Commercial Aviation Services — Airborne Science Support IDIQ (Snow4Flow EVS-4) — Notice of Intent to Sole Source
NASA Ames Research Center intends to sole-source a five-year IDIQ contract for commercial aviation services supporting the Snow4Flow Earth Venture Suborbital-4 airborne science mission, with the first task order anticipated to begin 23 February 2027. Market research determined that only Enterprise Aviation Group (ALCI Aviation Ltd., Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) meets the mission requirements as the sole commercial operator offering a Basler BT-67 aircraft in suitable science configuration for remote Arctic operations.
The requirement encompasses provision, modification, and operation of a Basler BT-67 in science configuration, including aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) services; engineering and modification support for Snow4Flow instrument integration; compliance with FAA/Transport Canada airworthiness standards and NASA airworthiness review under NAII 7900.3; and operational support for three planned Arctic campaigns spanning 2027 through 2029 across Alaska, the Yukon Territory, Svalbard, Greenland, and the Canadian High Arctic, plus additional airborne science task orders as required. Performance locations include the aircraft operating environment across these Northern Hemisphere regions with administrative oversight at Ames Research Center, California.
The contract structure features a five-year ordering period with a six-month extension option and task orders issued at pre-priced annual catalog rates under firm-fixed-price terms. The first task order covers instrument integration and the 2027 Alaska Arctic campaign, running 23 February through 2 March 2027. Sole-source authority derives from 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), implemented under FAR 6.103-1 (Only One Responsible Source).
80ARC026R0007 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center
6/16/26, 5:18 PM Commercial Aviation Services - Airborne Science Support IDIQ, Snow4Flow EVS-4 Mission
NASA Ames Research Center seeks commercial aviation services to provide a ski-equipped survey aircraft configured for science operations, including flight crew, maintenance, and insurance, in support of Arctic geophysical survey campaigns for the Snow4Flow Earth Venture Suborbital-4 mission, with proposals due August 14, 2026.
This is an unrestricted single-award firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract under FAR Part 12 commercial products and services. The maximum ordering value is $9,000,000 over a four-year period from August 31, 2026 through August 30, 2030, plus a six-month option to extend, with a guaranteed minimum of $75,000 satisfied by Task Order 0001 at award. Place of performance is the contractor's facilities and deployed operating locations in Alaska, Yukon Territory, Canadian High Arctic, Svalbard, and Greenland, with home base at the contractor's identified facility.
The contractor must support integration, operation, and deintegration of the university-owned Snow4Flow instrument suite (radar echo sounders, lidar, GNSS-inertial positioning, and camera systems) and provide check, transit, and science flight operations for campaigns planned in the 2027 through 2029 timeframe. The aircraft must be multi-engine turbine-powered with ski landing capability (such as a Basler BT-67) and accommodate science operators. The contractor must carry aviation liability insurance with a combined single limit of at least $50,000,000 per occurrence, hull insurance, and care/custody/control coverage for the instrument suite.
Task orders use firm-fixed-price catalog rates that remain fixed for each contract period. Task Order 0001 (issued at award) covers the Snow4Flow 2027 Campaign Startup and comprises two phases: Phase 1 (February 23–25, 2027) at the contractor's facility for instrument installation and certification, and Phase 2 (February 26–March 2, 2027) for transit and initial science flights. Payment is milestone-based upon Government acceptance.
Proposals must include Volume 1 (technical capability statement not exceeding 15 pages demonstrating the proposed ski-equipped aircraft, instrument integration approach, and Arctic airborne survey experience with current air operator certificate) and Volume 2 (completed Attachment J-3 Pricing Tables and Task Order 0001 Attachment 3 Payment Milestone Schedule with firm-fixed rates). Award will be made to the lowest-priced, technically acceptable offer from a responsible offeror without discussions. Questions are due August 7, 2026. Offerors must be registered in SAM with a matching CAGE code at time of offer. NAICS code 481219, Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation, applies with a small business size standard of $25.0 million.
80ARC026R0007 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center
7/31/26, 1:09 PM