The Trump administration is inching forward on its proposal to take the Forest Service out of the fire suppression business.
The Department of Agriculture is formally seeking input on a feasibility study required by Congress before a consolidated wildfire agency can be created at the Interior Department. Officials last week published a request for information (RIF) to help the administration pick a contractor for the study, setting a Friday deadline for submissions.
While the call isn’t meant to select an organization to do the study, it sheds light on the subjects the administration wants the eventual report to explore, including how to manage fire along with timber sales and other public land responsibilities that now rest firmly with the Forest Service.
In the published notice, USDA said the RFI will help with planning as officials decide how best to conduct the forthcoming report — including, for instance, whether to seek competitive bids or award a single-source contract.
