JOFOC_Natl_Retardant_Program_HCAD.pdf

U.S. Forest Service Incident Support Branch

Briefing Paper Date: 15 June 2017

Topic: Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition — National Long-Term Fire Retardant

Background: The Forest Service (FS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) have a requirement to provide Long-Term Fire Retardant at 73 designated Air Tanker Bases throughout the United States. The requirement includes the delivery and supply of long-term fire retardant; man power and equipment necessary to fulfill the Government's needs. Currently the need is filled through two one year requirements contracts one for the bulk delivery of product and the other for the full service requirement. It is planned to combine both contracts into one national contract for efficiency.

Over the past 11 years, the national long-term fire retardant contract has been sole sourced to ICL Performance Products, LP due to the fact they are the only company with a long-term fire retardant on the USDA FS Long-Term Fire Retardant Qualified Products List (QPL). Due to countless concerns associated with the use of chemical fire retardants including but not limited to; safety of human life and property, environmental impacts/concerns, and effectiveness of retardant, the USDA FS implemented Specification 5100-304c for Long-Tenn Retardant, Wildland Firefighting. This specification identifies the necessary qualities of retardant products and their evaluation along with appropriate application methods and uses. The result of such a specification is a QPL of retardant that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the Government. Per FAR 9.202(a) the Justification for Qualification Requirement has been prepared and approved by the head of the agency or their designee. ICL Performance Products LP is currently the only company that has successfully developed and implemented qualifying retardant products and as such is the only company that can meet the Government requirement for full service retardant bases.

A Far Part 12 (commercial) Requirements contract is anticipated for this acquisition with a 1 year base and four 1 year options. The anticipated value of the contract over the next five year cycle is $210 Million but may vary greatly based on the annual severity of the fire seasons.

A notice will be placed in the Government Point of Entry (GPE) identifying the intent to award the contract with ICL Performance Products LP. This notice will allow any interested parties with products and services that may meet the specifications for placement on the QPL, or able to supply these products and services, to be given an opportunity to submit their qualified products for testing as required by US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Specification 5100-304c Long-Term Retardant, Wildland Firefighting. The anticipated time-frame for an organization to accomplish testing is 18 to 24 months and subsequently there is little opportunity if any for an organization to meet the QPL prior to the anticipated award of the contract.

Please review and approve the Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition.

Contact: (name, staff area, phone number) Larry Robillard, Contracting Officer — Forest Service — Incident Support Branch — Ph. 208-387-5682

USDA

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JUN 2 3 24t1

TO: George Sears . Head of Contracting Activity

Forest Service

FROM: - Richard Jiron Acting, Senior Procurement Executive Office of Procurement and Property Management

SUBJECT: Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition National Long-Teim Fire Retardant Solicitation No. AG-024B-S-17-9011

United States Department of Agriculture

Office of the ' Assistant Secretary for Administration

Office of Procurement and Property Management

300 7th Street Southwest Room 302 Reporters Building

Washington, DC 20024-9300

The Office of Procurement and Property Management has reviewed the subject justification and approval for other than fall and open competition in support of National Long-Tenn Fire Retardant.

The justification and approval is approved by the Acting Senior Procurement Executive. Forest Service may proceed with the acquisition. •

Thank you for providing these documents -to us for review. If you have any questions regarding the review, please contact Curt Brown at Curt.Brown@dm.usda.gov, or Ella Ramirez at Ismaela.Ramirez@dm.usda.gov.

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AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER