Airport fixed base operator (FBO) services

The County of Solano, General Services Department, is requesting information from qualified firms on potential Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services at Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, California, through a market-research RFI due December 7, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. through the OpenGov Solano County Portal. The RFI does not obligate the County to issue a solicitation or award a contract or lease, and participation confers no competitive advantage in later processes. No set-aside or preference applies to this notice.

Market feedback is sought on commercial FBO operations: aviation gasoline and Jet A procurement, inventory management, and sale; aircraft line and ramp services, including parking, marshalling, towing, and ground handling; pilot and customer services, including lounge amenities, flight planning, and ground transportation coordination; and facility administration covering operation, maintenance, billing, and marketing. Respondents may also address five additive alternatives, including fuel infrastructure capital investment, county hangar administration, airport operations support, broader airport management, and private aeronautical development. The airport sold approximately 599,174 gallons of aviation fuel over five years, averaging 120,000 gallons annually. The County currently operates the airport and provides fuel services. Respondents should describe business structure options such as facility rent, fuel flowage fees, percentage revenue sharing, minimum annual guarantees, or management fees, without binding pricing.

Responses are capped at 15 pages, excluding optional supporting information, and must demonstrate FBO or airport operating experience, organizational capacity, willingness to operate alongside existing aeronautical businesses, market viability, and key operational risks. Responses become County property subject to public records disclosure. Respondents may designate proprietary material as confidential but must indemnify and defend the County for honoring those designations. The attached general terms require insurance certificates and business and professional licenses on file before service commencement, and no bills are paid until those certificates are obtained. The FAA-approved January 2014 Airport Layout Plan is attached as a reference for facility capacity and land constraints.