Bureau of Land Management OR/WA

US Forest Service AK/PNW

SORO FALT Executive Meeting

Briefing Paper

Topic:SORO FALT’s POW

Intent: To Describe The Relationship Between And Expectations Of SORO FALT’s Vision, Values, Program Of Work, POW Priorities, And POW Priorities’ Briefing Papers.

Background: SORO FALT’s vision and associated values are supported through each Assistanct Director’s and Safety Program Manager’s (RASM and Fire Ground Safety) annual Program of Work (POW) which are the foundation of each SORO FALT member’s respective annual performance plan. Furthermore, each POW have five priorities set by the FS Fire Director and the BLM State Fire Management Officer based upon feedback from FY 2014 performance, each AD’s recommendations in their respective POW documents, and incorporated current emphasis items since the start of the year—these priorities ensure common expectations and the mission over agency philosophy. Each Prioritity POW has a Briefing Paper (BP) developed that articulates the intent of the program, background, and annual, measureable goals so SORO Executives, SORO FALT, field units, and our respective national offices have a common understanding of what is important to SORO FALT, and a narrative roadmap to understand where we are going and what it will look like when we arrive, or don’t arrive on time.

SORO FALT’s Priority POW

Incident Business:

  • Oversight of planning Spring FALT meeting
  • Hire Budget Officer; develop budget schedule, process and expectations for Program Leads and Budget Officer
  • Oversight to the Fire and Aviation Contracting Team which reports to the AQM Directorate Continue to provide excellent leadership to your Contracting Team.
  • Billings/Payments – with federal wildland agencies, state partners, other regions, compacts, cost-share oversight, and liaison for payment centers; Close out 2014 FEMA Mission Assignment bills & unliquidated obligations.
  • Review/Update financial information of key inter/intra-agency agreements (e.g., Master Agreement, Annual Operating Plan/Master Agreement, ODOT/WSDOT, etc.)

Aviation:

  • Review All Forest and District Aviation Safety and Management Plans
  • 3-5 Year AK/PNW Aviation Strategic Plan
  • UAS
  • Smoke Jumper Program – Aircraft, pilots, maintenance
  • Short Haul

Safety:

  • EMS Program for both agencies
  • Safety Systems in the Contract Program
  • DOI Medical Standards Program
  • HRO/Risk Management
  • Critical Incident Peer Support

Operations:

  • Dispatch efficiencies work (center consolidations)
  • Unprotected Lands Issues
  • Sage Grouse:
  • Administration of Sage Grouse Preparedness Action Plan (National Office plan)
  • Allocation of SG funds
  • Prepo of adequate resources for multiple Type 3 IA per District
  • ODF and BLM—RFPA MOU
  • Agency Administrator Involvement and Training
  • Smoke Jumper Program – Oversight and Service

Fire Integrations:

  • Fuels program oversight and vision for SORO and the strategic review of field units
  • Cohesive Strategy:
  • Provide leadership in implementation of CS or projects that meet the intent (even though they don’t have the label of CS) throughout PNW/AK and the West
  • Lead in FIAT and all other fuels management and planning efforts with Sage Grouse
  • Develop Integrated Interagency Resource Team with NR 930/FS 16th floor/State and Private Forestry
  • Take Fire Prevention Program and Trespass Program to the next level—consistent implementation
  • Smoke Management Program

Point of Contact: Jeff Fedrizzi, State Fire Management Officer, 503-808-6461

Incident Business

Briefing Papers on 2015 Priority POW

Bureau of Land Management OR/WA

US Forest Service AK/PNW

Business Operations - Billings/Payments

Briefing Paper

Topic: BLM and Forest Service, Fire Budget Oversight.

Background: The BLM State Office and FS Regional Office (SORO) budgets have been administered separately, by each agency in the past.

In 2013, it was determined that one Budget Analyst positionwould serve Forest Service Regions 6 and 10 and Bureau of Land Management - Oregon and Washington and the position would work for the Assistant Director - Business. Due to the complexity of two regions and two agencies, the position was advertised and filled at the GS-12/13 level with the incumbent working virtual with frequent communication and travel to Portland.

The position was filled under the USFS organization chart due to BLM undergoing a transition in its Human Resources classification staff.

The Budget Analyst position mainly provides programmatic oversight, direction, and leadership for theForest Service and Bureau of Land Management Preparedness and Hazardous Fuels budgets while also tracking Trespass and State Assistance funds. The position formulates the budgets, conducts analyses and monitors funds for the FS Director, BLM State FMO and Assistant Directors. This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Current Issues:

  • The incumbent hired for the position has an extensive background in FS budgeting and no experience in BLM budgeting, so will take some time to get access to systems and up to speed on processes.

Goals:

  • To administer the Fire budgets in a seamless fashion to the field.

Contact:

CiCi Chitwood, Assistant Director-Business

503-808-2466

Bureau of Land Management OR/WA

US Forest Service AK/PNW

Business Operations - Billings/Payments

Briefing Paper

Topic: Contract Operations Program Oversight.

