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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF APRIL 23, 2008 FBO #2340
SOLICITATION NOTICE

63 -- Alternative Non-Intrusive Inspection Technologies for Enhanced Screening and Inspection

Notice Date

4/21/2008
 

Notice Type

Modification/Amendment
 

NAICS

541712 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
 

Contracting Office

Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Washington, District of Columbia, 20528
 

ZIP Code

20528
 

Solicitation Number

RFI-08-00003
 

Response Due

5/16/2008 12:00:00 PM
 

Point of Contact

Brenda D Brady,, Phone: 202-254-6771
 

E-Mail Address

brenda.brady@dhs.gov
 

Description

The Borders and Maritime Security Division (BMD) of the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) issues this Request for Information (RFI) regarding alternative non-intrusive inspection (NII,) technologies for enhanced screening and inspection by the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Background: Customs & Border Protection’s mission is to secure U.S. ports of entry from people and goods that are prohibited or which threaten U.S. citizens, infrastructure, resources and food supply, while efficiently facilitating legitimate trade and travel. TSA’s mission is to protect the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement of people and commerce. Both CBP and TSA have a need to improve technologies currently being deployed for incoming cargo conveyance inspection and air cargo shipment inspection. Current NII technologies employed by CBP and TSA primarily consist of X-Ray and Gamma-Ray systems whose mission is to detect “traditional” contraband (i.e. drugs, currency, illegal firearms and high explosives) that may be illicitly smuggled in cargo containers and air shipping containers. The ultimate goal of this effort is to provide CBP and TSA with technology with enhanced capabilities resulting in a greater confidence of detecting WMD, contraband, explosives, hidden compartments or stowaways during screening and examination of cargo. Objective: For a research and development project that will be starting in FY 09, DHS S&T is seeking new and emergent technologies for a new type of NII system as well as emergent technologies that could augment existing NII systems. The purpose of this RFI is to investigate alternative approaches to non-intrusively inspect cargo and how this may be achieved through emerging technologies and/or current technologies, other than radiography, that can be applied in a different manner. This next generation system will significantly improve CBP’s and TSA’s capability to conduct non-intrusive screening and examination of ship, land and air cargo. The key objective of this project is to advance research and development to: •Explore alternative, higher risk, non-intrusive inspection (NII) technologies for scanning cargo for both high-density and low-density cargoes. These could include but are not limited to acoustic, infrared, ultra-wideband radar, millimeter wave, and other emergent or unknown or undiscovered technologies. Investigate non-traditional industries for scanning and imaging systems, such as the medical, space, undersea and industrial and manufacturing commercial markets. •Improve the system user’s ability to more confidently identify contraband and threat materials in ship, land and air cargo containers, by non-intrusively scanning both high-density and low-density cargo. •Improve operational and maintenance costs, improve container throughput, reduction in weight of mobile NII systems, reductions in operator manpower due to automation, and increased sustainability of scanning equipment in extreme weather conditions and all-port environments. •Minimize health and safety concerns of users and respective trucking and labor unions Operational Concepts: Ultimately, this project is intended to address the following CBP and TSA key security capability gaps: •Enhanced screening and examination of cargo by NII methods for WMD, contraband, hidden compartments or stowaway with improved resolution and throughput advanced non-intrusive inspection methods. •Enhanced screening and examination of air cargo by advanced non-intrusive methods which will perform neutral to commodity type; to address inspection of air cargo container Unit Load Devices (ULD), bulk, and break bulk configurations. •Enhanced flexibility for NII systems to include fixed, mobile, and pallet screening devices Notional Technical Objectives for an Alternative Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) System for Enhanced Screening and Inspection Traditionally, the technical objectives for radiographic (x-ray and Gamma) NII systems have focused on the system’s capability in areas of penetration, resolution, contrast sensitivity, throughput and reliability. Alternative approaches that may improve screening and examination will be considered. Describe your technology improvements in the following areas based on the following technical objectives to scan high-density and low-density cargo: •Improvements in Penetration •Improvements in Resolution •Improvements in Contrast Sensitivity Or, describe the capability improvements your approach will offer to enable the system user to more confidently identify contraband and threat materials in ship, land and air cargo containers. Describe the technical objectives that will be achieved. And, describe the technology’s capability to provide: •Improvements in Throughput •Improvements in Reliability •Improvements in Image Quality •Reduction in the Total Number of Users Required to Operate the System •Improvements in Mobile System Weight •Improvements in Sustainability •Improvements in Health and Safety RFI Submission Requirements: Please include the following information in you submission: (1) Technical Approach: Describe your research and development approach to scanning associated with the automated inspection of vehicles, cargo, and cargo containers. Include relevant information on system concepts for detection of contraband, WMD threat materials, stowaways and hidden compartments, as well as potential shielded nuclear materials. Identify specific areas and descriptions of emergent technology that will be used and the approach used to scan both high- and low-density cargoes. In particular, please describe the selection of the specific technologies, the methodology of use, selection of relevant sub-system materials and detection geometry, image processing techniques, and tools for image analysis and interpretation. Describe any testing that has been conducted and the environment within which it performed. Please indicate if the technology and/or approach have been scientifically published. If so, provide reference. (2) System Configuration: Please describe the relative merit of deploying your concepts in a fixed or mobile configuration with regard to detection performance, throughput, image resolution, safety, physical footprint requirements and configuration, staffing, reliability, system infrastructure requirements, power requirements, life cycle cost and other factors. (3) Price: Provide rough order magnitude (ROM) estimated program cost estimates by fiscal year. Please address any unknown manufacturing and facilitization issues and costs. Please also address intellectual property rights and export restrictions. Cost calculations should be based upon a four year development plan broadly outlined below: • Program Initiation, Concept Studies and Analysis of Alternatives – (1 Year) • Concept Selection and Initiate System Design - (1 Year) • System Prototype Fabrication, Test and Demonstrations – (2 Years) (4) Facilities and Staff: Describe current facilities and staff for producing advanced scanning systems for homeland security applications. (5) Experience: Describe past experience with regard to the research and development of scanning systems. (6) Business Type: Identify your business type: large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged, HUB-Zone small, woman-owned small, very small, veteran-owned small, service-disabled veteran-owned small as based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 335999, All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing. The term Small Business Concern means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR Part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, with no more than 500 employees. Responders are cautioned; however, that this is a general description only; additional standards and conditions apply. Refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 19), at www.arnet.gov, for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. Submission Guidelines: Required RFI sections: (1)Cover page that includes company name, complete mailing address, and web page (2)Contact information (name/title/telephone#/fax#/email address) for the following company representatives: a.Technical Representative b.Business Representative c.Contract Representative (3)Technical Approach and System Configuration (4)High-level Program Schedule (5)ROM Cost Estimate (6)Facilities and Staff, Experience and Business Type (7)Additional Information (as needed) All responses (one response per company) are to be provided on company letterhead and in electronic format utilizing PDF. The RFI is limited to eleven (11) pages total - one page for the contact information and company representatives and ten pages for the sections (3)-(7). All data received in response to this RFI marked or designated as business confidential or proprietary will be fully protected from release outside the government. Responses should be marked identifying proprietary areas or specific proprietary technology. General proprietary markings are not acceptable. Responses should be no longer than eleven pages. Responses must be submitted via the web portal at hsarpabaa.com and in Adobe PDF format. Contact must be made by email only. All packages submitted electronically or by electronic media shall be free of any computer virus. If a virus is found, the package will be destroyed and a replacement will be requested, which must be provided within three days after notification. All material provided is treated as confidential and company proprietary that will be reviewed by government employees and representatives only. This RFI is for planning purposes, and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will follow. Parties responding to this RFI are responsible for all costs associated with preparation of a response. THIS RFI IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR PURPOSES OF CONDUCTING MARKET RESEARCH AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ANY CURRENT OR FUTURE COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL TO MS. BRENDA BRADY, CONTRACTING OFFICER, AT Brenda.Brady@dhs.gov MODIFICATION EXTENDS THE CLOSING DATE TO 16 MAY 2008
 

Web Link

FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f6b1d4e5a6c8f44235557a25d89aa87e&tab=core&_cview=1)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Homeland Security, Office of Procurement Operations, 245 Murray Lane, Building 410, Washington, District of Columbia, 20528, United States

Zip Code: 20528
 

Record

SN01558163-W 20080423/080421215530-f6b1d4e5a6c8f44235557a25d89aa87e (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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