Pre-solicitation_Notice_2.pdf

PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE

In accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2, this is a pre-solicitation notice only. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) and does not commit the Government to award any contracts now or in the future.

BACKGROUND

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Operations Center in Denver CO is seeking contractor services to support the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) requirement for commercial services of national standard wildland fire Type 2 hand crews and Alaskan Fire Suppression Modules (AK-FSM) within the state of Alaska, any of the Lower-48 states and Hawaii. The BLM anticipates award of multiple Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with a five-year ordering period.

The typical work of a wildland fire suppression hand crew consists of initial attack (IA) operations, constructing hand lines, using ignition devices for firing out and mop-up operations.

Hand crews are vehicle mobile firefighters that specialize in the use of hand tools, chainsaws, portable pumps, drip torches and fusees. Hand tools are used to construct fireline through ground fuels in the path of the fire. Chainsaws are utilized to clear brush and fall trees that would otherwise provide a canopy of fuel over the fireline. The resultant fireline is free from vegetation and provides a barrier to halt fire spread. Burnout operations to secure the fireline utilize drip torches and fusees to remove unburned fuel between the fireline and fire front. Hand crews are often called upon to help construct hose lays and operate portable pumps that bring water to the fire area. Once the fire has been contained, crews perform mop-up operations which require the application of mineral soil and/or water to residual embers and hotspots. Scraping embers from heavy fuels with hand tools as well as falling and bucking large diameter fuels with chainsaws are typical activities associated with mop-up.

The work environment varies from forest to rangeland, often in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, and covered with dense vegetation. Working conditions are often extreme as the influence of hot and dry, or hot and humid weather combines with the radiant heat of the fire environment. Extreme variations between day and night temperatures are common in mountainous and lower lying topographies. Sustained winds or inversion layers can make smoke and dust conditions severe. The hazardous nature of the work requires that protective clothing be worn at all times during work hours. Crews are required to eat, rest, and sleep at incident base camps, remote spike camps, or at agency or Cooperator campgrounds, any of which will typically be located near the fire area. Crew members must be fully prepared and outfitted not only to work in remote wildland fire conditions but also to live and sleep and endure for up to 28 days with limited support.

SCOPE

The Contractor must provide one Type 2 crew and two 7-10 person Alaskan Fire Suppression Modules in accordance with the crew configurations below. Each position must meet the

National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) position qualification requirements as detailed on the NWCG website.

Type 2 Crews Each crew must be supervised by one Crew Boss and three Squad Bosses to cover all supervisory responsibilities. All crew bosses and squad bosses shall be good quality leaders with positive and effective leadership skills and capable of effective communication.

The Type 2 crew configuration is as follows:

A total minimum of 18 and maximum of 20 qualified individuals

1 Crew Boss (CRWB) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/crew-boss-single-resource/incident-position-description

3 Squad Bosses (FFT1) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/firefighter-type-1-squad-boss/incident-position-description o

2 to 4 Fallers (Sawyers): Type 2 (FAL2) -or- Type 3 (FAL3) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/intermediate-faller/incident-position-description o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/basic-faller/incident-position-description

12 to 14 Basic Firefighters (FFT2) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/firefighter-type-2-crewmember/incident-position-description

Alaskan Fire Suppression Module Each crew must be supervised by one Crew Boss and two Squad Bosses to cover all supervisory responsibilities. All crew bosses and squad bosses shall be good quality leaders with positive and effective leadership skills and capable of effective communication.

The Alaskan Fire Suppression Module (AK-FSM) configuration is as follows:

A total minimum of 7 and maximum of 10 individuals

1 Crew Boss (CRWB) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/crew-boss-single-resource/incident-position-

2 Squad Bosses (FFT1) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/firefighter-type-1-squad-boss/incident-position-

0 to 7 Fallers (FAL2 -or- FAL3) o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/intermediate-faller/incident-position-description o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/basic-faller/incident-position-description

0 to 7 Basic Firefighters o https://www.nwcg.gov/positions/firefighter-type-2-crewmember/incident-position-description

The AK-FSM is not a national standard configuration. This configuration is specific only to Alaska. The Government will specify the actual configuration of AK-FSM required at the order level.

GENERAL

The BLM anticipates the issuance of commercial solicitation 140L0625R0001 on or about September 22, 2025. The BLM further anticipates that the solicitation will result in the issuance of multiple Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contracts under which time-and-materials task orders will be issued.

Solicitation 140L0625R0001 will be issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services and FAR Part 15 Contracting by Negotiation. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 115310, Support Activities for Forestry, Exception 1 Forest Fire Suppression. The Product Service Code (PSC) is F003 Natural Resources/Conservation - Forest- Range Fire Suppression/Presuppression. The Small Business size standard is $34.0M (per the SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards).

A Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation package will be available electronically on or about September 22, 2025, at the System for Award Management (SAM) website located at www.sam.gov. Proposals will be due 45 days after the solicitation issue date. Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring www.sam.gov for the release of the solicitation package, for any other pertinent information, and for downloading a complete copy of the solicitation package.

The Government will not provide paper copies of the solicitation. To be eligible for contract award, offerors must have an active registration in SAM and have completed the online Representations and Certifications in SAM.

Award will be based on Best Value to the Government in accordance with the FAR. The Government reserves the right to award contracts to other than the lowest offeror(s).

This notice does not oblige the Government to award a contract, nor does it obligate the Government to pay for any proposal preparation costs. The primary point of contact for this action is Contract Specialist Yvette Daltorio at ydaltorio@blm.gov. All questions must be submitted in writing to Ms. Daltorio. Only written questions will be addressed.