Licensed Commercial First Officers for TxDOT Aviation Flight Services

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is seeking Licensed Commercial First Officers to support its Aviation Flight Services through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 601440000050112. The solicitation requires vendors to provide co-pilots for TxDOT's fleet of four Phenom 100EV multi-engine, turbo-fan aircraft, with specific and stringent qualification requirements. Qualified co-pilots must possess a Commercial Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Multi-Engine Land Rating, and a current FAA Class II Medical Certificate, with a minimum of 1,500 flight hours of experience. The evaluation criteria will allocate 30 points for respondent qualifications and experience, 30 points for approach to meeting requirements, and 40 points for pricing, with the contract to be awarded on a best value basis. The initial contract term will run from execution date through October 19, 2026, with potential for three additional one-year renewals. Proposals are due on October 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM Central Time, with services to be performed from TxDOT Aviation Flight Services located at 10335 Golf Course Road in Austin, Texas.

While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly mentioned, the solicitation requires vendors to be businesses with at least three years of commercial piloting service experience and in good financial standing. The procurement does not appear to have specific restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises, and no incumbent vendors are identified in the documentation. The pricing schedule indicates a potential contract volume of 52 service days, with vendors required to provide a daily rate for Licensed Commercial First Officers. Compensation will begin upon the first scheduled flight, with partial hours rounded to the nearest half-hour, and travel expenses reimbursable with pre-approval. Though a specific budget range is not disclosed, vendors must complete a detailed pricing schedule and will be evaluated partially on their pricing submission. TxDOT reserves the right to rotate co-pilots based on factors such as experience, availability, and prior service satisfaction, maintaining an approved co-pilot list throughout the contract period.