44 CFR 206.228 – Allowable costs
General policies for determining allowable costs are established in2 CFR 200, subpart E. Exceptions to those policies as allowed in 2 CFR 200, subpart E and 2 CFR 200.102 are explained below.
(a) Eligible direct costs—(1) Applicant-owned equipment. Reimbursement for ownership and operation costs of applicant-owned equipment used to perform eligible work shall be provided in accordance with the following guidelines:
(i) Rates established under State guidelines. In those cases where an applicant uses reasonable rates which have been established or approved under State guidelines, in its normal daily operations, reimbursement for applicant-owned equipment which has an hourly rate of $75 or less shall be based on such rates. Reimbursement for equipment which has an hourly rate in excess of $75 shall be determined on a case by case basis by FEMA.
(ii) Rates established under local guidelines. Where local guidelines are used to establish equipment rates, reimbursement will be based on those rates or rates in a Schedule of Equipment Rates published by FEMA, whichever is lower. If an applicant certifies that its locally established rates do not reflect actual costs, reimbursement may be based on the FEMA Schedule of Equipment Rates, but the applicant will be expected to provide documentation if requested. If an applicant wishes to claim an equipment rate which exceeds the FEMA Schedule, it must document the basis for that rate and obtain FEMA approval of an alternate rate.
(iii) No established rates. The FEMA Schedule of Equipment Rates will be the basis for reimbursement in all cases where an applicant does not have established equipment rates.
(2) Force Account Labor Costs. The straight- or regular-time salaries and benefits of a recipient’s or subrecipient’s permanently employed personnel are:
(i) Eligible in calculating the cost of eligible permanent repair, restoration, and replacement of facilities under section 406 of the Stafford Act;
(ii) Eligible, at the Administrator’s discretion, in calculating the cost of eligible debris removal work under sections 403(a)(3)(A), 502(a)(5), and 407 of the Stafford Act for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive calendar days, provided the recipient’s or subrecipient’s permanently employed personnel are dedicated solely to eligible debris removal work for any major disaster or emergency declared by the President on or after October 27, 2012, in response to Hurricane Sandy; and
(iii) Not eligible in calculating the cost of other eligible emergency protective measures under sections 403 and 502 of the Stafford Act, except for those costs associated with host state evacuation and sheltering, as established in § 206.202.
(3) Administrative and management costs for major disasters and emergencies will be paid in accordance with 44 CFR part 207.
(b) [Reserved]