10-IFB-2312204550-TT.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Invitation for Bid #: 10-IFB-2312204550-TT

North Carolina Forest Service – Forest Protection (NCFS-FP)

Type 1 Helicopter Services

Date of Issue: August 28, 2026

Bid Opening Date: October 1, 2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Procurement Lead:

Tammie Taylor

Procurement Specialist

Email: tammie.taylor@ncagr.gov

Phone: 919-707-3055

Ver: 11/2025

Invitation for Bid #

10-IFB-2312204550-TT

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of bids, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your bid.

Failure to do so may subject your bid to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register at https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this IFB to the procurement lead (Tammie Taylor) through the Message Board in the Sourcing Tool. See section

2.4 for details.

Invitation for Bid No.: 10-IFB-2312204550-TT Bids will be publicly opened: October 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET

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Using Agency: NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – NC Forest Service

Commodity No. and Description: 921016 – Fire Services

Requisition No.: RQ279926

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Invitation for Bid (IFB), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this bid, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this bid is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this bid, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its Sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this IFB, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned Vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

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G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the IFB, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool.

Failure to execute/sign bid prior to submittal may render bid invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late bids shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least (120) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this IFB.

ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS

If your bid is accepted, all provisions of this IFB, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

2.5 MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE

2.6 BID QUESTIONS

2.7 BID SUBMITTAL

2.8 BID CONTENTS

2.9 ALTERNATE BIDS

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.3 REFERENCES

4.4 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.5 PERSONNEL

4.6 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.7 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.8 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

4.9 SUBCONTRACTORS

4.10 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 DEVIATIONS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER

6.2 INVOICES

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.6 CONTRACT CHANGES

6.7 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of NC Forest Service, is seeking a qualified Vendor to provide fire-suppression services using a commercially available twin-turbine, heavy-lift helicopter capable of supporting wildlife suppression, all-hazard incident response, and severity assignments within North Carolina.

The North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS), a division of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is responsible for protecting, managing, and promoting more than 18 million acres of forestland across the state. The agency provides wildfire prevention and suppression, forest management assistance for nearly 14 million acres of privately owned forestland, reforestation and seedling production, pest and disease management, urban forestry support, and public education programs. These services help safeguard lives and property, sustain healthy and productive forests, support a multi-billion-dollar forest products economy, and ensure long-term environmental and community benefits for North Carolinians.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of one (1) year, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”).

At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to two (2) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option no later than sixty (60) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.

Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this IFB and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

This IFB is comprised of the base IFB document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: This is an NC eProcurement solicitation facilitated by the Ariba Network. The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

What is the Ariba Network?

The Ariba Network is a web-based platform that serves as a connection point for buyers and Vendors. Vendors can log in to the Ariba Network to view purchase orders, respond to electronic requests for quotes, participate in Sourcing Events, and collaborate with buyers on contract documents.

For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site:

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/Vendor-training.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this IFB and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this IFB.

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this IFB, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the BID QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an IFB addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s bid or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s bid that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the bid non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s bid shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this IFB Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon during negotiations and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s bid as nonresponsive.

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this IFB. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue IFB State 8/28/2026 Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference State 9/14/2026 at 1:00 PM ET Submit Written Questions Vendor 9/21/2026 by 10:00 AM ET Provide Response to Questions State 9/25/2026 Submit Bids Vendor 10/1/2026 by 2:00 PM ET Contract Award State TBD

2.5 MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE

Date: 9/14/2026 Time: 1:00 PM Eastern Time Location: NCFS Region 3 Office

14 Gaston Mountain Road Asheville, NC, 28806

Contact #: Primary Contact: 828-231-2691 – Michael.Cheek@ncagr.gov 919-302-8988 - jason.guidry@ncagr.gov

Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-bid conference. Attendees must arrive promptly. All attendees must sign in upon arrival and clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN OR PARTICIPATE IN THE PRE-BID CONFERENCE, NOR SHALL THEIR BID BE CONSIDERED. Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances allow.

FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE SHALL RESULT IN VENDOR’S BID BEING DEEMED NON-

RESPONSIVE AND NOT CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

The purpose of this conference is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this IFB. Vendors must stay for the duration of the conference. No allowances mailto:Michael.Cheek@ncagr.gov will be made for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this

IFB.

Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the conference, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this IFB, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this IFB and any resulting contract.

