Draft_UAS_RFP.pdf

GENERAL

The purpose of this solicitation and any resultant contract is to obtain the services for SMALL Unmanned Aerial Systems meeting the technical specification requirements of this solicitation, fully maintained and operated on a Call When Needed (CWN) basis. SMALL Unmanned Aerial Systems weigh 55 pounds or less as defined by 14 CFR Part 107. Award of Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA’s) will be best value based on meeting minimum performance requirements, all technical requirements and reasonableness of proposed pricing. The Government will determine price reasonableness based on historical pricing and determine the best value accordingly.

It is the intent of this solicitation to secure multiple BOA’s not to exceed 1 base year period and 3 option periods for the daily availability and flight rates. The daily availability rate will be an indefinite quantity with no guarantee of flight hours given by the Government.

Awards will not be made for aircraft considered unsuitable for the Government’s need, or at prices determined to be unreasonable. Materially unbalanced offers between the base year and option years may be rejected.

ORDERS AND PROCEDURES

1. Delivery or performance shall be made only as authorized by orders issued in accordance with the C-26 AUTHORIZED ORDERING ACTIVITIES paragraph.

2. Subject to any limitations elsewhere in this contract, the Contractor shall furnish to the Government all services specified in the Schedule and called for by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering Agreement. The Government may issue orders requiring performance at multiple locations based on the number of UAS offered.

3. Call When Needed UAS flight services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of a task order (resource order for incident support). Orders for fire incidents and emergency support will only be placed by the authorized units as designated in the contract.

Resource Orders for project flight services may be ordered on a case by case basis, subject to agency procurement requirements. Task orders may be issued from date of award through September 30, 2017 and any subsequent option years if options are exercised, through September 30, 2021.

4. At the time of dispatch or assignment, the Government will provide a Resource Order Form, including an incident project name, Incident project order number and the appropriate Government Agency (USFS) agreement number or task order number supporting the suppression assignment. An order may be made orally or electronically, but will be confirmed in writing by a Government resource order for the USFS. The contractor shall provide the resource order to the Government’s authorized representative upon arrival at the incident.

The contractor shall follow the procedures as stated in Contract Paragraph C-37, Payment Procedures.

5. All resource/task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of conflict between a task order and this contract, the contract shall prevail.

6. If the Government places a request and the vendor cannot meet the mission requirements, specified time frames, or if the Contractor does not accept the order, the Government may acquire the required services from another source.

7. If the Government places an order and the vendor rejects the order, the government is not required to return to that vendor for future orders for 72 hours.

CWN Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS)

B-1 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

The intent of this solicitation is to obtain fully Contractor operated and maintained Call When Needed (CWN) SMALL1 Unmanned Aerial System to support Forest Service missions as specified below. The Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract has one Base Year with Three 1-year Option Periods. This solicitation is for a full service contract including provision of the required UAS, sensors, personnel, fully operated and maintained; including service vehicle and all other associated equipment, meeting the requirements of this schedule and the specifications included herein, on a call-when-needed basis to perform the required services and produce the expected deliverable as prescribed in this solicitation.

Upon Contractor's acceptance of an order from an authorized ordering office, the order becomes a binding contract under the prices, terms, and conditions of this contract.

Registration Number

Fixed Wing or Rotor Wing

Make / Model

Equipped Weight2 (per SOW)

UAS Sensor Payload4

Daily Availability Rate3 Base Year

Daily Availability Rate3 1st Renewable Period

Daily Availability Rate3 2nd Renewable Period

Daily Availability Rate3 3rd Renewable Period

Hourly Flight Rate Base Year

Hourly Flight Rate 1st RP

Hourly Flight Rate 2nd RP

Hourly Flight Rate 3rd RP

1 A Small UAS weighs 55 pounds or less, either fixed or rotary wing aircraft defined by 14 CFR Part 107.

2 Contracted UAS Equipped Weight including all equipment (sensors, batteries, etc)

3 The awarded Daily Availability Rate shall include all fixed and variable costs (depreciation, salaries, overnight allowances, overhead, etc.) incurred in providing continuous service exclusive of those costs directly attributed to actual flight.

4 Sensors offered shall be listed as E/O and or IR

NOTE: When placed on an order UAS(s) will be available for use Monday through Sunday, including holidays.

B-2 PRINCIPAL BASE OPERATION

Offeror shall enter the location of the “Principle Base of Operation” in accordance with the definitions found in Section C for the offered aircraft. This is the location the aircraft and offeror’s UAS operator would be dispatched from.

Location (Physical Address) State

B-3 Aircraft Performance Specifications

Aircraft Performance Specifications: (minimum) to be used for proposal evaluation purposes:

Small UAS

Capability of a minimum 20 minute flight duration at maximum gross weight with real-time download/downlink capability, or data capture media (SD Card) large enough to record data in the specified format and resolution for the maximum flight duration, in the following conditions:

0 - 32 C temperatures

Minimum Wind Speed of 15 Kts

Capable of flying up to 11,5000 feet density altitude

B-4 AIRCRAFT REQUIREMENTS

Fixed or Rotary wing

Note: Managers may pay up to the Maximum Compliment.

