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o Travel costs (e.g., airfare; mileage, per diem, hotel) are allowable as expenses by employees who are on travel
<br /> status for official business related to approved training.
<br /> o Hiring of Full or Part-Time Staff or Contractors/Consultants to support training-related activities. Payment
<br /> of salaries and fringe benefits must be in accordance with the policies of the State or unit(s) of local government
<br /> and have the approval of the State or awarding agency, whichever is applicable. Such costs must be included
<br /> within the funding allowed for program management personnel expenses, which must not exceed 15 percent of
<br /> the total allocation as specified in section E.6. In no case is dual compensation allowable (see above).
<br /> o Certification/Recertification of Instructors is an allowable cost. States are encouraged to follow the FEMA
<br /> Instructor Quality Assurance Program to ensure a minimum level of competency and corresponding levels of
<br /> evaluation of student learning. This is particularly important for those courses that involve training of trainers.
<br /> C. Exercises
<br /> Exercises specifically designed for or that include participation from non-governmental entities and the general
<br /> public are allowable activities and may include testing public warning systems, evacuation/shelter in-place
<br /> capabilities, family/school/business preparedness, and participating in table-top or full scale emergency responder
<br /> exercises at the local, State, tribal, territorial, or national level, to include the National Level Exercises (formally
<br /> known as Top Officials Exercise (TOPOFF]).
<br /> .Allowable exercise-related costs include:
<br /> • Funds Used to Design, Develop, Conduct, and Evaluate an Exercise — Includes costs related to
<br /> planning, meeting space and other meeting costs, facilitation costs, materials and supplies, travel,
<br /> and documentation. Grantees are encouraged to use government facilities to conduct meetings and
<br /> conferences whenever possible.
<br /> • Hiring of Full or Part-Time Staff or Contractors/Consultants _ Full or parttime staff maybe
<br /> hired to support exercise-related activities. Such costs must be included within the funding allowed
<br /> for program management personnel expenses, which must not exceed 15 percent of the total
<br /> allocation. The applicant's formal written procurement policy or the Federal Acquisition Regulations
<br /> (FAR) — whichever is more stringent — must be followed. In no case is dual compensation allowable.
<br /> • Overtime and Backfill — The entire amount of overtime costs, including payments related to
<br /> backfilling personnel, which are the direct result of time spent on the design, development, and
<br /> conduct of exercises are allowable expenses. These costs are allowed only to the extent the payment
<br /> for such services is in accordance with the policies of the State or unit(s) of local government and
<br /> has the approval of the State or the awarding agency, whichever is applicable. In no case is dual
<br /> compensation allowable. That is, an employee of a unit of government may not receive
<br /> compensation from their unit or agency of government AND from an award for a single period of
<br /> time (e.g., 1 :00 p.m. to 5 :00 p.m.), even though such work may benefit both activities.
<br /> • Travel — Travel costs are allowable as expenses by employees who are on travel status for official
<br /> business related to the planning and conduct of exercise project(s) or HSEEP programmatic
<br /> requirements as described in the HSEEP website (e.g., Improvement Plan Workshops, Training and
<br /> Exercise Plan).
<br /> • Supplies — Supplies are items that are expended or consumed during the course of the planning and
<br /> conduct of the exercise project(s) (e.g. , copying paper, gloves, tape, non-sterile masks, and
<br /> disposable protective equipment).
<br /> • Other Items — These costs include the rental of equipment (e.g., portable toilets, tents), food,
<br /> gasoline, exercise signs, badges, etc.
<br /> Unauthorized exercise-related costs include:
<br /> • Reimbursement for the maintenance and/or wear and tear costs of general use vehicles (e.g. ,
<br /> construction vehicles) and emergency response apparatus (e.g., fire trucks, ambulances).
<br /> • Equipment that is purchased for permanent installation and/or use, beyond, the scope of exercise
<br /> conduct (e.g., electronic messaging signs).
<br /> Exercise Requirements
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