NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

The Federal Prison Industries, a division of the US Department of Justice, plans to expand its sales into competition with NEEDA dealers and distributors for the private marketplace. Called the Commercial Market Services Initiative this new Federal initiative will put FPI in direct competition with companies such as NAPED members who sell to state and local governments and to private companies. Until now with a few exceptions, the FPI market has been Federal agencies, to which it has been given an inside channel.

FPI plans to compete with private companies in such things as refurbishing and repairing fire and police vehicles, ambulances, and other emergency, public safety and security products. Most of the companies FPI will compete with are small businesses.

MORE INFO? The notice was published on Federal Business Opportunities.gov on September 12, 2005. Comments are due October 28, 2005.

BUSINESSES TAKE NEW LOOK AT BUSINESS CONTINUITY AS A RESULT OF KATRINA DISASTER
Originally Posted: September 22, 2005 6:42 PM
Last Updated: September 22, 2005 6:42 PM

based on telephone interviews with 1,286 businesses conducted between January and August 2005 by Opinion Research Corporation. Key findings include:

* Almost two-thirds of companies that have suffered a disaster experienced lost business.
* Nearly one-fourth of companies that have suffered a disaster have not taken action to prevent or minimize future business interruptions.
* 16 percent of businesses that have suffered a disaster lost between $100,000 and $500,000 per day.
* 26 percent of businesses that have suffered a disaster admit they dont know how much it cost their company per day.
* Fewer than half the companies that have had business interrupted by disaster have updated their business continuity plans in the past six months.
* More than 40 percent of companies have not established redundant servers or backup sites for their critical business functions.
* Nearly one-third of companies have not implemented basic security technology, such as firewalls, intrusion detection or password authentication.

For more info, click on the title of this NEEDA News story

TOP FEDERAL PROCUREMENT OFFICIAL RESIGNS AND IS ARRESTED
Originally Posted: September 22, 2005 5:29 PM
Last Updated: September 22, 2005 5:29 PM

David Safavian resigned September 16, 2005 and was arrested Monday, September 19 on charges of making false statements and obstructing a federal investigation while Chief of Staff at the US General Services Administration. GSA is the main procurement agency, but not the only one, in the Federal government.

Safavian was the Administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (part of the White House/Executive Branch) and he spoke at the last full Council meeting of the US Chamber Procurement Council. Kenton Pattie, NEEDA Executive Director, serves on the Chamber Procurement Council. Safavian's resignation and arrest has attracted much news media coverage.

$22 MILLION TO 237 FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Originally Posted: September 16, 2005 8:34 AM
Last Updated: September 16, 2005 8:34 AM

Department of Homeland Security has awarded 237 grants totalling $22 million in the fifth round of the Fiscal Year 05 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP) to fire departments.

AFGP will issue approximately 5,500 awards worth nearly $600 million in direct assistance to firefighters and first responders.

MORE INFO? Click on the headline of this NEEDA news item.

KATRINA DAMAGE AND DEATH IS JUST ORDINARY LOSS TO ACCOUNTING RULE SETTERS
Originally Posted: September 16, 2005 8:18 AM
Last Updated: September 16, 2005 8:18 AM

Even though Katrina killed more than 600 people, wiped out homes and businesses and caused billions of dollars in damage including damage and loss to NEEDA members, the hurricane would not meet the definition of an extraordinary event, according to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the Wall Street Journal reported.

The terrorist attacks did not meet the criteria, either. According to the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) of the FASB, the economic effects of the events were so extensive and pervasive that it would be impossible to capture them in any one financial statement line item. Any approach to extraordinary item accounting would include only a part and perhaps a relatively small part of the real effect of those tragic events. The task force concluded that showing only part of the effect as extraordinary would hinder, rather than help, effective communication.

What kind of event would quality of extraordinary? The Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980 met the criteria, since the Washington volcano hadn't erupted in 130 years.

MORE INFO? Click on the headline of this NEEDA news item.

PLEASE TELL NEEDA WHAT YOUR COMPANY IS DOING IN RESPONSE TO THE KATRINA RELIEF EFFORT: EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, SERVICE . . . WE WILL SHARE YOUR STORY WITH CONGRESS AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
Originally Posted: September 13, 2005 7:24 PM
Last Updated: September 13, 2005 7:57 PM

Congress returned from its month-long August recess with the most prominent issue on their agenda being Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. They have already passed two emergency supplementals: 10.5 billion and $51.8 billion-with estimates ranging up to $200 billion for
the total cost of the disaster relief.

