Debris removal is one of the largest costs a community faces after a disaster, and FEMA Public Assistance (PA) funding depends on eligible work and complete records. This page describes what Omni Construction does, and what we support the applicant in doing, to document debris work under current FEMA guidance. FEMA, not the contractor, decides eligibility and reimbursement.
Who does what
| Applicant (your agency) | Omni Construction (debris contractor) |
|---|---|
| Applies for PA, defines eligible work areas and directs the work | Performs the work as directed and keeps ineligible work separate and labeled |
| Monitors all contracted debris work, from collection to final disposal, with its own staff, temporary hires or a monitoring firm not affiliated with the contractor | Works alongside the monitors, gives them access to every truck, load and site, and does not monitor its own work |
| Obtains rights-of-entry, legal authority and FEMA notification for any private property debris removal | Works on private property only with a written authorization and right-of-entry from the applicant |
| Submits project documentation to FEMA and answers FEMA questions | Delivers reconciled records and supports the applicant’s responses |
Our documentation process
- Truck and equipment certification. Before any truck hauls, it is measured, photographed and logged with its certified capacity, with the applicant’s monitor or representative approving each entry. Certified trucks carry a numbered placard, and trucks are recertified whenever the applicant’s monitors require it.
- Load tickets. Every load gets a ticket at the loading site recording the truck, debris type, pickup location and estimated volume. The ticket is completed and the load verified at the tower at the disposal or debris management site. Paper or electronic tickets (ADMS) follow a chain of custody so each load can be reconciled.
- Tower and site records. At each TDSR or debris management site we work with the tower monitors so every load is seen and its ticket completed. We follow a Site Management Plan, segregate debris by type and keep daily site logs. We also keep records of reduction (grinding, burning) and of where reduced material and residue go.
- Debris type and quantity. Quantities are kept by type (vegetative, C&D, white goods, household hazardous waste, electronics) and by stage: removed, reduced, recycled and disposed. Hand-loaded vegetative loads and trucks without solid tailgates are flagged, because FEMA credits them at 50% and at most 85% of capacity respectively.
- Hazardous trees, limbs and stumps. Each item gets a location, photos showing the immediate threat, and measurements, in a form your arborist or authority having jurisdiction can confirm. We also record root-ball exposure for stumps and trees, fill quantities and sources, and the equipment used.
- Disposal site documentation. For each site we record its location, type (municipal, private or commercial, with vendor name), permits and authorizations, and before-and-after condition for restoration.
- Daily reconciliation. Ticket data is checked for duplicates and errors and reconciled daily against the monitors’ records.
- Closeout. We deliver reconciled ticket data, truck certifications, site logs and restoration records, plus summary reports by type and site, for the applicant’s project documentation. We then support the applicant through FEMA questions and audits.
Eligibility practices
- Remove debris only within the work areas and from the public rights-of-way the applicant designates, including residential debris residents are authorized to place at the curb.
- Keep commercial debris and renovation or reconstruction materials out of eligible loads unless the applicant directs otherwise, and label them as ineligible when directed.
- Cut hazardous limbs at the minimum cut needed; flush-cut trees and stumps with less than half the root-ball exposed instead of extracting them.
- Coordinate waterway work with the agencies involved, and leave federally maintained navigation channels to the USCG and USACE.
Time-and-materials limits
FEMA allows time-and-materials (T&M) work only when no other contract type is suitable, under a ceiling price the contractor exceeds at its own risk, with a high degree of applicant oversight. It is also limited to a reasonable period until the scope is defined (2 CFR 200.318(j); PAPPG Version 5.0). Under any T&M work we log equipment and labor hours by unit and operator each day, report active hours only, and support a prompt move to a unit-price or lump-sum contract.
Federal procurement (2 CFR 200)
Agencies using federal funds procure under 2 CFR 200.317–200.327 and must include the applicable contract provisions in 2 CFR 200 Appendix II. Omni Construction is willing to accept these provisions and provide the related certifications. The full list is on our qualifications page.
References
- FEMA Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG), Version 5.0 Amended (FP 104-009-2), for incidents declared on or after January 6, 2025
- FEMA Public Assistance Debris Monitoring Guide (March 2021)
- FEMA Public Assistance Resource Library
- FEMA Contract Provisions Guide, Version 2, effective October 1, 2024 (supersedes the 2021 guide and the PDAT contract provisions template)
- 2 CFR 200.317–200.327, procurement standards (eCFR)
- 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II, contract provisions (eCFR)
Planning a standby debris contract?
Request our qualifications. A pre-positioned contract lets an agency activate with a Notice to Proceed when disaster strikes. How standby contracts work →