The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that all COVID-19 incident periods will close on May 11, 2023. This date coincides with the Biden Administration’s announcement to end the national emergency and public health emergency COVID-19 declarations.

FEMA announced in a Federal Register notice the closure of the incident period for all COVID-19 emergency and major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. As such, May 11, 2023, is the date on which eligibility of all emergency work and associated costs for COVID-19 ends.

Entities may still submit FEMA applications for emergency work activities performed July 2, 2022 through May 11, 2023. For these claims, FEMA will apply the 90%/10% federal cost share to funding for all eligible costs for work performed and items used. The most common expenses submitted to FEMA in recent filings facilitated by Advis include:

  • PPE purchased for and used in COVID-19 measures
  • Equipment and supplies purchased/rented for and used in COVID-19 measures (e.g., testing sites, vaccine clinics, expanded inpatient capacity, etc.)
  • Agency labor, and employed nurse / other clinician overtime labor, expenses for direct patient care of COVID-19-positive and suspected-positive patients
  • Other labor expenses for increased security, door screeners, additional staff at COVID-19 testing/vaccine sites, etc.

Currently, FEMA has not yet established submission deadlines for these claims. FEMA intends to notify applicants no less than 90 days prior to the project submission deadline, which Advis will monitor closely. Advis anticipates this deadline to be issued later this Spring.

FEMA will also allow project applications for demobilization, disposition, and disposal activities to wind down COVID-19 activities, for a period not to exceed 90 days from the end of the emergency work completion deadline (August 9, 2023). FEMA intends to provide additional guidance on this, which Advis will continue to monitor closely.

Our Advis experts are ready and available to assist your organization through all stages of the FEMA Public Assistance funding process. Contact us online or at 708.478.7030 for further guidance.

Published: February 15, 2023