Announcement of Proposed Agreement with the International Association of Wildland Fire

the Secretary, Assistant Secretary – Policy, Management and Budget, Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) AWARDING OFFICE: Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD); Division IV; Denver, CO TYPE OF AWARD: Cooperative Agreement PROPOSED RECIPIENT: International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) PROJECT DURATION: Five Years PROPOSED COST: Not to Exceed $75,000 APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORITY: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016; Public Law 114-113; Oct 18, 2015 INTERNAL AUTHORITY: Department of the Interior; Departmental Manual; Federal Assistance Programs Series; Part 505, Chapter 2; Effective January 9th, 2008 CFDA NUMBER: 15.158; DOI National Fire Plan II. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION a. Project Background: The work of wildland firefighters and emergency responders managing wildland fire, particularly at the wildland-urban interface, is inherently dangerous. The need to improve the safety and effectiveness of their response to wildland fires is critical for their health, and the health of the human and natural communities at risk from wildfire. One opportunity to address this inherent danger is to improve cooperation and communication among all the levels of the wildland fire community, enhancing the capacity of local, State, and Federal responders to work together more seamlessly, in a cohesive and collaborative way. Training for Incident Management Teams and opportunities to better engage all levels of the wildland fire community to participate in safety and leadership workshops is integral to improve cooperation and communication. b. Project Description and objectives: The IAWF will work with the OWF to: • Provide staff and qualified appointed experts to carry out the programs outlined in this agreement. This will include time from Mikel Robinson, Executive Director, as well as various Subject Matter Experts from the IAWF Board of Directors. • Conduct training opportunities to include live streaming capabilities for pre-registered groups for individuals who are unable to attend in person from around the country. This will include access to the presentations during the training activity as well as access for up to 3 months after the activity. The remote attendees will be able to interact in real time with the presenters and other remote attendees. • Initiate and organize an Annual Meeting with the OWF to access the current progress of this agreement and identify future needs. This will include finding the appropriate location and venue; organizing the logistics and meeting content. The IAWF will also providing supporting documentation and annual progress report. • Provide communication, information and resources directly to wildland fire community related to wildland and wildland-urban interface fires, safety, leadership, fuels mitigation, planning, and prevention education activities, and other resources as deemed necessary to achieve the goals and benefits of this agreement. c. Project Funding and Appropriations: The total estimated budget for the first year is $35,000, of which the entire amount will be obligated from the FY 2017 funding appropriated under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016; Public Law 114-113. The budget for the remaining four years is estimated to be $10,000 per year, for a total of $75,000. d. Cost Sharing: There is no cost sharing requirement for this effort, although the IAWF will be able to add funds from external sources. III. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: a. Evaluation and relevance: The IAWF is an independent organization with an extensive membership representing all aspects of wildland fire management, across diverse domestic and international organizations. Utilizing this diverse membership the IAWF is uniquely positioned to facilitate communication and provide leadership for the wildland fire community, here and abroad, in efforts to improve the understanding that fire is a dynamic force and a part of nature, for the need for improved safety for those professionals who manage wildland fire, and for opportunities to improve the health and safety of communities at the wildland-urban interface. b. Public Purpose: The IAWF will utilize its expertise to assist the OWF in identifying training needs and developing opportunities to enhance collaboration among the local, State, and Federal wildland fire agencies, to improve both the safety and effectiveness of wildland fire response, particularly at the wildland-urban interface. c. Substantial Involvement: There will be substantial involvement of the Department and its bureaus in this project and in the activities that the IAWF will conduct in fulfillment of this cooperative agreement. The Department will: • Provide information to the IAWF to support development of materials and resources to assist the wildland fire community in planning, mitigating and responding to wildland and wildland urban interface fires and conducting fuels treatments. • Provide consultation assistance through the OWF and DOI bureaus to outline and guide the work of IAWF via IAWF’s Executive Director. • Apprise the IAWF of policy issues at the national level that impact the fire service and the wildland fire community. • Meet with IAWF to assess the progress of this agreement and to discuss topical issues relating to wildland fire and the fire service with the members of the IAWF. • Share the publicity and marketing of the curriculum and materials developed to mutually benefit all parties. • Provide opportunities to encourage DOI bureaus to develop relationships with the IAWF and the larger wildland fire community. • Conduct a post project review to document lessons learned and best practices. This review will inform and benefit future activities that aim to improve the effectiveness of local fire departments in wildland fire management and enhance the ability of the wildland fire community to operate safely in coordination with local, State and Federal agencies in wildland and wildland-urban interface fires. IV. EXPLANATION AND JUSTIFICATION FOR A SINGLE SOURCE AWARD: a. Identification: The Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. § 6304 and 6305) prescribes the use of a grant or a cooperative agreement as the legal instrument for a Federal agency to use when entering into a relationship whose principal purpose is to provide United States Government assistance. A Cooperative Agreement is required to be used when the purpose of the relationship between the executive agency and the other recipient is to transfer something of value to the recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by U.S. law and substantial involvement is contemplated between the executive agency and the other recipient (31 U.S.C. § 6305). A Statement of Substantial Involvement describe above will be included as part of the formal agreement. b. Justification: This cooperative agreement will be entered into with the IAWF on a noncompetitive basis under the authority of, and in accordance with the criteria set forth in Chapter 2.14 (B) (4) of the Department of the Interior Departmental Manual; Federal Assistance Programs Series; Part 505, Chapter 2. This Departmental Manual sets forth the criteria in which an assistance award can be made without competition. In this instance, the conditions under (4) Unique Qualifications, are satisfied. This section describes “unique qualifications” based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost sharing ability, if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications. Determination and Approvals: The undersigned has determined, based on the above findings, that: (1) this cooperative agreement, entered into with the IAWF for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of local fire departments involved in wildland fire management and enhancing the ability of the wildland fire community to operate safely and in concert with local, State and Federal agencies during wildland and wildland-urban interface fires, will promote a public purpose; (2) the work contemplated by this agreement will require substantial involvement between the DOI and IAWF; and the application submitted by the IAWF meets the criteria set forth in the DOI Departmental Manual; Federal Assistance Programs Series; Part 505, Chapter 2.14, for award of a Single Source Award. Therefore, in accordance with 31 U.S.C. § 6305 and Departmental Manual, Part 505, Chapter 2, the award of this cooperative agreement to the IAWF is justified.