Document ID: FEMA-2008-0017-0124
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program
Posted Date: 2009-11-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register: November 4, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 212)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57186-57188]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04no09-89]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017]

 
Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification 
Preparedness Program

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing 
the dates, times, locations, and discussion topics for a series of 
public meetings that will be held to discuss the Department of Homeland 
Security's (DHS's) Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation 
and Certification Program (PS-Prep). The purpose of these meetings is 
to provide the public with an opportunity to engage in dialogue with 
DHS leadership and program managers regarding PS-Prep. Additionally, 
this notice extends the comment period that was originally established 
in FEMA's October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the 
intent to select standards for use in PS-Prep. The comment period will 
now end on January 15, 2010.

[[Page 57187]]

DATES: See Supplementary Information section for public meeting dates 
and times. Comments submitted regarding the October 16, 2009 Federal 
Register Notice must be received by January 15, 2010.

ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information section for public meeting 
addresses and for information on submitting meeting presentations.
    You may submit comments on the October 16, 2009 Federal Register 
Notice, identified by Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017, by one of the following 
methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    E-mail: FEMA-POLICY@dhs.gov. Include ``Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017'' 
in the subject line of the message.
    Fax: 703-483-2999.
    Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Regulation & Policy Team, Office of 
Chief Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Room 835, 500 C 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20472-3100.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents, the 
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice, or comments received, go to 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and 
search for Docket ID ``FEMA-2008-0017.'' Submitted comments also may be 
inspected at FEMA, Office of Chief Counsel, Room 835, 500 C St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20472.
    Privacy Act: Regardless of the method used for submitting comments 
or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www. regulations.gov, and will 
include any personal information you provide. Therefore, both 
statements made at the public meetings as well as written comments 
submitted are public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that 
is available on the Privacy and Use link on the Administration 
Navigation Bar of http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald Grant, Incident Management 
Systems Integration Division, National Preparedness Directorate, 
National Integration Center, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472. 
Phone: 202-646-3850. E-mail: FEMA-NIMS@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification 
Preparedness Program (PS-Prep) is a DHS program, established under the 
authority of Title IX of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 
Commission Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-53). FEMA published a Federal 
Register Notice on December 24, 2008, at 73 FR 79140, announcing the 
creation of the program. As discussed in that notice, the purpose of 
PS-Prep is to raise the level of private sector preparedness by 
establishing a system in which a private sector entity may voluntarily 
obtain a certification of conformity with a particular DHS-adopted 
preparedness standard.
    FEMA published a second Federal Register Notice on October 16, 
2009, at 74 FR 53286, announcing DHS' intent to select three standards 
for adoption in the PS-Prep program. The three identified standards 
selected for adoption in PS-Prep at this time are:
    1. National Fire Protection Association 1600:2007--Standard on 
Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs.
    2. British Standard 25999-2:2007--Business Continuity Management.
    3. ASIS SPC. 1-2009--Organizational Resilience: Security 
Preparedness, and Continuity Management Systems--Requirements with 
Guidance for Use.

II. Announcement of Public Meetings and Extension of Comment Period

    Through this notice, FEMA is announcing the dates, times, 
locations, and discussion topics for a series of ten public meetings 
that will be held to discuss PS-Prep. The purpose of these meetings is 
to provide the public with an open forum to engage in dialogue with PS-
Prep leadership and program managers, in particular regarding the 
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the intent to 
select standards. Additionally, this notice extends the comment period 
that was originally established in that October 16 notice. The comment 
period will now be extended by an additional 60 days, and will close on 
January 15, 2010.

