The goal of the Finance & Logistics (F&L) Program is to develop, maintain, improve, and coordinate the fiscal, procurement, and resource management responsibilities of the Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response System (MDERS) staff and stakeholders.

The F&L Program works through the entire capability development cycle. From generating budgets to submitting grant proposals to purchasing equipment, the program is a vital and integral contributor to the process. Once the equipment and supplies are purchased, the program tracks, oversees deployment, and plans for maintenance and replacement of all items. The program also handles all financial matters, including seeking grant reimbursement for organization expenditures.

The F&L Program staff consists of a Program Manager, a Financial Administrator, and a Logistician. The Program Manager oversees the financial and logistical aspects of all capability development and project management plans. She also manages the purchases of equipment and resources to support the MDERS staff and its mission, and directs all related financial and logistical tracking and reporting responsibilities. The Financial Administrator fulfills multiple accounting, budgetary, and procurement responsibilities. The Logistician fulfills various duties including equipment and supply acquisition, distribution, tracking, maintenance, and replenishment.

For more information about the MDERS Finance and Logistics Program please contact info@mders.org.

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the training and exercise world, forcing many organizations to transition to online mediums, accelerating the evolution of e-learning. Prior to the pandemic, virtual learning made up approximately 10% of the MDERS training program. At the onset of the pandemic, 90% of the MDERS sponsored/funded training was either canceled or postponed. The MDERS Training and Exercise (T&E) Program shifted gears and sought virtual learning opportunities that enabled collaborative, interactive social learning experiences while still offering the same quality of instruction as one would find in an in-person instructor-led course. The T&E Program set its sights on cross-disciplinary training that supported the MDERS strategic goals and objectives.

At the onset of the pandemic, the MDERS T&E Program quickly pivoted to designing and executing virtual tabletop exercises (TTX) and workshops to accommodate social distancing requirements.  Since September 2020, the MDERS exercise planning team has successfully delivered several virtual TTXs to the ERS stakeholder community, including fire/EMS and public health.

In the last 15 months, MDERS has collaborated with Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI) to provide two four-part seminar series focused on various aspects of meta-leadership, including negotiation and conflict resolution. MDERS and NPLI staff are currently in the final planning phase to deliver a third four-part seminar series highlighting transformational connectivity to foster high performance in the workplace.

MDERS teamed up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Short Programs to offer a two-part instructor-led online crisis management and resiliency training to the ERS stakeholder community. These courses provided ERS stakeholders with the knowledge and tools necessary to benchmark, assess, and improve their organization’s business continuity, disaster recovery, and crisis management programs.

Partnering with Antioch University, MDERS provided a series of online courses highlighting the impacts of climate change and what the emergency response community can do to become more resilient. MDERS joined forces with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) Speakers Bureau to deliver training to ERS stakeholders to help them navigate the many complexities of critical incident stress management and crisis intervention.

Capitalizing on the momentum gained from the virtual TTX’s and leadership seminar series, the MDERS T&E Program launched its first-ever virtual Emergency Response Symposium in May 2021. Leveraging a virtual conferencing platform, MDERS delivered an immersive and engaging experience to a wider audience, promoting inclusivity in an online environment.

The transition to virtual training and exercises is not without its challenges, and each instance has allowed the T&E Program to adjust and improve future offerings. While it will not completely replace face-to-face instruction, e-learning is here to stay, and the MDERS community will continue to adapt.

For more information about the MDERS Training & Exercise Program, please contact Training and Exercise Program Manager Nicole Markuski at Nicole.Markuski1@Maryland.gov.

The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant lifecycle is the ten-stage process that UASI grants in the National Capital Region (NCR) go through from beginning to end.

Each year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awards UASI grants to enhance regional preparedness, and build capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density urban areas. DHS awards these grants to State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) to administer and provide funds to localities and other eligible subrecipients to implement grant program objectives. The SAAs have a 3-year period of performance to complete UASI grant projects. Subrecipients of the SAAs are provided much shorter periods due to the time required to carry out the many grant lifecycle phases from application to closeout period. The District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DCHSEMA) is the SAA that issues UASI subawards to the NCR, which includes the Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response System (MDERS).  DCHSEMA provides its subrecipients an 18-month period of performance to carry out their projects, with occasional extensions for unique circumstances.

