The Aviation Management Acquisition Branch provides Department-wide centralized contracting service for aircraft and related services for DOI and DOI customers. Other acquisition management activities include property accountability and small purchase service in support of AM operations including DOI fleet aircraft.

DOI Aviation Management (AM) has about 175 formal contracts in Headquarters and the Alaska Regional Office covering over 400 aircraft and approximately 600 Aircraft Rental Agreements accessing about 2000 aircraft. This is adequate coverage to meet most needs without contracting on an emergency basis.

AM is a multi-faceted agency involved in many projects, many of which are overseen by the Acquisition Branch. Examples:

• A helicopter contract in support of Minerals Management Service (MMS) and U.S. Coast Guard outer continental shelf operation in the Gulf of Mexico . This contract provides for 13 exclusive use helicopters and 7 on-call aircraft for a total dollar amount in excess of $35 million over the five-year life of the contract.

• AM has contracts in the lower 48 and in Alaska to provide Lear jets, cargo aircraft and helicopters to support Navy Aegis ship system tests and trials. Aircraft are used to simulate targets, launch targets and recover targets as well as for administrative purposes.

• AM provides contract administration services including on-the-ice support of the National Science Foundation projects in Antarctica.

• AM and the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) have consolidated requirements to procure air tankers, large transport and call-when-needed (CWN) large and medium helicopters under contract sharing arrangements.