SPECIAL NOTICE
J -- HC-130H AIRCREW SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE - Special Notice Word Version
- Notice Date
- 7/17/2015
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 488190
— Other Support Activities for Air Transportation
- Contracting Office
- U.S. Forest Service, Contracting, Owyhee Building - MS 1100, 3833 S. Development Avenue, Boise, Idaho, 83705-5354, United States
- ZIP Code
- 83705-5354
- Solicitation Number
- SN-2015-12
- Archive Date
- 9/16/2015
- Point of Contact
- Mike McFarlane, Phone: 208-387-5695
- E-Mail Address
-
michaelmcfarlane@fs.fed.us
(michaelmcfarlane@fs.fed.us)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information Word Version REQUEST FOR INFORMATION for HC-130H Aircrew Services and Maintenance Solicitation Number: Special Notice Number: SN-2015-12 Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office: Forest Service Location: National Interagency Fire Center - Boise, ID RFI Issue Date: July 17, 2015 RFI Response Date: September 01, 2015 Submittal of information: The information requested by this RFI shall be provided, in writing (hard-copy or electronic), by close of business (4:30 p.m. Mountain Time) September 01, 2015 to the following address: U.S. Forest Service National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) 3833 South Development Avenue Attn: Mr. Michael McFarlane, Owyhee Building 106, Suite 1101-1 Boise, Idaho 83705-5354 or michaelmcfarlane@fs.fed.us, Synopsis: This Request for Information is for Market Research and Planning purposes only. Product Service Code: J016 NAICS Code: 488190 Business Size Standard: $32,500,000 in annual receipts THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI OR TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this contemplated effort. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this RFI or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this RFI. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Whatever information is provided in response to this RFI may be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for future needs. The information provided may be utilized by the US Forest Service in developing its acquisition strategy and in its Statement of Objective, Statement of Work, and/or Performance Specifications. The information resulting from this RFI may be included or combined with other submissions in one or more options considered in the analysis of alternatives. Any proprietary information that is submitted may be used in establishing requirements of the future system but specific information will be safeguarded as proprietary. Contracting Office Address: Owyhee Building - MS 1100 3833 S. Development Ave. Boise, ID 83705 Primary Point of Contact: Michael McFarlane, Contracting Officer michaelmcfarlane@fs.fed.us 208-387-5695 Technical Point of Contact Art Hinaman, Assistant Director, Aviation awhinaman@fs.fed.us 202-205-1505 Or Ezequiel Parrilla enparrilla@fs.fed.us 202-205-0807 Description: The purpose of this announcement is to obtain market research regarding interested vendors/contractors who are capable of providing aircrew services and maintenance to support a US Forest Service fleet of seven (7) HC-130H aircraft. Background The 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Sec 1098 directed the transfer of seven HC-130H aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for modifications, to facilitate subsequent transfer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Director of Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) for multiple missions including initial attack of wildland fires, large fire support, flight crew training and other missions as necessary. The NDAA language also directed transfer of initial spares and necessary ground support equipment (GSE) for the HC-130H upon transfer of ownership to the USFS. The USFS is researching operational concepts and options available to fulfill this congressional appropriation. The USFS FAM is conducting market research from interested vendors/contractors who are capable of providing aircrew services and field level maintenance to support the operations and maintenance of seven USFS HC-130H aircraft. USFS intends to support the aircraft with contract maintenance and pilot services. Contractor will be responsible for inventory management of Government furnished parts and equipment. A maximum of two aircraft are expected to be regularly on station from May to October. Between November and April, up to seven aircraft may be on station, with up to two performing training/operational missions. AIRCREW SERVICES: Aircrew services will include a project manager and personnel sufficient to staff multiple (up to 5) HC-130H aircraft on extended standby seven days per week and be ready for dispatch within 15 minutes of notification each day during fire season, approximately May - October. During the off-season, crews will be required to support multiple missions including initial attack of wildland fires, large fire support, flight crew training and other missions as necessary in accordance with procedures authorized by the USFS Pilot Standardization Branch Chief. These aircrew members will be required to maintain currency and undergo aircrew position upgrades throughout the year as available training and operational hours allow. The need to maintain a contractor provided, self-contained instructional capability for each aircrew member position is desired and a reasonable instructional redundancy is needed to ensure capability is maintained throughout personnel movements common in industry. Aircrews will be highly mobile and may be away from home for extended periods of time and work long hours. Aircrew Configuration The USFS is seeking to gain information that models best business practices of industry (airline, Airtanker, and Part 135) to effectively staff the HC-130H aircraft during the fire season while providing a scalable capability to reduce costs in the off season while maintaining aircrew currency. The staffing requirements will include adequate numbers of the following personnel to support 5 operational aircraft at any given time: • One HC-130H qualified Contractor Aircrew Project Manager, 5 days/week. o An additional contract member and potential aircrew member is the Contractor Aircrew Program Manager (CAPM). This individual should be intimately familiar with the mission and airframe while being experienced with program management. Some of the responsibilities of this position would include 1) the development and maintenance of a dynamic schedule to be used both during and out of the fire season for aircrew to maintain currency and upgrade as the program dictates. 