Education

Case Study

Puerto Rico Department of Education

Objectives

DCMC Partners aims to provide comprehensive grant management support to the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) for its 860 K-12 schools affected by Hurricane Maria and the 2020 earthquakes. The objective is to ensure efficient utilization of available funding from various sources, including FEMA Public Assistance and FEMA 406 Hazard Mitigation, to facilitate the repair and reconstruction of schools.

Solutions

Development of PowerBI Dashboard:

  • Created a PowerBI dashboard to monitor each project in real-time, enabling effective tracking and management of grants across all 860 schools.

Compliance Management:

  • Ensured compliance with all rules and regulations governing grant management, including FEMA guidelines, by developing Requests for Reimbursement and tracking funding requests.
  • Reviewed scopes of work with stakeholders like the Puerto Rico Public Building Authority (PBA) and the Office for the Improvement of Public Schools (OMEP) to ensure alignment with FEMA guidelines.

Coordination and Facilitation:

  • Facilitated coordination efforts with stakeholders and agencies involved in grant management, such as the Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority and PBA, to collect documentation for reimbursement requests.
  • Coordinated with FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation team to devise mitigation measures for schools and ensured compliance with environmental and historic preservation regulations.

Training and Support:

  • Provided training to contractors on hazard mitigation, environmental and historical protection, and scope of work drafting to ensure compliance and quality of work.
  • Managed three major initiatives for PRDE: organizing design and construction efforts for 45 Innova Schools, coordinating repairs for 61 schools, and managing repairs for 70 priority schools in the Southwestern region following the 2020 earthquakes.

Benefits

Efficient Grant Management:

  • Enhanced monitoring and tracking of projects through the PowerBI dashboard, ensuring effective utilization of available funding and timely completion of projects.

Compliance and Coordination:

  • Ensured compliance with regulations and guidelines governing grant management, minimizing the risk of non-compliance and facilitating coordination among stakeholders.

Effective Project Implementation:

  • Successfully managed multiple initiatives for PRDE, including the construction of modern, sustainable schools, and repairs for schools damaged by hurricanes and earthquakes, leading to the restoration of educational facilities and services.

Maximizing Funding Utilization:

  • Facilitated the obligation of numerous projects under various funding programs, including FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation, maximizing funding utilization for school repairs and reconstruction efforts.