Gilbert Garcia

General duties and scope:

• Provide aviation program oversight, function as the contracting officer representative, implement aviation safety management practices, and provide technical and subject matter expertise.
• Work hand in hand with, the State Aviation Manager, Fixed Wing Specialist, Aviation Safety and Training Specialist, the District UAM's and Helicopter Managers to efficiently and safely utilize both fire and non fire aviation resources. to include mission planing, safety practices and movement of aircraft assets.

Duties

• Provide management, support, technical expertise and direction for fire and non fire (Resource) aviation functions, i.e. Cadastral Survey (STEP), Arctic District Field Office and the Fire Management Zones. This includes exclusive use and our On Call users.
• COR for 11 exclusive use helicopter contracts. This encompasses the completion of acquisition forms and the Statement of Work for future and current exclusive use contracts.
• Ascertain the need and configuration of new and existing rotorwing platforms.
• The completion of Government estimates (costs) for future exclusive use contracts, conducting market research and chairing the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) group for all of our rotorwing contract solicitations. Ultimately developing/authoring the Governments final consensus report or selection/recommendation and submitting to the Contracting Officer.
• SSEB group consists of OAS Safety and Inspectors, the Contracting Officers, local UAM if available and myself.
• Compiling and entry of contract evaluations into the CPAR's system.
• Ensure contract and policy compliance from vendors, weather Exclusive use or OnCall.
• Conduct pre and post work meeting with exclusive use vendors and aviation staff. This is done to ensure vendors are conducting a safe and efficient operation while meeting contract requirements and policy also ensuring that our staff is meeting the same.
• Open door policy with vendors, staff, managers and UAM's allowing for an easy flow of information between users and vendors.
• Initiate Informal meeting with UAM's and Helicopter Managers to discuss operations, safety and or concerns.
• Coordinate annual pilot and helicopter inspections with OAS.
• Manage SAFECOM system for BLM AK rotorwing operations, to include conducing AAR's, fact gathering and reporting.
• Compiling and disseminating aviation stats for State Aviation Manager and the National Office. Used in annual reports to track costs and use.

Additional Duties:

• Served on the IATS committee as vice chair. The IATS provides national leadership to establish and disseminate interagency aviation training standards for national resource agency personnel in support os safe, effective and efficient use of aviation resources.
• Served as the acting State Aviation Manager when needed.

Duties and scope:

• In this position I was responsible for the safe and efficient management and supervision of the Denali Fire and resource helicopter program. Along with the management of the Denali program I helped in the development and supervision of the South East Prescribed Fire Helicopter program. The South East Program was run during the shoulder season of the Alaska program, prior to the Alaska program start.
• When I first arrived in Alaska the first thing I noticed was that there was only one primary road into the park. I immediately recognized that the helicopter was going to be the primary mode of transportation in, out and around the park. Realizing the primary mission in the Park was not going to be fire but lean more to the resources side, I decided to go out, meet my customers foster working relationships and build trust with the other users.
• The South East Program presented its own unique challenges as it was a new program and was still in its infancy. This program required me to interact with individuals with varying degrees of experience from many different backgrounds. As both programs had such diverse groups of individuals, I drew from my previous leadership and communication skills to build and foster the relationships and trust needed to work safe and efficiently. I accomplished this through formal and informal training and by just going out and meeting people.
• For both of the two programs I was responsible for the day to day operations, planning, scheduling and supervision of the helicopter and modules. For each of these programs I recruited, hired and trained individuals in safe and efficient helicopter operations. I completed performance plans and did individual performance evaluation for crew members. For both programs I was the Primary trainer for the helicopter programs. I trained individuals in the safe and efficient use of helicopters, and in fire readiness.
• As the COR for both programs I ensured helicopter vendors were meeting the contract specifications while maintaining efficiency and safety. I evaluated individual contractor performance and submitted evaluation into CPAR’s. I was accountable for the tracking, completion and submission of all pay docs in a timely manner for both programs.