Committee approves forwarding emergency ordinance to let departments add FEMA reimbursement terms to large revenue contracts

The Budget and Finance Committee on June 3 voted to recommend an emergency ordinance that would allow department heads — with agreement from the City Attorney — to amend certain revenue agreements (those that generate more than $1,000,000 annually) to include FEMA or California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reimbursement requirements during the declared public-health emergency.

Bill Barnes of the City Administrator’s Office told the committee the change would let the city add FEMA-required contract language to agreements more quickly, using the Moscone Center (operated by contractor SMG) as a primary example of where such amendments may be needed to secure federal reimbursement. Barnes said departments would still have to certify that expenditures were made for emergency response and that the Controller and City Attorney would pursue available reimbursements.

Chair Sandra Lee Feuer asked that the ordinance include reporting back to the Board on contract amendments. Barnes agreed staff could provide near-real-time notice of amended contracts (proposing to send amendments to the Clerk within about seven days of a change). The committee voted to forward the ordinance with a positive recommendation to the full Board and discussed introducing a non-substantive amendment at the full Board to formalize reporting requirements.

What’s next: The ordinance will go to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation; departments will be expected to provide prompt reporting of contract amendments related to FEMA/Cal OES reimbursements.