AEROSPACE CONSULTANT - SPACECRAFT RE-ENTRY PORT FAA PART 433 LICENSURE SERVICES AT SIERRA VISTA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

The City of Sierra Vista (‘The City”) is requesting proposals from experienced and qualified firms to conduct, prepare, and submit all applications, documents, and studies required to acquire a spaceport Reentry Site Operator License FAA Part 433 at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (“the Airport”). The Airport is a Joint-Use airport with the US Army’s Fort Huachuca Libby Army Airfield (LAAF).

The City of Sierra Vista (pop. ~45,000) began with the establishment of Fort Huachuca in 1877. As a camp, and later a fort, it was the home of the famed "Buffalo Soldiers" of the 9th and 10th Cavalry, U.S. Army. Eventually it grew into a small city that was incorporated in 1956. Fort Huachuca was annexed by the city in 1971. Since its incorporation, Sierra Vista has steadily grown to encompass more than 130 square miles. Reaching a service area in excess of 50,000 residents, Sierra Vista was classified as a metropolitan statistical area and established a metropolitan planning organization after the 2010 census.

Located 75 miles southeast of Tucson, Sierra Vista is a thriving community that serves as the main commercial, cultural, and recreational hub of Cochise County (pop. 130,000). The city is surrounded by the unique beauty of the Huachuca, Dragoon, and Mule Mountains and is bordered on the east by the San Pedro River, one of the premier bird-watching destinations in the country. At an elevation of 4,600 feet, Sierra Vista not only boasts magnificent mountain views, but also a temperate year-round climate, abundant sunshine, and clean, fresh air.

The City of Sierra Vista is a council-manager municipality with a Mayor and six Council Members, all elected at large on staggered four year terms via non-partisan elections. The City Council sets public policy and the City Manager implements that policy and oversees the day-to-day operation of the city. The City Manager has been in his position for 26 years, providing stability to the organization. Sierra Vista is a full-service City and provides typical local government services to the community, including police, fire, animal control and sheltering, public works, engineering, airport (joint use with Fort Huachuca), wastewater treatment, transit, refuse collection, parks, recreation, library, planning, building, economic development, tourism marketing, and various administrative functions. Over the years, Sierra Vista has received numerous awards at state, regional, and national levels for excellence in all areas of operations, from budgeting to water conservation. The City's one-year budget cycle runs from July 1 to June 30.

Blackstar Orbital announced their spacecraft manufacturing and test facility at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport in January 2024. Blackstar Orbital is the expected initial user seeking to return their spaceplane as the Sierra Vista Spaceport.

Following the completion of a successful Sierra Vista Spaceport Feasibility Study in Oct. 2024, the City seeks to continue the process to obtain full FAA 433 Spaceport Licensure.