Airborne lidar and spectrometer survey and reporting services - IFB 10211395

The California Department of Water Resources is seeking an Invitation for Bid (IFB 10211395) for airborne lidar and spectrometer survey and reporting services focused on snow hydrology monitoring in the Sierra Nevada watersheds. The contractor will conduct airborne snow-off and snow-on lidar and imaging spectrometer data collection across 11 active river basins, including Feather, Yuba, American, Truckee, Carson, Tuolumne, Merced, San Joaquin, Kings, Kaweah, and Kern Rivers. Specific deliverables include snow depth maps, snow water equivalent maps, snow albedo maps, and water supply forecasts, with data integration into iSnobal and WRF-Hydro snow hydrology models. Bidders must possess specific NASA Technical Report licenses (NTR 49459 and NTR 51035) to qualify for the contract. The procurement timeline requires technical questions to be submitted by December 22, 2025 at 1:30 p.m., with answers provided by December 24, 2025. Sealed bids are due January 5, 2026 at 1:30 p.m., with a public bid opening via Microsoft Teams scheduled for 2:00 p.m. the same day. Evaluation will be based on the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications.

The contract includes provisions for Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) preference programs, with non-small business bidders potentially receiving a five percent calculation preference for subcontracting at least 25 percent to certified small businesses. A three percent minimum DVBE participation incentive is also available. The procurement requires Aircraft Liability insurance of at least $5,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 per passenger seat. The anticipated contract term spans five water years from 2026 through 2030, with a projected start date in January 2026. Invoicing will occur monthly in arrears, with payment within 45 days of receipt. The contractor will retain ownership of pre-existing materials and work product, while the Department of Water Resources will receive a perpetual, non-exclusive license for deliverables related to snow and water resource management. The state reserves the right to terminate the contract with 30 days' written notice if funding becomes unavailable. While specific total contract value is not explicitly stated, detailed cost estimates are provided for each water year and watershed, covering services such as aircraft mobilization, surveys, data processing, storage, modeling, forecasting, field measurements, and training.