Fraud waste abuse

Today

We provide free training on grant management, avoiding fraud, waste, and abuse – and supporting new customers while remaining at our desks. How a software firm pivoted to publish videos and provide leadership against corruption.

Pre-COVID

In February of 2020, Storm Petrel supported our Tempest-GEMS, Tempest-Time while preparing to launch Podcast-Flow as part of a joint venture. The mission seemed clear: research needs, design and create software for people, support people using the tools we’ve built. The formula hiring great people, learning more about Oracle and Oracle APEX, running a help desk. We do a bit of marketing to keep the lights on and the payroll flowing. In fact, in February 2020, GSA awarded us a contract for our grant management software and a few labor categories. It was a year-long campaign we almost abandoned.

Life had a rhythm we understood.

Post-COVID

While we think of ourselves as a disaster response firm — we run in when others need help and are fleeing, we face today with great humility.

We are no different. We are the same as every other employer. We ask,

• How do we make payroll?
• How do we serve our clients?
• How do we serve our neighbors?
• What do we have to offer?

Redefine the Mission

We asked ourselves what will be the greatest problem we’ll face this year? We had to limit the responses to include: “that we can help solve”. 

We’ve spent years researching the way public servants get tangled by grant rules, procurement law, and make mistakes that cost their communities money and put freedom and careers at risk. We discovered, that because of the features we built into our software to help others with disaster cost recovery, we became experts in avoiding Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.

Lead Now – Help others avoid problems

We’ll share what we know — for free, to all. 

Let’s build a multi-media studio. The sharp eyed read will see scrap plywood, repurposed 2×4, an adjustable hospital table, and a teleprompter made from vinyl electrical tape and a wire-clothing hanger.

Listen, its not like I can drive down to BH Photography and Video and walk the aisles, can I? We did buy a new lav mic and a dedicated camera for the purpose.

Free Video Based Training

Playlist #1 “How to Manage Disaster Relief Funds”
Playlist #2 “Tempest-GEMS Training”

Public Articles

Following the scripts of the videos, we’ve publish similar material on management grants, and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse on our website.

Improving

Improvement comes in so many flavors. Self-guided training, research, learning new skills — oh, like video production. Who-da-knew?

Commentary Videos

1. I am the Problem (a personal video)
2. Today’s the Day I’m Going to Commit a Crime

Grant Management Videos

1. How to Prepare to Receive Emergency Funds
2. FEMA Grant Management Best Practices
3. How to Manage Disaster Relief Grants
4. Category B Grant and the PAPPG
5. Are you Eligible for a FEMA Grant?
6. Building Your Disaster Relief Grant Management Team: Key Grant Management Roles
7. Building Your Disaster Relief Grant Management Team: The 6 Players You Don’t Want On Your Team
8. FEMA Grant Dos and Don’ts: How to Keep your FEMA Grant Money

Tempest-GEMS Training Videos

1. Grant Program Lifecycle: How To Manage Disaster Relief Grants
2. FEMA Small Grants: Are They for You?
3. FEMA Grant Accounting Basics: Setting Up for Labor, Equipment & Material Cost Reporting
4. FEMA Grant Accounting Basics: Labor Cost Reporting
5. FEMA Grant Accounting Basics: Small Purchases with Grant Funds
6. FEMA Grant Accounting Basics: How to Make Big Purchases With Grant Funds
7. Grant Management Basics: Reimbursement Requests
8. Grant Management Basics: How to Do Progress Reports for Grants

What is next?

We stand ready for the next phase of 2020. A flexible and adaptive staff, some cash in the bank to make payroll, and a great community of clients.