B-5 ACCEPTABLE WORK SCHEDULES (OFFEROR NEEDS TO CHECK ONE)

12/2 12/12 6/1

Note: All Personnel shall be under the same work schedule. Days off schedule may vary.

B-6 OVERNIGHT STANDARD PER DIEM RATE ALLOWANCE

Rates as published in Federal Travel Regulations See Section C

B-7 OPERATIONS IN ALASKA.

Contractor offers the ability to support operations in the following locations:

ALASKA

B-8 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS (Note that exceptions may apply) NOTE: Anything checked will have an Exhibit that applies, a C clause applicable, or CFR Reference.

E/O Sensor (Video)

IR Sensor (Video)

Multispectral Camera (RGBN)

Mode C Transponder (fire management assignments only)

UAS Altimeter

UAS Airspeed Indicator

ADS-B OUT (Required for contracted UAS beginning 1 January 2020)

Automated Flight Following (Desired, but not required)

B-9 Additional Offered Equipment

The Offeror may offer items or services in addition below. Where no provision is made for a daily rate, the cost for furnishing such equipment shall be included in the daily availability rate. Offeror shall provide specifications on the items or services offered. Offered items may be awarded based on the needs of the Government and when prices are determined to be reasonable.

If additional offered equipment is provided by Contractor, see appropriate Exhibits, if applicable.

Daily rates for additional equipment will be paid only if ordered by the CO.

√ Description Capacity Quantity Unit Unit Price

Post-collection processing from raw data to finished product.

Day $

Day $

Day $

Day $

Day $

Day $

Day $

B-10 CONTRACT PILOT QUALIFICATION

Pilots performing on this contract will meet the requirements of Section C12 D and C-20.

Contractors will offer pilots approved or eligible for approval in the mission tasks selected below. All pilots offered may be evaluated in accordance with C12 (b) 2 or when requested by the CO or Washington Office Pilot Standardization Branch.

Pilot with Airman Certificate

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (required for fire assignments only)

Low Level (Recon and Surveillance)

Mountainous Terrain Reconnaissance (Non-Fire)

TBD

TBD

C-1 SCOPE OF CONTRACT

1. The intent of this solicitation and any resultant contract is to obtain services on a Call When Needed (CWN) basis for small UAS fully operated by qualified personnel and equipped to meet specifications for use in administration and protection of Public Lands.

2. The Contractor shall keep and maintain programs necessary to assure safety of ground and flight operations. The development and maintenance of these programs are a material part of the performance of the contract. (See C-20 Synopsis of Safety Program) When, in the sole judgment of the Contracting Officer, the safety programs do not adequately promote the safety of operations, the Government may terminate the contract for cause as provided in the “Contract Terms and Conditions”. Examples of such programs include but are not limited to: 1) Personnel Activities, 2) Maintenance, 3) Safety and 4) Compliance with Regulations.

3. The UAS furnished will be used for fire management incident support and may also be used for resource management, and law enforcement flights. If the contractor agrees to perform law enforcement, such agreement shall be in writing.

4. The Government has Interagency and cooperative agreements with Federal and State Agencies and private landholders. UAS may be dispatched under this contract for such use.

5. The Contracting Officer (CO) may by mutual agreement, release the Contractor from the contract for short periods of time to perform outside work for other Federal, State, or local agencies or private parties. During the period of such release, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) shall not be responsible for any payment or liability.

6. The contractor will keep their individual contracted UAS, respective status, of either “available” or “non-available,” current with the Contracting Officer or their designee and the Forest Service Unmanned Aerial System Program Manager.

C-2 GENERAL CERTIFICATIONS

Pilot in command (PIC) shall hold a current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, the aircraft must be registered with the FAA, comply with 14 CFR Part 107, Part 107 waivers or an applicable Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the FAA.

Airworthiness certification is required in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107 or the contractor’s FAA approved COA. Operators must maintain small UAS in condition for safe operation and must inspect the UAS prior to flight to ensure that it is in a condition for safe operation.

Aircraft Registration is required (same requirements that apply to all other aircraft). The aircraft must be registered with the FAA. Aircraft markings are required. If aircraft is too small to display markings in standard size, then the aircraft needs to display markings in the largest practicable manner.

C-3 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

No Government Furnished Property (GFP) will be provided under this contract.

C-4 AIRCRAFT AND SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

Aircraft Performance Requirements

1. Small UAS (less than 55 lbs) single or multi-engine fixed or rotary wing aircraft are acceptable.

2. Minimum performance is at the aircraft’s maximum gross weight operated within the approved UAS design limitations and according to manufacturer specifications. Capability of a minimum 20 minute flight duration at maximum gross weight with a real-time download/downlink capacity, or data capture media (SD Card) large enough to record data in the specified format and resolution for the maximum flight duration possible, in the following conditions:

a) 0 - 32 degrees Celsius

b) Minimum wind speed of 15 Kts

c) Capable of flying up to 11,500 feet density altitude

3. If multiple aircraft are offered for the same line item (B-1), they shall be of identical make/model, sensor payload and performance.

Contractual Performance Requirements - There are three elements of contractual performance / compliance in this RFP and any awarded contract. Noncompliance or substandard performance in any of these elements is grounds for cancelling a task order.

1. Regulatory compliance- UAS flights for the Forest Service are not performed as Public Aircraft Operations, thereby all flights will comply with 14 CFR Parts 91 and 107 as applicable.

