Federal agencies may provide disaster assistance under their own authorities or through mission assignments from FEMA, authorized by the Stafford Act.
FEMA issues mission assignments in anticipation of, or in response to, a Presidential declaration of an emergency or major disaster. Mission assignments allow for deployment, employment and assistance from the full range of federal resources to support disaster needs.
View OpenFEMA Data on Mission Assignments
Funding and Reimbursements
- Other federal agencies providing disaster assistance under their own authorities independent of the Stafford Act are to use their own funding.
- Other federal agencies providing assistance via mission assignments may seek reimbursement from FEMA for eligible costs incurred during performance of the mission.
- Other federal agencies receiving reimbursement from FEMA for goods and services furnished under the provisions of the Stafford Act are to credit such funds to the appropriation used to make such expenditures that are available for obligation on the date of the reimbursement.
- Each Emergency Support Function (ESF) primary agency, in conjunction with its support agencies, should advise the Federal Coordinating Officer /Disaster Recovery Manager of the amount and distribution of funding required in support of the ESF.
- Each ESF primary agency is responsible for tasking support agencies by completing a sub-tasking document that describes the work to be performed, estimates date of completion, and establishes a funding limitation. The primary agency is responsible for monitoring the work progress of a sub-tasked support agency and approving the request for reimbursement submitted by the support agency to the primary agency, and subsequently billing FEMA.
- The ESF primary agency Project/Program Administrator or Financial Officer will certify to FEMA that the expenditures claimed have been reviewed and are relevant to the mission assigned, and that costs are reasonable and supported by documentation.
- Each Federal agency involved is responsible for:
- Maintaining documentation to support requests for reimbursement.
- Notifying FEMA when a task is completed.
- Submitting partial or final reimbursement as soon as possible after completing a task. Final bills should be marked "Final;"
- Reconciling obligation balances with FEMA quarterly, and identifying excess funds available for de-obligation in an effort to return funds to the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) in a timely manner.
- Submitting annual validation of open obligations by providing cost data or other justification to show the amount of the obligation balance that must remain available, and why the assignment must remain open, or risk losing reimbursable authority due to the possible de-obligation of funds; (information may be submitted to FEMA-Disaster-MA-ULO@dhs.gov).
- Identifying a staff-level point of contact for financial coordination with the FEMA Finance Center, and identifying a headquarters-level point of contact for billing and reimbursement issues that cannot be resolved at the staff level.
- Applying proper financial principles, policies, regulations, and management and internal controls to ensure full accountability for the expenditure of DRF funds.
