3d • General discussion
Opportunity Snapshot: USDA Forest Service National Light Fixed-Wing MATOC Reopener
Federal Contractors Lab community — here’s a major aviation services opportunity worth studying.
This requirement is a reopener for the National Light Fixed-Wing MATOC for the USDA Forest Service. The Government intends to award multiple firm-fixed-price IDIQ contracts for qualified fixed-wing aircraft, pilots, mission crews, sensors, and aviation support services used for wildfire, resource, law enforcement, and administrative missions.
Scope of Work includes:
✅ Call-when-needed light fixed-wing aircraft support
✅ Fire detection, fire reconnaissance, and air tactical missions
✅ Incident Awareness and Assessment using sensors
✅ Resource reconnaissance and forest health missions
✅ Backcountry and remote airstrip operations
✅ Point-to-point passenger and cargo flights
✅ Aircraft, pilots, mission sensor operators, avionics, sensors, maintenance, and safety support
✅ Exclusive Use task orders through a future task order proposal process
Why this matters:
This contract supports the protection and administration of public lands. Aircraft may be used for wildfire response, incident awareness, mapping, detection, forest health monitoring, resource reconnaissance, law enforcement support, and passenger/cargo movement.
This is not a basic aircraft rental opportunity. Contractors must meet detailed mission profiles, pilot qualifications, aircraft performance, avionics, safety, inspection, and operational requirements.
Key contractor takeaways:
Aircraft capability matters. Mission categories have specific requirements for altitude, loiter time, crew configuration, IFR capability, air conditioning, sensor support, and mission equipment.
Pilot qualifications matter. Vendors must submit pilot qualification records, including certificates, medicals, flight time, agency approvals, mission carding, accident/violation history, and supporting documents.
Avionics matter. Each offered aircraft must document radios, audio systems, GPS, VOR/localizer, ELT, automated flight following, ADS-B, autopilot, USB charging, satellite weather, and other mission systems.
Performance data matters. Offerors must complete aircraft performance data charts using the required Excel format and mission flight profile instructions. The diagram in the instructions shows the required takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, loiter, return climb, approach, and landing profile used to evaluate aircraft capability.
Past performance matters. The solicitation includes a past performance form asking for recent, relevant project descriptions, locations, client contacts, cost of work, and completion dates.
Potential NAICS areas to research:
🔹 481211 — Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation
🔹 481212 — Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation
🔹 115310 — Support Activities for Forestry
🔹 541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
🔹 488190 — Other Support Activities for Air Transportation
The solicitation identifies NAICS 481211 and appears to be a 100% small business set-aside.
Go/No-Go questions for contractors:
Can you provide FAA Part 135 light fixed-wing aircraft?
Can your aircraft meet one or more mission categories?
Can your pilots be carded for fire, air tactical, reconnaissance, mountainous terrain, backcountry, or point-to-point missions?
Can you support sensors, avionics, automated flight following, and mission communications?
Can you provide field maintenance support and a qualified Director of Maintenance?
Can you complete all required exhibits, including vendor information, pilot qualification records, avionics worksheets, performance data charts, and past performance?
Can you support a long performance period through 2033?
This is the type of opportunity where a compliant proposal should clearly show aircraft capability, pilot qualifications, mission readiness, maintenance support, avionics compliance, sensor capability, safety systems, and relevant aviation past performance.
Study the mission categories, performance charts, avionics worksheet, and pilot qualification requirements carefully. The Government needs aviation contractors that can safely support wildfire and public lands missions in demanding operational environments.
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Opportunity Snapshot: USDA Forest Service National Light Fixed-Wing MATOC Reopener
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