Did FEMA run out of money and flee the country?

[medstudent13]

I've been trying to contact them for 2 straight weeks. No one has answered my emails or returned my calls. I've called/emailed my GMS and my regional rep. Where are they?

Are the federal offices in Washington open yet, or are they still closed because of the snow?

[DFDCar1]

No, they are there. They just see on the Caller ID that it's you again, so they are ignoring you! Nothing to be paranoid about... Remember, it can't be a Government Conspiracy! Our government isn't well enough organized to conspire! ;^)

[SLY4420]

RELAX!!!

[medstudent13]

They must surf firehouse.com. I just got a call from the regional rep, and the GMS answered me. lol. I almost just had a heart attack because both the regional rep and GMS said it didn't look like they had received anything from me. But, the GMS re-checked and she has it.

FYI, she said the reduction notification will come later. So, ignore the ambiguous line in the 10Qs when you get them.

Dear Mother Nature, please no more winter storms. Our company needs our grant for our 4x4 vehicle. Dumping 3.5 feet of snow on us only makes our situation more dangerous, and our need for a 4x4 more critical.

[SLY4420]

FYI, she said the reduction notification will come later. So, ignore the ambiguous line in the 10Qs when you get them.

Which is exactly what I replied to you previously.

[shesinsane]

Are the federal offices in Washington open yet, or are they still closed because of the snow?

The Federal government was closed last week Monday thru Thursday, limited opening Friday and today (Monday was a Federal holiday so everything was closed). Tomorrow (Wednesday Feb. 17th) the Federal government is scheduled to be open as usual.

Just be patient... but it's hard to be patient when other people on the forum are celebrating their awards. The awards will be announced for weeks, your turn might still come.

[onebugle]

FYI, she said the reduction notification will come later. So, ignore the ambiguous line in the 10Qs when you get them.

Sly,

I'm pretty sure we both explained that issue in different posts. It's like talking to my kids...they are hearing what you say, but aren't listening to what you are saying.

[medstudent13]

lol..i heard both of you. But, if you remember, there was a little argument going on in that thread as to what I should do. I'd trust both of you with a lot of things, but I'm way overprotective of my grant application. I just had to make sure.

Also, sometimes I send emails, and people never get them. Remember, I'm in medical school. My emails come with ultra-high security settings to protect the patient information that I send. Not all email accounts can receive emails from me. Better safe than sorry.

[ktb9780]

lol..i heard both of you. But, if you remember, there was a little argument going on in that thread as to what I should do. I'd trust both of you with a lot of things, but I'm way overprotective of my grant application. I just had to make sure.

Also, sometimes I send emails, and people never get them. Remember, I'm in medical school. My emails come with ultra-high security settings to protect the patient information that I send. Not all email accounts can receive emails from me. Better safe than sorry.

medstudent, just bear in mind when you are in here that many of us have been there, done that and got the shirt to prove it. The GMS and FPS help desk is not infallible; I have dozens of cases where direct information they gave out was entirely contradictory to their own Program Guidance. That is not to say they do not do a fine job but, they are human just as we are and we all make mistakes. The one thing you can count on with the people that have been communicatiing with you; none of us wants to ever see anyone NOT get funded.It is a combination of experience, knowledge from these folks and the knowledge from the program office that you meld togther and make a succesful applcaition with.

[medstudent13]

I just got my reduction notice. I'm asking you gurus for help again.

I vaguely remember some statement in the FAQs, PG, or Grant Management Tutorial that stated something along the lines of " You must use the funds to purchase the items specified in the narrative." Anyone know where that is at?

I'm trying to argue that we can't purchase the ambulance we specified with the reduced funds.

[ktb9780]

I just got my reduction notice. I'm asking you gurus for help again.

I vaguely remember some statement in the FAQs, PG, or Grant Management Tutorial that stated something along the lines of " You must use the funds to purchase the items specified in the narrative." Anyone know where that is at?

I'm trying to argue that we can't purchase the ambulance we specified with the reduced funds.

Medstudat13t I think you are headed for asking them to restore funding to your award. What did you ask for and what are they proposing as a reduction to offer you?

[SLY4420]

In the award notification package, it quotes:

...the grantee shall perform the work described in the approved grant application as itemized in the request details section of the application and further described in the grant application's narrative.

However, this is to say that you don't deviate from your award. You can still argue your case if properly justified in your narrative with the 4x4 issue.

