Skip to main content

Incident Business Committee

Banner Image
IBC header image of camp tents and a woman smiling, sitting at computer.
Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) provides national leadership in all areas of wildland fire and non-fire incident business management. The IBC establishes and promulgates incident business management practices for wildland fire and non-fire emergency responses.

Body

Primary Objectives

photo of several firefighters on a hill at sunrise

  • Establish and disseminate interagency incident business management procedures.
  • Establish incident business management procedures for uniform application of human resource management regulations; acquisition of equipment and supplies; management of property; financial coordination and maintenance of financial records; sharing resources among federal, state, and local agencies, and the military; documentation of costs and cost management practices; administrative processes for all-hazard incidents.
  • Contribute to the standardization of information technology systems (such as FireNet, IROC, etc.) to collect and distribute data, processes, forms, and other operational elements.

Hot Topics

AD Pay Plan Matrix

NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902, and Supplemental Documents, including Summary of Changes

2023 Incident Business State Contacts (xlsx)

External Incident Procurement Website

AD Pay Plan

This information is now available on the Incident Business Committee AD Positions Portal

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • There are several contract instruments in place for the rental of vehicles on incidents:

  • Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) U.S. Government Rental Car Agreement used for temporary duty travel (TDY).
  • U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rental programs.
  • National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV) program.
    1. Contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car managed by the Unites States Forest Service (USFS) and available for use by federal and state entities.

  • U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has two programs for agencies to supplement their vehicle fleet:

    1. Rental Supplemental Vehicle Program (RSVP).
    2. Short-Term Rental (STR) program.

Pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), box vans, and sedans are on the schedule; however, not all vendors offer these vehicle types. Check the pricelist of each vendor.

For agency employees, only ¾-ton and 1-ton pickups with heavy-duty tires will be rented through National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV).  Any vehicles outside of those requirements must be rented through the employee’s agency Electronic Travel System (ETS) and paid with a travel card.  For Administratively Determined Employees (ADs), all rental vehicles must fall under the requirements of the Federal Travel Regulations (FTRs). For example, economy vehicles only. If an AD employee needs a pickup truck with heavy-duty tires to meet position requirements, that vehicle can be rented through the NERV program.

Yes, however the rental company must agree in writing at the time of the rental to the vehicle being driven off-road.  Off-road is defined as driving a vehicle off a federal, State, or professionally maintained road system and not just off pavement; many dirt or gravel roads are maintained by a county or other entity.

Both programs are designed to supplement the agency’s fleet for up to 60 days. A return date will need to be given to the vendor at the time the quote is obtained. You will need to inform the company if the original timeline will be exceeded.

Prices are found on the vendor’s pricelist in the terms and conditions on the GSA Advantage website. The prices are ceiling prices, the highest charge for that type of vehicle. The vendor may give lower pricing, depending on the quantity and length of rental.  For vehicles rented through National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV), approximate prices can be obtained by contacting the NERV program.

No, the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) contract will charge a Government Administrative Rate Supplement (GARS) rate of $5 per day to cover damage. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) programs will not charge this fee. Other fees, such as airport fees (if rented from an airport facility), will apply on both contracts.  Rates can differ between the contracts.

The cardholder will settle claims for a vehicle that sustains damage if the vehicle was rented through the RSVP program.  For vehicles rented through the STR program, a Contracting Officer will need to be involved.  For National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV) vehicles, the renter will follow their agency’s procedures, the claim, and all supporting documents that need to be submitted to the NERV program.

No, only government-issued purchase cards or purchase orders can be used for payment.

Personal credit cards can be used to rent vehicles on the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) agreement if the rental car is authorized in advance and noted on the resource order.  However, if the renter has a government-issued travel card, it is the mandatory payment method required under this agreement.

Not if the vehicle was being utilized under the terms of the agreement and within the scope of employment.

No, rentals through National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV) are paid through the NERV program.

