99 -- P-3B/C Orion Retardant Tanking System

The U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Incident Support Branch at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, plans to solicit for the purchase and installation of a retardant delivery system for up to three (3) Forest Service owned P3B/C Orion aircraft. The capacity of the retardant delivery system will be commensurate with the load carrying capacity of the aircraft. The volume of the retardant tank shall be a minimum of 2500 gallons. The work includes the design, analysis, installation and testing of the aircraft for conversion to wildland firefighting using a retardant tank. The retardant delivery system shall be of new manufacture, externally mounted and a gravity flow design. The tank system shall also have serviceable/maintainable life of no less then twenty (20) years. The installation of the retardant delivery system will not interfere with or cause disablement of the aircraft's environmental systems to include the pressurization of the fuselage. The basic structure of the aircraft shall not be modified to the extent that it cannot be readily returned to its original configuration following the removal of the tank. The installation of the retardant delivery system shall not alter the speed restrictions of an OEM, as delivered, non-modified aircraft by more than 10%; exception; must be capable of 240 kias minimum with the retardant delivery system installed. The capacity of the retardant delivery system shall remain within the Manufacturer's or FAA approved normal weight limitations and center of gravity configuration for the aircraft. The approximate volume of the retardant tank should be 2500 to 3000 gallons based upon a retardant weight of 9 lbs per gallon. The offerors specific tank quantity shall be supported by weight and balance criteria and airframe structural loads engineering analysis.