Chapter 9 › II.D–E Estimating Emergency and Permanent Work to Be Completed

How does FEMA estimate work that isn’t finished yet?

FEMA term

Estimating emergency and permanent work projects with work to be completed

Short answer

For permanent work, FEMA estimates the cost to restore the facility to its pre-disaster design and function, including eligible codes and standards and a reasonable amount for soft costs, but nothing that is only triggered by changing the design or function. Emergency response work is harder to estimate, and FEMA funds it on an estimate only if you provide enough information.

What FEMA requires

Emergency work: except for debris removal and emergency repairs, the detailed scope is often unknown in advance and lacks unit pricing. FEMA may fund it on an estimate if you provide enough information.
Permanent work: funding is based on the estimated cost to restore the facility to its pre-disaster design and function, including eligible codes and standards.
The estimate may include a reasonable amount of anticipated soft costs. The PAPPG lists engineering and design, EHP compliance, and work required by codes or standards you identify and FEMA verifies.
It does not include costs only related to, or only triggered by, changes to the pre-disaster design or function.
If FEMA writes the scope, it also writes the cost estimate.
If engineering analysis is needed to determine the repair method, FEMA funds engineering and design services when you request them.

Documentation

For emergency work: enough detail on planned activities, durations and resources for FEMA to accept an estimate. For permanent work: the agreed damage description, the method of repair, the codes and standards that apply, and any engineering analysis needed to choose the repair method.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Soft costs such as design and environmental compliance are part of the estimate, so ask for them. If the repair method isn’t clear, request engineering and design funding up front rather than accepting a guessed scope.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.