As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s responsibility to provide temporary housing for those affected by disasters, FEMA will soon be releasing a request for proposal for the manufacture of accessible RV-based relief housing, according to the RV Industry Association.
FEMA staff, who worked with a task force of RV industry members to assemble the proposal request, are expected to release the proposal prototypes early next year. Manufacturers who bid successfully on the project will be assembling accessible, ADA-compliant travel trailers using the designs and floorplans that are available in the proposal request, according to FEMA.
The accessible travel trailers will have all the same amenities as those sold on retail lots, including the standard finishes, fixtures and exterior graphics. As a result, manufacturers will be able to use their existing processes, suppliers, and materials. FEMA will not be mandating what materials and methods the manufacturers use, provided the units meet the accessibility requirements shown in the plans. FEMA also intends to do a significant run of units to create a stock of accessible travel trailers.
FEMA hopes to work with more than one RV manufacturer to complete the project. Interested RV manufacturers will be able to view the RFP in its current form here. Information on how to place a bid will be published when the official RFP is released.
