B01_SPCA_Synopsis_140D0425R0094_EVER_2.pdf

Pre-Solicitation Notice: 140D0425R0094

The Department of the Interior (DOI), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), in support of the National Park Service (NPS), intends to solicit for fully Contractor operated and maintained exclusive use helicopter flight services to transport personnel and/or cargo in support of Government natural resource missions. Contractor services include provision of a helicopter, personnel, fuel servicing vehicle, fuel, and all other associated equipment, as will be prescribed in the solicitation and resultant contract. Missions will include, but are not limited to, fire suppression, prescribed fire, fire monitoring, initial attack, personnel transport, aerial ignition, search and rescue operations, law enforcement limited to non-threatening surveillance and reconnaissance, and other administrative and related resource activities.

The Government will direct aircraft to support its missions and objectives. During the exclusive use period and any subsequent extension, aircraft furnished shall be subject to the exclusive use and control of the Government 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The Government has interagency and cooperative agreements with other Federal and State agencies and private landholders and may dispatch aircraft under this contract for such cooperative use. The contractor must possess Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 133, 135, and 137 certificates, and all aircraft proposed must meet the following minimum specifications:

Aircraft Required: One light helicopter

Crew Compliment Required:

(At each Designated Base)

Pilot-in-Command (PIC) with relief pilot, fuel service vehicle driver with relief driver, and mechanic with relief mechanic.

The Contractor may provide a mechanic that is also the fuel service vehicle driver. No more than three (3) pilots shall be authorized under this Contract at any given time, and all such pilots shall be identified on the applicable OAS-68 Inspection Forms.

Fuel Servicing Vehicle Requirement: One fuel service vehicle

Designated Base: Everglades National Park or Big Cypress National Preserve.

Location will be identified on the AQD-19 Notice to Proceed prior to the start of each year of the five (5) year ordering period.

Minimum Helicopter Requirements:

Seating: Five (5) insured passenger seats not including pilot, but including copilot seat in an aircraft, normally single pilot operated.

Payload: Jettisonable external payload (HOGE) of 1450 pounds at 30 degrees C at 5000 feet pressure altitude using a pilot weight of 200 pounds, a 25-pound survival kit and fuel for 1.9 hours.

Powerplant: Turbine engine

Airspeed: 120 knots VNE at 30° C at 1,000 feet

Landing Gear: Skid Type with Emergency Pop-out Floats

Fuel System: Crash Resistant Fuel System

Specialized Equipment: Air Conditioning Dual Hydraulics

The contract period of performance is a five-year ordering period from 01 January 2026 through 31 December 2030 (estimated, actual dates based upon date of award). The exclusive use period is 120 days, subject to change as permitted in the solicitation.

The services required of this Request for Proposals (RFP) are being acquired under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items and FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services. This solicitation will be issued under a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation, which has a small business size standard of 1,500 employees or less. The PSC Code will be V221, Transportation/Travel/Relocation. The Government will award a contract in accordance with the best-value determination as stated in the solicitation.

This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice Only. Offers are not being requested at this time. AQD intends to issue the solicitation on or after 25 August 2025. Offers are anticipated to be due on or after 25 September 2025 with an award being issued no later than November 2025.

AQD will consider all responsible sources that submit a timely offer that conforms to the solicitation. Any contractor interested in doing business with the Federal Government must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) at the time of proposal submission and at time of award to be eligible for a contract. SAM is a Federal Government owned and operated free website at www.SAM.gov.

Point of Contact:

Melanie Johnson Contracting Officer melanie_johnson@ibc.doi.gov mailto:melanie_johnson@ibc.doi.gov