2. Mission Equipment Compliance- The aircraft will have mission equipment requirements and the contractor’s organization (personnel, aircraft and equipment) are required to deliver the product defined in the requirements as specified in the assigned task order. This is independent of Regulatory compliance.

3. Mission Objective Compliance- The aircraft and associated equipment (hardware and software) must deliver the defined product and must do so in time to be useful by the Government. UAS that do not meet the assigned objective will be released from their assignment. This mission objective deadline is broken down into three categories:

a) Category A - Data collected by contracted UAS embedded on the fire line for real time situational awareness.

b) Category B - Data that can be processed post-collection (if offered) in an expedited manner in order to be useful for developing short term tactics to better achieve land management goals. This a window of four (4) hours after data collection where the data is delivered as the required finished product.

The unprocessed data is deliverable immediately after collection.

c) Category C - Data in the required format that is processed post-collection by the contractor (if offered) or Forest Service in order to be useful for developing longer term strategies, detailed analysis of forested lands, wildlife, structures, or another objective as determined by the government. Post collection processed data is deliverable within 3 days of collection unless otherwise agreed to by the contracting officer. The unprocessed data is deliverable immediately after collection.

C-5 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED SMALL UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Aircraft Condition. The aircraft shall be in airworthy condition throughout the performance period. All equipment required for original certification or by the manufacturer shall be installed and operable.

a. All UAS aircraft furnished under this contract shall be operable, free of damage, and in good working order. Aircraft systems and components shall be free of leaks, except within limitations specified by the manufacturer.

b. The UAS aircraft shall be marked in accordance with 14 CFR Part 48.

Exterior finish, including the paint, shall be clean, neat, and in good condition (i.e. no severe fading or large areas of flaking or missing paint etc.). High visibility markings/paint is recommended, such as aviation orange and white.

Any corrosion shall be within manufacturer or FAA acceptable limits.

c. Major modifications or changes from the original manufacturer’s design must be substantiated and documented to ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft.

2. UAS aircraft, pilot, support crew require the following sensor and avionics systems for safe command and control of the UAS and for communications among flight crew, agency and other aircraft in addition to those requirements found in 14 CFR Part 107, or COA. All required sensor and avionics systems shall be furnished, installed, and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and the installation and maintenance standards of 14 CFR Part 107 or the contractor’s COA if applicable. . Requirements listed below for the offered end to end system (UAS, personnel and all required equipment) are required to meet the following when selected in Section B-12.

a. The unmanned aircraft must operate with all position/navigation and anti-collision lights (if equipped) on at all times during flight.

b. A Mode C Transponder reporting pressure altitude is required. The transponder must be tested and inspected every 24 calendar months and shown to comply with Part 43 Appendix E(c) and Appendix F.

c. A GPS Unit is required for asset tracking, navigation. When required in Section B airspeed and altitude indications may be derived by GPS. Operations that use GPS for navigation must check Receive Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) notices prior to flight operations. Flight into a GPS test area or degraded RAIM is prohibited for those aircraft that use GPS as their sole means of navigation.

d. An Automated Flight Following (AFF) system is desirable, but not required.

e. Operations shall be line of sight unless authorized in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107 waivers or a COA. Semi-autonomous operation may be authorized if necessary for aircraft to stay on the approved predetermined flight plan.

f. Crew communications system in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107, or the contractor’s COA for pilot and crew, including contractor visual observers (VO), must have the ability to communicate with each other and the USFS-assigned Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Project Inspector (PI). The Agency COR or PI shall provide communications to Agency Dispatch (USFS mobile and hand held radio required).

Refer to list of NIFC-approved radios https://www.nifc.gov/NIICD/documents.html .

https://www.nifc.gov/NIICD/documents.html

COMMUNICATIONS; the contractor shall:

1. Follow FAA procedures in accordance with 14 CFR Parts 91 and107.

2. Communicate with U.S. Forest Service dispatch before, during and after flights.

3. Ensure all transceiver operational controls shall be in a location convenient to PIC and other contractor personnel.

4. Cooperate with USFS COR / PI to maintain communication with agency dispatch and other aircraft as necessary.

5. Understand AM radio is not required unless communications with FAA are a condition of the contractor’s COA or Part 107 waiver.

g. Lost link procedures programed into the system that ensure it:

1. Will return the UAS to the programmed “home” location and land.

2. Will include pre-programmed rally and home waypoints for the center of each location where flight operations are being conducted.

3. Will not transit or orbit over populated areas, Victor airways, or busy roadways / interstate highways. Daily operational risk assessment shall include mitigation for landing prior to crossing prohibited areas (e.g.

programmable emergency landing sites) rather than returning directly “home” as appropriate, based on the portion of the area being operated at.

4. Will be programmed to remain within the designated operations area and altitude, avoid unexpected turn around and/or altitude changes, and will provide sufficient time to communicate with Agency dispatch and ATC as necessary.

h. Lost communications: In the event of loss of communication in excess of the requirements of 14 CFR Part 107 between pilot and VO, the mission will be terminated immediately and the aircraft returned to the home location to land without delay.

i. Emergency / Fly-away procedures:

1. In the event of an emergency, the PIC will immediately contact the COR / PI

/ Agency dispatch and, if appropriate, the ATC facility with jurisdiction over the airspace.