Background: The Region 6 Contract Operations Program manages 757 Vendors that provide 2,438 firefighting resources for Fire Operations that supplement the agency’s firefighting militia. The Region’s program accounts for approximately 40% of the contract resources in the Nation.

The program has made significant changes since 2009 when the national Virtual Incident Procurement Resources (VIPR) program was implemented whereas Contracting Officers are required to use "generic" templates to solicit for various local equipment and services for Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements (I-BPAs). Prior to VIPR, FAM’s Contract Operations staffdeveloped specifications for fire equipment and services, providing the information to a regional Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit for the equipment or services. In 2010 and in conjunction with the implementation of VIPR, Region 6 stood up a four person Fire & Aviation Contracting Team (FACT) within Acquisition Management (AQM) that is fully funded by Wildland Fire Preparedness (WFPR) funds to centralize the solicitation and awarding of fire contracts. This staff was placed in Redmond, OR as the lead CO also administered aviation contracts for the region.

In 2013, FAM made a decision to realign the State Office/Regional Office (SORO) Contract Operations program from Operations to the SORO Business staff due to the contracting component of the program. In 2014, two GS-0301-11/12 Contract Program Specialist positions were filledto provide oversight and administration of the Region 6 Contract Operations program and placed in Redmond, OR. An Assistant Contract Operations position, GS-0301-11 was already in place in Portland, OR and the duty station was not changed.

In 2012-2013 there were five fatalities involving fire contracting resources in Region 6. As a result of After Action Reviews and analysis of the fatalities, we determined the need to strengthen the oversight of training of contractor employees and inspections of contract equipment. Previously, vendors self-certified their training and equipment as a result of using VIPR templates and business process.

In 2014, Contract Operations implemented two Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to verify employee qualification/training records and physical inspections of equipment. Additionally,Contract Operationsadministers an MOU that provides for oversight of training of contract firefighters.

Current Issues:Managing the large program is a significant workload for the three members of the Contract Operations staff. A proposal is being staffed out to increase the staff by three additional positions within SORO.

Goals:

  • To provide well trained and quality contract firefighting resources to supplement agency firefighting resources.
  • Long-term is to increase the Contract Operations staff to handle the workload of current and in to the future by adding one PFT Contract Operations Program Manager, GS-0301-13 and two PFT Contract Operations Technician, GS-462-7/9 positions.
  • Short term is to hire PSE firefighters to monitor training courses, work capacity fitness tests and perform equipment inspections during the off-season to give them meaningful work and reduce the region’s unemployment bill. To ensure MOU Providers are meeting the intent of the MOUs, monitoring must occur to track when inspections and training will occur throughout the region. This large workload is difficult for three people to accomplish along with the other duties of the program. Currently, a list of FS/BLM individuals “willing” to monitor the inspections/training/work capacity fitness testing is being utilized and it not very effective. For training and work capacity fitness testing, approximately 10% of the monitoring was accomplished in 2014 and the goal was to meet 20%. In 2014, out of 70 equipment inspections only 3 inspections were conducted.

Contact:

Katie Mergel, Contract Program Specialist

541-504-7380

Bureau of Land Management OR/WA

US Forest Service AK/PNW

Business Operations - Billings/Payments

Briefing Paper

Topic: Billing, reimbursement, and cost share settlement between BLM, FS and our State and Rural cooperators.

Background: The Master Cooperative Wildland Fire and Stafford Act Response Agreement provides the authority for the federal agencies to bill or reimburse our cooperators for fire protection assistance. Exhibit D of both the Agreement and the Operating plan clearly define the process and documentation requirements. The billing/reimbursement for all incidents within the PNW Geographic Area are processed by the local BLM or FS Unit. The bills for all State resources responding to incidents outside of the Geographic are processed by the SORO Incident Business Specialist. There are also agreements between the BLM or FS and numerous Rural Fire Departments across both States. The billing/reimbursement processes are also clearly defined in these agreements.

In 2012, there was a National effort to clear all the "aged" bills from the FS system. This Region has made a concerted effort to finalize all the outstanding bills. Based on the current report that was sent from ASC, all the bills prior to 2013 have been cleared.

All the bills from the 2014 FEMA Mission Assignments have been finalized.

Current Issues:

  • Cost Share Agreements can be very complex. There is a Cost Share Agreement template in the Operating Plan but these agreements continue to create challenges for the local units.
  • There are a significant number of bills from 2013 to be reconciled, with majority of these ODF.
  • Even though the billing documentation requirements are defined in the agreements, there are differences in what each state or local unit requires. This can delay timely processing of bills.

Goals:

  • Continue to foster positive working relationships with our State partners.
  • Work with WDNR to develop an annual reconciliation process which would reduce the total number of bills issued. At this time, this process cannot be used with ODF due to State statutes.
  • Continued coordination with ODF and local units to reconcile the 2013 bills.
  • Continue to strengthen the BLM/FS Unit Coordinators group to build consistency in processes and facilitate interagency cooperation.
  • Provide training opportunities for Line Officers to simplify the Cost Share process.
  • Cost Share training is currently included in M-581/LFML.
  • A Cost Share exercise will be part of the Spring FALT meeting.

