Description
Description SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE RESPONSES AND QUESTIONS MUST REFERENCE NOTICE NUMBER 1282B124I0001 This information is a draft. Information is being gathered for market research purposes to assist the Government in determining the appropriate procurement methodology, should a solicitation be released. Contractors will not be reimbursed for information provided to the Government as part of this sources sought. Contractors should provide information to the POC if interested. Please include contractor's business size with submissions along with interest and capabilities. POC Contract information is listed below. Services provided within the Region 4 lntermountain Region for the Forest Service. Agreement type will likely be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, likely with multiple awards (multiple contractors, possibly 5-8) being issued to provide services. Services are likely to be for multiple Prescribed Fire Workshops, over the course of 5 years, in the areas of but not limited to: Integrated Prescribed Fire Workshop Development, Integrated Prescribed Fire Workshop Delivery, Delivery of Burn Plan Review, RT-300 Refresher Training Development, RT-300 Refresher Training Delivery, Development and Delivery Burn Plan Writing Workshop, Facilitated Learning Analysis Review, Burn Boss Workshop Development, Burn Boss Workshop Delivery. NAICS: 611710 ----------------- General Information 1.0 Background and Purpose The lntermountain Region of the USFS (R4) requires a contractor(s) to assist the Fuels Program in all aspects of prescribed fire trainings. Some tasks include: plan and instruct training, provide hands on field experience, provide facility and training site logistical support, work with host sites on presentation/training needs, develop custom educational presentations utilizing the latest technology, develop fuels treatment staff rides, review burn plans and associated documents for national policy compliance, document course delivery process, develop job aids for fuels staff and line officers, electronically archive course delivery documentation, serve on facilitated learning analysis teams, one-on-one mentoring in prescribed fire, participate in prescribed fire program reviews, and create field exercises specifically targeted to employees working in the fuels management arena including agency administrators. The contractor shall work in coordination with R4 and/or federal and state partner agencies to deliver these services. The intent of the mentoring and other educational presentations is to improve awareness and provide operational education to fire professionals, agency administrators, and resource specialists who are responsible for planning and implementing fuels treatments on their unit(s). Topics and requirements will vary depending on task requirements and may include: current prescribed fire and mechanical treatment issues, hazards and safety issues, agency liability, personal liability, escaped prescribed fires, interagency policy, implementation planning, reviewing prescribed fire plans, key elements of successful prescribed fire programs, aerial ignition, prescribed fire in Wilderness Areas, Indigenous fire practices, effective communication, human factors, partnerships and collaboration, integration, agreements, smoke management, decision making, and effective program monitoring. The contractor(s) will also serve as National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) qualified and an approved escort on active prescribed fire implementations for attendees that are not fireline qualified. The contractor(s) will assist R4 personnel in preparation and presentation of instructional material, coordinator of logistical arrangements, reserving conference rooms, contacting selected students prior to the workshop or training, and other duties as required. 2.0 Acronyms NIPFTC- National lnteragency Prescribed Fire Training Center NWCG - National Wildfire Coordinating Group C&G - Command and General Staff RXCM - Prescribed Fire Crew Member UAS- Unmanned Aircraft Systems PPE - Personal Protective Equipment NAFRI - National Advanced Fire and Resource Institute NIFC- National interagency Fire Center WFAP - Wild land Fire Apprenticeship Program FTR- Federal Travel Regulations CO - Contracting Officer DHS - Department of Homeland Security 3.0 Technical Requirements / Task 3.1 Tasks and Products Tasks and product requirements will be contingent on current prescribed fire weather and training issues within R4 and current land management and regulatory issues within the Federal and partnering state land management agencies. Products may include several different tasks but are not limited to: Integrated Prescribed Fire Workshop Development Integrated Prescribed Fire Workshop Delivery Delivery of Burn Plan Review RT-300 Refresher Training Development RT-300 Refresher Training Delivery Development and Delivery Burn Plan Writing Workshop Facilitated Learning Analysis Review Burn Boss Workshop Development Burn Boss Workshop Delivery 3.2 Contractor Qualifications and Requirements The National Wild land Fire Coordinating Group (NWCG) and the National lnteragency Prescribed Fire Training Center (NIPFTC) have established that to effectively engage and inform this unique workforce, it is imperative that the personnel serving as cadre, mentors, field coordinator, and creating these type of educational products, have an extensive background in prescribed fire, wild land firefighting, mechanical fuel treatments as well as familiarity with duties and responsibilities of line officers, and agency administrators .. (a) Specialized experience with national wild land fire training centers, as an instructor, mentor, guest speaker, operations coordinator, or field coordinator. (b) Current or previous NWCG qualifications and experience: 1. Command and/or General Staff position on Incident Management Team 2. Single Resource Boss or higher. 3. Type 2 Burn Boss (Type 1 experience preferred); experience must include both aerial and ground ignition of prescribed fires. (c) Extensive prescribed fire experience from eastern to the western portions of the US (d) Experience teaching NWCG 300,400, or 500 level fire courses within the last 10 years, including instruction to agency administrators within the past 5 years. (e) Previous work background in either: 1. A wild land fire position with a federal wild land fire agency at the Regional or National level, or 2. a combination of experience in a prescribed fire or wild land fire position at the local level. (f) NWCG qualifications card with a minimum of prescribed fire crew member with current moderate or higher work capacity test, or contractor certified documentation meeting the NWCG requirements with a minimum of prescribed fire crew member (RXCM) and a current work capacity test of "moderate" or "arduous". 4.0 Period of Performance and Scheduling Delivery requirements and required schedule will be defined at the Task Order level in alignment with the USFS mission. Approximate time schedules will be from April, 2024 – March, 2029 with each individual Task Order awarded under this IDIQ will have a period of performance specific to the work to be performed. 5.0 Government Furnished Any government-furnished support, data, property, or facilities, or if the contractor will require access to the government facilities, will be defined at the Task Order level in alignment with the USFS mission. 6.0 Travel Travel may be required as part of the Contractor performance and will be identified in the individual statement of work of each Task Order awarded under this IDIQ. All travel will be paid in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). 7.0 Contractor's Key Personnel / Qualifications and Requirements The Contractor shall employ and maintain personnel with expert knowledge and experience in prescribed fire planning, wildland fire, prescribed fire implementation experience, past or current wildland fire or prescribed fire qualifications, and specialized experience as an instructor, mentor, guest speaker, operations or field coordinator. A resume’ describing the instructor’s knowledge and experience in those areas will required for each instructor. 8.0 Security Requirements Contractors shall not have access to government facilities unless there is a government representative on-site. 9.0 Data Rights The Contractor will be prohibited from publishing or disseminating information resulting from work performed under this contract, and/or using data produced or obtained under this contract, and/or any other information or products provided by the Government, or which the Contractor develops, for any purpose other than performance under this contract without prior written approval from the Contacting Officer. Any data produced, furnished, acquired or used by the contractor will be retained by the government. 10.0 Section 508 - Electronic and Information Technology Standards If information technology is to be acquired, include language describing Section 508 requirements. All information technology acquired, produced, and/or stored will meet the requirements identified in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 11.0 Performance Requirement Measures The Forest Service will have a designated technical point of contact (Technical Monitor/ COR) when contractors are being utilized. This Technical Monitor/ COR will verify work is being completed to the standard needed by R4. The CO has the right to disallow and not reimburse the contractor for costs that are unreasonable in nature or amount. The expectations, standards, and timeline requirements will be identified in the task order and reviewed with the Contractor by the Technical Monitor/ COR. The Technical Monitor will provide documentation to the Contractor Officer Representative and/or Contracting Officer on the contract performance requirements.