Federal Agencies Providing Disaster Assistance

  1. Other Federal agencies providing disaster assistance under their own authorities independent of the Stafford Act are to use their own funding.

  2. Other Federal agencies providing assistance under the Stafford Act via mission assignments may seek reimbursement from FEMA for eligible costs incurred during performance of the mission.

  3. The General Services Administration (GSA) functions as a Federal procurement agent in two ways: 1) GSA functions as an independent procurement agent for Federal agencies to obtain goods and services without regard to FEMA; 2) GSA also act as a procurement agent, specifically for FEMA, under a Stafford Act Mission Assignment (MA). In case one, GSA arrangements with Federal agencies are exclusively with GSA and are independent of FEMA. All obligations incurred for goods and services acquired through GSA in this manner must be billed directly as GSA requires. In case two, GSA acts as an agent of FEMA (under the MA) and other Federal agencies must request reimbursement, with original receipts, through GSA for approval and certification. Payments are made directly from FEMA, not through GSA.

  4. Other Federal agencies receiving reimbursement from FEMA for goods and services furnished under the provisions of the Stafford Act are to credit such funds to the appropriation used to make such expenditures that are available for obligation on the date of the reimbursement.

  5. Each ESF primary agency, in conjunction with its support agencies, should advise the FCO/DRM of the amount and distribution of funding required in support of the ESF.

  6. Each ESF primary agency is responsible for tasking support agencies by completing a subtasking document that describes the work to be performed, estimates date of completion, and establishes a funding limitation. The ESF primary agency is responsible for monitoring the work progress of a subtasked support agency and approving the request for reimbursement submitted by the support agency, through the primary agency, to FEMA.

  7. Each ESF primary agency should review all requests for reimbursement for goods and services from subtasked agencies. The ESF primary agency Project/Program Administrator will certify to FEMA that the expenditures claimed have been reviewed and are relevant to the mission assigned, and that costs are reasonable and supported by documentation.

  8. Each Federal agency involved is responsible for:
    1. Maintaining documentation to support requests for reimbursement;
    2. Notifying FEMA when a task is completed;
    3. Submitting partial or final reimbursement requests within 90 days of completing a task. Final bills should be marked "Final";
    4. Providing monthly Progress Reports to FEMA if the Mission Assignment takes longer than 60 days to complete;
    5. Identifying a staff-level point of contact for financial coordination with the Financial & Aquisitions Management/Disaster Finance Center (OFM/DFC), and identifying a headquarters-level point of contact for billing and reimbursement issues that cannot be resolved at the staff level; and
    6. Applying proper financial principles, policies, regulations, and management and internal controls to ensure full accountability for the expenditure of DRF funds.

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Last Modified: Thursday, 31-Jul-2008 15:18:57 EDT