FEMA: Logistics Management Support Annex

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Logistics Management Support Annex

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Federal Logistics Partners: Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Department of Defense
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Department of the Interior
Department of Transportation
Federal Emergency Management Agency
General Services Administration
National Communications System

Introduction
1. Purpose
  
  The purpose of this annex is to provide an overview of disaster logistics management activities and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) performs its logistics mission under the Federal Response Plan (FRP).
2. Scope
  1. This annex:
    1. Identifies the components of the Federal disaster logistics delivery structure;
    2. Provides a concept of operations for logistics management in support of the FRP; and
    3. Outlines FEMA logistics management responsibilities and how they change as various Federal logistics providers become active during a major disaster.
  2. For procedures used to execute various logistics functions, see related FEMA or other Federal agency publications (See section VI, References, below).
  3. FEMA will utilize ESF #7 — Resource Support when activated or under the interagency agreements with the General Services Administration (GSA) to acquire medical, biohazard, or other specialized equipment, supplies, and services as required and appropriate.
3. Definition
  1. Logistics management is the process of planning, preparing, implementing, and evaluating all logistics functions that support an operation or activity.
  2. Effective logistics management ensures that all functions are executed in a unified manner in order to reduce costs, ensure appropriate support actions, and decrease delivery time. Individual logistics functions and associated subfunctions include:
    1. Materiel Management: requisitioning, ordering, and sourcing (requirements processing); acquisition; asset visibility (resource tracking); receipt; storage and handling; security; accountability; inventory; deployment; issue and distribution; recovery; reutilization; and disposition;
    2. Property Management (Personal Property): accountability, inventory, disposal, and record processing;
    3. Facility Management: facility selection and acquisition, building services,
      information systems, communications, fleet management, safety and health, and physical security; and
    4. Transportation Management: transportation prioritizing, ordering, sourcing, and acquisition; time-phasing plans; and movement coordination and tracking.
Policies
1. Logistics personnel find appropriate, time-sensitive, and cost-effective ways to fill the requirements developed by operations personnel.
2. All Federal departments and agencies acting within the scope of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act will account for personal property in accordance with the Federal Property Management Regulations (41 CFR 4) and existing agency property management policies. This will occur whether property is acquired from an agency’s own stock, available Federal excess, or purchased with money from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
3. Prior to initiating orders for personal property (through mission assignment or acquisition channels), stock previously acquired from the DRF must be the first source if it can be utilized in a timely and cost-effective manner.
4. Requests by Federal agencies to procure personal (vs. real) property in support of State tasking using the DRF will be passed to the Logistics Section of the Regional Operations Center (ROC), Emergency Response Team (ERT), or Emergency Support Team (EST) (during their respective activations); or the FEMA Headquarters, Operations Support Directorate, Logistics Division (when the ROC, ERT, or EST are not activated) for processing and sourcing. This will ensure that requests are not duplicated and procurements are made only when cost effective or time efficient.
5. If other Federal agency property is being used for response and recovery operations and this property is lost, damaged, stolen, or consumed, the agency will be reimbursed for the cost of such property if the required documentation is provided to FEMA. Required documentation is outlined in FEMA Manual 6150.1, Personal Property Management Program. The process for requesting reimbursement is detailed in the Financial Management Support Annex.
6. When agencies’ property costs are reimbursed from the DRF, ownership of the property acquired during the execution of a mission assignment passes to FEMA.
7. FEMA will direct the disposition of all property that is owned by FEMA, including items held by organizations that intend to request reimbursement for the item from the Disaster Relief Fund. This could include transfer to FEMA, retention by the agency, donation to State-local government, or excess through GSA.
  1. Information systems and communications devices purchased through the DRF will be retrieved and returned at the conclusion of each disaster operation to the FEMA Disaster Information Systems Clearinghouse (DISC). The DISC will rehabilitate and repackage items for reuse on other disaster operations.
  2. Other equipment and supplies purchased with DRF money and issued to support responders and field facilities will be retrieved and returned at the conclusion of each disaster operation to one of the three FEMA Territory Logistics Centers (TLCs) serving the East, Central, and West FEMA territories. Returned items will be coordinated with the Agency Logistics Center (ALC) of the FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division. The TLC will rehabilitate and repackage equipment and supplies for reuse on other disasters as directed by the FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division. The exceptions are:
    1. Equipment and supplies used by the Advance Element of the ERT that will be stored in the FEMA Regional Offices; and
    2. Nonstandard TLC-stocked or non-mission capable items that will be excessed or disposed of at the disaster site.
8. Property procured with funds from the DRF may be used only in support of disaster response and recovery activities, not for day-to-day operations.
Situation