A. Public Meetings

    The dates, times, and locations of the public meetings are set out 
below. Any stakeholder or member of the public is free to attend the 
meetings. Individuals will have the opportunity to make brief, formal 
or informal, presentations of not more than 10 minutes, and to engage 
in a question-and-answer session with DHS staff responsible for 
implementing PS-Prep.
    Presentation topics should be related to one of the seven specific 
issues to be discussed at this meeting, which are as follows: (1) The 
identified standards selected for adoption in PS-Prep; (2) any 
supporting guidance materials in addition to the three identified 
standards that are needed to help the private sector attain 
certification to one of the three standards; (3) factors that a 
business would consider in determining which DHS-adopted standard(s) to 
pursue for certification under PS-Prep; (4) reasons for businesses to 
seek certification under the three identified standards; (5) how an 
organization's certification under PS-Prep would affect or otherwise 
influence another organization's decision to do business with them; (6) 
how a maturity model approach could be applied to certification to any 
of these standards; and (7) what the potential impact (e.g., cost, 
return on investment, other considerations, etc.) on small businesses 
might be when attempting to implement any of the three identified 
standards.
    Members of the public who wish to make a presentation are requested 
to provide their name, presentation description, city in which they 
plan to present, and contact details (include e-mail address and 
telephone number), no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 
one week prior to the stakeholder meeting they plan to attend, via e-
mail to the PS-Prep program at privatesectorpreparedness@hsi.dhs.gov.
    Everyone who plans to attend a public meeting is respectfully 
requested to be present and seated by 12:50 p.m. local time (for that 
meeting). Although every effort will be made to accommodate all members 
of the public, seating is limited and will be allocated on a first-
come, first-served basis. Please note that all meetings may close early 
if all business is finished.
Public Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations
    1. November 17, 2009; Chicago, Illinois, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central 
Standard Time (CST), Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare: 5615 North Cumberland 
Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631; 773-693-5800.
    2. November 18, 2009; Kansas City, Missouri, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CST, 
Holiday Inn Kansas City Airport: 11728 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas 
City, MO 64153; 816-801-8400.
    3. November 19, 2009; Dallas, Texas, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CST, Dallas/
Fort Worth Marriot Hotel & Golf Club at Champions Circle: 3300 
Championship Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; 817-961-0800.
    4. December 1, 2009; Oakland, California, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific 
Standard Time (PST), Oakland Marriot City Center: 1001 Broadway, 
Oakland, CA 94607; 510-451-4000.
    5. December 2, 2009; Seattle, Washington, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST, 
Holiday Inn SEATAC International

[[Page 57188]]

Airport: 17338 International Boulevard, Seattle, WA 98188; 206-248-
1000.
    6. December 3, 2009; Denver, Colorado, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain 
Standard Time (MST), Marriott Denver City Center: 1701 California 
Street, Denver, CO 80202; 303-297-1300.
    7. December 8, 2009; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
EST, Marriott Philadelphia Airport: One Arrivals Road, Philadelphia, PA 
19153; 215-492-9000.
    8. December 9, 2009; Boston, Massachusetts, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST, 
Sheraton Boston Hotel: 39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 02199; 617-236-
2000.
    9. December 10, 2009; New York City, New York, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
EST, New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott: 102-05 Ditmars Boulevard, 
East Elmhurst, NY 11369; 718-565-8900.
    10. December 14, 2009; Atlanta, Georgia, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST, 
Sheraton Gateway Hotel: 1900 Sullivan Road, Atlanta, GA 30337; 770-997-
1100.
Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities
    DHS provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with 
disabilities where appropriate. Persons with disabilities who require 
special assistance should call the contact person listed below in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as early as possible. Please 
indicate which public meeting you plan to attend, and identify your 
anticipated special needs.

B. Extension of Comment Period

    DHS is extending the comment period initially established in the 
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the intent to 
select standards, in order for comments from each public meeting to be 
taken into account by DHS prior to any formal adoption of those 
standards. The new comment period will provide an additional 60 days, 
and will close on January 15, 2010.
    DHS requests comments on issues presented in the October 16, 2009 
notice, as well as comments on additional standards that satisfy the 
Target Criteria presented in the December 24, 2008 notice. DHS will 
accept comments on PS-Prep at any time, and comments will be considered 
as they are received, but they may not inform DHS' decision on the 
formal adoption of standards if they are received after the end of the 
comment period.

    Dated: October 28, 2009.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-26599 Filed 11-3-09; 8:45 am]

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