Since its inception, MDERS has become the single point of coordination for response partners across Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) is the sponsoring agency of the MDERS program. Agencies within the counties receive funds to purchase equipment and supplies that will be used for their organization’s emergency response capabilities. UASI is a reimbursement grant; therefore, MIEMSS and the counties fund the initial purchases, and are later reimbursed by DCHSEMA. MDERS is often working on four grant years at once: one in the planning stage, two open grant years, and one in the close-out process.

Lifecycle Stages

The stages of the Grant Lifecycle for NCR UASI grants are as follows:

1. Call for Proposal (January, Year 1) – The Homeland Security Executive Committee (HSEC) invites proposals from government and other eligible organizations within the NCR. Proposals must adhere to the criteria laid out in HSEC’s Regional Guidance, including linking to priority capability objectives, having a clear nexus to terrorism, and benefitting operational areas.
2. Project Selection (April, Year 1) – After careful consideration, the HSEC selects projects that align with the criteria and will advance regional priorities by focusing resources to address risks.
3. Grant application (May, Year 1) – DCHSEMA completes DHS’ regional grant application, demonstrating how proposed projects address gaps and deficiencies in current capabilities.
4. Federal Award to SAA (July – September, Year 1) – Upon completion of the application review process, DHS awards UASI funds to the SAA based on risk and the anticipated effectiveness of the proposed use of grant funds.
5. SAA issues Subawards (October, Year 1) – The SAA issues subaward letters. Once they are signed by all parties, the period of performance begins for the subrecipients. The period of performance is generally an 18-month period in which the project must be completed. Occasional extensions may be granted depending on the status of the project.
6. Completion of Project Management Plan (PMP) (October, Year 1) – Subrecipients must complete or update the PMP for each award, as per the requirements of the SAA.
7. Project Implementation (Approx. 18 months: November, Year 1 – May, Year 3) – Subrecipients implement their projects as per the approved PMPs, while following the terms and conditions of the subawards, and all applicable federal and local laws, policies, and procedures. Subrecipients should submit reimbursement requests to the SAA as the goods and/or services are paid.
8. Monitoring – The SAA conducts monitoring throughout the grant’s period of performance by requiring Quarterly Status Reports (QSRs), which include updates on programmatic and spending progress. Additionally, DHS and the SAA have the right to make site visits to monitor and review project accomplishments and to provide any required technical assistance.
9. Project Closeout (June – August, Year 3) – Subrecipients must meet all project closeout reporting requirements as per the terms and conditions of the grant award, including submitting final QSRs, and providing proof of deliverables, Equipment Purchases form, and all reimbursement requests are due no later than 30 days after the end of the performance period.
10. Audit or Site Visit – Both external and internal audits or site visits could potentially take place after the project is closed out. It is vital that the subrecipient maintains subaward files that contain complete and up-to-date records. These files may be paper or electronic, if they are easily and quickly accessible and available for review.

The Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response System (MDERS) has offered countless training events in recent years. Some of the most popular include the Annual Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response Symposium and the 2019 Fall Leadership Seminar. Participants in these programs consistently requested more opportunities for leadership education and development. These requests drove MDERS, in partnership with Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI), to recently host a four-part Virtual Emergency Response Leadership Seminar Series for leaders in the National Capital Region (NCR). The series included essential tools and techniques of Meta-Leadership.

Meta-Leadership is using one’s influence, rather this his or her authority, to drive action and change. This technique cultivates leadership at all levels and allows leaders to impact far beyond their established span of control.

The seminar series was led by NPLI Associate Director and co-author of the book You’re It, Eric McNulty. The series focused on three dimensions of Meta-Leadership—the Person, the Situation, and Connectivity—to help one better understand themselves as a leader, the challenges one faces, and how to bring stakeholders together to achieve cohesive action. The program was tailored to the emergency response realm, specifically the unique characteristics and nuances of the Maryland-NCR.

The program was well received by attendees and highlighted the need for further leadership development opportunities for emergency response leaders in the Maryland-NCR. As such, MDERS will again partner with NPLI to host the next portion of the MDERS Emergency Response Leadership Seminar Series: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, which will start in March 2021.

This four-part, interactive program will explore the dynamics of conflict and present pragmatic tools for managing and settling it. The series will focus on the roots and accelerants of conflict. Participants will develop an understanding of the five different approaches to engaging in conflict, as well as the two principal approaches to negotiation. To wrap up the series, participants will work through a simulation on conflict and negotiation, drawing on the lessons they have learned in the first three sessions to solve the case.

To register for the for the MDERS Emergency Response Leadership Seminar Series: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution please contact MDERS Training & Exercise Specialist Hannah Thomas at Hannah.Thomas1@Maryland.gov.