The Regional Seed Warehouse is located at the Lower Snake District Office in Boise, Idaho. A wide variety of native and introduced seed is purchased, tested and stored at this facility. This facility will purchase and store seed for other states as described in a formal agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Idaho State Director. The amount of seed each state can reserve should be based on a reasonable projection of the annual acreage to be rehabilitated over a five-year period and the storage capacity of the warehouse.

Seed reserved through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is held until September 1 each year for the requesting State and is available by requisition until this date. After September 1, any part of a State’s reserved seed that has not been obligated with a requisition is available for any other State/District use. State or Districts that do not have MOUs with the Idaho State Director can acquire seed not reserved by another State at any time by submitting a requisition. The use of the Regional Seed Warehouse is not mandatory. Seed may be purchased locally if it is more practical or desirable to do so.

All seed purchased by the Regional Seed Warehouse is tested for purity, germination and State listed noxious and other weeds for Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.

The Vale District in Oregon maintains the Bureau's fleet of rangeland drills and plows for site preparation and seeding of burned rangeland. Reservation of these drills is based on the supply of drills on-hand when the request is made. Transportation of the drills should be negotiated between the requesting office and the Vale District personnel. If equipment transportation is requested, a charge code and project number are required by the Vale District.

All drills should be returned as soon as practical to Vale for required maintenance. Private individuals can use the Bureau's rangeland drills only if a signed agreement is arranged through the NRCS. A maintenance fee of $1/acre seeded is charged for all drills used by state, other Federal, or private entities when seeding is done on non BLM lands.

A procurement strategy for obtaining services and supplies used for burned areas should be developed as early as possible in the EFR process (Appendix 1). The "Availability of Funds" clause must be included in the solicitations issued prior to EFR plan approval; award of contracts cannot be made until EFR funding approval. The use of emergency procurement procedures may also be used to expedite the process, if justification is submitted to the Contracting Officer. Early requests for Labor Department current wage rates for pilots, tractor operators, fence contractors, etc., will also decrease the procurement time.

State-wide or District-wide Requirements Contracts, or Basic Ordering Agreements can be competed and awarded by BC-670 OR-950 for requirements which exceed the small purchase limitation. If vendors will commit to reasonable prices beyond the current year, options to extend the contract term for up to 3 years can be included in the solicitation and contract. This will provide long term coverage if similar rehabilitation treatments are required in the same geographic area year-after-year.

Rehabilitation treatments can also be completed using Request for Quotations or Master Solicitations. Master solicitations work well because they save time and paper work. All these types of contracts, agreements, and solicitations also work well for emergency cultural clearance projects.

A standing Fire Rehabilitation Workgroup will be maintained after this Handbook is approved. This workgroup will include a standing membership consisting of one representative from the Washington Office, National Interagency Fire Center, National Weed Team, Regional Seed Warehouse in Boise, ID, Rehabilitation Equipment Maintenance Center in Vale Oregon and one representative from the states of Utah, Oregon, Nevada and Idaho. These states have the majority of the Bureau’s rehabilitation projects. Other states or technical expertise may be included on the Workgroup on a short term basis depending on wildland fire situations requiring rehabilitation or other criteria developed by the workgroup. The chair of the workgroup will be selected by a majority of the current workgroup members. The purpose of this workgroup is as follows:

Each State/District is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of its EFR Program. An evaluation of a State or District’s EFR program should be done at a specified interval, preferably at least once every five years. If revisions in the NFRP are necessary, they will be submitted to the Authorized Officer for approval.

The entire EFR program for the BLM, or a particular State or District, will be evaluated for compliance with BLM policy through program evaluation, or by a special evaluation (Manual Handbook H-1242-1).

XIV. GLOSSARY (Partial and in Progress)

Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) - plan preparation approach used when multiple jurisdictions are involved and /or on large complex fire rehabilitation projects that exceed the capability of the local office to handle. See the USDA Forest Service’s BAER Handbook (FSH 2509.13).

Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation Team - a team of varied land use and resource specialists formed to provide a coordinated, integrated information base for emergency fire rehabilitation planning. Further, through the incident command system (ICS), a team is available to develop the BAER plan, The concept is utilized in the Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Emergency Fire Rehabilitation Plan - a document developed for wildland recovery that describes the tasks to be accomplished to affect the rehabilitation to curb erosion, sustain watershed functionality, and ultimately ecosystem functionality.

