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Cost Apportionment Tech Specialist

Position Description

Duties

  • The Finance Section Chief supervises the Cost Apportionment Technical Specialist (CATS). The CATS is familiar and experienced with agency policies, accounting practices, cooperative fire protection agreements, cost share methodologies and procedures. When more than one CATS is assigned, the CATS are responsible to jointly develop cost share options and recommendations for consideration by the incident management.
  • Gathers pertinent information for briefings with responsible agencies.
  • Acts as advisor to the Incident Commander(s)/Agency Representative(s) during the development of cost shares and cost share agreements to insure conformity with Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements and agency(s) accounting practices.
  • Applies cost apportionment methodology to the utilization of resources as determined by the Incident Commander IC/AR.
  • Oversees and insures accuracy of development of daily cost share worksheets
  • Facilitates meetings with involved agencies for signatures of daily worksheets
  • Insures appropriate supporting documents are retained with daily worksheets to insure accuracy and accountability (i.e., maps, IAP, IA records, special instructions, etc.).
  • Develops Cost Share Agreement in accordance with Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements. Cost share agreements will convey each agency’s obligation with consideration to each agency’s accounting limitations.
  • Obtains local administrative guidelines, WFSA.
  • Completes all records prior to demobilization and briefs incident agency for billing purposes.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Completion of the FS-R5, Cost Apportionment Training
  • Ability to work with variety of personnel in highly stressful and political situations
  • Recommend “ISUITE” and “ICARS” knowledge

NWCG Latest Announcements

WFSTAR 2025 Core Component Module Package and 2024 Fire Year in Review Now Available

Date: March 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Joe Schindel at mschindel@blm.gov
 

The 2025 Core Component Module Package for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) and the 2024 Fire Year in Review are now available on the NWCG website. The 2025 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

References:

2025 Core Component Module Package

2024 Fire Year in Review Module

NEW! NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053

Date: March 12, 2025
Contact: Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee

The NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 provides mitigation practitioners at all experience levels with recommendations on the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish mitigation work in communities at risk to wildfire damage or destruction. The content in this guide was written in coordination with the NWCG Standards for Mitigation in the Wildland Urban Interface, PMS 052.

References:

NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 

Updated, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Date: March 11, 2025
Contact: Fire Use Subcommittee
Wildland Fire Module Unit

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430 standardizes procedures and expectations for Wildland Fire Modules (WFMs). These standards are to be used by staff, supervisors, specialists, and technicians for planning, administering, and conducting WFM operations. These standards will also be used as a measure of WFM qualifications, capabilities, and expected performance, for both Type 1 and Type 2 WFMs.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

NEW! NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514

Date: March 7, 2025
Contact: National Interagency Aviation Committee

The NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating airtankers on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508, and any applicable agency plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514