Billions of dollars worth of contracts are and will continue to be awarded to assist the federal government in the recovery efforts. With a disaster of this magnitude
come new and more flexible contracting regulations as regulated by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). Various committees on the House and Senate side are looking at proposals to further expedite the recovery efforts and provide relief to that area of the country.

Many NEEDA members are helping in the relief effort. Emergency Equipment dealers are providing their inventories to fire departments, EMS and other public safety and rescue agencies. The relief effort reminds us all of the work dealers did in responding promptly to the 9-11-01 tragedy and other crisies. But nothing of this size has more challenged the dealer distribution system.

Several dealers have said to NEEDA that all they are doing these days is providing what is needed by state and local governments in the recovery effort. The area dealers are covering is vast, definitely the biggest disaster area in American history.

Once again, the importance and value of emergency equipment dealers has been proven. Ready, willing, and skilled in obtaining and supplying what is needed, keeping the vehicles on the road, and being on call 24/7. Like the fireservice itself, dealers are modest and not prone to self congratulation since we respond to emergencies every day. But in this case, most Federal leaders neither know about what dealers do nor do they appreciate the sacrifice small businesses like emergency equipment dealers make to stand by the first responders in their hour of need.

If you have a story to tell about what you have done, how you have helped, however big or small, please e-mail NEEDA.

To reach NEEDA Executive Director Kenton Pattie: KentonP1@aol.com

FEDERAL GRANTS OR $27 MILLION FOR ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS
Originally Posted: September 13, 2005 5:07 PM
Last Updated: September 13, 2005 5:07 PM

Department of Homeland Security has issued $27 million in the 328 fourth round grants of the FY 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP.

AFGP will issue approximately 5,500 awards worth nearly $600 million in direct Fire Act assistance to fire departments and first responders throughout the country.

GAS PRICE EXPLOSION FORCES IRS TO OK NEW BUSINESS MILEAGE ALLOWANCES FOR REST OF 05
Originally Posted: September 13, 2005 4:51 PM
Last Updated: September 13, 2005 4:51 PM

The Internal Revenue Service has announced an 8 cent per mile increase to the optional standard mileage rates for the final four months of '05. Between September 1 and December 31, '05, the rate will increase to 48.5 cents for all business miles driven.

This will help emergency equipment dealers who put in many miles providing service and sales to remote fire departments, NEEDA President James "Pat" Griffin said. "Changing the mileage rates in mid-year is unprecedented and a dramatic step for IRS which is usually reluctant to change any rules in mid year. Small businesses are helped by this Washington move."

OCTOBER 7 IS 05 DEADLINE FOR FIREFIGHTER GRANTS
Originally Posted: September 7, 2005 5:50 AM
Last Updated: September 7, 2005 5:50 AM

The Department of Homeland Security ofers a website for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) an online tutorial to assist applicants in preparing this year's Fire Prevention and Safety grants. The application period began on September 6, 2005. The Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to accept applications for these grants until the end of the application period, October 7, 2005 at 5:00 p.m.

TAX RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HIT BY KATRINA HURRICANE, FLOODING, AND LOSS OF BUSINESS
Originally Posted: September 7, 2005 5:37 AM
Last Updated: September 7, 2005 5:37 AM

The financial impact on small businesses of Hurricane Katrina will not be known for many weeks.

The IRS is offering taxpayers immediate relief in those small companies in counties and parishes that have been declared disaster areas by President Bush. The deadlines for making employment and excise tax deposits has been extended to September 23, 2005 while those for tax returns and other tax payments have been extended until October 31, 2005. In order to qualify for the extension, taxpayers should write Hurricane Katrina in red at the top of their tax forms when submitting them. Details and updated information is available on the IRS web site.

Small business owners can take advantage of involuntary conversion rules for disaster damage providing further assistance to those whose property is damaged or involuntarily converted in [residentially declared disasters. Business property damaged by a natural disaster is eligible for non-recognition of gain meaning that qualified replacement property can be purchased and the gain can be deferred.