ATR-72-600 Twin-Engine Turbine Powered Passenger/Cargo Aircraft

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is seeking sources for the procurement of either a new or used ATR-72-600 twin-engine turbine-powered aircraft to support DEA operations in passenger, cargo, and special mission roles for domestic and foreign deployment, with particular emphasis on drug enforcement activities in mountainous terrain and high-density altitude environments. The aircraft must be FAA-certified for transport category operations and meet specific performance requirements including an 800 nautical mile range with 45-minute reserve, 260 KTAS cruise speed, 25,000-foot service ceiling, 13,000-pound useful load, and 15,000-pound payload capacity, along with comprehensive avionics systems including dual VHF communication/navigation transceivers, GPS systems, AHRS, Flight Management System, TCAS II, GPWS, and ADS-B OUT transponders. The government will evaluate vendor responses based on technical capability descriptions, relevant past performance, and rough order of magnitude (ROM) pricing with estimated delivery timelines submitted in capability statements. All interested vendors must submit their responses electronically to Christopher.L.Cooper@dea.gov and Ryan.F.Burke@dea.gov with the subject line referencing "15DDHQ26N00000005_ATR-72-600" by the February 25, 2026 deadline. This is a sources sought notice only and does not constitute a binding request for proposals or obligate the government to award a contract.

No set-aside designations have been applied to this procurement opportunity. New aircraft must have no more than 100 flight hours and 50 landings, while used aircraft must be 2018 or newer with no more than 15,000 total airframe hours and no significant damage history, with the aircraft positioned in its maintenance lifecycle to preclude major overhauls or replacement of engines, propellers, or landing gear for three years, 2,500 hours, or 1,500 cycles. The aircraft interior must be configurable from a full 68-passenger layout to a combination cargo/passenger configuration with at least 36 passengers and 6,600 pounds or 670 cubic feet of cargo capacity using a standard cargo door. Delivery must occur within 18 months from contract award, with the delivery location to be determined at the time of award. No specific award value or budget range has been disclosed in this pre-solicitation notice, as the government is currently assessing market capacity and will use vendor responses to inform the composition and requirements for a future formal solicitation.