Agriculture Acquisition Regulation, Fire Suspension Suppression and Liability

The Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) amends the Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (the "AGAR") by adding a new clause entitled "Fire Suppression and Liability." Section 8205 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Act) provided the USDA Forest Service with permanent authority for stewardship end results contracting by adding a new section 604 to the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. Section 8205 contains a requirement that the agency use a fire liability provision in all stewardship contracts and agreements that is in substantially the same form as the fire liability provisions contained in the integrated resource timber contract in Forest Service contract numbered 2400-13, part H, section H.4. This interim rule establishes a new clause in the AGAR, the USDA supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), for use in Integrated Resource Service Contracts (IRSC) subject to the FAR. This new AGAR clause addresses fire liability on stewardship contracts as requred in the 2014 Agricultural Act.