GAO report on Station Fire

A new GAO report on the Station Fire has been released and talks about the following issues;

1.  Why aviation resources were not utilized sooner?
2.  Why were their own resources (USFS) used when contract resources sat by closer to the fire?

During the past two years we in the contract community have seen this issue more and more in all areas not just aviation.

We have seen many Agency Only resource orders come out and resources from clear across the county being dispatched while contract resources right next to the fire have sat.

We have heard the following arguments related to that:

1.   We are more expensive that the agency resources?
       Response:   If you look at the 2009 Standard Cost Worksheet in the Mob Guide will see that contract resources show as more expensive BUT the costs shown for contract resources at all inclusive costs while the costs of agency resources are Direct Costs only.  So the cost to the taxpayer for agency resources is not clearly stated on that worksheet for all in direct costs.   We are currently working on a worksheet that will show our "Direct Costs" only and see if they are comparable to the agency "Direct Costs" only as we are unable to get  In Direct Costs from the agency.   Also we are pay when needed resources vs the fire resources of the agency are paid over a 180 day period irregardless of utilization.
Therefore it would be in the taxpayers interest to utilize contract resources rather that build up agency resources as that would help create jobs in rural communities, and help the local economies where they are located while saving the taxpayer dollars by paying for services when needed.

2.   They need to help their folks keep up their currency.
       Response:   While we believe this is true it is also true for the contract community as we have had very little work the last 3 years in a row, and our folks are also in need of assignments.  We are held to a higher standard in a lot of areas than the agency. All of our instructors must maintain currency in order to teach classes while that is not always true to the training within the agency.  Our folks can also not move up in position without documented task assignments while that is not always the case for the agency.

There have been many reports, some solicited by the agency themselves, that have  shown the above statements to be true, some of those report are:

A Comparison of the Costs of Forest Serviceand Contract Fire Crews in the PacificNorthwest

Comparing costs of Agency and Contract Fire Crews 2007 

Analysis of Agency Vs Contractor Costs for Firefighters 2004


Other media reports recently:

KWWL Story


We look to provide the agencies with a cost effective professional resources that is paid and utilized on a call when needed basis.  We believe this is a great value to both the agencies and the taxpayer.



Find out more about the National Wildfire Suppression Association by visiting us at:


http:// www.nwsa.us

E Verify & Fire Contract

Do you know how E Verify is applied to IBPA Agreements for fire resources??

The E-Verify federal contractor rule will affect federal contractors who are awarded a new contract or solicitations issued on or after September 8, 2009, that include the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause (73 FR 67704).
Qualifying federal contracts must contain the FAR E-Verify clause and may include:

• Contracts that were awarded on or after September 8, 2009
• Contracts that have a performance period of 120 days or more 
• Contracts with values exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000
• Contracts in which at least some portion of the work is performed in the United States

If you have further questions about whether your federal contract qualifies under the E-Verify federal contractor rule, check with your government contracting official.


USFS has taken the position on fire IBPA's that the individual order must be over $150,000.  If you get that order under a federal agreements you have to follow the timeline below:

• You must enroll in E Verify within 30 days of the award.
• Enter all your folks within 180 days from the award.

How do you sign up for E Verify?  
 The agencies do offer webinar's on E Verify..  They also have a newsletter which you can sign up for called E Verify Connection.

Happy Veterans Day!

Thanks to all of you out there have served or are serving in our military.  We appreciate all they you have contributed to keep our country free!

Are VIPR Agreements a True Best Value Agreement?

NWSA pushed several years ago for standardized requirements in the equipment agreements so that it would be easier to move from state to state and be in compliance.  Unfortunately what we got was the National Template with standardized requirements but without the language to make it a True Best Value Agreement as the 2005 OIG report suggested.

The question is what is Best Value?  Currently that interpretation in the VIPR agreements is based on:

• How new is your equipment?
• Do you meet the basic minimum requirements?
• How cheap is your price?
• How close are you to the fire?

While all of those are good requirements they do NOT look at the things that represent a True Best Value agreement for both the agency and the tax payer.  Nor do they promote performance by the contractor.  What is a True Best Value??  Probably the best example for fire contractors we currently have for the True Best Value Agreement is the Region 6 Inter agency Crew Agreement administered by the Oregon Department of Forestry.  They also do a needs assessment and award based on the number of crew needs anticipated.   It takes into consideration the following:

• It looks at Past Performance by the contractor.
• It looks at the company history.
• It looks at the crew capability and training.
• It looks at the company safety program as well as its' training program.
• It look at the its equipment?
• It also takes into consideration their price and proximity to the fire.

It give points for each thing that is evaluated and awards are made based on that criteria for dispatch order.  While in the VIPR agreements you could theoretically have a brand new company with no history, no performance evals but a brand new engine, and low price, closest resource to a give fire and they may be #1 on the priority dispatch list.   No only does it promote poor performance but also does not provide the agency personnel on the fire line with the types of resources that will give them the best value for their dollar.  That is not to say that there are not lots of high performing contractors on the list but it does not reward them for being good performers with a higher dispatch priority.  Virtually anyone that meets minimum requirement is awarded an agreement and placed on the Dispatch Priority Lists ( DPL's).

Therefore,  is it not in the best interest of the taxpayer that the agencies utilize a True Best Value criteria based on performance as well as price among other things?   We continue to push for True Best Value Criteria to be put into these agreements for award and Dispatch Priority List.

Contractor Employee Boot Policy

NWSA members that run hand crews have had to deal again with the issue of "Are Boots a part of the required Uniform" and "Are they personal in nature of not?".

The Department of Labor has fined several crew contractors for not either furnishing the boots, or providing a boot allowance to the employee.  It is not written into our agreements and we have letters from the agencies we contract with that they never intended for boots to be purchased by the employer however that is not the interpretation that DOL has chosen to use.  Even OSHA declares that footware is personal in nature and can be worn off the job therefore it is not determined to be a part of the uniform if it can be used off the job by the employee.

Department of Labor does say that we can mandate the employee return the boots to the employer if we provide them but tell me who wants to wear a used pair of boots.  This is neither feasible nor is it good hygiene.  I personally would not wear a boot that someone else had worn on the job. 

They also require us to provide them the first day on the job, now how many of us have had employees that are hired but in a slow fire season, they may or may not be utilized, and they may switch companies a couple of different time during the season, so they may obtain two or more pairs of new boots!  What a deal!

Recently the Department of Interior with whom we contract and perform side by side recently issued a new Wildland Fire Boot Stipend Policy which says that the NWCG concluded that protective footwear is very personal in nature and can be used by the employees off the job site.  Therefore, appropriate boots should be considered a condition of employment for firefighting positions and should be purchased by the employee prior to employment.

Again those of us in the private side are being held to a high standard on this issue by DOL.  We hope this new agency policy will also influence the private sector side of the issue.







Visit NWSA website at http://www.nwsa.us or email us at info@nwsa.us For more information on the National Conference for Professional Private Fire Service Contarctors visit http:www.nwsafire.wordpress.com