FY26 BLM EU FW Alaska Smokejumper Re-Compete

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a division of the Department of the Interior, is procuring exclusive use fixed-wing smokejumper flight support services for Alaska operations. The solicitation seeks two multi-engine aircraft capable of VFR/IFR day/night operations with certification for flight into known icing, a minimum payload capacity of 4,000 pounds, airspeed of 175 KTAS or greater, and seating for either 19 passengers or 8 smokejumpers with side and rear exits for parachute and cargo operations. Each aircraft must maintain a standard airworthiness certificate and be available 24/7 during the exclusive use period. The government will evaluate proposals based on technical capability, organizational safety record, past performance, and price, with the intention to select a single contractor. Proposals are due by November 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, with an amendment to the original solicitation issued on November 6, 2025, containing updated questions and answers and clarifications to evaluation standards.

This is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 481211 (Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation) with a size standard of 1,500 employees. The contract will be structured as a single indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award with firm fixed-unit pricing, spanning five years from March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2031, with a six-month extension option available. Each aircraft will have a guaranteed 120-day exclusive use period per year, with the first aircraft performance beginning March 29, 2026, and the second aircraft beginning April 30, 2026. The aircraft will be based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and will support smokejumper deployment, fire suppression, reconnaissance, and cargo delivery missions primarily throughout Alaska but with potential operations in the Lower 48 States. No incumbent contractor information or specific budget range is identified in the solicitation materials.