National Fallen Firefighter Memorial

Description

The Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency/U.S. Fire Administration (DHS/FEMA/USFA) intends to negotiate and award a contract on a sole source basis (IAW FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)) with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) located at 16825 S. Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD.

From 1981 to 1991, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sponsored The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service under the leadership of its United States Fire Administration (USFA).  The service previously was held each October in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week.  Because the service is primarily held outdoors at the memorial site and based on potential inclement weather as well as other logistical concerns the service is now held in May of each year and symbolizes the gratitude all Americans feel toward the men and women of the fire service who work tirelessly to protect our communities from all emergencies.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), hereafter referred to as the Foundation or NFFF, was created by Congress in 1992 and given the mandate to “honor and remember America’s fallen firefighters and assist their survivors in rebuilding their lives.”  Annually, under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, FEMA is directed to continue its traditional funding for the Congressionally mandated National Fallen Firefighter Memorial.  Since its inception the Foundation has worked with the U.S. Fire Administration to develop the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.  In 1997 the Foundation took over the planning, direction, and management of the Memorial Weekend, including Small Group Survivor Sessions, Chapel Vigil, Candlelight Service, and the National Memorial Service.  NFFF staff has the experience and expertise to ensure that this important event is delivered with the honor and dignity that it deserves.  NFFF staff also has the security clearance required to access and operate on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center (NETC), the site of the annual Memorial Weekend.  With more than 5,400 fire service survivors in its database, the Foundation has a unique capability to involve them in the planning and formulation of programs for the National Memorial Weekend. 

An event with the scope of the National Memorial Weekend, which is attended by nearly 1,000 family members and more than 6,000 fire service members and is broadcast nationwide, takes a multitude of people to plan, organize and manage the activities.  Almost immediately after completion of the Memorial Weekend and the After Action Review, the planning for the following year begins.  Due to the magnitude of the event, there are many volunteers that are required to support the Memorial Weekend activities.  With a national network of survivors and contacts in the fire service community, the Foundation has the ability to get volunteers to assist with the National Memorial Weekend and is the only practicable source to provide services to manage the National Memorial Weekend.  More than 100 survivors of firefighters honored in previous years return each year to assist with activities for the families of those being honored.  In addition, the Foundation is able to recruit more than 100 senior level members of the fire service, more than 800 honor guard members, and more than 200 fire service escorts as volunteers during the Weekend.  Using volunteers instead of paying for services enables the Foundation to keep the expenses associated with the National Memorial Weekend to a minimum.  It would take another organization years to build the capability that the Foundation has to successfully manage the National Memorial Weekend.  The location of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation office on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center also enables Foundation staff to assist with all preparations leading up to the National Memorial Weekend.

The National Preparedness Goal (NPG) sets the vision for nationwide preparedness and identifies the core capabilities and targets necessary to achieve preparedness across five mission areas laid out under PPD 8: prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Since 2004, the NFFF has led a nationwide initiative to prevent firefighter fatalities.  Part of this initiative focuses on fire prevention to protect communities and prevent fires, thus reducing firefighter fatalities.  When a firefighter fatality does occur, the Foundation’s Local Assistance State Team responds to the local community to help the department and the firefighter’s family mitigate the death.  The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend helps the family, and the department members recover by offering support of professional grief counselors, giving the families an opportunity to network with other survivors who have “walked in their shoes,” and letting them know that a grateful nation recognizes their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice.  As required by Congress, the NFFF recognizes and honors the services of those who have unselfishly lost their lives while responding to emergencies at the National Memorial Weekend. Through these efforts, the NFFF supports the five broad missions’ areas outlined in the NPG.  This serves in the development of an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation's ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events by keeping the public mindful of the ultimate sacrifice made by our fallen firefighters. This recognition then serves to encourage the leadership and staff of the Nation's fire and emergency services to be better prepared to deal with these events and to prevent future fatalities.

The NFFF is the only entity created by Congress that is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation and supports the five mission areas of the NPG.  The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is the only eligible organization with the capability to conduct the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. 

It is the government’s intention to issue a contract with a base period of performance with four (4) each one (1) year option periods as follows:

Base Period:  April 28, 2025 through April 27, 2026

Option Period 1:  April 28, 2026 through April 27, 2027

Option Period 2:  April 28, 2027 through April 27, 2028

Option Period 3:  April 28, 2028 through April 27, 2029

Option Period 4:  April 28, 2029 through April 27, 2030

The purpose of the contract is to procure the services to: (1) Hold meetings to consider appeals by families or fire officials of fallen firefighters previously turned down or inadvertently omitted from Memorial Weekend, (2) Consult with fire service groups and families of the fallen firefighters to identify any needed changes to the Weekend, (3) Provide a plaque which identifies the names of fallen firefighters to be honored during the appropriate Memorial Services as well as the names of the fallen firefighters added from previous years, and (4) Provide travel, lodging, and meals for immediate survivors of fallen firefighters being honored. This allows survivors to participate in Family Day sessions conducted by trained grief counselors and in the private and public tributes.

The contractor must be able to meet the core responsibilities required for this requirement as follows:

• Promote the interests of state and local fire organizations, fallen firefighters, and relatives of the fallen;
• Have a longstanding relationship with the returning survivors of the fallen heroes;
• Serve as the voice for the “Fire Service Survivors Network;

• Experience with planning events like the Memorial Weekend, to include individual services like (1) Candlelight Service, (2) Chapel Service/Vigil, and the National Memorial Tribute Service; and
• Experience in counseling families of the fallen firefighters.

Based on the above information, the only organization known which can provide technically acceptable services is the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.  FEMA determined that the NFFF is uniquely qualified to perform this work. 

This notice is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP) for competitive proposals and no solicitation document exists for this requirement.  However, parties interested in responding to this notice shall submit technical data, including cost, sufficient to determine capability in providing the same services.  All capability statements received by the closing of this intent to sole source notice will be considered by the Government.  A determination by the Government not to compete based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. 

Submit email capability statements (using PDF, MS Word, Excel attachments) to Jane Huwig-Leister, Contract Specialist at jane.huwig-leister@fema.dhs.gov.  AND James Suerdieck, Contracting Officer at james.suerdieck@fema.dhs.gov .  Statements are due not later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern on December 13, 2024.  No telephone calls will be accepted.

Primary Point of Contact:  Jane Huwig-Leister

Contracting Office Address:

DHS/FEMA/NETC

Building O

16825 South Seton Avenue

Emmitsburg, MD  21727

Place of Performance:

Emmitsburg, MD  21727

Classification Code:  R708

NAICS Code:  813319