Exotic plant - a plant species which is not native to the region in which it is found. (Executive Order 11987 more broadly defines "exotic" as any species not naturally occurring either presently or historically in and ecosystem in the United States.).

Hydrophobic soils - soils that have developed a water-repellent character. Extreme fire intensity can cause some soils to change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. This condition is frequently a result of heat and the vegetation community consumed by the fire. Soils so changed may require more aggressive rehabilitation techniques to prevent a "mass-failure effect" if they are steep slopes.

Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team (IRT) - a team of varied land use and resource specialists formed to provide a coordinated, and integrated information base for emergency fire rehabilitation planning and management.

Native plant - a species which is part of the original fauna or flora of the area in question. (Executive Order 11987 more broadly defines "native" as any species naturally occurring either presently or historically in any ecosystem of the United States.).

Non-native plant syn. introduced plant - a plant species not a part of the original flora of the area in question.

Naturalized Species - those exotic species which are already occurring within defined areas in a self-sustaining wild state, examples include cheatgrass, red brome grass, and crested wheatgrass.

Normal Fire Rehabilitation Plan - a programmatic fire rehabilitation plan (and Environmental Assessment) developed at a landscape level (field office, resource area, etc.) prior to the fire occurrences, by and interdisciplinary team with public input that provides for the recovery and maintenance of watershed stability, soil productivity, species diversity, and ultimately, ecosystem integrity after the fire has occurred. It is generally reviewed and updated at ten year intervals.

Normal Fire Rehabilitation Plan Supplement - a programmatic fire rehabilitation plan update developed at the landscape level with public input that incorporates new science, data, or techniques in response to a need because of a fire.

Prescribed Fire - a fire within an approved, prescribed fire prescription that is meeting land use or other planning objectives regardless of ignition source.

Rehabilitation - the "repair" of a wildland fire area utilizing native and or non-native plant species to obtain a stable plant community that will protect the burned area from erosion and invasion by weeds.

Restoration - is the use of a diverse mixture of only native species to obtain a plant community that is similar in appearance and function to the historic vegetation.

Seedlings - young plant species that have not reached maturity (i.e., are not capable of reproducing).

Wildland Fire - any fire, regardless of ignition source, that is burning outside of a prescribed fire prescription and any fire burning on public lands or threatening public land resources, where no fire prescription standards have been prepared.

This section will consist of technical references or other documents that are being developed on a regional or State basis. Although these references are not a part of this Handbook, they may be kept in the same binder as this document to facilitate EFR planning and implementation using the appropriate science.

XI. ILLUSTRATIONS AND APPENDIXES

Illustrations 1- 5 are imbedded in the text.

EFR PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT

A project summary should be included in the EFR project file describing the treatments implemented and any changes in the actual project implementation. This summary can provide information useful in interpreting monitoring studies and for future EFR project planning and implementation. The project summary should contain the following information:

1. Seed mixtures, dates and actual rates of application.

2. Results of actual Seed Lab tests for purity, germination and noxious weed content. Labels on seed bags are not always an accurate source of information for purity and germination, especially when shrubs with low germination or purity are used (examples: big sagebrush, winterfat and forage kochia).

3. Describe the soil, plant and climatic conditions during the seeding operation that would affect the establishment or success of the seeding (examples: frozen ground, heavy weed competition, rodent populations, dry soils, etc.).

4. Describe type and condition of equipment used and its effectiveness in doing the intended job.

5. Briefly describe the performance of the contractor or force account work (examples: delays in getting work done, did they actually seed all of the intended area or not, did they maintain the equipment in good working order, etc.)

6. Include a map if needed to show different treatment areas described above.

Appendix 1. Procurement Information for Services and Supplies

Drill Seeding

Purchase requisitions for drill seeding projects must contain the following information for seeding with rangeland or grain drills:

Approximate acreage to be seeded
Approximate starting date
Number of days to complete the work
Location of seed

Type of seed and rate of application

Average depth of seeding in inches
How the measurement for payment will be made (e.g., Global Positioning System work, aerial photos, maps)
Work location maps
Estimated cost and charge codes

If rangeland drills are to be provided by the Government, furnish the following additional information:

Number of drills to be furnished

Location of drills
Location of spare parts
How many drills can be pulled by each tractor

