Type III Helicopter Services

The Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center is soliciting proposals for Type III Helicopter Flight Services to support the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Billings, Montana. The solicitation seeks one light Type 3 helicopter with specific technical requirements, including a minimum 5-passenger seating capacity, 900-pound payload capability at 7,000 feet, turbine engine, and 120 knots VNE speed capability. Contractors must provide a complete crew including a Pilot-in-Command, fuel servicing vehicle driver, relief pilot, relief driver, mechanic, and relief mechanic. The helicopter will be used for multiple mission types including fire suppression, monitoring, initial attack, cargo transport, prescribed fire operations, law enforcement surveillance, and other resource activities. Proposals are due by January 20, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern, with the solicitation number 140D0425Q0079 serving as the primary reference.

The contract is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 481211 with a size standard of $38.5 million. The total contract ceiling is $6.3 million, with a performance period from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2030. Each year includes a 90-day exclusive use period from June 14 to September 11, with potential extension up to 120 days. The primary base of operations will be in Billings, Montana, though the aircraft may be dispatched to Alaska. Required equipment includes a fuel service vehicle with minimum 12-hour fuel capacity, specific avionics packages including ADS-B, GPS, and communication systems, water buckets, and longline capabilities. The solicitation is issued by the Interior Business Center's Acquisition Services Directorate in Herndon, VA, with Justin Kondeff serving as the primary point of contact for potential bidders.