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Links New! Mishap Reports New! NAOD (NOAA Aircraft Operator Database) |
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Procedures for Obtaining Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) using the Reimbursable Interagency Agreement between NOAA and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) National Business Center Aviation Management (AM) Office, formerly known as Office of Aircraft Services(OAS)A copy of the agreement can be downloaded from the OMAO web site: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html Please read the “Aircraft Rental Agreement Instructions” for the region you are using (Eastern, Western, Hawaii/Alaska) posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html The Reimbursable Interagency Agreement between NOAA and DOI allows NOAA to use the DOI AM Aircraft Rental Agreement (ARA) System, which is similar to a "blanket purchase agreement" list of vendors that have been evaluated by the Department of Interior for Federal agency use. The list of vendors can be viewed on their Aircraft Source List web page where you can input various search criteria to find aircraft in your project area. The ARA system is set up for aircraft charters up to $25,000 per mission. NOAA offices utilizing a DOI AM “Aircraft Rental Agreement” for aircraft services up to $25,000 per mission, will be charged a DOI administrative overhead fee equal to 14% of the actual amount paid to the aircraft vendor for services rendered. The DOI AM contracting officers will also work with NOAA to facilitate aircraft charters in excess of $25,000; and the administrative overhead fees associated with these contracts will be paid by the NOAA program requesting services at the rates below:
In addition to the fees described above, DOI AM will charge the NOAA office requesting contracting services for reimbursement of any travel or per diem costs incurred for site visits to vendors not currently on the DOI AM Aircraft Source List, or for other travel incurred specifically on behalf of that NOAA office. All NOAA business with DOI AM shall be coordinated through your Line Office liaison for submission to LCDR Eric Berkowitz (NOAA’s liaison with DOI). Chartering with a vendor on the source list “outside the scope” of the instructions outlined below is in violation of the Reimbursable Interagency Agreement. Procedures to request Commercial Aviation Services through DOI AM:Submit Request Complete and fax a NOAA Form 56-48 - Request for Aircraft Support to LCDR Eric Berkowitz of OMAO’s Program Services and Outsourcing Division (fax 301-713-1541). LCDR Berkowitz will contact you to discuss your project needs and fax back your NOAA Form 56-48 with an "OMAO assigned clearance number" annotated to authorize the procurement. The clearance number is also required for follow-up reporting of your flight(s). Acquire Billing Code from DOI AM Determine if your office has “billee code” set up with DOI. This code is used to track your flight activity and ensure the aircraft vendor is paid by DOI for the flights you conduct. To determine if your office already has a code in place, go to: http://amd.nbc.gov/billee/state.asp If you do not have a billee code, obtain one by sending the following information to LCDR Berkowitz of OMAO: Eric.W.Berkowitz@noaa.gov via email in order to receive one:
Obtain Cost Estimate Once you have a billee code set up with DOI AM, and you determine that an existing ARA aircraft vendor can support your project, you can contact the vendor to request a cost estimate for your project. When you contact the vendor please tell them you are a customer of DOI AM utilizing the Aircraft Rental Agreement System so they can give you an accurate cost estimate using the ARA flight rate. Be sure to include an estimate of the DOI administrative overhead fees in your cost estimate. If there are currently no aircraft on the ARA source list that can support your project,
LCDR Berkowitz will submit a request to DOI AM to search for additional vendors
to fulfill your needs. LCDR Barr will also look at the requested flight profiles and
determine if there are "special use" needs such as low-level surveillance flights or
extended over-water flights, etc. These types of requests require a higher level of
safety evaluation of the vendors including a flight evaluation of the pilots’ flying Complete Procurement Request Fill out a CD 435 (Department of Commerce Procurement Request) to submit to your Administrative Support Center along with a copy of the NOAA Form 56-48 annotated with your “OMAO Assigned Clearance Number”) to proceed with the procurement. The “Seller” on the CD-435 will be: U.S. Department of Interior, Aviation Management, 300 E. Mallard Dr., Suite 200, Boise ID 83706-3991, Attn: Erin Horsburgh 208-433-5033. Note: You should follow your office’s procedures for authorizing procurements. When completing and submitting a CD-435 with DOI asthe “seller” this does not mean that the funds are transferred to DOI – it is just an authorization for DOI to bill against these accounting codes if you actually fly with avendor on the DOI list. Schedule Flight As soon as you have an approved Purchase Order or Requisition, and the cost estimate is less than $25,000, you may contact the DOI Aircraft Rental Agreement vendor and schedule your flight(s). Download and read the “Aircraft Rental Agreement” from the DOI AM website for Go to the Regional Flight Coordination Centers to determin the correct region: The “Aircraft Rental Agreement” has detailed information regarding the responsibilities of NOAA employees acting on behalf of the government as well as vendor responsibilities. NOAA employees flying on ARA aircraft are required to visually inspect the DOI AM-issued Aircraft Qualification Card and Pilot Qualification Card, authorizing them to perform the flight prior to embarking on the aircraft to ensure the vendor is complying with the ARA agreement, as detailed in the ARA. If your cost estimate is greater than $25,000, communicate your needs to LCDR Berkowitz to request assistance from the DOI AM Contracting Office to proceed with the procurement. Fly With Vendor When you fly with the ARA vendor, please ensure that the vendor fills out the DOI OAS-23 form using your billee code to ensure that the billing statements are directed properly. You must enter your NOAA Purchase Order or Requisition Number and CAMS accounting codes in the “User Organization and Charge Codes” section on the OAS-23 form documenting the flight activity. This will assist NOAA Finance in correctly billing your office for the flight activity. Follow-Up Reporting Download the “Aircraft Use Report – AMD 23 User Guide” from the DOI AM website which describes all of the codes used on the AMD-23 form. After the project is flown, the vendor will ask you to validate the AMD-23 form (Aircraft Use Report) so they can submit it to DOI AM for reimbursement. Please review the OAS-23 instructions available on the AMD Document Library Index. You will not be paying the vendor directly. DOI AM pays the vendor after the vendor submits the proper paperwork. DOI AM then bills NOAA for reimbursement using the billee code assigned. Do not pay the vendor directly! NOAA requires submission of a NOAA Form 56-56 (Commercial Aviation Services Free Aviation Safety Training DOI AM offers online Interagency Aviation Training. You will find online courses in Aviation Safety, Aircraft Capabilities and Limitations, Aviation Life Support Equipment, Crash Survival, and others. Any NOAA employee or contractor may log in and take these safety courses online. You will receive credit for taking the training only if you complete the test at the end of each module. It is strongly recommended that employees and contractors take advantage of this opportunity to learn about aviation safety. Aviation Safety A-101 is a basic safety course which also outlines the ARA procedures that NOAA must follow when working with the vendors on the source list. DOI AM also offers an Aviation Conference and Education (ACE) session twice a year where many of the aviation safety courses are offered in a classroom setting. NOAA employees and contractors may sign up for the ACE sessions. There is no cost for this training other than travel and lodging.
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