If an applicant wishes to seek Public Assistance funding; it must first submit an RPA to FEMA through the recipient. Recipients must submit an applicant completed RPA to the FEMA RA within 30 days after designation of the area where the damage occurred. FEMA may extend this deadline if the recipient submits a request in writing with justification based on extenuating circumstances beyond the recipient or the applicant control.Confusion on the Applicant part; and limited staffing and resources due to the disaster events does not constitute extenuating circumstances beyond its or the Recipient control. The Applicant has not demonstrated extenuating circumstances beyond either its or the Recipient control to justify the late submission of the RPA. Therefore; this appeal is denied.

HeadnotesIf an applicant wishes to seek Public Assistance funding; it must first submit an RPA to FEMA through the recipient. Recipients must submit an applicant’s completed RPA to the FEMA RA within 30 days after designation of the area where the damage occurred. FEMA may extend this deadline if the recipient submits a request in writing with justification based on extenuating circumstances beyond the recipient’s or the applicant’s control.Confusion on the Applicant’s part; and limited staffing and resources due to the disaster events does not constitute extenuating circumstances beyond its or the Recipient’s control. ConclusionThe Applicant has not demonstrated extenuating circumstances beyond either its or the Recipient’s control to justify the late submission of the RPA. Therefore; this appeal is denied.