SPECIAL NOTICE
63 -- Algorithm Improvement Program (AIP) Industry Engagement Day - Attachments
- Notice Date
- 3/15/2016
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334511
— Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Washington, District of Columbia, 20528, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20528
- Solicitation Number
- HSHQDC-16-RFI-AIP
- Archive Date
- 4/16/2016
- Point of Contact
- Tracy Miller, , Charnelle Brown,
- E-Mail Address
-
tracy.miller@HQ.DHS.GOV, charnelle.brown@hq.dhs.gov
(tracy.miller@HQ.DHS.GOV, charnelle.brown@hq.dhs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Incoming Foreign National Visit Form Registration Form THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP or Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). This RFI does not commit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) to contract for any supply or service. DHS DNDO is not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP or BAA. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the DNDO. All submissions become the property of the DNDO, and will not be returned. 1. Background Nuclear terrorism is a persistent threat, one with potentially devastating consequences, and is the reason the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) was created. DNDO's singular mission is to prevent nuclear terrorism, a national security priority for the United States. Our research and development must not focus just on current threats and capabilities, but continually seek to anticipate future trends and challenges. Furthermore, DNDO does not just focus on the U.S., but reaches out to its foreign partners to help them organize, train, and equip their people to prevent nuclear terrorism as well. Toward that end, DNDO continually develops and procures radiation detection equipment for deployment by DHS and state/local/tribal law enforcement entities to protect and strengthen various pathways through which global commerce travels. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) created the Algorithm Improvement Program (AIP) to provide a capability that can be used to improve radionuclide identification algorithm performance. Gamma ray radiation detectors use algorithms of varying degrees of sophistication to process spectral data in different ways, including: to discriminate source signatures from background radiation; to identify radionuclides; and to identify the type of source detected (e.g., Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), medical, industrial, or Special Nuclear Material (SNM)). AIP is creating the Algorithm Development Kit (ADK) that will allow algorithm developers to use Gamma Detector Response Function and Analysis Software-Detector Response Function (GADRAS-DRF) and generate spectral data sets from a collection of radionuclides, including SNM, in various unshielded and shielded configurations with the ability to vary count time and source strength. These spectral data sets are expected to ease the process, provide access to costly or inaccessible sources, reduce time and development cost, improve the performance of nuclide identification algorithms. Also, the ADK will contain an application to evaluate algorithm performance and provide feedback to the developer on areas where improvements can be made. 2. Algorithm Improvement Program (AIP) Industry Engagement Day The purpose of this RFI / Special Notice is to announce plans by DNDO to conduct the AIP Industry Engagement Day. The AIP Industry Engagement Day will be held on Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Washington, D. C. Attendees will be briefed on the Algorithm Development Kit (ADK) development, including the concepts behind its tools, how the kit can be beneficial to algorithm developers, and a tutorial on how to use the ADK. AIP Industry Engagement Day will also serve as a platform for conveying information about an AIP Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) opportunity to the private sector, academia, and research institutions and identifying potentially interested parties. Due to the technical nature of the material to be discussed at AIP Industry Engagement Day and the tutorial demonstration, technical personnel involved in algorithm development are highly recommended to attend. Location: Washington, D.C.; Full address will be provided after registration. Timeline: The AIP Industry Engagement Day is planned for Thursday, April 7, 2016. 3. Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Opportunity: Additional information about the CRADA opportunity will be provided at the AIP Industry Engagement Day. (Note that although attendance at AIP Industry Engagement Day may be helpful when deciding whether or not the CRADA opportunity is of interest, attendance is not a requirement for submitting an application for CRADA participation.) Purpose and Benefits of the CRADA: CRADA participants will benefit by receiving training in the use of the ADK, access to ADK developers for general questions and assistance, and advanced review and use of the ADK prior to full public release. From DNDO's perspective, the purpose of the CRADA is to enable final preparations to be made for ADK public release. CRADA participants will use the ADK and provide feedback (e.g., lessons learned, reporting of any bugs found, suggestions for improving the software and accompanying instructional materials) to assist DNDO in creating the final version of the ADK with enhanced user-interoperability and usefulness to algorithm developers. 