Lesson 4 Overview and Objectives

This lesson discusses the key components of the validation process for a scope of work and cost estimate at the Consolidated Resource Center, as well as, the final review and approval process by an Applicant in FEMA Grants Portal.

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

Explain how an Applicant approves the scope of work and cost estimate in FEMA Grants Portal

Review of the Applicant's Project

Once the Costing or Technical Specialist completes, reviews, validates, and finalizes the scope of work and costs estimate, they forward them for program compliance evaluations.

In the program compliance evaluation, Quality Assurance Specialists, Insurance Specialists, Hazard Mitigation Specialists, and Environmental and Historic Preservation Specialists review the entire project, including the scope of work and cost estimate, for compliance.

Upon completion of the program compliance evaluations, review and obligation of the projects occurs. The Program Delivery Manager receives the project, reviews it, and approves it. The Recipient then receives the project and approves it.

Once the Recipient reviews and approves the project, the Applicant then begins the review process of their project.

Notification to Approve Scope of Work and the Cost Estimate

Once the Recipient completes their review of the Applicant's project, the Program Delivery Manager sends a notification to the Applicant via Grants Portal and email, alerting them to log in to their Grants Portal account and approve the scope of work and cost estimate.

The Program Delivery Manager contacts the Applicant to discuss the completed and fully documented project once they send the notification.

The following slides explain how to review and approve the scope of work and cost estimate in Grants Portal.

Logging in to Grants Portal

Once the Program Delivery Manager notifies and speaks with the Applicant about their project, including the scope of work and cost estimate, the Applicant begins the process of signing the scope of work and cost estimate.

Steps to log in to Grants Portal:

Access the login page
Type in username
Type in password
Select the "Sign In" button

Select this link for a full image description.

My Tasks in Grants Portal

After logging in to Grants Portal, the Applicant will see their Dashboard. In the top-right corner of the Grants Portal screen is a bell. The bell will have a number next to it (a notification), showing that Applicant has a task(s) to complete in Grants Portal. Selecting the bell brings the Applicant to the "My Tasks" page of Grants Portal, where the Applicant can locate the project for which they need to sign the scope of work and cost estimate.

Steps to locate the Applicant's project in Grants Portal:

Select the bell in the top-right corner of Grants Portal
Review the tasks listed in the "My Tasks" page
Select the "Review" button to the left of the project for which the Applicant needs to sign the scope of work and cost estimate

Select this link for a full image description.

Beginning the Final Approval Process

Once the Applicant selects the correct project, the "Project Details" page loads.

The Applicant should look at the project number and title of the project to ensure they are in the correct project. Then, the Applicant should locate the "Scope & Cost Summary" bar.

Steps to locate the "Scope & Cost Summary" bar:

Scroll down the "Project Details" page until they reach the "Scope & Cost Summary" bar

Select this link for a full image description.

Reviewing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (1 of 4)

It is important that the Applicant take the opportunity to review the scope of work and the cost estimate before giving final approval by signing it electronically.

Steps to review the scope of work:

Select the "Scope & Cost Summary" bar so it expands
Select the "Scope" tab and review the scope of work

Select this link for a full image description.

Reviewing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (2 of 4)

After reviewing the scope of work, the Applicant should review the cost estimate.

Steps to review the cost estimate:

Select the "Scope and Cost Summary" bar so it expands
Select the "Cost" tab and review the cost estimate

Select this link for a full image description.

Reviewing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (3 of 4)

Reviewing an Applicant Developed Scope of Work

In the case that the Applicant developed their own scope of work and cost estimate, they should still review the two sets of information for errors and omissions. FEMA may have also made edits during their review and validation of the scope of work and cost estimate.

The Applicant should review the scope of work and cost estimate to:

Ensure they agree with any alterations made
Identify any mistakes or omissions

While reviewing, the Applicant should:

Compare the FEMA-reviewed scope of work and cost estimate to their submitted versions
Use the Damage Description and Dimensions to make sure the information on all documents align
Re-examine supporting documentation used for the scope of work and cost estimate (e.g., fringe benefits, timesheets, rental equipment agreements and receipts)

Reviewing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (4 of 4)

Reviewing a FEMA-Developed Scope of Work

In the case that FEMA developed the scope of work and the cost estimate, the Applicant should review both to ensure FEMA included all pertinent information.

