GAO has closed the book on Coulson's latest airtanker task order protest, while CAL FIRE continues its aggressive fleet expansion. This issue also covers a new helicopter IDIQ in Alaska and the FAA's latest Airbus ADs.
Solicitations & Opportunities
The Department of the Interior is seeking proposals for the USWFS EU T3 Helo Fire - Fort Wainwright, AK (Posted Oct 16), a single-award IDIQ for one contractor-operated Type 3 helicopter. This procurement is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS 481211 with a size standard of 1,500 employees source. Requirements include current FAA Part 135, 133, and 137 certificates. Proposals are due by November 17, 2026.
Protest Watch
In Coulson Aviation (USA) Inc., B-424598 (Sep 28, 2026), GAO denied in part and dismissed in part a protest challenging the issuance of exclusive-use airtanker task orders (TORP No. FS-AT23-EU-02). Despite acknowledging agency errors in fuel-cost and unavailability calculations, GAO found that Coulson was not competitively prejudiced because the corrections did not create a reasonable prospect of displacing the selected offers source.
Regulatory & Policy
The U.S. Forest Service has reaffirmed its commitment to a "full suppression strategy" for all unplanned ignitions on National Forest System lands via the 2026 Fire Letter of Intent source. This policy prioritizes rapid initial attack using both direct and indirect tactics to limit fire growth, marking a shift toward more aggressive early-season containment.
Industry & Safety
· CAL FIRE expanded its state-owned fleet with a fifth C-130H Hercules airtanker at the Paso Robles Air Attack Base on October 19 source.
· The FAA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a new Airworthiness Directive affecting Airbus A330 series aircraft (Docket No. FAA–2026–11793), with comments due November 16 source.
The Takeaway
Operators should review the GAO's B-424598 decision on 'competitive prejudice'—even if the agency makes calculation errors, the protest fails if those errors didn't realistically change the outcome. Additionally, A330 operators should review the proposed AD for maintenance limit changes immediately.