Exclusive Use Helicopter Flight Services, Mesa Ver

The Department of the Interior Interior Business Center seeks exclusive use helicopter flight services for Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, with proposals due October 26, 2026. The procurement is a 100 percent Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) set-aside. Amendment 0001 was posted October 19, 2026, incorporating answers to prospective offeror questions and a conformed solicitation.

Place of performance is Ft. Lewis Helibase in Hesperus, Colorado, with exclusive use operations 120 calendar days annually (May 15 through September 12). The contract is structured as an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) vehicle with a maximum ceiling of $8,000,000 and a minimum guarantee of 120 days of daily availability in year one. The ordering period runs five years from March 1, 2027 through February 29, 2032.

The aircraft must be a light turbine-powered helicopter certified to 14 CFR Part 27, equipped with five insured passenger seats, non-jettisonable payload of 1,000 pounds at 7,000 feet pressure altitude, 130-knot velocity never exceed airspeed, crash-resistant fuel system, and dual hydraulics as target enhancement. Contractors must hold FAA Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, Part 133 Rotorcraft External Load Operations Certificate authorizing Class B loads, and Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operations Certificate. Aircraft must carry dual VHF-AM transceivers, two P25-compliant VHF-FM transceivers, Emergency Locator Transmitter, GPS navigation, and traffic awareness systems. Installation of satellite-based aircraft tracking compatible with the government's Automated Flight Following Program is required, with contractor-maintained subscription providing position reporting every two minutes during flight operations. Contractor must provide pilot-in-command with relief pilot, mechanic with relief mechanic, and fuel servicing vehicle with minimum 12 hours usable fuel capacity, 10-gallon-per-minute flow rate, and SPCC Plan compliance. Pricing includes daily availability rates and flight hour rates (estimated 250 hours annually) across all five years. Service Contract Act prevailing wage rates apply. NAICS code is 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation.