Rep. Steube Introduces the Streamlining FEMA Procurement Procedures Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the Streamlining FEMA Procurement Procedures Act. This bill directs the President of the United States to take necessary action to allow local governments to utilize qualifications-based Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) procurement methods to carry out certain tasks. It also allows for expedited project reviews by raising the "simplified procedure" threshold.

"FEMA has a responsibility to work with local governments during times of crisis. The last thing survivors of natural disasters want to hear is that the federal government is standing in the way of their neighborhood rebuilding," said Rep. Steube. "My bill ensures FEMA is fully equipped to meet urgent needs on the local level in a swift and flexible manner."

A Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) is a project delivery method in which a construction manager is hired to provide oversight and implementation of a project from the design and construction phases to its completion. While FEMA provides funding to the states to rebuild after natural disasters, it requires local governments to adopt pricing as a primary factor for determining assistance. This is further complicated by the fact that several states, including Florida, require qualifications of a CMAR-led project to be the primary factor, resulting in the cancellation or delay of numerous well-deserving projects due to a lack of funding. The Streamlining FEMA Procurement Procedures Act fixes this issue by allowing local governments to consider "qualifications" when using Construction Managers at Risk (CMAR) instead of only focusing on pricing.

The bill also addresses shortcomings in FEMA's approval process for "simplified procedure" projects. Under the status quo, FEMA limits applications for expedited approval to $1,000,000. This low ceiling hamstrings recovery efforts from natural disasters by forcing local governments to choose between accepting an inadequate level of funding or waiting months or even years for Washington to approve the full and necessary amount of relief. The Streamlining FEMA Procurement Procedures Act solves this problem by raising the simplified threshold from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000, giving our communities the resources they need to rebuild in the aftermath of a disaster.

The Streamlining FEMA Procurement Procedures Act has the support of the National Association of Counties.

Read the full bill text here.