Department of Community Affairs, Office of Community Services

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Office of Community Services

STATEWIDE COMPETITIVE GRANTS

TO CONSTRUCT OR IMPROVE

COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS

The Department of Community Affairs gives notice of its intent to open a competitive grant application process to construct or improve county emergency operations centers and designated alternate state emergency operations centers.

In House Bill (HB) 7121, the 2006 Legislature found that county emergency operations centers (EOCs) and designated alternate state EOCs should meet minimum structural survivability and operational space criteria. The enacted legislation directs the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to establish a statewide competitive grant application process for proposals to construct or improve county EOCs, such that those centers will meet minimum criteria upon completion of the projects. Therefore, DCA is soliciting applications on a competitive basis to construct or improve county EOCs. The application may contain one or more independent proposals.

Eligible Applicants include Boards of County Commissioners. The total amount of funding available under this offering is $20 million for the purpose of general construction and stand-by emergency electric power, and $25 million for the purpose of improving structural survivability. DCA has been authorized to use up to five percent of the funds to administer awarded grants. The application cycle officially opens June 1, 2006, with an application deadline of August 15, 2006. Grant funds provided under this application process will be provided to award recipients contingent on availability and approved Legislative Budget Authority. EOCs that receive funding under this competitive grant process must be completed by June 30, 2009, unless the award is extended with the approval of DCA.

The structural survivability improvement funding portion of this grant application process is subject to eligibility requirements of the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). HMGP funding is only applicable to costs associated with “above code” construction improvements that protect the EOC building, occupants and contents from natural hazards and their effects. Prior to award of HMGP funds, the Applicant is required to submit an HMGP application and be determined to meet all eligibility criteria, including demonstrated cost-effectiveness. However, completion of the HMGP-specific application is not necessary to meet the August 15, 2006 project proposal deadline. Only the application attached to this NOFA must be completed and received by the August 15, 2006 deadline. Projects offered funding under this NOFA will be required to submit an HMGP application prior to the award of funds. Failure to submit the required application, or failure to meet HMGP eligibility criteria, will result in denial of funds for that portion of the grant program. The Applicants are encouraged to provide as much information as available with the initial application. The HMGP application can be found at the following URL address: http://www.floridadisaster.org/brm/hmgp_proc_forms.htm

At a minimum, all EOCs that receive grant funds under this application process must meet the structural and siting criteria established in the American Red Cross’ publication “Standards for Hurricane Evacuation Shelter Selection” (ARC 4496, January 2002). To enhance survivability, DCA recommends hurricane performance criteria that exceed ARC 4496. DCA will encourage construction or improvement proposals that specify that the EOC will meet or exceed design criteria established in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Standard “Natural Phenomena Hazards Design and Evaluation Criteria For Department of Energy Facilities” (DOE-STD-1020-2002, January 2002), Performance Category 3, or similar design criteria approved by DCA. DOE-STD-1020-2002 may be found at the following URL address: http://floridadisaster.org/ bpr/Response/engineers/documents/STD-10202002.pdf

Operational workspace requirements will be based on national guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The EOC workspace criteria are established in FEMA “Emergency Operations Center Handbook” (CPG 1-20, May 1984) with occupancy and floor area recommendations determined by county population, EOC concept of operation and other factors. For the purpose of this application process, the workspace occupancy and floor area will be based on county population. The “Florida Statistical Abstract 2005,” Table 1.41, for Year 2010 with medium growth will be used to determine county population. FEMA CPG 1-20 can be found at the following URL address: http://floridadisaster.org/ bpr/Response/engineers/documents/EOCHandbook.pdf

For assistance in determining the recommended workspace occupancy and floor area for a specific county, please contact programmatic staff listed in this NOFA.

The emergency management EOC function shall be the primary design consideration for facilities constructed or improved with funds awarded under this grant application process. Workspace for Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and other local public safety and administrative functions are not to be included in EOC floor area construction proposals, though such facilities may be co-located in areas adjacent to the EOC. Only the proposed EOC’s workspace construction and improvement costs are eligible under this grant application process. Funding may not include land acquisition, purchase of equipment, furnishings, communications and other operational systems, or recurring expenditures. The Applicant must state in writing that the EOC will be dedicated for emergency management purposes for a period of not less than 15 years. Also, as provided in Rule Chapter 9G-6, Florida Administrative Code, “Emergency Management Capabilities Assessment Checklist,” the completed EOC must remain demonstrably capable of being fully activated within one hour of detection of an emergency.

As directed by HB 7121, 2006, criteria for prioritizing and recommending the funding for county EOCs and designated alternate state EOCs will include, but is not limited to, county population, hurricane evacuation clearance time for the vulnerable population of the county, structural survivability of the existing EOC, and workspace floor area of the existing EOC. First priority for funding recommendations shall be for county EOCs where no survivable facility exists and where workspace deficits exist. The ARC 4496 status of existing EOCs will be determined by DCA through assessments, documentation or collection of applicable data. In reviewing proposals, DCA will consider all state and local funds committed for the project which have not been expended, and that will decrease the project’s fiscal need under this grant program once expended.

Eligible activities include construction or structural renovation of the county EOC facility and essential infrastructure needed to meet the structural and siting survivability requirements and FEMA workspace recommendations. Funding may not include land acquisition, purchase of equipment, furnishings, communications and other operational systems, or recurring expenditures.

Application and attachments are not to exceed 8 1/2'' x 11'' page size, and attachments are to be limited to a maximum of 15 pages. The cover page of the application must contain an original authorized signature by the chief elected official or the chairman of the governing board, or duly authorized chief executive officer or other government official. The signature demonstrates endorsement of the application and commitment of funds, if applicable. Evidence of the delegation of authority shall be supplied with the application.

In order to be considered for funding, one (1) original plus four (4) identical hard copies of the completed applications with attachments must be received by 4:00 p.m. local time, August 15, 2006 at the following address:

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Division of Emergency Management

Bureau of Preparedness and Response

2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

ATTN: EOC Construction and Improvement Initiative

Division of Emergency Management staff will be available to assist in the application process. If there are any questions, please contact Mr. Danny Kilcollins, [phone], e-mail [e-mail] or Mr. Dean Griffin, [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]

THE APPLICATION FOR THIS NOTICE CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.FLORIDADISASTER.ORG