Third Party Verification Request for Information Revised 1

Sources Sought and Request for Information
National Third-Party Wildfire Contractor Qualification Verification Services THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (FS) is conducting market research on independent, nationwide verification of wildfire personnel qualifications. The contemplated service includes personnel qualifications; training course records; and applicable documentation for ground-based response assets, incident support services, and logistical support. Aircraft assets are excluded. This notice is issued solely for information and acquisition planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or promise to issue a future solicitation. Responses will not be considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Participation is voluntary. The Government will not reimburse respondents for costs associated with preparing or submitting information in response to this notice.

1. Background

The Forest Service seeks to establish a pilot considering third-party administrator(s) to verify personnel qualifications, excluding all aviation assets. This RFI supports planning and does not establish a particular implementation model. The Forest Service administers national and regional contracting programs that provide contracted resources in support of wildland fire suppression and other emergency incident operations. Contracted resources may be required to demonstrate that personnel assigned to incidents possess qualifications, training, experience, certifications, licenses, medical credentials, or other documentation established by applicable agreements, solicitations, policy, or Government-approved qualification standards. Qualification documentation may currently be reviewed through multiple Government offices, programs, or other approved processes. The Forest Service is exploring whether independent verification of contractor personnel qualifications could improve consistency, timeliness, authenticity of supporting records, and auditability while reducing duplicate submissions and Government workload. The Government is specifically interested in understanding whether industry has the capability to perform this function at national scale while preserving appropriate Government oversight and decision-making authority. This effort may result in a one-year pilot program for the Government.