6 U.S. Code § 791 - Advance contracting

(a) Initial report

(1) In general

Not later than 180 days after October 4, 2006, the Administrator shall submit a report under paragraph (2) identifying—

(A) recurring disaster response requirements, including specific goods and services, for which the Agency is capable of contracting for in advance of a natural disaster or act of terrorism or other man-made disaster in a cost effective manner;

(B) recurring disaster response requirements, including specific goods and services, for which the Agency can not contract in advance of a natural disaster or act of terrorism or other man-made disaster in a cost effective manner; and

(C) a contracting strategy that maximizes the use of advance contracts to the extent practical and cost-effective.

(2) Submission

The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress.

(b) Entering into contracts

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after October 4, 2006, the Administrator shall enter into 1 or more contracts for each type of goods or services identified under subsection (a)(1)(A), and in accordance with the contracting strategy identified in subsection (a)(1)(C). Any contract for goods or services identified in subsection (a)(1)(A) previously awarded may be maintained in fulfilling this requirement.

(2) Considered factors

Before entering into any contract under this subsection, the Administrator shall consider section 5150 of title 42.

(3) Prenegotiated Federal contracts for goods and services

The Administrator, in coordination with State and local governments and other Federal agencies, shall establish a process to ensure that Federal prenegotiated contracts for goods and services are coordinated with State and local governments, as appropriate.

(4) Prenegotiated State and local contracts for goods and services

The Administrator shall encourage State and local governments to establish prenegotiated contracts with vendors for goods and services in advance of natural disasters and acts of terrorism or other man-made disasters.

(c) Maintenance of contracts

After the date described under subsection (b), the Administrator shall have the responsibility to maintain contracts for appropriate levels of goods and services in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(C).

(d) Report on contracts not using competitive procedures

At the end of each fiscal quarter, beginning with the first fiscal quarter occurring at least 90 days after October 4, 2006, the Administrator shall submit a report on each disaster assistance contract entered into by the Agency by other than competitive procedures to the appropriate committees of Congress.

(e) Updated report

Not later than 180 days after December 31, 2020, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an updated report that contains—

(1) the information required in the initial report under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1); and

(2) an updated strategy described in subsection (a)(1)(C) that clearly defines—

(A) the objectives of advance contracts;

(B) how advance contracts contribute to disaster response operations of the Agency;

(C) how to maximize the award of advance contracts to small business concerns, as defined in section 632 of title 15; and

(D) whether and how advance contracts should be prioritized in relation to new post-disaster contract awards.

(f) Additional Duties of the Administrator

(1) Head of contracting

The Administrator shall ensure that the head of contracting activity of the Agency—

(A) not later than 270 days after December 31, 2020, updates the Disaster Contracting Desk Guide of the Agency to provide specific guidance—

(i) on whether and under what circumstances contracting officers should consider using existing advance contracts entered into in accordance with this section prior to making new post-disaster contract awards, and include this guidance in existing semi-annual training given to contracting officers; and

(ii) for contracting officers to perform outreach to State and local governments on the potential benefits of establishing their own pre-negotiated advance contracts;

(B) adheres to hard copy contract file management requirements in effect to ensure that the files relating to advance contracts entered into in accordance with this section are complete and up to date, whether the files will be transferred into the Electronic Contract Filing System of the Agency or remain in hard copy format;

(C) notifies contracting officers of the 3-day time frame requirement for entering completed award documentation into the contract writing system of the Agency when executing notice to proceed documentation;

(D) not later than 180 days after December 31, 2020, revises the reporting methodology of the Agency to ensure that all disaster contracts are included in each quarterly report submitted to the appropriate congressional committees under this section on disaster contract actions;

(E) identifies a single centralized resource listing advance contracts entered into under this section and ensures that source is current and up to date and includes all available advance contracts; and

(F) communicates complete and up-to-date information on available advance contracts to State and local governments to inform their advance contracting efforts.

(2) Master acquisition planning schedule

Not later than 180 days after December 31, 2020, the Administrator shall update and implement guidance for program office and acquisition personnel of the Agency to—

(A) identify acquisition planning time frames and considerations across the entire acquisition planning process of the Agency; and

(B) clearly communicate the purpose and use of a master acquisition planning schedule.

(Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 691, Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1457; Pub. L. 116–272, § 3(a), Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3349.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 116–272 added subsecs. (e) and (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Findings

Pub. L. 116–272, § 2, Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3349, provided that:

“Congress finds that—

“(1) the Post-Katrina Emergency Management and Reform Act of 2006 [Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006] (Public Law 109–925 [Pub. L. 109–295, title VI]; 120 Stat. 1394) required the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish advance contracts, which are established prior to disasters and are typically needed to quickly provide life-sustaining goods and services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster;

“(2) the catastrophic hurricanes and wildfires in the United States in 2017 highlighted the importance of these advance contracts in disaster response;

“(3) in a report issued by the Government Accountability Office entitled ‘2017 Disaster Contracting: Action Needed to Better Ensure More Effective Use and Management of Advance Contracts’, the Government Accountability Office identified a number of challenges with advance contracts and recommended actions to improve management by the Federal Emergency Management Agency of these contracts for future disasters; and

“(4) section 691 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 791) should be amended to incorporate the recommendations made by the report described in paragraph (3) to ensure more effective use and management of advance contracts.”

Report

Pub. L. 116–272, § 3(b), Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3351, provided that:

“The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall regularly update the appropriate committees of Congress (as defined in section 602 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 701)) on the progress of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in implementing the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office in the report entitled ‘2017 Disaster Contracting: Action Needed to Better Ensure More Effective Use and Management of Advance Contracts’, as required under section 691 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 791), as amended by subsection (a).”