The Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the acquisition of slip-on tankers to enhance wildland firefighting capabilities for local governments and Tribal Nations. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance for slip-on tanker units, which can be quickly converted into fire engines, thereby improving wildfire response readiness in communities with populations of 25,000 or less. The program is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and emphasizes collaboration among local entities, particularly volunteer fire departments, to address diverse wildfire challenges. Interested parties must submit their responses to the RFI by October 9, 2023, at 9:00 AM Eastern Time, and can contact Chelsea M. Whitten at chelsea_whitten@ibc.doi.gov or 571-513-4053 for further information.

RFI and NOI Slip-On Tanker Q&A.pdf

RFI.pdf

The document outlines the details regarding a federal grant program designed to assist local governments and Tribal Nations in acquiring slip-on tanker units for wildfires. Key points include that applicants can request various unit types without a matching required percentage and that pre-award costs may be covered under specific conditions. The program is explicitly for slip-on tanks and does not cover vehicle purchases, although other funding opportunities may exist for vehicles. The grant aims to support all wildfire types, not just forestry-related, and encourages consolidated applications from regional departments. Minimum specifications for the tanks and vehicle compatibility with tank weight are detailed in an attached document. The initiative is tailored for local volunteer fire departments and aims to improve wildfire response capabilities through enhanced equipment access. Ultimately, it emphasizes collaboration among local entities while ensuring funding remains targeted towards community needs.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) and a Notice of Intent (NOI), issued by the DOI, Interior Business Center, Acquisition Services Directorate as the acquisition authority, on behalf of the DOI, regarding a requirement for wildland firefighting slip-on tankers. All interested parties needing one or more wildland firefighting slip-on tankers are requested to reply to this announcement no later than 09 October 2023, 9:00 AM Eastern Time.  The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides funding and authorizes the Department of the Interior (DOI) to develop and implement a pilot program to provide local governments and Tribal Nations financial assistance to acquire slip-on tanker units to establish fleets of vehicles that can be quickly converted to be operated as fire engines. The Government is finalizing a plan to award grants for slip-on tankers through a competitive process over the next few years to entities who meet the established criteria and is therefore seeking responses from entities such as a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; an Indian Tribe or authorized Tribal entity, or an Alaska Native Village or Alaska Regional Native Corporation; a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity; state recognized nonprofit volunteer fire departments, including range and forest protection associations, that provide fire protection and other emergency services in support of local governments or Tribes needing slip-on tankers to improve the wildland firefighting readiness for their area of protection.  Please see full RFI for further details on the scope and how to respond. The purpose of this RFI and NOI is to gather comments and overall feedback on the scope and approach of this effort from interested parties that have a need for slip-on tankers. The information gathered will be used for planning purposes only. It is not a commitment by the Government and responses to this inquiry cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding grant. An announcement for applications is not a part of this RFI and NOI and no grants will be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow-up information requests.

Buyer

Eligible Applicants

Funding Category

Funding Instrument

Opportunity Category

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Original Source