Port Security Grant Program
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) is one of four grant programs that constitute DHS/FEMA’s focus on transportation infrastructure security activities. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by the Administration to help strengthen the nation’s critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks. The PSGP provides funds to state, local, and private sector maritime partners to support increased port-wide risk management and protect critical surface transportation infrastructure from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies.
Performance Measures:
Performance metrics for this program are as follows:
• Procured equipment placed into services
• Threats/Risks/Vulnerability assessments conducted and documented
• Emergency plans developed and documented
• Exercises executed
• Resources/capabilities tested
• After/action reports developed (post-real-life events and exercise)
• State and local partners trained
• State and local participants coordinate with USCG and Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC)
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Government (general)
- Non-government (general)
- Quasi-public nonprofits
Government - General, Non-Government - General, Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization
All entities subject to an AMSP, as defined by 46 U.S.C. § 70103(b), may apply for PSGP funding. Eligible applicants include but are not limited to port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies. A facility operator owns, leases, or operates any structure or facility of any kind located in, on, under, or adjacent to any waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Examples of facility operators include, but are not limited to terminal operators, ferry systems, bar/harbor pilots, and merchant’s exchanges.
Beneficiaries
- 13
- 16
Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans), Private nonprofit institution/organization
Critical national seaports and terminals.
How to Apply
Application Procedure
Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process. Failure to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting the application may disqualify the application from funding. To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must: a. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number from SAM.gov and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service; b. In the application, provide a valid UEI number; c. Have an account with login.gov; d. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application; e. Create a Grants.gov account; f. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account; g. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov; h. Register in ND Grants i. Submit an initial application in Grants.gov; j. Submit the final application in ND Grants, including electronically signing applicable forms; and k. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.
Award Procedure
All successful applicants for all PSGP grants are required to comply with DHS Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions. Upon approval of an application, the award will be made in the form of a grant. The date the approval of award is entered in the system is the “award date.” Notification of award approval is made through the ND Grants system through an automatic e-mail to the recipient point of contact listed in the initial application. Once an award has been approved and recorded in the system, a notice is sent to the authorized grant official. The authorized grant official should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the grant and to learn more about the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under Federal awards.
FY 2023 applications were due 05/18/2023, and funding selections will be announced on 07/21/2023.
Program details & compliance
Description
The PSGP provides funding to port authorities, facility operators, and State and local agencies for activities associated with implementing Area Maritime Security Plans (AMSPs), facility security plans and other port-wide risk management efforts. The vast majority of U.S. maritime critical infrastructure is owned or operated by state, local, territorial and private sector maritime industry partners. PSGP funds available to these entities are intended to improve port-wide maritime security risk management; enhance maritime domain awareness; support maritime security training and exercises; and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
The vast majority of U.S. maritime critical infrastructure is owned and/or operated by State, local, and private sector maritime industry partners. PSGP funds available to these entities are intended to improve port-wide maritime security risk management; enhance maritime domain awareness; support maritime security training and exercises; and to maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities. PSGP investments must address U.S. Coast Guard identified vulnerabilities in port security and support the prevention, detection, response, and/or recovery from attacks involving IEDs and other non-conventional weapons. PSGP grant recipients and sub-recipients may only use PSGP grant funds for the purpose set forth in the grant and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds must be used in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other Federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal government or any other government entity. Federal employees are prohibited from serving in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Federal employees may not receive funds under this award. PSGP grant recipients and sub-recipients may only use PSGP grant funds for the purpose set forth in the grant, and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award.
