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AQM Incident Procurement Vendors
Welcome commercial vendors! Are you currently under contract or interested in doing business with us? Use this portal as your one-stop shop for getting things done. Click on the “How to Sign Up” link if you are new to doing incident business with us. Click on the "Current Vendors" link if you are already under contract or responding to a solicitation from us.
Interested in doing business with the Forest Service?
Here are the basics of what is needed to become compliant with Government regulations and interact with our systems.
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Obtain an eMail Address:
If you don’t already have one, obtain a valid email address. You can obtain one from your internet service provider (ISP) or you can use one of the many free services available on the Web. A valid email address is required to register with Data Universal Number System (DUNS), Central Contractor Registration (CCR), and eAuthentication.
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Obtain a D-U-N-S® Number:
The Data Universal Number System code is required by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 52.204-6) and you must have this before registering in the CCR. Register online at D&B DUNS Number site for government contractors.
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Obtain an IRS TIN:
For invoicing, payment, and tax purposes, you must have a Taxpayer Identification Number as required by the IRS. For privacy and security purposes, we recommend that you do not use your Social Security Number (SSN).
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Register with CCR:
In order to do business with the Federal Government (as required by FAR 4.11), you must register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). You are required to validate and update CCR once per year.
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Register for a USDA eAuthentication account:
The individual from your company who will be signing your preseason incident agreement with the Forest Service must obtain a Level 2 eAuthentication account in order to transact business with the government.
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Register at FedBizOpps and watch for business opportunities:
Every competitive solicitation we offer is first posted to FBO, which provides you with government-wide business opportunities. Every solicitation is different, so carefully read the instructions on how to submit your offers.
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Certify business status:
Each business is required to verify, on an annual basis, its business size and status, if applicable, through the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA) database.
Are you already doing business with us?
Major efforts are underway to simplify and streamline our systems to make it easier to work with us and to provide more efficient processing of payments. Until those efforts are completed, the steps below should help you navigate the current mix of systems.
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Aviation Contractors:
Anyone currently under contract for aviation services can work directly with your contracting officer or contracting officer’s representative (COR). For invoicing and payment purposes, you must use your eAuthentication account to access the Aviation Business System (ABS).
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Equipment Contractors:
Eventually, all preseason incident agreements will be administered in the Virtual Incident Procurement system, or VIPR. Please visit the VIPR Web site for more information. Until the agreements are awarded in VIPR, please work directly with the local Contracting Officer who is shown on your agreement form.
Future Plans & System Enhancements
The Forest Service AQM staff is working hard to standardize the procurement process across all regions and encourage open competition for all who participate. Efforts include a National Solicitation Plan for I-BPAs which specifies when each type of equipment or service is scheduled to be competed with national standard specifications and a consistent process for Contractor Performance Evaluations.
We continue to explore new technology and other system enhancements to ensure VIPR is an efficient, effective tool. You can keep up with our progress by visiting the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) project.
Announcements
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Vendor Application Now Available for Solicitations and Several Converted Formatta Resources
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The VIPR vendor application is an interactive, Web-based application designed to provide vendors with a user friendly, intuitive vendor solution when using VIPR. The vendor application uses wizard technology to provide step-by-step instructions to assist vendors in adding their resources into VIPR, finding solicitations that match their resources, submitting quotes on solicitations and amendments, and updating their company and resource information.
The vendor application is available now for those vendors responding to solicitations or modifications for:
- Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Apparatus
- All Terrain Vehicle
- Chainsaw Repair Service
- Chipper
- Clerical Support Units (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Coach Bus
- Communications Trailer
- Copier
- Crew Carrier Bus (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Faller (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Faller Module
- Single Faller
- Fuel Tender
- GIS Unit (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Helicopter Operations Support Trailer
- Heavy Equipment (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Dozer
- Excavator
- Tractor Plow
- Transport
- Mechanic with Service Truck
- Miscellaneous Heavy Equipment
- Feller Buncher
- Masticator (Boom Mounted)
- Masticator (Track Mounted)
- Road Grader
- Skidder
- Mobile Laundry Unit
- Mobile Sleeper Unit
- Portable Toilet
- Potable & Gray Water Truck/Handwashing Station (Trailer Mounted)
- Handwashing Station (Trailer Mounted)
- Gray Water Truck
- Potable Water Truck
- Rental Vehicle
- Rental Passenger Vehicle
- Rental Truck
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Tent (Converted from Formatta in January 2012)
- Vehicle with Driver
- eAuthentication Level 2 Accounts
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All vendors wishing to obtain a preseason incident agreement (either new or existing) with the Forest Service must use the new Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) application. Using VIPR will require that vendors obtain a Level 2 eAuthentication Account.
Read more about VIPR Level 2 eAuth requirements.
If you have entered into a preseason incident agreement with the Forest Service in the past, you should have received a letter in fall 2008 from your local Contracting Officer about the new security requirements including eAuthentication. A Level 2 Instructions Guide is provided here for your reference.
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News about VIPR!
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The Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) system was successfully introduced to production in January of 2009. Forest Service regions use VIPR to issue solicitations and award agreements for resources secured under preseason agreements. For information on the types of resources and the schedule the Forest Service follows to solicit, check out the National Solicitation Plan.
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