AshBritt #1 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Technical Assistance & Federal Reimbursements o . . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . . o Following a major disaster event, complying with federal and state guidelines is critical for recovery operations conducted under the auspices of the federal Public Assistance Program. The reference materials that establish these guidelines are: the Debris Management Guide (FEMA); the Policy Digest (FEMA); the Public Assistance Guide (FEMA); the Applicant Handbook (FEMA); the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (US Congress); and 44 C.F.R. (Code of Federal Regulations). Non-compliance by a contractor or subcontractor can jeopardize the client's reimbursement and, in extreme cases, result in an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). AshBritt is proud to state that we have never been investigated for violation of federal guidelines, nor have our clients had eligible reimbursements withheld because of subcontractor non-compliance with FEMA regulations. The Ash Britt Technical Assistance Team will provide experienced compliance and documentation specialists to guide client representatives through dealing with state and federal disaster funding agencies. AshBritt's key technical experts are fonner officials in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). All combined, they have greater than 98 years of disaster management experience, forty percent of which is directly related to the supervision and conduct of debris removal and disposal. The team will partake in the following activities, as applicable and at a minimum, to guarantee the City receives the maximum eligible reimbursement from external sources. Provide pre-event training and recovery overview to community staff and local elected officials. Draft and recommend specific local government resolutions for recovery funding purposes. Provide guidance for the estimation of debris volumes by category and of debris management costs for Initial Damage Assessment and Preliminary Damage Assessment reports Brief local government managers on the recovery process, critical meetings, required procedures and the current disaster recovery environment to avoid lost opportunities and delays with reimbursements. Recommend and assists in the organization of a community disaster recovery program and team. Prepare and brief the local disaster recovery team for key FEMA recovery meetings, the Applicant's Briefing and the Kick-off Meeting. Assist the community with preliminary documentation for the project worksheets, a critical undertaking to ensure full reimbursement. Review for accuracy, completeness, and value all project worksheets and documentation sent to or returned from the state and/or federal agencies. Assist and support the local recovery team throughout the recovery for as long as needed. Provide guidance of alternate grants (NRCS, FHW A, State DOT, et al.) and/or mitigation opportunities resulting from the disaster event. Provide copies of all applicable documentation, including truck certifications, load tickets, time sheets, daily work forms, project summary sheets, etc.. Conduct an exit interview with community mangers and/or local recovery team members. Prepare a disaster event after action report for community management. Remain available for additional special assistance and guidance. AshBritt has a proven track record, with accompanying successes, in assisting clients with the FEMA Public Assistance Program. For example, we were instrumental in securing federal Immediate Needs Funding for the City of Hampton, Virginia in 2003, following the landfall of Hurricane Isabel. The hazardous tree damage caused by the storm created the urgent need to straightaway begin removal from private property threatening leaning pine trees. This scope of work was outside the standing contract and the work needed to commence before project assessment and validation. To ensure the City would be reimbursed, we assisted them in establishing the "Imminent Danger Tree Program", which consisted of all proper documentation and work standards in accordance with FEMA rules and guidelines. We further assisted the City in "pushing" this program for acceptance, resulting in a $ I 4 million dollar federal reimbursement. Moreover, we assisted the City by voluntarily reimbursing over $150,000 attributed to a retroactive disallowance by FEMA arising from a policy change with respects to compensation for stump removal and disposal. This situation is described in greater detail at the end of this section. Additionally, following a severe ice storm that struck Kay City, Oklahoma, in 2002, AshBritt provided direct technical assistance support for the writing of their categories A & B FEMA Project Worksheets, helping them clearly delineate eligible scopes of work. Our assistance ensured the City (Applicant) received the maximum reimbursement for eligible AshBritt Inc. I Sunny Isles Beach. FL I RFP No. 08-07-01 72