Pulaski County, Missouri, Could Benefit from Additional Assistance in Managing Its FEMA Public Assistance Grant

Pulaski County (County) received an award of $5.8 million from the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (Missouri), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding in August 2013. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal grant requirements. The County’s policies, procedures, and business practices were generally adequate to account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. However, the County’s procurement policies and procedures did not include all elements needed to comply fully with Federal requirements for the approximately $724,515 in estimated future disaster contracting.