From the beginning of the Public Assistance grants process and throughout its lifecycle, FEMA will communicate openly and collaborate closely with Applicants and Recipients to ensure clarity and prevent misunderstanding.
Before any eligibility determination is made during project development, the FEMA Program Delivery Manager will ensure constant engagement with the Recipient, Applicant, and FEMA Region to resolve eligibility issues. If the Program Delivery Manager is no longer deployed to the event, the Applicant should work closely with the Recipient, particularly on incomplete projects to ensure potentially eligibility issues are caught early and can be addressed prior to closeout, so it doesn't jeopardize grant funding.
If more information is required to make an eligibility determination and the information is not provided in a timely manner, the FEMA Consolidated Resource Center will issue an informal Request for Information to ensure that the Applicant provides all information necessary for FEMA to make an eligibility determination.
If a Request for Information is issued, it is important for the Applicant to provide all pertinent information and supporting documentation within the designated timeframe.
It is ultimately the Applicant's responsibility to comply (even though FEMA offers advice and guidance) to comply will all regulations, laws and Executive Orders.