US Drug Enforcement Administration seeks information for ATR-72-600 aircraft acquisition

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Sources Sought Notice to gather market information on the availability of new or used ATR-72-600 twin-engine turbine-powered aircraft. The notice, released on Wednesday, aims to assess market capacity for supplying the aircraft, which will be used for domestic and international deployments.

The DEA's Aviation Division is evaluating procurement options for the ATR-72-600, a commercial passenger/cargo aircraft to be operated as a multi-role passenger/cargo/special-mission aircraft. The agency is seeking responses from all qualified vendors, including small businesses, to provide information on the availability of the aircraft.

The Mission

The ATR-72-600 will be used to deploy government personnel and equipment to enforce controlled substances laws and regulations in the United States. The aircraft will operate in various environments, including mountainous terrain, high terrain elevations, and high ambient temperature and humidity conditions.

The DEA has specified that the twin-engine aircraft must have a minimum seating capacity of four crew members and 68 passengers and must be configured with a cargo door. The agency's Office of Acquisition, based in Springfield, Va., will use the collected data to inform future procurement decisions.

No Contract Award Just Yet

The Sources Sought Notice is not a formal solicitation or commitment to award a contract, but rather a request for market information to help the DEA evaluate its options. The agency is seeking to understand the market capacity for supplying the ATR-72-600 aircraft and to identify potential vendors that can meet its requirements.