REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 14, 2021
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Award
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
1. Accept and approve the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant award (No. EMW-2020-FG-10764) in the amount of $236,613.03 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Department of Homeland Security for use in various Urban Search and Rescue and Hazardous Materials training with a grant performance period of August 23, 2021 through August 22, 2023.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer or the Fire Chief/Fire Warden to proceed with the following actions, on behalf of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, regarding the grant award (No. EMW-2020-FG-10764):
a. Authorize the Entity Administrator to electronically sign and submit to the FEMA Grants Outcomes system the following documents:
i. The grant award identified in Recommendation No. 1.
ii. Grant reimbursement claims, performance reports, and other documents required to administer the grant.
iii. Any grant amendments approved by the Chief Executive Officer or the Fire Chief/Fire Warden pursuant to Recommendation No. 2.b. or 2.c., below.
b. Approve any non-substantive grant amendments, subject to County Counsel review.
c. Approve any grant amendments to extend the term of the grant award/performance timelines, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Direct the Fire Chief/Fire Warden to transmit documents identified in Recommendation Nos. 2.b and 2.c to the Secretary of the Board of Directors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Acceptance of this $236,613.03 grant award requires San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) to contribute a matching amount of $35,491.95 (15% of the federal contribution), resulting in a total of $272,104.98 for training and associated costs. Revenue and appropriation related to this grant, including the local match amount, will be included in a future quarterly budget report for approval by the Board of Directors (Board).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On February 11, 2021, the County’s Chief Executive Officer, in accordance with County Policy No. 05-13, authorized SBCFPD to submit an application for the FY 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) offered through FEMA. The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, the AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders in obtaining critically needed equipment, protective gear, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
On August 20, 2021, FEMA notified SBCFPD that its AFG application was successful and $236,613.03 of federal funds had been awarded. SBCFPD intends to use the grant funds, together with the local matching amount, to provide advanced Urban Search and Rescue and Hazardous Materials training courses to SBCFPD personnel, as well as to cover staffing overtime costs related to this training. Board approval is required to accept this grant in accordance with County Policy No. 05-13. The performance period of this grant is from August 23, 2021 to August 22, 2023. The FY 2020 AFG award consists of the following documents: the Award Letter, the Summary Award Memo, the Agreement Articles, the Obligating Document, and the FY 2020 AFG Notice of Funding Opportunity.
SBCFPD is requesting a delegation of authority for the officials listed in Recommendation No. 2 to execute documents related to acceptance of the grant award, submittal of the periodic reports, and, if necessary, any non-substantive grant amendments and/or extensions to the grant award/performance timelines. The Federal System for Award Management (SAM) requires entities to have an active registration in order to do business with the U.S. Government. As part of the SAM registration process, an entity must submit a notarized letter that appoints an authorized “Entity Administrator.” The Entity Administrator manages the entity's registration record, its associated users, and their roles to the entity in the SAM. On March 9, 2021 (Item No. 50), the Board of Directors ratified the Fire Chief’s designation of a Staff Analyst as the authorized Entity Administrator. Pursuant to Recommendation No. 2.a., the Entity Administrator will submit various electronic grant documents to the FEMA Grants Outcomes system.
This delegation of authority will allow SBCFPD to administer the grant in a cost-effective manner, provide the grant-funded training courses without experiencing unnecessary delays, and allow SBCFPD to expedite any approvals of non-substantive grant amendments and/or extensions to the grant award/performance timelines. Grant amendments are subject to County Counsel review.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Scott Runyan, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 7, 2021; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on August 27, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on August 30, 2021.