TO:	All State Administrative Agency Heads All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact All State Homeland Security Directors All State Emergency Management Directors
FROM:	C. Suzanne Mencer Executive Director
SUBJECT:	Guidelines for Biannual Strategy Implementation Report Technical Assistance

The Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) is currently developing a web application for states' submissions of the Initial Strategy Implementation Plan (ISIP) and Biannual Strategy Implementation Report (BSIR). The ISIP/BSIR is designed to outline how state, urban area and local SLGCP grant funding is being used to meet the strategic goals and objectives outlined in the State and Urban Area Homeland Security Strategies.

The current ISIP submission process is based on Microsoft Excel templates. The BSIR, which is web-based, will completely replace the Excel templates. The BSIR application will be delivered to states in early January to correspond with the February 28, 2005 BSIR submission due date. The BSIR submission must be submitted online via the Grant Reporting Tool (GRT) and it must be completed by state grantees and sub-grantees at the state, urban area, and local levels.

Technical Assistance
SLGCP is offering several types of technical assistance (TA) to assist SAAs with the BSIR completion and submission process. These TA workshops will be delivered by TEEX.

Scheduling Protocols
Scheduling protocols have been established to ensure consistency and accuracy when scheduling TA workshop deliveries to the states. The SAA should contact the state's SLGCP Preparedness Officer to schedule TA. If the SAA has not contacted SLGCP regarding TA within a reasonable time period, the Preparedness Officer should contact the SAA to discuss possible TA needs.

Helpline Protocols
Helpline protocols have been established to ensure that incoming BSIR calls are answered in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate person.

Technical Assistance Options
To assist SAAs with the BSIR completion and submission process by January 31st, 2004, SLGCP is offering several types of technical assistance (TA). Available TA includes: a BSIR overview workshop and a BSIR data entry workshop. States may request that both workshops be presented in one session, or they may choose to schedule each type at a different time. One delivery of the overview TA and one delivery of the data entry TA are allotted per state. Depending on the state's needs, the duration of each data entry TA is one to four days.

BSIR TA Workshop

Description
This one day workshop focuses on providing an overview, facilitation and assistance to the State Administrative Agency (SAA) in the BSIR on- line application. It will cover:

• Registration in the BSIR
• Reporting Process
• BSIR Basic Operation
• Submitting the BSIR
• Information for the BSIR

Frequency One session per state/territory

Target Audience
SAAs and any personnel designated by the SAA for participation. This should include personnel responsible for developing and updating the projects to be funded through FY 2004 HSGP and UASI grants, and may include subgrantees. The SAA may also want to include the financial services representative responsible for managing its grant resources.

BSIR Data Entry TA Workshop

Description
This one to four day workshop assists the state with entering the BSIR data into the BSIR application. SLGCP will provide staff that will work on site in the state to facilitate data entry by state and local jurisdictions, as well as to enter data collected for the BSIR.

Frequency One session per state/territory

Target Audience
SAAs and any personnel designated by the SAA for participation. This should include personnel responsible for developing and updating the projects to be funded through FY 2004 HSGP and UASI grants, and may include subgrantees. The SAA may also want to include the financial services representative responsible for managing its grant resources.

Requesting Workshops
Requests for TA workshops must be made through the state's SLGCP Preparedness Officer.

Other Technical Assistance

Grant Reporting and Assessment Tool Help Line
Description
The Grant Reporting and Assessment Tool Help Line is available to answer BSIR questions Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Standard Time at 1-877-612-HELP (4357).

 

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BSIR Technical Assistance Scheduling Process

1. SAA POC contacts their Preparedness Officer (PO) with request for technical assistance.

2. The PO will work with the SAA to determine the date, time, and type of TA to be delivered.

   Available types of TA include:

   1. BSIR Overview TA Workshop

   2. BSIR Data Entry Completion TA Workshop

   States may request that both types be presented in one workshop, or they may choose to schedule each type at a different time (i.e. if they are targeting different audiences). One delivery of overview TA and one delivery of data entry TA is allotted each state. Depending on the state's needs, the duration will be one to four days for the data entry TA.

3. The PO will then send the scheduling request, with details, to the BSIR Technical Assistance Scheduling Officer at SLGCP (in this case Jessica Tylecki or Johanna Steele). The Scheduling Officer will work with the PO and the TA provider to schedule the TA workshop.

4. Once the TA workshop date has been scheduled, the TA provider will send an email confirmation to the SAA, PO, Scheduling Officer, and CSID.

5. TEEX will conduct the TA delivery to the state.

6. After the TA delivery has been completed, TEEX will complete an after action report (AAR) and submit it within seven business days of the workshop to the CSID and the Scheduling Officer. The CSID will post the AAR to the appropriate state folder on the SLGCP shared drive, and send an email confirmation to the PO that the AAR has been posted.