VIPR I-BPA for Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance Service for Region 13 - National

Re-open Solicitation. Vendor responses to the solicitation are due 04/08/2024 17:00 MDT. Please access the 'Open Solicitations' tab in the VIPR Vendor application (https://apps.fs.usda.gov/vipr/vendor/) to start your response.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Forest Service (USFS), National Zone requirement for Ambulances for use during Local, Regional, and nationwide fire suppression and all-hazard incidents was originally solicited under solicitation number 12024B23Q7001.

This amendment is to re-open this solicitation to conduct an open season On-Ramping in accordance with Exhibit H - Special Contract Requirements of the original solicitation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: On-Ramping is not a new procurement and operates differently than a new solicitation. Onboarding is a result of the provisions established in the original solicitation and is issued as a solicitation amendment to the original solicitation. The terms and conditions of the original solicitation require that 'The award decision under the open season solicitation is based upon the same evaluation factors/sub-factors as the original solicitation.' Additionally, the terms and conditions of the original solicitation require that, 'The terms and conditions of any resulting new IBPA awards are identical to the original awards and solicitation, to include period of performance.' Accordingly, while the Government will entertain suggestions and Industry input regarding the Onboarding amendment, the Government anticipates very little change to result from this input, especially as it regards any potential changes to the evaluation factors or resulting terms and conditions.

This amendment for On-Ramping is against a Multiple Award Incident Blanket Purchase Agreement (IBPA) solicitation issued as a partial set-aside for 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, WOSB, and EDWOSB companies.

The open season On-Ramping period will coincide with the USFS Contracting Officer (CO) IBPA Annual Review process, traditionally referred to as a 'Rollover' Modification process for existing IBPA awardees. Existing IBPA awardees will have the same opportunity to revise, modify rates, and add resources the same as potential new contractors do.

All proposed resources are subject to the original solicitation criteria. New Offerors that meet the eligibility requirements set forth in the original solicitation may submit a quote response through the VIPR system during open season. Award decisions from an open season solicitation response are based upon the same evaluation factors/sub-factors as the original solicitation. New quote responses must meet all Acceptability Pass/Fail Criteria of the original solicitation. The terms and conditions of any resulting new IBPA awards are identical to the original awards and solicitation, to include period of performance. Immediately after On-Ramping and at the conclusion of the CO annual review/rollover modification period, any additional Contractors or accepted new resources to existing agreements are eligible to receive dispatches/BPA Calls with the same ordering procedures as listed within the agreements.

The purpose of this amendment is to add language in D.21.8.1.4 to allow for a double shift of ambulances if properly ordered by the incident. D.21.8.1.4 -- DOUBLE SHIFT: Double Shift equipment is staffed with two operators or crews (one per shift). The DS rate will apply any calendar day the DS was under hire, including travel. There will be no compensation for a double shift unless a separate set of operators is ordered in writing for the second shift. Agency personnel at the Section Chief level may, by resource order, authorize a second operator if needed during the assignment. Double shifts, when ordered, will be paid at 165% of the daily rate.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Forest Service (USFS), ESB National Zone - Region 13 (includes all participating regions), anticipates soliciting quotes (RFQ) for Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance Services for use during local, regional, and nationwide fire suppression and all-hazard incidents. Section D.2 within the solicitation will contain equipment details. The Contractor is responsible for all equipment, materials, supplies, transportation, lodging, trained/certified personnel, and supervision and management of those personnel, necessary to meet or exceed the Agreement specifications. The resources may be used in the protection of lands, to include but not be limited to, severity, fire suppression, and all-hazard incidents. The USFS Equipment & Services Contracting Branch (ESB) in tandem with Regional Program Office Representatives will determine annually whether it is in the Government?s best interest to initiate an open season on-ramping process to add additional Contractors and/or resources during the annual Contracting Officer (CO) review period noted in Section C.3.1 of the solicitation. The full solicitation will be tentatively posted on or around March 7, 2023. **Please submit all questions to: https://forms.office.com/g/FHrSGduEen RATES: Proposed rates should be based on up to a 16hr. Daily Shift and include all within B.2 -- CONTRACT TYPE AND DOLLAR LIMITATIONS. Note: D.21.8.1 -- Rates of Payments. Payment will be at the rates specified in the agreement that is in effect at the time of the order. DISPATCH CENTER: Agreements will be competitively awarded within a Regional dispatch center. Agreement intent and Government guidance is for Quoters to select the available dispatch center within the geographic area where their resource is located in order to reasonably meet the Government?s (Host Agency?s) date and time needed for emergency incident support, as well as offer best value to the Government for travel costs for each potential dispatch/BPA Call. SET-ASIDES: The agreement will be competitively awarded. The Government anticipates awarding multiple preseason Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements (I-BPAs) as unrestricted with further consideration per Section B.6 -- SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ADVANTAGE APPLICABLE TO DPL RANKING. The USDA Forest Service East Equipment & Service Branch (ESB) National Zone will host two (2) VIPR Medical Agreement specific virtual Fire Vendor Outreach Sessions (FVOS) utilizing the Microsoft Teams platform. Vendor registration is required by registering at this link: https://forms.office.com/g/XbHqXxF4dd Meetings will be held through a Microsoft Teams application or through your computer?s browser (no download necessary). There will also be an option to join by telephone only. 1. Thursday, March 16th at 1500 MT 2. Tuesday, March 21st at 1500 MT A single, national solicitation will be issued to obtain these services. ****The solicitation will be issued using the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) system**** 1) Vendors must have a valid e-mail address; all VIPR communications, to include rate negotiations, technical evaluations/photo uploads, and award notifications, are conducted via e-mail. 2) Vendors must have a valid UEI (Unique Entity ID) Number. Request a free UEI Number from the System for Award Management (SAM): https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration 3) Vendors must have active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM): https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration 4) Vendors are required to have a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication account that provides the ability to conduct official electronic business transactions. WILL NEED THIS TO CREATE A VIPR ACCOUNT. Information: https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/registration 5) Vendors must submit a quote electronically using the VIPR Vendor Application: https://www.fs.usda.gov/business/incident/vendorapp.php?tab=tab_d

