improved Public Assistance Delivery Model is to "get it right the first time." Public Assistance uses this idea to achieve better customer service and more efficient development and processing of Public Assistance grants in all steps of collaboration with the Recipient and Applicant.

To do this, the Public Assistance Delivery Model has several strategic processes and quality assurance checks throughout all phases of delivery to:

  • Identify Applicant damages and assess for eligibility;
  • Identify all required documentation to substantiate claims;
  • Match the right Public Assistance personnel to each project; and
  • Provide all individuals involved with the necessary support to enable their success.
A blue square that says, "Get it Right the First Time".
Goals of the Public Assistance Delivery Model

"Get it right the first time" is achieved through the following three goals of the Public Assistance Delivery Model:

  • Segmentation
    • Processing projects based on complexity (e.g., Complete/Fully Documented Lane, Standard Lane, and Specialized Lane)
    • Specializing FEMA's roles with clear responsibilities and performance expectations
  • Standardization
    • Increasing consistency through position-specific tools, training, templates, and checklists
  • Consolidation
    • Processing projects at the Consolidated Resource Centers and utilizing Technical Specialists in the field when needed
Key Components of the Public Assistance Model

The team charged with the redesign of the Public Assistance Delivery Model laid the foundation for revisions in administering the Public Assistance Program.

During the reengineering of the Public Assistance process, FEMA Public Assistance did not change the laws or regulations. Public Assistance only changed how it administers the program including implementing new:

  • Organizational structure
  • Manageable roles, span of control, and expectations
  • Phases of the Delivery Model
  • Segmenting projects by type
A blue table showing what is changing and hasn't changed with the New Public Assistance Delivery Model. Under what hasn't changed is law, regulations and policy. Under what is changing is the process, roles, tools and templates, and systems.
Public Assistance Organizational Structure
DEVB01 - M01 - Image 13

The first key component of the Public Assistance Delivery Model is the Public Assistance organizational structure. The FEMA field staff are responsible for working with the Recipient and Applicant to collect the requisite information to write the project grant (e.g. identifying and documenting damages).

The Program Delivery Manager is the primary individual that works with the Applicant to collect this information.

The Site Inspector documents and photographs damages for sites that have yet to be repaired (referred to as Work to be Completed).

Once all documentation and information are collected, they are sent to a team of Validation and Costing Specialists at the Consolidated Resource Center that writes the full project or validates the scope of work and cost estimates created by the Applicant. The Consolidated Resource Center then sends the project back to the Program Delivery Manager who discusses it with the Recipient and Applicant to ensure they concur with FEMA.

for a full image description, please see appendix 1-3
select the image to view the organizational structure
Span of Control, Manageable Roles, and Expectations (1 of 3)

The second key component of the Public Assistance Delivery Model is the redevelopment and implementation of manageable roles, span of control, and expectations.

The analysis FEMA conducted, paired with feedback from Applicants and Recipients, and the work with Lean Management subject matter experts provided in 2014 influenced the strategic decision on how FEMA staffs disaster operations.

Span of control:

  • Program Delivery Managers are assigned five to seven Applicants to enable them to provide the needed customer service to their Applicants.
    • The number of Applicants per Program Delivery Manager is determined by the level of complexity and the number of damages for each Applicant. For example, if all of the Program Delivery Manager’s Applicants have only one or two damages, they may have more Applicants assigned to them; if the Applicant has significant, wide spread damage, they may be the Program Delivery Manager’s only Applicant. 
    • If the level of damages is catastrophic, the Applicant may have multiple Program Delivery Managers. For example, a team of more than six Program Delivery Managers served the City of Houston during Hurricane Harvey due to the level of damages incurred.
Span of Control, Manageable Roles, and Expectations (2 of 3)

In addition to reworking the span of control for their staff, Public Assistance worked to ensure their staff had manageable roles within the program, so they can provide appropriate customer interaction.

Manageable roles:

  • FEMA Public Assistance's redesigned roles reduce the scope of responsibilities of staff as to enable them to become specialists in their area
  • Grants Portal enables Applicants and Recipients to take a more active role in the development of their grants as well as provide feedback to their Program Delivery Manager on the development of their grant
Span of Control, Manageable Roles, and Expectations (3 of 3)

Public Assistance also reworked performance expectations in addition to span of control and manageable roles.

