U.S. Department U.S. DepartmentU.S. Department o oof ff Homelan HomelanHomeland dd Se SeSecurit curitcurity yy Washington, DC Washington, DCWashington, DC 20528 2052820528 G&T Information Bulletin No. 234, January 29, 2007 TO: All State Homeland Security Advisors All State Administrative Agency Heads All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact All Urban Area Points of Contact FROM: Corey D. Gruber Acting Assistant Secretary Office of Grants and Training (G&T) SUBJECT: Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) On January 9, 2006, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the availability of the FY 2007 BZPP. This Information Bulletin is intended to clarify requirements and allowable costs associated with the FY 2007 BZPP Program Guidance and Application Kit. These provisions are consistent with guidance included in the FY 2006 BZPP Program Guidance and Application Kit. A) Reporting Requirements: Consistent with the FY 2005 and FY 2006 BZPP reporting requirements, grantees will be required to submit regular Biannual Strategy Implementation Reports (BSIR) and Categorical Assistance Progress Reports (CAPR). Following award of grant, the State and subgrantees will be responsible for providing updated obligation and expenditure information on a regular basis. States will provide consolidated information to G&T in their BSIR. The BSIR submission will satisfy the narrative requirement in Box 12 of the biannual CAPR (OJP Form 4587/1). States will still be required to submit the CAPR form with a line in box 12 which reads: See BSIR. The CAPR must be filed online at http://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. The BSIR and the CAPR are due within 30 days after the end of the reporting period (July 31 with a reporting period of January 1 through June 30, and on January 31 with a reporting period of July 1 though December 31). Updated obligation and expenditure information must be provided with the BSIR to show progress towards meeting strategic goals and objectives. G&T will provide a web-enabled application for the BSIR submission to grantees. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if these reports are delinquent. The final BSIR is due 90 days after the end date of the award period. B) Coordination Requirements: Use of FY 2007 BZPP funds must be consistent with the State and/or Urban Area Homeland Security Strategy. Therefore, the Buffer Zone Plan (BZP) and Vulnerability Reduction Purchasing Plan (VRPP) must be coordinated between the State Administrative Agency and Homeland Security Advisor, as well as any applicable State strategy planning teams, Urban Area Working Groups, Regional Transit Security Working Groups, and/or Area Maritime Security Committees. Upon completion of the BZP and VRPP, the responsible jurisdiction must submit the BZP and VRPP to the State Administrative Agency (in coordination with the Homeland Security Advisor) for: • Coordination of the BZPP with State Homeland Security Strategies, priorities, and programs; • Coordination with related Homeland Security Grant Program and Infrastructure protection Program funding programs; and, • Certification that the BZP and VRPP supports and/or compliments: a) Statewide efforts to develop a critical infrastructure and key resource (CI/KR) protection program and CI/KR protection capabilities, as directed in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), and b) the implementation of the NIPP as a national priority, as reflected within each respective State’s homeland security strategy. This will allow the plans to be synchronized with the development and implementation of State and/or Urban Area Homeland Security Strategies, and all other ongoing prevention, protection, response, and recovery initiatives, programs, and funding sources within the State. Linkages between specific projects undertaken with BZPP funds and strategic goals and objectives will be highlighted in the VRPP and through regular required reporting mechanisms, including the BSIR. C) Allowable Costs Guidance: Other specialized equipment not listed in the FY 2007 BZPP Authorized Equipment List categories may be requested by the responsible jurisdiction, as approved by the State. The responsible jurisdiction must provide a justification, describing and/or identifying the points noted on page 20 of the FY 2007 BZPP Program Guidance and Application Kit, to their G&T Preparedness Officer, who, in consultation with the Office of Infrastructure Protection, will review the request. D) Unallowable Costs Guidance: Overtime and backfill costs are considered ineligible for award consideration. For more information, please contact your G&T Preparedness Officer or the G&T Helpline at (800) 368-6498 or askcsid@dhs.gov.