Guidelines for Contract Template Use

This guideline describes efforts in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon/Washington) to prepare contract templates for fire preparedness and fuels treatment, and provides a brief discussion of indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts for anyone without a basic understanding of their use (See Procedures for Issuing Task Orders).  Two contract templates have been prepared: 1) Fuels Management (which includes fire preparedness services for crews), and 2) Fire Preparedness Services for Crews.  The contract templates are posted under the "Statements of Work" button on the National Fire Plan (NFP) contracting web site.  A third template entitled Fire Preparedness Services for Engines is pending.

Due to the similarities between the types of NFP procurements between the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies and U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the magnitude of the workload, regional Procurement personnel representing most of the federal wildland fire agencies in Oregon and Washington agreed on ways to make the procurement process more efficient. A Lead Contracting Officer (CO) for each subgeographic area in Oregon and Washington has been designated to take the lead on commonly needed NFP procurements for all agencies in that subgeographic area. This is consistent with direction in the national interagency agreement on NFP procurements. To assist the Lead CO with technical fuels and fire management questions as they work with NFP procurements, Lead Fuels Specialist(s) (persons with comprehensive technical fuels and fire management expertise) have been designated for each subgeographic area. Field offices for all federal agencies are encouraged to channel their NFP procurements through the technical contact person(s) for their subgeographic area.

Each contract template covers several items of work (e.g., the Fuels Management Contract Template includes lopping and scattering, piling and burning, slashing, fuels pullback, etc.) and provides specifications for each. Usually with only minor modification, the specifications can be customized to fit the specific needs of the user. However, any part of the template should be modified, if necessary, to meet the user's needs. This minimizes the effort required to develop a contract and eliminates, or at least minimizes, duplication of effort among contracting offices. Completion instructions for customizing the contract are included with the Fuels Management and Fire Preparedness Services for Crews contract templates.

The IDIQ contracts have been designed to enhance opportunities for use of local businesses and local hires by: 1) considering offers from small firms as well as large firms, 2) allowing firms to make offers on any or all items depending on the firm's capability, 3) allowing offerors to set their own maximum order limitations so small locally-owned firms will have as much opportunity for an award as larger or more distant firms, and 4) using authorities in the FY2001 DOI and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Public Law 106-291. The Lead CO determines how many awards to make, and to which firms, based in part on past performance, price, and their plans to hire and train locally. These contract templates have been designed with these features in mind.

The contract templates are designed for multiple-agency use so that after award, any field office of the DOI agencies and FS can obtain services by issuing task orders.

The template is modeled after multiple-agency, multiple-year IDIQ fuels treatment contracts that have been successfully used for several years by the BLM Medford District and the Rogue River National Forest in Southwest Oregon, and the BLM Lakeview District in the Klamath Basin. The technical specifications have evolved as a result of this experience.

This template does not specifically address agency aircraft use requirements associated with end-product contracts. Aircraft-use requirements for end-product contracts differ between DOI agencies and FS. When a fuels management contract is being prepared that includes the use of aircraft, it is critical that all aircraft-use requirements of the user agency are incorporated into the contract.

Key features of this template include:

• It is a multiple-year, multiple-agency, multiple-award IDIQ contract.
• Rates of pay are based on units of work which are specific to the fuels treatment such as acres, chains, linear feet, etc.
• The template provides for a minimum guarantee which is an amount for each contract awarded.
• Template covers some 15 fuels treatments and related services and several levels of difficulty for each fuels treatment.
• Fire preparedness services for crews are also covered in this template. Specifications are the same as the Fire Preparedness Services for Crews Contract Template discussed below.
• Template includes Evaluation and Award Factors for use in the contract award process.

Key features of this template include:

• Preparedness services for 5-person, 10-person, and 20-person crews may be acquired. Standards are included for each size crew as appropriate.
• There are requirements that contractors must be awarded a Northwest Interagency Crew Agreement to qualify for this contract.
• When preparedness crews are dispatched to fires, the Preparedness Contract is superseded by the Northwest Interagency Crew Agreement.
• Specifications for crew training, experience, physical fitness, personal protective clothing, and equipment requirements are consistent with national interagency standards as required in the Northwest Interagency Crew Agreement.
• The template is designed as a multiple-year contract.
• Rates of pay are based on a "team hour" which is an hourly rate for the entire crew. The estimated quantity of team hours will need to be identified for each contract.
• The specifications explicitly provide for the crews to perform all types of fuels treatment work as part of the preparedness activities. Specifications for this fuels treatment work, if needed, must be provided in the task order or other written instruction.
• A length of assignment for fire dispatch is established at 14 days unless a longer period is approved in advance. This will ensure return of the crew for fire preparedness services.
• The template provides for a minimum guarantee. The minimum guarantee includes amounts earned for preparedness plus amounts earned for fire suppression under the Northwest Interagency Crew Agreement which occurs as a result of the preparedness contract. The amount of this guarantee should be set based on expected use.
• A performance period must be established for each contract; however, there is no guarantee of full-time work during the performance period. This provides flexibility if a sudden low fire danger period occurs within the performance period, but the minimum guarantee must be considered.
• Work schedules for crews are established by the Government.
• Provisions for periodic evaluations of performance and inspections of equipment are included.
• Template includes Evaluation and Award Factors for use in the contract award process which should enhance selection of the best value to the Government.

This contract template has not yet been posted on the NFP contracting web site. Key features of this template include:

• Preparedness services for all ICS engine types may be acquired.
• Engines may be staffed with 3-person crews.
• It is designed as a multiple-year contract.
• There are requirements that contractors be awarded a Northwest Interagency Engine and Tender Agreement to qualify for this contract.
• When preparedness engines are dispatched to fires, the Preparedness Contract is superseded by the Northwest Interagency Engine and Tender Agreement.
• Specifications for crew training, experience, physical fitness, personal protective clothing and equipment requirements are consistent with national interagency standards as required in the Northwest Interagency Engine and Tender Agreement.
• Engine standards including pumps, accessories, and inventory are consistent with the Northwest Interagency Engine and Tender Agreement.
• Rates of pay are based on a daily rate for engines and hourly rates for the engine crew. In addition, there is a set reimbursement rate of $0.75 per mile for engine mileage when used for preparedness services, and $5.00 per hour in addition to the hourly bid rate for the crew for all preparedness work over 40 hours per week.
• The provisions explicitly provide for the engine crew to perform all types of fuels treatment work as part of the preparedness activities. Fuels treatments not already identified and specifications for fuels treatment work, if needed, must be provided.
• The template provides for a minimum guarantee. The minimum guarantee includes amounts earned for preparedness plus amounts earned for fire suppression under the Northwest Interagency Engine and Tender Agreement which occurs as a result of the preparedness contract. The amount of this guarantee should be set based on expected use.
• A length of assignment for fire dispatch is limited to 14 days unless an extension is approved by the CO. This will ensure return of the engine for preparedness services.
• A performance period must be established for each contract; however, there is no guarantee of full-time work during the performance period. This provides flexibility if a sudden low fire danger period occurs within the performance period, but the minimum guarantee must be considered.
• Work schedules for crews are established by the Government.
• Provisions for periodic evaluations of performance and inspections of equipment are included.
• Template includes Evaluation Criteria for use in the contract award process.