David P. Hershey

David Hershey serves as a key procurement lead within the Incident Procurement Aviation Branch of the U.S. Forest Service, responsible for managing mission-critical acquisitions that sustain aerial fire response and emergency aviation logistics across national forests. He oversees the acquisition of nonscheduled chartered air transportation services, avionics upgrades, and specialized training technologies essential for wildland fire operations. His role ensures rapid deployment of airborne assets under dynamic operational conditions, aligning procurement decisions with the agency’s strategic priorities of safety, responsiveness, and operational resilience in high-risk environments. Hershey cultivates partnerships with a diverse ecosystem of aviation service providers, including small businesses specializing in aerial firefighting, cargo transport, and air support logistics. He works closely with contractors offering aircraft charter services, maintenance support, and mission-specific avionics integration, fostering long-term vendor relationships grounded in performance reliability and regulatory compliance. His procurement approach emphasizes agility and readiness, often engaging vendors with proven experience in federal wildfire response and remote-area aviation operations. A strong advocate for small business participation, Hershey consistently prioritizes Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with over 72% of his acquisitions reserved for small businesses. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic programs, frequently awarding contracts to HUBZone and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that bring specialized regional expertise and operational familiarity with forested terrain. This focus ensures equitable access while enhancing the diversity and resilience of the agency’s vendor base. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 481211 and 481212, encompassing nonscheduled chartered passenger and freight air transportation services critical to wildfire suppression and resource deployment. He also procures support activities under NAICS 488190, including ground handling, crew logistics, and mission planning systems. His technical expertise spans aviation operations in austere environments, night-vision-capable platforms, and real-time data integration for aerial incident management.