2023 Annual Review Questions.pdf

- We have received information that the annual review for the National Type 2 Crews Agreement is out. However, we have not received an email being notifies and I have been trying to look for it and have not been able to. Could you please send me a link to it or clarify if it is out yet or not?

o We do not notify contractors when the solicitation is out. It is posted annually on SAM.gov.

- We have two CRWB's transferred into our company from another one that is also in the BPA. They were active CRWB's last year and were on incidents. Do we need to send you all their files for you to inspect again for them to be out under our company? If not, what do we put on the forms since they are not currently in our company agreement, but positions are approved.

o If key personnel have been verified under this current Type 2 Firefighter Crew BPA or the National Type 2IA Firefighter Crew contract, then further documentation need not be submitted.

- Question, I’m looking at the solicitation for T2C. I think I may be overlooking the module section. I’m trying to see what defines a module in terms of overhead and total numbers.

o This Type 2 Firefighter Crew Agreement does not have the ability to provide modules.

- Is the Microsoft Form titled Schedule of Items replacing the inclusion of B.5 in our Business Part submission?

o Yes, the Microsoft Form titled Schedule of Items replaces the information listed in B.5.

- I have an opportunity to subcontract to 2 international companies that provide wildland fire crews.

Is this allowable and if so, what is the process of adding them to our agreement?

o This requirement is a total small business set-aside and sub-contracting is not allowed.

- Is there a complete list of dispatch centers annotated with their respective physical addresses.

o We will update the list and post to SAM.gov

- What method or program does USFS use to measure this distance “as the crow flies” from the address of the vendor’s DDP to the documented physical address of the designated/selected DDC? Is Google Maps “Measure Distance” accepted?

o Google maps measure distance is not an acceptable measurement as it uses route/driving distance. We calculate based on air miles or flight mileage. Here is a program that I use to calculate air miles: https://www.mapdevelopers.com/mileage_calculator.php

- Can you please send me the link, if possible, to see the prices of each contractor that bid the hand crew contract last year. I can’t seem to find it and would assume that it is public knowledge info.

o This information is public and can be found with a google search.

- Is it required for a current BPA holder to submit past performance information as part of the annual review?

o If a company currently holds a BPA under this solicitation, then updated performance information is not required to be submitted.

- Does an offeror also need to submit the filled-out forms included in the solicitation? or are the forms B.5.1, B.5.2, and B.5.3 (pages 5 and 6) in the solicitation package for reference purposes only?

https://www.mapdevelopers.com/mileage_calculator.php o Those forms are for reference purposes.

- Will the (Microsoft Forms) system email back a copy of the forms as submitted? If not, how can an offeror confirm receipt and accuracy of the forms once submitted?

o You will receive a notice on the page once you click submit.

- Can changes to electronic responses to section B.5 be made after submission (and prior to closing date/time)? If so, how would those changes be submitted?

o Changes can be submitted anytime before the closing date and time of the solicitation.

However, it is encouraged to limit changes as much as possible to limit confusion.

- Can you confirm that firms with current BPAs do not need to submit Sections E4 and Section E9 except for situations where responses to those sections have changed from their initial submission?

o That is correct.

- Do offerors need to submit current RT130 certificates and Work Capacity Fitness Testing results for existing key personnel if previously submitted documents are outdated? if so, are RT130 and WCFTs valid for 13 months?

o It is the company’s responsibility to maintain qualifications of their personnel. Updated certificates need not be submitted. However, they may be requested by the Government at anytime to verify that personnel performing under the agreement meet the requirements.

- Can I change who I have listed as a CB and make him my alternate and list another person who is has been approved as the new designated CB.

o Yes. This is the time to submit changes to Primary and or Alternate key personnel. As primaries can only be changed during the annual review process. Unless an exception applies.

- Will the USFS allow for a higher Hourly Price Cap in California due to the extra cost this year?

o The USFS does not cap pricing. However, pricing has to be found fair and reasonable to be considered.

- Is there a plan for the UEI issue that has arisen in SAM.GOV? With the implementation of the new UEI identification, there has been an ongoing issue in SAM.GOV with updating/renewing entities.

We have been in sam for 6 years and never had a problem till now according to FSD they have had to bring on extra staff for the validation process of entities. We started this renewal process 31 days ago and have not moved forward and the FSD doesn't know how long it will take to resolve the issue of validation.

o There are no exceptions currently. A company must have a valid SAM.gov registration and UEI number to perform on this agreement. Companies without a valid SAM.gov registration and UEI will not be allowed to perform on this agreement until they have received the validation and UEI.

- Can you please provide more information on the competitive range calculation? Is it symmetrical to the average or median? Is it based on statistics (and if so how?) Is it more arbitrary/eyeballed and based on COR discretion?

o This solicitation does not utilize a competitive range.

- If a key person has previously been submitted under this agreement, but the CLIN was not awarded, will you need the key person support package to be re-submitted?

o If you know they were verified, then you do not need to re-submit. If you are not 100% sure they were verified, then you should re-submit.

- Is an updated listing of key persons fire history acceptable for proof of on-going currency, or do you need an actual shift ticket?

o Fire history records are acceptable.

- Is there a target number of crews that you intend to award?

o We do not currently intend to limit the number of crews established under this agreement.

- Is there a possibility that crews under this agreement could see work under a fuel’s emergency?

o There is a possibility that Type 2 Crews under this agreement may be ordered through the ICS system to respond to prescribed fire on a temporary basis. (This will be for emergent need for RX only).

- If a non-verified key personnel is presented in the BPA to replace a primary on an existing crew and is not accepted, can the original primary key personnel remain as primary on that crew?

o All key personnel under this agreement must be verified to be deemed acceptable.

- It can be very cumbersome to complete many Microsoft forms in one sitting for many crews. I assume submitting them in different days will not create any trouble for system.

o Once a form has been started you must submit it or risk losing the information input.

However, you do not need to complete all form submissions back-to-back, you just need to ensure that you meet the date and time for the closing of the solicitation.

- While this updated BPA is being established, can last year’s crews still go out (in case of dispatch before May 22) even if they were submitted with a different contractor on this updated BPA?

o The information on current BPA’s is valid until the annual review is completed. So, if key personnel are listed on a different company BPA then you will not be able to utilize them until the annual review process is completed.

- Can a primary CRWB go out with another crew as a FFT1 capacity?

o Primary Key Personnel are not interchangeable for other Key Personnel Positions. However, nothing limits verified (primary or alternate) key personnel from going out in a different position if they meet the requirements of that position.

- Regarding MSPA for a new company, will we need to have it prior to submitting the contract? Or will we still be accepted if MSPA app has been sent prior to submittal of contract?

o You must initially certify with E.9 and provide a valid certificate before performance will be allowed.

- Will agency consider providing a signed verification form (similar to Oregon Department of Forestry's verification form)?

o No. We will not be providing a signed verification form under this agreement.

- So a company with an established former crew with designations like red, green, alpha, bravo, and no other changes but price, will need to submit the following: signed amendment 5, new schedule of items with price and C-# designation?

o You will need to submit the proper documentation and or form submittal process to represent the changes you wish to have considered.

- Can one CRWB be an alternate CRWB for multiple crews within a company or are they assigned to 1 specific Crew?

o Alternate Key Personnel are interchangeable within the same BPA but Primary Key Personnel are not.

- Will Amendment #5 required to be signed and returned?

o Yes.