City Council
May 17, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Reginald Freeman
City Administrator Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2020 Urban Search and
Rescue (US&R) Supplemental
Funding
DATE: April 25, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date: May 5, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Amend Resolution No. 88316 C.M.S., To:
(1) Accept And Appropriate Fiscal Year 2020 Supplemental Grant Funds, In The Amount Of Forty-Seven Thousand Nine Hundred And Eighteen Dollars ($47,918) From The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) For A Cumulative Fiscal Year 2020 Grant Award Of One Million Three Hundred Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred Forty-Nine Dollars ($1,314,549); AND
(2) Expend The Additional Grant Funds In Accordance With The FY 2020 Preliminary Spending Plan To Increase Funding For Equipment Awarded on September 24, 2021; And
(3) Authorize Use Of General Purpose Fund (GPF) To Cover The Cost Of The Internal Service Fund (ISF) Charges Affiliated With Said Grant For FY 2020.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Consistent with the intent of the FEMA; Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) grant program, which provides funding for the operation, maintenance, and preparedness of California Task Force Four (CA-TF4), amending the proposed resolution will enable the City to accept, appropriate and administer $47,918 towards equipment and maintenance for CA-TF4.
The cumulative FY 2020 FEMA US&R grant award allocation award is not to exceed one million three hundred fourteen thousand and five hundred and forty-nine dollars ($1,314,549).
BACKGROUND/LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On October 6, 2020, City Council approved Resolution No. 88316 C.M.S., authorizing the City Administrator to accept appropriate and expend the initial FEMA; US&R Grant funds.
The City of Oakland Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 FEMA US&R grant application was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the City of Oakland has been awarded a
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2020 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Supplemental Funding Date: April 25, 2022 Page 2
City Council
May 17, 2022
grant allocation of one million three hundred fourteen thousand and five hundred and forty-nine dollars ($1,314,549). The proposed and approved spending plan for this grant award was appropriated to fund staffing, maintain and procure equipment. Some of these funds have been administered toward the appropriation; while other funding of the appropriation is underway as we are still within the timeline of this grant performance period.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
There are twenty-eight (28) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) US&R Task Forces in the United States, with eight (8) in California. The City of Oakland is the Sponsoring Agency for a FEMA US&R Task Force, California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4). The Oakland Fire Department Task Force has agreements with fifteen (15) participating fire agencies from the Bay Area that provide Task Force personnel and support the training and responses of the Oakland Task Force. Federal funds are provided to sponsoring agencies to support a US&R Response System that provides for the coordination, development, and maintenance, of the effort to locate, extricate, and provide immediate medical treatment to victims trapped in collapsed structures, and to conduct other lifesaving operations.
In addition to the Federal funding, The State of California supports the eight (8) California US&R Task Forces with funding through the California Fire and Rescue Training Authority (CFRTA), California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI), or State of California identified training center that facilitates Mobilization Exercises and conducts other pertinent trainings, in preparation for response to disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, flooding, and terrorist attacks.
Since the Loma Prieta Earthquake in October of 1989, the City of Oakland Fire Department has taken an active role in preparing for an US&R response. In 1991, FEMA sponsored 25 National US&R Task Forces and Oakland CA-TF4 has been a part of the National Response System since the inception.
As the Sponsoring Agency, US&R CA-TF4 provides training, including to agencies that do not Participate in US&R CA-TF4, to ensure that they are prepared and well trained to respond to emergencies alongside and in support of US&R CA-TF4. Costs from these trainings are not currently being charged by the City, and as a result, training costs for outside agencies are being subsidized by the General Purpose Fund (1010). Approval of this resolution would permit US&R CA-TF4 to collect fees for these trainings, and to deposit the revenue into the account specified for this award. Charges to participants will be based upon the actual cost incurred by the US&R CA-TF4 (i.e., staff time and materials) to deliver the training.
On October 6, 2020, the City Council approved Resolution No. 88316 C.M.S. authorizing the City Administrator to accept appropriate up to one million three hundred fourteen thousand and five hundred and forty nine dollars ($1,314,549) FEMA; US&R Grant funds (Attachment A).
