Ward Hiesterman

Ward Hiesterman serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Forest Service, supporting the agency’s mission of ecological stewardship through specialized acquisition of aerial support services critical to wildfire response, forest monitoring, and ecological restoration. He manages contracts for nonscheduled chartered air transportation services, ensuring rapid deployment of personnel and equipment to remote and high-risk forested areas. His work directly enables operational readiness for prescribed burns, fire suppression, and aerial surveillance, aligning procurement strategy with the Forest Service’s science-based land management priorities. Hiesterman maintains consistent partnerships with a select group of specialized aviation contractors, including Perimeter Solutions LP, Management & Engineering Technologies International Inc., Helicopter Transport Services, LLC, Aero-Flite, Inc., and Helicopter Express LLC. These vendors provide certified rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft services tailored to rugged terrain and emergency response scenarios. His contracting approach emphasizes reliability, safety compliance, and mission-critical performance, fostering long-term relationships with firms possessing proven expertise in federal wildland fire support operations. Hiesterman’s procurement portfolio is exclusively structured under Total Small Business Set-Aside provisions, reflecting a steadfast commitment to maximizing opportunities for small businesses in the federal aerospace and emergency services sector. All acquisitions are awarded under FAR 19.5, ensuring that small businesses—particularly those with niche aviation capabilities—have equitable access to mission-critical contracts without competition from large businesses. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 481211, Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation, which encompasses specialized aerial operations for firefighting, crew transport, and ecological data collection. He procures services involving air tankers, helicopters equipped with water buckets, and airborne sensor platforms, requiring contractors to maintain FAA Part 135 certification and experience in federal wildland fire support. His expertise lies in aligning technical aviation capabilities with ecological management objectives, ensuring that aerial assets are deployed effectively to protect national forest resources.