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U.S. Forest Service Contracting

Photo collage of crew bus, camp catering, fire crew and helicopters

The Incident Support Branch (ISB) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is located in Boise, Idaho. The Branch is comprised of two teams; aviation and logistics.

An airtanker delivers retardant to the Thomas Fire near Ventura, California, Los Padres National Forest and Cal Fire. An airtanker is a fixed-wing aircraft certified by Federal Aviation Administration as being capable of transport and delivery of water or fire retardant solutions. Airtankers help firefighters on the ground put out fires by helping to reduce the spread of the fire. Photo from Kari Greer USFF,NIFC

Very Large Airtankers (VLAT) are capable of delivering over 8,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. Aircraft Type: DC-10.

An airtanker delivers retardant to the Thomas Fire near Ventura, California, Los Padres National Forest and Cal Fire. An airtanker is a fixed-wing aircraft certified by Federal Aviation Administration as being capable of transport and delivery of water or fire retardant solutions. Airtankers help firefighters on the ground put out fires by helping to reduce the spread of the fire.

Large Airtankers (LATs) can deliver from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground.  Aircraft types: P2V, HC-130H, BAe-146, MD-87, C-130Q, RJ85, C-130 H & J equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS).

171209-FS-LosPadres-KG-0769 helicopter dropping retardent on Thomas Fire photo by Kari Greer

Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947.  They are versatile fire management tools. Fire managers recognized the value of helicopters to rapidly transport personnel and cargo to a fire, especially in remote locations.

They can be fitted with tanks or buckets to deliver water and fire retardant to the fireline. Large, heavy-lift helicopters can fill their water tanks with a snorkel that siphons water from lakes, rivers, or other sources. Smaller helicopters carry water in buckets that hold between 100-400 gallons of water. Each bucket has a release valve on the bottom controlled by the helicopter crew. When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish hot spots.

Helicopters also deliver firefighting crews called helitack crews to fires for initial attack. Some helitack crews are trained to rappel from helicopters to fires in remote locations.

Smokejumpers board a Dornier Do228, heading to the Parker 2 fire August 3, 2017.

Smokejumpers travel all over the country, including Alaska, to provide highly-trained, experienced firefighters and leadership for quick initial attack on wildland fires in remote areas. Fire fighting tools, food and water are dropped by parachute to the firefighters after they land near the fire making them self-sufficient for the first 48 hours. Most smokejumpers work from late spring through early fall.

Firefighters need supplies like fire hose and tools to work on the fireline. These firefighters on the Pioneer Fire, Boise National Forest, in Idaho, get fire hose cleaned and ready to be used on the fireline.

Fire Cache is a supply of fire tools and equipment assembled in planned quantities or standard units at a strategic point for exclusive use in fire suppression.

Fire camps provide certain essential auxiliary forms of support, such as food, sleeping areas, and sanitation

 Fire camp infrastructure and Incident Command Post (ICP) is a location at which primary command functions are executed. The ICP may be co-located with the incident base or other incident facilities and provides certain essential auxiliary forms of support, such as food, sleeping areas, equipment, trailers, and sanitation. 

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Important Information Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic

Aviation Branch

The Aviation Branch supports the acquisition of Airtankers, Helicopters, Light Fixed Wing Aircraft, Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) maintenance, Large Jet Transport and related aviation support including aircraft maintenance, consulting, aircraft purchase, contract pilots and aircraft equipment.

Jeffrey McGinley, Associate Branch Chief, Aviation
Office: (208) 387-5350 Mobile: (208) 258-1450

Tessa Bach, Contract Coordinator
Office: (208) 387-5670 Mobile: (208) 616-5547
Provides support to both the Aviation and Logistics Branch Chiefs
Budget Coordinator
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Coordinator
Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Focal Point

Mike McFarlane, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5695 Mobile: (208) 860-7334
National Exclusive Use Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack)
SD3-60 Sherpa Avionics Upgrade

Dave Hershey, Contracting Officer 
Office: (208) 387-5627 Mobile: (208) 985 6266
Aviation for Regions 1, 2, & 9, 10
Smokejumper Aircraft
National Pilots
Local Small Business Specialist
National Maintenance Agreement

Robert Hoffman, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5681 Mobile: (208) 866-1610
National Call-When-Needed Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack)
Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021 for contracts awarded 2013-2017
Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021 for contracts awarded 2018-2021
Region 5 Aviation
Aerial Supervision Module (Lead Planes)
Large Jet Transport
Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209-AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter
Light Operational Loads Monitoring Systems (OLMS)
Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance

Steve Peterson, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5252 Mobile: (208) 866-0417
SD3-60 Sherpas; Avionics; Maintenance
Smokejumper STC
Aircraft Maintenance Contracts, Regions 1,5,6
Aircraft Purchases:

  • Quest Kodiaks
  • Textron King Air 250
  • Type 3 Helicopter 
  • C-130 Aircrew & Maintenance Crews
  • Aircraft Fleet On-boarding Support
  • T-PED STC Fleet Aircraft

Todd Novinger, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5272 Mobile: (208) 616-5546
Aviation for Regions 3,4,6,8
National Air Attack Exclusive Use Aircraft
Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics
Aircraft Engineering Services
Call-When-Needed (CWN) Large Jet Transport

Matthew Olson, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5835 Mobile: (208) 407-6002
Next Generation Multi-Engine Fixed-Wing Airtankers 3.0
Call-When-Needed (CWN) Airtankers 2.1
Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft
Unmanned Aerial Supervision (UAS) Program

Delphine Arizana, Contract Specialist
Office: (208) 387-5609 Mobile: (208) 616-5550
Aviation for Region 2
National Helicopters (Large Fire Support, Initial Attack, Call-When-Needed)
Aerial Supervision Module (ASM) Lead Planes
Large Jet Transport
Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics
Airtankers
Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209/AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter

Logistics Branch

The Logistics Branch provides support for WO Fire & Aviation Operations customers (located at NIFC) with the procurement of (urgent/immediate) incident resources, such as retardant chemicals and related services, mobile food services, mobile shower facilities, firefighting crews, Critical Incident Stress Management Services (CISM) and National Videographer/Photographer Services.  In addition the Logistics Branch provides procurement support for eleven National Caches for wildland fire suppression and prevention, as well as other emergency incident response activities.

Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics,
Office: (208) 387-5610 Mobile: (208) 867-5073

Tonya Campbell, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5279 Mobile: (208) 608-6763, 
NIFC Operations Support
NIFC Janitorial
National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Support
Region 6 Cache Freight Services

Bryce Pitchford, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5231 Mobile: (208) 991-7639


National Type 2 Initial Attack (IA)

 

Type 2 Firefighter Crews

2022

2021

 

National Mobile Shower Facilities

 

NIFC Operations Support

Larry Robillard, Contracting Officer
Office: (208) 387-5682 Mobile: (208) 407-6003


National Mobile Food Services

 

National Retardant Programs

 

Andrea Marks-Cash, Contract Specialist
Office: (208) 616-5548 Mobile: (208) 616- 5548


Training Centers Support (Main Contact)
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Support
NIFC Operations (Photographer/Videographer Services)

Chris Kirk, Purchasing Agent
Office: (208) 387-5665 Mobile: (208) 616-5549


NIFC Operations Support
Region 6 Cache Freight Services
CO Support on all major contract programs (Mobile Food Services, Mobile Showers, Type 2 & 2-IA Crews, Retardant Chemicals)

Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Alternate Focal Point
Website Coordinator
Incident Procurement Modernization Team Member

Contract Information for Interagency Fire Professionals

The following links are provided for Interagency Fire Professionals who are tasked with administering contracts issued by our Unit and is provided solely for that purpose and intent.  Access to these sites is restricted and the information and files provided through these sites is not intended for general disclosure or distribution to anyone other than Authorized Government Representatives and solely for the purpose of facilitating the performance of their Official Duties with respect to their administration of these contracts.

U.S. Forest Service employees (Forest Service Internal Link)

U.S. Department of Interior (DOI Internal Link)

Access to the U.S. Forest Service Contracting, Incident Support Branch, DOI SharePoint Page must be granted individually.  To request access to this page, submit request to FS-FS AQM ISB.

Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) Vendor Forms 

2021 Solicitation Technical Quote Checklists

Instructional video:

 

Vendor Forms and Checklists

Chipper Checklist

Dozer and Tractor Plow Checklist

Excavator Checklist

Feller Buncher Checklist

Handwashing Station Checklist

Heavy Equipment Task Force Checklist

Mobile Sleeper Unit Checklist

Mulcher / Masticator - Boom Mounted Checklist

Potable & Grey Water Truck Checklist

Road Grader Checklist

Skidder Checklist

Strip Mulcher / Masticator Checklist

U.S. Forest Service, Contracting 
National Interagency Fire Center
3833 S. Development Avenue
Boise, Idaho 83705-5354
Phone: (208) 387-5670
Fax: (208) 387-5384

 

 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/contracting