Pilot Certification and Training Services

The County of Orange Sheriff-Coroner is soliciting electronic bids under IFB-060-3152603-CF for Pilot Certification and Training Services, due December 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM. The County applies a five percent evaluation deduction for certified Orange County Local Small Business (OCLSB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) bidders, a preference rather than a set-aside. If a preferred bidder is the lowest responsive bidder, the contract is awarded at its original bid price, with the preference deduction capped at $100,000.

The scope covers eight training categories: Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Training, Certified Flight Instructor, Emergency Maneuver Training, Biennial Flight Reviews, Instrument Proficiency Checks, and High Performance Endorsements. Services must comply with FAA Part 61 and/or Part 141 and include ground and flight instruction, course materials, and examination fees. Bidders must hold FAA certification, have at least ten years of pilot training experience, and employ Certified Flight Instructors with three to five years of experience. The required facility location conflicts across the two documents. The IFB summary requires a brick-and-mortar facility within 25 miles of Fullerton Municipal Airport, while the model contract requires one within 10 miles of 4011 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, California 92833. Aircraft requirements include Cessna 172s for license and rating training and Citabrias, Decathlons, or Cessna 152 Aerobats for emergency maneuver training. The IFB reads "either" for the emergency maneuver types, while the model contract reads "and/or."

The contract is a firm fixed-fee arrangement with a three-year term from full execution and no renewal unless the Board of Supervisors approves. Pricing consists of firm hourly rates per student for each category, and prices may not increase during the first term. Later adjustments require documented cost increases and 30 days' written notice. Invoices are paid net 30 in arrears. Bids remain valid for 365 days. The contract is partially funded by federal grants, triggering Davis-Bacon, Clean Air Act, and Executive Order 11246 requirements. The awardee must furnish a labor and material payment bond equal to or exceeding the total estimated contract value, along with a performance bond. Insurance certificates and tax documentation are due within seven days of award notification. All questions must be submitted through the solicitation's Q&A section, and bidders may not contact other County personnel.