Transportation and Vehicle Rentals Northern Rockies Incident Business Webinar In 2004 the NRCG authorized a strategic planning committee to develop a procurement process in the NR which would allow awarding agreements based on impartial considerations and providing for the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirements. Paraphrase of charter. All the agencies were represented in that original committee Ultimately identified resources that should be awarded on a preseason agreement Defined specifications Clarified the process we would use to procure those resources Identified which agencies would take the lead on each resource. In 2007 the NRCG formalized the first Northern Rockies Solicitation Plan identifying a 5 year schedule The original solicitations were hosted by 3 agencies in the NR. BLM, MT DNRC, and the FS Today we’re still using that NR Plan, two additional agencies are hosting solicitation, IDL and BIA That Plan is posted on the NRCG website; under “contracting for fire”

History Visited Original Agreement Intent Evolution of agreement Preseason agreements in place to provide vehicles capable of off road use (fire-line) Pricing reflected the added risk Administration clearly defined (incident) General transportation vehicles Administration confusion Payment and claim issues Unoperated vehicles - DNRC is host agency. Resource was identified for preseason awards: Requirement needed to be carefully considered by vendor Off road capability translates into wear and tear in excess of what may be considered normal; we expect the rates to reflect that The solicitation also defines the administration of the agreement, what is expected of both the Contractor and the Government Specific to the Government, general terms: Resource orders Inspect, pre-use and release inspection Complete payment package Return of vehicle to the vendor The solicitation terms and conditions predominantly applied to a vehicle being ordered and administered by an incident. Evolution of the agreement: Administration clauses were not written for non-incident use Vehicles: May have had an original resource order but were not tracked and often did not end up being used under that original resource order Inspections may have occurred pre-use but rarely were done upon release Payment packages were incomplete, double paid on days or not paid at all Return of vehicle to vendor was not timely; at times vehicles were difficult to locate Incidents had no way of knowing what vehicles were assigned to them, who had them, where they were. Use of this agreement as transportation tool is primary reason the Government has become non-compliant with the terms and conditions of these agreements We’ve attempted to address the issues but the reality is, the solicitation was never intended to provide travel vehicles outside of the administration provided by an incident 2013 we finally came to terms with the two distinctly separate uses of this single agreement NRCG board ultimately decided on the future direction

NRCG Board of Directors Direction Teams Dispatch Order vehicles for appropriate on- incident use Identify on IMT roster transportation needs Establish team shuttle or carpool opportunities Assure all documentation is complete Establish delivery or shuttle service Reinforce team carpooling Identify casual hire method of transportation pre-season

What Implementation Looks Like Incident support Incident Travel Sufficient vehicles ordered by and delivered to incident Ground Support manages all vehicles assigned to incident Incident completes all payment packages, all vehicles closed out and returned to vendor All payments processed by host agency Carpooling and delivery will result in fewer underutilized vehicles at incident Current agency travel program(s) are available Develop procurement tools that better address non-incident travel What we believe implementation will eventually look like Incident will identify the number, and type of vehicle needed; will cover operations, but also logistics for other overhead needing incident transportation. Ground support will manage ALL vehicles assigned to incident With GS in control of numbers, administration should be much easier. With all vehicles being accounted for and payment packages fairly clean and complete, vendors should see accurate timely payments. Since resource order will be clearly defined and controlled, claims will be easier to address.

Specifics Inspections Reassignment Claims Required Forms Payment Incident Support Incident Travel Inspections Reassignment Claims Required Forms Payment Re-imbursement Liability/Claims Some specifics Incident support Inspection requirement remains the same, pre-use and release inspections are required. Reassignment CAN take place, but it will be under the control of dispatch, not an individual or team. When ANY resource is released, and dispatch has open orders, it’s always been an options for DISPATCH to reassign. The incident will still close out the package as required. Claims remain the responsibility of the incident host agency – but with the control of the vehicle now firmly with the incident, claim documentation should be much better. Looking forward to that change Required forms Inspection NR Vehicle release form is available on the NRCG website; Committee, Business, Tool box. Incident Travel Payment may incident finance centers (BPA’s), agency purchase cards (individual purchaser will define specifications and paperwork required for payment), agency travel cards, personal cc’s, or mileage reimbursement for POV (which covers damage in that expectation personal vehicle insurance is included in mileage rate). Reimbursement for travel cards or personal cc’s (AD’s or EFF’s) will be in travel program provided by hosting unit. Accidents; Employee’s acting within the scope of their job, and specifically authorized to have rented a vehicle, will be covered by their host agency regulations Specific to Forest Service, for both AD and regular employee; will need to provide ASC with full documentation of resource order, travel authorization, rental paperwork and documentation on damage. They will work with rental company to process damage claim. Vehicles rented on travel cards or personal cc’s SHOULD NEVER BE USED ON INCIDENT. Incident should be assigning a vehicle to all overhead from Ground Support. These type of vehicles are likely to be rented by dispatch, IBA’s, Agency support staff not assigned to a specific incident, or other incident support functions off incident. Overhead traveling to an incident are not likely to be authorized to rent a vehicle. At least in the NR.

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