| Incident
Ordering |
|
General Policy
Resource orders in the assigned Rocky Mountain Area will
be executed as prescribed by the National Mobilization Guide,
and subject to Interagency
Business Management Handbook direction, with the following
exception:
If the servicing Interagency Support Cache permits direct
ordering, Type 1
and Type 2 incidents with qualified Incident Management
Teams may submit requests for NFES Cache Items directly
to the Cache, at the discretion of the Agency Administrator.
All other supply orders must be submitted via the servicing
Dispatch Center and/or buying team, including initial attack
and initial orders for all new
incidents.
Supply Ordering Procedures
At the initial briefing, the Agency Administrator will clarify the ordering procedures for the Incident Management Team, including:
1. Identity, location, phone and fax numbers and contact
personnel of:
• Dispatch Center (expanded dispatch operations may
have several phone numbers)
• Servicing Interagency Support Cache.
• Buying Team (if established).
• Agency contacts available to clarify ordering procedures
as needed.
• Area Command Team (if established).
2. The assigned window for placing supply orders with the
Cache, Dispatch Center or buying team, if established.
3. Assignment and tracking of request numbers.
• It is recommended that Cache orders, local purchases
and buying team orders have separate and distinct blocks
of request numbers to facilitate management, control and
tracking.
• It is recommended that the incident keep the master
list of all request numbers and closely coordinate with
the Cache, Buying Team and Dispatch Center.
4. Operational hours for dispatch center, cache and buying
team.
5. Expected average lag time between order and receipt of
supply shipments.
6. Procedure for reconciling orders.
7. Documentation requirements.
8. How local purchases will be handled.
9. Copy of this procedural document.
Cache Order Procedures
1. Cache orders will be placed preferably by e-mail but
accepted by fax as well.
2. Each incident will have a telephone contact for direct
and immediate communication with the Cache. Communication
will be between the ordering person (manager) or Supply
Unit Leader and the Cache for the following purposes:
• Clarify orders (description, unit of issue, quantity)
• Notification whether an order can be filled or partially
filled.
• Determination whether to forward an order to NICC
or another cache.
• Substitutions.
• Status.
• Understanding tactical plans in order to weigh scarce
resource decisions.
• Advise the incident of options when requested items
are extraordinary in kind or
• quantity.
3. Orders to the Cache will be for NFES items only. Local
purchase items will be ordered separately through the buying
team or dispatch center.
4. The Cache will communicate shipping status directly to
the ordering unit. This will occur when the shipment leaves
the Cache or soon thereafter.
5. The Cache will not supply any item that is primarily
a component of kits, or parts of equipment (e.g. spark plugs).
6. Any item that the Cache is unable to fill or pass on
to another cache, and is still required by the incident,
will be treated as a local purchase item, which the incident
will place through their buying team.
7. Priority for fill and shipment will generally follow
MAC direction, particularly for items in short supply. But
the Cache will make every effort equitably distribute scarce
resources.
8. Pre-structured Orders, Canned Orders and orders for the
Mobile Cache Van cannot be directly ordered from the Cache
and must be placed through the Dispatch Center controlling
the incident.
9. Pre-Structured Orders, Canned Orders and orders for the
Mobile Cache Van will not be accepted after the initial
establishment of an incident.
10. The Asst Cache Manager or Cache Manager may terminate
Direct Cache
Ordering from an incident and transfer the responsibility
to the servicing Dispatch Center if negotiation with Agency
Administrators and Incident Commanders fail to
resolve any or all of the following conditions:
• Ordering skills and knowledge on the incident are
inadequate to maintain an efficient
• and effective supply ordering process.
• Communication has broken down or is not continually
maintained.
• The total order volume from a dispatch zone overwhelms
the Cache’s ability to
• process individual incident orders.
General Comments
Success of incident ordering is dependent on Continual
Communication.
Many situations may come about that complicate the ordering
process or cause delay. Remember to talk to those that can
effect change and help the situation. Individuals may have
skill or knowledge levels that need the support of incident
management personnel. Unless management is notified of deficiencies,
timely change will probably not take place. Despite the
possibility that orders may not be completely filled, the
Cache is always working to replenish its stock. If an order
is short, or cannot be filled, and cannot be supplied locally
or via the buying team, reorder the item in the next ordering
window. If a decision is made to purchase locally or via
a buying team, be sure the items purchased meet NFES or
Cache specifications. Items not meeting specifications cannot
be accepted when returned to the Cache. Contact the Cache
for guidance.
Other Tools and Resources Available:
NWCG National Fire Equipment System Catalog
NWCG Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook
Incident Ordering Checklist
National Interagency Mobilization Guide
Rocky Mountain Interagency Mobilization Guide
1/20/2009
//s//
Kim J. Luft
Cache Manager
Rocky Mountain Interagency Support Cache