Attachment A_BAA 70T04026BAA7573N001Final.pdf

Transportation Security Administration Requirements and Capabilities Analysis

On-Person Screening and Alarm Resolution Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

70T04026BAA7573N001

Section A: General Information

A.1 Introduction This announcement is being made to support the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Requirements and Capabilities Analysis (RCA), Capabilities Management and Modernization division (CM&M) to open a BAA 70T04026BAA7573N001. The TSA RCA is interested in receiving concept papers for development projects that support the TSA mission of ensuring the safety and freedom of movement for people and commerce. To achieve its mission, the TSA seeks development opportunities across targeted strategic areas related to On-Person Screening (OPS) and Alarm Resolution (AR) processes for potential advancement and improvement to strengthen the agency’s ability to respond to shifting adversarial threats, detect emerging and evolving threats concealed on-person, and enable efficient and effective targeting of screening resources. The TSA is specifically interested in development that will provide for near term improvement of current security operations and capabilities, as aligned with RCA’s OPS and AR Roadmaps, by addressing several Technical Topic Areas (TTAs) in two submission tracks as shown below and further defined in Section B.

OPS

Track 01

TTA- 01, Limited Mobility TTA- 02, Footwear Screening TTA- 03, Touchless Resolution TTA- 04, Emerging On-Person Technologies

AR

Track 02

TTA- 05, Tabletop X-Ray Diffraction for Alarm Resolution

This document supports a BAA as contemplated under the RFO 35.102. Contracts and/or Agreements based on responses to this BAA are considered to be the result of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provisions of Public Law (PL) 98-369, “The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984.”

TSA will not issue paper copies of this announcement. TSA reserves the right to select for award and fund all, some, or none of the submissions received in response to this Window. TSA will not provide funding or reimbursement for proposal development costs. Full submissions or any other

Transportation Security Administration Requirements and Capabilities Analysis

OPS/AR BAA 70T04026BAA7573N001

material submitted in response to this BAA will not be returned. All submissions shall be unclassified.

The TSA is soliciting concept papers which will be evaluated in accordance with this BAA and if selected by the applicable TSA RCA Capability Manager (CM), will be submitted for consideration on the TSA RCA spend plan for the current fiscal year. If funding is provided on the spend plan, the TSA Contracting Officer (CO) will request a full proposal from the offeror; if that full proposal is found acceptable to RCA’s needs, the CO may initiate negotiations for a contract award or execute a bailment agreement to test solutions as discussed in the following sections.

Offerors who submit concept papers that have no direct application to the TTAs listed in this BAA will be rejected. Concept papers must present a coherent concept/detailed plan for accomplishing the objectives of the RCA OPS and/or AR mission to continue to the final review and potential contract award.

A.2 Additional BAA Instructions Work funded under a BAA may include applied research, advanced technology development, prototyping, pilot demonstrations, and testing. RFO Part 35 restricts the use of funding in cases such as this to the acquisition of basic and applied research and that portion of advanced technology development not related to the development of a specific system or hardware procurement. Procurement instruments awarded under this BAA are strictly for those purposes;

directed towards advancing the state of the art and increasing knowledge or understanding related to transportation security. Specifically, this BAA is not for the acquisition of technical, engineering, and other types of support services, nor is it for the acquisition of development or production of specific programs or objectives. The TSA will not accept or consider submissions of concept papers that are similar to or identical to the TSA’s or the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology (DHS S&T) Directorate’s on-going/completed efforts, or on-going/planned acquisitions. The TSA reserves the right to decline submissions that were previously proposed to the TSA or to DHS S&T and declined. The TSA reserves the right to decline submissions to the BAA if the submissions are identical to submissions currently undergoing evaluation by the TSA or DHS S&T. TSA works very closely with DHS S&T and other federal agencies on matters of research and development.

Technologies that have attained a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) [as defined in Appendix 1 of this BAA] 5 or higher for Track 01 and TRL 4 or higher for Track 02 and/or breadboard validation in a relevant environment is the minimum scope of the BAA. Submissions without a clear path to practical TSA applications within twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months will be declined. In addition, submissions whose sole purpose is to request an evaluation of a product (both new and old) will not be considered for award under this BAA. TSA will accept concept papers containing commercial services and items as long as the proposed concepts are consistent with the development opportunity description found within this BAA.

The TSA is seeking to accelerate the design, realization and delivery of new capabilities to the field. Concept papers that align closely with the strategic direction, investment priorities and details of this BAA will have a higher likelihood of being selected.

The TSA reserves the right to reject submissions that meet the objectives of the RCA OPS and/or AR roadmaps and/or mission covered by this BAA, but do not meet current TSA mission needs as determined by the TSA or whose estimated cost exceeds current budget constraints.

Section B: BAA Objectives

B.1 Background

B.1.1 OPS Requirements/Objectives (Track 01)

TTA- 01, Limited Mobility o Ability to effectively screen individuals in wheelchairs for metallic and non-metallic threats without touching the passenger.

o Ability for the screening method to be completed in under 30 seconds.

