1. 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”

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. QUESTIONS