Fixed-Wind Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Camera Survey for Wildlife Big Game Program

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is requesting proposals for a blanket contract for fixed-wing FLIR survey services to estimate wildlife big game populations across the Trans-Pecos region, with proposals due June 25, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. This procurement carries significant qualification barriers: respondents must demonstrate two thousand hours total fixed-wing FLIR survey time (including one thousand hours on wildlife surveys and two hundred hours multi-engine) within the past five years, hold a valid FAA Commercial Pilot License with current medical certificate, possess system operator credentials with post-secondary wildlife biology education, and maintain five years minimum business history in the field.

The scope covers FLIR surveys for mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, aoudad, and elk using line transects at specified intervals with 50 to 100 percent area coverage. Deliverables include detection locations, time/date stamps, KML and shape files, representative video clips, and Excel spreadsheets due within fifteen business days of survey completion. All aircraft must be multi-engine with minimum 200 horsepower per engine and capability for six-hour missions, and must comply with FAA FAR Part 135 regulations.

The initial contract term runs from award date through August 31, 2028, with options to renew for up to three additional one-year periods based on mutual written agreement and funds availability, plus a twelve-month maximum extension option if needed. Contractor pricing must be submitted on a unit-price basis with Exhibit B, with all travel and per diem included; TPWD does not reimburse travel expenses. Contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance including general liability of $2 million aggregate and aircraft general liability of $1 million, with TPWD named as additional insured. Evaluation uses weighted criteria: Qualifications and Experience and Expertise and Safety each at 35 percent, Technical Proposal at 15 percent, and Compensation and Fees at 15 percent. Questions are due June 11, 2026.