Cahoon Contracting LLC

Cahoon Contracting LLC, doing business as Cahoon Construction And Fire, is an SBA HUBZone-certified, Native American-owned, minority-owned small disadvantaged business based in Charlo, Montana, that provides wildland fire management equipment and services to the U.S. Forest Service as a prime contractor across multiple federal regions and the National Interagency Fire Center. The company operates exclusively as a prime contractor (100% of recent awards) and competes predominantly under total small business set-asides, which characterize its portfolio across both indefinite delivery contracts and task-order delivery.

Cahoon Contracting's capability portfolio centers on wildland fire suppression equipment, water handling services, and incident response support. Work includes fire engines, water tenders, dozers, excavators, and other heavy machinery deployment across Forest Service regions. Recent representative awards include a $125,472 firm fixed-price delivery order from Forest Service Region 1 (August 30, 2026) for wildland fire management equipment and services in Hamilton, Montana; a $120,866 delivery order from Region 1 (August 29, 2026) for equipment support in Dillon, Montana; and a $170,000 delivery order from Region 6 (July 21, 2024) to Region 6 (Pacific Northwest) for fire suppression equipment in Bend, Oregon. The company also holds multiple indefinite delivery contracts (IDCs) valued up to $500,000 each through the National Interagency Fire Center's Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) system, covering heavy equipment task force services, water handling, heavy equipment with water capabilities, and miscellaneous heavy equipment across Forest Service Regions 1, 2, 4, and 9, with performance periods extending through 2030.

Customer concentration is extreme and reflects the vendor's narrow market. The top five funding agencies account for 90% of recent awards, entirely within the Department of Agriculture Forest Service ecosystem. The National Interagency Fire Center anchors the dollars — 31 awards carrying $5.3 million in combined potential value — while Forest Service Region 1 (Northern Region) accounts for 36 awards valued at $2 million. Regions 5, 6, and smaller Forest Service offices round out the active set. The two rankings track closely: the National Interagency Fire Center's high-dollar IDCs dominate both award count and potential value.

Vehicle position is substantial. Cahoon Contracting holds seats on five primary VIPR Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements (I-BPAs) through the National Interagency Fire Center, issued under multiple-award total small business set-asides: IDC 1202SB22T7272 (22 task orders, $1 million combined potential value), 12034319T7032 (12 task orders, $454 thousand), 12034319T7075 (9 task orders, $218 thousand), 1202SB25T7833 (7 task orders, $198 thousand), and 1202SB26T7437 (6 task orders, $427 thousand). These vehicles cover heavy equipment task force services for Regions 1 and 4, water handling across Regions 1, 2, 4, and 9, heavy equipment with water for the same zone, and miscellaneous heavy equipment (feller bunchers, mulchers, road graders, skidders) for Regions 1, 2, and 4. All are firm fixed-price vehicles with performance extending through 2028–2030.

Activity has grown sharply in recent years—four awards in 2022 to twenty-one in 2024—and remains elevated at sixteen awards in 2026 year-to-date as of August 2026. The combined potential value across all ninety prime awards stands at $8.2 million, with $2.7 million obligated (33% realization). No recompete cliff is present in the source; IDCs run through 2028–2030 and represent sustained, recurring opportunity within the Forest Service ecosystem.

Cahoon Contracting holds no subcontract relationships and operates solely as a prime. The vendor's entire footprint sits within the Natural Resources/Conservation NAICS category (87 awards in Support Activities for Forestry PSC) and targets full-and-open competition under total small business set-asides rather than 8(a) or other restricted vehicles. The HUBZone and Native American ownership designations are decision-relevant for any Forest Service small business procurement and for agency-specific set-aside obligations.

I am a wildland fire fighter, logger, and building contractor.