Very Large Airtanker Intent to Solicit

The US Forest Service intends to solicit for a National Call-When-Needed (CWN) Very Large Airtanker Services Contract(s) for a Base Year with a (1) one-year option period. The Government may award one or multiple contracts. The period of performance for the base year of the resulting contract(s) will be from the date of contract award through December 31, 2009. The resultant contract(s) will utilize one or more Very Large Airtankers (255,000 lbs or greater Gross Certificated Take-Off Weight with a minimum retardant tank capacity of 11,000 gallons of mixed retardant) that can be dispatched within a 45 minute timeframe in response to a standard fire dispatch order. Airtankers contracted by the US Forest Service must be approved by the Interagency Airtanker Board (IAB) and must have a standard or restricted Airworthiness Certificate for the contracted aircraft issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or have been approved under a previously published Type Certificate (TC) with an approved FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the installed retardant tank. The TC and/or STC must have been issued individually for each aircraft and/or tank installation that is proposed or as a multiple TC or STC for a specific aircraft make and model and retardant tank system that is proposed. Proposed Airtankers must have been issued a Standard or Restricted Airworthiness Certificate. Continued Airworthiness Program (CAP) – The US Forest Service requires a detailed plan that defines, establishes, and documents the implementation of a CAP that meets the requirements of continued airworthiness as specified in the following attachment. The CAP must be approved by the US Forest Service. Due to size and weight of offered aircraft, such aircraft will not be able to operate from all agency established retardant bases. The offeror must propose all items necessary for the logistical support to sustain a retardant base turnkey operation, which may include, but are not limited to the following: ground crews, water, approved retardants, chemicals, fluids, and ground equipment. Written responses must be received by 4:30 pm MDT on Friday, June 12, 2009, to the following: Colleen Hightower US Forest Service – Contracting National Interagency Fire Center 3833 S Development Ave. Boise, ID 83705