TTA- 02, Footwear Screening o Ability to screen footwear (soles included) for metallic and non-metallic threats while passengers keep footwear on.

o Ability to be integrated into current screening process with no additional steps to initiate scan.

TTA- 03, Touchless Resolution o Ability to effectively resolve on-person alarms without requiring a pat-down of the area alarmed.

o Ability for the screening method to be resolved in under 5 seconds.

TTA- 04, Emerging On-Person Technologies o Any technology solution that would increase efficiency in the screening process and/or enhance the passenger experience.

B.1.2 AR Requirements/Objectives (Track 02)

TTA- 05, Tabletop X-Ray Diffraction for Alarm Resolution o Ability to use X-Ray Diffraction to effectively screen objects that completely or partially block the passage of radiant energy while at the same time blocking physical access to the material causing the primary screening alarm.

o Ability to use X-Ray Diffraction technology in a tabletop configuration.

TSA must ensure that its security screening checkpoints are both effective and efficient. A critical aspect of checkpoint screening is making sure that all individuals seeking entry to the airport sterile area are screened for person-borne threats to aviation. These include explosives, non-explosive prohibited items, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

TSA is continuously evaluating and modernizing the OPS processes to strengthen the agency’s ability to respond to shifting adversarial threats, detect emerging and evolving threats concealed on-person, and enable efficient and effective targeting of screening resources. The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 directs TSA to screen all passengers and property that will be carried aboard a passenger aircraft. Accordingly, TSA recognizes two (2) categories of individuals under the Screen People mission area. They are:

1. Travelers/Non-Traveling Individuals are those who are screened at a TSA security checkpoint for items not permitted aboard a passenger aircraft. Travelers are defined as boarding pass holders and working crew members authorized to enter the sterile area to travel on a passenger aircraft and listed on the flight manifest. A Non- Traveling Individual is an individual to whom a covered aircraft operator seeks to issue an authorization to enter the sterile area of an airport for a purpose permitted by the TSA, such as to escort a minor or a passenger with disabilities.

2. Aviation Workers are defined as employees, contractors, or representatives of an airport, domestic or foreign airline, concessionaire, tenant, government agency (Federal, State, local, or tribal), entity in the air cargo supply chain, or other entity working or operating at an airport regulated under 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 1542. An Aviation Worker may be required to pass through a TSA screening checkpoint or may be permitted to use another sterile area entry point subject to Aviation Worker screening standards, depending on the airport operator’s security plan and access privileges granted to the individual.

TSA’s OPS activities are focused on improving, acquiring, and deploying capabilities and technologies to enhance the operational efficiency and security effectiveness of on-person screening.

Currently, to meet TSA’s screening objectives, OPS screening systems require divestiture of a person’s outerwear prior to being screened. Similarly, when an individual triggers an alarm during screening, a pat-down typically is required to resolve the alarm, which is uncomfortable to many individuals. Both the divestiture of a person’s outerwear and pat-downs for alarm resolution increase the time required to screen passengers and often increase passenger wait times.

RCA’s role in TSA’s acquisition of transportation security equipment (TSE) includes identifying needs, defining user objectives, analyzing alternatives, and demonstrating new capabilities/solutions. Technology solutions borne from these activities may be procured by the Government or obtained by other aviation stakeholders. This approach requires an architecture and solution set that is flexible and involves significant work in the areas of objectives definition, policy development, test and evaluation, and compliance. The potential technology solutions defined, evaluated, and planned with the support defined in this BAA must at minimum:

3. Align to ongoing plans for integrating checkpoint OPS and AR systems with other checkpoint systems

4. Maintain the checkpoint’s robust cybersecurity posture

5. Promote connectivity, modularity, and open architecture to support enhancements (e.g., 3rd party algorithms, common interfaces, standardized data formats, etc.)

6. Improve the security effectiveness of OPS and AR

7. Reduce manpower requirements at the checkpoint

8. Accelerate the screening process timeline for passengers

B.2 Opportunity Description In a diverse and rapidly evolving threat environment, TSA’s security effectiveness strategies must achieve maximum future-state efficiency. To enable this mission objective, TSA and the CM for

OPS and AR are looking to establish the next generation of OPS and AR solutions with a focus on moving passengers through the checkpoint in a continuous manner, enhancing threat detection capabilities with reduced false alarm rates, installing display image standardization, and enabling operational connectivity through secure data transmission. With these objectives, TSA OPS and AR will advance the checkpoint towards a future state of continuous screening, improving threat detection, and ensuring compatibility across screening checkpoints.

The following sections set forth specific tasks related to the TTAs. The identified tasks for the TTAs presented herein have a direct impact on meeting the objectives outlined in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, PL 107-71. The TSA seeks to mature threat detection technology and deliver aviation security checkpoint screening equipment and solutions that may be acquired by subsequent TSA programs.

