Authority: Title 44, Chapter 3.2, Code of Virginia

A. By October 1 of each year, the Sheltering Coordinator shall provide a status report on the Commonwealth's emergency shelter capabilities and readiness to the Governor, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropiations Committees.

B.1. The Department of Social Services, in consultation with institutions of higher education, and with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Department of General Services, shall develop a model state shelter plan to include but not limited to the process of mobilization and demobilization of the shelter; relocation of residents when a state shelter is de-activated; warehousing of pre-positioned supplies; potential use of existing resources and vendors already under contract with institutions of higher education; and cost estimates for resources that would be reimbursed by the Commonwealth. The Department shall submit a report on the model plan and its recommendations, including challenges implementing such plan in all state shelters, by October 15, 2022, to the chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Finance.

2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Social Services, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, shall determine and document the specifications of all goods and services required in the event of state shelter activation and provide the specifications to the Department of General Services. In so doing, the Department shall work with each institution of higher education at which a state shelter may be located to identify site-specific goods and services needs to operate the shelter. The Department will identify the extent to which an institution of higher education may have existing contracts for goods and services that could be used to support state shelter operations. In addition the Department will identify warehousing space that is or may be available at institutions of higher education for the storage of supplies. The department shall revise its specification and warehousing documentation as needed providing updates to the Department of General Services annually thereafter by November 1 each year.

3. All state agencies are directed to provide all information or assistance requested by the Department to complete or revise this documentation to support state shelters. Immediately following activation of one or more state shelters, the Department shall be responsible for submitting procurement orders as needed on behalf of affected institutions of higher education to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Department of General Services for fulfillment in support of state shelter activation.