In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ensnared the world. The City of Lowell, MA, declared along with the rest of the Country, recognized that they needed assistance to ensure effective response and recovery efforts.
SITUATION
iParametrics was retained by the City’s Office of Emergency Management to support overall response and recovery services for COVID-19. Initially, iParametrics was asked to provide strategic advice to the City to maximize their ability to recover costs under various federal programs.
TASK
iParametrics provided strategic advice to the City to maximize funding from the FEMA Public Assistance Program, the Coronavirus Relief Fund, and HHS/CDC grants. As additional needs were identified, the iParametrics team also supported numerous response efforts, including building out the City’s virtual Emergency Operations Center, coordinating vaccination planning efforts, and conducting outreach activities.
ACTION
iParametrics is providing the City with comprehensive grant management and cost recovery services, including strategic planning, FEMA PA cost recovery, program implementation support, and technical assistance. We have positioned the City to maximize their cost recovery efforts by leveraging each federal funding stream to pay for unique items that are needed. Our team built out and trained staff on the use of a virtual Emergency Operations Center using the VEOCI Platform, allowing the City to gain a Common Operating Picture of COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts throughout the jurisdiction. We established a dedicated hotline for COVID-19 questions operating in four languages. Our team used case management software to ensure all residents received responses to their questions and schedule vaccination appointments when eligible.
RESULT
The City of Lowell is better equipped to meet the needs of their residents through improved processes and staff augmentation. Cost recovery efforts are underway, with millions of dollars targeted for reimbursement.