Aerial Moose Survey Pilot - 2023

The State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued Request for Quote No. 230000000148 on January 9, 2023, with a response deadline of January 16, 2023, seeking qualified contractors to provide aircraft and pilot services for an Aerial Moose Survey Pilot program in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The procurement requires the contractor to conduct aerial moose population surveys in the core moose range located in Marquette, Baraga, and Iron counties during January 2023, involving data collection from aircraft flying at 80 to 90 knots at 500 feet above ground while following designated survey plot flight lines. The contractor must provide a FAA-compliant aircraft with current 100-hour and annual inspections, proper licensing, registration, and an airworthiness certificate, along with a portable GPS unit and radio equipment; the State will supply radio equipment, flight maps, and training. The pilot must hold a current commercial certificate with appropriate ratings, a current Class II FAA Medical Certificate, evidence of a Flight Review, minimum flight experience requirements specific to aircraft type, and at least one season of moose survey experience. Service operations are scheduled between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with the 2023 survey requiring an additional pilot to ensure completion by month's end. The contractor must maintain survey protocols in coordination with DNR Program Managers, provide general survey administration, maintain a designated representative available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, and submit monthly invoices with Daily Report forms including flight hours, dates, authorization officer signatures, and pilot signatures, with payment made via Electronic Funds Transfer on Net 45 Day terms.

The Request for Quote does not explicitly identify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting response to specific organization types or disadvantaged enterprises. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. Pricing is established as firm for the contract period, and all fuel, maintenance, sectoral aeronautical charts, and aircraft insurance naming the State of Michigan as additional insured are contractor-provided expenses. The contractor must maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $500,000 per occurrence and $500,000 general aggregate, naming the State as an additional insured. The standard contract terms indicate that all intellectual property developed under the contract becomes state property and that the State retains termination for convenience rights without penalty. While specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available documents, the contract applies standard Michigan procurement requirements including Net 45 Day payment terms, 30-day acceptance windows for deliverables, and a four-year records retention requirement post-completion.