Exercise Policy Standards

The state of Illinois will maximize the use of federal preparedness funds to support exercises and ensure that all exercises conducted under the administrative oversight of the state of Illinois will be coordinated with other public safety agencies. When federal preparedness fund sub-recipients intend to use federal grant funds in-part or in-full to support exercises in the state of Illinois, the following requirements must be met in order to be reimbursed for expenses incurred:

1. Scheduling of exercises must be coordinated and approved by the IEMA ETO or his/her designee, in coordination with the ITTF Exercise Advisory Group. Requests to schedule an exercise should be submitted at least 90 days in advance utilizing the Request for Exercise Design Approval Form (http://www.state.il.us/iema/training/Exercises/ExerciseDownloads.asp). A detailed line item exercise budget must be included with the submission. Once the exercise is approved, the entity requesting the exercise will add the event to the IEMA Exercise and Training Calendar (

    

   Policy Statement
    

   The state of Illinois will maximize the use of federal preparedness funds to support exercises and ensure that all exercises conducted under the administrative oversight of the state of Illinois will be coordinated with other public safety agencies. When federal preparedness fund sub-recipients intend to use federal grant funds in-part or in-full to support exercises in the state of Illinois, the following requirements must be met in order to be reimbursed for expenses incurred:

   1. Scheduling of exercises must be coordinated and approved by the IEMA ETO or his/her designee, in coordination with the ITTF Exercise Advisory Group. Requests to schedule an exercise should be submitted at least 90 days in advance utilizing the Request for Exercise Design Approval Form (http://www.state.il.us/iema/training/Exercises/ExerciseDownloads.asp). A detailed line item exercise budget must be included with the submission. Once the exercise is approved, the entity requesting the exercise will add the event to the IEMA Exercise and Training Calendar.
      
   2. All exercises must be planned and conducted in accordance with HSEEP, which is consistent with the National Incident Management System, Illinois Emergency Operations Plan, Illinois Disaster Management System, and applicable Homeland Security Presidential Directives and policies.
      
   3. Participant lists will be developed dependent upon the scope and objectives determined for the exercise and will maintain compliance with HSEEP policies and procedures. Before issuing invitations to state and federal agencies, state agencies must contact the IEMA ETO for approval and coordination. Non-state agencies must simultaneously notify the IEMA ETO when issuing invitations to state and federal agencies.
      
   4. All exercises must include a written After Action Report (AAR) and Corrective Action/Improvement Plan consistent with the guidelines outlined in HSEEP. Municipal and county sub-recipients should submit a copy of this report within 60 days of the exercise to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit AARs for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO within 60 days of the exercise. Submission of an After Action Report and Improvement Plan to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is required before any invoice associated with the conduct of the exercise is approved for payment. Only if IEMA is preparing the AAR on behalf of state and local participants will the state and local expenses be processed prior to the completion of the AAR/IP.
      
   5. Municipal and county sub-recipients who anticipate utilizing federal preparedness funds to support an exercise must submit by December 1 of each calendar year a three-year training and exercise plan to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. The plan must include all exercises funded in-part or in-full with federal preparedness grant funds. Sub-recipients are urged to include non-federally funded exercises in the plan, as well. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit plans for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO.
      
   6. Costs associated with an exercise must be documented on approved attachments A, B and C to be considered allowable.
      
   7. The following exercise-related costs are Allowable Exercise Costs under federal preparedness grant guidance: design, develop, conduct and evaluate an exercise; hiring full or part-time staff to support exercise-related activities; overtime and backfill costs; travel; supplies; disability accommodations; and other items, including rental of equipment. (Additional details and/or requirements can be found in the applicable grant guidance documents.) Unauthorized Exercise Costs Include: reimbursement for the maintenance and/or wear and tear costs of general use vehicles (e.g., construction vehicles), medical supplies, and emergency response apparatus (e.g., fire trucks, ambulances), and equipment that is purchased for permanent installation and/or use, beyond the scope of exercise conduct.

   Exception to the Policy -
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2. All exercises must be planned and conducted in accordance with HSEEP, which is consistent with the National Incident Management System, Illinois Emergency Operations Plan, Illinois Disaster Management System, and applicable Homeland Security Presidential Directives and policies.
   
