Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance Service for Region 13 - National

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to vendor questions regarding the "2026 Ambulance" opportunity, clarifying requirements related to DOT numbers, medical cards, health screenings, dispatching, and licensing.

• DOT Numbers: The document clarifies that while D.2.6 does not specifically call for a DOT Number, it requires an annual USDOT certified vehicle inspection or a current Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Inspection.
• DOT Medical Cards: DOT medical cards are only required for vehicles over 26,000 lbs, consistent with CDL regulations.
• DOT Health Screenings: Health screenings are required for assets over 26,000 lbs, which also necessitates a CDL and Med Card.
• Dispatching for Fires: Dispatching and operational requirements are determined by Incident Management and State/local regulations. The Forest Service does not mandate using a public agency for dispatching, but vendors must comply with applicable state laws, operate under appropriate medical direction, and meet all contract requirements.
• Ambulance Certificate/License: The "One (1) picture or file of the current ambulance certificate/license" refers to the license or certificate provided by the State of location, if a State Licensing or Certifying requirement exists.

This Q&A document provides specific clarifications that bidders should consider when preparing their proposals to ensure compliance with all stated requirements.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation seeks to obtain Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance Services for local, regional, and nationwide use on fire suppression, all-hazard incidents, and prescribed fire project work. The resulting Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) may be utilized by multiple State and Federal wildland fire agencies. The placement of orders is not guaranteed.

• Provision of ALS and BLS ambulance services.

• Services may be used for fire suppression, all-hazard incidents, and prescribed fire project work.

• Specific equipment and personnel requirements are detailed in Section D.

• Ambulances must meet specific typing requirements (Type 1-4) and state medical requirements.

• Personnel must meet minimum training and qualification requirements (e.g., RT-130, ICS-100, NIMS).

• Contractors must provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as detailed in Section D.2.5.1.

• Vehicles must meet specific tire, identification, and equipment standards (e.g., fire extinguisher, seat belts).

• The solicitation will result in multiple agreements (I-BPAs).

• The contract type is not explicitly stated but implies a framework agreement with individual orders.

• The period of performance is 2 years from the date of award, with annual review modifications.

• No specific estimated value is provided, but individual order limitations may be subject to the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT).

• Quotes must be submitted through the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) Next Gen System.

• Vendors must register in SAM.gov and complete online Representations and Certifications.

• Quotes will be evaluated based on operational acceptability of equipment/resource, price reasonableness, and past performance dependability risk.

• A 5% socioeconomic status advantage is applicable to Dispatch Priority List (DPL) ranking for small business concerns.

• Offerors must submit technical quote pictures and documents to demonstrate operational acceptability.

• The offer period for acceptance of offers is 60 calendar days from the quote due date.

• Key deadlines include the Offer Due Date: 4/15/2026 05:00 PM MST.

• The acquisition is generally set-aside for small business concerns, but may be unrestricted based on market research.

• Specific socioeconomic status advantages (HUBZone, WOSB, EDWOSB, 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned) are considered for DPL ranking.

• Awards are prohibited to Government employees, businesses owned by Government employees, Government entities, or those with tax delinquencies or felony convictions.

• Exhibit H contains additional terms and conditions, including information on geographic areas and on-ramping processes.

• Exhibit I lists contractor associations and public education providers for training.

• Exhibit L provides a link to a Geographic Area Map.

• The document includes extensive details on work/rest guidelines, dispatching procedures, payment, and invoicing.

Amendment / Modification

• This amendment re-opens the solicitation to conduct an "open season Onboarding" in accordance with Exhibit H - Special Contract Requirements.

• Vendor responses to the solicitation are now due by 04/15/2026 at 17:00 MST.

• Responses should be submitted through the VIPR Next Gen Vendor application.

• The purpose is to allow existing Multiple Award Incident Blanket Purchase Agreement (I-BPA) awardees to revise, modify rates, and add resources, and also to allow new offerors meeting eligibility requirements to submit quotes.

• The amendment clarifies that onboarding is not a new procurement but an amendment to the original solicitation.

• Award decisions will be based on the same evaluation factors/sub-factors as the original solicitation.

• Terms and conditions of any resulting new I-BPA awards will be identical to the original awards and solicitation, including the period of performance.

• The solicitation's response deadline has been extended.

• The process for submitting responses has been updated to use the VIPR Next Gen application.

• The proposal deadline is extended to 04/15/2026 at 17:00 MST.

• Vendors (both existing awardees and new offerors) are encouraged to submit responses through the specified application.