Incident Acquisition Management

1. Incident AcquisitionManagement National Logistics Workshop Reno, Nevada March 18, 2008

2. Discussion Items • Contract Administration • Contracting Officer’s Representatives (COR’s) • National Contracts • National Solicitation Plan for Competitive EERA’s/I-BPA’s • VIPR

3. Contract Administration • Use of contractors has increased dramatically • IMT’s have responsibilities for contract administration, particularly for contracts supporting operations and logistics • Essential to adequately monitor contracts to insure compliance and evaluate performance

4. COR Certification Requirements • Current requirements for COR certification in the Forest Service are still applicable. • Now and continuing? COR’s must have training and resumes entered in ACMIS by June 30 (initially) • Future? Increased training • More Future? Program managers must have training and resumes in ACMIS • WHEN? Still waiting….

5. Contracting Officer’s Representative Task Force (National Contracts) • FAM and AQM chartered a task force led by Mike Lohrey. • Task force delivered their report in March, 2007, with recommended alternatives • FAM and AQM recently distributed the report along with identifying the alternative selected.

6. Recommendations Accepted • Adopt standard national structure • Identify national program manager • Identify number and level of certified COR’s needed and the contingent of inspectors • Include Administrative Contracting Officers (ACO’s) where appropriate

7. Next Steps to Implement • Identify available training and determine what more is needed • Determine which national contracts will have ACO’s • Analyze national contracts and determine number and type of adequate COR’s • Identify National Program Managers • Develop process for insuring COR’s are certified

8. National Contracts • Mobile Food and Shower Services • Type 2 IA Firefighter Crews • Retardant • Helicopters • Large Airtankers • Smokejumper Aircraft

9. Establishing EERA Policy • To meet USDA OIG Audit objectives & decrease cost: • FAR based • Best value driven • Consistent nationally

10. EERA Process Changes FY 2007 - 2010 • Competitive Solicitation Plan • National Solicitation Templates • Cascading Set-Aside • Uniform Equipment Inspections • Standardized Performance Evaluations • New Name for Preseason Agreements

11. National Solicitation Plan for Competitive EERAs/I-BPAs • Competition phase-in over 4 years • Solicitations cover 3 year period • FY 2008 competitions: • Faller module • GIS unit • Mobile laundry • Clerical office support • Tent • Mechanic w/ service truck • Refrigeration trailer

12. National Solicitation Templates • Standard equipment specifications (CETG) • Best Value award • Reasonable Price • Pass / Fail • Past Performance • Qualified Personnel • Minimum Equipment Standards • Priority Dispatch • Choosing by Advantages criteria • Determines a value / $

13. Cascading Set-AsideMethod of Award and Ranking on Dispatch Priority List • New Process • Allows issuance of one solicitation with multiple levels of set-aside for small business preference programs. • Complies with preference order as established by the FAR. • 8(a) (sole-source or set-aside) • HubZone • SDVOSB • Small Business • Approved by OGC

14. Uniform Equipment Inspections • National consistency as to what equipment is inspected to what degree • Balancing risk and cost, case by case • Pre-award, preseason, random or no inspection • CETG

15. Standardized Performance Evaluations • Contractor Performance System (CPS) • Required by USDA • Available government-wide – facilitate Interagency use • Better suited for equipment (v. crew form) • Evaluations performed by Fire – Supervisor of equipment at incident • Put new form in your kit • Input into CPS by AQM personnel

16. I-BPA: Preseason Non-emergency SF-1449 EERA: At-incident Emergency OF-294 Preseason Incident BPA

17. VIPR - High Level Scope • Is an Acquisition system • All preseason incident procurement instruments • Preseason Incident BPAs • Aviation contracts • National contracts • Front-end load Dispatch (ROSS) & Payment Systems

18. VIPR ROSS ISuite or ABS Payment Centers Financial Systems ESB Reuse Data Throughout Component of Incident Business Solutions (IBS) Data is front-loaded for use by downstream systems without re-entry

19. Cost AvoidanceForest Service Estimated Cost Avoidance $12.8 million/yr Staffing Cost Avoidance - $4.8 M/yr $ 3.4 M/year – AQM $ 1.3 M/year – Payments $ .1 M/year – Dispatch Competitive EERA/I-BPA - $8 M/yr $ 8M/yr – Lower prices through competitive solicitation* *Based on 8% of estimated $100M spent on EERA’s during average $1B fire year

20. VIPR Phased Releases Deferred to Future Releases • Integration with ROSS • Tracking of vendor training/ qualifications (TBD) • Aviation contracts • National contracts • Interagency capabilities Version 1.0: Nov 2008 • Preseason Incident BPA • Create solicitations • Vendor response • Award agreement • Create Priority Dispatch List • Data migration from EaTIS to VIPR

21. Summary Points • Important of Contract Administration • COR Task Force and Certifications • National Contracts • National Templates for I-BPA’s / EERA’s • VIPR

22. Questions? Susan Prentiss, Branch Chief, Incident Support, AQM March 18, 2008 http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm/incident