Wildland Fire Management

A1: Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1553(b), not to exceed one percent of the total amount appropriated is apportioned for the purpose of paying legitimate obligations related to canceled appropriations. Any of these funds that are not needed for this purpose may be used for current year obligations without further action by OMB.

A2: The attached apportionment includes unobligated balances, carried over from FY 2020, estimated receipts and anticipated spending authority from offsetting collections. To the extent authorized by law, these amounts may be adjusted upwards by up to $2,000,000 or ten percent of the amount of total budgetary resources, whichever is lower, for indefinite appropriations, actual unobligated balances, actual recoveries of prior year obligations, actual reimbursements earned, including reimbursements and offsetting collections from non-Federal/Federal sources, contributions from non-Federal/Federal sources, and release of contingency funds without further action by OMB.

A3: After September 30, 2019, all availability costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under exclusive use contracts shall be charged to and accounted for in Wildland Fire Management (WFM) Preparedness. Availability costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under call-when-needed contracts, and all flight time costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under both exclusive use contracts and call-when-needed contracts, shall continue to be charged to and accounted for in WFM Suppression. This business rule update is consistent with the business rule at Department of the Interior for aircraft costs, and will ensure that wildfire cap adjustment resources are only used for costs that vary with the volume of wildfire suppression operations.

A4: All base 8 pay period costs for agency Wildland Fire employees (including permanent and temporary status) assigned to a wildfire incident as either firefighting or support personnel, as well as the costs incurred to hire, train and provide boot stipends to all firefighting and support personnel shall be charged to and accounted for in Wildland Fire Management (WFM) Salary and Expenses. Base 8 pay period costs for employees extended beyond their original term of employment, contract and casual hires, and firefighting and support personnel costs for overtime pay, hazard pay, and environmental differential pay shall continue to be charged to and accounted for in WFM Suppression. This business rule update is generally consistent with the business rule at Department of the Interior for base 8 pay period costs, and will ensure that wildfire cap adjustment resources are only used for costs that vary with the volume of wildfire suppression operations.

A5: Of the funds apportioned for "Wildland Fire Reimbursable" and "Wildland Fire Mobility/Safety (WFAR)", and beginning on July 15, 2020, no obligations shall be made by Region 5 personnel, including any line officer, program manager or other Region 5 employee, unless and until the USDA Inspector General certifies to OMB that the duties and responsibilities of such personnel are adequately segregated from initiating, approving, or executing reimbursable agreements or cost share agreements in accordance with Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government. For Region 5 personnel for whom the USDA Inspector General cannot so certify, this restriction shall remain in effect until the Forest Service institutionalizes in their Directive System adequate mitigating controls to separate incompatible duties and responsibilities, including independent Washington Office approval of reimbursable or cost share agreements.

A1: Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1553(b), not to exceed one percent of the total amount appropriated is apportioned for the purpose of paying legitimate obligations related to canceled appropriations. Any of these funds that are not needed for this purpose may be used for current year obligations without further action by OMB.

A2: The attached apportionment includes unobligated balances, carried over from FY 2020, estimated receipts and anticipated spending authority from offsetting collections. To the extent authorized by law, these amounts may be adjusted upwards by up to $2,000,000 or ten percent of the amount of total budgetary resources, whichever is lower, for indefinite appropriations, actual unobligated balances, actual recoveries of prior year obligations, actual reimbursements earned, including reimbursements and offsetting collections from non-Federal/Federal sources, contributions from non-Federal/Federal sources, and release of contingency funds without further action by OMB.

A3: After September 30, 2019, all availability costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under exclusive use contracts shall be charged to and accounted for in Wildland Fire Management (WFM) Preparedness. Availability costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under call-when-needed contracts, and all flight time costs for all aircraft types (helicopters, tankers, other) under both exclusive use contracts and call-when-needed contracts, shall continue to be charged to and accounted for in WFM Suppression. This business rule update is consistent with the business rule at Department of the Interior for aircraft costs, and will ensure that wildfire cap adjustment resources are only used for costs that vary with the volume of wildfire suppression operations.

A4: All base 8 pay period costs for agency Wildland Fire employees (including permanent and temporary status) assigned to a wildfire incident as either firefighting or support personnel, as well as the costs incurred to hire, train and provide boot stipends to all firefighting and support personnel shall be charged to and accounted for in Wildland Fire Management (WFM) Salary and Expenses. Base 8 pay period costs for employees extended beyond their original term of employment, contract and casual hires, and firefighting and support personnel costs for overtime pay, hazard pay, and environmental differential pay shall continue to be charged to and accounted for in WFM Suppression. This business rule update is generally consistent with the business rule at Department of the Interior for base 8 pay period costs, and will ensure that wildfire cap adjustment resources are only used for costs that vary with the volume of wildfire suppression operations.

A5: Of the funds apportioned for "Wildland Fire Reimbursable" and "Wildland Fire Mobility/Safety (WFAR)", and beginning on July 15, 2020, no obligations shall be made by Region 5 personnel, including any line officer, program manager or other Region 5 employee, unless and until the USDA Inspector General certifies to OMB that the duties and responsibilities of such personnel are adequately segregated from initiating, approving, or executing reimbursable agreements or cost share agreements in accordance with Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government. For Region 5 personnel for whom the USDA Inspector General cannot so certify, this restriction shall remain in effect until the Forest Service institutionalizes in their Directive System adequate mitigating controls to separate incompatible duties and responsibilities, including independent Washington Office approval of reimbursable or cost share agreements.