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Memorandum

To: Bureau Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs

> Bureau Director, Bureau of Land Management
>
> Bureau Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
>
> Bureau Director, National Park Service

From: Mark Beighley, Director, Office of Wildland Fire Coordination

Subject: FY 2008 Rural Fire Assistance Program Guidance

This memorandum provides guidance to DOI bureaus for implementation of
the FY 2008 Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) program. This administrative
plan is the result of a collaborative process among the DOI fire
bureaus, the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), and the
Office of Wildland Fire Coordination (OWFC) and consultation with USDA
Forest Service representatives. Overall Program Administrative Plan
guidance is attached.

Generally, administrative processes for the 2008 RFA program will be
similar to those in the past, but with a few key differences. Bureau
allocation of RFA funds will be determined through national office
review of funding requests submitted from each State, State Compact or
equivalent, or region (all further referenced as State). States may join
together to submit regional requests, though. Funding requests are to be
reviewed jointly by the DOI bureaus and NASF representative in each
State, and prioritized through the customary State-level collaborative
interagency process used for RFA in past years.

The RFA program funding priorities for this year are, in no particular
order: 1) Personal Protective Equipment and Basic Gear (e.g., gloves,
hardhats, wildland Nomex shirts and trousers or coveralls, eye and ear
protection, fireline packs, canteens, lanterns and fusees); 2) New
Generation Fire Shelters and Case (Training shelters also allowable); 3)
Communications equipment (P-25 compliant hand-held radios, mobile units
for ground vehicles) limit of 1 radio per seat position (i.e. 4-seat
engine = 4 radios); 4) Basic Tools/Equipment: hand tools, belt weather
kits, hose, fittings and accessories; and 5) Wildland fire training

**FY2008 Rural Fire Assistance Program**

**Program Objectives and Priorities**

**Summary**

The Rural Fire Assistance Program (RFA) has been funded for FY 2008.
This document provides guidance for state and/or regional program
implementation and management. With a few notable exceptions, the RFA
program is to be administered utilizing basic procedures developed in
past years. As before, cooperating agencies at state and regional levels
will collaboratively assess the needs of rural and volunteer fire
department cooperators relative to basic wildland safety equipment,
tools and essential communications. Priorities and applicant selections
will be determined locally within these cooperative groups. As always,
communication with and input from the State Forester, or equivalent
office is essential in this process.

Administrative processes for the 2008 RFA program will be similar to
those in the past, but with a few key differences. Bureau allocation of
RFA funds will be determined through national office review of funding
requests submitted from each State, State Compact or equivalent, or
region (all further referenced as State). States may join together to
submit regional requests, though. Funding requests are to be reviewed
jointly by the DOI bureaus and NASF representative in each State, and
prioritized through the customary State-level collaborative interagency
process used for RFA in past years.

**Program Budget:** Approximately \$5.9 million

**Program Objective:** To increase safety, effectiveness and capacity of
primary RFD cooperators critical to assisting DOI in the protection of
the public, natural and cultural resources, and important values in WUI
communities. To focus financial and technical assistance on cooperative
fire suppression resources to facilitate safety for all firefighters;
maximize cost effective fire management operations; and enhance wildland
fire protection coverage on DOI lands.

**Funding Priorities**

The RFA program funding priorities for this year are, in no particular
order: 1) Personal Protective Equipment and Basic Gear (e.g., gloves,
hardhats, wildland Nomex shirts and trousers or coveralls, eye and ear
protection, fireline packs, canteens, lanterns and fusees); 2) New
Generation Fire Shelters and Case (Training shelters also allowable); 3)
Communications equipment (P-25 compliant hand-held radios, mobile units
for ground vehicles) limit of 1 radio per seat position (i.e. 4-seat
engine = 4 radios); 4) Basic Tools/Equipment: hand tools, belt weather
kits, hose, fittings and accessories; and 5) Wildland fire training

**Administrative Timeline**

The timeline for each segment is summarized in the following table:

![](media/image2.wmf)The open period for RFA funding application begins
on February 18, 2008 and closes March 14, 2008. States are to meet,
review applications, and collaboratively review and prioritize DOI RFA
funding requests in accordance with the guidelines provided in this
memo. The RFA program will be posted on
[http://www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/). Consequently, States
that have already held their open periods for RFA applications are
obligated to accept and consider any additional applications received
through March 14, 2008.

