Sling load upgrades to an agency-owned Bell 206B Jet Ranger

Sole Source Procurment

WORK STATEMENT
A. Background
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Wildlife Services (WS) Guam State Office (WS-Guam) intends to procure an external bucket suspension system, hook provision system, rodenticide-specific spreader buckets, and agricultural aerial application GPS systems for an agency-owned Bell 206B Jet Ranger. Training on rodenticide-specific spreader bucket and GPS systems will be provided.
B. Scope of Work
USDA will award a one-time contract for the procurement and installation of an external bucket suspension system and hook provision system on an agency-owned Bell 206B Jet Ranger. The contract will include two (2) spreader buckets specifically designed for aerial rodenticide applications and two (2) agricultural aerial application GPS systems. Awardee will provide all necessary training for two (2) APHIS-WS pilots in the use of spreader buckets and GPS systems and to conduct calibration of spreader bucket system, as well as an A&P certified mechanic with all tools and manuals to maintain the agency-owned rotorcraft during the training and calibration flights.
C. Period of Performance
The effective period of the contract shall be April, 2022 – April, 2023. The period encompasses the time of contract award to completion, helicopter systems installations, and training in spreader bucket and GPS systems and subsequent calibration flights.
D. Performance Requirement
All work shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable Federal regulations and Wildlife Services Safety and Operations Manual
The offeror must have the following qualifications:
• Must have extensive previous experience in helicopter baiting operations
• Must have extensive experience working in very remote locations with limited outside resources
• Must have extensive experience working with required equipment and aircraft in saltwater environment
The hook provision system must conform to the following specifications:
• Must have a Design Load of at least 3500lb.
• Must have a Design Ultimate Strength of at least 15,000lb.
• Must require no more than 8lb. force and less than .5” travel for mechanical release at Design Load (3500lb.)
• Must Operate on 22-28 Volts, DC
• Unit must weigh less than 4lb.
The agricultural aerial application GPS systems must conform to the following specifications:
• Must be a high precision GPS system specifically designed for agricultural use
• Must be lightbar compatible
• Must include an internal (inside the cockpit) lightbar
• Must include a complete secondary (backup) unit
The external bucket suspension system must adhere to the following specifications:
• Must have a Design Load of no less than 1,500 lb.
• Must have a Unit Weight of no more than 18 lb.
• Should not require an overhaul in the first 1000hrs of standard use
The spreader bucket and GPS systems training and calibration must conform to the following specifications:
• Provide one (1) A&P certified technician with all required tools and manuals to maintain the aircraft and systems throughout the training and spreader bucket calibration.
• In-class and field training for two (2) APHIS-WS pilots to allow safe and proficient use of the spreader bucket and GPS system.
• A field site of adequate size for in-air training in spreader bucket usage, GPS system monitoring of flight paths, and successful calibration flights to ensure the proper application rate of the two (2) spreader buckets using a placebo rodenticide bait.
E. Quantities
A one-time contract for procurement and installation of one (1) external bucket suspension system and one (1) hook provision system on agency-owned Bell 206B Jet Ranger, two (2) agricultural aerial application GPS systems, training course on use of spreader bucket and GPS systems for two (2) APHIS-WS pilots, and one (1) certified technician to maintain agency-owned rotorcraft during training course and calibration. Contract covers the above period of performance (March 31, 2022 to March 31, 2023).
F. Location of Service
Agency-owned rotorcraft external bucket suspension and hook provision systems installations will be conducted at awardee premises. Spreader buckets and GPS systems will be delivered to the site where the awardee will be conducting training and spreader bucket calibration (if not being done on or near awardee’s premises). Training, calibration flights and certified technician support will occur at a site near awardee’s place of business or at an Aviation and Training and Operations Center-designated site if there is not a site near awardee.
G. Payment
Vendor’s option to register in the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) @ https://www.ipp.gov/ to download invoice for payment disbursement or provide hard copy invoice at time of
delivery. Invoices must be numbered and list vendor address, point of contact name and phone numbers and delivery order number. Invoices must be dated no earlier than delivery date.