2. In the event of a fly-away, communicate last known location, altitude, direction of flight, flight speed, maximum remaining flight time to Agency dispatch and, if required, to ATC as outlined in the contractor’s COA.

j. ADS-B OUT systems must meet the performance requirements in TSO-C154c or TSO-C166b.

3. Sensor and associated Equipment Requirements -

a. Primary Sensor. Primary Sensor equipment provided by the Contractor shall meet the following requirements:

i. Approved under 14 CFR Part 107 or the contractor’s COA and provided in the Contractor’s response.

ii. Any modification to the sensor package will require documentation in the log book and a new airworthiness inspection.

iii. All data or documentation pertinent for these installations or alterations shall be available for review by the Forest Service prior to contract award.

iv. Multi-axis stabilized gimbal must conform to the Motion Imagery Standards Board (MISB) standards. Standards can be found at:

http://www.gwg.nga.mil/misb/ http://www.gwg.nga.mil/misb/

v. The Video National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (Video-NIIRS) of the video imagery shall be Video-NIIRS 10 (1.7 cm) or 11 (0.8 cm). The benchmark Video-NIIRS is 5 (52.8 cm). These values are from the MISB RP 1203.3, Video Interpretability and Quality Measurement and Prediction, dated 27 Feb. 2014.

vi. Metadata will need to be interpolated by the vendor to approximate frame-by frame representation of the information. MISB RP 1203.3, Video Interpretability and Quality Measurement and Prediction, dated 27 Feb.

2014.

vii. When flying at <400 ft. AGL the sensor shall achieve the following:

a. Acquire stereo imagery suitable for structure from motion (SFM) products, with nominal >=80% forward overlap and >=60% side overlap.

b. Capture Ground Sample Distance (GSD) of SIX (6) cm or less.

Within this document GSD is used when referring to the collection GSD of the raw image, assuming near-vertical imagery. The actual GSD of each pixel is not uniform throughout the raw image and varies significantly with terrain height and other factors. Within this document, GSD is assumed to be the value computed using the calibrated camera focal length and camera height above average horizontal terrain.

c. Multiple flights are acceptable for merged products.

d. Four band imagery (red, green, blue, and near-infrared)

1) Optional: Government will consider proposals including imagery collected by sensors with shortwave infrared capabilities (up to 2500 nanometers) in addition to visible and near infrared.

2) If more than one lens and more than one shutter are used in the camera, the difference in radiometric values between two panchromatic or two multi-spectral sensors shall be less than ±5%. Band-to-Band registration accuracy shall not exceed 1 pixel. This shouldn’t be an issue unless a vendor is selected that uses a multi-camera/multi-lens array, or one that has SWIR capability as a separate camera.

4. Vertical (Nadir) Imagery

a) Exposures shall be made when the optical axis of the digital sensor is in a vertical position. The Contractor shall not acquire imagery when the tilt (departure from the vertical) of any exposure exceeding four degrees (4º) or relative tilt between any two successive exposures exceeding six degrees (6º). Tilt shall not average more than 2 degrees (2º) in any 16 km (10 mile) section of a flight line and shall not average more than 1 degree (1º) for the entire project.

b) Crab: any series of two or more images shall not be crabbed in excess of five degrees (5º) as measured between images in a line and between adjoining lines.

c) Image acquisition shall be conducted during wind speeds that minimize tree movement and maximize data quality; in no case greater than 15 kts.

d) Digital imagery should be provided uncompressed and orthocorrected with minimal processing to a non-camera specific file format, such as Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), 12-bit or greater dynamic range per band.

i. The camera’s sensor shall capture and record a minimum of 12-bits of dynamic range per color channel. If more than one lens and more than one shutter are used in the camera, the difference in radiometric values between two panchromatic or two multi-spectral sensors shall be less than ±5%. For example, a 12-bit image shall not have more than ±205 difference in gray values.

e) Georeferenced within two feet Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE).

X-Y plane at a 95% confidence level (489.5 cm) utilizing Root Mean Square Error statistics; American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) 2014 200 cm class or equivalent to the legacy ASPRS 1990 standard of Class 2 for one (1) meter orthoimagery pixels.

http://www.asprs.org/PADDivision/Map-Accuracy- Standards-Working- Group.html

f) GeoTIFF format required for structure from motion that the USFS requires to successfully analyze biometrics.

g) Processing and analysis of these data and imagery shall be accomplished by the USFS and/or its cooperators; contractor-required output data/imagery. The data and imagery will be used to create large scale digital orthomosaics, stereo pairs, block files, point clouds and digital surface models (DSMs) and other photogrammetry and analytical products.

h) The Contractor will be furnished upon the issue of a Task Order one (1) Esri® compatible shapefile containing the project boundary for each Project Item awarded. Due to the unique footprint of digital sensors the Contractor is responsible for the complete stereo coverage acquisition of the shapefile area, including the boundaries.

i) Geographic Extent. Imagery shall cover the entire image area, including the required minimum buffer on all four sides. Extents shall be computed by projecting the geographic corners and side midpoints to the appropriate projection, then adding the buffer on each side of the resulting minimum bounding rectangle.

j) Tile sizes shall be manageable, 300 Mb to 1.0 Gb each.

