Final answer:
State, tribal, and local organizations are required to adopt NIMS-ICS when seeking federal preparedness assistance. This requirement is tied to the allocation of categorical grants, which are used for specific purposes such as emergency preparedness and infrastructure resilience. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act seeks to increase transparency regarding the cost of federal mandates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) are key elements of the United States' emergency preparedness and incident management approach. In compliance with federal policy, all state, tribal, and local organizations that wish to receive federal preparedness assistance are required to adopt NIMS-ICS.
One form of federal support to state and local governments is through categorical grants, which are funds provided for a specific purpose and subject to conditions set by the national government. Categorical grants can often be observed in the context of emergency preparedness measures, including anti-terrorism legislation and ensuring the resilience of critical national infrastructure. These grants contrast with block grants, which have fewer restrictions on their use.
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 was introduced to address the concerns of state and local governments associated with unfunded mandates by increasing transparency regarding the costs of federal mandates.