**** THIS REQUIREMENT IS VALUED AT BETWEEN $5,000 TO $10,000 ****** CPA Needed to Provide Professional and Technical expertise to evaluate, analyze and review the Appeal Documentation submitted by St. Tammy Parish Fire District#12 in Louisiana. STATEMENT OF WORK: PROJECT TITLE: Special Community Disaster Loan Program Appeal - St. Tammany Parish Fire District #12 (Louisiana) II. PURPOSE: FEMA's is requesting contract support for the review, analysis, research and written responses to the Special Community Disaster Loan (SCDL) program second appeal for St. Tammany Parish Fire District #12 (Louisiana). The contract is necessary to employ technical and programmatic expertise to ensure that responses are technically sound and consistent with the laws, regulations, and policies that govern the Public Assistance (PA) Program. The contract will provide effective management and administration of the appeal process to ensure that responses are coordinated effectively with Headquarters and Regional offices, prepared efficiently and completed within regulatory timeframes. III. BACKGROUND: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 417, 42 U.S.C 5184 (hereafter referred to as the Stafford Act), authorizes the President to provide Federal Assistance to supplement State, Tribal and local efforts to respond to and recover from emergencies and major disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), coordinates the delivery of assistance under the Stafford Act and provides grants and loans through the Public Assistance Program to provide assistance for the extraordinary costs for response and recovery activities. FEMA may make a SCDL available, subject to Congressional loan authority, to any local government that has suffered a substantial loss of tax and other revenues as a result of a Presidentially-declared major disaster and demonstrates a need for Federal financial assistance in order to provide essential services (Special CDL Program). The funds can only be used to maintain existing functions of a municipal operating character. Applicants must be in a designated major disaster area and must demonstrate that they meet the specific conditions of FEMA Disaster Assistance Regulations 44 CFR Part 206, Subpart K, Community Disaster Loans and The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-6) Section 564. Upon declaration of a major disaster, application for a SCDL is made through the Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR) to the FEMA Regional Administrator in accordance with FEMA Disaster Assistance Regulations, 44 CFR 206.374. The Assistant Administrator of the Recovery Directorate or its designee approves or disapproves the loan. The loan must be approved in the fiscal year of the disaster or the financial year immediately following. If a loan application is disapproved, in whole or in part, a revised application may be resubmitted by the local government within 60 days of the date of the disapproval. After the third fiscal year post-disaster, FEMA analysts evaluate the financial situation of the grantee and determine their ability to re-pay the loan funds drawn. If this review concludes that the grantee has a cumulative operating deficit equal to the amount drawn and also had a revenue loss during the 5 to 7 years post-disaster, the loan may be forgiven in part or in full. Once a determination is made, grantee has 60 days from determination date to appeal this determination. IV. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS: 44 CFR Part 206, Subpart K, - 206.370-206.399, Special Community Disaster Loans and the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6) - 564. V. SPECIFIC TASKS: The offeror shall provide professional and technical expertise to evaluate, analyze and review the appeal documentation submitted by St. Tammany Parish Fire District #12 in accordance with the provisions of 44 CFR Part 206 and The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-6), Section 564. The results of the review, including recommendations, shall be documented in a written report based on guidance from applicable regulations. 1) The contractor assigned to the appeal shall have a working knowledge of FEMA regulations in order to develop and provide sound recommendations to FEMA HQ on the eligibility of the work being appealed. The contractor shall gather and review appeal documentation and perform related research. This will include the review and feedback of previously made decisions. Research will require the reviewer to understand the laws, regulations and policies that govern the Program. 2) For the appeal reviewed, the contractor shall prepare a letter/memo stating the following (via electronic means): (1) Background information regarding loan to include loan number, date loan approved, loan amount and amount drawn; (2) Applicant's basis for reconsideration; (3) Analysis performed to support findings; and (4) Findings/recommendations 3) The contractor shall complete the appeal review and provide written recommendations. 4) The contractor shall provide effective Management and Administration of the appeals process to ensure that the required deliverables are coordinated and completed within the programmatic regulatory timeframes. 5) The contractor shall successfully execute all the Objectives and Deliverables listed herein within the period of performance, unless there is a more innovative approach to said objectives. FEMA will provide the following information for the appeal review: 1) Full cancellation analysis, 2) Applicant's audits (Special CDLs are anywhere from 5 to 7 years post disaster), 3) Any additional information not provided in the original cancellation application. VI. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The contractor shall provide support on the appeal process under the SCDL program to include but not limited to: analyses, cost estimating, review, writing determination, decision paper and proving recommendations based upon historical data. ? The Government is requesting one (1) technical specialist. The Technical Specialist involved in the review shall: ? Be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a minimum of five years of relevant professional experience. ? Have working knowledge of federal accounting practices and standards. ? Have skills in technical writing. ? A working knowledge of FEMA's PA Program is preferred. The Technical Specialist is being requested to assist with the development of recommendations to FEMA Headquarters on the PA Program eligibility of the work being appealed (accounting/CDL Program). ? The offeror shall specify the name, title, educational background, relevant work experience, and number of hours proposed for the Technical Specialist. ? The offeror will be required to provide a Conflict of Interest statement identifying how the offeror will manage and control potential and perceived conflicts. The offeror must provide a detailed past work history of the Technical Specialist who will be employed on this contract, and such information shall be made public upon award of the contract. At a minimum, the offeror's proposed Technical Specialist shall have no prior input in providing the initial SCDL recommendation(s) for St. Tammany Parish Fire District #12 while performing on behalf of FEMA or a FEMA contractor/subcontractor. Beyond this limitation, the offeror shall be evaluated for their entire work history with FEMA or a FEMA contractor and/or subcontractor for any appearance or actual conflict of interest, or other factors which could otherwise prejudice the independence of the offeror. If the offeror has current or past work history with the SCDL program, the offeror should include their participation in the project and describe in detail all duties performed. VII. DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE: The Contractor must provide the following deliverable: Deliverables Tasks Due Date Written Recommendations 1 3 weeks from date of award VIII. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED EQUIPMENT AND INFORMATION: The Contractor shall provide all materials, tools, equipment, labor and supervision necessary to perform the requisite tasks. IX. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Most of the work can be completed off-site and at the contractor's respective home office location. X. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Three (3) weeks from date of award XI. SECURITY: Upon award, the technical specialist must report to: The Community Disaster Loan Program Manager. Contact information to be announced at time of award.