3.1 CRADA Participation: A wide range of entities will be considered for participation in a CRADA with DNDO, including for-profit companies, whether privately held or publicly traded; academic institutions; Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories; Research Laboratories (e.g., DoD laboratories), and research institutions. The most important requirement for CRADA participation is that participants have developed a radionuclide identification algorithm. This algorithm can be intended for use with a detector the participant has developed or is in the process of developing, or for use with hardware from a different vendor. It is also critical that the CRADA participant be willing and able to make changes to the algorithm so that the effects of making changes based on performance feedback from algorithm scoring can be gauged. To be considered for CRADA participation, applicants shall have: • A working radionuclide identification algorithm capable of processing spectral files; • A level of technical understanding and skill sufficient to complete the work (e.g., computer programming, an understanding of how radionuclide identification algorithms work, an adequate understanding of gamma-ray and x-ray transport and interaction in matter); • Resources available to actively participate in a CRADA. The purpose of the CRADA is to prepare the ADK for public release, key considerations in evaluating a request for CRADA participation will be the applicant's ability to effectively participate in and complete the CRADA work, and the applicant's likely contribution towards preparing the ADK for public release. In the event that the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of available spaces for CRADA participants, existing DNDO vendors will be given particular consideration as improvements in their radionuclide identification algorithms are likely to rapidly benefit DHS. All CRADA participants will be required to comply with security and export control regulations. 4. Submission Directions In order to facilitate vendor responses, the following attachments accompany this RFI: • Registration Form (Attachment 1) • Incoming Foreign Nationals Visitors Form (Attachment 2) 4.1 Registration Instructions The Registration Form (Attachment1) for the event is enclosed and an agenda will be sent to all participants after they are registered. Registration for on-site participants will be conducted in advance. Due to space constraints seating is limited to a maximum of three (3) participants per company. Registration forms for all attendees must be fully completed and submitted via email to Contracting Officer, Tracy Miller at Tracy.Miller@hq.dhs.gov, Contract Specialist, Charnelle Brown at Charnelle.Brown@hq.dhs.gov, and DNDOAIPIndustryDay@hq.dhs.gov no later than 5:30 PM EST on Friday, April 1, 2016. Requests for registration confirmation can be sent via email to DNDOAIPIndustryDay@hq.dhs.gov. Late registrations and "walk-in" requests will not be permitted. Attendees must present a current photo identification matching the attendee's information submitted via the registration form to gain entry into the event. Non-US citizens participating are required to complete and submit the enclosed Incoming Foreign National Visitors Form (Attachment 2) to DNDO.Security@hq.dhs.gov, Contracting Officer, Tracy Miller at Tracy.Miller@hq.dhs.gov, Contract Specialist, Charnelle Brown at Charnelle.Brown@hq.dhs.gov, and DNDOAIPIndustryDay@hq.dhs.gov no later than 12:00 PM EST on Thursday, March 24, 2016. Detailed submission instructions are on the form. For security reasons, late Foreign National Visitor Forms or walk-ins will not be permitted. 4.2 CRADA Participation Instructions Those interested in exploring a CRADA opportunity with DNDO participation should send an email expressing their interest to Contracting Officer, Tracy Miller at Tracy.Miller@hq.dhs.gov, Contract Specialist, Charnelle Brown at Charnelle.Brown@hq.dhs.gov, and DNDOAIPIndustryDay@hq.dhs.gov by April 8, 2016, 5:00 PM EST. The subject line of the e-mail should clearly indicate it contains an interest in participating in a CRADA. Those interested in exploring a CRADA opportunity are encouraged to attend AIP Industry Day on April 7, 2016 to learn more about the CRADA details. After the CRADA interest email is received additional information and application materials will be sent to the interested parties. 4.3 Submission of Questions Questions may be submitted in response to this RFI. Any questions regarding this RFI must be submitted by 4 PM EST on Friday, March 18, 2016 via email to Contracting Officer, Tracy Miller at Tracy.Miller@hq.dhs.gov, Contract Specialist, Charnelle Brown at Charnelle.Brown@hq.dhs.gov, and DNDOAIPIndustryDay@hq.dhs.gov. Answers will be provided via an amendment to the RFI and posted on FedBizOpps.org. Answers may also be provided to attendees at the AIP Industry Engagement Day. Please note that the Government is not required to answer all questions and may exercise discretion in the selection of questions to answer. DHS will not attribute the questions to the submitting responder. Recommendations or comments on the RFI-supporting documentation or the Program will be reviewed by the government, but will not be published on FedBizOpps.org nor provided to any responder. Contracting Office Address: Office of the Chief Procurement Officer Washington, District of Columbia 20528 United States Primary Point of Contact: Tracy Miller, Contracting Officer Tracy.Miller@hq.dhs.gov Charnelle Brown, Contract Specialist Charnelle.Brown@hq.dhs.gov
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DHS/OCPO/DHS-OCPO/HSHQDC-16-RFI-AIP/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Record
- SN04050713-W 20160317/160315235049-dbd9341ce5333e187ae86edf2f42efbc (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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