This second list was released by the agency May 13 and is a result of a solicitation requesting bidsfor 30 helicopters that were already on Call When Needed contracts in three tiers capable of lifting up to 1,600, 3,300, or 7,000 pounds. So given that the PM and the HS are both aviation folks, this means that they have certain goals that they are trying to achieve given the shape that the Solicitation is taking. You guys (and gals) should possess enough experience to influence how contracts are conceptualized, and bring some common sense back to the process, Nobody should bid, then when everything is on fire and the USFS comes begging then youd have some leverage on them.. Ordering instructions contained within each contract or agreement should be followed. flight time rates. Maybe the PM, HS and the CO should talk to some a/c financing companies/banks to better understand the reality of upgrading or buying new equipment? Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. With the twin engine requirement would a K-Max also be DQd? All senior leadership, including Squad Leaders and higher must be able to read and interpret the language of the crew as well as English. - IR Scanner Orders, Sunrise/Sunset 0000001055 00000 n The Incident Command System (ICS) uses this system based on the equipment capability. The Blackhawk wont work because they are restricted category. Does a 407 not meet the new requirements? Type 1 helicopters are the largest, fastest flying and the most expensive helicopters used on wildland fires. On the other hand when your not spending your own money you can afford an almost $25 million firehawk. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Great to see that ole S-58T N1168U workhorse from Aris is still getting after it! Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. approved helmets for helicopter use as note to emphasize., 9; Helicopter, add table . It just will. MOU - Interagency Fire Helicopter Standards Forest Service Agreement # 13IA-11130206-011 . Try to pass on the cost of newer more expensive equipment in less than 10 years than the operators fails on the LPTA front. Well not quite, imho. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park . Must be annually certified by the local host unit agency administrator or designee prior to being made available for assignment. CO Support on all major contract programs (Mobile Food Services, Mobile Showers, Type 2 & 2-IA Crews, Retardant Chemicals), Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Alternate Focal Point Bill would rather not take his private industry advertisers $$$, but he should and needs to get paid for the hard work he puts in and he knows you Government boys cant/wont pay him to tell the truth. Most aircraft manufacturers provide a document illustrating the operating costs for each of their models but it's hard to tell how accurate their estimates are (they are trying to sell you a helicopter after all). Typos or errors, report them, Rappeller training in Idaho modified for COVID-19, Contracts to be awarded for 28 Type 1 firefighting helicopters, 41 Companies on $1B Forest Service Helicopter Support Contract, Updates on Nob Fire and WatchDuty is looking for help, North Carolina: Great Lakes Fire burning in footprint of 2012 fire. The Logistics Branch provides support for WO Fire & Aviation Operations customers (located at NIFC) with the procurement of (urgent/immediate)incidentresources, such as retardant chemicals and related services, mobile food services, mobile shower facilities, firefighting crews, Critical Incident Stress Management Services (CISM) and National Videographer/Photographer Services. Doing business with the feds is not for the faint of heart. Personnel shall meet the qualification requirements of. United States Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Aviation Services (OAS) and the . Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. Office: (208) 387-5610 Mobile: (208) 867-5073, Tonya Campbell,Contracting Officer There are two kinds of USFS contracts. Given the current climate of helicopter contracts there will be more people getting out of helicopters than getting into them. Fax: (208) 387-5384, https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/contracting, Important Information Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic, Access to the U.S. Forest Service Contracting, Incident Support Branch, DOI SharePoint Page must be granted individually. However, multi-year contacts must also include an aspect of a cancellation ceiling which must be funded up front. Thats discouraging as it suggests that the customer really isnt listening and just providing the perception of doing so.your point of just not choosing to submit if an operator doesnt like it is incredibly insensitive and uninformed. When determining the hourly rate, agencies should utilize the appropriate rate category. More insanity from the USFS ! Click here. Office: (208) 387-5609 Mobile: (208) 616-5550 The following links are provided for Interagency Fire Professionals who are tasked with administering contracts issued by our Unit and is provided solely for that purpose and intent. On May 9 the agency released a list of 14 helicopters for the >1,600 tier. Working together, these partners provide . These publications are "specified by more than 47 state departments of transportation," and is "the only privately researched and published equipment rate guide approved by the Federal Highway Administration for use on federally-funded construction projects." Office: (208) 387-5695 Mobile: (208) 860-7334 To compensate for the precarious nature of these contracts, which do not presume any activation during the season, the rates are higher than for exclusive contracts. Other candidates would be the 412, and the other twin engine mediums on the market from AW and Airbus/Eurocopter. Sadly, this is just another reason why operators will have to get out of the fire fighting business or send the aircraft to other countries where they will actually be treated like the critical assets that they are. At least two CL-415s were removed from USFS contracts and placed on a state contract this year too. There are only 2 options and they are well in to the 10s of millions of dollars. Thanks for giving us a voice. The S-70 could work but again, at what cost? Home | About 10 21 Aviation Safety Management System, IAT Thats rarely happened before b/c a) its a lot of $$$ and b) the states also believed that they would