The USFS has awarded five companies positions on a potential 10-year, $7.2 billion contract for airtanker support services. After we posted news on these “new” airtanker contracts awarded to five tanker contractors by the U.S. Forest Service, we received numerous questions (and had several ourselves) about these awards. Here is a partial Q&A with responses provided by Laura Rabon, a public affairs specialist in Albuquerque, the expert that NIFC referred us to.
So, these are 10-year contracts, one year with 9 option years?
- These are up to 10-year contracts with one base year and the ability to exercise nine one-year options after the initial base year.
Has the FS ever had a 10-year contract in Aviation or is this a first?
- Two previous airtanker contracts (Next Gen 1.0 and Next Gen 2.0) were 10 years. Both had a 5-year base with 5 option years.
Each contractor has a guaranteed minimum of $10 million; is that for the first base year or for the duration of the contract?
- We guarantee a minimum payment of $10k (not 10 million) over the 10-year contract, not $10k each year. Typically, the vendors receive this minimum payment immediately upon activation of their aircraft.
Is there a maximum that the FS has specified for acquisition under the contract?
- The maximum amount that could be spent against the contract is $7.2 billion over the 10 years.
How do we get 5 contractors at $10 million each up to this estimate of $7.2 billion? How much is the difference and how is that estimated? (Note: We thought the $10,000K on the contract award document was $10 million. It’s not – it’s just $10K.)
- Vendors can get a minimum of $10k (not $10 million). $7.2 billion is the most we can order against this group of 5 contracts collectively. The vendors are not guaranteed anything beyond the $10k. However, to ensure the country has the flexibility to bring on the needed number of tankers now and in the future, it was decided to use the $7.2 billion as a maximum amount. This takes into the consideration estimated daily availability costs, flight time costs, a possible need for more aircraft in the future, as well as increased costs over the term of the contract.
- Vendors can get a minimum of $10k (not $10 million). $7.2 billion is the most we can order against this group of 5 contracts collectively. The vendors are not guaranteed anything beyond the $10k. However, to ensure the country has the flexibility to bring on the needed number of tankers now and in the future, it was decided to use the $7.2 billion as a maximum amount. This takes into the consideration estimated daily availability costs, flight time costs, a possible need for more aircraft in the future, as well as increased costs over the term of the contract.
So five contractors are on the awardee list, those who were technically acceptable. Were other companies candidates and were not awardees?
- Companies who submitted a bid and met all the technical requirements outlined in the solicitation were awarded a contract. Due to non-disclosure policies, we cannot release further information.
How long is estimated by the agency to identify the number of tankers procured (per contractor and in total) in any one year?
- Can you please clarify this question. Are you asking about length of time it will take us to know how many aircraft we have? Or how many tankers will be used under the new contract?
Both.
- Each year the Forest Service works with the tanker vendors to get a total number of aircraft that may be available that year. This year the Forest Service has 25 contracted tankers. Additionally, several states also have airtankers). This number may change year to year depending on what the companies are able to provide.
- We will be able to procure exclusive-use and call-when-needed aircraft under task orders on the contract. There is no limit to the number of aircraft we can use under contract; however, there is a limit to the amount we can spend, which is $7.2 billion over the 10 years. The contract itself has the flexibility to increase or decrease the number of aircraft. We also have the ability to reopen the solicitation to new vendors in the future.
If you have any questions in the future that are just related to the Forest Service Fire Management like this one please send the inquiry to our Press Desk at pr*********@us**.gov.