National Wildfire Coordinating Group

National Interagency Fire Center
3833 S. Development Avenue
Boise, ID 83705

On February 13, 2009, the Interagency Medical Standards Program (IMSP) was placed under the direction of a new oversight body termed the IMSP Council. (See NWCG #005-2009 Memorandum - Change of Oversight of IMSP Office – dated: 2/13/2009). The IMSP Council has been established to facilitate and support efforts to address operations, capacity, and oversight issues within the program. A number of issues have been brought before the Council, and a few forwarded to members of the NWCG Executive Board (Board) that are wide ranging and require immediate attention due to the impact on our firefighting workforce.

The priority immediate issue is that the medical service contract that provides for medical exam scheduling, clinic visits and a qualified determination is expiring on March 31st and has no provision for renewal or extension. In addition, the contract that supports staffing for the Customer Service Representatives is subject to the same constraints. There is a solicitation out to acquire a new contract for these services, but we do not expect this contract to be operational until May 1st, 2009 or later. Because of work processing provisions in the existing contract, the contractor must suspend all medical exam appointments after March 13th, 2009 to allow the contract provider sufficient time to complete review and follow-up paperwork to insure delivery to IMSP by March 31st, 2009 (end of contract).

Given this situation, all firefighting personnel subject to the medical exam process, servicing Human Resource offices, and Fire Management Officers should note the following:

• No exams can be performed after March 13, 2009.
• Effective immediately, the contractor is not taking any new appointments, only those appointments already scheduled between now and March 13th will be honored.
• The waiver/accommodation process will continue uninterrupted for medical exams already completed or already scheduled for completion by the March 13th deadline.
• Direction to IMSP customers is to please “stand by” while a lapse of medical service contract transition plan is developed. The IMSP Council, working with Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team (FFAST) members and IMSP staff is drafting a Transition Plan with more specific guidance, which will follow this memorandum prior to March 13th.

NWCG and the IMSP Council recognize the inconvenience this places on IMSP customers and request your patience while we work through the details of these difficult issues.

Please contact your agency FFAST representative or the IMSP Program Office if you have specific questions or concerns.

Agency	Representative	Phone	E-mail
BIA	Tony Beitia	208-387-5177	tony_beitianifc.gov
BLM	Michelle Ryerson	208-387-5175	michelle_ryersonnifc.blm.gov
FWS	Rod Bloms	208-387-5599	rod_blomsfws.gov
NPS	Chad Fisher	208-387-5967	chad_fishernps.gov
USFS	Larry Sutton	208-387-5970	lsuttonfs.fed.us

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