SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Trust RFI
- Notice Date
- 11/25/2008
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- 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, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20528
- Solicitation Number
- TRUST
- Response Due
- 1/16/2009
- Archive Date
- 9/30/2009
- Point of Contact
- Emily Graham,, Phone: (202) 254-5611, Joseph Wolfinger,, Phone: (202) 254-6627
- E-Mail Address
-
emily.graham@dhs.gov, joseph.wolfinger1@dhs.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 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 Area Announcement (BAA). This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. DHS S&T 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. If a solicitation is released, it will be via the Federal Business Opportunities (http://www.fedbizopps.gov) and the DHS HSARPA website (http://www.hsarpabaa.com/). It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these websites for any information that may pertain to this RFI. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. 1.0 DESCRIPTION The Time Recorded Ubiquitous Sensor Technologies (TRUST) project was initiated by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate to solicit innovative solutions to detect and provide alert to the presence of dangerous cargo (Note 1) in maritime shipping containers (Note 2) during their transit to U.S. ports. The TRUST project is seeking GAME-CHANGING technologies that offer break-through potential and that may be disruptive to the traditional manner in which technology development occurs (Note 3). Accordingly, DHS S&T is willing to accept moderate to high technology development risk if a research effort promises a high payoff (Note 4). The TRUST project is distinct from the Safe Container (SAFECON) project initiated by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate in February 2007 with the issuance of Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and a subsequent Request for Information (RFI). Although both projects seek to detect dangerous cargo, the technical breakthrough sought through the SAFECON project focuses on the short dwell-time goal whereas TRUST project goals are to detect the presence of dangerous cargo while the container transits from the port of origin to its U.S. port of destination, assumed to be a minimum of 5 days. TRUST also allows system components to be mounted on or internal to the container. Specifically, the TRUST project’s goals are to identify and demonstrate innovative technologies that have the following attributes: *detect and identify dangerous cargo (Note 1) contained within a maritime shipping container without opening the container; *system components mount on or internal to the container without requiring physical interferences with lifting/loading operations; *capable of alerting a positive detection during transit (between the time the container is closed and sealed and before entering a U.S. port (assumed to be a minimum of 5 days); *operate without impacting the normal flow of legitimate commerce; *capable of properly operating in the maritime shipboard environment *capable of communicating through a physical interface such as the Marine Asset Tag Tracking System (MATTS); *comply with all labor, health, safety, and other applicable regulations. Note 1: For the purpose of the TRUST project, dangerous cargo is defined as chemical and biological agents, radiological and nuclear materials, explosives, and living human (people) cargo (CBRNE & P). Note 2: The term maritime shipping container implies the 20’ and 40’ ISO 668 (1995) “dry box” container, which is used in intermodal transport. The terms shipping container and container are used interchangeably. Note 3: The term disruptive technology refers to technology that is ripe for immediate and dramatic capability development. This type of “leap ahead” capability development typically does not follow an evolutionary or spiral development path. Rather, progress usually depends on an ability to think “out-of-the-box”, i.e. create a technology solution or apply an existing one in a new and innovative way. Note 4: The TRUST project is designated by DHS S&T as a Homeland Innovative Prototypical Solutions (HIPS). HIPS are disruptive technologies because of high risk or radical departure from established requirements and concepts of operation. HIPS projects invest in S&T projects intended to achieve a level of maturity suitable for transition to an acquisition program within four to eight years. HIPS make significant investment in projects with high technological risks but that offer the prospect, if successful, of being revolutionary “game changers” in DHS component capabilities. 2.0 PURPOSE OF THIS RFI Through this RFI, DHS S&T is seeking responses to determine the capability of the market to provide innovative technologies that may meet TRUST project goals. A workshop will be held December 11, 2008 at a location to be announced for both government and industry representatives interested in cargo container security research and product development to discuss: •The challenges associated with detecting and alerting CBRNE & P from inside cargo shipping containers – needs and requirements. •DHS program activities to develop and test detection and alert system architectures and sensors within cargo shipping containers. •DHS International partners perspective. •Results and lessons learned from a first-generation systems and architectures currently employed. •Anticipated performance, cost, installation, operation, and maintenance of new sensor(s) and concepts will be explored. •System integration concepts. •How to participate in this DHS S&T prototype development, test, and evaluation activity. The workshop will be structured to encourage dialogue between the government and industry. Participants will have the opportunity to provide input to DHS on CBRNE & P detection and alert architectures, systems, and integrated concepts that would alert authorities to the presence of threat materials and humans inside containers while in transit. Participants will also have an opportunity to schedule individual meetings with DHS representatives on the day of and the day following the workshop to discuss specific concepts. Specifics regarding the workshop and scheduling individual meetings will be posted to the www.fbo.gov website as an amendment to this RFI. 3.0 QUESTIONS Questions to be addressed in responses to this RFI include: 3.1Describe your capability to deliver innovative detection technology solution for each or any of the dangerous cargo categories (chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear, explosives, and living human cargo) that have the potential of meeting TRUST project goals. If your proposed solution does not currently address all dangerous cargo categories, you must explain how your system can accommodate or be expanded to include detection of all dangerous cargo categories. 3.2Describe how your system will integrate the input of all system sensors and communicate and alert through an interface such as MATTS. 3.3Describe when and to what extent you can demonstrate your technology’s potential of meeting TRUST project goals. 3.4Describe the technical hurdles to develop, build, and test a working prototype. 3.5At what stage of development or maturity is the technology identified in the response to this RFI? 4.0 SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. Each respondent shall identify its business size. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541712 with a small business size standard of 500 employees. White Papers in Microsoft Word compatible format are due no later than 4:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on 16 January 2009. DHS reserves the right to review late submissions but makes no guarantee to the order of or possibility for review of late submissions. Responses shall be limited to 25 pages and submitted via e-mail ONLY to Emily.Graham@dhs.gov. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid DHS, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. Responses to this RFI may evaluated by Government technical experts drawn from staff within DHS S&T and other Federal agencies. The Government may use selected support contractor personnel to assist in the evaluation. These support contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary and source-selection information.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1c530b9ec981437b62cd37034f63d9c9&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Record
- SN01710036-W 20081127/081125215406-1c530b9ec981437b62cd37034f63d9c9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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