(1) County Emergency Management Agencies are authorized to charge a fee to compensate for the cost of the review of plans, submitted to the County Emergency Management Agency by facilities, to ensure compliance with plan review criteria. A separate fee is authorized for each plan submitted.
    (2) The maximum fee shall be determined by the County Emergency Management Agency by calculating the actual number of hours or parts thereof necessary for review of the plan, multiplying that figure by the rate of $25 per hour, and adding to that result an amount equal to not more than 25% of that figure, to cover miscellaneous and indirect costs. Upon receipt of each facility plan, the county shall establish a cost identifier for the plan for purposes of tracking review costs.
    (3) For facilities licensed for more than 16 beds, County Emergency Management Agencies are authorized to charge up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) for reviewing a facility plan, unless there is no significant change from the last approved plan submitted by that facility, or unless the facility requests technical assistance from the County Emergency Management Agency. This limit reflects up to sixteen (16) hours of review and processing time plus the authorized miscellaneous and indirect cost rate. If there is no significant change from the last approved plan submitted by that facility, or if the facility is licensed for 16 beds or less, then County Emergency Management Agencies are authorized to charge no more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for reviewing a facility plan. This limit reflects up to eight (8) hours of review and processing time plus the authorized miscellaneous and indirect cost rate. If, in order to facilitate compliance with plan review criteria, a facility requests technical assistance from the County Emergency Management Agency, then the County Emergency Management Agency is authorized to charge up to twenty-five dollars ($25) per hour, or any part thereof, up to a maximum of ten (10) hours, for time actually devoted to assisting a facility in writing or rewriting its plan. The fee attributable to requested technical assistance shall be in addition to the maximum fee otherwise established in this rule.
    (4) Within sixty (60) days of completing the review of a plan submitted by a facility to the County Emergency Management Agency, the County Emergency Management Agency shall provide to the submitting facility an invoice for the cost of performing the plan review in accordance with the fee schedule established herein. Any dispute regarding the fee, other than the process identified in Fl. Admin. Code R. 27P-20.005, shall be handled by the County in the same manner as other types of revenue collection disputes. Facilities shall notify the County in writing of any dispute regarding the fee within thirty (30) days of receipt of the invoice, or shall not dispute the amount. Facilities shall be liable for and pay fees regardless of whether their plan is approved.
    (5) All fees shall be payable by certified check or bank draft in U.S. funds, made payable to the County to which the plan is submitted for review and approval.
Rulemaking Authority 252.35(2)(x) FS. Law Implemented 252.35(2)(m), 252.38(1)(e), 393.067(8), 395.1055(1)(c), 400.23(2)(g) FS. History-New 12-4-94, Formerly 9G-20.003.