Frequently Asked Questions about Reimbursement

By and large, expenses during deployment that are eligible for reimbursement include those specifically stated on the signed REQ-A, which covers personnel, travel, equipment, commodities, and “other” expenses. A complete list is not available here, but ineligible expenses include such costs as costs for personal-use items (e.g., tobacco, liquor), workers compensation (which is provided by the Assisting State), and items for which the deployed individual provides no receipt or other form of proof of expense paid.

If a Requesting State finds that it does not qualify for FEMA’s Public Assistance funding for a given emergency, is the Requesting State still obligated to reimburse Assisting States for the costs they have incurred during their response?

Whether a Requesting State qualifies for FEMA’s Public Assistance funding or not, that Requesting State is still obligated to reimburse Assisting States for costs it has agreed to reimburse. All REQ-As that are processed appropriately and signed off on by EMAC Authorized Representatives are legal contracts.

The EMAC reimbursement process does not follow the FEMA reimbursement process, as the EMAC reimbursement process is based on General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) applicable in Member States and in compliance with Member State laws.

Whether a federal declaration of emergency is made or not, a Requesting State is always liable for reimbursement of EMAC costs as long as the governor of that Requesting State has issued a declaration of emergency or disaster for that state before EMAC was activated.

The negotiation of pay rates and equipment rates is between the respective Requesting and Assisting State emergency management agencies during the REQ-A negotiation process. Whatever the Requesting and Assisting States agree to should be specified in the REQ-A so that no uncertainty arises as to the eligibility of expenses incurred.

FEMA resource "team" typing may be illustrated by a debris clearance team that is resource typed based on specific types of equipment and personnel. Resource typing to NIMS requirements is required when applicable for EMAC requests, but team typing is not tied to reimbursement for valid EMAC missions.

There is no distinction between response and recovery costs for mutual aid assistance under the Compact. When executed, the REQ-A constitutes a binding contract. Once assistance is negotiated and agreed to in the REQ-A, the Requesting State is obligated to pay reasonable expenses directly related to the mission, including justified pre- and post-deployment costs.

Examples of issues that may need to be addressed during the reimbursement process include the payment of 24/7 duties, expenses associated with the backfill of positions for deployed personnel, unanticipated costs that far exceed the initial cost estimate, and claims for expenses that are not related to the mission being performed.  Two extreme, but actual, examples of issues encountered in the past are expenses for alcoholic beverages claimed "for morale purposes" and expenses for silk-screened T-shirts for deployed personnel. Neither of these items was necessary or directly related to the mission performed, and, therefore, neither expense was eligible for reimbursement.