In order to accomplish a smooth transition to disaster operations, FEMA ensures a coordinated framework for Federal logistics management activities that includes logistics planning, preparedness, implementation, and evaluation in support of disaster operations.
1. Disaster Condition
  1. The unpredictable nature of some disasters requires that Federal agencies be prepared at a moment’s notice to provide needed services, equipment, and supplies. FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division maintains a base logistics capability that enables a rapid response to any disaster and is able to provide full logistics services to limited events without activating other Federal logistics partners; it can also provide immediate supplemental Federal support, as appropriate, in any disaster situation.
  2. FEMA Logistics will:
    1. Ensure agency readiness to deliver critical Initial Response Resources (IRR) and responder support goods;
    2. Participate in early planning and execution of disaster operations before the activation of other Federal agencies; and
    3. Assume open actions and closeout responsibilities from demobilizing Federal logistics partners.
2. Planning Assumptions
  1. Federal logistics support will be provided principally in support of Federal operations initiated through proper requests by the affected State. However, Federal logistics support and assets may be requested by the State in the form of Federal technical assistance if the logistics assets and capabilities of the affected local communities and State are overwhelmed.
  2. During disaster operations, the execution of most logistics actions will be conducted through Emergency Support Function (ESF) and other Federal operations, such as ESFs #1 — Transportation, #2 — Communications, and #7 — Resource Support and the Defense Coordinating Element.
  3. FEMA’s logistics management capability will be established prior to ESF activation to ensure that logistics activities are rapidly initiated and initial logistics services are provided until ESFs set up and begin operations. Once the ESFs and other Federal agencies are established, FEMA logistics actions will complement ESF operations by preparing and deploying FEMA-stored assets and handling the disposition of commodities at the end of the operation.
  4. Policies and procedures for the Logistics Section of the ERT and EST will be
    standardized.
  5. The operations element of the ROC, ERT, and EST will rapidly make initial decisions on mobilization center support requirements and the IRR required. They also will activate personnel and resources in a timely manner.
Concept of Operations
1. Federal Disaster Logistics Delivery Structure
  1. The delivery structure for Federal disaster logistics depends on logistics partners that combine resources to support disaster operations. Figure LM-1 depicts Federal disaster logistics organizations and the respective disaster organization that they support. Once a disaster event triggers the formation of disaster organizations, the day-to-day organizations listed in the first column of Figure LM-1 will staff and support the appropriate ROC, ERT, and EST subelements listed in the second column.
  2. In addition to these organizations, there are numerous fixed facilities and corresponding staffs that support the deployment of personnel and goods. The FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division maintains the DISC, three TLCs, and Disaster Response Support Facilities (DRSFs), collocated with each Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) detachment. Each region also supports limited storage sites.
2. Concept of Logistical Response Operations
  