The Applicant should review the scope of work and cost estimate to:

Ensure they agree with all work and estimates
Identify any mistakes/omissions

While reviewing, the Applicant should:

Compare the Damage Description and Dimensions with the scope of work to ensure all damage has corresponding work
Confirm all work is appropriately designated (e.g., Improved Project, Alternate Project, Alternative Procedures)
Examine all supporting documentation used for the scope of work and cost estimate (e.g., fringe benefits, timesheets, rental equipment agreements and receipts)

Components to Review in the Scope of Work (1 of 2)

As mentioned in the previous slides, the Applicant should ensure that the following details are correct in the scope of work and cost estimate:

Project name
Date the damage occurred
Applicant name
Category of Work
Project site(s)
References to location plans, Unites States National Grid, narratives, sketches, photographs, and other supporting documentation
Work items, dimensions, and quantities match those provided in the Damage Description and Dimension
Description of the work necessary to remove and dispose of disaster-related debris, conduct emergency response measures, or repair/replace the disaster-damaged facility to pre-disaster condition
Description of the work in quantifiable (length, width, height, depth, capacity) and descriptive (brick, wood, asphalt) terms
Provision of all design assumptions, methods of repair, and calculations to support the work

Components to Review in the Scope of Work (2 of 2)

The Applicant should ensure the following details are correct in the scope of work and cost estimate:

Description of work that will restore a facility beyond its pre-disaster condition (relocation projects, replacement projects, alternate projects, improved projects, hazard mitigation proposals, upgrades required by codes and standards)
Documentation of ineligible work and associated costs
For Work Completed, supply costs based on actual rates, dates of work performed, who performed the work (i.e., Force Account or contractor)
For Work to be Completed, provide source of estimated costs (e.g., RS Means, cost codes, proposal, etc.)
Description for the basis of the cost estimate (how the work was or will be performed, methodology used to develop the costs, reasonableness of costs, procurement method for work by contract)
Special Considerations

Identification of any known or potential special considerations issues identified during discussion with the Program Delivery Manager or observation at the site
Explanation of response

Components to Review in the Cost Estimate

The Applicant should also review the following with regard to the cost estimate:

Provision of all line items for all work items in the scope of work
Appropriate cost codes and unit price reference
Cost Estimating Format documentation, if used
Force Account labor
Documentation of the type of labor, (e.g., overtime, regular time, temporary hires, volunteer, prison labor, etc.)
Description of pay policy
Contracted costs
Identification of contract type (e.g., lump sum, unit price, time and materials, cost plus percentage of cost, master services agreement)
Procurement policy
Description of the bid process or sole source
Cost analysis

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (1 of 6)

Once the Applicant completes their review of the scope of work and cost estimate, they should begin the process of signing the scope of work and cost estimate.

Steps to sign the scope of work and cost estimate:

Scroll up to the top of the "Project Details" page
Select the "Sign DDD/Scope/Cost" button in the top-right corner of the Grants Portal page

If the Applicant does not agree with the scope of work and cost estimate or desires to make edits, they should notify the Program Delivery Manager.

Select this link for a full image description.

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (2 of 6)

Once the Applicant selects the "Sign DDD/Scope/Cost" button, the Applicant "DDD/Scope/Cost Approval" page loads. On this page, the Applicant begins the signature process.

Steps to sign the scope of work and cost estimate:

Scroll down to the bottom of the page until a yellow ribbon stating, "Click to Sign" appears

Select this link for a full image description.

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (3 of 6)

After the Applicant scrolls to the bottom of the page, they select the yellow ribbon to start the signature process.

Steps to sign the scope of work and cost estimate:

Select the yellow ribbon stating, "Click to Sign"

Select this link for a full image description.

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (4 of 6)

Once the Applicant selects the "Click to Sign" button, the "Sign Document dialogue box appears, asking the Applicant for their signature. The Applicant should fill out all of the text box fields to sign the scope and cost of their project.

Steps to sign the scope of work and cost estimate:

Type their name in the "Print Name" text box
Select the Signature Style from the drop-down box

This only affects the font of the signature

Enter their Grants password in the "Enter Password" text box
Select the green "Sign" button, located at the bottom-right-corner of the dialogue box

Select this link for a full image description.

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (5 of 6)

After the Applicant selects the "Sign" button, the dialogue box disappears. The "Sign Document" bar should now contain the appropriate information. The Applicant should ensure that their signature is correct and then submit their signature.

Steps to submit signature to FEMA:

Ensure their signature is located in the text box next to Signature and above the yellow ribbon, and is spelled correctly
Verify the correct date is located in the text box next to Date
Select the green "Submit" button, located in the bottom-right-hand corner of the page

Select this link for a full image description.

Signing the Scope of Work and Cost Estimate (6 of 6)

Once the Applicant selects the "Submit" button, the "Confirm Submit" dialogue box appears. This dialogue box asks the Applicant to confirm their submission.

Steps to confirm signature submission:

Select the "Yes" button

This completes the review and approval process of the scope of work and cost estimate.

For more information on the scope of work and cost estimate in Grants Portal, please refer to the course: IS-1002 FEMA Grants Portal - Transparency at Every Step.

Select this link for a full image description.

Lesson 4 Summary

In this lesson, participants learned about reviewing the scope of work and cost estimate and how to provide final approval on both in Grants Portal.

The next lesson provides a review of the course.