SPECIAL NOTICE
63 -- Sole Source Purchase of Smiths Detection X-ray Machines by DOT
- Notice Date
- 9/8/2017
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary of Tranportation (OST) Procurement Operations, OST Acquisition Services Division, 1200 New Jersey Ave, Washington, District of Columbia, 20590, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTOS5917R00340
- Archive Date
- 9/22/2017
- Point of Contact
- James H Mowery III, Phone: 202-366-4959
- E-Mail Address
-
james.mowery@dot.gov
(james.mowery@dot.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a SOLE-SOURCE Special Notice in support of the U. S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) contemplated SOLE-SOURCE purchase of up to six security x-ray machines from Smiths Detection. The DOT Security Force (DOTSF) uses x-ray machines as a critical part of the visitor screening process. The screening process is intended to identify suspicious items and alert the DOTSF that further inspection is necessary. This process ensures employees and contractors are safe and secure so the mission of DOT can keep moving forward. Currently DOT is using x-ray units that are at their end of life and is starting the process of procuring new x-ray machines. The Federal Protective Service (FPS) has standardized and deployed Smiths Detection x-ray machines at all the federal buildings under their control; consolidating to Smiths Detection means officers can move from building to building and contract to contract with minimal training. FPS currently trains all armed contract security officers on Smiths Detection x-ray machines. The armed guard service provider at DOT trains their officers on Smiths X Ray machine as part of the security Delegation of Authority and because Smith Detection X Ray machines are currently in use at the two FAA headquarter buildings under our control at L'Enfant Plaza. Currently, all members of the DOTSF are trained on Smith Detection and AS&E X Ray devices. And, in fact, the FAA already uses new Smith's x-ray machines. And other parts of DOT need to replace their own end-of-life x-ray machines. Using x-ray machines maded by two manufacturers would pose the following insurmountable challenges: (1) DOTSF would have to be trained on the operations and procedures for using different x-ray systems, which would result in an extravagant duplication of costs; (2) Different x-ray systems would have different user interfaces in which the DOTSF must be proficient; (3) Using two different x-ray systems would create differences in procedures for the officers. Different manufacturers identify threats differently, and therefore officers would have to be cognizant of which particular type of machine they are using at any moment, so that they could appropriately adjust their expectations. And it would be difficult and dangerous for the officers to repeatedly and instantaneously adjust and re-adjust and reconcile the differences between two different systems------potentially causing life-threatening mistakes in the screening process. The use of different x-ray systems causes issues with false and positive detection rates for threats by the DOTSF. This is seen in the regular testing of the DOTSF. Threat detection is a core function of the DOT security force. Using different x-ray systems would cause an unacceptable risk to the DOT headquarters physical security. Due to the issues caused by having differing x-ray systems, DOT could end up with missed detection of possible security threats such as weapons or an improvised explosive device. Nevertheless, any company OTHER THAN Smith's Detection, which believes that its security-x-ray product could and would completely surmount ALL of the difficulties recited above, may, by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time September 13 th, 2017, e-mail, simultaneously to james.mowery@dot.gov and to david.stackleather@dot.gov and to hank.clyatt@dot.gov, a Statement of Qualifications attempting to prove the submitter's capabilities.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOT/TASC/TASCASD/DTOS5917R00340/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04667995-W 20170910/170908231220-520393c9e50ee8ab7c44bb6d40e20cfa (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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