2025 Oregon Breeding Waterfowl Surveys

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting an intermediate procurement (OAR 125-047-0270) for helicopter services to conduct 2025 breeding waterfowl surveys across Oregon. The contractor must provide one helicopter with an experienced pilot for Northwest Oregon surveys (approximately 20 flight hours) and one to two helicopters for Eastern Oregon surveys (approximately 50 flight hours), totaling up to 70 hours of aerial surveys, along with fuel truck(s) and licensed driver(s). The contractor must transport up to three ODFW biologist observers per flight along established survey routes to collect waterfowl population data between April 20, 2026, and May 31, 2026, with Northwest Oregon surveys scheduled for completion by April 30, 2026, and Eastern Oregon surveys by May 31, 2026. Aircraft must be Bell 206BIII or equivalent with minimum 340 horsepower, certified under FAR Part 135, and equipped with radio communications, GPS navigation, and real-time aircraft tracking systems; pilots must have a minimum of 1,000 helicopter flight hours and 100 hours of low-elevation experience. The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation ($500,000 Employers' Liability limits), Commercial General Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence/$4,000,000 aggregate), Aircraft Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence/aggregate), and Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), with liquidated damages of $500 per day assessed for equipment failures or pilot replacement issues not corrected within 48 hours. Questions and clarification requests are due March 17, 2026, by 5:00 PM with responses issued March 18, 2026, and proposals are due March 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM; award notification is anticipated April 1, 2026. Evaluation criteria comprise five weighted components: Cost Sheet (20 points), References (15 points), Understanding of Requested Services/Project (20 points), General Qualifications (30 points), and Pilot Qualifications (30 points).

The procurement does not specify set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, though offerors must submit disadvantaged business outreach plans and responsibility inquiries addressing financial capability, contract performance history, litigation, bankruptcy status, licensing, and pay equity certification requirements for large firms. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. Contractors must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including Oregon tax laws, civil rights statutes, the Oregon False Claims Act, and non-discrimination policies, while maintaining records for a minimum of six years following final payment. The RFP references a cost sheet attachment for proposal submission but does not specify detailed pricing terms or set award values in the provided excerpts; however, the estimated quantities for scoring purposes include 70 hours of helicopter and pilot services, 40 miles of fuel truck and driver services, 1,000 hours of fuel truck operations, and 8-10 days of per diem allowances. Offers must remain valid for 180 days following opening, and the State reserves the right to increase, decrease, or remove deliverables based on budgetary constraints.