Satellite Phones

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to negotiate a sole source procurement with NIC4, Inc. for satellite phones. The procurement specifically targets Iridium 9575-PTT Satellite Phones that provide voice communications in areas without terrestrial infrastructure and include Push-to-Talk (PTT) functionality with access to NIC4 Satellite Phone PTT Talkgroups. The agency intends to award a firm fixed-price purchase order under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures with NAICS code 517410. The procurement is valued between $10,000 and $250,000 and represents a recurring requirement with delivery expected by August 18, 2025. The DEA has included a sole source justification as an attachment to the notice.

The primary purpose of this Special Notice is to inform potential vendors of the DEA's intent to proceed with sole source procurement while providing an opportunity for other capable vendors to submit capability statements for consideration. Market research conducted by the agency found no alternative satellite phone capable of providing both Direct Dial and PTT capabilities, justifying the selection of the Iridium 9575-PTT phone from NIC4. Interested vendors must submit capability statements electronically to Monica.J.Gehrer@dea.gov by August 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM EST. The notice explicitly states that it is not a request for competitive quotation and no Request for Quotation (RFQ) is available. Any determination by the government not to open the requirement to competition based on responses to this notice remains solely within the agency's discretion.