Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 9 | DHS 18 MT 045 09 01

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the FY 2018 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 9 opportunity?

This is a FEMA grant and cooperative agreement opportunity under the Department of Homeland Security. It is designed to strengthen the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by building and formalizing working partnerships between FEMA and capable State, Tribal, regional, and local entities to develop, maintain, and communicate flood risk information more effectively.

What is the main purpose of the CTP Program in Region 9?

The purpose is to improve the quality, usefulness, and local ownership of flood risk data and tools so communities can better reduce flood losses, support long-term resilience, and meet ongoing NFIP regulatory responsibilities. The work is closely tied to FEMA's Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program and the broader NFIP mission.

How does this program support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)?

The CTP Program supports the NFIP by improving flood hazard and flood risk products that NFIP-participating communities rely on, including Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and related datasets. These products are used for floodplain management, mitigation planning, and insurance rating, and they help communities maintain compliance with NFIP rules.

What kinds of activities can be funded under this opportunity?

Funded activities can include program management tasks, technical flood risk analysis, flood hazard mapping, and efforts to communicate flood risk information to the public and decision-makers. The emphasis is on producing and maintaining flood risk data and mapping products (including FIRMs and related datasets) used by communities for floodplain management and mitigation.

Is this funding intended for organizations starting a brand-new flood mapping program?

No. FEMA notes that the program is meant to enhance existing capability. Applicants are expected to already have systems and processes in place that support flood hazard and risk data collection, development, evaluation, dissemination, and communication. Federal support is positioned as a way to scale up or improve established work rather than start from scratch.

Who is eligible to apply for this Region 9 CTP opportunity?

Eligibility is limited and tied directly to CTP status. Only qualified Cooperating Technical Partners can receive awards, meaning the applicant must have a signed CTP Partnership Agreement with FEMA Headquarters or a FEMA Regional Office. In addition, the recipient must either be (or represent) an NFIP community in good standing, or be a FEMA-approved nonprofit whose primary mission supports NFIP goals and objectives.

Does an applicant need to already be a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP)?

Yes. This is not a general open competition for new entrants. Only entities that are already qualified CTPs with a signed CTP Partnership Agreement with FEMA Headquarters or a FEMA Regional Office are eligible to receive an award.

What types of organizations are listed as eligible applicant types?

The listing includes: state governments, counties, cities or townships, special districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, and qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits, plus other entities as clarified by FEMA. However, receiving an award is still dependent on being a qualified CTP with a signed partnership agreement and meeting the NFIP-related requirements described in the opportunity.

What does FEMA mean by an "NFIP community in good standing" for this opportunity?

The opportunity states that the recipient must either be (or represent) an NFIP community in good standing, or be a FEMA-approved nonprofit whose primary mission supports NFIP goals and objectives. The detailed criteria for "good standing" are not defined in the provided summary and would be handled within FEMA's NFIP participation framework and the partnership context.

What baseline capabilities must applicants demonstrate?

Applicants need to show they already operate non-federally funded processes or systems supporting the collection, development, evaluation, dissemination, and communication of flood hazard and risk assessment data and mapping. FEMA also expects partners to demonstrate the capability to carry out the proposed work, meet CTP performance metrics, and provide timely and accurate performance reporting.

What reporting and performance expectations come with an award?

Recipients are expected to meet CTP performance metrics and provide timely, accurate performance reporting. The opportunity highlights FEMA's expectation of operational discipline, including consistent updates to FEMA systems where required and ongoing coordination typical of a cooperative agreement.

Are there specific FEMA platforms or workflows that recipients must use?

Yes, where applicable. Recipients must agree to complete mapping-related work in FEMA's Mapping Information Platform (MIP) and keep activities updated at least every 30 days for the Studies workflow, and more frequently for the Revisions workflow.

What is the Mapping Information Platform (MIP) requirement in plain terms?

If the funded work involves mapping activities covered by FEMA's MIP, the partner must use that platform to manage and document the work and must keep the project information current. The opportunity specifies a minimum update cadence of every 30 days for Studies and more frequent updates for Revisions.

Is pre-application coordination with FEMA required?

The program is structured so applicants are expected to coordinate with FEMA before submitting an application. The purpose is to align proposed tasks with FEMA priorities, objectives, and performance measures, and to clarify what work will be funded.

What role does FEMA play during the project if an award is made?

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, reflecting FEMA's expectation of ongoing federal involvement and coordination during execution. FEMA may also provide non-monetary support such as technical assistance, training, and data to help partners deliver work within the program categories.

Can FEMA provide support other than money?

Yes. FEMA may provide non-monetary support such as technical assistance, training, and data to support partners carrying out funded activities.

Does FEMA allow the federal funding to replace a partner's own resources?

No. FEMA frames the federal funding as additive. Awarded funds are meant to supplement, not replace, the partner's leveraged resources, data, and capacity that they bring to the project.

What documents and requirements govern the award if selected?

If selected, the recipient must comply with multiple layers of requirements, including: the public funding announcement, the specific terms and conditions of the award, the existing CTP Partnership Agreement, and FEMA-approved scope documents such as a Statement of Work or a Mapping Activity Statement.

Where do applicants get the required templates or formats for scope documents like the Statement of Work?

FEMA indicates that templates and required formats can be obtained through the granting organization, either the FEMA Region or FEMA Headquarters. This reflects that the work is managed within FEMA's established mapping and risk communication framework.

Is this opportunity considered an open-ended research grant?

No. FEMA describes this as a partnership-driven program focused on flood hazard mapping, flood risk products, and risk communication within FEMA platforms, performance metrics, and reporting timelines. The summary emphasizes defined scope documents and coordination, rather than open-ended research.

What is the funding type and instrument for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding, and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This structure signals that FEMA expects active involvement and coordination during the period of performance.

What is the CFDA number for this FEMA opportunity?

The listing identifies the program under CFDA 97.045.

When was this opportunity posted and what were the key dates?

The posting was created on June 1, 2018. The original closing date listed is July 2, 2018.

How many awards did FEMA anticipate making?

FEMA anticipated making about seven awards for this opportunity.

Is there a stated maximum award amount (ceiling) in the listing?

The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the listing summary. That typically indicates the summary did not state a specific per-award maximum and that the ceiling would need to be confirmed in the full announcement or through FEMA during pre-application coordination.

What flood risk products are emphasized in this program?

The opportunity places major emphasis on flood risk data and products such as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and related datasets. These are core tools for floodplain management, mitigation planning, and insurance rating in NFIP-participating communities.

How should applicants think about the overall intent of Region 9's CTP opportunity?

It is best understood as a partnership-focused vehicle for improving flood hazard mapping and flood risk products, strengthening local and state capability to manage and communicate flood risk, and ensuring NFIP communities have better tools for mitigation and compliance. It is aimed at established CTP partners that can demonstrate technical competence and the ability to work within FEMA platforms, metrics, and reporting timelines.