Notice of Intent to Solicit from a Sole Source

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), operating under the Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center, is seeking Exclusive Use Smokejumper Flight Services for critical aerial operations. The procurement involves a fully-contractor-operated and maintained aircraft capable of transporting smokejumpers, delivering paracargo, conducting reconnaissance, and supporting fire suppression, search and rescue, and administrative missions. The selected aircraft must be a high-wing turbine-powered multiengine land airplane with specific technical requirements, including a minimum payload of 3,400 pounds, ability to operate from 3,000-foot gravel runways, and capacity to carry at least eight smokejumpers plus two additional crew members. The contract falls under NAICS code 481211 with a size standard of 1,500 employees, and interested parties must demonstrate their capability to meet the detailed operational specifications by December 10, 2024, at 3:00 PM EST. The evaluation will focus on the contractor's ability to meet the stringent aviation and operational requirements outlined in the solicitation.

The pre-solicitation notice indicates no specific set-aside designations, and Bighorn Airways Inc. appears to be the intended sole-source provider for these services. The contract is structured with a 12-month base period and four potential 12-month option periods, with an anticipated start date of April 1, 2025. The base of operations will be located in Boise, Idaho, though the aircraft may be dispatched anywhere in the contiguous United States and Alaska with a 24-hour response requirement. While specific award values are not detailed in the notice, the contract necessitates an aircraft with FAA approval for in-flight door operations and certification from the Interagency Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Subcommittee (SASES). The selected contractor must provide both scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance to ensure continuous airworthiness in compliance with FAA regulations and Department of Interior policies.