Northeast Oregon Big Game Helicopter Surveys Wallowa, Union, Baker Counties

The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife is issuing Request for Proposal (RFP) #S-63500-00016646 to procure helicopter survey services for big game species across Wallowa, Union, and Baker Counties in Northeast Oregon. The procurement requires a contractor to provide two different helicopter types—a Robinson R44 and R66 or equivalent models—each needed at different times for separate survey operations, along with an experienced pilot, a four-wheel-drive fuel truck, and a licensed fuel truck driver to support ODFW employees conducting aerial surveys. The project encompasses approximately 561 flight hours over a two-year initial contract period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with surveys targeting Rocky Mountain elk, mule/white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, and pronghorn populations conducted seasonally from December 2026 through June 2028. Minimum qualifications include FAR Part 135 certification for both helicopters and pilots; pilots must possess a minimum of 3,000 hours as pilot in command in helicopter operations and 1,000 hours of low-elevation flight experience. Required aircraft specifications include bubble doors for visibility, GPS navigation systems, real-time aircraft tracking capabilities, and working radio communications; the fuel truck must carry a minimum of eight hours of Jet A fuel and traverse secondary and tertiary roads. The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence/$4,000,000 aggregate, aircraft liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence/aggregate, and automobile liability of $1,000,000, with liquidated damages of $500 per day assessed for failure to provide equipment or pilot replacements within 48 hours. Proposals are due June 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM PDT; questions and clarifications must be submitted by May 20, 2026. The evaluation framework allocates 30 points for price proposals, 15 points for references, 30 points for understanding of requested services and project scope, 40 points for general contractor qualifications, and 40 points for pilot qualifications, with a total possible score of 155 points. The agency anticipates issuing a Notice of Intent to Award on or about June 10, 2026.

This procurement includes a Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan requirement under Oregon's Certified Firm program administered by the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), which encompasses minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and emerging small businesses; proposers must demonstrate reasonable steps to ensure Certified Firms have equal opportunity for subcontracting work and must disclose prior contractual relationships with both certified and non-certified disadvantaged businesses within the past two years. The contract includes a two-year initial term with agency discretion to amend for two additional two-year periods, extending the potential contract duration to eight years through written amendments. Proposers must submit three professional references on the provided Reference Check Form, with at least two references from non-ODFW sources from different firms or clients and one reference from ODFW-related work, with reference evaluations accounting for 15 of the 155 total points. For contracts with an anticipated price of $150,000 or more, proposers must have a written policy and practice preventing sexual harassment, sexual assault, and discrimination. All proposers must certify compliance with Oregon tax laws, wage and hour requirements, non-discrimination standards, and must not appear on the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals list or the System for Award Management exclusions list. The RFP documents do not specify explicit budget ranges or award values; pricing will be structured on an hourly basis with separate rates for the R44 helicopter (202 hours maximum), R66 helicopter (359 hours maximum), fuel truck and driver services, mileage reimbursement, and per diem allowances for up to two people for up to 40 days annually, with specific payment rates to be determined upon award.