5. Sensor’s Operational Graphic User Interface (software)

a) Contractor shall establish flightlines on a grid to provide specified coverage and products and provided as an Esri® shapefile prior to the image acquisition flight(s).

b) While in operation, the Contractor’s platform command/control interface shall provide continuous updates of aircraft location and sensor Field of View (FOV) footprint relative to reference map information (e.g. fire perimeter map, topographic map, aerial imagery map, etc.).

c) Targeted Deliverable Products. The software shall provide the following:

i. Raw mission imagery and vector datasets

ii. Extractable georeferenced raster imagery datasets of the subject area.

iii. Attributed vector data sets displaying flightlines and image footprints.

6. Data Recording and Storage

a) The US Forest Service is the sole owner of any data (documents, imagery, audio, metadata, telemetry, etc.) collected during any contracted mission and maintains complete control of use and distribution.

b) The Contractor shall assign to the Government the copyright in all sensor data the Contractor generates through its performance of this contract.

Sensor data includes any data generated by payloads during the performance of contract requirements.

c) The Contractor does not retain any rights in the sensor data, including disclosure rights. The Contractor cannot disclose the sensor data without the express written consent of a Government contracting officer.

d) Motion imagery vector data must be in a codec or have the ability to be exported to a nonproprietary or open source codec that can be ingested by GIS and Microsoft products.

7. Frequency and Data Link Security

a) Must meet FAA spectrum requirements and Part 107 or COA if http://www.asprs.org/PADDivision/Map-Accuracy-Standards-Working-Group.html http://www.asprs.org/PADDivision/Map-Accuracy-Standards-Working-Group.html http://www.asprs.org/PADDivision/Map-Accuracy-Standards-Working-Group.html applicable; the ISM band is acceptable unless superseded by FAA and Agency spectrum plan.

i. Uplink control frequency shall be a secure digital data link at 900 MHz ISM Band with 256 bit encryption

ii. Downlink frequency shall be a secure digital data link at 2.4 GHz and/or 5.8 GHz ISM Bands and/or 900 MHz with 256 bit encryption

C- 6 AVIONICS INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE STANDARDS

1) All avionics systems in or on the UAS, ground station and or used by flight crew for this contract and their installation and maintenance shall comply with all manufacturers’ specifications and applicable Federal Aviation Regulations contained within 14 CFR and as required in the Contractor’s COA if applicable.

2) Labeling and marking of all avionics controls and equipment shall be clear, understandable, legible, and permanent. Electronic label maker marking is acceptable.

3) Avionics equipment mounting location, installation and head gear shall not interfere with crew or operator safety, space, and comfort.

4) ADS-B will be required for all contracted UAS beginning on 1 January, 2020.

5) Automated Flight Following is desired, but not required for this contract cycle.

C-7 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

1) The UAS must be shown to be airworthy to conduct flight operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). The contractor shall make its own determination that the UAS is airworthy.

The UAS shall be operated in strict compliance with all provisions and conditions contained in the Airworthiness Safety Release, including all documents and provisions referenced in a COA application. The Contractor shall provide or arrange for sufficient maintenance capability to keep the aircraft in airworthy condition.

2) Configuration control program for hardware and/or software must be in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107, other applicable Parts, and the contractor’s COA.

3) Major modifications or changes, performed under a COA, or other authorizations that could potentially affect the safe operation of the UAS must be documented and provided to the FAA in the form of a new AWR, and available to the Forest Service.

4) All previously flight proven systems to include payloads, may be installed or removed as required, and those actions recorded in the unmanned aircraft and ground control stations logbooks by persons authorized to conduct UAS maintenance. Describe any payload equipment configurations in the UAS logbook that will result in a change to weight and balance, electrical loads, and or flight dynamics, that could affect safe operations.

5) For UAS maintenance discrepancies, a record entry shall be made by an appropriately trained and rated person to document the finding in the logbook. No flights may be conducted following major changes, modifications or new installations unless the party responsible for certifying airworthiness has determined the system is safe to operate in the NAS and a new AWR is generated, unless the contractor has a formal process, accepted by the FAA. The successful completion of these tests must be recorded in the appropriate logbook.

6) Aircraft components and accessories shall not be operated beyond any manufacturer established Time Between Overhaul (TBO).

7) Compliance with applicable mandatory manufacturer's service bulletins, alert service bulletins, and safety of flight bulletins; FAA Airworthiness Directives (AD); and the correction of maintenance deficiencies shall be accomplished prior to delivery and continue during contract period of performance.

8) All maintenance shall be accomplished in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and in accordance with those procedures established in the approved Contractor's maintenance program.

9) A copy of the current maintenance record required shall be kept at the Home Base or maintenance facility.

10) A test flight shall be performed following overhaul, repair, and replacement of any engine, power train, or control equipment, and following any adjustment of the on-board or remote flight control systems before the aircraft resumes service under this contract. Test flights shall be conducted outside of this contract, under contractor’s operational control and at the contractor’s expense.

The result of any test flight shall be logged in the aircraft flight records by the Pilot. Results of test flights shall be reported to the U.S. Forest Service Aircraft Maintenance Inspector (AMI) before the aircraft is returned to contract availability.

11) When any non-scheduled maintenance or repairs are performed due to mechanical or equipment deficiencies, a Forest Service AMI and the Contracting Officer (CO) shall be notified for "return to contract available” status, before the UAS resumes performance under the contract.

12) The aircraft’s required weight and balance data shall be determined by actual weighing of the aircraft, or when modifications are made to the UAS that affect weight, whichever comes first.

C-8 SERVICE VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

1) The servicing vehicle shall be capable of driving over rough mountainous terrain to include grades of up to 9%.

2) Servicing vehicles shall be properly maintained, cleaned, and reliable.

3) The Service vehicle should contain all necessary equipment to maintain the UAS to full operational condition.

4) Contractor Personnel shall have the following available on the Service Vehicle:

a) The contract and all modifications.

b) Fire extinguishers must meet minimum capacity and rating standards, shall be maintained in accordance with current NFPA 10 standards and mounted with a quick release attachment accessible to vehicle operators and flight crew.

i. All service vehicles operated by the Contractor on National Forest lands shall be equipped with one fire extinguisher having a UL rating of at least 5-B:C and one ‘D’ handled or long handled round point shovel size ‘O’ or larger. In addition, each service vehicle and UAS launch/recovery site shall be equipped with a double-bit axe or Pulaski, 3-1/2 lbs or larger.

ii. The contractor is responsible to notify the USFS if any contractor operations have caused a fire and for any response to that fire.

c) First Aid Kit (Aeronautical). First aid kit shall be in a dust-proof and moisture-proof container. The kit shall be readily accessible to the Pilot and crew. At a minimum, the contents shall include the following items:

Item Description Quantity

Adhesive bandage strips (3 inches long) 8

Antiseptic or alcohol wipes (packets) 10

Bandage compresses, (4 inches) 4

Triangular bandage compresses, 40 inch (sling) 2

Roller bandage, 4 inch x 5 yards (gauze) 2

Adhesive tape, 1 inch x 5 yards (standard roll) 1

Bandage scissors 1

Body Fluids Barrier Kit: 1

2-pair of non-latex surgical gloves

1-face shield

1-mouth-to-mouth barrier

1-protective gown

2-antiseptic towelettes

1-biohazard disposal bag

Notes: Splints are recommended if space permits.

C-9 AIRCRAFT AND EQUIPMENT SECURITY

1) The security of Contractor provided aircraft and equipment is the responsibility of the Contractor.

2) The UAS shall be electrically and/or mechanically disabled by two independent security systems whenever the aircraft is unattended. Deactivating security systems shall be incorporated into preflight checklists to prevent accidental damage to the aircraft or interfere with safety of flight.

3) Examples of Unacceptable disabling systems are:

a) Locked inside vehicle and in view; and/or

b) Fenced parking areas.

4) Examples of Acceptable Locking Devices and Methods for the UAS including control station are identified below. Utilization of other means of securing or disabling an aircraft are acceptable provided they achieve a level of security equal to or greater than the following examples methods.

a) Keyed to Starter Switch

b) Secured in a locked case

c) Hidden Battery Cut-Off Switches

d) Locking or password protected control station

C-10 OPERATIONS

1) General

a. Regardless of any status as a public aircraft operation, the Contractor shall operate in accordance with all portions of 14 CFR 39, 43, 48, 61, 91, 107 (including those portions applicable to civil aircraft) and applicable COA, and each certification required under this Contract unless otherwise authorized by the Government.

b. A Government Representative, Aviation Manager or Flight Manager may inspect the Pilot’s Interagency Airplane Pilot Qualification Card for currency before any flight. The UAS Flight Manager has mission control and can delay, terminate, or cancel a flight at any time.

c. The aircraft may not be operated at a speeds exceeding manufacturer recommendation, Part 107 or COA, whichever is less.

d. A maximum of one unmanned aircraft will be controlled from a single control station by one pilot at a time.

e. Deployment shall be timed to optimize data capture during biological window at discretion of the Government during timeframes specified in B-2.

f. Sensor shall be capable of capturing 6 cm GSD or smaller from 400 feet AGL or less; image and data products shall include 4 Band imagery, digital format with 12-bit or greater dynamic range and georeferenced within 2 feet RMSE, collected for stereo continuous coverage; up to two flights may be required for merged products, and final delivery to the Government shall be within one week of the last flight.

g. The Agency COR / PI shall be available to coordinate communications with agency dispatch as necessary and identified in the Project Aviation Safety Plan (PASP). The PASP shall include radio frequencies for flight following, ground to air, and air to air. Flight following at a minimum requires the contractor’s ability to communicate 15 minute radio checks and position reports over Forest Service frequencies to Agency dispatch, a USFS Agency COR / PI will be available on the project to facilitate flight following communications between the contractor and dispatch. Any variance must be approved in advance within the PASP.

h. Contractor navigation, collision avoidance and lost link procedures shall be in accordance with Part 107, or the contractor’s COA and include any additional mitigation identified in the risk assessment for the PASP. Operations (including lost link procedures) must not be conducted over populated areas, heavily trafficked roads, or an open-air assembly of people. Data downlink, encryption to protect command and control, and communications to air traffic control (ATC) shall be in accordance with Part 107 or contractor’s COA and is the responsibility of the contractor.

