Desert Bighorn Sheep/Aoudad Helicopter Services

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Purchasing and Contracting division issued a Request for Proposals on May 20, 2026, seeking helicopter bighorn sheep and aoudad sheep aerial survey services and external load work throughout the Trans-Pecos region of Texas on an as-needed, multiple-award basis. The procurement encompasses low-level aerial surveys in mountainous terrain at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level, aerial gunning services for exotic ungulates and predators, and long-lining services for habitat improvement projects such as water guzzler construction and maintenance. Survey operations are scheduled for October through November for bighorn sheep surveys and April through May for lamb assessment flights, with approximately two to eight daylight flying hours per day and a maximum of six hours of actual survey time. The contractor must provide all necessary aircraft (turbine helicopters such as Hughes 500E, Hughes MD 500E, MD 530F, Bell 206, or Robinson R66), pilots, personnel, equipment, fuel, and consumables, with pricing quoted on a per-flight-hour basis for low population density areas or a flexible billable rate for mixed population density areas. Minimum qualifications include five years of experience in helicopter survey services for desert bighorn, aoudad, mule deer, or elk in mountainous terrain; FAA Part 135 certification for survey and gunning projects and Part 133 certification for external load work; a pilot commercial license with current medical certificate and minimum 1,000 hours of wildlife-oriented flight time including five years of desert bighorn sheep or similar species survey experience; and comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 aircraft general liability, $100,000 per person aircraft passenger liability, and workers' compensation at statutory limits. The initial contract term extends from the date of award through August 31, 2027, with renewal options for up to three additional one-year periods contingent on mutual written agreement and fund availability. Questions are due by May 27, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time, and proposals are due by June 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time. Evaluation criteria are weighted as compensation and fees (15 percent), technical proposal (15 percent), qualifications and experience (35 percent), and pilot expertise and key personnel safety records (35 percent).

No VetHUB subcontracting plan is required under this solicitation, and no specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting organizational eligibility have been identified in the procurement documents. The RFP does not reference any incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure requiring integration with the selected contractor's operations. Aircraft inspection by TPWD personnel will occur prior to award, and the successful contractor will be contacted at least seven days prior to the start of survey operations to coordinate planned work activity. The successful contractor will be contacted at least seven days before survey operations commence to coordinate logistics and timing. No specific budget range or award value has been publicly listed in the available solicitation documents, though compensation will be determined based on actual flight hours billed according to the pricing structure submitted in the proposal.