EMERGENCY RELIEF PROCUREMENT RULET. The purpose is to create the procedures and procurement alternatives implementation of the provisions of the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Reliefe Program for Federal-aid highways.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose is to create the procedures and procurement alternatives implementation of the provisions of the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program for Federal-aid highways. It is a guide for PRHTA personnel for obtaining and administering ER funds during or after major disaster declaration by the President under the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.) or after the Governor issues an emergency proclamation and FHWA concurs on the declaration. Currently the ER Program establishes an itinerary for the disaster assessment and a 180-day period after the occurrence of the event for 100 percent eligibility for federal share on emergency repairs, unless extended administratively or by Act of Congress. This rule will also be applicable once the FHWA Regional Office provide authorization which shall be required in each disaster, for Permanent Repairs that require minimum or no design or the work 2 can be easily defined in technical terms in a scope of work. This regulation will apply in lieu of existing PRHTA regulation applicable to negotiated bids (Regulation 4500) and Formal Bids (Regulation 5263) as authorized by Article 11 of Act 74 of June 23, 1965. A. Program Overview Congress authorized the Emergency Relief Program (23 USC § 125 and 23 USC § 120 (e)), to provide funds from the Highway Trust Fund for the repair or reconstruction on Federal-aid highways and of roads of Federal Lands that suffered serious damage from natural disasters or catastrophic failures from external causes. ER Program funding is administered by the Federal Highways Administration separate from other resources from States, localities and other Federal agencies to help in the repair and construction of facilities damaged by eligible events. There are two categories of emergency relief: 1) emergency repairs and 2) permanent repairs. Emergency repairs are repairs undertaken during or immediately after a disaster to restore essential traffic, to minimize the extent of damage, or to protect the remaining facilities. Permanent repairs are those repairs undertaken after the occurrence of a disaster to restore the highway to its pre-disaster condition. B. PRHTA's roles and responsibilities during the ER process are to: 1. Administer the ER funds acquired through coordination of disaster relief policies and procedures with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2. Manage a procurement system that fully complies with free and and open competition based on pre-qualified contractors. 3