The Emergency Management Training Program is designed to enhance the States' emergency management training program to increase State capabilities and those of local governments in this field, as well as to give States the opportunity to develop new capabilities and techniques. The Program is an ongoing intergovernmental endeavor which combines financial and human resources to fill the unique training needs of local government, State emergency staffs and State agencies, as well as the general public. States will have the opportunity to develop, implement and evaluate various approaches to accomplish FEMA emergency objectives as well as goals and objectives of their own. The intended result is an enhanced capability to protect lives and property through planning, mitigation, operational skill, and rapid response in case of disaster or attack on this country.

(a) The program is designed for all States regardless of their present level of involvement in training or their degree of expertise in originating and presenting training courses in the past. The needs of individual States, difference in numbers to be trained, and levels of sophistication in any previous training program have been recognized. It is thus believed that all States are best able to meet their own unique situations and those of local government by being given this opportunity and flexibility.

(b) Each State is asked to submit an acceptable application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the first year of which will be required to be detailed. The remaining two year program should be presented in terms of ongoing training objectives and programs. In the first year plan applicants shall delineate their objectives in training and education, including a description of the programs to be offered, and identify the audiences and numbers to be trained. Additionally, the State is asked to note the month in which the activity is to be presented, the location, and cost estimates including instructional costs and participant's travel and per diem. These specifics of date, place, and costs will be required for the first year of any three year plan. A three year plan will be submitted each year with an application. Each negotiated agreement will include a section of required training (Radiological Defense), and a section including optional courses to be conducted in response to State and local needs.

(c) FEMA support to the States in their training program for State and local officials, has been designed around three Program elements. Each activity listed in the State Training and Education (T&E) Plan will be derived from the following three elements:

(1) Government Conducted Courses: Such courses require the least capability on the part of the State. They are usually conducted through provisions in a FEMA Regional Support Contract and/or FEMA or other Federal agency staff. The State's responsibilities fall primarily into administrative areas of recruiting participants, making all arrangements for the facilities needed for presentation of the course, and the handling of the cost reimbursement to participants, though State staff may participate as instructors. These courses for example include:

(i) Career Development Courses: Phases I, II, and III,

(ii) Radiological Officer and Instructor Courses,

(iii) Technical Workshops on Disaster Recovery or Hazard Mitigation.

(2) Government and recipient conducted courses: Responsibilities in these courses fall jointly upon Federal and State government as agreed in the planning for the course. Courses in this category might include:

(i) Emergency Management Workshops,

(ii) Multijurisdictional Emergency Operations Simulation Training.

(3) Recipient conducted courses: This element requires the greatest degree of sophistication in program planning and delivery on the part of the State. Training events proposed by the State must be justified as addressing Emergency Management Training Program objectives. Additionally, they must address State or community needs and indicate the State's ability to present and carry out the Program of Instruction. Courses in this category could include:

(i) Radiological Monitoring,

(ii) Emergency Operations Simulating Training,

(iii) Shelter Management.

(d) In order that this three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical manner, each State will be provided three target appropriation figures, one for each of the three program years. States will develop their proposals, using the target figure to develop their scope of work. Adjustments in funding and the scope of work will be subject to negotiation before finalization. Both the funding and the scope of work will be reviewed each year and adjustments in the out years will reflect increased sophistication and expertise of the States as well as changing training needs within each State.

(e)(1) FEMA funding through the State Cooperative Agreement for the training activities is to be used for travel and per diem expenses of students selected by the States for courses reflecting individually needed or required training. Additionally funds may be expended for course materials and instructor expenses. The funding provided in the State Cooperative Agreement is not for the purpose of conducting ongoing State activities or for funding staff positions to accomplish work to be performed under this Agreement. Nor is the Agreement for the purpose of purchasing equipment which may be obtained with the help of Personnel and Administrative funds. In cases where equipment has been identified as needed in the scope of work submitted with the application, and where it serves as an outreach to a new audience or methodology, equipment purchase may be approved at the time of initial application approval.

(2) Allowable cost will be funded at 100%.

Each of the 50 States, independent commonwealths, and territories is eligible to participate in a State Cooperative Agreement with FEMA. The department, division, or agency of the State government assigned the responsibility for State training in comprehensive emergency management should file the application.

(a) Award. Each State desiring to participate will negotiate the amount of financial support for the training and education program. Deciding factors will be the scope of the program, a prudent budget, the number of individuals to be trained, and variety of audiences included which are in need of training. All these factors are part of the required application as discussed in § 360.2.

(b) Period of agreement. Agreements will be negotiated annually and will be in effect for a period of 12 months. Each agreement, however, will include a scope of work for three years as reflected in § 360.2(b) to give continuity to the total training and education program.

(c) Submission procedure. Each State applicant shall comply with the following procedures:

(1) Issuance of a request for application: Each State emergency management agency will receive a Request for Application Package from the State's respective FEMA Regional Administrator.

(2) How to submit: Each State shall submit the completed application package to the Regional Administrator of the Appropriate Region.

(3) Application package: The Application Package should include:

(i) A transmittal letter signed by the State Director of the agency tasked with emergency management responsibilities for that State.

(ii) A three year projected training and education scope of work including both “required” training and “optional” courses. The first of the projected three year program is to be detailed as to list of courses, description of training to be offered, audiences to be reached and numbers to be trained. Dates and locations of training as well as costs of delivery and student travel and per diem are to be estimated. Special instructions for this portion of the submittal will be included in the Application Package.

(iii) Standard Form 270 “Request for Advance or Reimbursement” as required by 2 CFR parts 200 and 3002 and FEMA General Provisions for Cooperative Agreements.

(d) Reporting agreements. Recipients of State Agreement benefits will report quarterly during the Federal Fiscal year, directly to the Regional Administrator of their respective Regions. The report should include a narrative of the training programs conducted accompanied by rosters for each event, agenda, and a summary financial statement on the status of the Agreement funds. Any course or training activity included in the Scope of Work and not presented as scheduled should be explained in detail as to the reason for cancellation in the quarterly report. The costs allocated to this cancelled activity should be reprogrammed to another training activity approved by the Regional Administrator no later than the last day of the 3rd quarter, or released to the Region. An evaluation of the degree to which objectives were met, the effectiveness of the methodology, and the appropriateness of the resources and references used should also be included in the quarterly report. The report is due in the Regional Office no later than the 15th day of January, April, and July. A final report for the year is due the 15th of October.

The legal funding instrument for the State Assistance Program for Training and Education FEMA is the State Cooperative Agreement. All States will be required to comply with FEMA General Provisions for the State Cooperative Agreement. The General Provisions for the State Cooperative Agreement will be provided to the States as part of the Request for Application package. The General Provisions will become part of the Cooperative Agreement.