FS-RFI_Helicopter Modernization_2nRFI_OCT2020FINALs.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

National Exclusive-Use Helicopter Modernization

Special Notice Number: SN-2021-01 Agency: United States Department of Agriculture Office: Forest Service Location: National Interagency Fire Center – Boise, ID RFI Issue Date: October 15,2020 RFI Response Date: November 06, 2020 Submittal of information:

The information requested by this RFI shall be provided, in writing (hard-copy or electronic), by close of business (4:30 p.m. Mountain Time) to the following address:

michael.mcfarlane@usda.gov, U.S. Forest Service National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) 3833 South Development Avenue Attn: Mr. Michael McFarlane, Owyhee Building 106, Suite 1101-1 Boise, Idaho 83705-5354

Synopsis: This Request for Information is for Market Research and Planning purposes only.

Product Service Code: V221 NAICS Code: 481212 Business Size Standard: 1,500 employees THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI OR TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this contemplated effort. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this RFI or the Government’s use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor’s input resulting from this RFI. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Whatever information is provided in response to this RFI may be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for future needs. The information provided may be utilized by the US Forest Service in developing its acquisition strategy and in its Statement of Objective, Statement of Work, and/or Performance Specifications. The information resulting from this RFI may be included or combined with other submissions in one or more options considered in the analysis of alternatives. Any proprietary information that is submitted may be used in establishing requirements of the future system but specific information will be safeguarded as proprietary.

Contracting Office Address:

Owyhee Building – MS 1100 3833 S. Development Ave.

Boise, ID 83705

Primary Point of Contact:

Michael McFarlane, Procurement Analyst michael.mcfarlane@usda.gov 208-387-5695

Technical Point of Contacts John Nelson, Washington Office, Branch Chief-Airworthiness john.a.nelson@usda.gov 208-387-5617 Or Beau Dobberstein, Washington Office, National Helicopter Operations Specialist beau.dobberstein@usda.gov 406-370-3374 Or Eric J. Bush, Washington Office, National Rappel Specialist eric.bush@usda.gov 208-809-0903

Description The purpose of this announcement is market research associated with modernization of the current Type 2 Exclusive-Use (EU) contracted helicopters. Specifically, providing fully contractor operated and maintained helicopter services to support fire suppression and natural resource activities for the US Forest Service (FS) Fire and Aviation Program with aircraft that meet 14 CFR Part 29 standards (or equivalent) and our operational requirements as identified below. Examples of standard category helicopters that may meet USFS modernization criteria are Leonardo AW-139, AW-189, Airbus H-145, H-215, and Bell 412 EPX. An example of newly-manufactured, non-military helicopters that may meet USFS modernization criteria is the Sikorsky S-70/70A/70M.

Background The FS has implemented a process to determine availability and applicability of twin engine helicopters with upgraded technology, safety attributes, with increased range, and payload. This Request-for-Information (RFI) is limited to standard category or restricted category helicopters (non-military, and currently in-production).

The FS relies on various makes and models to deliver firefighters, fire suppressants, and supplies to wildland fire incidents throughout the United States.

The FS may utilize a 5-year EU contract cycle for helicopter services meeting the modernization criteria (1 + 4 option years).

Aircraft Maintenance and Support Helicopter shall be maintained in accordance with all applicable 14 CFR requirements, mandatory manufacturer’s bulletins as required or identified by the Forest Service, and all applicable FAA Airworthiness Directives.

New-manufactured Restricted Category helicopters will require confirmation of support from the manufacturer.

Aircraft Utilization The FS utilizes EU helicopters for firefighting and resource management. The primary mission for T1 and T2 helicopters is wildland fire support. 19 T2 EU helicopters are configured for helitack (13 are contracted with a bucket, 6 with an internal tank), and 15 T2 EU helicopters are contracted with bucket and are configured for rappel missions.

On an annual basis, the current T2 EU fleet responds to over 1,000 incidents nationally. EU T2 aircraft transport 35,000 passengers, drop 9 million gallons of water, move 3 million pounds of cargo, and fly 7,500 hours per fire-year (10-year average). The FS responds to incidents located in areas where temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius in high-elevation mountainous and desert terrain. Conditions on-incident may place the aircraft in high-density altitude areas performing continuous low-slow missions such as aerial ignition, or hover work such as rappel, short-haul, hoist, and delivery of external cargo.

Aircraft Configuration The contract requirements for rappel and helitack configurations are nearly identical, with the exception of the aft audio configuration, human external load system requirement (rappel bracket and rappel spotter tether attachment), and simultaneous deployment of two ropes (dual-door rappel configuration) for rappel contract line items. The examples below identify existing needs in Configuration 1 and desired needs in Configuration 2 for both helitack and rappel programs. We are seeking parties with existing aircraft, or willing to obtain aircraft, meeting the requirements specified in the Technical Information requested below to support the operational needs of the USFS identified below.

