Summary and Background
Proposal Guidelines & Timeline
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is seeking four (4) contractors to develop a fire camp guide for volunteer and combination departments. Funding for this project is provided through a FEMA Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant.
This opportunity is for current or retired fire department personnel with experience in developing and managing a fire camp at their department. Contractors will be expected to have knowledge of all aspects of a fire camp, knowledge of volunteer recruitment and retention, excellent communication skills and the ability to work as part of a group to develop this new resource.
Interested individuals shall submit a resume and cover letter with experience and qualifications. The selection committee will review all submissions and select based on the criteria listed herein.
The application period for the Fire Camp Contractors will be open until April 28, 2023, at 5 PM PT. Submissions will be reviewed and evaluated upon receipt. The IAFC will conduct interviews the first week of May 2023 with those selected to advance in the process. Final selections will be made, and applicants notified no later than May 8, 2023.
Selected individuals will be provided with a contract and must agree to terms and conditions set forth by the IAFC.
Project Timeline:
- Contractors will be notified of final selection no later than May 8, 2023.
- Selected contractors will need to attend a virtual kick-off meeting in early to mid-May 2023.
- Selected contractors will need to attend virtual status meetings as the project progresses.
- The contract will end on November 30, 2023.
Project Purpose and Description
The IAFC has been awarded a FEMA SAFER grant to assist volunteer and combination fire departments improve firefighter recruitment and retention through education and collaboration to improve a department’s diversity and inclusionary efforts to create well-staffed, safe, and inclusive departments.
One of the most effective recruitment tools that we have seen fire departments across the country use are fire camps. These events can be used to target young people as well as potential volunteers in underrepresented and minority groups. This helps to increase the diversity of these departments, allowing them to better represent and serve the communities they protect.
To help departments across the country start their own fire camps, the IAFC seeks to develop a fire camp how-to guide. This guide will teach volunteer and combination departments across the country about all aspects of a fire camp including program development, materials needed, budget, marketing, camp management and execution.
Qualifications & Expectations
Qualifications:
Individuals submitting a resume and cover letter should speak to the following items as part of their proposal for consideration:
- Experience developing and managing a fire camp to attract and develop potential volunteers.
- Experience with volunteer fire service recruitment and retention.
- Excellent writing and communications skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word and Excel.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
- IAFC membership.
Preferred Qualifications:
Individuals with preferred qualifications should speak to the following items in their resume and cover letter:
- +5 years quality experience in the volunteer and combination fire service, including specific subject matter knowledge pertaining to volunteer recruitment and retention.
- Experience working with a diverse community.
Expectations of Contractor:
- Participate in a virtual kick-off meeting.
- Participate in status meetings as needed as the project progresses. (Meetings will be scheduled according to contractor availability)
- Provide insight and experience into how the IAFC can develop a fire camp model for volunteer and combination departments.
- Work with other SME’s to develop fire camp best practices and how-to guide for volunteer and combination departments
- Develop content and materials for a fire camp including:
- Templates for fire camps
- Suggested content/training sessions/activities for fire camps
- Marketing materials for departments to advertise the fire camps
- Other materials as identified as the project progresses
- Assist IAFC staff in writing the fire camp guide.
- Complete invoices in accordance with IAFC policy.
Budget
Selected contractors will be paid $60 per hour not to exceed 150 hours. Contractors will only be paid for hours worked that are pre-approved by the Program Manager.
The IAFC will provide an invoice template to selected contractors, who must submit an invoice on a monthly basis.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria. To ensure consideration for this Request for Proposal, each proposal should be completed and include all the following criteria:
Experience in volunteer recruitment and retention, including but not limited to:
- Fire camp program development
- Fire camp management
- Fire camp budgeting
- Creating resources for fire camps
Individuals must submit a cover letter and resume outlining their experience and qualifications for this contractor opportunity. Please submit to Program Coordinator Patrick Kidd at pkidd@iafc.org.
DOWNLOAD the RFP (PDF)