To achieve these goals, TSA has defined the five (5) TTAs listed above. Concept papers must address at least one of these TTAs for consideration and evaluation.

B.3 Project Management and Support (Applicable to all TTAs)

B.3.1 Project Management and Support

TSA is not providing a separate monetary award for Project Management and Support. The Project Management and Support is considered as Not Separately Priced (NSP); if a concept paper is selected and a proposal is requested as a result of this BAA as outlined in Section C, the Contractor will be required to include the elements outlined below in sections B.3.1.1 through B.3.1.6 to perform project support activities and complete deliverables to enable project progress and milestone achievements. The Contractor shall maintain the formal organization to continue the project support and management to efficiently and effectively execute the objectives outlined in sections B.3.1.1 through B.3.1.6.

B.3.1.1 Post-Award Conference

A post-award conference will be conducted at a site specified by the Government within ten (10) business days after award. The TSA will designate Government conference attendees and will identify any unique conference support objectives. The Government will develop an agenda and the Contractor shall provide the draft minutes for the conference for TSA review and approval within two (2) business days after the conference.

During the post-award conference, the Contractor shall be prepared to address, at a minimum, a review and status of the following topics:

• Overview of the deliverable submissions status

• Invoicing procedures

• Project schedule with milestones

• Organizational status

• Cost, schedule, and performance (technical) aspects of the SOW

• Subcontractor’s technical progress on all assigned tasks (if applicable)

• Lines of communication

B.3.1.2 Status Tracking and Reporting The Contractor shall be responsible for project management throughout the entire project period of performance. The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, planning, managing, and the equipment necessary to complete the tasks for design, development, integration, and/or testing objectives in accordance with this BAA and all applicable State and Federal codes and laws. The Contractor shall identify a Project Manager who shall be the Contractor’s focal point for all required security technology related project tasks. The Project Manager can also be a technical lead on the project, thus wearing multiple hats in performing contractual tasks.

The Contractor shall perform monthly project status tracking and reporting, project management reviews, and technical interchanges during the life of the contract. An annual technical report will be provided to TSA covering all technical aspects of the project. These meetings will occur mostly via teleconference; however, they can be in person at a location as directed by the Government CO or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

If required, the Contractor will support Project Management Reviews (PMRs) where the project status is discussed in depth, and further discussion can take place on issues most critical at the time. A Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) can be called by the CO, COR, or Contractor to discuss design updates and/or evaluate merits of proposed technical changes. PMRs and TIMs can satisfy status reporting and the CO or COR may cancel the regular project status reporting as a result.

The Government will develop an agenda and the Contractor shall provide the draft minutes for the meeting for TSA review and approval within two (2) business days after the meeting.

The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying and obtaining all required and necessary badges/permissions needed to accomplish installation requirements throughout all associated project phases and for all required labor personnel.

B.3.1.3 Project Risk Management

The Contractor shall identify cost, schedule, and technical risks and describe how it will effectively manage these risks throughout the period of performance of the work.

The Contractor shall develop and maintain a list identifying, analyzing, classifying, and prioritizing project risks and a recommended course of action to address those risks. Project risks shall be classified as low, medium, or high priority and include supplier risks. The Contractor shall conduct risk mitigation and contingency planning for risks considered medium or high priority.

The Contractor shall quantify risks with respect to their impact on integration, installation, design, performance, technical parameters, schedule, cost, manufacturing, and maintainability of existing prototype fleet. Risks will be included on the status reports and regularly updated and discussed in detail with the CO or COR at least once per quarter.

B.3.1.4 General Test and Evaluation Support In support of any Contractor’s internal testing and Government laboratory and field testing for the development and completion of the work, the Contractor shall:

• Plan, communicate, and conduct Contractor tests

• Support Government-conducted testing and continuous assessment

• Prepare and deliver all scan and test plans, training sets (for machine learning algorithms), procedures, necessary Government forms, and report results and associated deliverables for each test activity as required or directed by the COR.

The Contractor shall maintain a single point of contact (POC) as the lead for all testing activities related to this SOW. The single POC shall deliver and/or receive all test reports and schedules to/from the Government as required and participate in technical meetings. Additionally, this single POC shall be responsible for coordinating all test activities and shall relay pertinent reports and schedules to the site-specific project managers and internal Contractor stakeholders as required.

The Contractor shall:

• Provide the necessary test equipment and ensure its availability, proper calibration, fully operational status, and operation as documented by the test equipment manufacturer.

• Obtain prior written approval from the Government before using unique or modified commercial test equipment not specified in the approved test plans and procedures.

• Provide the Government, if asked, with the proof of proper calibration of test equipment provided by the Contractor.

• Conduct, or support the Government in conducting, a Test Readiness Notification (TRN) and Test Readiness Review (TRR) prior to performing any formal test.

• Notify the Government at least ten (10) business days prior to commencement of all formal Contractor conducted Acceptance Testing and permit the Government to witness the test.

