A16__J_A_under_SAT_Helitack_Services_FINAL.pdf

United States Department of the Interior Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs

Washington, DC 20240

SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (SAP) UNDER THE

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD (SAT)

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)

PR/SOL/CONTRACT # 0040618886/140A0423P0044 Edward Jets Center CONTROL #J&A Control Number 23-0160

1. Contracting Activity: This document is a justification for single source determination under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky Mountain Region and Lynch Flying Service DBA: Edwards Jet Center.

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs.

Short-term lease of hangar space for helicopter storage, office and garage space for helitack firefighting crew and parking for government-owned vehicles located within the Billings International Airport complex.

May 15-October 31, 2023

The estimated value of the proposed action is $21,000.00 ($3,500.00/month)

3. Identification of the single source to be solicited.

Name of Proposed Contractor: Lynch Flying Service, DBA: Edwards Jet Center Street Address: 1691 Aviation Place City, State, Zip: Billings, MT 59105 Phone: 406-247-8921 Robb Bergeson, rbergeson@edwardsjetcenter.com

4. Reason for authority cited. The contracting officer has determined the circumstances of the contract deem only one source reasonably available.

Highly specialized supply/service: (for example technological/ specific training requirements) contractor must possess unique qualifications.

Due to the nature of the service that is necessary, the vendors who provide the service is limited. Space must be located within the airport complex for purposes of security of the helicopter. Limited vendors are available with hangar rental space within the airport complex and availability of space for rent is further limited as detailed below.

VERSION 11/15/2022

5. Rationale: Provide an explanation that supports the reason cited in #4.

Helitack crews are an important wildland firefighting resource that enables quick response and assessment during initial attack to fires located in remote areas before engine resources can arrive. Helicopters help provide reconnaissance of large areas to identify wildfires or respond to smoke reports and provide accurate perimeter mapping of burn areas and identifying active fire areas during extended attack. BIA contracts type 3 helicopters for exclusive use to support the BIA wildland fire suppression effort by providing helitack crews throughout the nation. The exclusive use type 3 helicopter contracts require that the government provide facilities to store the contracted helicopter, pilot, mechanic, and fuel/mechanic truck(s) in addition to the government helitack crew and government vehicles to meet the exclusive use contract requirement that the helicopter be able to take off within 15 minutes of dispatch to a wildfire incident.

The helicopter exclusive contract requires that the government provide a location for the helicopter, pilot, mechanic, fuel/mechanic truck(s) in Billings, MT from May 29, 2023, through September 5, 2023, with the option to extend up to October 31, 2023, based on fire season activity. Billings has limited options available for a helicopter to land/take off and be stored. Space within the Billings International Airport complex is limited and in high demand. Aside from the airport complex, there is no other suitable landing/storages areas that will meet the exclusive use contract requirements. The exclusive use contract requires the helicopter vendor have access to aviation/jet fuel facilities in the performance of their contractual duties. Aircraft fuel storage and handling is closely regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and there are limited commercial providers available in Billings. Edwards Jet Center (Lynch Flying Services) is a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) that has been granted authority to operate at the Billings International Airport to provide aviation services including jet fuel. For Billings International Airport there are only three (3) FBO commercial vendors with authority to provide aviation services within the airport complex and Edwards Jet Center is the only one of those vendors that provides jet fuel as well as hangar space rental that will meet the needs of the helicopter exclusive use contract with lease space available to for the BIA Billings helitack crew for the duration of the 2022 fire season.

BIA Rocky Mountain Region, Branch of Wildland Fire has previously established a short-term lease of hangar space, office and garage space, and parking space to support the exclusive use helicopter and BIA Billings Helitack crew since 2016. The program has utilized Edwards Jet Center since 2017 because they are an authorized FBO vendor and have lease space available to support BIA and meet the requirements of the exclusive use contract. Additionally, the lease space available is within the airport complex which provides increased safety for the contract helicopter and crew. Access to the runway and hangar is restricted to individuals with airport security pass and airport police are on site within the complex.

If BIA is unable to establish a short-term lease with the proposed vendor for the 2023 fire season, the government will default on the requirements of the type 3 exclusive use helicopter that has been awarded by the Interior Business Center, DOI Office of Aviation Services. Default by the government on the exclusive use contract would cause a substantial impact to the vendor with the loss of income estimated to be close to $1 million for 2023. Additionally, government default on the exclusive use helicopter contract would negatively impact the BIAs ability to respond to wildland fires during the upcoming 2023 fire season that is predicted to be above average. Without hangar space available the contracted helicopter will not be able to be utilized during fire season. The BIA Billings helitack crew typically responds to fires on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations as well as other Federal and State wildland fires within the Billings Dispatch Zone that can adversely impact BIA trust lands. Standing down the helitack crew due to inability to provide hangar space will increase the potential of wildland fire damage to BIA trust lands, private lands, other state and federal land which will increase the wildfire threat to life and property in Eastern Montana.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

To ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable the program has reached out to several other vendors with hangar space within or in proximity to the Billings International Airport.

The Business Manager for the Billings International Airport, owned by the City of

Billings, has confirmed that there is currently no hangar space available for lease directly through the City of Billings within the airport complex.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) operates an air tanker retardant base at the Billings Dispatch Center located within the Billings International Airport complex.

They have no hangar space for a helicopter and have no additional office space available that could support the helitack crew.

Billings Flying Service is a commercial vendor with space located adjacent to the Billings Airport Complex. They are in the process of building and expanding their facility adjacent to the airport complex, but they do not currently have any hangar space available for lease.

Laurel Airport is located approximately 20 minutes from Billings, MT. We spoke with the Airport Manager and there is currently no hangar space available for lease and use of the Laurel Airport would require a contract modification to the exclusive use helicopter contract which identifies Billings, MT as the designated base location for the helicopter.

7. Requirements personnel certification.

I certify that the technical data which forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate and meets the Government’s minimum needs.

Program Office/COR

X

8. Under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), the undersigned hereby determines the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source is reasonably available as supported herein.

Contracting Officer

X KATHY EDER

Digitally signed by KATHY

EDER

Date: 2023.05.01 11:05:44 -06'00'