3. Participant lists will be developed dependent upon the scope and objectives determined for the exercise and will maintain compliance with HSEEP policies and procedures. Before issuing invitations to state and federal agencies, state agencies must contact the IEMA ETO for approval and coordination. Non-state agencies must simultaneously notify the IEMA ETO when issuing invitations to state and federal agencies.
   
4. All exercises must include a written After Action Report (AAR) and Corrective Action/Improvement Plan consistent with the guidelines outlined in HSEEP. Municipal and county sub-recipients should submit a copy of this report within 60 days of the exercise to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit AARs for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO within 60 days of the exercise. Submission of an After Action Report and Improvement Plan to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is required before any invoice associated with the conduct of the exercise is approved for payment. Only if IEMA is preparing the AAR on behalf of state and local participants will the state and local expenses be processed prior to the completion of the AAR/IP.
   
5. Municipal and county sub-recipients who anticipate utilizing federal preparedness funds to support an exercise must submit by December 1 of each calendar year a three-year training and exercise plan to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. The plan must include all exercises funded in-part or in-full with federal preparedness grant funds. Sub-recipients are urged to include non-federally funded exercises in the plan, as well. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit plans for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO.
   
6. Costs associated with an exercise must be documented on approved attachments A, B and C to be considered allowable.
   
7. The following exercise-related costs are Allowable Exercise Costs under federal preparedness grant guidance: design, develop, conduct and evaluate an exercise; hiring full or part-time staff to support exercise-related activities; overtime and backfill costs; travel; supplies; disability accommodations; and other items, including rental of equipment. (Additional details and/or requirements can be found in the applicable grant guidance documents.) Unauthorized Exercise Costs Include: reimbursement for the maintenance and/or wear and tear costs of general use vehicles (e.g., construction vehicles), medical supplies, and emergency response apparatus (e.g., fire trucks, ambulances), and equipment that is purchased for permanent installation and/or use, beyond the scope of exercise conduct.

Exception to the Policy -

• All exercises must be planned and conducted in accordance with HSEEP, which is consistent with the National Incident Management System, Illinois Emergency Operations Plan, Illinois Disaster Management System, and applicable Homeland Security Presidential Directives and policies.
  
• Participant lists will be developed dependent upon the scope and objectives determined for the exercise and will maintain compliance with HSEEP policies and procedures. Before issuing invitations to state and federal agencies, state agencies must contact the IEMA ETO for approval and coordination. Non-state agencies must simultaneously notify the IEMA ETO when issuing invitations to state and federal agencies.
  
• All exercises must include a written After Action Report (AAR) and Corrective Action/Improvement Plan consistent with the guidelines outlined in HSEEP. Municipal and county sub-recipients should submit a copy of this report within 60 days of the exercise to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit AARs for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO within 60 days of the exercise. Submission of an After Action Report and Improvement Plan to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is required before any invoice associated with the conduct of the exercise is approved for payment. Only if IEMA is preparing the AAR on behalf of state and local participants will the state and local expenses be processed prior to the completion of the AAR/IP.
  
• Municipal and county sub-recipients who anticipate utilizing federal preparedness funds to support an exercise must submit by December 1 of each calendar year a three-year training and exercise plan to their IEMA Regional Coordinator, who will, in turn, submit it to the IEMA ETO. The plan must include all exercises funded in-part or in-full with federal preparedness grant funds. Sub-recipients are urged to include non-federally funded exercises in the plan, as well. Sub-recipients representing statewide or regional organizations should submit plans for statewide exercises that are multi-regional and/or multi-jurisdictional and national level exercises directly to the IEMA ETO.
  
• Costs associated with an exercise must be documented on approved attachments A, B and C to be considered allowable.
  
• The following exercise-related costs are Allowable Exercise Costs under federal preparedness grant guidance: design, develop, conduct and evaluate an exercise; hiring full or part-time staff to support exercise-related activities; overtime and backfill costs; travel; supplies; disability accommodations; and other items, including rental of equipment. (Additional details and/or requirements can be found in the applicable grant guidance documents.) Unauthorized Exercise Costs Include: reimbursement for the maintenance and/or wear and tear costs of general use vehicles (e.g., construction vehicles), medical supplies, and emergency response apparatus (e.g., fire trucks, ambulances), and equipment that is purchased for permanent installation and/or use, beyond the scope of exercise conduct.

Exception to the Policy -

If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent a sub-recipient from adhering to the requirements of this policy, the sub-recipient must submit a written request for exception to the IMEA ETO.