• Perform all data collection and analysis associated with Contractor testing and furnish original data and analysis methods and results to support claims of Test and Evaluation (T&E) success. If requested by the Government, the Contractor shall provide the data collection report, inclusive of data, methods and results, within fifteen (15) business days after the completion of a Government-directed and Contractor-conducted test.

The Contractor shall record all inputs, outputs, and test results as described in any approved test plans and/or procedures. Anomalies, test deviations, test equipment substitutions, members of the test team, any other significant events, and the start and stop time for each test shall be documented.

The TRN is a notification from the Contractor to the Government stating that the system will be ready for testing on the specified date. The Contractor shall provide the Government a TRN at least ten (10) business days prior to conducting each formal test. A formal test includes any test that the Government deems as formal and demonstrates operational capabilities to verify machine (hardware and/or software) functionality. TRN shall be submitted via email to the Government COR and any other representative as designated by the CO.

The TRR is a formal review of the Contractor’s software or equipment, as specified in the TRN, and related documentation to verify readiness for test. The Contractor shall conduct a TRR and submit the TRN to the COR and/or designated Government representative at least ten (10) business days prior to conducting each formal test. The Contractor shall submit these documents via email to the Government COR and any other representative as designated by the CO.

If requested by the Government, a Verification Requirements Traceability Matrix (VRTM) shall be included in a test plan or procedure, clearly listing each specification and lower-level derived requirement to be verified in that test with a reference to the appropriate requirement paragraph, including test location and test method.

The Contractor shall support Government-conducted test events at Government test facilities (such as the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL)) with or without representative field operators in the intended operational environment, or at an Operational Demonstration site when directed by the Government. These events may include integration testing or conducting integration Site Acceptance Testing (iSAT) for capabilities developed and deployed under this SOW such as automated screening lanes or networking. The Government will conduct laboratory testing and/or an Operational Demonstration on OPS or AR systems with new or updated algorithms, to include various configurations and/or software and hardware components desired by the Government, to assess operational effectiveness and suitability of the algorithms and/or any proposed software or hardware modifications or integration. The level of testing effort will be determined by the Government. The Contractor shall support the Government’s developmental testing by providing at a minimum the following support as directed by Government:

• Attend and participate in on-site planning meetings and test preparation at the designated test sites

• Prepare, review with the Government, and deliver applicable test plans

• Conduct operator training and provide updated operational manuals

• Provide on-site technical support

• Support configuration management activities as required

• Assist with all data collection, including interpretation/analysis of Field Data

Reporting System (FDRS) data

The Contractor shall provide a schedule outlining the following milestones and deliverables to support general T&E activities as listed below:

• Kickoff Review and Schedule

• Test Plan

• Test Readiness Review

• Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

• Critical Design Review (CDR)

• System Design Document

• Close Out Presentation / Stage Gate – Determine Execution of Option Period, if applicable

• Final Technical Report

The scope will include a Government evaluation of technical reports and/or briefings through System Design Reviews (e.g., System Concept Reviews [SCR], Preliminary Design Reviews

[PDR], Critical Design Reviews [CDR]), test plans, test results, and other design documentation).

The Government reserves the right to witness all Contractor-conducted test activities. The Contractor(s) shall provide the Government written notice at least ten (10) business days prior to conducting testing.

B.3.1.5 Configuration Management The Contractor is responsible for meeting configuration control requirements as documented under TSA’s Configuration Management Plan for OAPM (Attachment 3) and as applicable to the developmental systems and environments in accordance with this BAA. The Contractor is required to maintain its Configuration Management Program established under the contract and to manage the configuration baselines established for all equipment purchased.

The outline below provides key terminologies to establish common understandings for specific TSA Configuration Management artifacts:

• CSAR - The Configuration Status Accounting Report (CSAR) provides text and

(marked-up) technical documents (e.g., specifications, engineering drawings) that identify discrepancies between the material (including software) and the requirements delineated in the applicable technical documents. Depending on the type of audit, the identified discrepancies may be attributable to the material, the technical documents, or both.

• MCIL - The Master Configuration Item List (MCIL) establishes and maintains the definitive, current basis for control and status accounting of a system and its designated hardware, software, and firmware configuration items (CI) throughout their lifecycle that are being developed for and/or used in the TSA security system inventory. This information is needed to manage and support those items during their lifecycle.

• DEP - A Deviated Engineering Proposal (DEP) describes a proposed (prior to manufacture) departure from configuration documentation for a specific number of units or for a specified period of time. A DEP enables the Government to determine the impact on performance, operational readiness, logistics support or other affected areas.

• ECP - An Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) includes both the engineering change and the documentation by which the change is described and suggested. It describes changes to configuration items and associated configuration documentation that are affected by the proposed engineering change.

