Cancellation of VIPR I-BPAs for Crew Carrier Buses

The USDA Forest Service has decided to cancel the existing VIPR pre-season I-BPAs for National Crew Carrier Buses, which were initially awarded under solicitation AG-024B-S-14-7000. This cancellation is based on the need to incorporate new safety requirements into the bus specifications, which were not originally included and cannot be amended under the current agreements. While the current contracts will remain active until new agreements are awarded, the anticipated timeline for awarding these new contracts is in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018. A new solicitation, numbered 12024B-18-Q-7000, has been posted with updated draft specifications available on the USDA Forest Service website, and interested parties are advised to wait until the formal solicitation is issued before submitting questions. This contract action falls under a total small business set-aside (FAR 19.5) with NAICS code 115310, managed by the USDA Forest Service located in Boise, Idaho. Key contacts for this procurement include Contract Specialist Bryce N. Pitchford and Procurement Technician Christopher D. Kirk, both of whom can be reached via email or phone for further assistance. The cancellation and planned reissuance reflect the agency’s commitment to ensuring that safety standards are rigorously met in the procurement of crew carrier buses.