Harlows School Bus Service Incorporated Of Montana

Harlows School Bus Service Incorporated Of Montana is a transportation services provider that primarily contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to supply school bus transportation for personnel, equipment, and cargo. The company specializes in supporting fire management, forestry, and research programs across several Western states, including Idaho, Montana, and Utah. As a small business, Harlows School Bus Service leverages its fleet of school buses and experienced drivers to fulfill short-term, mission-critical transportation needs for federal agencies operating in remote and rural areas.

The majority of Harlows School Bus Service's federal contract awards are firm fixed-price delivery orders issued by various regional offices of the USDA Forest Service. These orders typically range from $1,000 to $31,000 and involve providing school buses and drivers for periods ranging from one day to several weeks. The company has fulfilled transportation requirements in locations such as Missoula and Kalispell, Montana; Dalton Gardens and Kamiah, Idaho; and various national forests across the Northern and Intermountain regions. Many of these delivery orders support wildland firefighting efforts, forestry operations, and other natural resource management activities. While most contracts are awarded without set-asides, Harlows School Bus Service benefits from its status as a small business in competing for these opportunities.

Harlows School Bus Service holds a significant Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) with the USDA Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management division, valued at up to $250,000. This multiple-award IDC, which utilizes a total small business set-aside, was awarded on May 31, 2023, and runs through May 31, 2028. Under this vehicle, Harlows provides crew carrier buses and logistical support for wildland fire and all-hazard incident response across Forest Service regions. The National Interagency Fire Center administers this IDC, which was established through the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) system to ensure rapid deployment of transportation assets during emergency situations. Throughout 2023, numerous delivery orders have been issued against this IDC, allowing the Forest Service to quickly mobilize Harlows' resources for fire management and other time-sensitive operations across the Western United States.