Congratulations! The hard work paid off. Opening your FEMA GO portal to find a Notice of Award (NoA) for a new high-pressure breathing air system is a massive victory for your department and your community.
Securing funding for breathing air equipment under this year’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) parameters was no small feat and you’ve earned the right to celebrate. (IYKYK)
But winning the grant is only half the battle. As soon as you click ‘Accept’ on the award the clock on your Period of Performance (PoP) starts ticking. Translating those awarded dollars into operational breathing air equipment requires a proactive post-award strategy that balances federal compliance with fast-track deployment.
Whether you secured funding for an all-in-one stationary system, a fill station, or an ALL POWER mobile air trailer for joint mutual aid, executing your award requires a clear game plan. Here is how to fast-track your procurement, prepare your facilities, and put those hard-won federal dollars to work quickly and efficiently.
Fast-Track Procurement and Federal Guidelines
Municipal RFP processes can easily swallow two to three months of your 12-month window. Use these strategies to expedite equipment ordering while remaining fully compliant with federal rules:
- Log into FEMA GO through Login.gov. Review the complete award package that includes the Award Letter, Summary Award Memo, Agreement Articles (Terms & Conditions), and Obligating Document. Also be sure that your department complies with the federal procurement requirements in 2 CFR Part 200.
- Once you are sure that what you’ve been awarded matches your expectations and scope, you can move forward translating those dollars into operational breathing air equipment.
Bypass RFP Delays with Cooperative Purchasing
- Use Pre-Vetted Contracts: Purchasing networks like NPPGov meet 2 CFR 200 federal open-competition requirements, allowing you to purchase directly without launching a lengthy municipal bid.
- Refresh Quotes Immediately: Contact your vendor right away to convert your application quote into a price-locked purchase order.
Verify Specs & Domestic Compliance
- Confirm American-Made Sourcing: Partnering with domestic manufacturers, such as Arctic Compressor, ensures your build meets federal domestic procurement preferences without waiver delays.
- Align with Approved Scope: Ensure line items match your FEMA GO approval exactly, whether you awarded a stationary 6,000+ PSI unit or an ALL POWER Mobile Air Trailer.
Lock In Your Factory Build Slot
High-pressure air systems and containment fill stations are built to order. Issuing your purchase order immediately reserves your manufacturing slot, establishing a clear delivery timeline so you can prep your station during production.
Prep Facilities, Fleet, and Regional Access
Use any production lead time to prepare your firehouse and lock in regional operational agreements so you are ready to fill cylinders on day one.
Facility and Fleet Preparation
- Electrical & Ventilation Drops: Work with an electrician to verify things like 3-phase power, proper circuit breaker sizing, and clean ambient air intake routing before delivery day.
- Fleet Towing Audits: If you were awarded an ALL POWER Mobile Air Trailer, audit all participating departments’ fleet vehicles. Verify tow ratings, receiver hitch sizes, and trailer brake controllers across every partner rig so any department can haul the asset in an emergency.
Finalize Regional MOUs and Access
- Execute Interlocal Agreements: Formalize written Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with neighboring departments detailing shared maintenance costs, routine air quality testing expenses, and deployment protocols.
- Plan for Access: Consider how your regional partners will refill SCBAs after hours without requiring on-duty host personnel to respond or staff the building.
Streamline Training, Drawdowns, and Final Closeout
Once your equipment is installed on the firehouse floor or towed into the bay, focus on training your personnel and closing out your federal grant files cleanly.
Fast-Track Operator Training and Testing
- Train and Log Attendance: Systems equipped with intuitive controls like Arctic Compressor’s drastically shorten the learning curve for operators. Keep signed training rosters for every completed training session; FEMA audits require proof that awarded equipment is actively deployed and personnel are certified on safe operation.
- Run Your Baseline Air Quality Test: Conduct and file an NFPA 1989 air purity test immediately after installation. Establishing a clean air baseline before putting the system into active service ensures compliance from day one.
Execute Financial Drawdowns and File Retention
- Submit Drawdowns Promptly in FEMA GO: Avoid waiting until the final weeks of your Period of Performance. As soon as equipment is delivered, inspected, and invoiced, submit your vendor invoices through FEMA GO to process payment drawdowns smoothly.
- Maintain Audit-Ready Files: Archive all grant documentation, including purchase orders, bills of lading, training logs, interlocal MOUs, and air quality test results in a dedicated folder. FEMA guidelines require departments to retain all grant records for a minimum of three years following final grant closeout.
Put Your AFG Award to Work Today
Ready to turn your Notice of Award into a completed installation? Contact the team at Arctic Compressor today. We will help you convert your FY25 application quote into a formal purchase order, lock in your factory build slot in Superior, Wisconsin, and deliver the American-made breathing air solutions your department relies on.
Stay safe out there.