Pre-solicitationPosted Dec 13, 2024·Responses due Jan 31, 2025

F--EU High Wing Turboprop Flight Services Smokejumper

Interior (all) · IBC ACQ SVCS DIRECTORATE (00004)

Stage
Early notice (sources sought, presolicitation or special notice)
NAICS
115310
Value
Not stated
Solicitation
140D0425R0003
Set-aside
None stated
PSC
F003
Place
Not stated
Contact
Fleshman, John (john_fleshman@ibc.doi.gov)
CSV Email

Capture briefs (a one-page, shareable copy of this page) are part of Pro. The CSV here holds the notice, its timeline and past awards.

Where this opportunity stands

Every notice posted under solicitation 140D0425R0003 in this department, oldest first.

Early notice
  • Dec 13, 2024 · this notice
    Pre-solicitation
Solicitation
  • Jan 2, 2025
    Solicitation
    Open
  • Jan 17, 2025
    Solicitation
    Open
Award
  • Feb 28, 2025
    Award Notice
    BIGHORN AIRWAYS INC · $10.0M
    Open

Next steps for this stage

Standard steps for the notice type; not advice about this buyer.

  • Answer the notice: this is when the requirement can still be shaped.
  • Contact the contracting officer named on the notice.
  • Check who won similar work; they are the likely bidders.

What the notice says

This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice Only. Proposals are not being requested at this time. The Department of the Interior, BLM AFS, has a requirement for a high wing multiengine turboprop aircraft for smokejumper fire suppression missions located at Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska and possibly the Lower 48 (L48) that is contractor operated and maintained, which meets the solicitation minimum aircraft requirements for pre-determined exclusive use periods of performance. The aircraft will begin the exclusive use period at Ft. Wainwright, AK with the possibility of operating out of several field … (show all)

stations that have paved or unpaved airstrips of 3,500 feet or more in length. Contractor services will include, but are not limited to, provision of an aircraft, personnel, and all other associated equipment for transporting and dropping smokejumpers, transporting, and dropping paracargo, reconnaissance, testing of parachutes and other aerial equipment, transportation of personnel and/or cargo in support of fire suppression activities, search and rescue, natural resource missions, and other administrative and related resource activities as directed by the Government. The Contractor must obtain and keep current multiple requirements including, but not limited to, the following: A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Carrier Certificate which authorizes the Contractor to operate in the category and class of aircraft and under flight conditions required by this contract, engineering support for continued airworthiness from the current type certificate holder or supplemental type certificate holder, Standard Airworthiness Certificate issued under 14 CFR 21.183, aircraft with a restricted airworthiness certificate must also have a standard airworthiness certificate issued in accordance with 14 CFR 21.187. The contractor is responsible for and must comply with all applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Airworthiness Directives (ADs) and Manufacturer�s Mandatory Service Bulletins (MMSBs) before and during contract performance. Minimum Aircraft Requirements Must have a Standard Airworthiness Certificate. Aircraft certified under Civil Air Regulation Part 3, or 14 CFR 23 or 25. Interagency Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Subcommittee (SASES) approved. An aircraft make and model for which engineering and logistical support for continued airworthiness, is provided from the current type certificate holder or supplemental type certificate holder. VFR/IFR, Day/Night, known ice certified. Minimum of an 85 knot stall speed for smokejumper operations. Minimum of 19 insured passenger seats. Seats must be removable for cargo transport. The aircraft shall accommodate a minimum of 12 smokejumpers when configured in accordance with Sec. B. Side facing exit aft of main landing gear with FAA approval for in-flight opening of this exit door. Cruise speed of 260 KTAS at 12,000� Endurance of (4.5) hours at max cruise power with 6,500 lb. payload, 200 lbs. per pilot and 25 lb. survival kit. Ability to achieve a single engine climb capability of + 1.2 percent or better at 5,000 feet pressure altitude and at 81�F, with 2.5 hours fuel on board, with no more than a 25 percent reduction in useful load. Capable of operating from 3,500 ft gravel runway at SL pressure altitude and 20� Celsius The Government will direct aircraft to support its missions and objectives. During the exclusive use period, aircraft furnished shall be subject to the exclusive use and control of the Government 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. There will be one solicitation and one awarded Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with Fixed unit prices (FP) with Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) for aircraft insurance. The contract will have an ordering period covering fire seasons in FY25 and FY26 from the date of award � November 30, 2026. The exclusive use period each year is estimated to be on or around May 1 � August 29 (120 calendar days). The anticipated issue date of the solicitation is on or around January 17th, 2025, with a projected closing date of February 17th, 2025. Services are currently being provided by Bighorn Airways, Inc, a small business, under DOI, AQD contract 140D8120D0002 awarded on December 3, 2019. The contract was awarded with a Ceiling amount of $13,212,968.00. The contract expired December 2, 2024. This acquisition will be accomplished in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and FAR Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation. This Request for Proposal will be solicited full and open, unrestricted, under NAICS code 115310 which has a size standard of $34M. It will be a requirement that the successful awardee be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). The solicitation will be posted here on SAM.gov. Questions must be submitted in writing and emailed to CO John_fleshman@ibc.doi.gov please Cc CS stephen_klier@ibc.doi.gov with all correspondence as well.

Who won similar work

8 award notices on SAM.gov in the last 24 months. Match: Same office, same NAICS 115310.

WinnerAwardsValueLast
Aero Spray Inc3$40.1M + 1 sharedMar 4, 2026
BOEDEKER FLYING SERVICE, INC.2$6.5M + 1 sharedMar 19, 2026
FLETCHER FLYING SERVICE INC1– + 1 sharedFeb 25, 2026
G B AERIAL APPLICATIONS INC1– + 1 sharedFeb 25, 2026
HENRYS AERIAL SERVICE INC1– + 1 sharedFeb 25, 2026

Value counts single-winner awards. "Shared" awards are multiple-award contracts that list every winner with the same total ceiling; that ceiling is not one company's win, so it is not added in.

Latest awards

Competitive landscape

For the 5 most frequent past winners above. Lobbying is matched by the company's exact name or exact ticker; agencies are as named on the filings.

  • 0 of these past winners lobbied Interior, Dept of (DOI) since 2024 (0 filings)
  • 0 of their lobbyists list a past Interior, Dept of (DOI) job
  • No corporate PAC money from them to the overseeing committees since 2024
  • 0 foreign-agent (FARA) registrations
See who and the source records with Pro

Policy around it

Bills the past winners named while lobbying this agency's issues, rules from the department, and executive orders that name the agency, last 12 months.

  • 0 bills named on the past winners' lobbying filings
  • 149 rules from the department in the last 12 months
  • 0 executive orders naming the agency in the last 12 months
See who and the source records with Pro

Market

For past winners matched exactly to a listed company. Insider trades are open-market buys and sells (Form 4) in the last 90 days, shown as facts; our own study found insiders do not reliably buy ahead of awards.

  • 0 of the past winners are listed companies
  • 0 insider buys and 0 insider sells at them in the last 90 days
See who and the source records with Pro

Sources: SAM.gov notices and award notices; Senate LDA lobbying filings; FEC filings; FARA; Federal Register; congress.gov; SEC Form 4. Every row above links to its record.

Companies are matched to tickers by exact name only. A company we could not match shows no market rows; that is a miss, not a finding.