FEMA PA APPEAL SHORT SUMMARY & LINKS TO FEMA PA APPEAL WEBSITE

This is in response to a letter from your office dated July 24, 2013, which transmitted the referenced second appeal on behalf of the City of Tallahassee (Applicant). The Applicant is appealing the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of $5,700,000.00 for the replacement of a damaged sewer force main and $82,832.00 for contract work to remove and dispose of sewage and to perform pipe inspections. As explained in the enclosed analysis, I have determined that the Applicant has provided sufficient information to demonstrate it was not feasible to repair the force main. Accordingly, I am granting the appeal as it relates to the replacement of the force main in PW 2149. The Applicant also provided documentation to justify some of the actual costs claimed for the work; however it was not sufficient to support the $5,702,350.00 claimed. The documentation supported the eligibility and reasonableness of $5,225,747.89 for the replacement of the force main. Regarding the contracts for sewage removal and disposal and inspections, I have determined that the Applicant did not competitively bid the services nor did it perform a cost analysis at the time it procured the contract services. Therefore, I am denying the appeal as it relates to the services in PW 2150. By copy of this letter, I am requesting the Regional Administrator to take appropriate action to implement this determination. Please inform the Applicant of my decision. This determination is the final decision on this matter pursuant to 44 C.F.R. §206.206, Appeals.