IPNF Helitorch Fuel BPA

The US Forest Service intends to establish multiple-award Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to provide fuel at various locations within the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (IPNF), to support Helitorch operations.

The locations will be within the INPF in the following Ranger Districts: Priest Lakes, Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene River, and St Joe River.

Helitorch burning operations generally occur between April 1st and October 15th, with primary burning windows occurring in the spring (April-May), summer (August-September) and fall(September-October).

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, fuel, materials, supervision, management, and transportation necessary to meet the requirements.  The contractor will be responsible for following all local, state, and federal regulations.

A BPA is a simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services by establishing “charge accounts” with qualified sources. This is a Request for Quotations (RFQ) to establish a pool of vendors who can provide the services outlined in the scope.

This BPA consists of a five (5) year ordering period.

• Ordering Period 1: May 31st, 2024 THRU May 30th, 2025
• Ordering Period 2: May 31st, 2025 THRU May 30th, 2026
• Ordering Period 3: May 31st, 2026 THRU May 30th, 2027
• Ordering Period 4: May 31st, 2027 THRU May 30th, 2028
• Ordering Period 5: May 31st, 2028 THRU May 30th, 2029

The U.S. Forest Service is a federal agency and subcomponent of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Forest Service is a land management agency that protects and manages 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 44 states and Puerto Rico, encompassing 193 million acres of land, in addition to numerous wilderness, recreation, scenic and other areas. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Several prescribed burning projects are planned during the spring, summer, and fall, although the exact day of ignitions will depend upon conditions aligning with safe implementation. Prescribed burning is part of each Ranger District’s annual natural resource management program to reduce hazardous fuels, prepare areas for tree planting, and improve wildlife forage.

Helitorch burning operations generally occur between April 1st and October 15th, with primary burning windows occurring in the spring (April-May), summer (August-September) and fall(September-October). Helitorch operations require the delivery of large quantities of non-ethanol gasoline and dyed off-road diesel.

The contractor shall provide a fuel truck, driver / fuel operator near a predetermined prescribed burn locations.  Each location will be determined in each individual order.

The contractor shall provide non-ethanol gasoline and dyed off-road diesel.  Amount of fuel will be determined in each individual order, however each order will not exceed 2400 gallons of non-ethanol gasoline and 600 gallons of dyed off-road diesel

The contractor shall keep the fuel truck on-site during burn operations to refill the helitorch mix plant. Burn operations can span 8 hours during a given day, exclusive of travel time.

The Forest Service will provide the contractor a minimum of 48-hour notice. However, burning operations can be cancelled or changed on very short notice due to factors such as a change in predicted weather, helicopter availability, or air quality approvals.

See the attached combined synopsis / solicitation for all the information.