Helene Support to Western Carolina

FEMA will be spending the next few weeks doing a preliminary assessment prior to establishing Joint Field Offices in order to coordinate efforts with the NCDOT and the State Emergency Management Office. FEMA currently has field engineers in the affected areas who will provide technical assessments to the counties. Once needs are assessed counties will procure cost estimates and define the contracts available to be competed for by vendors.  

​​​​​​​In the interim, the NCMBC is monitoring federal and state contract opportunities associated with Hurricane Helene recovery and will notify businesses of opportunities using normal NCMBC notification processes and will be posted to the recovery webpage on NCMBC.  

NCDOT will be a primary player in the contracting in response to the hurricane. Even though this is an emergency, NCDOT is required to solicit vendors to compete for contracts related to the emergency response effort.

An Introductory Guide to Government Contracting for Hurricane Recovery in North Carolina

State of North Carolina Information

North Carolina Department of Public Safety: The purpose of this page is to provide information and resources to North Carolina residents and visitors who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

• Hurricane Helene Response Website
• Unless it is an emergency, all roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed. Travel in this area for non-emergency purposes is hindering needed emergency response.
• Visit DriveNC.Gov for the most up-to-date information on roadway conditions from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. There may be closed roads not listed on the DriveNC.gov website, as many areas are not able to report at this time. The situation is still too fluid to recommend an alternative route to take in western NC.
• An Unprecedented Response: State, Local and Federal Partners Surge Resources into Western NC Following Historic Damage from Hurricane Helene

North Carolina Department of Transportation:

• Connect NCDOT Home: Bringing Business and Government together with online collaboration.
• You must prequalify your business before working with NCDOT.
• Next steps after prequalification.
• Certification programs for small and underutilized businesses.
• NCDOT: Division 11-14 Assistance Survey.
  Contractor Information to coordinate Disaster Relief Efforts. There is a need for vendors that can clear debris, provide facility support services, supply necessary supplies, and much more.
  Division 11 – Counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin
  Division 12 – Counties: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln
  Division 13 – Counties: Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, Yancey
  Division 14 – Counties: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk, Swain, Transylvania

North Carolina Department of Commerce

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Opportunities

• State Opportunity: County of Buncombe Comprehensive Disaster Recovery (Responses Due October 11, 2024)
• State Opportunity: Disaster Recovery Grant Management Services, City of Asheville, NC (Responses Due October 11, 2024)
• State Opportunity: Disaster Recovery, Financial and Grant Management Support, Planning Services (Responses Due October 10, 2024)
• NCDOT: Hurricane Helene Emergency Express Design-Build Solicitation – Divisions 11, 13 and 14 – Emergency replacement or rehabilitation of bridges, culverts and pipes 48-inches or larger in diameter (due October 10, 2024)
• NCDOT: DEA_Hurricane Helene I-40 Pigeon River Gorge EMERGENCY Repair Designs LSCnew (due October 16, 2024)
• NCDOT: Roadside Environmental Letting (due October 28, 2024)
• NCDOT: Invitation to Perform as Fully Operated Rental Equipment Service for Tropical Storm Helene Cleanup. County: Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, and Yancey.
• NCDOT: Projects that can actively be bid on as of 9-26-2024
• State Opportunity: Municipal Building Roof Replacement, City of Asheville. Response due 10/24/24.
• NIST: Disaster and Failure Studies Support Services. The multiple-award IDIQ contract comprises a primary disaster and failure studies category and three distinct specific categories (earthquake, evidence preservation, and fire disaster and failure studies support). The primary category is open to contractors of all business sizes. The distinct specific categories are available only to small businesses. Task orders will be awarded within either the primary category or one of the distinct specific categories. NIST will determine which category a task order is applicable to. The NAICS code for the primary category, the earthquake category, and the fire category is 541330 with a size standard of $25.5 Million. The NAICS code for the evidence preservation category is 493190 with a size standard of $36.5 Million.
• FEMA, National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System Technical Support Services. The Contractor will provide technical support services in readiness performance assessments and special studies, as well as management support services to assist the program office during declared disasters.
• NCDOT: Division 11-14 Assistance Survey.
  Contractor Information to coordinate Disaster Relief Efforts. There is a need for vendors that can clear debris, provide facility support services, supply necessary supplies, and much more.
  Division 11 – Counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin
  Division 12 – Counties: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln
  Division 13 – Counties: Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, Yancey
  Division 14 – Counties: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk, Swain, Transylvania
• State Opportunity: City of Asheville, Engineering Services (due October 23). City of Asheville infrastructure was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene in late September. The City 
  is seeking qualification for professional services related landslide and slope stabilization, roadway 
  structure repair design, hydraulic and hydrology.
• FEMA: DR-4827-NC Public Notice Amendment 003
• FEMA: 4829-DR-SC Amendment 007
• State Opportunity: City of Asheville, Repair Clamps and Couplings (due November 7)
• FEMA: Individual Identity Verification and Authentication Support Services

NC Community College System: Support to Western Carolina

Other Support

• Carolina Small Business Development Fund

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Federal Agency Information

Organization	Website	Deadline
Small Business Administration	https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance	Property Damage: November 27, 2024 Economic Injury: June 30, 2024
FEMA	https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-helene	November 27, 2024
Disaster Unemployment Assistance	https://www.des.nc.gov/dua	December 2, 2024

Disaster Response Registry. When national emergencies or disasters such as floods and hurricanes occur, supplies and services need to be procured and rushed to the affected area quickly. To expedite this process, the System for Award Management (SAM) contains a Disaster Response Registry in accordance with FAR Subpart 4.11 and FAR Subpart 26.2 listing those contractors who are willing to provide debris removal, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other disaster or emergency relief supplies and/ or services.

Small Business Administration:

• SBA Launches Recovery Centers for Hurricane Helene Survivors: Help for Displaced and Hard-Hit.
• SBA Disaster Assistance Website. Explore SBA’s low-interest disaster loans to help businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters.
• SBA Launches Disaster Assistance for North Carolina Residents and Businesses Impacted by Tropical Storm Helene
• SBA Tropical Storm Helene Fact Sheet – Disaster Loans Available to Businesses and Residents in North Carolina
• SBA Office of Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Contacts for the Public. Call 1-800-659-2955. For those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Working with FEMA:

• FEMA Hurricane Helene Information Website
• FEMA Small Business Program
• Vendor Profile Registration
• Opportunity: FEMA: Resilience Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program (HMTAP) Non-Architectural and Engineering A&E Services. This is not Hurricane Helene specific but a very important IDIQ opportunity that covers North Carolina. The purpose of this effort is to procure services that provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Resilience enhanced capability and capacity in meeting pre-disaster, disaster, and post-disaster mitigation and environmental responsibilities as set forth in the task order.  Sector A: Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee; Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska; Region IX: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands; FEMA Headquarters –Office of Environmental and Historic Preservation (OEHP), and Risk Management Directorate (RMD) 

US Army Corps of Engineers: Contracting in Disasters

• USACE Headquarters Contracting has enabled a form specifically for contractors looking to share their capabilities for potential future opportunities for the Hurricane responses.  To upload your capability statements directly to Headquarters, you can go to https://www.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Submit-Contractor-Capabilities/ 

Department of Veterans Affairs information for impacted veterans.

IRS Announcement for North Carolina victims of Hurricane Helene. IRS announces tax relief for victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina; various deadlines postponed to May 1, 2025

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Relief Assistance and Civilian Support. We will add to this list as more become available.

Operation Airdrop: Operation Airdrop is a Texas-based 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to providing rapid relief to communities impacted by natural disasters.  Founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Operation Airdrop mobilizes volunteer pilots and a diverse fleet of aircraft to deliver essential supplies to areas cut off from traditional aid routes. By partnering with local charities and organizations, they ensure that vital resources—such as food, medical supplies, and baby items—reach those in need within hours, not days. Operation Airdrop is actively providing aid to those affected by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina in an initiative titled Operation Helene. For more information and to see how you or your business can assist in this effort: https://www.operation-airdrop.com/hurricane-helene

Immediate Supply Need for Western Carolina: check with your local religious affiliations and school districts for regional collection sites.

• Oil & gas & chains for chainsaws; 2 stroke and regular fuel
• Medical: Chewable Benadryl for the bee problem (yellow jackets are a current issue); O2 tubing; CAT tourniquets; Glucometers; Children’s meds; Bottles; Gauze; Large bandaids; Burn ointment; Claritin/Zyrtec (adult and child); Peroxide; Rubbing alcohol 
• Chains for tires
• Grills for cooking and charcoal
• Lighters
• Coffee
• Bar and chain oil
• Gas cans
• Solid baby food
• Blankets
• Batteries – all sizes
• Drink mixes
• Water
• Solar lights / lanterns, hand held can openers
• Candles, flashlights with batteries 
• Work gloves ALL sizes including SM
• Generators for oxygen dependents
• Nursing home needs: ensure and adult diapers
• Hospital needs: anything baby related

Monetary Donations can be made to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund or the North Carolina Community College Foundation (all donations to the Foundation will support the 14 community colleges and their foundations serving 26 designated areas of western North Carolina impacted by Tropical Storm Helene).