BIA Exclusive Use Amphibious Single Engine Scooper

The Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center is soliciting proposals for exclusive use amphibious single engine scooper (SES) flight services to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Bemidji, Minnesota. The procurement seeks one single-engine, amphibious water scooping aircraft capable of dispensing water and fire retardant for fire suppression missions. The aircraft must meet specific performance specifications including a minimum 1,600 shaft horsepower engine, 799-gallon tank capacity, cruise airspeed of at least 140 knots, and ability to operate from a 5,000-foot gravel runway. The contractor must provide a pilot-in-command, relief pilot, fuel servicing vehicle, and support vehicle to conduct operations during the fire season, estimated at approximately 60 days annually from April 14 through June 12. The solicitation will be awarded as a single-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with proposals due on January 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM PST, and contract award anticipated in early 2026.

This is an unrestricted procurement with no small business set-aside designation, though the NAICS code 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry) carries a $34 million size standard. The contract period runs for five years from February 1, 2026, through January 31, 2031, with a maximum contract value of $10,000,000, to be paid through daily availability rates and flight hour rates proposed by the offeror. Pricing will also include additional pay items for various services. No incumbent contractor is identified in the solicitation documents. The Service Contract Act applies, with prevailing wage determinations for aviation-related occupations including Airplane Pilot at $39.08 per hour and First Officer at $35.58 per hour. The place of performance is Bemidji, Minnesota, where the aircraft will be based to support BIA fire suppression operations throughout the regional area.