Air Sampling Flights - Estevan Point, BC Canada

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Department of Commerce, is seeking to procure air sampling flights at Estevan Point, BC Canada through a sole-source acquisition. The procurement involves atmospheric air sampling using a small aircraft-based collection system to maintain scientific measurement time series for NOAA's research program at GML Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network sites. NOAA intends to award a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Bella Coola Air, LTD, which has been conducting these specialized research flights since 2010 and possesses unique qualifications including appropriate aircraft, qualified pilots, and proven capability to install and operate government meteorological instrumentation. The procurement will proceed as a direct negotiation under FAR 13.501, and while other firms may express interest, the government retains discretion to proceed with the sole-source award. The due date for this pre-solicitation notice is August 30, 2025.

This procurement does not include any small business set-aside designations and identifies Bella Coola Air, LTD as the incumbent contractor that has been performing these services since 2010. The total contract value is $58,302.00 for a performance period spanning one year from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026. The contractor will use their own aircraft equipped with meteorological instruments to conduct the atmospheric sampling flights at the specified Canadian location. The sole-source justification is based on Bella Coola Air's established track record, specialized equipment capabilities, and unique positioning to continue the uninterrupted scientific data collection required for NOAA's greenhouse gas reference network operations.