Fixed wing air ambulance service

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 intends to solicit fixed-wing air ambulance services for three Arizona VA medical centers (Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott) with a response deadline of September 10, 2026. The VA is mandated by Public Law 109-461 to consider a total set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, though full and open competition may be pursued if responses are inadequate.

Services encompass Advanced Life Support (ALS), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Critical Care Transport (CCT) pre-arranged air ambulance services operating 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with required two-hour response time to requests. Work includes one-way patient transports generally within Arizona, though cross-country flights may occur, with ground ambulance coordination to and from airports. The contractor shall not wait more than one hour for patients without additional payment. Performance locations span Phoenix VA Healthcare System at 650 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85012; Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System at 3601 S. 6th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85723; and Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System at 500 Hwy 89N, Prescott, AZ 85631.

The contractor must maintain FAA Air Carrier Operating Certification as an air taxi operator, hold valid commercial airman certificates, and maintain CAMTS, NAAMTA Global, or EURAMI accreditations. Medical flight attendants must be qualified registered nurses with Critical Care Transport training certified in BLS/ACLS. Aircraft must remain airworthy with monthly preventative maintenance inspections and comply with 14 CFR Parts 119, 121, and 135.

The award will be an IDIQ to a single awardee. Estimated contract value is $22.5 million. Base performance runs October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with estimated demand of 2–5 one-way trips per six-month period per facility. Payment is firm-fixed price based on actual loaded nautical miles flown; "dry runs" are reimbursed at full contract rate. Interested vendors must submit responses by September 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time to Rochelle Bennett (Rochelle.Bennett@va.gov) and must be registered in SAM.gov and SBA Veteran Small Business Certification if applicable.