Applying for DRFA funding

Counter Disaster Operations (CDO)

Counter Disaster Operations (CDO) activities are undertaken by local governments and state agencies immediately before, during or after an eligible disaster, in order to assist and protect people by:

• alleviating personal hardship and distress
• addressing the immediate emergency needs of individuals
• protecting the general public.

Key dates for CDO

• Completing activities: CDO activities are undertaken immediately before, during and immediately after the eligible disaster.
• Lodging a submission: Eligible activities undertaken up to 30 June must be lodged to the QRA for acquittal assessment by 30 September (within three months from end of financial year). This requirement includes lodging all expenditure incurred on the eligible activities undertaken during the financial year, regardless when the invoice was paid.
• Written requests to lodge a late submission must be sought before the lodgement due date and agreed in writing by QRA.
• Refer to QDFG Section 8. 

Steps to prepare and lodge a CDO submission 

1. Download the Counter Disaster Operations Submission Form.
2. Lodge the completed submission form and all supporting evidence via the MARS portal.

Resources for more information  

Emergency Works for Essential Public Assets

Emergency Works (EW) are temporary works undertaken by local government and state agencies to:

• urgently repair eligible essential public assets impacted by an eligible disaster
• enable essential public assets to operate or be operated at a reasonable level of efficiency
• enable assets to support the immediate recovery of the community after an eligible disaster.

Key dates

• Completing works: Works must be completed within three months after the event, or from when the asset becomes accessible.
• Lodging a submission: Submissions are to be lodged within three months
• Where EWK are delivered in one financial year, submissions: 
  • should be lodged with QRA within three months of completing the works and 
  • must be lodged by no later than three months from the end of the financial year (e.g., by 30 September).
• Where EWK will be delivered across two financial years, applicants: 
  • are required to notify QRA as early as possible to seek a formal Commonwealth exemption to the requirement to claim the costs of works undertaken each financial year by no later than three months from the end of each financial year. 
  • pending approval of this DRFA exemption, submissions claiming the costs of EWK delivered across two financial years, must be lodged within three months of completing the works.
• Written requests to lodge a late submission must be sought before the lodgement due date and agreed in writing by QRA.
• Refer to QDFG Section 9. 

Steps to prepare and lodge a submission

1. Download the Emergency Works Submission Form.
2. Lodge the completed submission form and all supporting evidence via the MARS portal.

Resources for more information 

Immediate Reconstruction Works for Essential Public Assets

Immediate Reconstruction Works are reconstruction works undertaken by local government and state agencies to urgently and permanently reconstruct eligible essential public assets to pre-disaster function immediately (within three months) after the eligible disaster has occurred.

Key dates

• Collecting evidence: Damage evidence must be collected prior to or while undertaking Immediate Reconstruction Works. Completion evidence must be collected as works are completed, or as soon as possible after completion. All evidence must meet the DRFA requirements.
• Completing works: Works must be completed within three months after the event, or from when the asset becomes accessible.
• Lodging a submission: Where IRW are delivered in one financial year, submissions: 
  • should be lodged with QRA within three months of completing the works and 
  • must be lodged by no later than three months from the end of the financial year (e.g., by 30 September).
• Where IRW will be delivered across two financial years, applicants: 
  • are required to notify QRA as early as possible to seek a formal Commonwealth exemption to the requirement to claim the costs of works undertaken each financial year by no later than three months from the end of each financial year. 
  • pending approval of this DRFA exemption, submissions claiming the costs of IRW delivered across two financial years, must be lodged within three months of completing the works. 
• Written requests to lodge a late submission must be sought before the lodgement due date and agreed in writing by QRA.
• Refer to QDFG Section 9. 

Steps to prepare and lodge a submission

1. Download the Immediate Reconstruction Works Submission Form.
2. Lodge the completed submission form and all supporting evidence via the MARS portal.

Resources for more information

Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets

Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA) submissions are developed and lodged based on the:

• scope of reconstruction works required to restore or replace eligible essential public assets that have been directly damaged by an eligible disaster and
• estimated reconstruction costs to complete those works.

Key dates

• Collecting evidence: Post disaster evidence must be collected no later than 12 months after the event. All evidence must meet the DRFA requirements.
• Lodging a submission: All REPA submissions, including awarded market prices, must be lodged to QRA within nine months (by 31 March) following the financial year in which the relevant disaster occurred.
• Updating a submission with awarded market price: All requests to update an approved submission with awarded market prices, must be lodged to QRA within nine months (by 31 March) following the financial year in which the relevant disaster occurred.
• Reporting on works: Monthly progress reports are required throughout delivery.
• Completing works: All REPA works must be completed within 24 months after the end of the financial year in which the disaster occurred.
• Acquitting approved works and expenditure: Collecting evidence - Post disaster damage evidence supporting the proposed scope of works must be collected by the earlier of: 
  • within 12 months after the eligible disaster, or 
  • within nine months (by 31 March) following the financial year in which the disaster occurred.
• Lodgement due date - All REPA submissions, including the proposed scope of works and the awarded market prices, must be lodged with QRA within nine months (by 31 March) following the financial year in which the disaster occurred (unless otherwise directed by QRA). 
• Applicants seeking QRA approval of REPA submission market price scope before tendering: 
  • should lodge pre-approval submissions with QRA by 31 October, and 
  • must lodge market price update submissions by the 31 March. 
• Submission scope and estimate updates, including market price updates lodged after the 31 March due date may not be approved REPA funding by QRA. 
• Monthly reporting on delivery of REPA scope, costs and timeframes is mandatory throughout delivery. 
• Completion due date - REPA works must be completed within 24 months after the end of the financial year in which the disaster occurred. Costs incurred after the completion timeframe or after an approved extension to the completion timeframe are ineligible for reimbursement. 
• Acquittal due date - REPA submission acquittals (close out submissions) must be lodged with QRA within three months of completing the works (refer 9.5.9 Submission acquittal).
• Refer to QDFG Section 9. 

Steps to prepare and lodge a submission

1. Download the Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA) submission form.
2. Lodge the completed submission form and all supporting evidence via the MARS portal.

Resources for more information  

Program delivery and acquittal

Following approval of a submission, progress reports can be exported, populated and lodged in the MARS Portal. Close out of a submission can also be done in the MARS Portal following completion of works and full expenditure.

Refer to the  MARS - User guides and forms page for the guidance document on Progress reporting and close outs.

QRA Reference:  QRATF/18/18679 & DOC/25/44744.
Last updated:  14 September 2026.