Announcement of Proposed Agreement with the International Association of Wildland Fire | D12AC00012

Opportunity Information: Apply for D12AC00012

The Department of the Interior (DOI), through its Office of Wildland Fire (OWF), issued a public notice announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Agreement on a sole-source basis with the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF). This notice is explicitly not a call for applications and not a competitive grant opportunity; it functions as a transparency posting to document that DOI plans to make one award to a specific organization. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number D12AC00012, associated with CFDA 15.158 (DOI National Fire Plan), categorized as discretionary funding with an education-related activity focus. Although the eligibility field references 501(c)(3) nonprofits, the document makes clear that the recipient is predetermined and the government has already decided to proceed noncompetitively with IAWF.

The project itself is titled "Comprehensive Strategy for the National Fire Plan to enhance the ability of the wildland fire community to operate safely in concert with local, State and Federal agencies." The core problem it addresses is the inherent danger of wildland firefighting and emergency response, especially in the wildland-urban interface where communities and responders face complex, fast-moving risks. DOI frames the need as both a safety and effectiveness issue: reducing firefighter exposure and improving coordinated response outcomes for communities and landscapes. The main strategy highlighted is strengthening cooperation and communication across the entire wildland fire system, including local departments, state partners, and federal agencies, with an emphasis on shared training and leadership development.

Under the agreement, IAWF is expected to provide staffing and technical expertise to carry out program activities, drawing on its executive leadership (including the Executive Director, Mikel Robinson, as named in the notice) and subject matter experts from its Board of Directors. A central deliverable is organizing and conducting training opportunities, with a notable requirement that trainings include live-streaming capability for pre-registered groups who cannot attend in person. Remote participants must be able to engage in real time with presenters and other remote attendees, and recordings or presentation access must remain available for up to three months after the event. In addition to trainings, IAWF will initiate and organize an annual meeting with OWF to review progress, assess what is working, and identify emerging needs. This includes selecting locations and venues, handling logistics, shaping meeting content, and producing supporting documentation along with an annual progress report.

A further objective is ongoing information dissemination to the broader wildland fire community. The notice describes IAWF’s role in providing communication, information, and resources related to wildland fire and wildland-urban interface fire operations, safety, leadership, fuels mitigation, planning, and prevention education, plus other resources considered necessary to achieve the agreement’s goals. In practical terms, the agreement is designed to use IAWF as a convening and communication hub that can translate needs across jurisdictions, connect practitioners and agencies, and support consistent safety and leadership messaging through training and shared materials.

The funding structure spans five years with total costs not to exceed $75,000. The first year is estimated at $35,000, fully obligated from FY 2017 funds, with the remaining four years estimated at $10,000 per year. The appropriations authority cited is the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-113), and the internal DOI authority referenced is the Departmental Manual for Federal Assistance Programs (Part 505, Chapter 2). There is no cost-sharing requirement, though IAWF may supplement the work with external funds if available, which signals the government is not requiring match but is open to the organization leveraging additional support.

The choice of a Cooperative Agreement (rather than a standard grant) is tied to the expectation of substantial federal involvement. DOI specifically outlines the ways it intends to participate during implementation: providing information to support development of planning and response resources; offering consultation through OWF and DOI bureaus to guide IAWF’s work; keeping IAWF informed about national policy issues affecting the fire service; meeting regularly to review progress and discuss topical issues; coordinating publicity and marketing for curriculum and materials; encouraging relationships between DOI bureaus and the broader wildland fire community through IAWF; and conducting a post-project review to capture lessons learned and best practices. This emphasis on collaboration and ongoing guidance is presented as a defining feature of the instrument, consistent with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. 6304 and 6305).

Finally, the notice provides the formal justification for making the award without competition. DOI states it is using its noncompetitive authority under DOI Departmental Manual Part 505, Chapter 2.14(B)(4), citing "Unique Qualifications" as the basis. The rationale is that IAWF is an independent organization with a broad and diverse membership across domestic and international wildland fire entities, positioning it as uniquely capable of facilitating communication, providing leadership, and convening stakeholders across the full spectrum of wildland fire management. The government’s determination concludes that the agreement advances a public purpose, requires substantial involvement between DOI and IAWF, and meets the Department’s criteria for a single-source financial assistance award, resulting in an expected single award with a $75,000 ceiling.

• The Department of the Interior in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Announcement of Proposed Agreement with the International Association of Wildland Fire" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.158.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 04, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 12, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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