"The work to be performed will be the loading of multi-ton quantities of marijuana at a secure site, providing protection and security enroute to the destruction facility, offloading multi-ton quantities of marijuana at the destruction facility, and providing security until all the marijuana is destroyed," the sources-sought notice said.

The document, which was added to the federal Electronic Posting System database on Thursday (Aug. 11), said that initial security "runs" of the cannabis shipments will take place in and around Tuscon, Ariz., as well as between Tuscon and "Nogales and/or Sierra Vista, Arizona." Future locations may include "Yuma and/or Phoenix," it added.

DEA and its private security agents will transport the marijuana tonnage "on an irregular basis, and will not be scheduled more than a few days in advance," it said. "Runs may be needed as often as once a week, but the interval between runs may be much longer."

DEA will provide a vehicle to transport the marijuana, but requires contractors to provide their own "security/follow vehicle capable of carrying four people, including the driver." The agency set an Aug. 16 deadline for submission of capability statements from interested security firms.