Aerial Seeding

For aerial seeding projects, early contact with the District or State Aviation Manager is strongly encouraged. Specifications must include:

Approximate acreage to be seeded
Approximate starting date
Number of days to complete the work
Location of seed
Type of seed
Rate of seed application per acre
Work locations map
Type of aircraft and capabilities
Who will furnish a ground crew for handling seed and loading the aircraft
Who will furnish the flaggers and flagging materials
Estimated cost and charge codes

Cultural Clearance Service

Any project that will disturb the soil surface requires a Cultural Class III Inventory for clearance or mitigation. Specifications should be prepared by the District or Resource Area Archeologist before the need arises. A bidder’s list should also be developed listing firms that can act quickly to fulfill the need. If cultural clearances are required year-after-year, consider establishing Requirements Contracts, Basic Ordering Agreements, or Master Solicitations.

Supply Contracts for Seed Purchases

The Regional BLM Seed Warehouse in Boise is often the first place to check for seed availability because the seed is already tested and can be planted immediately. If the Regional Warehouse cannot supply the desired seed, an open market purchase will probably be needed. Time is critical because it may take 90 to 120 days or more for solicitation, award, delivery, testing and acceptance. It may be possible to be included on a consolidated purchase with other offices. Contact BC660 to find out if a purchase is being planned that would meet necessary time frames.

Purchase requisitions for seed must include the following:

Common name, scientific name, and variety name
Minimum percent purity and germination
Quantities required (in bulk pounds)
Where seed is to be delivered
When seed is to be delivered
Certified seed options or area from which seed is to be collected
Estimated cost and charge codes

Supply Contract for Equipment Rental Without Operator

Equipment rental without operator is considered a supply contract. The purchase requisition must contain the following information at a minimum:

Type of equipment needed
Capacity of equipment
Number of units needed
Any special requirements (e.g., dual wheels, three point hitch, etc.)
Units of payment (e.g., hours, day, months, miles, etc.)
Rental period
Repair and maintenance responsibility
Where deliver will be made
Where pickup will be made
Estimated cost per unit of payment and charge codes

Appendix 2. Modified Cost-Risk Analysis

 
Probability of Rehabilitation Treatments Successfully Meeting  EFR Objectives

Risk of Resource Value Loss or Damage

Identify the risk (high, medium, low, none or not applicable (NA)) of unacceptable impacts or loss of resources.

No Action- Treatments Not Implemented (check one)

Proposed Action- Treatments Successfully Implemented (check one)

SUMMARY

The costs of the project and probability of success of the proposed treatments are compared with the risks to resource values if: 1) no action is taken, and 2) the proposed action is successfully implemented. Alternatives may be included in this analysis to assist in the selection of the treatments that will cost effectively achieve the EFR objectives. Answer the following questions to determine which proposed EFR treatments should be selected and implemented.

1. Are the risks to natural resources and private property acceptable as a result of the fire if the following actions are taken?

Proposed Action Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

No Action Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

Alternative(s) Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

2. Is the probability of success of the proposed action, alternatives or no action acceptable given their costs?

Proposed Action Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

No Action Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

Alternative(s) Yes |__| No |__| Rationale for answer:

3. Which approach will most cost-effectively and successfully attain the EFR objectives and therefore is recommended for implementation from a Cost/Risk Analysis standpoint?

Proposed Action |__|, Alternative(s) |__|, or No Action |__|

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING MODIFIED COST/RISK ANALYSIS

This cost/risk analysis form is designed to allow the comparison of a "no action,", e.g. no rehabilitation treatments to the proposed action and alternatives. The total costs for the major rehabilitation actions are listed and the probability of successful implementation of selected treatments are estimated on Page 1. You may add categories in either of these tables if the listed entries are incomplete.

On Page 2, the risks to natural resources and private property are qualitatively evaluated for the proposed action, no action and alternatives. Instead of assigning a dollar value to the values at risk, a rating (None, Low, Mid and High) for the potential for unacceptable impacts for each action is selected. These ratings are made by the IRT based upon literature, experience and knowledge.

Page 3 contains the Summary where the information contained on the previous two pages is used to determine if the risks to resources are high, if the probability of success is high enough to warrant implementation of proposed practices and which proposed practices should be implemented. Again, the entire IRT needs to be involved in this decision.