EU Helicopter Flight Services

The Department of the Interior through the Interior Business Center is procuring exclusive use helicopter flight services for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks through solicitation number 140D0425R0111. The procurement seeks a single contractor to provide a fully operated and maintained light turbine helicopter capable of performing multiple mission types including short-haul operations, search and rescue, fire suppression, law enforcement, and administrative activities. The helicopter must accommodate five passengers and maintain a 350-pound non-jettisonable payload capacity under specified altitude and temperature conditions, while featuring dual hydraulics systems. The contractor must supply a complete operational crew including a pilot-in-command with relief pilot, a qualified mechanic, and a fuel servicing vehicle driver. Proposals are due by November 14, 2025, with the contract period running from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2031, encompassing five years of service.

This opportunity is designated as a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 481211 (Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation) with a size standard of 1,500 employees, though one document indicates 100 employees as the threshold. The contract establishes a maximum ceiling value of $9,000,000 over the five-year performance period. Services will be provided for 160 calendar days annually from May 18th through October 27th each year, with the helicopter based at Ash Mountain Helibase in Three Rivers, California. The procurement structure includes daily availability rates and flight hour pricing subject to negotiation, with provisions for economic price adjustments related to fuel cost fluctuations. No current incumbent contractor is identified in the available documentation.