STC RIIDs RFI (Amended).pdf

Request for Information – Radioisotope Detection & Identification Devices (RIIDs) For Domestic Security Operations

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) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) to contract for any supply or service. DHS CWMD is not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the CWMD 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 released via the Government-Wide Port of Entry (GPE) at (https://beta.sam.gov/ ). In order to receive an award from any resultant solicitation, should one be issued, the successful offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). The SAM website is https://www.sam.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor the website 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 CWMD and will not be returned. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organizations’ capabilities. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

Proprietary, confidential, privileged commercial or financial information submitted in the RFI response should be marked accordingly to ensure appropriate handling and disposition by the Government. No classified information shall be submitted in the RFI response. Do not use Government security classification markings. Do not mark the entire response as proprietary.

Small Business Set-Aside

No decision has yet been made regarding the small business strategy for a possible acquisition. Your response should identify your business size (large or small) in relation to the NAICS code (334519 – Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing) https://beta.sam.gov/ provided in this RFI. The government is interested in all small businesses, including 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone, or Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses that are interested in and capable of performing this requirement. The government requests interested parties submit a brief description of their company's business size (i.e. annual revenues and employee size), business status (i.e., 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone, or Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, small business).

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office’s (CWMD) mission is to detect and protect against the unauthorized importation, possession, storage, transportation, development, or use of a nuclear explosive device, fissile material, or radiological material in the United States and to improve that detection system over time. CWMD continually assesses, develops, and procures radiation detection equipment for deployment by Federal, State, Local, Territorial and Tribal agencies to enhance the nation’s ability to detect and prevent terrorists and other threat actors use of radiological and nuclear materials.

CWMD has a total potential requirement for up to 2,000 radioisotope detection & identification devices (RIIDs) over 5 years in support of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) agencies.

RIIDs are handheld devices used in primary and secondary security screening procedures.

Primary screening is any searching, whether active searching or passive monitoring, that may result in the initial detection of radiological or nuclear (rad/nuc) material. A small area search is one application of primary screening. Small area searches are purposeful searches performed to find rad/nuc material in a small area. Examples of small area environments include cars, trucks, small vessels, train engines, and small or medium sized aircraft. A key benefit of a small area search is the ability to use the detector within these conveyances in close proximity to radioactive material.

Secondary screening is a purposeful search to localize, identify, and classify rad/nuc materials detected during a primary screening. Handheld detection systems used for secondary screenings are also used to detect, localize, and identify rad/nuc materials.

They must assist the operator in quickly localizing the source of radiation, finding the location of highest activity, and then identifying any present radionuclide(s) with high accuracy in as short a time period as possible.

Although primary and secondary screenings are often considered separate activities, the two may be completed in a single, consolidated action using the same detection system, if capabilities to identify potential radiation sources are sufficient to meet operational needs.

These systems must be relatively light, compact, easy to use, mobile, and of sufficiently low cost to support widespread deployment. Additionally, the systems must not impede the user from maintaining situational awareness and performing other law enforcement functions.

Since DHS/CWMD will not provide any helium-3, it is required that responders do not offer a solution facilitating neutron detection using helium-3.

CWMD is also requesting vendors to indicate if they are willing to:

• enter into a potential bailment agreement with DHS, so as to allow CWMD to receive and conduct non-destructive familiarization and testing of vendor’s handheld detector that may be relevant to this RFI, and;

• participate in market research discussions with the DHS Program Manager and Contracting Officer regarding their experience or abilities in long-term support and maintenance of procured detection equipment with state and local government entities, in terms of costs, manpower, logistics, etc.

PURPOSE OF RFI

CWMD is conducting market research to obtain information about the capability and availability of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) RIIDs in support of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) agencies that meet the requirements in Attachment 1. The NAICS code is 334519 – Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing. This is not a Solicitation. CWMD is particularly interested in obtaining data concerning:

Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost; reliability, availability, and maintainability; and data streaming capability, including maturity of smart phone applications, and the type data available from the RIID for streaming. Details are provided below and in the attached requirements.

Any price/cost requested in this RFI should only be an estimate, or rough order of magnitude (ROM). It will only be used for market research purposes.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

In response to this RFI, interested parties should provide the following information regarding their RIID device(s):

• Picture of the device.

• A technical description of the device. This may include product literature, full product specifications, or other documents. Technical descriptions should include any reliability, availability, and maintainability (Mean Time Between Failure, Operational Availability, etc.) data associated with the devices.

• An indication using the provided columns in Table 1, whether the RIID “Meets” or “Does Not Meet” the stated requirements. For any entry where “Meets” is selected, indicate whether it “Meets” the Threshold (T) or Objective (O) and provide an explanation and/or reference to support the level of performance and if additional hardware and/or software beyond the RIID itself is needed to meet the requirement. For any entry where “Does Not Meet” is selected, provide a brief explanation as to why the proposed device does not fully meet the requirement or to what extent it does meet the requirement and timeframe needed to meet the requirement (e.g., phone app for data streaming).

• An indication whether vendors have test results, analysis, and certifications performed by the following:

1. Government agency including previous DHS tests of the device,

2. Accredited laboratory,

3. Independent laboratory, or

4. Third party not affiliated with the vendor of the device.

• If test reports are available, any test reports are to include the test date, test location, system configuration/ version under test (tests of the same model and software version are considered more credible than those of a similar model or different software version than that of the device offered; vendors must explain how previous tests of different models and/or software version apply to the device offered), test plans, and test data/results. The test facility’s qualifications in performing the test (i.e., certification, accreditation, etc.) should also be listed.

