NORTHERN ROCKIES COORDINATING GROUP
June 1, 2015
To: Northern Rockies Dispatch Centers, Incident Commanders, and Incident Management Team
(IMT) Members
RE: Incident Transportation and use of Montana DNRC Rental Vehicle Agreements
NRCG annually tasks the Business Committee with addressing issues and proposing solutions to
meet incident transportation needs through a varity of options. After the 2014 fire season, the
Business Committee reevaluated the 2014 NRCG direction to Dispatch Centers, Incident
Commanders and Incident Management Teams with the goal to improve the geographic area-wide
protocols and options for the 2015 fire season. Montana Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation (DNRC) is continuing to host an agreement with rental car companies to provide offroad vehicles for incident operational support. The intent of this solicitation is to provide off-road
vehicles to meet operational line resource needs. NRCG is again limiting the use of this
agreement, focusing on the intent of the solicitation as a tool to obtain off-road vehicles and
restricting its use to obtain vehicles for general transportation.
The 2014 NRCG direction has been updated and incorpated into this letter for 2015. The Business
Committee has developed additional tools to aid in the implementation of this direction and overall
management of incident transportation needs. These tools include an Incident Transportation
Matrix and Factsheet outlining usage options, procurement and payment methods and other
transportation options available. This direction is in effect until removed, amended or superceded.
If you have questions, please contact your agency representative to the Northern Rockies Business
Committee.
Ken Schmid
Chair, NRCG
NRCG Direction on Use of Rental Vehicles for Incident Management
1. Eliminate the use of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
(DNRC) rental vehicle agreement for general transportation to and from incidents.
a. Establish and/or reinforce carpooling for team members and include this information
on the Incident Management Team (IMT) roster when the order is placed.
b. When other means of transportation are required, the dispatch center will work in
coordination with the employee’s agency, the incident, and the IMT to:
i. Have a driver deliver the employee to the incident or a pre-identified
rendezvous point; OR
ii. If a rental vehicle is needed for on-road/paved road transportation use, the
dispatch center/employee will arrange for a rental vehicle appropriate for the
position filled and pay via agency travel card; OR
iii. If a rental vehicle is needed for on-road/paved road transportation use, the
dispatch center/employing agency will arrange for a rental vehicle appropriate
for the position filled and pay via agency procurement methods; OR
iv. Use of a personally owned vehicle (POV), if approved by the host incident
agency and, in compliance with employing agency’s policies. Personally
owned vehicles are not intended for incident use; their use is intended as a
transportation method to and from the incident only.
2. AD/EFF/Casuals – method of transportation will be indicated on the Single Resource Casual
Hire Information Form (PMS 934) or other agency forms. Dispatch/mobilization center will
determine the method of travel based on the needs and direction from the host incident
agency. Vehicle transportation will be provide in the following order of preference:
a. The AD/EFF/Casual is delivered by a driver; including a shuttle to the airport or travel
to the incident base camp. There will be no reimbursement of a personal vehicle if
the employee turns down an available ride.
b. The AD/EFF/Casual is assigned a government vehicle if one is available. The
AD/EFF/Casual must meet agency driving requirements, if applicable, before a
government vehicle can be assigned.
c. If a government vehicle is not available, use of the AD/EFF/Casual’s personally
owned vehicle may be authorized, if approved by the host incident agency and in
compliance with the sponsoring agency’s policies.
d. If a rental vehicle is needed for on-road/paved road transportation use, the dispatch
center/sponsoring agency will arrange for a rental vehicle appropriate for the position
filled and pay via agency procurement methods.
e. Explore options to manage agency vehicles that are used only as general travel and
ultimately underutilized instead of ordering additional vehicles as a cost savings
measure.
3. Ensure resource orders do not have “rental vehicle approved” on the IMT parent request or
on all single resource requests. If rental vehicles are approved, each request must specify
on/off road need to establish mechanism for procurement.
2
The IMTs will play a critical role in supporting the practices associated with this new guidance.
Agencies are encouraged to pursue other options to manage their general transportation needs.
1. IMTs will ensure rental vehicles ordered for on- incident use are commensurate with their
off-road needs and managed diligently to ensure proper usage, complete documentation,
completed payment, and successful return.
2. Ensure the IMT roster has specific information regarding transportation needs of individuals,
including which resources will require an off-road vehicle. If rental vehicles are approved by
the host unit, each request must specify on/off road need to establish the mechanism for
procurement.
3. Establish “shuttle” programs with host incident agencies to deliver resources to/from
incidents.
4. Follow established team accident investigation protocol when damage occurs to rental
vehicles.
Additionally, we recommend the following to NRCG agencies:
1. Add language in delegations to IMTs about reducing rental vehicles for other than off-road
transportation use.
2. Establish “shuttle” programs for delivery to incidents.
3. Eliminate all use of DNRC contracted vehicles for personnel not associated with a specific
incident, i.e. dispatch, IBA’s, support staff, etc.
a. Agency resources should rent vehicles on their respective agency purchase or travel
cards according to established agency travel protocols.
4. Ask IMTs to manage agency vehicles that are used only as general travel and are ultimately
underutilized; encourage the IMTs to explore options for using these vehicles instead of
ordering additional vehicles as a cost savings measure.
Understanding that not every solution will be applicable to every location, the following list is
comprised of potential options available for agencies to manage their general transportation needs.
Each location will likely have to research their own solutions and make pre-season arrangements.
This list is not all-inclusive and agencies are encouraged to find the solution that best meets their
needs, budget, timeframes, etc.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Carpool: Coordinate with other resources to get to the incident.
Local fleet: The sponsoring agency provides an agency vehicle for the resource.
Delivery: Local ground support provides delivery to the incident. This can be
accomplished with drivers/local ground support set up beforehand.
o Local ground support: The dispatch center could arrange to hire drivers or have
local procurement support rent vehicles assigned to the center for use, rather
than rentals for individual resources.
GSA Short Term Rental (STR) Program: Agencies utilize the GSA program to rent short
term rentals for their use and therefore have local fleet to assign.
RSVP Program: Provides short and long term rentals. Rentals must be procured with a
credit card under this program, and depending on vendor, may be available to federal,
state and local government.
Cooperative arrangement with local agencies: If a partnering agency (e.g. BIA), has
vehicles available, another agency (e.g. BLM) could set up an arrangement for use.
Agency Procurement or Blanker Purchase Agreement (BPA) for commercial rental: The
sponsoring agency provides a commercial rental paid via their agency procurement
support. The management of this method could be determined locally.
3
A cost-share agreement could be written between agencies (at the dispatch
center level) to have vehicles available for use during high need.
Combination: An agency may pay mileage for POV to the dispatch center, and then
utilize carpooling, fleet, delivery, etc. from the dispatch center.
Personal vehicle: The resource may use their POV for transportation to and from the
incident (off-road and other incident use is discouraged); reimbursement is made via a
travel reimbursement. This option is available if allowed by the sponsoring agency and
approved by the host agency.
Assignment turn-down: If no options for transportation are available, the order may be
turned down for that resource.
o
•
•
•
4