Exclusive Use Type III Helicopter Flight Services in Support of the Bureau of I

The Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center is seeking exclusive use Type III helicopter flight services for the Bureau of Indian Affairs across three distinct locations: Double Eagle, NM; Bemidji, MN; and Ronan, MT. The contract requires fully contractor-operated and maintained helicopter services to support natural resource missions, including fire suppression, monitoring, initial attack, prescribed fire, aerial ignition, and law enforcement surveillance. Contractors must possess FAA Part 133, 135, and 137 certificates and provide required crew including pilots and fuel service vehicle drivers. The aircraft must meet specific technical requirements, including five insured passenger seats, 1000-pound payload capacity, a turbine engine, and 130 knots VNE airspeed capability. The solicitation is scheduled to be issued on or after December 23, 2024, with offers due by January 28, 2025, and an anticipated award by April 2025.

The procurement is designated as a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS category 481211 for Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation. The contract period of performance spans five years from March 2024 to February 2029, with a possible six-month extension. Service locations have varying exclusive use periods: Double Eagle, NM will require 180 days of service from March to August, while Bemidji, MN and Billings, MT will need 147 days from April to September, and Ronan, MT will require 120 days from May to September. Four small businesses previously responded to a Request for Information (RFI), indicating capability to perform the required services. While specific award values were not disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice, the comprehensive multi-location, multi-mission helicopter service contract represents a significant procurement opportunity for qualified small businesses in the aviation services sector.