Operated Helicopter Rental Services in Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Inyo, Mono, Placer, and San Bernardino Counties

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) 09A1097 seeking operated helicopter rental services across Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Inyo, Mono, Placer, and San Bernardino Counties in Districts 03, 08, 09, and 10. The procurement requires a contractor to provide one fully operated and maintained commercial rotorcraft-helicopter (Bell UH-1H or equivalent), a fuel truck, and a fuel truck driver serving as ground mechanic for transporting and deploying the DaisyBell avalanche control system to high-risk avalanche sites. The contract scope includes an estimated 96 hours of helicopter rental services and 24 days of per diem allowance for training and emergency overnight stays, with operations anticipated primarily during November through April, one to three flights per district per season, operating seven days per week during daylight hours. Minimum qualifications require bidders to possess a current commercial rotorcraft license, commercial or airline transport pilot certificate with rotorcraft rating, valid FAA Class I or Class II medical certificate, and pilot-in-command experience of at least 100 hours in mountainous terrain with a minimum of 16 hours in the specific helicopter make and model. All costs for maintenance, fuel, repairs, and operations must be included in the hourly and per diem bid rates. Key deadlines include January 29, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. for written questions, February 5, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. for bid submission with opening at 2:30 p.m. the same day, and a proposed award date of February 12, 2026. The contract will commence on March 1, 2026, or upon Department of General Services approval, whichever is later, and will expire on June 30, 2027.

The procurement offers a five percent (5%) Small Business preference for certified small businesses or micro businesses with a preference cap of $50,000, and a five percent (5%) Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentive for qualifying verified DVBE contractors with a combined incentive and preference dollar cap of $100,000. Subcontracting is prohibited under this agreement. The contractor must provide comprehensive insurance coverage including commercial general liability with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, workers' compensation with employer's liability limits of $1,000,000, and aircraft liability with limits of $5,000,000 per occurrence and $5,000,000 per seat. Bidders must submit copies of current FAA licenses, medical certificates, pilot logs documenting required experience, a Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet, California Civil Rights Laws Certification, and Darfur Contracting Act Certification. The winning bidder must provide proof of insurance and complete a Payee Data Record (STD 204) prior to contract execution. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation; pricing is determined through competitive bidding based on hourly rates for helicopter rental services and per diem rates for authorized training days and emergency overnight stays.