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Forest Service (USFS), ESB National Zone - Region 13 (includes all participating regions), anticipates soliciting quotes (RFQ) for Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance Services for use during local, regional, and nationwide fire suppression and all-hazard incidents. Section D.2 within the solicitation will contain equipment details. The Contractor is responsible for all equipment, materials, supplies, transportation, lodging, trained/certified personnel, and supervision and management of those personnel, necessary to meet or exceed the Agreement specifications. The resources may be used in the protection of lands, to include but not be limited to, severity, fire suppression, and all-hazard incidents. The USFS Equipment & Services Contracting Branch (ESB) in tandem with Regional Program Office Representatives will determine annually whether it is in the Government?s best interest to initiate an open season on-ramping process to add additional Contractors and/or resources during the annual Contracting Officer (CO) review period noted in Section C.3.1 of the solicitation. The full solicitation will be tentatively posted on or around March 7, 2023.

**Please submit all questions to: https://forms.office.com/g/FHrSGduEen

RATES: Proposed rates should be based on up to a 16hr. Daily Shift and include all within B.2 -- CONTRACT TYPE AND DOLLAR LIMITATIONS. Note: D.21.8.1 -- Rates of Payments. Payment will be at the rates specified in the agreement that is in effect at the time of the order.

DISPATCH CENTER: Agreements will be competitively awarded within a Regional dispatch center. Agreement intent and Government guidance is for Quoters to select the available dispatch center within the geographic area where their resource is located in order to reasonably meet the Government?s (Host Agency?s) date and time needed for emergency incident support, as well as offer best value to the Government for travel costs for each potential dispatch/BPA Call.

SET-ASIDES: The agreement will be competitively awarded. The Government anticipates awarding multiple preseason Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements (I-BPAs) as unrestricted with further consideration per Section B.6 -- SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ADVANTAGE APPLICABLE TO DPL RANKING.

The USDA Forest Service East Equipment & Service Branch (ESB) National Zone will host two (2) VIPR Medical Agreement specific virtual Fire Vendor Outreach Sessions (FVOS) utilizing the Microsoft Teams platform. Vendor registration is required by registering at this link: https://forms.office.com/g/XbHqXxF4dd

Meetings will be held through a Microsoft Teams application or through your computer?s browser (no download necessary). There will also be an option to join by telephone only.

1. Thursday, March 16th at 1500 MT

2. Tuesday, March 21st at 1500 MT

A single, national solicitation will be issued to obtain these services.

****The solicitation will be issued using the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) system****

1) Vendors must have a valid e-mail address; all VIPR communications, to include rate negotiations, technical evaluations/photo uploads, and award notifications, are conducted via e-mail.

2) Vendors must have a valid UEI (Unique Entity ID) Number. Request a free UEI Number from the System for Award Management (SAM): https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

3) Vendors must have active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM): https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

4) Vendors are required to have a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication account that provides the ability to conduct official electronic business transactions. WILL NEED THIS TO CREATE A VIPR ACCOUNT.

Information: https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/registration

5) Vendors must submit a quote electronically using the VIPR Vendor Application: https://www.fs.usda.gov/business/incident/vendorapp.php?tab=tab_d