Paying for foreign disaster relief

← All Insights

1. From request to authorization

When another federal department wants Defense Department help with foreign disaster relief (FDR), its executive secretariat sends an official memorandum to the Secretary of Defense, under the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM) (SAMM C12.8.3.2). If the Secretary intends to authorize support, the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy prepares an authorization memorandum with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) (SAMM C12.8.4). The memorandum sets the parameters of the operation, including the authorities and funding. When the Defense Department may help at all, and who leads the wider American response, is covered in donated relief supplies and disaster response.

Cost estimates come from the operational side (SAMM C12.8.4). The Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands (CCMDs) concerned and their components estimate the support needed and send the figures to DSCA. The Financial Management Regulation sets out how to build those estimates, and how to request funding or later reimbursement from DSCA. The Policy office coordinates the authorization memorandum with DSCA, the Joint Staff, the general counsel and the Comptroller, and with the acquisition office where appropriate. The governing documents are named in the manual (SAMM C12.8.1). Defense Department policy and responsibilities for relief are set in Directive 5100.46. Financial rules for relief funded by the humanitarian appropriation are in volume 12, chapter 23 of the Financial Management Regulation.

2. Who manages the money

The DSCA Director oversees and manages humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and demining funded by the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) appropriation (SAMM C12.1.3.3). That includes the Denton program, the excess property program, and assessment, monitoring and evaluation. The Director also runs the Humanitarian Demining Training Center at Fort Lee, Virginia, and handles congressional notifications and reports. The wider program has other owners too (SAMM C12.1.3). The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy develops and oversees Defense policy for humanitarian assistance, foreign disaster relief and humanitarian demining (SAMM C12.1.3.1). The Comptroller sets financial management, accounting and audit policy for security cooperation, including budgeting for reimbursements to Defense accounts (SAMM C12.1.3.2). Each CCMD remains responsible for security cooperation in its area and gives program management of OHDACA activities to headquarters elements staffed and trained for the work (SAMM C12.1.3.5). The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) runs the Defense Transportation System, which moves Defense personnel, equipment and supplies for humanitarian work (SAMM C12.1.3.4).

3. Where the money comes from

If relief needs more than the OHDACA money available, DSCA works with the Policy office and the Comptroller to find other Defense funds and, if necessary, reprogram them (SAMM C12.8.5). The Comptroller may seek a supplemental appropriation to restore OHDACA funds spent on relief. The Defense Department may also give relief on a reimbursable basis when another department asks and pays.

DSCA passes funds to the affected CCMD in line with the cost estimates and the limits of the authorization (SAMM C12.8.5). The command may use them only to reimburse Defense relief activities that meet the legal and policy purposes of OHDACA and fall within the authorization. Where Defense stock is supplied against a mission tasking, the command calculates reimbursement under the Financial Management Regulation. OHDACA money is never given to partners or third parties to repay their own relief work.

4. Running the operation

CCMDs manage and carry out relief within the scope of the Secretary’s authorization (SAMM C12.8.7). They must set up effective financial oversight of the funds in line with the authorizing memorandum and the Financial Management Regulation. During an approved relief operation, a command may not get around the funding limit, or the lead agency’s requirements, by running humanitarian assistance projects at the same time.

Specific requests come through a mission tasking matrix from the State Department’s office of international disaster response (SAMM C12.8.7.1). The command makes sure all support stays within the authorization and OHDACA rules. The State office may send a disaster assessment and response team, which coordinates directly with Defense components and other American representatives in the area.

DSCA may hold regular resource calls with the command and its components, so everyone knows the requirements, resources and funding status (SAMM C12.8.6). The manual calls close and continuous contact between the command and DSCA essential. A disaster response module in the humanitarian information system serves as a shared workspace for Defense contacts and a record of past relief activities.

5. Tracking cost and transport

CCMDs collect estimated costs, commitments and obligations from supporting components and agencies (SAMM C12.8.7.2). Military components may carry out relief with funds they already have, to be reimbursed later from relief funds. To make that possible and auditable, they must mark every relief-related cost with an appropriate expenditure type or other code.

Defense transport for relief is mainly military airlift (SAMM C12.8.7.3). The command coordinates transport needs with the Joint Staff and USTRANSCOM. It sets how much relief funding DSCA places on a transportation account code for expected airlift, and USTRANSCOM charges its relief support directly to that code. Commands report all relief costs under the Financial Management Regulation and give DSCA a funding status every day (SAMM C12.8.7.4). The report covers actions taken, actions planned, the spending rate and any new costs recommended for reimbursement.

6. Closing out

DSCA, the CCMDs, the components and USTRANSCOM each finish their own activities and reconcile the funding when relief requirements end or the authorization ends, whichever comes first (SAMM C12.8.8). Commands return unused relief funds to DSCA as soon as possible, and no later than 45 days after relief activities end or Defense assets redeploy, whichever is later (SAMM C12.8.8.1). They also send DSCA a summary of lessons learned within 45 days of the end of relief activities (SAMM C12.8.8.2).

Key terms

FDR authorization memorandum	The Secretary of Defense memo setting the scope, authorities and funding of a relief operation.
Mission tasking matrix	The document through which the State Department asks for specific Defense support.
Transportation account code	The code DSCA funds so USTRANSCOM can charge relief transport directly.
Burn rate	The spending rate reported daily during a relief operation.
Reimbursable relief	Defense relief requested and paid for by another federal department.
Disaster response module	The part of the humanitarian information system shared by DSCA and command contacts during relief, which also keeps a record of past operations.

Every statement above links to the document behind it. The full source list for this piece is on the sources page.

This page describes public United States government programs for general information. It is not legal, regulatory or procurement advice, and it does not address the facts of any particular case.

How Sentfore supports this

Disaster response depends on secure movement and life support on the ground. Sentfore works at the delivery end of defense programs in difficult environments, providing secure movement, protective security, facilities and life support. Requirements can be sent through the contact page.