The Contractor shall make available the following required documents as evidence of maintaining the baseline:

• CSAR

• MCIL

• Design documents

• Engineering drawings

• Bill of Materials (BOM)

• Source code documents

• Product data sheets

• Software release notes

• Approved Change Requests

The Contractor shall retain all documentation for identification, control and status accounting of any CI throughout the program life cycle. The CI identification shall be available in the MCIL and provided on a monthly basis. The Contractor shall apply configuration change management measures to each baseline CI and its configuration documentation. The Contractor’s configuration change management system shall provide effective means, as applicable, for proposing changes to CIs and ensuring implementation of the approved change. The Contractor shall maintain configuration change management of hardware; software; firmware; and developmental, commercial, and training documentation. The Contractor shall maintain configuration change management of hardware to the Lowest Replaceable Unit (LRU) level and software to the version level.

Change requests represent opportunities for improvement or correction of deficiencies and must be documented and submitted to the Government for review and approval. Desired changes are documented in Requests for Change (RFC) in the form of ECPs or DEPs. All change requests shall be entered, tracked, controlled, and documented by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall support Government-conducted Functional Configuration Audits (FCA) and Physical Configuration Audits (PCA) on the equipment purchased under this contract, as needed.

The FCA shall verify system functional performance requirements. Upon successful completion of the FCA, a PCA will be performed. The PCA shall verify system physical performance requirements.

B.3.1.6 Project Management and Support Deliverables

Table 1 outlines expected milestones and deliverables for the Project Management and Support Table 1: Milestones and Deliverables for Project Management and Support

Section # Deliverable Frequency of Delivery (business days) B.3.1.1 Post Award Conference (PAC) and Materials One, within ten (10) days after award B.3.1.2 Status Calls and Reporting Materials Monthly, as needed, per CO and/or COR B.3.1.2 Project Management Review (PMR) Monthly, as needed, per CO and/or COR B.3.1.2 Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) As needed, per CO and/or COR or

Contractor B.3.1.2 Presentation Materials Five (5) days prior to PAC, PMRs, TIMs, or other major meetings B.3.1.2 Meeting Minutes Two (2) days after PAC, Status Calls, PMRs, TIMs, or other major meetings B.3.1.3 Risk Reports Quarterly and updated in status calls B.3.1.4 Test and Evaluation Schedule Recurring on a bi-weekly cadence B.3.1.4 Test Readiness Notification (TRN) Recurring based on testing B.3.1.4 Test Readiness Review (TRR) Recurring based on testing B.3.1.4 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Three (3) months after review B.3.1.4 Critical Design Review (CDR) Six (6) months after review B.3.1.4 System Design Document One, within two (2) weeks of contract closeout B.3.1.4 Final/Annual Technical Report One, annually B.3.1.5 Configuration Management Monthly, as needed to be directed by CO and COR

B.4 Cybersecurity and Network Compliance (Applicable to both Tracks) TSA is interested in OPS and AR solutions that can function in an interoperable and networked environment with the ability to align and be compliant with current DHS and TSA Enterprise Architecture and the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework requirements. OPS and AR capabilities and systems need to meet current TSA Information Technology (IT) security requirements.

TSA is interested in OPS and AR concepts that can achieve the following:

• Support networked "reach back" to TSOs in the field.

• Achieve compliance with current cybersecurity standards in accordance with requirements. For example, does the proposed solution:

o Meet the seventeen (17) pillars of cybersecurity https://sam.gov/opp/fdc87793ced04442b8a34cd6a913749f/view o Incorporate cybersecurity measures to discriminate access-levels of the operators.

o Allow tracking of operator log-ins/decisions.

Section C: Submission Information

C.1 Submission and Award Information

C.1.1 Award Timeline

The following is a tentative award schedule for submission in FY26. Review the Sam.gov announcement site for updates.

Activity Date Announcement Released 4/29/2026 Concept Paper Questions Due 5/11/2026 Concept Paper Submissions Due 5/29/2026 Questions to Vendors (If Applicable) 6/05/2026 Full Proposal Submissions 6/26/2026 Estimated Contract Award 9/30/2026

C.1.2 Questions

All questions for this BAA must be electronically submitted to the BAA Contracting Officer (CO) at Siobhan.Mullen@tsa.dhs.gov and Matthew.Coniglio@tsa.dhs.gov, referencing the BAA number, title, and company name “OPS/AR BAA 70T04026BAA7573N001 [company]” no later than 2:00pm Eastern Time on May 11, 2026. All communications shall be submitted via e-mail.

Do not include any classified material or Sensitive Security Information (SSI) as defined in 49 CFR 1520. If Offerors must ask questions that contain classified material or SSI, please notify the BAA CO and additional instructions will be provided.

Answers to contractual questions related to this BAA will be addressed in the form of an Amendment and will be posted to the System for Award Management (SAM) webpage at https://www.Sam.gov. Answers to technical questions will be provided solely to the requester.

https://sam.gov/opp/fdc87793ced04442b8a34cd6a913749f/view mailto:Siobhan.Mullen@tsa.dhs.gov mailto:Matthew.Coniglio@tsa.dhs.gov https://www.sam.gov/

C.1.3 Submission Process

• Submission Window o The concept paper submission cutoff date for both Tracks – Separate submissions per TTA is May 29, 2026 at 2:00pm Eastern Time.

• Feasibility o Technical evaluators review concept papers and may provide questions to Offeror(s) for further clarification. The technical evaluators will select submissions for the RCA CMs to consider with the fiscal year’s Spend Plan.

o If selected for funding, the Offeror may be either:

• invited via email to submit a full proposal and if evaluated and chosen, begin contract negotiations with Contracting and Procurement. The full proposal due date and submission instructions will be specified in the email.

o OR

• requested to bail their solution to the Government at no cost to the

Government to support TSA testing. Bailment Agreements will be executed upon selection and bailed solutions shall be delivered to TSA within ninety (90) days of agreement execution.

C.2 Submission Instructions All concept paper submissions shall be sent electronically to the following email address of the Contracting Officer at Siobhan.Mullen@tsa.dhs.gov and Matthew.Coniglio@tsa.dhs.gov no later than 2:00pm Eastern Time on May 29, 2026. All concept paper submissions shall have a subject line of the email that reads “OPS/AR- BAA 70T04026BAA7573N001 Concept Paper” and include the TTA, company name and a short title of the concept.

Due to TSA restrictions on the size of email, ensure that all emails submitted are less than 5MB. If the submission exceeds 5MB, please divide into multiple emails and include in the subject line the title as detailed above and # of # emails. All submissions must be in Adobe, Microsoft Office formats (2007 or later); links to documents on a cloud platform will not be accepted by TSA and TSA may not further consider such submission for consideration.

Offerors shall be solely responsible for knowing the limitations of their internet service provider. Offerors are encouraged to compress (e.g., zip) or separate large files into a number of smaller files and, if necessary, submit them within multiple emails. Offerors may not submit proposals on CD-ROM or other electronic media. Offers submitted via facsimile or in hard copy format will not be considered.

Prior to any evaluation, the TSA will check all files for viruses and ensure that all information is readable. In the event any files are defective (unreadable), the TSA may only evaluate the readable electronic files. However, if the defective (unreadable) media renders a significant deficiency in the Offeror’s submission, the TSA may consider the submission incomplete and may not further consider such submission for consideration.

mailto:Siobhan.Mullen@tsa.dhs.gov mailto:Matthew.Coniglio@tsa.dhs.gov

The TSA will not award contracts on the basis of concept papers alone, and unsolicited full proposals will be rejected. Following an evaluation of submitted concept papers, the TSA may select Offerors to submit a full proposal and, if evaluated and chosen, enter negotiations for a contract award or request the Offeror to execute bailment agreements to test their proposed solution as outlined above.

Offers submitted under the BAA are expected to be unclassified. Proposal submissions will be protected from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with RFO 3.104-4 and applicable law/regulations. Offerors are expected to appropriately mark each page of their submission that contains proprietary information.

Offerors shall use a consistent title throughout the document which is descriptive of the work they cover and not merely a copy of the title of this announcement.

Concept papers must be in Adobe or Microsoft Word format (2007 or later); full proposals must be in Adobe or Microsoft Office formats (2007 or later), e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, etc. All pricing data shall be placed in Microsoft Excel (2007 or later) with formulas preserved.

All concept papers and proposals shall be prepared to print on letter-sized paper (8 ½ inch x 11 inch), double-spaced, text only with foldouts as required. Each Offeror shall utilize Times New Roman 12-point font. Reduction may be used only for tables and figures and relevant captions.

Margins shall not be less than one-inch at top, bottom and sides, excluding page number, “Page X of Y Pages” numbering, the proposed title of the project, the Offeror’s name, and submission date in the footer of each page shall be used. All pages shall be sequentially numbered with no gaps, breaks, or sub-page numbers/letters.

Offers shall not exceed the specified page limitations stated below (cover letter and table of contents/proposal checklists will not be counted toward the specified page limits). The TSA reserves the right to not consider any pages in excess of the limitation for evaluation purposes.

Offerors are also advised that the use of promotional material and/or brochures will not constitute compliance with the objectives concerning the content of responses.

C.3 Content and Format of Offers

The table below and the sections that follow identify the contents of each volume. Concept papers and full proposals shall not contain or discuss Sensitive Security Information (SSI).

Volume Contents Page Limits Concept Paper Elements defined in Section C.3.1

Factor 1- Entrance Criteria

Full Proposals Elements defined in Section C.3.2

Factor 2- Technical Approach Factor 3- Past Performance Factor 4- Price Other Submission Information

See Section C.3.2

For Tracks 01 and 02, TSA will review submissions based on the following criteria in descending order of importance:

Factor 1: Entrance Criteria (Concept Paper) Factor 2: Technical Approach (Full Proposal) Factor 3: Past Performance (Full Proposal) Factor 4: Price (Full Proposal)

Overall, the technical factors (1 – 3 above) are in descending order of importance and combined are more important than the price factor (4). Requirements will also be evaluated against TSA’s available funds. The degree of importance of price will increase with the degree of equality of the proposals in relation to the other factors on which selection is to be based, or when the price is so significantly high as to diminish the value of the proposal’s technical superiority to the Government.

