Disaster Recovery Data Portal

1. What is the primary purpose of DRDP and how does it support CDBG-DR grantees?

The DRDP enables HUD CDBG-DR grantees to securely request and download Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance datasets. It streamlines the data acquisition process, helping grantee perform duplication of benefits analysis and manage disaster recovery grants more efficiently.

2. Who is eligible to access DRDP and how are user roles and permissions managed?

Only authorized DRGR users can access DRDP. Permissions are managed through DRGR's existing user management model, ensuring users have access to only their specific assigned Disaster IDs.

3. How to request DRDP Access if not an authorized HUD User?

Only users with valid HUD credentials (Internal or External) access along with authorized DRGR User Role can access the DRDP Public Portal. To request HUD Credentials and appropriate access to DRDP, please click on Need Access? link on DRDP Portal home page.

4. How to request DRDP Access if an Authorized HUD User but not a DRGR User?

Only users with valid HUD credentials access along with authorized DRGR User Role can access the DRDP Public Portal. Any HUD User with no assigned DRGR User Role cannot access DRDP Portal. To request DRGR User Role assignment, please click on Need Access? link on DRDP Portal home page.

5. How does DRDP leverage the existing DRGR security model for authentication and authorization?

DRDP uses SiteMinder for authentication and queries DRGR to validate user roles and disaster access. If authorized, DRGR returns the relevant disaster list to DRDP for user interaction.

6. What types of FEMA Assistance Records datasets can grantees request through DRDP?

Grantees can request bulk FEMA Individual Assistance data for specific disaster numbers post2015. Historical data (pre-2015) is excluded from DRDP Phase 1.

7. What steps must a grantee follow to initiate a data request in DRDP?

Users log in via DRDP, view user specific assigned disasters, and click "Initiate Request." This triggers a manual process where DRDP admins verify and email FEMA to request the data.

8. How does DRDP notify grantees and administrators about the request initiation and file availability?

On Initiation
- As soon as a grantee clicks "Initiate Request," DRDP sends a confirmation email to the grantee's registered email address and to the DRDP admin distribution list (HUD-PDR-Data-Sharing-Support).
- The email includes disaster details along with the grantee's name, organization, disaster ID, and timestamp of the request.
On File Availability
- After FEMA provides the approved dataset to the SFTP-enabled Azure Blob container and the nightly batch job verifies it, DRDP updates the request status to File Available, marking the users and admins that the file is available for download.
- DRDP immediately triggers a second email to both the grantee and the admin team, notifying them that the request status is File Available and the file is ready for download.
- All notification emails use the generic HUD support mailbox and ensure both grantees and administrators stay informed at critical milestones.

9. In what format are the FEMA datasets delivered, what is the maximum file size, and how are files packaged?

Files are delivered in ZIP format, containing data files and a read-me text file. Each ZIP file is limited to 100 MB and includes naming conventions for disaster identification.

10. How long do downloaded FEMA data files remain available in DRDP before they are purged?

Files remain available for 60 days from the time FEMA uploads them. After that, they are automatically deleted from the system.

11. What security, privacy, and compliance controls have DRDP implemented (e.g., SiteMinder, 20-minute timeout, Section 508)?

DRDP enforces SiteMinder authentication, 20-minute inactivity timeouts, Section 508 accessibility compliance, and tracks all downloads. It adheres to HUD-FEMA CMA and federal go-live security checklists.

12. Who should grantees or administrators contact if they encounter an issue or have questions about using DRDP?

Users can contact the DRDP support team via a dedicated group email link provided on the portal's welcome page. Admins also receive automated notifications for initiated requests.

13. Can a grantee request FEMA data files for a specific geography (state, county, city) level?

No. In DRDP Phase 1 all requests are scoped to the full FEMA disaster declaration area (effectively the state-level footprint for that disaster). There is no option to filter or pull data at finer geographic granularity-such as county or city-in this release. Geography-level requests are not applicable for Version 1.0 but are planned for evaluation in future phases.

14. Can a grantee request type of file in the DRDP Portal like Purpose 2, Purpose 3, or a combined Purpose 2/3 FEMA data file?

Not in Phase 1. The current DRDP portal only supports the disaster request. The type of file or data request specific details like Purpose 2, Purpose 3, and combined Purpose 2/3 file requests and geographic details are to be provided in DocuSign document process. The automated process including file type requests, Docusign and Grantee Manger approvals and automated FEMA Submission functionalities will be part of subsequent DRDP Releases.

15. What are the possible request statuses in DRDP and what do they mean?

DRDP tracks each data-request through the following status values. Grantees and administrators will see these same statuses (where applicable) in their respective dashboards:

Status Name	Status Description
Not Initiated	Initial status when the request is created but not yet initiated.
Initiated	Status is updated when the Grantee initiates the request. Upon successful initiation, a confirmation email is sent to the Grantee User and DRDP Admins.
DocuSign Signed	DRDP Admin updates the status to DocuSign Signed when the Grantee submits the DocuSign documents.
Manager Approved	DRDP Admin updates the status to Manager Approved when the Grantee Manager approves the submitted DocuSign documents.
Submitted	DRDP Admin updates the status to Submitted when the Grantee request is submitted to FEMA for file processing.
File Available	File is received from FEMA and is available for users to download. An automated email is sent to the Grantee User and DRDP Admins notifying them that the file is available for download.
File Downloaded	When one or more users from the Grantee organization download the requested file, the status is updated to File Downloaded.

16. Can multiple grantee organizations initiate a request for the same FEMA disaster?

Yes. DRDP treats each grantee organization's request independently, even if they all reference the same FEMA disaster ID.

Grantees see only their own organization's requests in the My Disaster Data grid.
Administrators see every request in the Requests Dashboard, so they may see several entries for the same disaster ID-one per grantee.
Each request follows its own lifecycle (Initiated ? File Available ? File Downloaded), and file availability notifications are sent separately to each grantee and the admin team.

This design ensures that neighboring or overlapping grantees can each obtain the data they need, even when they reference the same disaster declaration.

FAQs