PHMSA Hazmat Grant Program

1. PHMSAHazmatGrant Program NASTTPO Mid-Year Conference October 2012

2. PHMSA Overview

3. US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Every day PHMSA strives to meet the needs of our ultimate customers, the American public, to ensure your communities remain safe, livable, and free from transportation incidents involving hazardous products. We rely on our external partners to work with us in promoting and supporting safe practices through resource utilization, training and awareness, new technology investments and other ways to help pipeline operators and hazardous materials transporters assure safety. 

4. PHMSA Mission To protect people and the environment from the risks inherent in transportation of hazardous materials – by pipeline and other modes of transportation. Preparedness and Response: To reduce the consequences (harm to people, environment, and economy) after a pipeline or hazmat failure has occurred.

5. PHMSA Organization

6. ASSOCIATE ADMININSTRATOR HAZMAT SAFETY MATERIALS Office of Hazmat Safety DEPUTY ASSOCIATE ADMININSTRATOR POLICY AND PROGRAMS DEPUTY ASSOCIATE ADMININSTRATOR FIELD OPERATIONS International Standards Coordinator ENFORCEMENT, FITNESS AND TRAINING STANDARDS AND RULEMAKING ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH APPROVALS AND PERMITS OUTREACH, TRAINING AND GRANTS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS

7. OHMS Divisions • Standards and Rulemakings • Develops regulations and standards for the classifying, handling and packaging of over 1 million daily shipments of hazardous materials within the United States. • Engineering and Research • Provides technical subject matter expertise in support of OHMS efforts. • Approvals and Permits • Approvals authorize the transportation of designated hazardous materials (i.e. explosives) or the performance of a designated hazardous materials function (i.e. cylinder retester) under the PHMSA regulations. • Field Operations • Conducts compliance, incident and accident inspections and investigations; performs safety, performance and regulatory adequacy and fitness determinations; executes outreach, education and training activities. • Outreach, Training and Grants • Provide publications, self-training products, and in-person training opportunities, and assists the first responder communities via Hazardous Materials Grant Programs. • Program Development • Provides integrated planning, development, and evaluation of programmatic activities for the Associate Administrator for the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety.

8. Hazmat Grant Program Overview

9. Hazmat Grant Program Purpose The purpose of this grant program is to increase State, Territorial, Tribal, and local effectiveness in safely and efficiently handling hazardous materials incidents and toencourage a comprehensive approach to emergency training and planning by incorporating the unique challenges of responses to transportation situations.

10. Grant Program Audit • Interim Findings: • Lack of clear internal and external guidance on allowable uses of grant funds (courses, equipment) • Grantee administrative requirements not clear/not well articulated • Inconsistencies in completeness of grantee files • Lack of adequate oversight of grantee performance • Vague proposals included in application • Grantees utilize multiple funding sources (DHS/FEMA, EPA) without clear separation • Numbers Trained (as noted on Report to Congress) are unclear • Failure to manage grants in accordance with “federal norms”: • App Review/Awarding • Admin/Oversight • Close-out • Compliance • Regulations do not align with assurance documents or grantee submissions/practices

11. Grant Program Action Plan

12. The Renewed HMEP Grants Program • PHMSA is committed to ensuring that the HMEP Grant Program is making strides in the area of process improvement.  This requires that the Grant Program monitor efficacy, increase outreach efforts with our grantees, and furthers its reach to the Nation’s first responders.  Grantees will be encouraged to administer high performing HMEP Grant programs within their States, Territories and Tribes.  To facilitate this process, the Grant Program will provide improved IT resources, increased contact with Grant Specialists, and better guidance.

13. The Renewed HMEP Grants Program

14. Grant Specialist Assignments

15. Hazmat Grant Programs

16. Grant Program Process Flow

17. Hazmat Grant Application Overview

18. Hazmat Grant Application • Forms • Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) • Budget for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) • Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) • Combined Assurances (ED-80-0013) • Narrative • Agency Identification • Transportation Fees • Contact Information • Report of Progress • Program Goals and Objectives • Statement of Work for Upcoming Budget Period • SERC/LEPC Involvement • Supplies and Equipment

19. 2012 – 2013 Application Summary • Werecommended that grantees place additional emphasis on the following sections: • Program Goals and Objectives • List goals/objectives of training and planning activities and how they tie into program goals/objectives • Statement of Work • Statement of proposed activities or deliverables • Number of proposed activities or deliverables • Schedule of implementation • Budget Narrative • We are also clarifying that the Report of Progress information may be provided through Quarterly and Final Reports, rather than as a narrative within the application.

20. Hazmat Grant Application PreparationRequirements & Expectations a. Personnel - Staff positions by title • Annual salary • Job title • Role in HMEP grant • Total cost for budget period Budget Narrative b. Fringe Benefits • If included as Direct Cost: • Percentage used (fringe benefit rate) • Basis for computation of rate • If addressed as Indirect Cost: • Do not include amounts for fringe benefits c. Travel • Local Travel: • Estimate of aggregate costs • Mileage reimbursement rate • Reasons for travel • Non-Local Travel: • Estimated # of trips • Purpose and programmatic need • Location and estimated costs d. Equipment • Identify equipment that: • istangible • is non-expendable personal property • has an estimated cost of $5,000+/unit • has a useful life of more than 1 year • will be used during proposed planning • or training activities e. Supplies (tangible property other than “Equipment”) • Identify categories of supplies to be procured • which will be used during proposed planning or • training activities • Identify “sensitive” items (laptops, GPSs, etc.) • and associated cost/unit f. Contractual • Anticipated expenditures for services/analyses or • consultants • Specify purpose and estimated cost h. Other • - Provide detailed information on other subgrants, • Insurance, space rental, printing, publication, • Postage, utilities, telephone, rental of equipment • and supplies, and activities not covered under other • budget categories. j. Indirect Charges • Identify cognizant federal agency for negotiation of • indirect cost rate • - State approved indirect rate • Provide copy of most recent negotiated agreement

21. Eligible Activities Ineligible • Multi-Agency Hazmat Drills-includes Hazardous Materials Spill Drills and Hazmat Tabletop Exercises • Hazmat Technician Training • Hazmat drills and exercises to test State and County emergency response capabilities and to identify gaps in training and planning needs • Commodity Flow Studies • Incident Command • General Hazmat Public Awareness • Hazmat decontamination in a hospital setting • WMD Training • Request for multi-year funding • Operational Equipment • All-Hazards training courses • LEPC Operations Cost

22. Planning Activities Planning Grant – Examples of Eligible Activities • Tabletop Exercises • Commodity Flow Studies • Emergency Response Drills Associated with Emergency Preparedness Plan • NASTTPO Conference

23. Training Activities Training Grant – Examples of Eligible Activities • Training Classes for Hazardous Materials Incident Response • Awareness • First Responder Operations • Technician • Technician Upgrade • Technician Refresher • Hazardous Materials Whistlestop • Tour: Chlorine • Statewide Transportation of • Hazardous Materials Expo

24. Hazmat Grant Administration Overview

25. HMEP Grant ManagementExpectations & Requirements Grantees are expected to: • Institute a structured review and evaluation process for subgrants • Document and support use of federal funds and matching through record keeping to ensure sub-grants meet PHMSA grant requirements • Ensure that federal funds for sub-grants are used for actual expenses versus generic operational expenses • Ensure that matching amounts should be based on documented volunteer hours and/or expenses

26. Hazmat Grant Awards • Awards may be offered with conditions that must be met to access funding • Awarded mid-September via Email • Awards must be accepted, signed and returned within 60 days of offer to be valid

27. PHMSA Grant Schedule Application Schedule March 1st Application Process Begins May 1st Deadline for Applications Sept 30th HMEP Grants Awarded* Oct 1st All Grants Open for Use (HMEP, HMIT, and SPSTG) Dec 31st Deadline for Submission of Final Report** Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb April 1st 2nd Qtr SF-425 Due July 1st 3rd Qtr SF-425 Due Sept 30th 4th Qtr SF-425 Due Dec 31st Close-Out Reports Due Jan 1st 1st Qtr SF-425 Due ** Grantee must submit a Final Report with a final SF-425 for Planning and for Training, final Narrative Report, and Grant Accountability Questionnaire. Grant Activity Schedule * Grant award must be signed and returned before funds are available for disbursement.

28. Program Requirements • Forms • SF-270s (Reimbursements) • Quarterly SF-425s (Federal Financial Reports) • Final Report (Narrative, SF-425 & Questionnaire) www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms

29. Delphi eInvoicing System • The Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented a program to transform and automate the grants payment process. This program will improve online invoice processing activities by enabling submission of invoices (i.e., requests for reimbursement) electronically via a new system called the Delphi eInvoicing System at https://einvoice.esc.gov. • .

30. Grant Portal – Home Page The Grant Portal was developed in an effort to improve administrative  efficiency in the Grant program.  This tool allows grantees to request post-award  changes to their award via the Activity Request and changes to contact information through the Portal.  https://hazmatgrants.phmsa.dot.gov

31. Desk Reviews & Site Visits Desk reviews will involve in-depth evaluations of grantee files and supporting documentation.  Site Visits include on-site discussions and process reviews resulting in presentation of findings and possible requirement for corrective actions.  1 3 2

32. Questions • Program: Grant Specialist or HMEP.Grants@dot.gov • Grants.gov: Carrie Brown Winslow, Carrie.Winslow@dot.gov (757)689-3168 • General: www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/grants • (202)366-1109