SOLICITATION NOTICE INTENT TO AWARD.docx

This is a Solicitation Notice Intent to Award issued by the State of Nebraska, Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Materiel Division, and State Purchasing Bureau (SPB), in support of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for wildfire suppression operations. The State seeks one (1) Exclusive Use (EU) Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) equipped with a fully equipped fuel service/support vehicle, qualified pilots, and a support driver. The aircraft must be a turbine-powered SEAT currently listed on the US Department of Interior On-Call SEAT Source List, with pilots certified at Level I or Level II by the Bureau of Land Management, United States Forestry Service, or Office of Aviation Services. The solicitation opened on December 18, 2025, with electronic responses due at 2:00 PM Central Time on that same date. The State intends to award the contract to New Frontier Aviation, Inc., with an anticipated vendor start date of June 4, 2026. The initial contract term is two years, with options to renew for three additional one-year periods. The SEAT must maintain a minimum availability of sixty (60) days annually at bases located in Chadron, Alliance, Scottsbluff, and Valentine, Nebraska.

Evaluation of proposals will be based on a comprehensive scoring methodology allocating 30 points for Corporate Overview, 50 points for Technical Response, and 20 points for Cost, with all mandatory requirements subject to satisfaction for consideration. The compensation structure includes flight hour fees limited to 8 hours per day, standby costs, support truck mileage, relief crew management expenses, mobilization and demobilization fees, and per diem rates calculated according to current federal government regulations. The State will provide fire retardant material, and the contract is contingent upon funding availability. No specific incumbent vendors are identified, and the solicitation does not explicitly mention set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Bidders must submit a complete response including a Corporate Overview, Technical Response, Completed Cost Sheet, Completed Solicitation Sections II through IV, and a signed Contractual Agreement Form.