2. Pilot Authority and Responsibilities

i. The Pilot-In-Command (PIC) is responsible for the safety of the UAS and area of operation. Responsibility and authority of PIC is described by 14 CFR 91.3 unless superseded by the contractor’s COA covering this project, 14 CFR 107 or other current FAA rules. The Pilot shall comply with the directions of the Government, except when in the Pilot's judgment compliance will be a violation of applicable federal or state regulations or contract provisions. The Pilot has final authority to determine whether the flight can be accomplished safely and shall refuse any flight or landing which is considered hazardous or unsafe.

j. The PIC position may rotate duties as necessary with equally qualified pilots. The individual designated as PIC may change during flight.

k. The Pilot is responsible for computing the weight and balance for all flights and for assuring that the gross weight and center of gravity do not exceed the aircraft's limitations.

l. The PIC shall conduct a pre-takeoff briefing prior to each launch and will contain, but is not limited to, the following elements:

i. Contents of the COA, if applicable.

ii. Altitudes and route(s) to be flown.

iii. Mission overview.

iv. Frequencies to be used.

v. Flight time, including fuel reserve requirements.

vi. Contingency procedures for lost link, divert and flight termination

(return home points/emergency landing, etc.).

vii. Hazards unique to the project area.

viii. Launch and recovery distance required vs. available space in predetermined and mutually agreed zones.

ix. A subsequent takeoff performance briefing will be conducted if during the day a takeoff is performed from a launch/recovery zone with a higher density altitude than originally planned. Under no circumstances will a launch be attempted if existing environment conditions at takeoff cannot be accurately addressed in the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) or Pilots Operating Handbook (POH).

x. First Aid Kits

xi. Personal Protective Equipment

xii. Location and use of Fire Extinguishers and Fire Tools

(Note: Pilots shall refer to Five Steps to a Safe Flight card (FS 5700-16/AMD-103))

m. No equipment such as sensors, telemetry, communications, etc., shall be located in or on the aircraft in such a manner as to potentially cause damage, injury, or obstruct the operation of equipment or personnel.

n. A Forest Service approved UAS checklist shall be used for all flight operations.

o. UAS shall not operate in known instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

p. Use of cell phones or other electronic devices is restricted to communications pertinent to the operational control of the UAS and any required communications with Air Traffic Control or Agency dispatch.

q. Smoking is prohibited within 50-feet of combustible fuel (if used) servicing vehicle, fueling equipment, launch/recovery zones and ground control station.

r. Night Flying/Operations are not authorized; UAS must be operated during civil daylight 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset.

s. The Pilot shall not permit any cargo to be loaded unless authorized by the

Government

t. Sterile Cockpit Procedures:

i. Critical phases of flight include all ground operations involving

a. Taxi (movement of an aircraft under its own power on the surface of an airport)

b. Take-off and landing (launch or recovery)

c. All other flight operations in which safety or mission accomplishment might be compromised by distractions

ii. No crewmember may perform any duties during a critical phase of flight not required for the safe operation of the aircraft.

m. The PIC may not engage in or permit any activity during a critical phase of flight which could distract any crewmember from the performance of his/her duties or interfere with the proper conduct of those duties. Authorized activities include, but are not limited to, operating UAS sensors or other payload systems.

n. See-and-Avoid: unmanned aircraft have no on-board pilot to perform see-and-avoid responsibilities; therefore, when operating outside of active special use airspace (SUA; restricted and prohibited) approved for aviation activities, provisions must be made to ensure an equivalent level of safety exists for unmanned operations. Adherence to 14 CFR Part 91 §91.111 and §91.113 is required.

a. The PIC and/or contractor’s flight crew are responsible at all times for collision avoidance with all aviation activities and the safety of persons or property on the surface with respect to the UAS.

b. UAS pilots will ensure there is a safe operating distance between other aviation activities and unmanned aircraft at all times.

c. Any crew member responsible for performing see-and-avoid requirements for the UA must have and maintain instantaneous communication with the PIC.

d. Visual observers must be used at all times:

e. The PIC is responsible to ensure visual observers are:

i. Able to see the aircraft and the surrounding airspace throughout the entire flight, and

ii. Able to provide the PIC with the aircraft’s flight path, and proximity to all aviation activities and other hazards (e.g., terrain, weather, structures) sufficiently to exercise effective control to:

a. Comply with CFR § 91.111 and § 91.113, and

b. Prevent the UAS from creating a collision hazard.

f. Observers must be able to communicate clearly to the pilot any instructions required to remain clear of conflicting traffic, using standard phraseology as listed in the Aeronautical Information Manual when practical.

o. A PIC may rotate duties as necessary to fulfill operational requirements; a PIC must be designated at all times. A procedure for transfer of controls must be part of the Pilot Operations Handbook.

p. The required number of ground observers will be in place during flight operations.

q. To maintain line of sight, portable scaffolding at ground control and/or the use of multiple successive observers (daisy chaining) may be authorized only if in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107 or applicable COA, and approved by the

USFS.

r. The dropping or spraying of aircraft stores, or carrying of hazardous materials

(including ordnance) is prohibited.

s. Pilots are responsible for flight following in accordance with Forest Service approved flight following procedures.

t. Prior to any takeoff, the PIC shall provide the appropriate Forest Service COR / PI in the field and dispatch office/coordination center with current PAYLOAD information.

u. Transportation of Hazardous Material (HazMat) is not authorized.

v. The following is for information only. Changes to mission profile occur regularly.

Flights will occur below 400 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) in mountainous terrain, unless superseded by the FAA issued Certificate of Authorization (COA). A grid flight pattern shall be used and flown from one side to the other of a designated area following a GPS route (predetermined heading) with waypoints.

The flight path will be offset to maintain data/imagery overlap and the reverse heading flown to maintain parallel lines. This pattern is repeated until the designated area is surveyed.

C-11 PERSONNEL

Pilot Experience Requirements. The PIC shall hold a current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) R e m o t e P i l o t certificate with a small UAS rating at a minimum. PIC must also meet the flight review requirements specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

Flight Hours Experience

Fixed or Rotor UAS Flying hours

Total time 10

Pilot-in-command total (may include instruction) 2

Pilot-in-command (solo) 5

Category and class of UAS to be flown 10

Cross Country 2

Operations in low level mountainous terrain* 5

Make & Model to be flown 10

Make & Model - preceding 12 months 5

*Low level mountainous terrain is flight at 2500 feet AGL and below in terrain identified as mountainous in 14 CFR 95.11 and depicted in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Figure 5-6-2.

(a) Each PIC shall, at the discretion of the Government, pass a Government evaluation flight (not to exceed 2-hours and include 3 launches and recovery).

(b) The PIC shall be capable of performing basic programming functions and operations of contractor installed avionics in aircraft, communications and control vehicle, or mobile operations base. This includes the ability to enter and utilize newly assigned frequencies and tones by selected channel positions as identified in the project aviation safety plan. The PIC shall be able to instruct the Agency COR / PI in how to perform basic programming and operation of VHF-AM and VHF- FM radios, and GPS as needed upon request.

(c) All UAS Pilots shall possess and carry a current Interagency Airplane Pilot

Qualification Card in accordance with the Schedule of Items.

(d) All UAS Pilots shall speak English fluently.

(e) Fire Shelter training. (Fire assignment only).

C-12 CONDUCT AND REPLACEMENT OF PERSONNEL

a. Performance of Contract services may involve work and/or residence on Federal property.

Contractor employees are expected to follow the rules of conduct established by the manager of such facilities that apply to all Government or non-Government personnel working or residing on such facilities. The Contractor may be required to replace employees who are found to be in noncompliance with Government facility rules of conduct.

b. Personnel, who perform ineffectively, refuse to cooperate in the fulfillment of the

Contract objectives, are unable or unwilling to adapt to field living conditions, or whose general performance is unsatisfactory or otherwise disruptive may be required to be replaced at the Contractor’s expense.

c. The CO shall notify the Contractor of specifics of the unsatisfactory conduct and/or performance by the Contractor's personnel. The determination of unacceptability is at the sole discretion of the CO. When directed by the CO, the Contractor shall replace unacceptable personnel.

C-13 SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION OF PERSONNEL

a. The Government may suspend a Contractor pilot who fails to follow safe operating practices, does ineffective work, or exhibits conduct detrimental to the purpose for which contracted, or is under suspension or revocation by another government agency.

b. Upon involvement in an Aircraft Accident or NTSB Reportable Incident (see 49 CFR Part

830), a Pilot operating under this contract shall be suspended from performing Pilot duties under this contract and any other activity authorized under the Interagency Pilot Qualification Card(s) issued to the Pilot pending the investigation outcome.

c. Upon involvement in an Incident with Potential as defined under mishaps, a Pilot operating under this contract may be suspended from performing Pilot duties under this contract and any other activity authorized under the Interagency Pilot Qualification Card(s) issued to the Pilot pending the incident investigation outcome.

d. When a Pilot is suspended, and when requested, the Interagency Pilot Qualification

Card(s) shall be surrendered to the Government. Suspension will continue until:

i. The investigation findings and decision indicate no further suspension is required and the Interagency Pilot Qualification Card(s) is returned to the Pilot.

OR

ii. Revocation action to cancel the interagency pilot authorization(s) is taken by the issuing agency in accordance with agency procedures.

C-14 SUBSTITUTION OR REPLACEMENT OF PERSONNEL, AIRCRAFT, AND EQUIPMENT

a. The Contractor may substitute or replace aircraft or equipment equal to or greater than contract awarded performance after receipt of written approval by the Government.

b. Request for substitution shall be made at least 10 (ten) days prior to the proposed exchange, except for unforeseen conditions.

c. When Pilots are exchanged or replaced, training and familiarization costs, including any required flight time up to 3 (three) hours, shall be accomplished at the Contractor’s expense. The Government will determine the necessary amount of flight time up to 3 hours. This is not intended to affect cross- shifting of Pilots that are familiar with the operating area or to affect approved relief Pilots.

C-15 RELIEF PILOT

The Contractor may furnish a relief crew to meet the days off requirement in accordance with the ‘Flight Hour and Duty Limitations’ clause. Payment will be made in accordance with the ‘Transportation of Relief Pilot’ clause. Approval to furnish relief crews and costs for transporting relief crews will be approved in advance by the Government.