Start with the decision
Describe fire protection availability as a dated planning window with conditions, not a permanent promise. Check the proposed package against current commitments and approved system information, service availability and the project’s acceptance process. A crew being free on a calendar does not establish that all project inputs will be ready.
This guide is for business-to-business project planning in the United States and Canada. For the wider trade context, visit the fire protection resource hub.
Confirm capacity by package
| Package | Input needed to reserve work | Completion commitment |
|---|---|---|
| System package | issued system documents and responsibility allocation | required approved-system and completion documentation |
| Building interfaces | ceiling, service and alarm coordination information | agreed interface and coordination records |
| Acceptance and handover | project-specific acceptance requirements | specified acceptance records and operating information |
Download the fire protection crew availability worksheet (CSV)
Fill in the response, owner or source, and date checked. Keep unresolved items visible. The file contains planning prompts only; it does not calculate quantities or make an approval decision.
Put the checklist to work
- Identify the responsible scheduling contact and the date capacity was reviewed. Separate estimating availability from delivery availability.
- Confirm the work your team will deliver directly and how alarm interfaces, water service, ceilings, penetrations and third-party acceptance work affects resource planning. Do not count unconfirmed third-party capacity as secured.
- Provide an indicative window with the assumptions required for it to hold. Explain when availability must be reconfirmed.
- Update the project contact if the window changes. Distinguish an inquiry, a provisional plan and an agreed engagement.
A scope gap worth discussing
Illustrative example — not a Build Accord client project
A sprinkler alteration is priced separately from the alarm interface. Confirm which package includes that coordination before accepting a combined project schedule.
Apply this to your decision: A dated capacity note showing the proposed window, prerequisite decisions and the next confirmation point.
Using this in the US and Canada
For a project in the United States
Record the state, local jurisdiction and actual service area. For federal notices, use SAM.gov Contract Opportunities and check the individual notice’s stage and instructions. A prime-contract notice is not automatically a subcontract invitation.
For a project in Canada
Record the province or territory, municipality and actual service area. Use CanadaBuys tender opportunities as one public-procurement source, then read the issuer’s documents and submission route. Do not assume it lists every private construction package.
For either market, state the currency, units and deadline time zone. This worksheet is general planning guidance, not a determination of licensing, procurement eligibility or technical compliance.
The next useful step
Continue with how to find fire protection bid opportunities. For the other side of the conversation, see the fire protection project scope guide.
Build Accord coordinates introductions between construction project teams and trade contractors. An inquiry starts a discussion of fit and availability; it does not guarantee a contractor, an invitation to bid or an award. These guides are not a listing of currently available crews or projects.