Required Documentation
Eligible entities may submit only one application within each Port Area. An application may contain up to five investment justifications. All PSGP applicants must be fully compliant with relevant Maritime Security Regulations (33 C.F.R. Parts 101-106). Any applicant who, as of the grant application deadline, has an open or outstanding Notice of Violation (NOV) will not be considered for PSGP funding if: 1. The applicant has failed to pay the NOV within 45 days of receipt of the NOV and the applicant has failed to decline the NOV within 45 days of receipt resulting in the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) entering a finding of default; or 2. The applicant appealed the NOV and received a final appeal decision from the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, and failed to come into compliance with the terms of the final appeal decisions within the appropriate timeline. FY 2023 PSGP recipients must adopt and/or maintain implementation of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Matching Requirements
.The FY 2023 PSGP has a cost-share requirement. The non-federal entity contribution can be cash (hard match) or third-party in-kind (soft match), with the exception of construction activities, which must be a cash (hard) match. In-kind contributions are defined as third-party contributions per 2 C.F.R. § 200.306.
All applicants will be required to commit to the cost-share requirement of each project at the time of application. The required cost share is based on and calculated against the total of all PSGP funds awarded to an eligible entity as described in the “Applications Submitted by Eligible Entities” section above during this fiscal year within a single Port Area. For example, if an entity operates multiple facilities under the same UEI within the same Port Area and each facility requests projects exempt of cost share due to being $25,000 or less, FEMA will view these projects collectively for purposes of determining the appropriate cost share and a cost share will be required if the total exceeds $25,000. As a result, multiple components within a single eligible entity (i.e., port authority, facility operator, local government, or state government) are strongly encouraged to coordinate their applications if they apply separately (even if addressing multiple, disparate projects within the Port Area) for these cost share purposes.
Public-Sector Cost Share
All public sector and non-governmental, nonprofit PSGP award recipients—meaning recipients other than private, for-profit entities—must provide a non-federal entity contribution supporting 25% of the total of all project costs as submitted in the application and approved in the award. The non-federal contribution should be specifically identified for each proposed project. The non-federal contribution, whether cash or third-party in-kind match, has the same eligibility requirements as the federal share (e.g., operational costs for routine patrols are ineligible, and operational costs for overtime to conduct an approved exercise may be eligible as part of the IJ) and must be justified as part of the project within the investment justification. For example, if the federal award for a public sector recipient requires a 25% cost share and the total project cost is $100,000, then:
• Federal share is 75% of $100,000 = $75,000
• Recipient cost share is 25% of $100,000 = $25,000
Because the statute at 46 U.S.C. § 70107(c)(1) states that the federal share shall not exceed 75% of the total cost, any application of the percentages that would result in a decimal will be rounded down in favor of the federal share not exceeding 75%, even if normal rounding standards would indicate rounding up in certain instances.
Private-Sector Cost Share
Private, for-profit PSGP award recipients must provide a non-federal entity contribution supporting 50% of the total of all project costs as submitted in the application and approved in the award. The non-federal entity contribution should be specifically identified for each proposed project. The non-federal contribution, whether cash (hard) or third-party in-kind (soft), has the same eligibility requirements as the federal share (e.g., operational costs for routine patrols are ineligible, and operational costs for overtime to conduct an approved exercise may be eligible as part of the IJ) and must be justified as part of the project within the IJ. For example, if the federal award for a private sector recipient requires a 50% cost share and the total project cost is $100,000, then:
• Federal share is 50% of $100,000 = $50,000
• Recipient cost share is 50% of $100,000 = $50,000
Ultimately, the recipient is responsible for ensuring that it contributes the proper cost share to its actual project costs. If actual total project costs exceed the projected total project costs stated in the Federal Award, the recipient will not receive any additional federal funding and will be responsible for contributing additional funds above the required cost match. If actual total project costs are less than the projected total project costs stated in the federal award, the recipient will be responsible for contributing a cost match calculated as a percentage of those actual project costs.
Cash and third-party in-kind matches must consist of eligible costs (i.e., same allowability as the federal share) and must be identified as part of the submitted detailed budget worksheet. A cash-match includes cash spent for project-related costs, while a third-party in-kind match includes the valuation of in-kind services. The cost match requirement for the PSGP award may not be met by funds from another federal grant or assistance program, or by funds used to meet matching requirements for another federal grant program, unless otherwise permitted by federal statute. Likewise, third-party in-kind matches used to meet the matching requirement for the PSGP award may not be used to meet matching requirements for any other federal grant program. Addit
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements