The FEMA process can be challenging.
ERS can help.
Constant Change in an Evolving Program
The FEMA Public Assistance program is incredibly dynamic, particularly since the passage of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, updates to uniform guidance and revisions to FEMA procedural documents. The federal administration has overwhelmingly modified the program’s procedures, policies and tools in just a few short years, seemingly serving to benefit some stakeholders more than others.
These changes have resulted in top-down overhauls of guidance documents, procedures, systems, processes, appeals and arbitration, funding categorization, requests for information and general approaches to problem resolution.
Our utility clients have seen major issues resulting from seemingly small problems or routine decisions made during infrastructure repair and storm damage restoration efforts. The ability to identify and circumvent these potential issues is where ERS thrives. By identifying these issues early and presenting solutions, we ensure success for our clients in the current event, while also setting them up for future success.
Misaligned Interests, Lack of Trust & Inconsistent Application of Federal Policy
In so many cases, federal interests do not align with client or state interests. ERS is especially aware of the impacts from federal changes that affect our clients. Although they are supposed to be, these impacts are not uniformly managed by FEMA across their different national regions, resulting in potentially arbitrary action in one area of the country contradicting the actions in another.
These complex challenges require special care and attention to detail to resolve in a manner that keeps the relationship between stakeholders positive while simultaneously moving toward equitable problem resolution.
A Focus on Building Trust to Maximize Grant Funding Outcomes
ERS ensures our clients obtain the maximum grant and the best possible result given their unique conditions. We continuously leverage our experience and connections to ensure consistency and equity for utility provider clients across the United States.
Our highly experienced team members have supported the most challenging and high-profile disasters of the past 25 years. We’ve secured tens of millions of grant dollars that were initially off the table. Our utility clients are happy to provide references.
“Working with ERS on this FEMA project was a great experience. They were extremely friendly and helpful during a difficult time for our Co-op.”
Clay Seymour, CFO of Twin County Electric Power Association
Our Utility Clients
Arkansas
South Carolina
- Aiken Electric Cooperative
- Laurens Electric Cooperative
- Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative
- Broad River Electric Cooperative
- Little River Electric Cooperative
- Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative
- Newberry Electric Cooperative
- Edisto Electric Cooperative
- York Electric Cooperative
North Carolina
New Mexico
Michigan
National Experience
ERS has experience in 22 U.S. states and territories.
Experience Supporting Utility Providers
Just in the last decade, ERS has direct experience with disaster grant claims exceeding $500 Million for 15 utility providers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Michigan, New Mexico and Louisiana.
Our team members have extensive relevant experience and certifications pertaining to grant programs and utility providers. We’ve not only represented utility providers but also state agencies including the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) resolving major utility issues specific to electrical cooperatives and affecting over $300 Million in funding related to legacy declared disasters. We also support municipal utilities with grant claims, including the Buncombe County Metropolitan Sewerage District in North Carolina.
Employee Electric Cooperative Experience
Before joining ERS, Director Katie G., CGMS worked for DEMCO, providing the ERS team with an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of electrical cooperatives. This increases our team’s ability to provide effective, efficient, high-quality and high-value support to our utility provider clients.
Managing Director Kipp N., JD previously worked in the underground utility market. This unique utility knowledge and background, combined with the rest of our team, provides an insider point of view into many of the restoration and repair issues facing utility providers following disaster impacts.
Relevant Certifications, Licenses & Memberships
Our team includes project management professionals, certified grant management specialists and legal advisors. We employ experts to resolve just about any issue we may encounter related to resolving a grant claim.
Additional Talent Pool Resources to Support Projects
ERS utilizes an on-call cadre of hundreds of additional subject matter experts to support our clients. When client demands exceed our capacity, we’re ready to quickly surge to meet their needs.
Services to Utility Providers
Our work encompasses all phases of the project and grant life cycles. Our services are not limited to those listed. Please contact us to inquire.
Disaster Recovery Program Strategy and Advisory Support
- Overall Project Management
- Debris Monitoring and Disposal Management
- Post-Disaster Training, Exercises and Operational Enhancements
Grant Management Strategy and Advisory Support
- FEMA Category Declarations
- Damage Quantification and Estimates
- Grant Formulation
- Grant Management and Closeout
- Contract Compliance Reviews
- Invoice Compliance Reviews
- Management Cost Capture for force account personnel
- Appeals and Arbitration Support
Grant Technical Strategy and Advisory Support
- 50% Repair v. Replace Evaluation
- Environmental Reviews
- Historic Preservation Reviews
- Category F v. B Funding Analysis
- Loan Interest Reimbursement
- Alternate or Improved Project Requests
- 428 Alternate Procedure Projects
- Insurance Deduction Reviews
- Insurance Obtain and Maintain Compliance Reviews
Mitigation Grant Strategy and Advisory Support
- Concept Development
- Funding Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)
- BCA Proposal Submission
EDA Grant Strategy and Advisory Support
- Application Development
- Project Management
We’ve helped organizations recover and maximize grants from 40+ natural disasters.
We’ve worked in 22 states and territories providing support for projects exceeding $1 Billion.
Our involvement has directly led to over 1,000% in grant value increases.
Work Approach
A Dedicated Point of Contact, and On-Site Support As Needed
Our clients are provided a single, dedicated point of contact, with a support team reporting directly to them. This structure provides a simple, easy-to-understand interface. It further reduces communication problems and streamlines the number of meetings required to lead to actionable problem-solving.
As needed or requested, the point of contact team and any other team members join clients on site for meetings, to collect or review documents, or to brainstorm creative solutions to complex problems. We stay with our clients on site as long as we need to, before we pivot to a hybrid on-site and remote support model, and only when that transition makes sense.
We approach every client with flexibility and will adapt to your preferences and your budget.
Accountability & Results
ERS utilizes a custom-developed internal grant oversight management system. The purpose of this system is to track all client expenditures and grant claims and to ensure continuous accountability, problem identification and problem resolution.
The reports generated by our system are used to provide transparency to our clients. They get a snapshot of the overall status of the claimed costs and grant funding and the problems we’re currently working to resolve that impact the overall grant claim.
Federal Programs We Support
ERS has experience across many federal grant programs. Highlighted major programs we have supported include:
- FEMA Public Assistance (PA)
- FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
- HUD CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery)
- FEMA IA (Individual Assistance)
- Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Supplement
- EnergyStar Home Electrification and Appliances Rebate (HEAR)
- Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) Programs
- FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
- Programs related to COVID funding
- Non-Disaster Programs
Funding for Our Services
ERS is cost competitive. We strive to provide reasonable prices and to come in at or under budget, every time. We are flexible and work with our clients to achieve this goal.
Under the FEMA PA program, a Management Cost grant is provided for grant recipients to manage the grant process. This grant is calculated at 5% of the total of all other PA grants obligated for the disaster. The Management Cost grant is not subject to the non-federal cost share, which means that every dollar of work that is documented, invoiced and paid will be reimbursed directly to the utility provider at cost with no cost share or other reductions, assuming compliance requirements are met.
ERS can also assist with capturing costs for direct or temporary staff to support management of any FEMA PA grant claim.
FEMA may also provide Project Management funding when explicitly requested. Unlike management costs, this funding is subject to cost share reductions. These costs are approved as a percentage of the value of the work within a grant, and are provided by FEMA to allow for management of projects for work required regardless of whether FEMA provides assistance. Examples of these costs include EHP permitting, procurement, contract and legal actions, construction oversight and inspections, etc. While these costs do result in an out-of-pocket cost to utility providers, they also provide a separate allocation of additional dollars from FEMA for managing disaster work itself.
Our Team
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