get aerial resources when needed, but they got burned by that hope, literallyyou may think you can grab it, but think again in tough times.State will think about State first before sharing the resource.it will get more interesting when France, Spain, Greece and Turkey take these assetssleep well FSyou guys are managing the LATs and Type 1s welltheyll always be there for you.keep up the good workwell done. For example, the 2017 average daily rate for large federal call when needed air tankers was 54 percent higher than aircraft on exclusive . The Cal Fire owns a fleet of UH-1 Huey, rigged with Bambis or HBE Simplex Kits, depending on the geographic areas they must cover. Aircraft Purchases: Todd Novinger, Contracting Officer Very Large Airtankers (VLAT)are capable of delivering over 8,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. w/ R1 Supplements, Notice Large, heavy-lift helicopters can fill their water tanks with a snorkel that siphons water from lakes, rivers, or other sources. No.thats what happens when you have cradle to grave beuracrats (who havnt a clue about running a business) in charge of doling out federal dollars. %PDF-1.6 % Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the . What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Type 2 helicopters are very effective initial attack resources. hb```, cb YL Although Type 3 helicopters are smaller, they have a higher cruise speed than a typical Type 2 helicopter and can arrive on the scene of an initial attack wildfire faster. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) provides national leadership to enable interoperable wildland fire operations among federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners. All water tenders and engine types 3 through 6 shall be able to prime and pump water from a 10 foot lift. jtaris@aspentimes.com. Position Title. If a vendor doesnt like the requirements, they can choose not to submit a proposal. FS is gonna end up with a heavy National Guard helicopter fleet next year. Wont the guaranteed hours for a contract be a exclusive use. NWCG is the sole source for the publication. These helicopters can support firefighters on the ground by delivering up to 300 gallons of water to thefirelinein a bucket or tank. Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance. Call-When-Needed (CWN) Airtankers 2.1 GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Airtankers, Helicopters, Long-term Retardant Contracts. Montana / Dakotas Fire and Aviation, NRCC One has to write to the audience who butters their bread! agency that, more and more, is becoming its own worst enemy, as well as ours! Why arent fixed wing on CWN awarded a offered daily minimum? Other aircraft can be rigged with a Bambi Bucket but several operators have made the choice to heavily modify their helicopters with internal bunkers and complex release systems. Its driving us away from government work and Im truly worried about the availability of rotor assets next year if they end up going through with this wish list RFP. National Geographic Area Coordination Center Website Portal National Exclusive Use Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack) Obviously another FS fella here. The USFS did not get the number of LATs they assumed they would, I know it shocked them. MSH confirms additional launch customer in Norway. There are still going to be normal cwn helicopters. These are also similar systems found in the lower section of the DC-10 Tanker 10, and there are also constant flow bunkers found on board many tankers such as the C-130, P -3 Orion and other RJ-85AT. I am concerned that it will reduce resources in a way that will harm the communitys we generally get to help. Center Aviation for Regions 1, 2, & 9, 10 5765 West Broadway, Missoula, Montana 59808-9361, Automated Each year, DNR works ahead of the fire season to improve its access to professional equipment and services for fire suppression. Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947. Its coming, and sooner than you expect. The FS is certainly aware of Mr. Gabbert who has reached out to public affairs folks within the agency on numerous occasions. Smokejumper Aircraft The National Interagency Fire Center is committed to making its information and communication technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. For several years now, the AirCrane are clearly competing with the massive arrival of CH-47D obtained by some companies on top of the US forces. Contact Us: NWCG Comments & Questions | USA.GOV | Notices | Accessibility | Copyrights | Linking Policy | Records Management | FAQs. Rotating wing aircraft have a special place in the fire-fighting system. Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics, The States contracted for Fed approved airtankers so just like we all share resources like engines and shot crews now we can share airtankers too. CWN rotor craft normally have a daily rate and a flight rate. USFS awards 90-day contracts for 22 additional helicopters Bill Gabbert May 13, 2020 Contracting, Helicopters contract The U.S. Forest Service has awarded 90-day contracts for an 22 additional helicopters that can lift at least 3,300 or 7,000 pounds. They never seem to be logical ! Application of gel, foam or retardant? Smaller helicopters carry water in buckets that hold between 100-400 gallons of water. 0000047667 00000 n Video of two Type 1 helicopters reloading with retardant, 41 Companies on $1B Forest Service Helicopter Support Contract, Updates on Nob Fire and WatchDuty is looking for help, North Carolina: Great Lakes Fire burning in footprint of 2012 fire. Southern Area Regional Coordination Group Operating Plan. Smokejumper STC 0000010826 00000 n The agency has posted a second draft of a new Request for Proposals (RFP) and will hold a virtual meeting about the contracts on September 29. Us, Northern Rockies Coordination Office: (208) 387-5681 Mobile: (208) 866-1610 Rotating blades are also present and again play a discrete but essential role where their natural qualities are exploited at best. NWCG operations standards are interagency by design; they are developed with the intent of universal adoption by the member agencies. of Fire Retardant, FAA They are all tied to contractors in the business. We dont fly in 58Ts (which I saw on exclusive use contract as an unrestricted as late at 2006) Llamas, etc. It seems nothing is making sense anymore, and we are destined to fail if this shortsightedness is allowed to continue.