TRI-COUNTY FIRESAFE WORKING GROUP
PO BOX 934, HELENA, MT 59624 tcfswg.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE AREA'S NATURAL & MANMADE RESOURCES THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY MOBILIZING BOTH PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTORS TO MAKE HOMES, BUSINESSES, PROPERTIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITIES & THE LANDSCAPES MORE FIRE SAFE BY ADDRESSING SUCH ISSUES AS WILDFIRE PREVENTION, HAZARD MITIGATION, STRUCTURE & INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE & EVACUATION PLANNING IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA OF BROADWATER, JEFFERSON & LEWIS & CLARK COUNTIES, MONTANA; & THE TRANSACTION OF ANY LAWFUL ACTIVITY.

HAZARDOUS FUEL MITIGATION PROGRAM GUIDELINESFOR CONTRACTS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR FULFILMENT OF GRANT OBLIGATIONS FOR HAZARDOUS FUEL MITIGATION, EITHER THROUGH DIRECT CONTRACTS WITH TRI-COUNTY FIRESAFE WORKING GROUP (TCFSWG) OR WHEN TCFSWG IS ACTING AS AN AGENT OR PROJECT MANAGER FOR ANOTHER AGENCY, THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WILL BE APPLIED:1. IN GENERAL, THE TCFSWG PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND THE POLICIES SET FORTH IN THE GRANT AGREEMENT SHALL BE FOLLOWED AND AS PRESENTED IN THIS DOCUMENT. IN CASES WHERE THE TCFSWG POLICY CONFLICTS WITH THE GRANT AGREEMENT, THE GRANT AGREEMENT SHALL PREVAIL.2. TCFSWG GOAL SHALL BE TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF WILDLAND FIRE ON COMMUNITIES BY ENCOURAGING FUEL MITIGATION. PROJECTS SHALL GENERALLY BE ON NON-INDUSTRIAL FORESTS LANDS AND BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH LANDOWNERS AND MITIGATION CONTRACTORS OR CONSULTANTS.3. TCFSWG SHALL ENDEAVOR TO ACCOMPLISH THE MITIGATION WORK IN THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE WHILE MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE LANDOWNER AND THE GRANTING AGENCIES. 4. A TYPICAL PROJECT WOULD FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO: - THROUGH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, THE PUBLIC IS MADE AWARE OF WILDFIRE RISK, SAFETY CONCERNS AND THE BENEFITS OF PREPARATION AND FUEL MITIGATION. - LANDOWNERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MITIGATION ARE CONTACTED AND A HOME IGNITION ZONE ASSESSMENT IS DONE. THESE SURVEYS LOOK AT LANDSCAPING, HOME CONSTRUCTION, SITE SPECIFICS, SLOPE, ETC. IF A FUEL MITIGATION PROJECT IS WARRANTED, TRI-COUNTY WILL WORK WITH THE LANDOWNER TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE. - AFTER THE PROJECT IS DEFINED AND APPROVED BY THE LANDOWNER, AND CONTRACTOR IS CONTACTED TO PREPARE A COST FOR THE SERVICES. - THE LANDOWNER, TRI-CO, AND THE CONTRACTOR APPROVE THE SCOPE, THE PROJECT PLAN AND THE COSTS AND A CONTRACT IS SIGNED. - SITE VISITS ARE MADE BY TRI-CO TO CHECK PROGRESS AND CONDITIONS OF THE WORK BEING PERFORMED. - ONCE THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND A FINAL INSPECTION FILED AS PER THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND SCOPE, TRI-COUNTY PROCESSES THE PAYMENTS AND CLOSES OUT THE CONTRACT. - TRI-COUNTY ASSISTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE VARIOUS GRANTS INVOLVED IN THE MITIGATION, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS.5. VISITS TO THE SITE AND HOME IGNITION ZONE ASSESSMENTS WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO COST TO THE LANDOWNER6. THE ORGANIZATION WILL MAINTAIN A LIST OF VETTED AND QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS TO PERFORM THE WORK. AS A MINIMUM, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL: - MAINTAIN A WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE POLICY - MAINTAIN A LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY FOR AT LEAST $1,000,000. - PROVIDE REFERENCES AND PROVE CAPABILITIES OF PERFORMING THE WORK.7. THE PRICE FROM THE CONTRACTOR TO DO THE WORK SHALL BE EVALUATED BY THE TCFSWG AND LANDOWNER. IF THE COST IS DETERMINED TO BE REASONABLE AND FAIR FOR THE AREA AND MARKET AND SITE CONDITIONS AND THE LANDOWNER AGREES, A CONTRACT WILL BE ISSUED TO THE CONTRACTOR.

MAKING LIVING WITH WILDFIRE IN THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE SAFER. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES PREPARING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR AN "ALL HANDS-ALL LANDS" APPROACH TO THE WILDLAND FIRE PROBLEM IN OUR AREA, MITIGATION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.

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