Sterling Systems LLC

Sterling Systems LLC, doing business as Turk Water, is a veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small business headquartered in Helena, Montana, that supplies water handling equipment and personnel for wildland fire suppression and emergency response operations exclusively as a prime contractor under total small business set-asides. The company operates with zero subcontractor engagement across a 50-award portfolio totaling $2.2 million in combined potential value, all concentrated in a single federal customer set (the Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the National Interagency Fire Center) and a single NAICS-PSC pairing (Support Activities for Forestry; Natural Resources/Conservation—Forest-Range Fire Suppression/Presuppression).

Sterling Systems' capability portfolio is operationally narrow and specialized. The company furnishes Type 3 and Type 4 fire engines, water tenders, logistics support, and trained personnel deployed on demand through the Virtual Incident Procurement system to support wildfire suppression, all-hazard incidents, and prescribed project work. The concrete work consists of rapid-deployment delivery orders under Forest Service and National Interagency Fire Center vehicle contracts—recent awards include an August 2, 2026 firm fixed-price delivery order for $16,000 from Forest Service Region 1 (Northern Region) for water handling services, a July 27, 2026 order for $12,035 from the same region under a Total Small Business set-aside, and a $30,800 delivery order from Forest Service Region 6 (Pacific Northwest Region) in September 2023 for water handling resources in Roseburg, Oregon.

Customer concentration is total. The Department of Agriculture Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management National Interagency Fire Center accounts for 11 awards ($1.1 million combined potential value), and Forest Service Region 1 (Northern Region) accounts for 24 awards ($882 thousand combined potential value), together representing 84% of award count and 98% of combined potential value. Sterling Systems sits on multiple small-business-set-aside Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements and Indefinite Delivery Contracts with these agencies, with the top vehicles being an Indefinite Delivery Contract (9 task orders, $167 thousand combined potential value) and Blanket Purchase Agreements AG0343B167141 (9 task orders, $252 thousand combined potential value) and AG0343B107071 (4 task orders, $142 thousand combined potential value). The company holds a $500,000 ceiling contract with the National Interagency Fire Center awarded February 6, 2026, running through May 30, 2030, and a $250,000 Forest Service IDC awarded May 30, 2025, for water handling services across East Zone Regions 1, 2, 4, and 9.

Activity has been episodic rather than sustained. The source captures 50 awards spanning from 2003 to August 2026, but recent trajectory shows three awards in 2021, one in 2022, two in 2023, three in 2025, and four in 2026—a pattern of sporadic engagement rather than consistent pipeline. Combined dollars obligated are $879 thousand against $2.2 million potential value, indicating 40% realization. Sterling Systems operates exclusively within the small-business federal wildfire logistics market and carries zero exposure to defense, civilian agency IT, or non-Forest-Service federal work.

Supports Forestry Activities