These funds have been and will be used for the following purposes:
• equipment replacement
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2020 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Supplemental Funding Date: April 25, 2022 Page 3
City Council
May 17, 2022
The following program/project initiatives have been authorized and approved by the FEMA; US&R grant program under the terms of the FY 20 FEMA US&R Grant award program amendment:
• Increase maintenance and equipment funds, in the amount of $47,918
This grant has and will continue to have a positive impact for the City of Oakland and advances the Citywide Priority of ensuring holistic community safety. The members of the Task Force are members of OFD and other Participating Fire Agencies, and they receive training for response to man-made and natural disasters. The training provides knowledge, skills, and abilities to a network of local first responders, so they can perform search and rescue operations, victim extrication, wide area search and patient treatment to reduce loss of life as the result of emergency incidents in the City and region.
FISCAL IMPACT
Acceptance of Grant Funds: During the grant period of September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2023, FEMA will reimburse the City an additional $47,918 for maintenance and equipment related to the program amendment. Approval of this resolution will authorize the acceptance and appropriation of the supplemental (Attachment B) FY 20 FEMA grant funds bringing the total grant award to one million three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred sixty seven dollars ($1,362,467).
FY 2020 FEMA grant funds will be deposited into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fund (2124), Special Operation Division (20815), the Miscellaneous Grants Revenue account (46129), 2020 US&R FEMA Grant Project (1004649), Special Operation Program (PS18), Task (2124.PS18) and Award (23540).
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
The Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau were consulted in the preparation of this report and resolution.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Acceptance of this grant amendment will allow for the purchase and maintenance of equipment, which will contribute to the local economy.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2020 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Supplemental Funding Date: April 25, 2022 Page 4
City Council
May 17, 2022
Environmental: There are no environmental impacts associated with this action because the facility will be used for the storage and maintenance of technical rescue equipment.
Race & Equity: There is a large race and equity benefit to the City. The City is in an active earthquake fault zone. All the citizens of Oakland will benefit from the unique training that is available to members of the FEMA US&R Task Force as these members respond to emergencies within the City on a daily basis. In the event of a local disaster, the US&R Task Force equipment cache is available to local responders.
ACTION REQUESTED OF CITY COUNCIL
Staff recommends that the City Council amend Resolution No. 88316 C.M.S. BY: (1) Accepting And Appropriating Fiscal Year 2020 Supplemental Grant Funds, In The Amount Of Forty Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred And Eighteen Dollars ($47,918) From The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) For A Cumulative Fiscal Year 2020 Grant Award Of One Million Three Hundred Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred Forty Nine Dollars ($1,314,549); AND
(2) Expend The Additional Grant Funds In Accordance With The FY 2020 Preliminary Spending Plan To Increase Funding For Equipment Awarded on September 24, 2021; AND
(3) Authorizing Use Of General Purpose Fund (GPF) To Cover The Cost Of The Internal Service Fund (ISF) Charges Affiliated With Said Grant For FY 2020.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2020 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Supplemental Funding Date: April 25, 2022 Page 5
City Council
May 17, 2022
For questions regarding this report, please contact Battalion Chief Tracey Chin, at (510) 615- 5872.
Respectfully submitted,
REGINALD FREEMAN
Fire Chief
Oakland Fire Department
Reviewed by:
Gene Tom
Chief Financial Officer &
Agency Administrative Manager
Grant Manager, FEMA US&R; CATF-4
Prepared by:
Tracey Chin
Battalion Chief, Oakland Fire Department
Program Manager, FEMA US&R CATF-4
Attachments (1):
A. Adopted Resolution No. 88316 C.M.S
B. US&R Program Directive 2021-010 – FY2020 US&R Readiness Cooperative Agreement – Supplemental Award with FY2021 Funding
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION No. 88316
C.M.S.
RESOLUTION: (1) AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, OR
DESIGNEE TO: (A) ENTER INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH
THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)
FOR RECEIPT OF FUNDS FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
TO AUGUST 31, 2023, IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION TWO
HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND AND SIX HUNDRED THIRTY
-
O
NE DOLLARS ($1,266,631); (B) ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE SAID
FEMA FUNDS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S URBAN SEARCH
AND RESCUE TASK FORCE; (C) EXPEND THE FEMA FUNDS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRELIMINARY SPENDING PLAN AND
GOVERNMENT PRICING SCHEDULES WITHOUT FURTHER
COUNCIL APPROVAL, (2) WAIVING THE CITY'S ADVERTISING
AND COMPETITIVE BIDDING AND PURCHASING REQUIREMENTS
WHEREAS, the Oakland Fire Department is the Sponsoring Agency for Urban Search and Rescue (US&R), California Task Force Four (CA -TF4), which includes members of 15 Local Participating Fire Agencies including: Alameda Fire Department, Alameda County Fire Department, Berkeley Fire Department, Sonoma County Fire Department, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Fremont Fire Department, Hayward Fire Department, Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department, Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Novato Fire Protection District, Parks Reserve Forces, Salinas Fire Department, San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, Santa Rosa Fire Department; and
WHEREAS, CA-TF4 is one of 8 California and 28 national US&R teams trained and equipped to respond to natural disasters and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) events; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), administers this grant; and
WHEREAS, FEMA supports all 28 US&R teams with federal cooperative agreements; and
WHEREAS, CA-TF4 is eligible to apply for a FEMA preparedness cooperative agreement program grant in the amount of one million two hundred sixty-six thousand and six hundred thirty-one dollars ($1,266,631) for disaster response and operational readiness, preparedness training, personnel and equipment; and
FY2020US&R
WHEREAS, FEMA has approved this funding to support the following positions:
1.00 FTE
1.00 FTE
1.00 FTE
1.50 FTE
Program Coordinator
Warehouse Specialist
Administrative Assistant I
Student Trainees, PT; and
WHEREAS, the preliminary spending plan approved by FEMA has allocated:
four hundred nineteen thousand and nine dollars ($419,009) to administrative and management costs; two hundred seventy -five thousand and one hundred eighty-nine dollars ($275,189) to training costs; one hundred seventy -five thousand and three hundred ninety-four dollars ($175,394) to equipment costs; and three hundred ninety- seven thousand and thirty-nine dollars ($397,039) to storage and maintenance costs; and
WHEREAS, this FEMA Program Grant requires the City to provide training to members of CA-TF4, respond as requested to Local, State and National Incidents, and to procure and store equipment as directed by FEMA in a fully reimbursed and cost neutral manner; and
WHEREAS, Oakland Municipal Code Section 2.04.050.I.5 permits the City Council to waive the City's advertising, bidding, and purchasing requirements upon a finding that it is in the best interests of the City to do so; and
WHEREAS, when necessary this FEMA program grant requires the City to purchase equipment from various General Service Administration Agency (GSA) and/or other Governmental Purchasing Schedules in order to maintain consistency in training and equipment among the jurisdictions participating in the state and national US&R Teams; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends that it is in the best interests of the City to waive the City's advertising, bidding, and purchasing requirements for the purchase of equipment with the FEMA grant funds so that the City can receive the full FEMA grant funding amount and be in compliance with the procurement lists of the General Services Administration and other related government pricing schedules; and
WHEREAS, the City requires the Fire Chief and City Administrator to obtain Council approval for the payment of travel expenses for Fire Department personnel in advance, and this FEMA program grant requires the City to send Oakland Fire Department firefighters and other personnel from other jurisdictions to do FEMA required business, training or response activities on short notice; and
WHEREAS, as the Sponsoring Agency CA-TF4 does provide training, allowing agencies not a part of CA-TF4 to participate to ensure that they are prepared and well trained to respond to emergencies alongside and in support of CA-TF4; and .
FY2020US&R
WHEREAS, CA-TF 4 is not based in a facility owned, managed or maintained by the City of Oakland, does not utilize City owned vehicles or fleet services, but instead uses facilities, vehicles and other resources that are owned or leased by the federal government or private entities; and
WHEREAS, it is the determination of the grantor that the payment of Information Technology Department (ITD)-Internal Service Fund (ISF) charges are not reimbursable by the grant; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Department is requesting a contribution from the General Purpose Fund to offset the cost of the Department's ITD-ISF charges for FY 2020-21 and FY 2021 - 2022, and to provide a contribution equivalent to the ITD-ISF charge for the duration of the grant period because said charges are not payable by this grant; and
WHEREAS, CA-TF4 is available to the City of Oakland in the event of an attack within the City or surrounding communities or occurrence of a local natural disaster; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: that the City Administrator or his designee is authorized to enter into a grant cooperative agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for receipt of federal funds (FEMA grant funds) for the period September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2023, in the amount not to exceed one million two hundred sixty-six thousand and six hundred thirty- one dollars ($1,266,631) to meet continuing management, training and equipment needs of the Oakland Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue Tas k Force (US&R Task Force); and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the City Administrator or his designee is authorized to accept and appropriate said FEMA grant funds; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the General Purpose Fund (GPF) will contribute an amount equivalent to the project's Information Technology Department - Internal Service Fund (ITD-ISF charges) to offset those costs for the duration of the grant period; and, be it ·
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the City Council finds that pursuant to Oakland Municipal Code Section 2.04.050.1.5, for the reasons stated above and in the agenda report accompanying this resolution, that it is in the best interests of the City to waive the advertising and bidding requirements for the purchase of equipment needed for CA-TF4 when such purchases and services ·are required by FEMA to be selected from the GSA and other government procurement lists, and so waives such requirements; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the City Council hereby authorizes the City Administrator or his designee to expend the FEMA grant funds in accordance with the preliminary spending plan, including funding for training and the purchase of equipment needed for the CA-TF4 from the GSA and/or other governmental purchasing schedules without return to Council; and, be it
FY2020 US&R
.--3
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the City Council hereby authorizes the City Administrator, for timeliness and security reasons, to approve City personnel participating in the FEMA cooperative agreement program to travel on short notice per FEMA directives without return to Council; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: that the Oakland Fire Department is authorized to charge and collect fees from trainings that it hosts in its capacity as the CA-TF4 Sponsoring Agency; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: revenue received from this grant, as well as reimbursement for training courses hosted by shall be deposited into FEMA Fund (2124), Special Operation Division (20815), Special Operation Program (PS18), in FEMA Grants Revenue Accounts (46129), 2020 US&R Grant Project (1004649), Task (2124.PS18) & Award (23540), and the revenue received from this grant, including reimbursement from training courses, will be deposited to the same Project, Task, Award; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: the coding block for expenditure shall be FEMA 2020 US&R Grant Project (1004649), Task (2124.PS18), Award (23540), Special Operation Division (20815), in various Expenditure Type; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: that all agreements issued hereunder shall be reviewed and approved by the office of the City Attorney for form and legality and copies shall be placed on file in the Office of the City Clerk.
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES-BAS, GALLO, GIBSON MCELHANEY, KALB, REID, TAYLOR, THAO AND PRESIDENT KAPLAN
NOES- fo
ABSENT-z
ABSTENTION - Rf
Acting City ncil
of the City of Oakl ··
www.fema.gov
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20472
US&R PROGRAM DIRECTIVE – 2021-010
September 24, 2021
FOR: National Urban Search & Rescue Response System
Task Force Representatives
FROM: Fred Endrikat, Chief
Urban Search and Rescue Branch
SUBJECT: US&R Program Directive 2021-010 – FY2020 US&R Readiness Cooperative Agreement – Supplemental Award with FY2021 Funding
Implementation Date: September 24, 2021; Re -issue / Expiration Date: September 30, 2021
The 28 National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System (“the System”) task forces have an opportunity to receive supplemental funding within their FY2020 US&R Readiness Cooperative Agreements.
This potential funding will continue to address the finding identified in the last Government Accountability Office (GAO) Audit, which highlighted the System’s need to develop a comprehensive plan to prioritize and finance the replacement of equipment for the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) task forces . Further direction and instruction pertaining to the purchase of specific equipment, along with corresponding specifications and quantities will be provided in subsequent US&R Program Directives after the funding is received. The direction given will address the funding received in this supplemental award.
Terms and Conditions: These supplemental funds may only be used for expenses incurred on/after October 1, 2020 (i.e., they cannot be used to cover expenses incurred before the federal FY 2021). These supplemental funds can be used for expenses incurred through the end of your FY 2020 award period of performance.
Since this action will need to be completed by the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 2021), the System needs to be prepared to receive the funding as soon as it is available. To this end, all task forces will need to initiate and submit a cost amendment request in NDGrants no later than noon on Monday, September 27, 2021 so the supplemental can be awarded when the funding is received.
REQUIRED ACTIONS
The issue is approved for FEMA National US&R Response System implementation.
All task forces are to submit a cost amendment request in NDGrants no later than noon on Monday, September 27, 2021. Because it is unclear as to the amount of funding (if any) that would be provided, each task force should leave the dollar amount blank and this will be filled in once the dollar amount is known. In the “narrative” field, include the following: “This funding
www.fema.gov
US&R Program Directive 2021-010 – FY2020 US&R Readiness Cooperative Agreement – Supplemental with FY2021 Funding
will be used to continue the re-capitalization of the task force equipment cache. More specific direction will be provided by the US&R Branch”
Refer to the attached NDGrants Quick Reference Guide – Viewing and Creating Amendments for instruction on how to submit a cost change amendment.
Attachment
ND Grants Quick Reference Guide – Viewing and Creating Amendments
cc:
US&R Strategic Group
US&R Advisory Group
US&R Branch Staff
FEMA Regional/Federal/International ESF #9 Representatives US&R Task Force Grant Managers
FEMA Grants Program Directorate