Aviation Contracting Industry Day

The U.S. Forest Service, under the Department of Agriculture, is preparing for the solicitation of aviation services in support of wildland fire operations through the issuance of Solicitation SN-AV-2026-02, with a pre-solicitation Industry Day event scheduled for May 12, 2026, at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place in Boise, Idaho. The event aims to engage industry stakeholders, including partner agencies such as the Department of the Interior, to discuss contracting approaches, performance metrics, and operational expectations for wildland fire aviation support. Key areas of focus include safety management systems, aircraft availability, mechanical reliability, maintenance program quality, crew qualifications, staffing stability, and financial sustainability, with an emphasis on moving away from Lowest Price Technically Acceptable methods toward a best-value trade-off approach that prioritizes mission effectiveness. Economic price adjustments will be tied to Bureau of Labor Statistics data and original equipment manufacturer cost trends, with no proposed caps, while small business participation is strongly encouraged through potential set-asides. Contract terms under consideration include a 3-to-5-year base period with options extending up to 10 years total, standardized standby and fuel reimbursement structures, and seasonal alignment with the Mobilization/Activation Plan. Attendance at the Industry Day requires registration via a Microsoft Forms link, and event logistics include limited daytime parking on the third or fourth floors of the venue, with additional parking available in nearby garages at 10th & Front, 9th & Front, and 11th & Front. While the solicitation notice provides the NAICS code 481212 and designates Boise, Idaho, as the official place of performance, no formal contract clauses, evaluation weights, pricing data, payment instructions, accounting codes, or submission deadlines are included, as this remains a pre-solicitation outreach effort. The U.S. Forest Service and DOI representatives will be present to share insights on oversight expectations and performance standards, but no formal proposal requirements, inspection criteria, or packaging specifications are yet defined. The ultimate goal is to refine the solicitation structure to ensure sustainable, safe, and effective aviation support for federal wildland fire missions, with output-driven metrics replacing purely cost-based evaluations.