• A list of Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts or other government-wide ordering vehicles the company holds, such as GSA Schedule 66, Scientific Equipment and Services, and 84, Security, Fire & Law Enforcement, for RIIDs with the required communication functionality.

• Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Cost Estimate information:

o Provide the estimated unit price of the RIID, assuming no discounts.

o Provide the estimated cost of data streaming/networking (wireless capability) options if not integrated with the RIID, to include pricing models, e.g., subscriptions, and assumptions that inform that pricing model, e.g., data speed and size. Describe and provide estimated governmental costs for any additional Smartphone/mobile software applications needed, or recommended, to support wireless communications.

o Provide the cost of warranty for the device. Discuss any options for duration of the warranty (e.g., 1,2, 5, and 10-year warranty), and when the warranty period starts, e.g., upon delivery acceptance or upon operational deployment.

• An indication whether the device has data streaming capability. Data streaming refers to the ability to provide secure near-real time continuous data transfer via mobile devices to an STC designated information sharing environment. If so, describe the extent of this capability to include the associated methods, protocol(s), available published data services and formats and network interfaces standards utilized.

• Identify and describe any additional hardware and/or software required and/or available to accomplish networking and data streaming capability such as through an intermediary device (e.g., Smartphone/Mobile App and wireless adapter).

• An indication whether the device can automatically transmit the following data, and if so, provide a description of the following:

o Manufacturer name o Instrument model o Serial number o Cumulative operating hours o Software version o Gamma detector kind (e.g., CsI(Tl), NaI(Tl), GMT) o Date, time, and location of measurement o Measured radiation levels (e.g., exposure rate, dose rate, or level) o Gamma-ray alarm indication o System geospatial location identification

• If data streaming is a capability of the device, provide a description of the data streaming capability to include the following:

o Data streaming rate and periodicity of transmissions o Data format (e.g., ANSI/IEEE N42.42) o Data security standards, methods, and techniques o Details about the Bluetooth protocols used, to include the Security level and type of encryption used

• If data streaming is a capability of the device, an indication whether the system’s wireless data streaming capability can be disabled.

• A description of production capacity and the estimated RIID per month production capabilities.

• A description of extended warranties and/or available maintenance/repair options.

• A description of the Mean Time Between Failure rate for the RIID and address vendor ability to provide reliability, availability, and maintainability sustainment data including repair costs on a quarterly basis for the lifecycle of the system.

• A representative Quality Assurance Plan and RIID production quality control procedures.

• Information on any additional capabilities of the RIID, such as tracking and providing total dose; identification (determining the present radionuclide(s));

categorization (declaring the detected/identified radiation as being from NORM, industrial, medical, special nuclear material); and geospatial position (having

GPS).

Submission Instructions

RFI submissions should include a cover letter along with Point of Contact (POC) information and email. An interested party may submit responses regarding more than one device. Vendors are requested to include page numbers; there is no page limit.

Responses must be in .pdf, .xls, and/or .doc compatible formats.

Vendors may submit questions or comments regarding this RFI in writing by e-mail to the points of contact indicated below. Vendors may request clarification or submit technical questions regarding this RFI in writing for any requirement that is unclear.

Responses and substantiating evidence (e.g., test reports, certifications) and any questions or comments are to be submitted via e-mail to Annemarie Spence, Contracting Officer, at Annemarie.Spence@hq.dhs.gov and Timothy Thannisch, Contract Specialist, at Timothy.Thannisch@hq.dhs.gov no later than 125:00pm (Eastern) on February 64th, 2020. Questions or comments are to be submitted no later than 5:00pm (Eastern) on February 4th, 2020.

The subject line of the email should contain the RFI number (70RWMD20RFI00000001). Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. Please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become government property and will not be returned.

Company-to-Company NDA

Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by technical experts within the CWMD and other federal agencies. DHS uses support contractor personnel to assist in the review of RFI responses. The support contractors are bound by NDAs with the Government.

Nonetheless, Subpart 9.505-4(b) of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) requires that companies must agree to protect the information from unauthorized use or disclosure, whenever a Government contractor gains access to proprietary information of other companies in performing advisory and assistance services for the Government, for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished.

The FAR further requires that the contracting officer shall obtain copies of these agreements and ensure that they are properly executed. Accordingly, any submission in response to this RFI that is considered to be proprietary, and contains proprietary information must include a signed NDA with the following companies:

Contract Supervisor:

Jeanne Ralls Jeanne.Ralls@gryphontechnologies.com 603-591-3049

Agreements Specialist:

Nancye Bates Nancye.E.Bates@saic.com 703-984-5121

The Government does not dictate the form or content of the NDA; that is a business decision between the companies. However, a sample NDA is included as an attachment (Attachment 2). Use of the sample agreement, or one substantially similar to the sample, will expedite signature. It is important for all respondents to understand that without signed NDAs with all above-named contractors, your RFI submission cannot be reviewed.

It is the vendor’s responsibility to provide these signed NDAs in order to be responsive to this RFI. The companies named above are under no obligation or compunction to agree to other more onerous company-provided NDAs, and potential respondents/offerors that submit onerous NDAs for signature assume the risk that the above-named companies will not agree to such terms.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If your response to this RFI does not contain proprietary information, and is not marked as such, there is no requirement for a Non-Disclosure Agreement.