C26803015 Helicopter Services

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Division is requesting bids on helicopter services for the Cannabis Watershed Protection Program within State Parks' Northern Division under IFB C26803015, with electronic bids due October 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. and public bid opening October 28, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. The State intends to award two Call When Needed contracts, designating one Primary and one Secondary agreement holder from the two lowest responsible bidders.

A 5 percent small business preference applies to California-certified small businesses. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise participation is not required, but the DVBE Incentive still applies—up to 5 percent of the lowest responsive bid depending on participation levels, subject to a combined incentive cap of $100,000.

The scope covers Type 3, high-skid, four-passenger turbine-powered helicopter services with pilots, fuel, and maintenance support for removal of plants and trash from illegal cannabis grows and reconnaissance of potential grow sites via long line operations. Acceptable models are the Bell 206L3/L4, Bell 206B3, Bell 407, Bell 505, and AIRBUS AS 350B2 or AS 350B3. Bidders must maintain a base of operations in one of fourteen specified northern California counties: Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Mendocino, Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Lake, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Marin, Sonoma, or Napa. All pilots, ground crew, and field operations personnel must successfully complete background clearance and security checks prior to each cannabis eradication season.

The contract term is three years from February 21, 2027 through February 20, 2030, with two optional one-year extension periods at the State's discretion. Compensation is based on daily operational rates and hourly flight rates adjusted to align with the United States Forest Service National CWN Helicopter Flight Rate Chart for 2026 contracts. All helicopter maintenance, insurance, pilot salaries, fuel at the designated base, service personnel, and incidental operating expenses must be included in the daily operational rate; the State reimburses only fuel truck mileage at USFS standard rates and airport landing fees during remote dispatches. Tentatively selected bidders must make their helicopter available for pre-award inspection within ten days of notification. Liquidated damages are one-fourteenth of the daily availability rate per hour or portion thereof, up to the full daily rate for failure to perform.