Contract Type

The Government contemplates the award of firm fixed price (FFP) contract(s) and/or Bailment Agreement(s) to those offeror(s) whose submissions conform to this Announcement and represent an approach that is beneficial to the Government.

C.3.1.1 Submission Stages

Factor 1: Entrance Criteria (Concept Paper) Concept Paper Submission – Both Tracks – One submission per TTA.

Information shall be provided by the offeror in the following order:

Offeror Name Proposal Title (Include specific TTA number in front of title) Estimated Price Duration of Period of Performance (in months) Technical Concept Relevance to TSA’s BAA TTA Objective(s) and Mission Operational Utility Assessment Plan List of Tasks List of Deliverables Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Expected TSA Support Key Dates / Milestones Capabilities / Related Experience Intellectual Property Data Rights

Amplified information requirements:

1. Offers Shall Include a Cover Letter for each TTA separately: The Cover letter shall be labeled, “CONCEPT PAPER” and shall include the BAA number “70T04026BAA7573N1”, proposed title with specific TTA number, points of contact, address, telephone number, facsimile number, email address, corporate Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, Taxpayer Identification Number (ID) number, certifications required at RFO 52.209-5 Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters, (March 16, 2026); and the period of performance of the project in months. The Cover letter must also include the name and contact information for the individual authorized to negotiate and contractually obligate on behalf of the Offeror.

The Concept Paper shall have sections corresponding to and addressing the enumerated sections below:

2. Technical Concept: A description of the innovation, maturity of the concept/technology, technical risk areas, and proposed mitigation. The description should include the project objectives, the concept of operation for the new concept, and the expected operational performance improvements. The description should also include an estimation of the applicable concept/system specifications (e.g., weight, dimensions, probability of detection, probability of false alarm, throughput), limitations of concept, a declaration with a brief supporting statement of the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the concept as well as the projected TRL of the concept at the end of the proposed period of performance.

3. Relevance to TSA’s BAA TTA Objective(s) and Mission: A description of potential transportation security relevance and contributions of the effort to the agency’s specific BAA TTA objective(s). A discussion of how this innovation meets the TSA’s mission needs must be included.

4. Operational Utility Assessment Plan: A plan for demonstrating and evaluating the operational effectiveness of the Offeror’s proposed concept in field experiments and/or tests in a simulated environment. This would be a description of how the concept can be proven or tested to demonstrate effectiveness.

5. List of Tasks: A description of specific tasks that would need to be accomplished in order to deliver the proposed concept.

6. List of Deliverables: A list of items that will become TSA property (e.g., prototypes, reports, test objects, consumables, etc.).

7. Expected TSA Support: A list of all tasks that will need the TSA’s support to complete (e.g., access to Sensitive Security Information or classified information, Food and Drug Administration [FDA]/ National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] safety testing, Transportation Security Lab [TSL]/TSA Systems Integration Facility Source Selection Information TSIF]/operational testing, etc.). The Offeror needs to list these tasks, identify the type of support needed, with a justification, and include the associated costs in the estimated price.

8. Key Dates/Milestones: A list of key dates from start through concept completion.

9. Estimated Price: A description of the funding required to procure the proposed completed concept, to include a breakdown of tasks necessary for development of the concept for completion.

10. Capabilities/Related Experience: A brief description of similar work performed, or qualifications related to the proposed concept/completed concept.

11. Intellectual Property (IP)/Data Rights: A summary of the intellectual property and data rights asserted.

Government Evaluation:

TSA will review the Offeror’s concept paper to determine the overall scientific and technical merits and Technical Readiness Level (TRL), maturity of the concept/technology, evidence of the stated TRL 5 or higher for Track 01 and TRL 4 or higher for Track 02; the potential importance, relevance, and timeliness of the effort to the BAA TTA objective(s) and TSA/RCA mission; the Offeror’s capabilities, the concept of operation for the new capabilities to be delivered, related experience, facilities, management capabilities (including key personnel), program plan (e.g., key milestones, list of tasks, and deliverables), techniques or unique combinations of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives; proposed prices; and availability of funds. In addition, TSA will assess the potential transportation security relevance and value added to the TSA’s specific mission and the expected operational performance improvements, and the feasibility of achieving expected improvements considering project resources. Offerors that do not provide sufficient documentation will receive an ‘Unacceptable’ rating and be considered ineligible for the next phase and will not be evaluated further.

The Government reserves the right to evaluate risks identified in an Offeror’s concept paper to determine whether Acceptable’ or ‘Unacceptable’.

At the Government’s discretion, if the TSA determines an Offeror’s concept paper to be “acceptable” and there are available funds available, the TSA will notify the offeror and will request a proposal. For those offeror’s concepts found to be “unacceptable” no further action will be requested and TSA will notify the officer of such.

