481211: Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation

The federal government buys nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation primarily through the Department of Defense, with USTRANSCOM accounting for the vast majority of activity. The military uses this code for troop movements, emergency transport, and specialized missions. Buyers issue awards both with and without small business set-asides, though most awards carry no set-aside restriction. A firm can expect to work with multiple contracting offices across the Air Force and other defense agencies.

The market shows significant concentration. The median award sits at $70.3K, but total spending reaches $48.84B across 575 vendors over 27 years, meaning a small number of large contracts drive the total. A company considering entry should know that 575 distinct vendors have won work, but the top buyer alone issued nearly 38,000 awards. This suggests both opportunity for smaller players on individual charters and the reality that major carriers dominate the spending.

Sixteen active notices are currently posted, and 720 contracts worth $1.46B will end within the next 12 months. A firm should monitor these expiring awards closely, as they represent immediate rebid opportunities. The lack of set-aside restrictions on most awards means competition will be open, but the sheer volume of small awards suggests room for vendors willing to handle routine charter requests alongside larger players pursuing major contracts.