Integrated Wildland Fire Management Plan (IWFMP) | W9126G 20 2 SOI 3417

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 20 2 SOI 3417

The Integrated Wildland Fire Management Plan (IWFMP) grant opportunity is a Department of Defense cooperative agreement run through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Fort Worth District) to support Fort Carson in developing a compliant, installation-level wildland fire management plan for the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) in Colorado. It is a science and technology/research and development type effort (CFDA 12.005) intended to strengthen Fort Carson's Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) implementation under the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1). Although the eligibility field is listed as unrestricted, the announcement clearly limits availability to partners within the Colorado Plateau CESU region and the Great Plains CESU region. The government plans to make one award, with an expected base funding amount of about $29,945 and an overall ceiling of $39,345, reflecting an optional task budget of up to $9,400 if additional funds are available.

At the core of the project is the creation of a complete IWFMP for PCMS that aligns with National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards and Army wildland fire policy guidance, while also remaining consistent with (and not conflicting with) the existing Fort Carson IWFMP and the Fort Carson INRMP. The resulting PCMS IWFMP is intended to become an appendix to the INRMP, so it is not just an academic product; it is meant to be operationally usable by installation staff and compatible with Army planning and compliance requirements. The work is framed as professional and technical support that helps the installation manage wildfire risk while balancing training missions, natural resource stewardship, and regulatory obligations.

The anticipated scope is detailed and multi-part. The selected cooperator is expected to start by reviewing existing wildfire management documents, policies, and related records, then conduct site visits to evaluate current conditions such as firebreaks, fuels management practices, infrastructure, and equipment needs, while meeting key stakeholders. A major component is compiling a comprehensive fire history for PCMS using existing records and subject matter expert input, including attention to the historic range of variability for local ecosystems (shortgrass and mid-grass prairies, pinon-juniper, and ponderosa pine/foothills communities). Building on that foundation, the cooperator must work closely with local subject matter experts such as foresters, natural resource managers, firefighters, range control and integrated training area management personnel, trainers/operators, and partner agencies to develop wildfire strategies and translate them into plan goals and objectives.

The plan also needs several analytical and operational elements. These include an ignition probability assessment (to the extent spatial data are adequate), development of a fire danger rating system, and the identification of any needed training modifications or staffing adjustments tied to each fire danger category. The cooperator must analyze weather data from a representative station to identify trends and conditions relevant to fire management at the site. From there, the IWFMP must lay out pre-fire actions like firebreak maintenance, fuels treatments, and training requirements, as well as prescribed fire planning components such as return intervals that reflect the historic range of variability. The plan must prioritize rotational units across training areas and firebreaks for prescribed burning and specify return intervals for those units. It also must integrate with existing wildfire response procedures and post-fire rehabilitation, monitoring/data collection, and other follow-up measures so that the plan covers the full wildfire cycle: preparedness, response, and recovery.

A key process requirement is stakeholder and Army review. Local SMEs must be given a real opportunity to review and comment, and the cooperator is expected to incorporate and address those comments in the final document. In addition, the plan cannot be finalized until it is approved by Installation Management Command (IMCOM) wildland fire points of contact. This signals that the deliverable must meet internal Army expectations for format, content, and implementability, not simply general best practices.

An optional task may be added if funding is available. Under that option, the cooperator would analyze how wildfire risk changes between an existing baseline risk assessment (previously completed for Fort Carson by IMCOM and the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands, or CEMML) and two future scenarios that would be defined in coordination with Fort Carson points of contact. This optional work is essentially a comparative risk analysis meant to inform decision-making by showing how risk might shift under different plausible future conditions.

Rather than requesting full proposals immediately, the government is using a Request for Statements of Interest (SOI) to identify qualified investigators or teams. The evaluation at this stage focuses on demonstrated qualifications and experience performing similar work, with a stated preference for at least 10 years of experience specifically in military wildland fire management planning. The period of performance for the base agreement is 18 months from the date of award, and the optional task (if exercised) is also described as extending 18 months from the date of award. The SOI submission is directed to the listed contracting specialist and project manager, and the opportunity notes that the SOI posting would remain on Grants.gov for at least 30 days, with review beginning May 14, 2020 (the original closing date shown in the listing).

• The Department of Defense, Fort Worth District in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrated Wildland Fire Management Plan (IWFMP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.005.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 14, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $39,345.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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