This message is for all Applicants that have applied for FEMA Public Assistance relating to the COVID-19 Health Emergency.
If you plan on developing a Streamline Application in Grants Portal for COVID-related reimbursement, please read the following.
DR4480 (COVID-19 disaster) was declared on March 20 with the incident period (the period when you could start claiming costs) beginning on January 20, with no defined end date. As of today, FEMA still has not published a specific list of what items are eligible and what items are not eligible.
On September 1, FEMA issued a new policy that will affect most Public Assistance Applicants. This policy, which becomes effective on September 15, 2020, generally limits COVID eligibility to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and disinfecting costs for medical facilities and first responders who deal directly with COVID cases. This new policy is not retroactive. Purchases and other costs incurred before September 15 should be eligible under the original guidelines.
Because the new policy starts on September 15, 2020, we are recommending that Applicants collect all costs through midnight of September 14, 2020 and submit those costs. There is no deadline for submission.
Since eligibility parameters have not been clarified for the period of January 20 through Sept 14, we are encouraging Applicants to submit all COVID-19-related costs they have incurred during that time frame to force FEMA into making the determination on each claim.
Funding for stockpiling an inventory of eligible PPE is limited to projected need for up to 60 days from date of purchase.
To be eligible, claimed costs must be necessary in order to respond to the pandemic, and the costs must be reasonable pursuant federal regulations and federal cost principles. All costs are subject to standard PA program eligibility and other federal requirements.
See PAPPG V3.1 (2018), 2 CFR Part 200, and the FEMA website for additional guidance.