2) Oversight of all facets of the contractor's aircrew requirements to ensure contract adherence. 3) Identification and development of processes that enhance aircrew efficiencies, enhance safety and reduce costs. The USFS seeks information on other areas that this position could provide benefit and how would this position be utilized both during and out of fire season. • Aircrews (7 day per week coverage During Fire Season - May - October) o Pilot-in-Command (PIC) positions  Minimum one PIC shall be initial attack (IA) qualified o Pilot o Flight Engineer (FE) positions o Load Master (LM) or flying mechanic positions • Minimum one FAA certified instructor at each crew position. o The minimum level of instructor credentials for the initial instructor aircrew members shall be U.S. military trained and designated instructor pilots, instructor flight engineers, and instructor load masters in the HC-130 H or J models. Instructor pilots shall also maintain a FAA certified flight instructor for the category and class applicable to the airframe. The USFS seeks information on what the follow on aircrew members credentials would be to allow for the mission support described above. MAINTENANCE: The aircraft will be maintained in accordance with the current USCG maintenance programs and procedures for the HC-130H. Maintenance management and direction of contract maintenance will be provided by the USFS/USCG project team. Contractor's would be required to supervise and manage contract employees to ensure that maintenance requests by the Government are completed timely, accurately, and efficiently. The HC-130H aircraft will be maintained in accordance with all applicable Coast Guard Bi-level (organizational and depot level) maintenance. Technical Airworthiness Assurance is directed by the USCG Aircraft Configuration Control Board process. This process ensures safety, mission effectiveness, configuration control, life cycle support, and the continued airworthiness of the aircraft. A majority of these maintenance requirements and functions are covered in the following Coast Guard directives, manuals, and process guides: Document Number or Version Title COMDTINST 4130.6 (Series) CURRENT Coast Guard Configuration Management Policy COMDTINST M3710.1G CURRENT Air Operations Manual COMDTINST M13020.1G CURRENT Aeronautical Engineering Maintenance Management Manual CGTO PG-85-00-110-A CURRENT Aeronautical Engineering Maintenance Management Process Guide CGTO PG-85-00-70A CURRENT Aircraft Configuration Control Board Process Guide Requirements • The Contractor would be required to provide the following: o Aeronautical and avionics maintenance support personnel to support aircraft and electronic components, systems and subsystems, and ground support equipment will be included in costs o RDS unit maintenance to be maintained according to manufacturer's publications and follow agency guidance o Regularly scheduled inspections of aircraft, Retardant Delivery System (RDS) and associated components REQUESTED INFORMATION: Vendors/contractors who respond to this Request for Information (RFI) are requested to provide all of the following information in writing and in accordance with the directions below: COMPANY INFORMATION: 1. Company name 2. Company mailing address 3. Company point of contact (name & title) 4. Point of contact's telephone numbers (office & fax) 5. Company's size standard for the NAICS information provided above COST INFORMATION: All interested vendors/contractors shall provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) that includes the following costs: Aircrew • Estimated annual costs for all aircrew personnel, including 1 CAPM, to support up to five HC-130H airtankers operating simultaneously from different locations. • Estimated costs of two off fire season (November-May) models. One where all aircrew members maintain currency flying once a month and another where only aircraft commanders maintain currency during the off season months. Other options may be proposed. Maintenance Crew • Fixed price hourly labor rates and total labor cost to support the program broken out by position. • Cost of aircraft support away from fixed location TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Contractor will be expected to provide documentation and proficiency of the following: Maintenance Provide an overview of: • Personnel required to maintain a fleet of up to 7 HC-130H multi-mission aircraft with the target of 5 mission capable. This includes assembly build-up, back shop support, Ground Support Equipment maintenance, aircraft maintenance support removed from fixed location for extended periods and logistics support. • Estimated number of maintenance personnel needed to support maintenance operations • Qualification requirements of the maintenance personnel to support maintenance operations • Labor mix (Lead Mechanic, Avionics Technician, Aircraft Mechanics, Mechanics Helpers, etc.) of maintenance personnel to support the maintenance operations • Expertise in large aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul • Experience maintaining aircraft under a DOD contract or a contract where the Ground Flight Risk (GFR) clause was utilized • Quality Management Systems (examples may be ISO 9000, 14 CFR 145 Certified Repair Station, or other similar quality systems) • Operational support of aircraft deployed to other areas during fire season or other missions outside of fire season • Non-destructive inspection of aircraft in accordance with NAS 410 Maintenance • Quality Assurance inspections Note: You may provide any other pertinent information that may contribute to efficiencies related to this RFI that will assist the Government in developing specifications for future solicitations.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/024B/SN-2015-12/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03801380-W 20150719/150717235105-3129e73e85200b93247fc04150afbc44 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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