Arctic Exercise (ARCEX) 2025-Arctic Pioneering Air Charter Services
Closed Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- HTC711-25-Q-CC02
- Agency
-
United States Transportation Command
Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 481211 Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation
- Place of performance
- Prudhoe Bay, Alaska 99734, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of Defense United States Transportation Command is seeking air charter services for the Arctic Exercise (ARCEX) 2025, specifically for pioneering air operations in the Arctic region. The contract requires a specialized aircraft capable of conducting initial landings on ungroomed sea ice between 100-225 nautical miles from Deadhorse Airport in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Contractors must provide an aircraft with a minimum five-hour endurance, ability to land within 2,000 feet (preferably 1,000 feet), payload capacity of at least 2,000 lbs, and room for a minimum of four passengers. The evaluation will use a best value trade-off approach, with technical factors such as air operator capability, pilot experience, and aircraft capability considered significantly more important than price. Quotes are due by January 31, 2025, at 12:00 PM Central Time, with contract performance scheduled for February 21-26, 2025.
The solicitation is not set aside for any specific group and is open to qualified commercial air operators. The contract guarantees 24 flight hours with potential for up to 30 hours, structured as a firm-fixed-price hourly rate contract. Contractors must obtain approval from the DoD Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB) and be registered in SAM.gov. The aircraft will support the U.S. Navy's Undersea Warfighting Development Center Detachment Arctic Submarine Laboratory, conducting pioneering landings to facilitate scientific research and operations. Pilots must have specific experience with pioneering landings on sea ice and will work under the guidance of Navy representatives. The place of performance is Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, with operations extending to sea ice locations approximately 100-225 nautical miles north of Deadhorse Airport.
Notice text
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
NOTE: This is the primary ARCEX 2025 requirement; the requirement under RFQ HTC711-25-Q-CC03 is in addition to this requirement.
Contract for Air Charter Services will be contingent upon air operator’s approval from the DoD Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB). The aircraft will conduct operations from Deadhorse Airport (IATA: SCC/ICAO: PASC) and support flights to ice floes approximately 100 nautical miles (NM) to 225 NM from the airport in the northern direction (i.e. this is one-way distance from Deadhorse Airport and there is no fuel available en route or at the target ice floe). The aircraft must be equipped with GPS, navigation, and communication equipment. Air Operators are expected to procure fuel for their aircraft.
Contractor shall conduct charter aircraft service to cover a Pioneering Landing. The Pioneering Landing flight is the aircraft that conducts the initial landing on the sea-ice; there is no person on the ice at this time, the snow/ice is not groomed for a runway or skiway, and no measured ice thickness is available (although predicted ice thickness may be available). The plane may use wheels, skis, or a combination and have endurance minimum of five hours to travel to various ice floes, which have been selected by the Navy through satellite imagery analysis, approximately 100 NM to 225 NM from Deadhorse Airport (SCC) in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The aircraft must be able to operate without a groomed runway. The aircraft operator and pilots must have experience with Pioneering Landings. The aircraft must be able to take off and land on the sea-ice in under 2,000 feet but a distance of 1,000 feet or less is highly preferred.
The aircraft shall accommodate at least four passengers, although the capability to accommodate more passengers is preferred. The experienced pilot will select a suitable landing site on the ice with the guidance and concurrence from the Navy’s representative (which may be a DoD employee or contractor with Pioneering experience). The aircraft must provide payload capacity for at least 2,000 lbs. to accommodate personnel and equipment. Navy representatives may bring ice augers, scientific equipment, communications equipment, emergency survival gear, electrical generators, and shelters. The Navy representative will provide survival gear (e.g. survival tent, insulated air pads, sleeping bags, Iridium phones with GPS) to accommodate passengers.
It is expected that the aircraft will remain on the sea-ice for approximately 1 – 2 hours during Pioneering Flights to conduct ice surveys.
Period of performance is 21 through 26 February 2025. Maximum of 30 hours. Minimum of 24 hours.
Update #1 ·
Contract for Air Charter Services will be contingent upon air operator’s approval from the DoD Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB). The aircraft will conduct operations from Deadhorse Airport (IATA: SCC/ICAO: PASC) and support flights to ice floes approximately 100 nautical miles (NM) to 225 NM from the airport in the northern direction (i.e. this is one-way distance from Deadhorse Airport and there is no fuel available en route or at the target ice floe). The aircraft must be equipped with GPS, navigation, and communication equipment. Air Operators are expected to procure fuel for their aircraft.
Contractor shall conduct charter aircraft service to cover a Pioneering Landing. The Pioneering Landing flight is the aircraft that conducts the initial landing on the sea-ice; there is no person on the ice at this time, the snow/ice is not groomed for a runway or skiway, and no measured ice thickness is available (although predicted ice thickness may be available). The plane may use wheels, skis, or a combination and have endurance minimum of five hours to travel to various ice floes, which have been selected by the Navy through satellite imagery analysis, approximately 100 NM to 225 NM from Deadhorse Airport (SCC) in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The aircraft must be able to operate without a groomed runway. The aircraft operator and pilots must have experience with Pioneering Landings. The aircraft must be able to take off and land on the sea-ice in under 2,000 feet but a distance of 1,000 feet or less is highly preferred.
The aircraft shall accommodate at least four passengers, although the capability to accommodate more passengers is preferred. The experienced pilot will select a suitable landing site on the ice with the guidance and concurrence from the Navy’s representative (which may be a DoD employee or contractor with Pioneering experience). The aircraft must provide payload capacity for at least 2,000 lbs. to accommodate personnel and equipment. Navy representatives may bring ice augers, scientific equipment, communications equipment, emergency survival gear, electrical generators, and shelters. The Navy representative will provide survival gear (e.g. survival tent, insulated air pads, sleeping bags, Iridium phones with GPS) to accommodate passengers.
It is expected that the aircraft will remain on the sea-ice for approximately 1 – 2 hours during Pioneering Flights to conduct ice surveys.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFQ_25-Q-CC02_ARCEX 2025_Information_Sheet_20241231.docx | DOCX document | |
| Attachment 1-ARCEX 2025- Air Charter PWS-Pioneering Capable.docx | DOCX document | |
| Appendix A-Past Performance Reference Information Sheet.pdf |
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