Background: The National Fire Plan, which implements Public Law 106-291, contemplates a dramatic increase in the amount of fuels reduction and fuels management work to improve the ability of the land to withstand catastrophic fire. Much of the work is targeted for completion by contract. While fuels management by contract has grown over the last ten years, it is expected that there is a need to foster growth in the number of contractors available. A primary focus of the law is to foster awards to firms that will hire locally. Although "local" is undefined, managers and contracting personnel will stress sealed bid awards to firms that are in closer proximity to project work and best value awards to firms that commit to specific plans to hire local workers.

• Share bidders lists among federal agencies, and seek out similar lists maintained by State and private organizations that conduct similar work, such as commercial timber companies.
• Contact nonprofit organizations such as local worker training development groups that work toward local employment. Refer the organizations to the U.S. Department of Labor for possible use of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to fund payments to trainees.
• Advertise and conduct workshops for potentially interested firms. Invite the leadership and membership of reforestation contractors associations and loggers associations to workshops. Include on the agenda technical specialists that can describe work techniques, site visits to on-going contract work, and contract personnel to explain the bidding process.
• Contact the Small Business Administration for assistance in locating small businesses and providing guidance on bidding on Government contracts. Examine the list of eligible firms in SBA's 8(a) program and firms registered as Historically Underutilized Business (HubZone) firms for potential candidates.
• Contact local State fire protection associations and rural fire districts for their interest in conducting fuels reduction, possibly in rural interface areas.
• Investigate community colleges and universities for any programs they have, or may be interested in, to utilize or develop a curriculum to train workers or potential bidders on fuels management opportunities.
• Contact local Job Corps for programs or ideas on program development.
• Work with watershed councils or associations for participation by their member organizations.
• Examine agency emergency service and supply plans for companies that are available for emergency fire suppression and which may also be interested in project work.
• To keep active contractors in the program, develop contracts that provide work at various time of the year, such as prescribed fire work in spring and fall, thinning and slashing in the winter, and emergency fire suppression in the summer.
• Insert a clause that permits other land management agencies the ability to place orders, giving firms more flexibility to work on different ownerships that frequently have somewhat differing work seasons or elevations.
• On best value awards, include an evaluation criterion that targets a company's commitment to hire locally for contract work.
• Make some awards multiple year to provide for a more stable longer-term employment potential and to encourage lower pricing for a longer contract, allowing for offerors to propose an escalation factor for succeeding years.