[Federal Register: January 2, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 1)]
[Notices]               
[Page 114-115]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ja09-38]                         

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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: Public meeting notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the date, time, location, and discussion 
topics for a stakeholder meeting open to the public to engage in 
dialogue with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership and 
program managers regarding the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness 
Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep).

[[Page 115]]


DATES: Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 
1615 H Street, NW., Washington, DC 20062.
    Instructions: Any stakeholder or member of the public who wishes to 
attend the public meeting or make a presentation is requested to 
provide his or her name and contact details, to include e-mail address 
and telephone number, no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 
Friday, January 9, 2009 via e-mail to the PS-Prep Program at 
privatesectorpreparedness@hsi.dhs.gov, or via telephone at (703) 416-
8407. Everyone who plans to attend the meeting is respectfully 
requested to be present and seated by 8:45 a.m. Persons with 
disabilities who require special assistance should indicate this in 
their admittance request and are encouraged to identify anticipated 
special needs as early as possible. 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.

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 or e-mail: FEMA-NIMS@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 24, 2008, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 
published a notice ``Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and 
Certification Preparedness Program,'' announcing PS-PREP, a DHS program 
established under the authority of Title IX of the 9/11 Recommendations 
Act, Public Law 110-53, 121 Stat. 266, 338 (Aug. 3, 2007) (9/11 
Recommendations Act). See 73 FR 79140; also available at http://
www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp. As discussed in the notice, DHS 
is developing PS-PREP to raise the level of private sector preparedness 
through a number of means, including: (i) Establishing a system for DHS 
to adopt private sector preparedness standards; (ii) encouraging 
creation of those standards; (iii) developing a method for a private 
sector entity to obtain a certification of conformity with a particular 
DHS-adopted private sector standard, and encouraging such 
certification; and (iv) making preparedness standards adopted by DHS 
more widely available.
    The December 24 notice seeks recommendations from private sector 
stakeholders and the public at large regarding the private sector 
standards that DHS should adopt, both initially and over time. 73 FR at 
79142. The December 24 notice also states that DHS intends to hold two 
public meetings in Washington, DC to provide a forum for public 
comment. 73 FR at 79145.
    This notice announces the first of those meetings. FEMA is hosting 
a public meeting to discuss issues of interest pertaining to the PS-
Prep Program. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an open forum 
for additional comment and dialogue with DHS on the PS-Prep Program. 
Individuals desiring to participate will have the opportunity to make a 
brief, formal or informal, presentation of not more than 10 minutes and 
then, if desired, engage in a questions and answers session with DHS 
staff responsible for implementing the PS-Prep Program. The specific 
issues to be discussed at this meeting will follow the information 
requested in the December 24 notice: Adoption of private sector 
preparedness standards; comments regarding a maturity model process 
improvement approach; small business participation and concerns; 
comments regarding the business case; and comments regarding the 
accreditation process and certification process.
    Public attendance is encouraged. This will assist with the 
preparation of meeting materials and seating arrangements.

Dennis R. Schrader,
Deputy Administrator, National Preparedness Directorate, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. E8-31155 Filed 12-31-08; 8:45 am]

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