US Marshals Service shopping for a Boeing 737 aircraft

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS), Oklahoma City operational site, is seeking information from responsible sources and commercial agencies concerning the lease, with the option to purchase, one large transport turbine powered aircraft.

The primary mission of JPATS is the safe, secure and efficient transportation of federal and non-federal prisoners and the provision of aircraft and flight crew for the support of other operational missions. Additional mission assignments include international flights in support of foreign extraditions, witness security and enforcement operations, strategic deployment of USMS and Special Operations Group personnel and equipment and other special operations assigned by the USMS or U.S. Attorney General.

JPATS says a Boeing 737-700 or 737-800, transport category, narrow body, twin-engine jet aircraft will fit the lease requirement. The aircraft will be operated primarily from the JPATS Oklahoma City operational site but may at times, based on particular mission demands, operate from the JPATS Las Vegas operational site. The period of performance under the lease will be a base period: Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022, with four Option Years. JPATS will have the option to purchase the aircraft at any time during the base period or the option years.

Based on current mission flying schedules, JPATS’ estimated utilization rate for the proposed aircraft is approximately 1,290 flight hours or 900 takeoffs and landings per year. “Flight Hour” by definition is “wheels off” during takeoff to “wheels on” during landing. The actual hours and cycles will vary due to scheduling demands. JPATS will pay a monthly firm-fixed price lease rate for the aircraft through the leasing period for unlimited use of the aircraft. If JPATS elects to purchase the aircraft (at a firm-fixed price) the monthly firm-fixed price lease rate will cease on effective date of the purchase.

This is a “dry” lease, which includes the aircraft, insurance, and heavy maintenance. JPATS has determined that only the Boeing 737-700 or the Boeing 737-800 will meet our unique mission requirements.

“A solicitation is being developed and a contract may or may not result,” U.S. Marshals Service officials said in contract documents released in October. Companies interested in responding to the request should contact the U.S. Marshals Service no later than Oct. 26.

Urgent request for maintenance work on US Marshals aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Group (AMEG) issued an urgent requirement on Friday to establish a contract with a qualified vendor to perform heavy maintenance inspections on aircraft used to transport prisoners.

AMEG performs aircraft maintenance for the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS) operation based in Oklahoma City. Managed by the U.S. Marshals Service, JPATS is one of the largest transporters of prisoners in the world – handling about 804 requests every day to move prisoners between judicial districts, correctional institutions and foreign countries.

JPATS transports sentenced prisoners who are in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons as well as to hearings, court appearances and detention facilities. JPATS is the only government-operated, regularly scheduled passenger airline in the nation. JPATS routinely serves approximately 42 domestic and international cities, plus other major cities in the United States on an as-required basis.

JPATS owns two Boeing 737-400 aircraft, N639CS and N640CS. These aircraft are maintained under a Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program that requires scheduled inspections and maintenance at regular intervals during the life of the aircraft. These inspections, or checks, are required to be performed at specific intervals based on take-offs and landings (cycles) flight hours or monthly requirement. Failure to perform these inspections/maintenance will ground the aircraft until the work is performed.

N639CS and N640CS both have C-CHECKs due Sept. 1 and Oct. 10, respectively. These checks are considered “Heavy maintenance” and therefore outside the capabilities/responsibilities of the AMEG maintenance personnel functions.

C-CHECKs are extensive checks of individual systems and components for serviceability and function. It requires a thorough visual inspection of specified areas, components and systems as well as operational or functional checks. It is a high-level check that involves extensive tooling, test equipment, and special skill levels. C-CHECKs can remove an airplane from service for three to five days.

“AMEG has an urgent requirement to establish a contract with a qualified vendor to purchase maintenance services to accomplish a C-CHECK maintenance inspection for both N639CS and N640CS to keep both aircraft in service,” the FAA said in contract documents released Friday. “The first aircraft, N639CS, runs out of calendar time Sept. 1. The second aircraft, N640CS is scheduled to run out of time by Oct. 10."