FAQ’s

In order to be eligible for funding, a project must include one or more of the activities listed below:

• Acquisition of real property in conjunction with an eligible use such as the development of a community facility;
• Construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities and improvements;
• Clearance, demolition, and removal of buildings and improvements;
• Provision of public services (including labor, supplies and materials) directed toward improving the community\’s living environment, including but not limited to those public services and facilities concerned with employment, crime prevention, child care, health, drug abuse treatment or prevention, education, fair housing counseling, energy conservation or recreation needs;
• Repair of streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, publicly-owned utilities, and public facilities, special garbage, trash and debris removal in areas exhibiting signs of physical deterioration or in order to eliminate emergency conditions;
• Removal of architectural barriers;
• Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of the distribution lines and facilities of privately owned utilities;
• Rehabilitation of privately owned buildings for residential purposes, improvements to the exterior of commercial or industrial buildings or the rehabilitation, preservation or restoration of historic properties;
• Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of commercial or industrial buildings, structures or the provision of assistance for for-profit businesses;
• Planning, survey, or development of architectural plans in conjunction with an eligible project such as construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities and improvements or repair of streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, publicly-owned utilities

Registered non-profits or faith-based organizations in good standing and government entities can apply. The applicants must have a valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) and a Dun & Bradstreet registration number (DUNS#).  Instructions for requesting a DUNS# is included with the CDBG application.

The ODR was created to serve as the center of coordination for the anticipated $8 billion of federal funding over the next few years to support recovery efforts from the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline is a resource for Federal employees and the public to report allegations of employee corruption, civil rights and civil liberties abuses, program fraud and financial crimes, and miscellaneous criminal and non-criminal activity associated with waste, abuse or fraud affecting the programs and operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Allocated is the assignment of appropriated funds to specific states, territories, tribes or local units of government.  It is the amount of funding set aside for specific projects/goals in advance of federal obligations.

An obligation is a binding agreement tied to award funding by the US government, which would result in outlay (money available to spend) in the immediate or near future. Obligations may cover the full immediate project cost or maybe phased in based on additional requirements needed for future project review.

Expended is the amount of available funds actually spent to accomplish the deliverables of a project.

By April of 2022, the federal government will stop using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. They will no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier. This transition allows the government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome for entities to do business with the federal government.

Read more HERE

FEMA Category B projects are referred to as Emergency Protective Measures.

These projects execute temporary emergency repair or stabilization of an eligible facility in order to eliminate or lessen an immediate threat.

Fed Consistency Flowchart 2.2023

Questions can be submitted by clicking HERE or sending an email to [email protected]. Most inquiries will receive a response within five business days.

Information on site visits will be provided as a part of the solicitation process.

Bundles with a contracted A&E firm and/or have a complete or nearly completed design will be under a construction manager at-risk (CMAR) model, in which the construction manager will have input to finalize the design and negotiate a guaranteed maximum price.

The remaining bundles under 30% design will pursue a progressive design-build model, in which the contractor will be responsible for the majority of the design. During design completion, the contractor and USVI will negotiate a final guaranteed maximum price or other payment model to complete construction.

Bundles will typically use a guaranteed maximum price contracting model to ensure a fair sharing of risk between the contractor and the USVI government. There will be an equitable sharing of risk in all bundles, and contractors will be expected to negotiate as partners.

Yes, but they will be judged on their overall value to the USVI, similarly to other contracting and pricing models. During solicitation, they will be rated against the criteria requested in the proposal. Other alternative models may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, they will include a comment period.

The current RFQ will provide qualification for project bundles 1 through 3.

No.

Rebuild USVI projects are funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as other federal funding sources. The USVI has secured funding, and the required local match has been reduced. The Territory has sufficient CDBG-DR funds to cover the remaining share.

Contractors will receive payment 30-45 days after invoices/payment packages are deemed complete.

Payments will be processed by the US Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority (PFA).

Contractors will be working through the Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR). The Rebuild USVI’s Super PMO office is being developed and will be part of ODR, which will serve as a single point of contact for contractors to correspond with to ensure needed decisions or support are enacted.

There will be DBE participation goals for the bundles, and local supplier and contractor involvement will be strongly encouraged.

Yes.

Rebuild USVI projects will use standard USVI bonding requirements for federally funded projects:

• Performance bond – 100% of the contract value
• Payment bond – 100% of the contract value

No.

• Contractors will need to have the required construction and/or engineering licenses to be eligible for the contract.
• Licenses are issued by the USVI Department of Licensing and Contracts (DLCA). Click HERE for more information.
• Businesses must first register a business entity and trade name with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Division of Corporations and Trademarks, at this LINK.

Contractors are required to obtain all specified permits from the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Public Works as required.

You can call 1-866-520-1310 or send an email to [email protected].

Click HERE to access the letter and form.