Public Assistance Pilot Program

FEMA has developed a Public Assistance Pilot Program (PA Pilot) in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act of 2007, Public Law 109-295. The PA Pilot is designed to reduce the costs to the federal government of providing assistance to states and local governments, increase flexibility in the administration of the Public Assistance Program, and to expedite the provision of assistance to states and local governments.

FEMA will implement the Pilot Program on June 1, 2007, and participation will be open to state and local governments on a voluntary basis. The four Pilot Program procedures are:

1. Providing grants on the basis of estimates for large projects up to $500,000.
2. Providing an additional five percent federal cost share to applicants that have a FEMA-approved debris management plan and at least two pre-qualified debris and wreckage removal contractors identified prior to a disaster.
3. Allowing applicants to retain any revenue from the salvage value of recyclable disaster debris as an incentive to recycle debris.
4. Reimbursing the straight or regular-time salaries and benefits of an applicant's permanently employed staff that performs debris-related activities.

Additional information on the PA Pilot Program may be found at FEMA's Draft Policies and Publications.