USDA Feasibility Study on Consolidating Wildland Fire Management Operations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is seeking a contractor to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on consolidating federal wildland fire management operations. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for market research and planning purposes only and does not constitute a formal solicitation; however, a subsequent solicitation is anticipated in May 2026. The study must objectively and independently assess the operational, financial, organizational, infrastructure, and stakeholder impacts of consolidation over a six-month period of performance, evaluating both anticipated efficiencies and potential adverse effects on agency mission delivery and program continuity. Key analysis areas include land management objectives, consolidated fire management structures, workforce utilization, comparison to the National Interagency Fire Center's coordination functions, effects on states and tribal entities, budget execution, operational support functions, and facilities and infrastructure. The RFI response deadline is March 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM MST, with questions due by March 24, 2026; responses must be submitted to stephen.holly@usda.gov and should not exceed 2,000 words in PDF format.

There is no set-aside designation for this procurement. The contract will be Firm-Fixed Price with anticipated NAICS codes of 541611, 541612, 541618, 541690, and 115310, and applicable PSCs of R499, R699, and B505. No specific budget range or award value has been disclosed in the pre-solicitation materials. Respondents must demonstrate relevant federal wildfire knowledge and experience, organizational independence, analytical capabilities, and past performance on similar feasibility studies. All interested companies must maintain active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) and must not appear on the Excluded Party List; however, the Government will consider RFI responses regardless of current SAM registration status. The Government anticipates providing access to relevant information, reports, and USDA Forest Service personnel to support study completion, and any scope changes will be addressed through formal contract modifications once the formal solicitation is released.