**Administrative Procedures at the State Level**

-   States may use established procedures for the collection of
    applications. Applicants with established cooperative agreements are
    to submit applications to the agency / office contact used
    previously. New applicants should contact the appropriate DOI RFA
    bureau contact for their State, listed in the attachment, or their
    local State Forester or equivalent, for additional assistance.
    Applicants may also find RFA program information on
    [http://www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/).

-   DOI, State and local cooperators who are not applying for a grant
    will meet within each State to review RFA applications through a
    joint collaborative process. Most States have an established
    application review and ranking process. Some established procedures
    and timelines may require modification to implement the 2008 RFA
    program, but the collaborative process to prioritize requests
    remains the same.

-   The State Forester or equivalent must review and concur with the
    requests and prioritizations proposed by the interagency group.

-   DOI bureaus and cooperators will establish one combined, prioritized
    list of DOI RFA requests for each State. The bureau that would
    logically distribute the grant funds to a particular applicant will
    be designated as the awarding bureau. This will need to be
    identified on the prioritized submittal.

-   States are to use all required fields in the attached Prioritization
    Template to ensure consistency in reply format.

-   Use application forms previously used to apply for RFA grants. A
    revised form may be issued next year.

**Administrative Procedures at the National Level**

-   Funds will be allocated to the individual bureaus based on the
    outcome of the interagency prioritization process, with the National
    review using the previous allocations as a planning and prioritizing
    guide only.

-   Based on prioritizations determined at the State level, a bureau
    within a State may receive more or less funding than it received in
    previous years. Adjustments to total State funding amounts may
    occur. Such adjustments will be determined by the overall submitted
    priorities, and with careful consideration in meeting
    Department-wide national priorities for the RFA program.

-   Assessment and final determination of allocations per State will be
    made by the DOI in coordination with NASF and consultation with the
    USFS and other partners.

-   National RFA leads apportion funds to states based on factors
    including fire occurrence, predictive forecast information, state's
    relative dependence on RFD's for wildland suppression and other
    emergency services.

**Important Selection Criteria for Local Consideration**

States and regions are to be commended for consistent and successful
collaborative efforts in the implementation and administration of RFA
since the program's inception. Local-level cooperators are those
best-suited to recognize and address local needs, and national-level
policy program administrative guidelines reflect this philosophy. The
FY08 program is to be managed similarly, but with a smaller total
program budget, funding choices are more difficult. These guidelines
have been developed to help collaborative groups in their local
decision-making processes. Priorities are still assessed locally, but
within these general guidelines.

**Additional Considerations**

The delay in the release of funds and accompanying 2008 program guidance
is recognized.

-   Prompt obligation of funds is encouraged in accordance with local
    schedules determined by unit budget offices, as coordinated by
    national budget staff.

-   Training using FY 2008 funds can be counted toward FY 2009
    accomplishments with no penalty, as it is acknowledged most training
    paid for with FY 2008 funds will be scheduled in FY 2009.

-   Each bureau is to input RFA requests and awards into NFPORS promptly
    to provide for accurate real-time program accomplishment tracking.

It is critical that local DOI representatives provide information on
revised program priorities, administrative schedules, and other
pertinent information to local RFDs, State representatives and other
cooperators.

Requests for RFA awards have always exceeded available funds, so not all
applicants will receive grants. To help meet additional needs of RFDs,
DOI representatives are encouraged to distribute information regarding
other fire service grant programs and, as needed, assist RFD's with
other program application processes. Additional available fire service
grants include State-sponsored grants, the Volunteer Fire Assistance
Program (VFA), and the Assistance to Firefighters grant program,
administered by the Preparedness Directorate's Office of Grants and
Training, Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the U.S.
Fire Administration. Information on these programs is found in the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (www.cfda.gov.).

**Contact Information**

Submit prioritized State lists electronically, in the format provided,
to <Rural_Fire_Assistance@nifc.blm.gov> no later than **COB** April 18,
2008. Program inquiries or requests may also be directed to this
address, or to appropriate individual bureau RFA bureau contacts listed
below.

**Program Contacts**

BLM

Kelly Hawk

BLM / NIFC

\(208\) 387-5984

<kelly_hawk@nifc.blm.gov>

NPS

Mike Van Hemelryck

NPS / NIFC

\(208\) 387-5206

<Mike_Van_Hemelryck@nps.gov>

FWS

Mike Smith

FWS / NIFC

\(208\) 387-5831

<Michael_j_smith@fws.gov>

BIA

Dalan Romero

BIA / NIFC

\(208\) 387-5372

<Dalan_romero@nifc.gov>

Attachments:

RFA Program Administrative Plan

DOI-RFA State Contact List

RFA Prioritization Template