  The Federal disaster logistics community is brought together when an event, or the threat of an event, triggers the activation of response personnel. Logistics management is executed continuously. During the disaster operation, logistics managers should be the first involved and the last to leave the field. Figure LM-2 illustrates the movement from a state of preparedness through a Disaster Operations Cycle to a return to a state of preparedness. It also shows how FEMA logistics activities change as other Federal logistics providers become involved as the response requires more assets and support than can be provided by internal FEMA assets and personnel alone.
  1. Operational Readiness Phase: Transition into Active Disaster Logistics Management
    1. Logistics personnel focus primarily on preparing goods for deployment.
    2. Logistics personnel begin to transition from day-to-day operations into active disaster logistics management activities, such as tracking deployments and processing requests for assets. Federal agency logistics staff begin to:
      1. Anticipate initial requirements;
      2. Participate in decision-making meetings;
      3. Develop strategic logistics plans for consideration by the Operations Section Chief and other leadership; and
      4. Establish communications and coordination among Federal logistics partners to begin initial planning to transport goods and to locate mobilization centers.
    3. The FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division generally performs readiness activities and prepares to transition into ERT and EST roles. FEMA logistics elements also may be executing activities typically covered by ESFs #1 or #7, since they do not have the authority to act until they receive an activation notice and start-up funding (which usually occurs during the next phase).
  2. FRP Activation Phase: Federal Logistics Partners Transition to ESF Operations
    1. Logistics providers are formally activated. Operations personnel form requirements, and logistics staff deploys teams as well as IRR and responder support goods. The field infrastructure for receiving personnel and goods is being developed, with mobilization centers being established and property management personnel arriving.
    2. An interagency logistics team forms to ensure the rapid location, acquisition, and setup of key field facilities (including the DFO and mobilization centers); operation of the field Movement Coordination Center (MCC); and initiation of resource acquisition operations. At a minimum, this team would include representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), GSA, Department of Agriculture/Forest Service (USDA/FS), and FEMA Logistics.
    3. As the core for the ROC, ERT, and EST operations support, logistics personnel perform the following functions:
      1. Track the movement of assets;
      2. Set up the Disaster Field Office (DFO) and other field facilities;
      3. Support the deployment and receipt of response assets, including IRR items;
      4. Coordinate deployments through the MCC to the mobilization centers;
      5. Translate operations-generated requirements into specifications; and
      6. Analyze requisitions to determine cost-effective and timely means to meet requirements.
    4. Except for managing and deploying FEMA-held assets, FEMA logistics elements transition all other hands-on execution activities, as required, to the other Federal logistics providers. FEMA regional and national logistics personnel then assume a broader logistics management role through the ROC, ERT, and EST Logistics Sections.
  3. Operations Phase: Delivery of Assistance
    1. Activated Federal logistics providers have the ability, authority, and funding to execute tasks including:
      1. DOT manages the acquisition of transportation as the primary agency for ESF #1, administers the MCC to track shipments and deploying teams, and furnishes Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft upon request.
      2. After coordinating with internal Federal sources, GSA procures resources needed by the responders and victims, locates and rents field facilities (e.g., DFO, mobilization centers), and arranges contracts for transportation in support of ESF #1.
      3. USDA/FS establishes receiving and distribution operations at the mobilization centers and supports a FEMA property management team by executing property accountability on items stored at these locations.
      4. The Department of Defense (DOD) supports DOT and GSA as requested.
    2. The ERT, ROC, and EST logistics activities focus on providing and coordinating delivery of required resources to sustain operations. (Materiel management, property management, facility management, and transportation management constitute the majority of all logistics operations.) FEMA’s role in hands-on execution diminishes during this phase.
  4. Stand-Down Phase: Transfer of Responsibilities to FEMA Logistics Division
    1. As response operations begin to diminish, the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), ROC Director, and EST Director demobilize the other Federal agencies from their respective operations.
    2. The ERT, ROC, and EST Logistics Sections assume the responsibility for and closeout of any logistics activities left unaccomplished by the other Federal agencies. (For example, as the FS demobilizes staff from the mobilization centers, the ERT and EST Logistics Sections work jointly to ensure that all assets are disposed of in the disaster area, or are retrieved, refurbished, and returned to one of FEMA’s TLCs or other designated storage sites.)
    3. The EST Logistics Section, the key link to the TLCs, remains active for several days following demobilization of the other Federal partners from the EST. It eventually transitions personnel and work to the FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division. Once this is accomplished, the FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division closes out disaster activities by:
      1. Coordinating with the ERT Logistics Section, Regional Operations Support Division Director, and TLC managers on the disposal or retrieval, refurbishment, and retrograde of FEMA assets;
      2. Maintaining proper property accountability processes; and
      3. Conducting internal after-action meetings while participating in ERT, ROC, and EST after-action meetings.
    4. Logistics personnel revise documents, collect and file paperwork, and develop and assign tasks to improve activities for the next event. The FEMA Headquarters Logistics Division may meet with other Federal logistics providers to develop a corrective action plan to improve overall cost-effectiveness and efficiency.
Organization of the Logistics Section

The ERT Logistics Section and EST Logistics Section have been standardized in accordance with FEMA policy and guidance. Both structures emphasize support to disaster operations, including the setup and operation of disaster-specific facilities.
1. ERT Logistics Section
  
  The ERT Logistics Section has overall responsibility for planning, organizing, and directing logistics operations. The organization, shown in Figure LM-3, comprises various Section-specific management and staff functions, as well as five branches — Coordination and Planning, Resource Management, Supply, Support Services, and Information Services.
2. EST Logistics Section
  
  The EST Logistics Section plans, organizes, and supports logistics operations. The organization, shown in Figure LM-4, performs six principal activities:
  1. Supports the mobilization, deployment, initial operations, retrieval, and storage of FEMA-owned national assets, including those dispatched as part of an initial response resources plan, until the ERT Logistics Section becomes fully operational;
  2. Supports the mobilization, deployment, and retrograde of teams;
  3. Supports the ERT Logistics Section;
  4. Tracks deploying resources;
  5. Aids in requisition processing, sourcing, ordering, and allocation as necessary; and
  6. Coordinates information systems support to the EST.
Responsibilities

Refer to FEMA publication 9380.1-PR, Logistics Management Operations Manual, for a detailed list of responsibilities.
References

Additional information on FEMA’s logistics management system may be found in a number of publications. The following include the most relevant:
1. Logistics Management Overview, FEMA Manual 9380.1-VW, December 1997 (draft).
2. Logistics Management Operations Manual, FEMA Manual 9380.1-PR, December 1997 (draft).
3. Personal Property Management Program, FEMA Manual 6150.1, July 1996.
4. DISC Operating Procedures, February 1996.
5. EST Logistics Section Operations and SOP Manual (unnumbered), July 1995 (under revision).
6. ERT Logistics Section Operations and SOP Manual (unnumbered), May 1994.
7. Motor Vehicle Management and Operations Manual, FEMA Manual 6250.2.
Terms and Definitions
1. Accountable Property
  
  Property that (a) has an acquisition cost of $15,000 or more; (b) has a unique, identifiable serial number (e.g., computer or telecommunications equipment); or (c) is considered “sensitive” (i.e., easily pilfered), such as cellular phones, pagers, and laptop computers.
2. Agency Logistics Center (ALC)
  
  An organization that provides centralized control, transportation, deployment, and accountability of all disaster support goods within the TLC network. The ALC was developed to enhance readiness and response, improve accountability of disaster assets, and reduce overall disaster costs.
3. Asset Visibility
  
  Monitoring of the inventory levels of all goods that can be used for disaster operations that are in storage sites and of their movements to designated locations. Resource tracking is a subcomponent of asset visibility since it views only a subset of the overall inventory and tracks assets as they are applied to a specific disaster.
4. Assets
  
  See Resources.
5. Disaster Information Systems Clearinghouse (DISC)
  
  An organization that provides centralized control, deployment, and accountability of disaster information systems. The DISC is located at FEMA’s Mount Weather Emergency Assistance Center in Bluemont, VA.
6. Disaster Response Support Facility (DRSF)
  
  A storage facility located near each FEMA MERS detachment, which houses MERS vehicles and associated disaster support materiel.
7. Goods
  
  Equipment and supplies.
8. Initial Response Resources (IRR)
  
  Critical goods provided to victims and all levels of government responders immediately after a disaster occurs. IRR goods are used to augment State and local capabilities. FEMA’s Logistics Division is responsible for storing and maintaining a limited quantity of critical IRR goods, initiating the acquisition of nonstocked items through Federal logistics partners, and pre-positioning equipment and supplies when required. IRR goods include equipment (e.g., emergency generators and refrigerated vans) and supplies (e.g., food, water, and personal hygiene items).
9. Logistics Information Management System (LIMS)
  
  FEMA’s official automated personal property management system.
10. Mobilization Center
  
  The designated location at which response personnel and resources are received from the Point of Arrival and pre-positioned for deployment to a local staging area or directly to an incident site as required. A mobilization center also provides temporary support services, such as food and billeting, for response personnel prior to their deployment.
11. Personal Property
  
  Any property other than real property, which includes land, buildings, and other structures owned or leased by the Federal Government. In this annex, personal property is used interchangeably with goods, equipment, and supplies.
12. Requirements Processing
  
  Analysis of requests for goods or technical services, translating these requests into meaningful specifications, completing requisite paperwork (e.g., Request for Federal Assistance form or FEMA Form 40-1), and entering the request into the resource tracking system. Alternately known as the resource ordering process.
13. Resource Tracking
  
  Monitoring the processing of requirements, source selection, movement, receipt, distribution, utilization, and recovery of goods, tactical teams, and technical service personnel for a specific operation. The resource tracking function is a subcomponent of FEMA’s overall asset visibility system since it focuses only on the movement of a small group of items, teams, and personnel from the Federal Government’s resources.
14. Resources
  
  All personnel and major goods available, or potentially available, for assignment to operations. Resources are described by kind and type.
15. Territory Logistics Centers (TLCs)
  
  FEMA’s strategically located logistics centers that support disaster operations through a variety of preparedness and response measures. These centers serve as storage sites for strategic disaster supplies and equipment, including initial supplies of certain IRR goods and prepackaged kits to support disaster field facilities. Skilled logistics personnel may be supplied from these centers to support disaster operations. Three geographically dispersed TLCs are located at Fort Gillem, GA; Fort Worth, TX; and Moffett Field, CA.

Updated: June 3, 1999