The Urban Area Security Initiative  funds were designated for regional use, and a plan has been developed for  using the funds to benefit the region as a whole. These funds have been  targeted for equipment ($26.5 million), planning ($12.4 million), exercises  ($4 million), and administrative costs ($1.8 million), among other things. The other grant programs were not specifically designated for regional  purposes, and spending for these funds was determined by individual local  jurisdictions. Challenges to Using Coordinated, Effective Use of Federal Grants in NCR

In our report, we discuss issues associated with managing federal first  responder grants in NCR, assessing gaps in first responder capacities and  preparedness in the region, and the role of the Office for National Capital  Region Coordination in coordinating and assessing efforts to enhance first  responder capacity across NCR. However, as already  noted, it is not clear how the Urban Area Security Initiative spending plan  links to the actual and planned uses for the other funding sources that  comprised about $279.5 million of the $340 million in federal homeland  security grants to the NCR during fiscal years 2002 and 2003. However, there  is no consistent method for identifying these gaps among jurisdictions  within NCR. DHS and ONCRC Appear to Have Had Limited Role in Promoting Regional Coordination in NCR

We recognize that NCR is a complex multijurisdictional area comprising  the District of Columbia and surrounding county and city jurisdictions in  Maryland and Virginia. To help ensure that  emergency preparedness grants and associated funds are managed in a  way that maximizes their effectiveness, we recommend that the Secretary  of the Department of Homeland Security take the following three actions  to fulfill DHS’s statutory responsibilities in NCR:    Work with NCR jurisdictions to develop a coordinated strategic plan to  establish goals and priorities for enhancing first responder capacities that  can be used to guide the use of federal emergency preparedness funds. Identify and address gaps in emergency preparedness and evaluate the  effectiveness of expenditures in meeting those needs by adapting  standards and preparedness guidelines based on likely scenarios for NCR  and conducting assessments based on them.
Why GAO Did This Study

Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the National Capital Region (NCR), comprising jurisdictions including the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia, has been recognized as a significant potential target for terrorism. GAO was asked to report on (1) what federal funds have been allocated to NCR jurisdictions for emergency preparedness; (2) what challenges exist within NCR to organizing and implementing efficient and effective regional preparedness programs; (3) what gaps, if any, remain in the emergency preparedness of NCR; and (4) what has been the role of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in NCR to date.

What GAO Found

In fiscal years 2002 and 2003, grant programs administered by the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Justice awarded about $340 million to eight NCR jurisdictions to enhance emergency preparedness. Of this total, the Office for National Capital Region Coordination (ONCRC) targeted all of the $60.5 million Urban Area Security Initiative funds for projects designed to benefit NCR as a whole. However, there was no coordinated regionwide plan for spending the remaining funds (about $279.5 million). Local jurisdictions determined the spending priorities for these funds and reported using them for emergency communications and personal protective equipment and other purchases. NCR faces several challenges in organizing and implementing efficient and effective regional preparedness programs, including the lack of a coordinated strategic plan for enhancing NCR preparedness, performance standards, and a reliable, central source of data on funds available and the purposes for which they were spent. Without these basic elements, it is difficult to assess first responder capacities, identify first responder funding priorities for NCR, and evaluate the effectiveness of the use of federal funds in enhancing first responder capacities and preparedness in a way that maximizes their effectiveness in improving homeland security.