[medstudent13]

Thanks guys. Please provide some feedback if you have time. Here is what I plan to send:

Dear Ms. XXXXX,

Certainly we will accept any funding that we can get. However, we do not believe we can complete this project as it was originally designed with the reduced funds.

In our application, we specified a "type III four wheel drive ambulance." As you will note in our narrative, "64% of all roads in XXXXX Township are dirt or gravel." Additionally, "there have been instances where our ambulance was significantly delayed in reaching a patient because of mud or snow on these unpaved roads." Therefore, we believe it is necessary to purchase a four wheel drive ambulance.

We recently asked two different vendors for a price quote on a type III four wheel drive ambulance. We asked them to provide the lowest price they would offer us on a very basic unit. One vendor told us $143,000 - $148,000. The other vendor provided a quote of $150,000.

Is there any chance that you will reconsider this reduction? Feel free to contact me by phone if you would like to discuss this further.

[medstudent13]

Here's the original request:

The Program Office has made the following reductions to your grant:

The approved cost for the vehicle is $123,500 not $142,010. Therefore, they have recommended the award at this level:

Total budget $123,500

Federal share $117,325

Applicant Share $6,175

Please clearly indicate if you would or would not accept a grant with these reductions

[jam24u]

Med, get all your ducks in a row. Reread and refresh everything from the beginning in your head. Look at the budget details on your online application again, then take a deep breath and call your contact who sent you the reduction. You do not have to accept the reduction until you reply to the reduction email . Just be prepared and stay calm. Remember they can't eat you.

[medstudent13]

Med, get all your ducks in a row. Reread and refresh everything from the beginning in your head. Look at the budget details on your online application again, then take a deep breath and call your contact who sent you the reduction. You do not have to accept the reduction until you reply to the reduction email . Just be prepared and stay calm. Remember they can't eat you.

I don't plan on sending this for a few hours. I want to give the other gurus a chance to answer since they've been through this before.

You said to call? Can't I just email. I'm much more persuasive in writing than speaking. lol

Also, our operating budget for 2008 was $32,000 approximately. Should I include that? We had no net income. In fact, we lost $2,000.

[SLY4420]

Sounds good. Send it off with your financial info you just noted.

[ktb9780]

OK medstudent13 you need to do several things at this point.

1.) Call your vendors first, get 3 of them, tellthem they have reduced your award and that you only have what they are offering and see what they tell you.

2.) When you send that letter you should be prepared to send them written quotes from the vendors, as they will ask for them and you need to be prepared to "prove your case". You can't do that with simply your word, you will need it in writing..

3.) You should consider that they have only reduced you by $18,510; if you accept what they are offering.. and then put it out to bid stating that you only have the $123K my guess would be that your vendors will sharpen their pencils and you wil lget what you needed.. they will not walk away from a $123K award, they will just cut back on their profit and commissions.

Don't get anxious here, take your time, do your homework and make your case, but arm yourself to the teeth first. Be prepared to accept what they say. I have seen ambulances funded by AFG at the $150K mark.

[ktb9780]

I don't plan on sending this for a few hours. I want to give the other gurus a chance to answer since they've been through this before.

You said to call? Can't I just email. I'm much more persuasive in writing than speaking. lol

Also, our operating budget for 2008 was $32,000 approximately. Should I include that? We had no net income. In fact, we lost $2,000.

Take a breath you do not have to answer this in 24 hours, they are not going to give your award away.. If you want to discuss it further give me a call at 863-551-9598.

[Catch22]

Sometimes even a quick phone call can resolve it. I did so on our CAFS reduction. Called the rep on the questions email, who forwarded me to someone else. When I asked the second person about the reduction and explained there was no way I could comply with the CAFS that I had written into the narrative he took a couple of minutes to look through and told me there had been a mistake and it shouldn't have been reduced. Another phone call to the person on the bottom of the questions email and it's resolved.

Don't plan on them clenching down and absolutely refusing to work with you. Sometimes things get overlooked or something and it's a quick fix. However, if they feel you can get a Type III 4x4 for the amount allotted (I tend to wonder myself, but it's been a decade since I've been through the process on an ambulance), you're going to have an uphill battle. Make sure you have the quotes from the vendors like everyone said.

Of course one of your best bets is to give Kurt a call since he offered to help. Not only will it help you get everything in line and ready, he'll boost your confidence that you're ready.