Performance expectations:

  • Every FEMA Public Assistance field position has a guide outlining the responsibilities of that position called the Position Assist.
  • The Position assists for the Program Delivery Manager and Site Inspector outlines each action required and provides a timed performance expectation
  • Grants Portal provides dates and times on last actions taken by Public Assistance staff, including Program Delivery Managers, Site Inspectors, and the Consolidated Resource Centers
  • Recipients have available to them all information pertaining to all Applicants within their jurisdiction
    • Jurisdiction, the nature of the pending requests, and the time frame each request has been pending
Phases of the Public Assistance Delivery Model
Four phases of the Public Assistance "New" Delivery Model: Phase One Operational Planning, Phase Two Damage Intake and Eligibility Analysis, Phase Three Scoping and Costing, and Phase Four Obligation

The third key component of the Public Assistance Delivery Model is the phases of the Public Assistance Delivery Model.

The Public Assistance Delivery Model has four phases, each with its own objective. Breaking the model up into phases allows for greater transparency and tracking of Applicants' grants.

Phase I: Operational Planning Objective: Identify Applicants' disaster impacts and recovery priorities.

Phase II: Damage Intake & Eligibility Analysis Objective: Capture Applicants' disaster-related damages and determine eligibility within 60 days of the Recovery Scoping Meeting.

Phase III: Scoping & Costing III Objective: Develop the Damage Description and Dimensions, scope of work, and actual costs for Completed/Fully Documented projects, or develop the scope of work and cost estimates for Standard and Specialized projects. The Consolidated Resource Center also validates Applicant-provided scope of work and cost estimates.

Phase IV: Obligation Objective: Obligate projects, complete the Recovery Transition Meeting with the Applicant, and transition Field Operations to the Region.

Segmenting Projects by Type (1 of 2)

The last key component of the Public Assistance Delivery Model is segmenting projects by type.

When projects are formulated by the Program Delivery Manager, in collaboration with the Recipient and Applicant, the Program Delivery Manager identifies which 'lane' the project goes into. The lane determines if site inspections are required, who conducts the site inspections, and what documentation is required. The three lanes are:

  • Completed/Fully Documented Lane
  • Standard Lane
  • Specialized Lane
Segmenting Projects by Type (2 of 2)

Completed/Fully Documented Lane: Projects are routed to this lane when the work done is 100% complete or will be completed in 2 weeks.

  • Projects can be from any Category of Work
  • Projects in the Completed Lane do not require site inspections after damage facilities “including non-complex environmental and historic preservation and/or hazard mitigation

Standard Lane: All non-complex projects which have Work to be Completed are routed to this lane.

  • Site inspections and/or site validations are required and performed by Site Inspectors
  • The Program Delivery Manager places non-complex damaged facilities (e.g., roads, culverts, buildings with minor damage, channels, parks) in this lane
  • Projects that have both Work Complete and Work to be Completed damages are grouped into a Standard Lane project. All included damages require site inspections.

Specialized Lane: Complex projects requiring technical specialties and/or projects which require significant environmental and historic preservation, hazard mitigation, and/or insurance involvement are routed to this lane.

  • Technical Specialists perform site inspections for specialized projects
  • The Program Delivery Manager places specialized projects (e.g., water treatment facility) in this lane
Project segmentation during the phases. Phase I: Operational Planning; Phase II: Damaged Intake and Eligibility Analysis; Phase III: Scoping and Costing; Phase IV: Obligation. The three lanes are: Completed/Fully Documented, Standard, and Specialized.
Tying It All Together

The redesigned Public Assistance Delivery Model integrates the best practices of Lean Management and addressed stakeholder feedback. As a result, Applicants should experience a friendly, customer-oriented, streamlined Public Assistance process. Through segmentation, standardization and consolidation, the Public Assistance Delivery Model has reduced waste, gained efficiencies, and provided a transparent process to Applicants.

An Applicant should experience:

  • A primary point of contact to deliver and coordinate service called the Program Delivery Manager
  • Transparency in decisions (i.e., why something can or cannot be done)
  • Consistency in program delivery throughout the grant development process
  • Consistent quality in grants developed

An Applicant should not experience:

  • Inconsistency in personnel providing the service or inconsistency in policy decisions that potentially deobligate funding
  • Elimination of funding based on arbitrary and subjective decisions
  • Poor quality products that may jeopardize Applicant funding or cause an Applicant unnecessary strife later in the process
Lesson 1 Summary

In this lesson, participants learned about the Public Assistance Model, Public Assistance Program goals, and Lean Management principles are central to the administration of the grants program.

The next lesson provides an overview of the operations in the field and at the Consolidated Resource Center.

Select this link for a full image description.