  • Rental Supplemental Vehicle Program (RSVP)

  • Payment may be made by purchase card.
  • The cardholder calls the vendors to obtain quotes and selects the vendor.
  • A fuel card is not provided for RSVP vehicles.

  • Short-Term Rental (STR)

  • Vehicles are billed through U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) fleet billing.
  • A Billing Office Address Code (BOAC) is needed to order vehicles and for billing purposes.
  • Once the call is made to the program office at 866-886-1232 or an email is sent to: gsa_rental@gsa.gov, or a request is made online through the STR website, they will obtain quotes for the unit. The program office will deliver quotes for the requesting unit to select a vendor. GSA will coordinate the order with the vendor.
  • A fuel credit card can be obtained for each vehicle and the fuel will be billed through the fleet billing.

  • National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV) Program

  • Vehicles are requested through the dispatch center.
  • The resource order must state: Rental Vehicle Authorized.
  • Payments are made through the NERV program.
  • Users must complete the Traveler Rental Vehicle Checklist and Payment Cover Sheet, as well as reviewing the NERV Q&A.
    •  

  1. The vehicle is provided to the AD by the hiring unit or the incident through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) program and a warranted procurement official.
  2. The vehicle is provided by the ordering unit through a geographic area agreement.
  3. The vehicle is rented by the AD through the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) temporary duty travel agreement using their personal credit card.  The cost of the rental vehicle will be reimbursed to the AD through the government travel voucher process.
  4. The vehicle is reserved by dispatch for the AD through the National Emergency Rental Vehicle (NERV) program.

If the AD employee will not be taking the vehicle off-road, the vehicle can be reserved using the TDY contract through the ETS and paid for with a personal credit card by the AD employee.  If the AD is not self-sufficient, the vehicle can be reserved by dispatch through NERV.

If the AD employee will be taking the vehicle off-road, the vehicle can be reserved by dispatch through NERV.

Under all rental programs, AD employees must follow the Federal Travel Regulations (FTRs) when renting a vehicle.

Guidance Documents

Interagency Buying Team Guide (formerly PMS 315)

Limited Control Flights – Hazard Pay (IBC memo dated 5/10/18)

NWCG Supplemental Food and Drink Guidance (updated 6/21)

Incident Records Management

Time Unit Field Guide

Procurement Unit Field Guide

Forms

Find forms and supplemental documents with the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

S-260 Interagency Incident Business Management

Links of Interest

Geographic Area Coordination Centers

GSA - Per Diem Rates

e-ISuite Home Page

Unit Identifiers

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Instructional Tools and References

Agency Administrator Incident Business Management Responsibilities

Incident Business Advisor

S-260 Course

Information on S-260 has been moved to the IBC home page.

 

Chair: David Burley

NWCG Coordinator:

Parent Committee:

Meeting Schedule: Monthly on the second Wednesday

Page Last Modified or Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN)

Date: August 27, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32, NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32, and Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for SCKN includes the Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Book, and job aid were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Status/Check-In Recorder Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32

NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32

Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111

The Next Generation Position Task Book and Incident Position Standards are now available for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF)

Date: July 26, 2024
Contact: Risk Management Committee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81 and NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81 are now available.

The Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) is responsible for monitoring operations on an incident from a risk management perspective to provide for the welfare of incident resources and the public. The new Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort.

References:

NWCG Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) Position

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81

NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81

Updated NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

Date: July 25, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

The Incident Planning Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277.

The NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc) establishes the standards for collection and retention of records on wildland fires. This July 2024 update will provide incident management teams the most current standards required to maintain incident records and submit them to host units at the close of an incident.

References:

NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

eDoc Box Directory (zip file)

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle Typing Standard Request for Comment

Date: July 24, 2024
Contact: Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee 

The Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee has released Equipment Bulletin 24-002 NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment. This bulletin outlines the proposed NWCG OHV typing standard, as well as the business need for establishing the standard. Comments on the proposed standard will be accepted through August 15th using the comment form linked below.

References:

ETC-EB-2024-02: NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard Comment Form