2.6 BID QUESTIONS

Upon review of the IFB documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the IFB in order to submit the best bid possible. To accommodate the Bid Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section of this IFB.

Vendors will enter “IFB # 10-IFB-2312204550-TT – Questions” as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable IFB section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received.

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888- 211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the Sourcing Tool in the form of an addendum and shall become an Addendum to this IFB. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this IFB, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the IFB and an addendum to this IFB.

2.7 BID SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this IFB by the specified time and date of opening. Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s bids(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.

Vendor’s bids for this procurement must be submitted through the Sourcing Tool. For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888- 211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.

Tips for Using the Sourcing Tool

1. Vendors should review available training and confirm that they are able to access the Sourcing Event, enter responses, and upload files well in advance of the date and time response are due to allow sufficient time to seek assistance from the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk.

2. Vendors may submit their responses early to make sure there are no issues, and then submit a revised response any time prior to the response due date and time. The State will only review the most recent response.

3. Vendors should respond to all relevant sections of the Sourcing Event. Certain questions or items are required in order to submit a response and are denoted with an asterisk. The Sourcing Tool will not allow a response to be submitted unless all required items are completed. The Sourcing Tool will provide error messages to help identify any required information that is missing when response is submitted.

https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

4. Simply saving your response in the Sourcing Tool is not the same as submitting your response to the State. Vendors should make sure they complete the submission process and receive a message that their response was successfully submitted.

5. Only Bids submitted through the Content Section of the Ariba Sourcing Event will be considered. Bids submitted through the Message Board will not be accepted or considered for award.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the bid, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the bid. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services, or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the bid with its bid submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

2.8 BID CONTENTS

Vendors shall provide responses to all questions and complete all attachments for this IFB that require the Vendor to provide information and upload them to the Sourcing Event in the Sourcing Tool. Vendor may not be able to submit its response in the Sourcing Tool unless all required items are addressed. Vendors shall provide authorized signatures where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s bid, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendors shall upload the following items and attachments in the Sourcing Tool:

a) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the IFB.

b) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this IFB, if required to be returned.

c) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM

d) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

e) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

f) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

g) Completed and signed version of CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and

OMB STANDARD FORM LLL

2.9 ALTERNATE BIDS

Unless provided otherwise in this IFB, Vendor may submit alternate bids for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate bid must specifically identify the IFB requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate bid. Each bid must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, Vendor shall follow the specific instructions for uploading Alternate Bids in the Sourcing Tool.

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this IFB are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found in the Sourcing Tool, which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest.

All responsive bids will be reviewed, and an award or awards will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications provided herein, to include any required verifications set out here in such as but not limited to past performance, references, and financial documents.

While the intent of this IFB is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items, or to cancel this IFB in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this IFB is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29. of the Instructions to Vendors entitled

COMMUNICATOINS BY VENDORS

Each Vendor submitting a bid to this IFB, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s bid or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this IFB or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this IFB regarding requirements of the IFB (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. Cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award.

Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated, based on completeness, content, cost and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this IFB, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This IFB serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether bids should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the IFB. Except as specifically stated in the IFB, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a bid in its entirety.

https://evp.nc.gov/

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this IFB. By submitting a bid, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this IFB. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better bid, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Bid Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM included in this IFB and upload in the Sourcing Tool. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.1.1 Import Tariff Temporary Surcharge

Pricing shall be exclusive of any pending tariffs or temporary tariff surcharge. Vendor may request a temporary tariff surcharge in ATTACHMENT A: PRICING SUBMITTAL WORKBOOK as a charge separate from the contract price. Any temporary tariff surcharge(s) associated with purchases shall be provided by way of a percentage tariff surcharge. All tariff surcharges proposed are intended to be temporary and based on current tariff implications specific to related commodities with evidence of submitted documentation of affected MSRP products. Vendor understands that the agency may request additional justification. Any temporary tariff surcharge percentage will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon. The state is not obligated to accept any proposed import tariff surcharge. Proposed tariff surcharges may be used as a factor for evaluation and award.

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.3 REFERENCES

Vendor shall upload to the Sourcing Tool at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. References shall not be from the same company or from the soliciting State entity. In addition, Vendor shall provide references for and identify other government contracts it has received, for which your company has provided services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine whether the services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Bid.

4.4 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this IFB may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

4.5 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s bid result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.6 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s bid results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract.

Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.7 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☐ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☒ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

4.8 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

Federal law prohibits recipients of federal funds, whether through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, from using those funds to influence or attempt to influence (lobby) a federal official in connection with obtaining, extending, or modifying any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement. Further, federal law requires that applicants for federal funds certify:

• that they abide by the above restriction;

• that they disclose any permissible (non-federal) paid lobbying on the Federal Awards being applied for; and

• that such certification requirements will also be included in any subawards meeting the applicable thresholds.

Vendors must complete and submit the CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and the OMB STANDARD FORM LLL when responding to this solicitation.

4.9 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

4.10 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State.

Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award. No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

Vendor has registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes☐ No ☐

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

NCFS is seeking fire-suppression services using a commercially available twin-turbine, heavy-lift helicopter capable of supporting wildfire suppression, all-hazard incident response, and severity assignments within North Carolina.

.The services will be requested, as needed, within mandatory availability periods (MAPS), which coincide with North Carolina’s fire seasons in the western region of the state. Fire seasons typically occur in central and western North Carolina in late-fall after hardwoods have dropped their leaves and dry conditions occur that lead to difficult-to-control fires. This is known as our 'fall fire season'. Conditions for wildfires also occur in the spring months of March and April in a given year. This is known as our 'spring fire season'. The Mandatory Availability Periods for the service agreement were designed to coincide with those fire seasons, more or less. The MAPS are described below.

A written request submitted to the Vendor’s Contract Manager shall be provided by the NCFS Contract Manager, prior to or during a MAP, in order to initiate the services described in this agreement. The helicopter, crew and support vehicles and equipment must be on-site and prepared to engage in firefighting missions within 72 hours of receiving the agency’s written request. The written request will also request to establish a base at a Designated Dispatch Point (DDP), in Western Noth Carolina.

The agency will not provide long-term helibases for the purpose of the day-to-day operations required of this service agreement.

The Vendor is responsible for furnishing and managing all services, support equipment, materials, supplies, transportation, lodging, and trained/certified personnel necessary to meet the contract specification of maintaining the minimum qualification as a Type I helicopter according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards for helicopter operations ( most current version of the PMS 510 publication) and federal aviation administration standards.

TASKS/DELIVERABLES/REQUIREMENTS

Designated Dispatch Point (DDP):

The helicopter’s primary base is required to located within the area depicted on the map below. This area is defined by the town of Sylva, NC, for its western boundary and Hickory, NC, as the eastern boundary. The towns of North Wilkesboro, Taylorsville, Lincolnton and Gastonia area considered to be within allowable area for establishing a DDP.

https://www.sosnc.gov/

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5.1.1 Mandatory Availability Periods (MAP):

Services will be required only during the timeframes below, as requested, within the applicable year of the service agreement.

The Vendor is expected to be on a stand-by status for initial mobilization to the DPP during the MAP’s.

• November 1, 2026 through November 30, 2026

• March 1, 2027 through April 30, 2027

5.1.2 Mobilization Requirements:

Upon receiving written notification the Vendor will establish a fully operational base designated geographic area within 72 hours of the notification.

5.1.3 Daily availability while on station in the DDP:

The Vendor will be paid a Daily Availability Rate (AV) while on station in North Carolina, based on the pricing schedule on Attachment A for, Actual Flight Hours (FT).

The typical schedule for on-station availability is shown below:

• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during daylight savings time (November 2, 2026 - March 7, 2027)

• 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during eastern standard time (March 8, 2027 – November 1, 2027)

5.1.4 Dispatching for Initial Fire Suppression (on station at DDP):

Once the Vendor has established a fully operational base within the DDP, fire suppression missions will be ordered by the NCFS’s Region III operations center.

Upon receiving a Resource Order via email during the timeframes of the MAP, the Vendor has thirty (30) minutes to begin travel to the location provided by the NCFS. A phone call will be placed to the Vendor’s Contract Manager, which will be followed by an email from the NCFS’s Region III operations room (r3opsrm@ncagr.gov).

The NCFS will provide the Vendor with a copy of the e-mailed Resource Order to include:

• Incident Order Number, Request Number and name of the incident.

• Date and time to report to the incident.

• Descriptive location of the designated site where the Vendor will meet a NCFS representative, including latitude and longitude coordinates. A digital map will be provided if available at time of order.

• Incident contact phone number for obtaining further information.

• Communications: Incident ground contact frequency.

• Incident Job Code or NC financial code as applicable.

