Subject:
Title
United States Department of Homeland Security-Federal Emergency Management Agency BioWatch grant award in the Federal Emergency Management Agency GO Portal.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator to delegate to the Public Works Department Director the authority to accept the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) BioWatch Grant Award in the FEMA GO Portal.
• BioWatch Program has been ongoing since 2003 under DHS. FEMA is part of DHS. Reorganization of federal agencies moved the BioWatch Program under FEMA.
• DHS-FEMA requires a County Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) to accept the BioWatch Grant Award in the FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO) portal.
• Delegation of Authority Memorandum authorizes the PW Department Director to accept the DHS-FEMA BioWatch Grant Award in the FEMA GO portal after the County’s formal internal review and approval process has been completed.
• DHS-FEMA BioWatch Grant awards expected to be issued on annual basis.
• County Administrator’s signature is required on Delegation of Authority Memorandum.
• This delegation of authority, by itself, has no fiscal impact on Pinellas County.
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Strategic Priorities:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.1 Improve public health.
2.2 Enhance community safety.
Summary:
This action delegates authority from the County Administrator to the PW Department Director to accept the DHS-FEMA BioWatch Grant Award in the FEMA GO portal after the County’s formal internal review and approval process has been completed. Any award the County receives from DHS-FEMA will be one hundred percent (100%) grant funded. Therefore, no County match will be required.
Background/Explanation:
The BioWatch program has been ongoing since 2003 and is subject to certain information security restrictions per DHS-FEMA. All information is considered sensitive, but unclassified, for official use only, and not for public disclosure. Any public records requests made relating to this Agreement should be directed to DHS-FEMA.
Fiscal Impact:
This delegation of authority, by itself, has no fiscal impact on Pinellas County.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to delegate authority to the PW Department Director to accept the BioWatch Grant Award in the FEMA GO portal is granted under Code Section 2-62(a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Kelli Hammer Levy, Director, Public Works
Partners:
DHS-FEMA
Attachments:
Delegation of Authority Memo- DHS-FEMA BioWatch Grant Award