Factor 2: Technical Approach (Full Proposal) Proposal Submission Elements – Both Tracks – One submission per TTA:

The Offeror shall provide the following information in Sections 1 - 13 below to facilitate the Government’s consideration of Factor 2. The Proposal shall have sections corresponding to and addressing these enumerated sections below:

Information shall be provided by the offeror in the following order:

1. Cover Letter

2. Table of Contents (Optional)

3. Table of Acronyms (Optional)

4. Statement of Work

5. Technical Approach and Justification

6. Government Furnished Information and Equipment

7. Relevance to TSA’s BAA TTA Objectives and Mission

8. Operational Utility Assessment Plan

9. Expected TSA Support

10. Management Approach and Teaming Arrangements

11. Project Schedule and Milestones

12. Assertion of Data Rights and / or Rights in Computer Software

13. Deliverables / Reports

Amplified information requirements:

1. Cover Letter (for each TTA separately): The Cover letter shall be labeled, “PROPOSAL” and shall include the BAA number “70T04026BAA7573N1”, proposed title with specific TTA number, points of contact, address, telephone number, facsimile number, email address, corporate Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, Taxpayer Identification Number (ID) number, certifications required at RFO 52.209-5, and the period of performance of the project in months.

The Cover letter must also include the name and contact information for the individual authorized to negotiate and contractually obligate on behalf of the Offeror.

2. Table(s) of Contents: Optional section that includes one or more of the following: a hierarchical listing of sections and subsections of the document indexed by page number; a listing of the figures indexed by page numbers; and a listing of tables indexed by page numbers.

3. Table of Acronyms: Optional section that includes a table of acronyms that associates technical abbreviations with their unabbreviated forms.

4. Statement of Work: A SOW (at a minimum) clearly detailing the scope and objectives of the effort; a list and description of specific tasks that would need to be accomplished in order to deliver the proposed concept, clearly indicating those tasks which will require TSA support; a list of deliverables, to include a list of items that will become TSA property; list of milestones with acceptance criteria. This SOW should provide the details as to how the technical approach and concept outcome will be achieved. If awarded a contract, it is anticipated that the proposed SOW, with agreed upon revisions, will be incorporated as an attachment to the resultant award instrument. To this end, the proposals must be consistent with RFO Part 35 and include a severable, self-standing SOW, without any proprietary restrictions, which can be attached to the contract or agreement. Submission of the SOW without restrictive markings is the Offeror’s affirmation that the SOW is non-proprietary and releasable in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

5. Technical Approach and Justification: The major portion of the proposal should consist of the technical approach being proposed. This discussion should provide the technical foundation/ justification for pursuing this particular approach/direction, indicating how this approach will enable the objectives of the proposal to be met. In addition to the Technical Concept, this discussion should also include a description of the project objectives, the concept of operation for the new concept to be delivered, maturity of the concept/technology, and the expected operational performance improvements. The Offeror should also include technical risk and proposed mitigations, a life-cycle cost estimate for the concept, applicable concept/system specifications (e.g., weight, dimensions, probability of detection, probability of false alarm, throughput), current TRL of the technology and TRL at the end of the project, with supporting statements regarding the current state of the proposed concept and where it will be after the work is completed.

6. Government Furnished Information and Equipment: A listing and description of government furnished information and equipment that is required for project execution.

7. Relevance to TSA’s BAA TTA Objectives and Mission: A description of potential transportation security relevance and contributions of the effort to the agency’s specific BAA TTA objective(s). A discussion of how this innovation meets the TSA’s mission needs must be included.

8. Operational Utility Assessment Plan: : A plan for demonstrating and evaluating the operational effectiveness of the Offeror’s proposed concept in field experiments and/or tests in a simulated environment. This would be a description of how the concept can be proven or tested to demonstrate effectiveness.

9. Expected TSA Support: Identify, describe and include a justification for all tasks that will need the TSA’s support to complete (e.g., access to Sensitive Security Information or classified information, Food and Drug Administration [FDA]/ National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] safety testing, Transportation Security Lab [TSL]/TSA Systems Integration Facility Source Selection Information [TSIF]/operational testing, etc.). Roles and responsibilities need to clearly be set in this section. The Offeror should include the associated costs in the estimated price. Do not include costs pertaining to Government staff or their support personnel.

10. Management Approach and Teaming Arrangements: A discussion of the overall approach to the management of this effort, including brief discussions of the total organization, use of personnel, project/function/subcontractor/sub-recipient relationships, government research interfaces, and planning, scheduling and control practices. The discussion should identify which personnel and subcontractors/sub-recipients (if any) will be involved, a description of their roles and responsibilities. and include resumes for the Principal Investigator and other key personnel. The Offeror should also include a description of the facilities that are required for the proposed effort.

11. Project Schedule and Milestones: A high level schedule of the programmatic and technical events, and milestones, with a detailed work breakdown structure showing…