Remainder of page intentionally left blank Configuration variations

REQUESTED INFORMATION:

Vendors/contractors who respond to this Request for Information (RFI) are requested to provide all of the following information in writing and in accordance with the directions below:

COMPANY INFORMATION:

1. Company name

2. Company mailing address

3. Company point of contact (name & title)

4. Point of contact’s telephone numbers and email addresses

5. Company’s size standard for the NAICS information provided above

PRICE INFORMATION:

All interested vendors/contractors shall provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) that includes the following costs:

Helicopter Services consisting of fully contractor operated and maintained helicopters that meet the requirements below

· Daily Availability Rate: Estimated daily costs for aircraft, including pilot(s), maintenance, and fuel service driver to support the aircraft on a 14-hour availability day (9-hour duty day, extended standby rate paid by government thereafter). The daily cost should be estimated based on a continuous 120 day exclusive use period.

· Flight Time: Flight time should be based on an estimated 200 hours per 120 days period specified below.

· Flight Rate: The USFS utilizes a specified flight rate by make-model of helicopter as stated in the contract exhibit “Helicopter Services Hourly Flight Rates, Fuel Consumption, and Weight Reduction Chart”. See attachment 3. Flight time under all USFS aviation contracts will be paid in accordance with the specified flight rate attached.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Interested vendors/contractors should provide Aircraft information in the chart below on Make and Models that meet the following requirements:

Helicopter Specifications

· Seating

· Nine or more passenger seats

· Payload

· Provide an estimated non-jettisonable payload (HOGE) using 25 degrees C at 7000 feet pressure altitude, using 200 pounds per pilot, and 1.5 hours useable fuel.

· Complete Attachment 2, Load Calculation

· An electronic load calculation form is available at: https://www.nifc.gov/aviation/av_ref_ihog_HCM.html

· Power-Plant

· Two Turbine Engines meeting 14 CFR Part 29, Category A or equivalent

· Certification Basis Part 29[footnoteRef:1] - Transport Category Rotorcraft, Category A [1: 14CFR29. Provide Part 29, Category-A operating limitations for which aircraft may provide services, i.e. HOGE payload at 7000’ 25c with OEI. ]

[OR]

· Part 21.25 - Issue of Type Certificate – Restricted Category Aircraft

· Avionics

· Two AM radios, two FM radios, Aux FM interface, and External PA

· Aft cabin audio controllers with RX/ICS at all positions

· TSO’d GPS with moving map

· Transponder, ADS-B Out, TAS, Automated Flight Following, Additional Telemetry Unit, and ELT

· USB Power and PED Tolerance STC.

· RADALT for NVIS and 135 operators.

Note:

You may provide any other pertinent information that may contribute to efficiencies related to this RFI that will assist the Government in developing specifications for future solicitations such as:

· Performance charts

· One Engine Inoperable (OEI) charts depicting HOGE hover payload at 7000’ 25 degrees C

· Weight and balance

· Estimated timeline that discusses timelines from acquisition to mission configuration of the helicopter to meet helicopter services specifications for firefighting.

Attachment 1 Aircraft Make/Model Daily Availability Estimate Aircraft Price per/day 120 / 150/ 180/ /210 and 240 days

HIGE

7000’, 25c

HOGE

7000’, 25c

HOGE-J

7000’, 25c

120 days:

150 days:

180 days:

210 days:

240 days:

120 days:

180 days:

120 days:

180 days:

Attachment 2

Empty Weight: Means the weight of the airframe, engines, propellers, rotors, and fixed equipment. Empty weight excludes the weight of the crew and payload, but includes the weight of all fixed ballast, unusable fuel supply, undrainable oil, total quantity of engine coolant, and total quantity of hydraulic fluid.

Equipped Weight:

Bucket Helicopters: Equipped weight equals the Empty Weight (as listed in the Weight and Balance Data) plus the weight of lubricants and onboard equipment required by contract (i.e., including but not limited to survival kit, rappel anchor, first aid kit). Does not include the weight of the bucket and any associated suspension hardware.

Attachment 3 HELICOPTER SERVICES HOURLY FLIGHT RATES, FUEL CONSUMPTION, AND WEIGHT REDUCTION CHART (A-1, A-3 (a), B-10 (a) (6), B-34 (b) (3)) FOR CONTRACTS AWARDED 2018 - 2021 (CWN/Exclusive Use) – Effective July 16, 2020 (For Contracts Awarded 1/1/2018 and After)

HOURLY FLIGHT RATE ($/HR)

LOAD CALCULATION

Weight Reduction (lbs)

*** Price shall be negotiated until price is determined by Conklin & de Decker image1.emf image2.emf