Contact:

Brenda Johnson, AK/PNW Incident Business Specialist

503-808-6319

Aviation

Briefing Papers on 2015 Priority POW

U.S. Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management

Fire and Aviation Management

Briefing Paper

Date: April 1, 2015

Topic: FY 2015 Pacific Northwest UAS Program Briefing

Background: It is the advent of a new era in aviation with the technological advances of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), throughout the years; the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management appreciate the benefits of technology when managing federal lands. The use of UAS is an example of technology that will perform an important role as potential aviation assets for a variety of agency land management programs and for our cooperators. This letter intends to clarify the use and approval process to utilize UAS for resource work and fire suppression operations on Federal lands.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (commonly referred to as “drones”) include aircraft ranging from hand operated devices weighing less than a pound to aircraft the size of commercial airliners. Smaller UAS are widely available from hobby stores while larger aircraft can be available from contractors, DOD or other government agencies. When UAS are flown for federal agency work or benefit, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations apply. Because they are different from manned aircraft, the FAA is slowly introducing UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS) through a process known as a “Certificate of Waiver or Authorization” (COA) that allows the agency to fly a UAS under well-defined provisions unique to the proposed operation.

Key Points:

  • All UAS’s are considered “aircraft” by the FAA. The U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior (DOI) agencies view all UAS (any size and weight) as “aircraft.” All aircraft purchase, lease, or acquisition must follow agency policy and procedures.
  • All aircraft and pilots flown by the U.S. Forest Service or DOI agencies require inspection and approval. Federal use of cooperator agency UAS may be authorized by a Cooperator Aircraft Letter of Approval.
  • UAS flights shall follow Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service policy.
  • All government and commercial applications require an FAA COA which specifies the time, location, and operating parameters for flying the UAS.
  • Personal use or hobbyist aircraft may not be used by federal agencies or their employees using UAS to accomplish any kind of program work.
  • The use of any UAS (including small, lightweight hobbyist models) for profit, furtherance of a business, data collection, or incident/resource management by a government agency is considered a “commercial” operation per the FAA, subject to additional FAA regulation and oversight.
  • All federal agency use of UAS requires prior notification and consultation with the Unit and State/Regional Aviation Managers. A Project Aviation Safety Plan (PASP) is required for any non-emergency (non-fire) missions or projects.
  • An “Emergency COA” can only be issued by the FAA if the proponent already has an existing COA for their aircraft. The request must be accompanied with a justification that no other aircraft exist for the mission and that there is eminent potential for loss of life.
  • The Bureau of Land Management is fully engaged in UAS operations and further along than the Forest Service.
  • The University of Alaska has acquired a COA and access to several large UAS test areas in Oregon and Alaska.”

Challenges:

  • The Office of Aircraft Service (OAS) has hired a UAS Program Manager; however, the Forest Service has not hired an individual and it does not appear the agency plans to hire a Program Manager in the near future.
  • There is a significant amount of time and support diverted to UAS operations in the geographical area.
  • Our cooperators, ODF and WADNR, are fully engaged in UAS operations and plan to fly on fires in 2015.
  • A letter issued from Tom Harbour will significantly increase operations on National Forest System lands.
  • Agency Administrators and staff in the geographical are eager to engage in UAS operations without a well-supported or defined program.

Contact: Aaron Schoolcraft, Assistant Fire Director, Aviation, AK Forest Service and PNW Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service, 503-808-2359; Kurt Kleiner, OR/WA BLM State Aviation Manager, 503-808-6593

U.S. Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management

Fire and Aviation Management

Briefing Paper

Date: March 5, 2015

Topic: FY 2015 Pacific Northwest Smokejumper Aircraft Program Briefing

Background: The Alaska (AK) and Pacific Northwest (PNW) Region (Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service) currently has two smokejumper bases. The primary mission of the AK/PNW Smokejumper Program is to provide an efficient and effective response to wildland fires, and other incidents, conducted with the highest regard for personnel safety, environmental protection and cost containment.

Key Points:

  • The Alaska (AK) and Pacific Northwest (PNW) Region has two bases located in:
  • (1) Redmond, OR; (1) Winthrop, WA. (North Cascades Smokejumper Base)
  • The Region will lead a review of the Region 6 Smokejumper Program that would include facilities, overhead, and smokejumper staffing
  • Staffing levels for 2014 were 36 Smokejumpers at the Redmond base and 26 at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base (NCSB)
  • The Regional expectation for 2015 staffing levels for smokejumpers is 80
  • Redmond is planning to hire 10 to 12 rookies and NCSB is planning to hire eight rookies for the 2015 season
  • The Region utilizes two C-23A based at Redmond and a CASA C-212 based at NCSB for smokejumper aircraft
  • The agency is transitioning to the C-23Baircraft; replacing the C-23A
  • Still uncertain as to the business model
  • Government Owned Government Operated (GOGO)
  • Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO)
  • Government Owned Government/Contractor Operated (GOMO)
  • Evaluating an organizational change due to the retirement of the PNW Smokejumper Aircraft Program Manger

BLM State Office (OR/WA)/Regional Office (AK/PNW) and Regional Aviation Group (RAG) Program Goals: