# Presentation: 728612

## National Communications System (NCS)TIMACS Overview for ESF #2

**Dwayne Hill**
**Services Branch Director**
**DHS/Preparedness/FEMA**
**Florida Long Term Recovery**
**703-463-1387**** **

## What is TIMACS?

- Telecommunications Information Management and Control System
- Provides a centralized means for requesting services and equipment
- Provides the ability to track requests through fulfillment of the operational need

## Requirements to use TIMACS

- Must have TIMACS user account
- Should be requested through FEMA Regional IT Branch Chief
- Must be connected to FEMA intranet
- Must coordinate requests with FEMA Communications Unit Lead/IT Coordinator
- TIMACS tracking number needs to be provided
- Possibly a screen capture or printout of order should be sent via email

## TIMACS conceptual flow

## How the process works

- Order submitted and routed to FEMA Telecom Services Center (TSC)
- Based off of request information, TSC routes request to the appropriate area to meet the requirements of the order
- Examples of where they route to are:
- FEMA Disaster Response (DR) for Managed Network Switches, G3/PBX equipment
- Disaster Information Systems Clearinghouse (DISC) for FEMA laptops, cell phones, digital cameras
- Verizon Contracting for service orders for Data/Voice T1s, DSL and POTS lines
- Contracting for equipment and services not provided by these other sources
- Possibly not routed, but denoted as Mission Assigned in notes

## Example ESF 2 Mission Assigned TIMACS Order

## ESF 2 Example continued

- Outside Notes

- TIMACS Status information inside the request

- TIMACS Vendor Information inside the request

## Login Screen

- https://timacs.fema.net on the FEMA Intranet

## View after login

- Most likely you will be restricted to only the orders you have created
- To begin an order simply select the New Request button

## Blank Request Form

## Important Information to fill in

- Items 1-6 - fairly self explanatory, just remember that the contact information should be the person that will be interacting with the contractor/service providers.  If that is a field person and not the requestor make sure you include their information
- Item 7 - whether it is disaster related will almost always be Yes
- Item 8 Activity - this is important because of how funding will be done; ensure that you choose the correct DR number or EM number.  If they are not available you can always assign it to the region and make notes in the Full description stating where the funding should come from (Surge Account, or DR/EM that is not in the drop down currently.)
- Item 9 Location - will be where the service/request is going to, if possible.  Some sites may not be in the pull down; get as close as possible, or just use the city/state of the RRCC where you are working

## Entering information continued

- Item 10 - is a number for your own records if need be you can add to the order
- Item 11- is faxed attachments that lets the TSC know you have faxed information about the current order to them like a quote or source to check or a large amount of information such as cell numbers.  Please put in comments about who and where you faxed the information in the full description
- Item 12 - is very important because it needs to describe what you are requesting since it is one of the few searchable fields in TIMACS.  Please try not to use a generic “Request for equipment and services,” and try to use something describing what type of service such as “Requesting mobile satellite unit with service”

## Entering information continued

- Item 13 - is where all the information specifics need to be.  If anything needs to added in for extra information about the service or equipment this is the place to do it
- Some items to include will be:
- Mission Assignment Number if pertinent
- Verbose description of what is being ordered, and any necessary justifications or authorizations
- Where Information was faxed to if faxes were involved
- If this TIMACS is just to track orders done already, you should note that here
- Vendor or other Points of Contact useful for sourcing, or information gathering
- 40-1 numbers being used to fund the request

## Entering information continued

- Item 14 - is the Delivery Location, and this needs to be as accurate as possible.  Please ensure that if there is a specific receiving official such as and Accountable Property Officer that the person’s name is included in this section.  Phone numbers and contact information here help with both service and equipment delivery

## TIMACS order status

- The various status comments in TIMACS are:
- New Request – TSC has not done any processing yet
- Being Quoted – Service or equipment is being sourced
- Orders Issued – Service or equipment has been ordered
- Under Review (Final) – Service or equipment have been delivered
- Complete – Service or equipment have been received with no problems
- Canceled – Need has been met another way or no longer a valid request
- Rejected (Final) – Service or equipment need determined to be invalid

## Things to remember

- Make sure the FEMA Comm. Unit Leader/IT Coordinator are aware of requirements prior to the order being placed
- Once the order is placed, make sure the FEMA Comm. Unit Leader has a copy of the order and order number