Forest Service Awards 5 Spots on $7.2B Wildfire Airtanker Services Contract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has awarded five companies positions on a potential 10-year, $7.2 billion contract for wildland fire airtanker support services.

The Airtanker Services 2023 multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-delivery contract has a one-year base period and nine option years and each awardee has a guaranteed minimum amount of $10,000 under the contract, according to an award notice published Friday.

According to the solicitation notice, the contractors will provide all necessary resources to deliver airtanker services, including the need to supply multiengine turbine powered-aircraft that could be used to drop retardant on wildland fires.

The U.S. government will supply the fuel through the Defense Logistics Agency’s AIR Card program.

“The contractor shall provide a second means of paying for fuel during instances when the DLA card is not accepted. The contractor will be reimbursed for fuel purchases made for revenue flights on the contractor’s card,” the solicitation notice reads.

The awardees are: