Recently the U.S. Forest Service temporarily activated an additional seven air tankers using the Call When Needed (CWN) contracts that were awarded in June:
- T-02 (N474NA) Neptune BAe-146 (presently on loan to Canada)
- T-40 (N146FF) Neptune BAe-146
- T-163 (N366AC) Aero Flite RJ-85
- T-41 (N471NA) Neptune BAe-146
- T-911 (N17085) 10 Tanker DC-10
- T-162 (N355AC) Aero Flite RJ 85
- T-01 (N473NA) Neptune BAe-146
That makes 22 large air tankers that are available now, counting the 14 on exclusive use contracts, the one USFS HC-130H that will start this week, and the seven that are on temporary call-up assignments. But those seven CWN tankers can be sent home anytime.
Having 15 air tankers on exclusive use contracts is the most since 2010 when there were 19. There have not been 22 air tankers on EU contracts since 2004 when we had 27. In 2002, 44 large air tankers were on EU contracts.
The USFS is trying to award “up to seven” additional EU contracts for next-generation air tankers. They hoped to have them working by May 30, but protests about the contracting process by two companies brought that process to a halt. The protests were lodged with the U.S. Government Accountability Office which has the responsibility of deciding whether the protests have merit. The OMB is required to reach their decisions by July 9 for Coulson’s protest and July 17 for Erickson’s.
On July 8 the GAO issued their decision on Coulson’s protest, and it was denied. They still have not decided on Erickson’s. We believe that if both protests are denied, the USFS can immediately, or as soon as they can, award additional EU contracts for air tankers.
Good news for some folks, bad for others…Coulson protest Denied.
I believe 41 was in Billings last week.