Att__E__-__RPM_System_Performance_Statement_FINAL.pdf

Request for Information # 70RDND19I00000005 – Attachment E

Attachment E: RPM System Performance Statement for Vendors Development of the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA) by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) and its partners requires recognition that the spectrum of potential threats is extensive. These threat items may include nuclear weapons, improvised nuclear devices, nuclear materials, radiological dispersal devices, or radiological materials. The spectrum of threats, also known as the “threat space,” and attack options available to an adversary are numerous.

General Performance Characteristics The following general performance characteristics of detection systems or the threat shall be considered in sizing the detection systems or developing and tuning the detection algorithms:

• Systems shall detect bare and shielded highly enriched uranium (HEU), weapons grade plutonium (WGPu), and depleted uranium (DU).

• The shielding of the nuclear material can consist of the weapon structure or surrounding cargo and container, and the shielding can be considerable. Shielding could consist of low, medium, and high Z materials, including depleted uranium.

• The overall gamma ray flux of interest1 shall range from zero to 108 gammas per second.

• The overall neutron flux of interest shall range from zero to 106 neutrons per second.

• The systems shall provide gamma detection capability for special nuclear material (SNM) as described in Section 6.1.9 (Table 3) of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) N42.38-2015 standard.

• The systems shall provide neutron detection capability for SNM as described in Section

6.4.1 of the ANSI N42.38-2015 standard.

It should be noted that passive radiological/nuclear detection technology is not expected to perform across the entire gamma and neutron ranges of interest. The performance trade space will be determined by how much of the performance envelope, in terms of flux and shielding, can be encompassed by system performance.

Evaluation Detection systems will be evaluated by DNDO against the entire spectrum of anticipated threats.

This evaluation will be accomplished by modeling the spectral signature of nuclear threats in operational environments and determining system detection performance using the vendor provided Replay Tools. Systems will be evaluated, utilizing modeling and simualation processes, for detection of threats in empty cargo containers and in cargo containers with various levels of cargo. The results, stated in terms of an aggregate performance against the spectrum of threats, will be classified. This modeling campaign will allow a fair and comprehensive

1 This is the flux emitted at the surface of an object, including and low, medium, and high Z materials included in the object construction.

Request for Information # 70RDND19I00000005 – Attachment E comparison of performance against the entire spectrum of threats. This evaluation is only a single consideration in acquisition decision making. An acceptable performance level can be decided upon only when also considering factors such as operational burden and effectiveness, lifetime cost, etc.