SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Technology Readiness Evaluation for Break Bulk Air Cargo Inspection
- Notice Date
- 1/12/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- DHS - Border and Transportation Security, Transportation Security Administration, Headquarters TSA, 601 S. 12th Street TSA-25, 10th Floor, Arlington, VA, 22202
- ZIP Code
- 22202
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-HSTS04-TRE05-A
- Response Due
- 1/26/2005
- Archive Date
- 5/12/2005
- Description
- NOTE: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE REQUIRES A CAPABILITY RESPONSE IN A SPECIFIC FORMAT BY A SPECIFIC DUE DATE. SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS. THE FORMAT FOR SUBMISSION (ATTACHMENT 1,QUAD CHART) WILL BE PUBLISHED SEPARATELY. INTRODUCTION The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Office of Security Technologies (CTO), is sponsoring a Technology Readiness Evaluation (TRE 05-A) for explosives detection systems for inspection of break bulk air cargo. The laboratory and field test for TRE 05-A is scheduled for the 3QFY05 timeframe, and will examine both the effectiveness and suitability of candidate systems. It is anticipated that additional TRE announcements will be released during the fiscal year and will be standardized, recurring venues for commercial vendors and academic and government laboratories, to have their technologies tested and evaluated in both field and laboratory environments. Future TREs will focus on additional air cargo screening requirements in the following areas: containerized air cargo, palletized air cargo, and mail. OPERATIONAL FOCUS The focus of TRE 05-A is to evaluate technologies and systems designed to screen break bulk air cargo for explosive threats. Air cargo includes, but is not limited to the following: printed matter, electronic equipment, machine parts, wearing apparel, medical supplies, other dry goods, fresh cut flowers, fresh seafood, fresh produce, tropical fish, human remains, and other perishable goods. GOAL TSA?s goal is to enable a wide variety of potential technologies and systems to be presented for evaluation under the TRE process, and assignments of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to these systems. Both automated and non-automated detection devices will be considered for inclusion in the TRE on a space-available basis. TECHNOLOGY MATURITY Technologies and systems at various stages of the maturity may apply under this TRE; however, priority will be given to Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) systems and Non-Developmental Items (NDI) that can be readily deployed to enhance air cargo security. RESPONDENT BENEFITS The TRE 05-A will offer respondents a unique opportunity to obtain effectiveness and suitability data that can be used in their developmental work, regardless of the TRL that they demonstrate. Further, information obtained through the TRE process may result in future procurement opportunities for detection equipment. Although the intent of TRE 05-A is to identify promising explosives detection technologies and systems, the TSA is under no obligation to select any of the participating technologies/systems for inclusion in the TRE, nor for future acquisition efforts. PROCESS The process that will be used in the TRE will be a down-select process based on respondent-provided information which is summarized below: This multi-stage down-select process will be used for all respondents and technologies. Step One ? Respondent Submission of Completed Quad Chart and Review Submissions of interest will be requested to submit a more detailed White Paper. Step Two ? Government Request for White Paper to Selected Respondents White Paper requirements will be provided directly to selected respondents and it is anticipated that there will be a short turnaround time required for submission of the White Paper. Step Three - Respondent Submission of White Paper and Review Respondents whose White Papers are favorably evaluated will be invited to participate in laboratory and/or field testing. Step Four ? Government Invitation to Participate in the TRE 05-A Requirements for Step 4 will be provided to those vendors invited to participate in the TRE 05-A. During Step 4 of the TRE process, invited respondents will be required to provide one device at no charge to the government for test purposes, and be required to support, operate and/or train system operators, and maintain the device during the test period. Respondents will be required to bear all costs associated with shipping the sample to the TRE evaluation site, providing installation support, training, and removal of the sample from the TRE at the end of testing. The TRE testing process will last for approximately two months (from setup to shutdown). Test units will be required to be onsite NLT one week prior to test conduct. TRE test locations for laboratory and/or field testing events are to be determined. All data/information collected during or in preparation of this TRE will be treated as proprietary. REQUIREMENTS STEP 1: QUAD CHART SUBMISSION (SEE ATTACHMENT 1) The information below provides the key detail that is required in the submission. The respondent shall complete the following information in the form of a quad chart (ATTACHMENT 1) as outlined below. Block 1 ? Picture: Respondents must provide an electronic picture of the technology system in operating state as Block 1 of the quad chart deliverable. Block 2 ? Description Provide information describing the system and detection technology employed, including: Inspection area in which the system can be used (Must verify that system can be used for inspecting break-bulk air cargo). A brief discussion of the technology the system uses to detect the presence of explosives. The physical characteristics of the system including size, weight, inspection item limitations, power/voltage requirements, any unique support requirements, and other pertinent information. Block 3 ? Capability Provide information describing the system capabilities including: The projected effectiveness of the system: o Types and quantities of explosives the system can detect o System probability of detection level o False alarm rates o Throughput rate on an hourly basis (items inspected/hour) o Time it takes to evaluate a test item (minutes) Systems suitability for use: o Safety & health factors associated with system use.  The system must be safe for use by operators and non-injurious to the cargo being screened.  Respondents will provide information on any classes of articles that cannot be safely inspected by the system. Block 4 ? Viability System lifecycle costs: o Acquisition costs for a single system o System operating costs on an annual basis o Anticipated system life expectancy in years o Maintenance Costs on an annual basis o Mean Time Between Failures o Mean Time to Repair Respondent system maturity assessment (choose one): o Proof-of-concept prototype o Developmental item o Commercially-available product. SUBMISSION To be considered for inclusion in this TRE, respondents must complete the quad chart listed under Step 1 (see quad sheet Attachment 1) and send it by e-mail to Sheila.Roche@dhs.gov to the Transportation Security Administration, [Attention: Sheila K. Roche, Contracting Officer), Office of Acquisition, 701 South 12th St., Arlington, VA 22202] not later than 1300 hours Eastern Standard Time, January 26, 2005. Any questions shall be submitted in writing to Sheila.Roche@dhs.gov not later than January 18, 2005. It is anticipated that the government will evaluate all respondent?s quad chart submissions within 15 days of receipt. Offerors shall not use the U.S. Mail or overnight mail to submit Quad Chart information. The Government will not accept facsimile submission of information for this TRE. All offers shall be delivered via electronic mail to Sheila.Roche@dhs.gov. The Contracting Officer will send an acknowledgement of receipt of the Quad Chart to the originator of the e-mail that forwarded the information. Electronic submissions must be less than 3MB in file size. The submittal shall reference the solicitation number. Individual files larger than 3MB will not be evaluated by the TSA. Unreadable Electronic Proposals: It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to ensure that the electronic media submitted is virus free and can be opened and read by the Government. If the electronic media cannot be opened, and read by the Government, the Respondent shall have 72 hours after notification of the same, to correct the deficiency. After that time, if the electronic media cannot be opened and read by the Government, the submittal may be determined unacceptable and may render the Respondent ineligible to proceed to further steps of the process. This is an all-electronic solicitation. No hard copies will be mailed. Amendments to the solicitation will be published only on the FEDBIZOPPS website. It is the Respondent?s responsibility to periodically review either of these websites for notices, amendments, updates, questions and answers and changes to the posted information. Respondents are advised that classified or special access information shall not be included in any submission in response to this solicitation. Respondents are further advised that if proprietary, competition sensitive or company?s confidential information is to be included in their response, they should indicate the nature of the information in the submittal and specify how to contact the Offeror. The Government will not pay any bid and proposal costs incurred in the submission of the offer or related to any studies or designs deemed necessary to prepare the offer. The Government reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of this announcement, as well as the TRE process itself (including cancellation of the TRE and removal of an article under test), when in the best interest of the Government. EVALUATION CRITERIA Selected devices will be evaluated as ?acceptable? or ?unacceptable? based on the quad chart submitted. Specific areas to be included in the evaluation (in descending order of importance) are: 1)Capability, such as probability of explosives detection, alarm rate, throughput rate, and inspection time as demonstrated in an operationally realistic environment; 2)Physical Characteristics; and 3)Viability, such as life cycle costs and technology maturity.
- Record
- SN00733426-W 20050114/050112211521 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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