Response and Recovery Directorate Policy No. 9525.15

DATE: July 11, 2000

Response and Recovery Directorate Policy No. 9640

TITLE: Disaster Recovery Operations: Telecommunications Support Lines for States

PURPOSE: The purpose of this directive is to establish policy regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) financial support for States administering the Individual and Family Grant (IFG) Program, Infrastructure Support (IS) and Mitigation (MT) Programs in the area of telecommunications equipment such as T-1 LAN/WAN connections.

SCOPE and AUDIENCE: The implementation of this policy is a national mandate to be followed by all Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State disaster recovery managers including FEMA and State agency employees administering the IFG, IS, and MT programs. This policy is applicable to all major disasters and emergencies declared by the President for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Programs.

DESCRIPTION: The National Emergency Management Information System (NEMIS) is an evolving agency-wide system of hardware, software, telecommunications and applications software that provides a new technology base to FEMA and its partners to perform the emergency management mission. The NEMIS system includes the Human Services (HS) module, the Infrastructure Support (IS) module, the Mitigation (MT) module, the Emergency Support (ES) module, and the Emergency Coordination (EC) module, and is now being used to process all disasters. NEMIS electronic interface remote access mechanisms include the options of T-1 LAN/WAN connection, modem dial-up using PC anywhere, and Internet access. Use of T-1 LAN/WAN connections by remote NEMIS users directly affects their performance from receiving applicant information transmissions to eligibility processing, mission completion, and customer service. Supporting the use of T-1 LAN/WAN connections is expensive and one of the issues that this computer-based process has raised is the extent to which FEMA will support the installation and maintenance of the high quality data transmission T-1 lines for States. Presently FEMA both provides T-1 support to State disaster recovery operations when they process in Disaster Field Offices (DFO), and installs T-1 lines at any State-identified processing location for an indefinite period of time. This practice is extremely costly and this policy memorandum will clarify FEMA's position with respect to what costs FEMA will incur and what FEMA expects the States to bear in the installation and maintenance of T-1 LAN/WAN connections for State-administered disaster programs.

INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY GRANT PROGRAM POLICY: When State processing operations are co-located in the DFO, FEMA will incur all T-1 LAN/WAN connection installation and maintenance costs for up to 180 days from the date of declaration (IFG Grant Award Activity Period), including any extensions granted by FEMA to extend the timeframes of the program or, until the DFO closes, whichever come first. Once the DFO closes or the 180 days have expired, FEMA will disconnect all T-1 LAN/WAN connections. At this point the State can either incur the cost of installing a T-1 line at the DFO or the newly identified State processing location, or can choose to communicate remotely via modem dial-up. Please note: Costs incurred by the State in installing and maintaining T-1 LAN/WAN connections are eligible costs under the IFG Program's State administrative costs allowance as mandated by Section 411 (d), Administrative Expenses, Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The allowance of these costs is authorized in FEMA's Federal regulations at 44 CFR Part 13.22, Allowable Costs, and the associated requirements of Office and Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State and Local Governments.

When State processing operations are not co-located in the DFO, FEMA will incur all T-1 LAN/WAN connection installation and maintenance costs for up to 180 days from the date of declaration (IFG Grant Award Activity Period), including any extensions granted by FEMA to extend the timeframes of the program. After the 180 days have expired, FEMA will disconnect all T-1 LAN/WAN connections. At this point the State can either incur the cost of installing a T-1 line at their processing location or can choose to communicate remotely via modem dial-up. Please note: Costs incurred by the State in installing and maintaining T-1 LAN/WAN connections are eligible costs under the IFG Program's State administrative costs allowance as mandated by Section 411 (d), Administrative Expenses, Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The allowance of these costs is authorized in FEMA's Federal regulations at 44 CFR Part 13.22, Allowable Costs, and the associated requirements of Office and Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State and Local Governments.

Questions on the IFG policy should be directed to Charles D. Robinson, Chief, Program Guidance and Implementation Branch, Human Services Division, at (202) 646-4262 or Sharon A. Hordesky at (202) 646-2778

INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT POLICY:
Generally, when a Disaster Field Office is established FEMA installs T-1 lines to support program operations. If State program operations are performed in a State facility, FEMA will incur all T-1 LAN/WAN installation and maintenance costs for up to 180 days from the date of declaration. After 180 days, FEMA will disconnect all T-1 LAN/WAN connections, unless the State requests and FEMA approves an extension. The State may request an extension of the FEMA T-1 service in writing to the Disaster Recovery Manager (DRM) at least 30 days prior to the planned termination of service. FEMA will consider the number of current and projected users, actual time logged into the system and which functional areas of NEMIS the State uses in evaluating a State's request for extension of the T-1 service.

When the T-1 service is terminated, the State can either incur the cost of installing a new T-1 line or choose to communicate remotely via modem dial-up. Dial up access to NEMIS is normally set up to use toll free phone lines. If the State incurs reasonable expenses for remote access to the Infrastructure module of NEMIS, the costs are reimbursable on a State Grant Management Project Worksheet.

Questions on the IS policy should be directed to James A. Walke, Engineering Branch Chief, at (202) 646-2751 or Alex Burns at (202) 646-4550.

MITIGATION POLICY:
The Mitigation Directorate will issue T-1 Line policy guidance under separate cover.

KEY WORDS: T-1 LAN/WAN connections, 180 days, NEMIS, modem dial-up, Individual and Family Grant Program, IFG State administrative costs, Infrastructure Support, Mitigation.

SUPERSESSION: N/A

AUTHORITIES:

ORIGINATING OFFICE: Human Services Division, Response and Recovery Directorate

REVIEW DATE: June 2003

SIGNATURE:signed
Lacey E. Suiter
Executive Associate Director
Response and Recovery Directorate

DISTRIBUTION:

Human Services Officers, FEMA Regions I-X,
Caribbean and Pacific Area Divisions
Chiefs, National Processing Services Centers
(MNPSC, TNPSC, VNPSC)
Directors, Response and Recovery Division, FEMA Regions I-X
Regional Directors, FEMA Regions I-X
Deputy Associate Director, Response and Recovery Directorate
Executive Associate Director, Response and Recovery Directorate
Chief Financial Officer, Office of Financial Management
Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate
Administrator, Federal Insurance Administration
Office of the General Counsel
Office of Emergency Information and Media Affairs
Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Office of the Inspector General

Last Modified: Monday, 17-Apr-2006 13:22:48 EDT