Sources Sought
RFI On-Call Leadplane
Department of the Interior
AI summaryThe Department of the Interior's IBC Acquisition Services Directorate, for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), is asking which companies can provide one multi-engine turbojet aircraft on call as a wildland fire Leadplane (an aircraft that leads air tankers over a fire). This is a request for information (RFI) for market research only, not a solicitation, and no contract will be awarded from it. Small and large businesses may respond; the response due date is November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells Department of the Interior who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
The Department of the Interior's IBC Acquisition Services Directorate, for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), is asking which companies can provide one multi-engine turbojet aircraft on call as a wildland fire Leadplane (an aircraft that leads air tankers over a fire). This is a request for information (RFI) for market research only, not a solicitation, and no contract will be awarded from it. Small and large businesses may respond; the response due date is November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern.
Who can bid
- Open to small and large businesses; no set-aside is stated
- Aircraft must be approved by its manufacturer to fly the Leadplane special mission profile and have engineering and logistical support for continued airworthiness from the type certificate holder
- Aircraft must be certified for single pilot operations, hold a Standard Airworthiness Certificate, and be certified for flight into Known Icing
Things to watch (4)
From the version posted Oct 15, 2026.
- Serious: You must already have a qualifying aircraft. The aircraft must be a multi-engine turbojet that the manufacturer has approved for the Leadplane special mission profile, so only operators with such an aircraft can answer.
- Worth checking: Performance minimums are demanding. The aircraft needs at least 215 KTAS (knots true airspeed) at 15,000 feet and must operate from a 4,000-foot runway at 3,000 feet pressure altitude and ISA +37 degrees Celsius.
- Worth checking: Seating and payload numbers are unclear. Seating reads "four (3) passengers", and the payload line lists 200 pounds for the pilot and 200 pounds for three passengers against a 525-pound payload; ask the contracting office which numbers apply.
Show all 4Show fewer
- Minor: Market research only, no award. This RFI does not lead to a contract by itself, and respondents should not expect feedback beyond an acknowledgement of receipt if one is requested.
Read from the notice and 1 attachment. Show which files.
- A14_MR_RFI_OC_Leadplane_1.pdf (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Say whether you can provide one aircraft that meets every minimum specification in the RFI
- A contractor-operated and contractor-maintained aircraft on call for flight services as a Leadplane for the USWFS Aerial Supervision Module (ASM) Program
- The Government would provide the Leadplane-qualified pilot and fuel
- The contractor would provide the aircraft, an Instructor Pilot, insurance, and scheduled and unscheduled maintenance to keep it airworthy under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and Department of the Interior (DOI) policy
- Send company details: name, mailing address, point of contact with phone and email, size standard for NAICS 532411, and number of aircraft with their configuration
- Contract type
- Not stated. The RFI describes a possible future on-call arrangement for a contractor-operated and contractor-maintained aircraft; no solicitation has been issued.
- Place of performance
- Not given in the SAM.gov fields. The RFI says the USWFS flies its Leadplanes throughout the contiguous United States, Alaska, and occasionally in Canada and over Mexico.
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- November 10, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern
What to include when you submit
- Indicate whether you can provide one aircraft meeting the minimum specifications in the RFI
- Include company name, mailing address, point of contact name and title, the contact's telephone numbers and email addresses, and your size standard for NAICS 532411
- Include the number of aircraft you have and their configuration
Not in the notice text
- The RFI does not say where or how to send responses (no email address, portal or contact is given in the text); check the SAM.gov notice page.
- The RFI refers to an exhibit describing the Leadplane special mission profile; no exhibit is in the text read.
- No contract type, contract length, number of aircraft needed, or estimated value is given.
- The RFI does not say what flights in Canada or over Mexico would require, such as permits or insurance.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside. Any business can reply: this is market research, and no bid is being taken yet.
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 15, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- Ibc Acq SVCS Directorate (00004), Herndon, VA
- Business type
- Real estate, rentals & leasing (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 532411)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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