Today, FEMA made an important course correction by issuing Information Bulletin 336, which now allows for the use of “preparedness grant funds for maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades, and user fees.” There are a few restrictions but this covers all active and future grant awards.
While this may appear to be a trivial topic to many, it is a critical issue for cash strapped states and localities struggling to maintain security and preparedness in brutal economic times. For example, states and localities that purchased risk management or terrorism link analysis software with FY 2005 grant funds can now use grant funds from a subsequent fiscal year to purchase an upgrade or pay an existing user fee. A few months ago they would have had to use their own money to pay for those costs.
For fiscal hawks, you need not worry as this will not enlarge the size of any federal grant but merely expand the use of already awarded funds. I congratulate Deputy Administrator Tim Manning and the team at FEMA for making this small but important change.
While this may appear to be a trivial topic to many, it is a critical issue for cash strapped states and localities struggling to maintain security and preparedness in brutal economic times. For example, states and localities that purchased risk management or terrorism link analysis software with FY 2005 grant funds can now use grant funds from a subsequent fiscal year to purchase an upgrade or pay an existing user fee. A few months ago they would have had to use their own money to pay for those costs.
For fiscal hawks, you need not worry as this will not enlarge the size of any federal grant but merely expand the use of already awarded funds. I congratulate Deputy Administrator Tim Manning and the team at FEMA for making this small but important change.
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