5.1.5 Extended Attack/Severity Support outside of DDP.

The state may require the contractor to establish a base of operations other than the DDP, in order to support on-going incidents in the state of North Carolina. The mobilization and demobilization for temporary bases are considered a separate cost than the initial mobilization and final demobilization events for the Vendor during a MAP. These expenses will be considered as an add-alternate in the bidding process.

5.1.6 Cancellation of Fire Suppression Orders (on-station at DDP):

Resource orders may be cancelled at any time. If the order is cancelled, the Vendor will be paid as provided in this service agreement for flight hours.

5.1.7 Incident Resource Ordering Capability:

The Vendor is required to status their aircraft and personnel availability in the Incident Resource Ordering Capability Program

(IROC).

5.1.8 Release and Reassignment (on-station):

Release- Upon release from an incident the Vendor must notify the NCFS Region III operations room (r3opsrm@ncagr.gov) of their status and time of arrival back to their DDP.

Reassignment- Vendor may be reassigned to another incident by the NCFS providing a new Resource Order from the NCFS Region III operations room. The Vendor is prohibited from accepting any new Resource Orders directly from an incident, and from actively seek reassignments outside the controlling GACC from anyone other than the NCFS.

5.1.9 Demobilization:

At the written direction of the NC Forest Service, the contractor may be required to demobilize its helicopter operations while stationed in North Carolina and providing the services of this agreement.

If a demobilization even occurs prior to a MAP elapsing, the Vendor maintains the obligation to provide services on an as-needed basis and within the 72 hour requirement for the remainder of the MAP. Subsequent mobilization and demobilization events will be paid for on the agreed-upon basis of payment.

If a demobilization event occurs at the end of the MAP, the Vendor is not obligated to be in a ready-to-mobilize status as it pertains to this service agreement.

mailto:r3opsrm@ncagr.gov mailto:r3opsrm@ncagr.gov

5.1.10 Required Helicopter Specifications and Capabilities:

Aircraft must be equipped with a wildfire suppression water handling system that can load and deliver a minimum individual water payload of 2,600 gallons of water.

The aircraft provided for this service agreement must contain documentation that the manufacturer’s stated capability of the aircraft can, at a minimum, lift 23,400 pounds at 6,000 feet, mean sea level (msl) at 25 degrees Celsius, with 200-pound pilot(s), and 1.5 hours of fuel.

With the exception of the required specifications for the aircraft described above, the service agreement requires helicopter operations to meet the minimum specifications for defined in Section 6. of the publication, PMS 510, the NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations (NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations, PMS 510).

All helicopters, crew, and base of operations should be equipped and capable of meeting the PMS 510 standards for radio communications, to include an 800 MHz radio being in the aircraft during flight missions.

5.1.11 Commercial Filming or Videotaping:

Any filming, or associated activities such as social media posts may be limited or prohibited during a firefighting or incident support situation at the discretion of the Incident Commander.

5.1.12 Incident Behavior

It is extremely important that inappropriate behavior be recognized and dealt with promptly. Inappropriate behavior is all forms of harassment including sexual and racial harassment. Harassment in any form will not be tolerated.

Possession or use of non-prescription unlawful drugs and alcohol are not permitted at the base of operations or on landing zones. Violations will result in the Vendor or its employees being released from the incident. During off-incident periods, personnel are responsible for proper conduct and maintenance of fitness for duty. Drug or alcohol abuse resulting in unfitness for duty will result in the Vendor or its employees being released from the incident.

Firearm / Weapon Prohibition - The possession of firearms or other dangerous weapon (18 USC 930 (f)(2) are always prohibited while on NCFS Property and during performance of services, under this contract. The term dangerous weapon does not include a pocketknife with a blade less than 2 ½ inches in length or a multi-purpose tools such as a Leatherman® tool.

5.1.13 Daily Availability (AV) time includes:

a. time aircraft is fully operational and working on Fire Suppression, All-Hazard, fuel mitigation projects or Severity/Preparedness

b. time aircraft is fully operational and under the direction/control of the NCFS including ordered standby

The Vendor is paid for all on-shift time from the beginning of shift until the end of shift, except for meal breaks which are not ordinarily compensable.

In certain situations, meal breaks may not be possible. These situations are the exception, not the rule. Personnel engaged in flying aircraft may record time worked for their meal break if ALL the following conditions are met:

a. the fire is not controlled and working…