International Commercial Air (ICAIR) Transportation Services (ICAIR27)
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- 5A-26-A-0003
- Agency
-
United States Postal Service
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 48111 Scheduled Air Transportation
- Place of performance
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The United States Postal Service intends to solicit U.S. and foreign air carriers to provide international commercial air transportation services for civilian, Department of War military, and Department of State diplomatic mail across approximately 2,300 unique lanes worldwide, with a pre-solicitation response deadline of August 14, 2026 and services beginning August 7, 2027.
Mail movement is classified into three lane types: prograde (originating in the United States with foreign final destinations), retrograde (originating abroad with U.S. final destinations), and intra-theater delivery service lanes (originating and terminating in foreign countries). Primary mail consignment origins are International Service Centers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York), Miami International Airport (Miami), O'Hare International Airport (Chicago), and Los Angeles International Airport (Los Angeles), though other origins may be used.
U.S. carriers must hold FAA Air Carrier Certificates issued under 14 CFR Part 121. Foreign carriers must hold permits issued under Section 402 of the Foreign Air Carrier Permit statute. Interested carriers should submit company name and address, website, primary contact name and phone number, and a copy of their business authorization document. The Postal Service will issue contracts in accordance with 39 U.S. Code Section 5402 and its Supplying Principles and Practices. No set-aside applies to this procurement.
Notice text
USPS is seeking U.S. and foreign air carriers to provide International Commercial Air (ICAIR) Transportation Services for international civilian, Department of War military, and Department of State diplomatic mail. Military mail is mail sent to and from troops abroad, while diplomatic mail is mail sent to and from embassies and diplomats abroad.
The Postal Service will be soliciting transportation for movement of mail across approximately 2,300 unique lanes worldwide. Each of these lanes is classified as prograde, retrograde, or intra-theater delivery service (IDS).
- Prograde lanes are lanes that originate in the United States and have a final destination in another country. Mail is primarily consigned from International Service Centers (ISCs) located at the following airports, but other origins may be used:
- John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York NY (JFK)
- Miami International Airport, Miami FL (MIA)
- O'Hare International Airport, Chicago IL (ORD)
- Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles CA (LAX)
- Retrograde lanes are lanes that originate in a foreign country and have a final destination in the United States, primarily one of the ISCs listed above.
- IDS lanes are lanes that originate in a foreign country and also have a final destination in a foreign country.
A solicitation for these services will be issued in accordance with the Postal Service's Supplying Principles and Practices and 39 U.S. Code § 5402. The contracts resulting from this solicitation will be issued for services to begin August 7, 2027.
Carriers who are interested in providing services to USPS are asked to provide the following information:
- Company Name, Address, and website
- Name, phone number, and email for the primary contact person
- A copy of the document authorizing it to conduct business
- For certificated air carriers, this authorization will be in the form of an FAA Air Carrier Certificate, issued under 14 CFR Part 121.
- For foreign air carriers, a permit issued under Section 402 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958.
- For foreign air carriers not servicing points in the United States, alternate proof of authorization (e.g., a certificate from their home country) may be submitted
This information and any questions should be sent to Jeremy Hancock at Jeremy.B.Hancock@USPS.gov no later than August 14, 2026.
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