CBPUGS20141101 - Capstone Document.pdf

For Official Use Only 1

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - CBPUGS20141101

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION (CBP)

U.S. BORDER PATROL HEADQUARTERS (USBP)

UNATTENDED GROUND SENSORS (UGS) and ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

OBJECTIVE -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), is conducting market research through this Request for Information (RFI) on the technical feasibility and maturity, interoperability/ open systems architecture interface, producibility, and product support of commercially available Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) systems, equipment, and enabling technologies in support of land surveillance and littoral operations.

The intent of this market research tool is to determine if commercial products, commercial services, or non-developmental items are available to meet USBP’s needs or could be modified to meet USBP’s needs.

THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS

OF THIS RFI OR TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR INFORMATION RECEIVED. This RFI is intended solely for market research purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal/Quote (RFP/Q) or a promise to issue an RFP/Q. This research does not commit the Government to enter into any type of contractual agreement for any supply or service. The Government will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI. All submissions to this RFI become the property of the Government and will not be returned.

The Government shall retain the results of this market research for a period not less than 18-months, for potential reference and review, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10, Subpart 10.002(b)(1). The information obtained from industry responses to this RFI may be used to invite respondents to demonstrate their technology at no cost to CBP and/or in the development of an acquisition strategy and future solicitation action.

Introduction -- The USBP mission is to prevent the illegal flow of people and contraband into the U. S. via air, land, and sea. The USBP’s primary mission is to conduct law enforcement activities along the U. S. border and between the official U.S. ports of entry. As the nation’s single, unified border agency, USBP's mission is vitally important for the protection of the American people and the national economy. USBP represents the first line of defense of America's borders. In support of this mission, CBP deploys air, land, and marine assets to patrol and safeguard U.S. border areas and effectively detects and interdicts potential threats beyond the Nation’s borders. One of USBP's strategic objectives is to deploy sensor capabilities throughout the country to provide rapid response during land and littoral surveillance operations.

It interdicts unlawful people and cargo encroaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks, and provides domain awareness.

Description -- Technologies being proposed shall be compatible with the USBP’s Technology Design Principles and Standards for Interoperability (Attachment D). This will ensure

For Official Use Only 2 interoperability and among the CBP programs and projects, strengthen autonomous operations, reduce man-in-the-loop, and utilize advances in artificial intelligence/machine learning to provide a force multiplier in UGS operations. CBP is interested in RFI responses that range from UGS components to integrated solutions. An integrated solution from industry would be a capability that addresses sensor, backhaul communications, power, training, and all elements of product support. Your response should address your company’s current and future UGS technology, including developing (three to five years in the future) and emerging (five to 10 years in the future).

This RFI is structured with the following attachments:

Attachment A: Vendor Company Data, documents company respondent data associated with this RFI, and may serve as a Qualified Vendors Listing, for future UGS procurements. Attachment A will be used to validate that responding vendors are registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) found at www.sam.gov, a requirement for doing business with the Federal Government. It will also help determine whether potential vendors are foreign owned or controlled, either at the vendor level or at a parent company level. Foreign owned or controlled entities are restricted from selling products and/or services, under any solicitation associated with this RFI, unless they are identified under the Department of Commerce Export Administration Code’s Commercial Control List for electronics, computers, sensors and lasers, or navigation and avionics equipment. No foreign nationals may participate in this RFI due to national security considerations.

Attachment B: UGS Questionnaire, is intended to ascertain industry’s technical feasibility and maturity, approach to interoperability/open systems architecture, producibility, product support concept, and training strategy of UGS and enabling technologies in support of land surveillance and littoral operating environments. As previously stated, CBP is interested in UGS components within a turnkey integrated solution that addresses sensor, backhaul communications, power, training, and all elements of product support o The RFI responses should address current and developing/emerging technology procurements for the modernization of UGS and enabling technologies over the next 10 years.

Vendors are requested to provide product-specific information on seismic, acoustic, magnetic, infrared, visual, RF/signal detection, and other applicable sensors currently available, would be available in the next three to five years, and 5 to 10 years range. Considerations are technical feasibility and maturity, interoperability/ open systems architecture interface, producibility, product support concept, and affordability.

If available, respondents should provide up to three (3) contracts/orders or subcontract work where the offeror has performed similar requirements to which they are proposing, in the past three (3) years. The projects/contracts/orders/subcontracts can include those performed for the federal, state, and local governments, commercial industry and those performed for private organizations.

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Vendors should provide a side-by-side comparison of performance, maintenance, expected shelf life and better capabilities that your organization’s product(s) could provide as compared to other competitors.

Vendors may affix multiple Attachment C questionnaires to describe systems or operational components being proposed. For products being proposed vendors should provide a narrative of their products; how the products meet current and future mission needs; and describe what is your company’s past performance (including customers) and process of deploying, manufacturing, and sustaining these products for programs of equivalent complexity over the last five years. Since Attachment B is an EXCEL workbook vendors may embed document objects in the spreadsheet or share their product/technology roadmap, test reports, written customer testimonies, etc. into their response to this RFI for consideration.

Explain how your organization’s deployment, manufacturing, or sustainment strategy is best in breed for this application and would that strategy differ for UGS as compared to what you implemented for previous customer(s).

Narrative responses to Attachment B Questionnaire can be provided in MS Word or pdf format.

Attachment C: Acronym Listing of terms and definitions used in this RFI.

Attachment D: Technology Design Principles and Standards for Interoperability, specifies which industry standards that UGS equipment needs to be able to interface with for joint interoperability. It also emphasizes the use of open systems architecture/modular open systems architecture in solutions supportive of the CBP UGS operational mission.

This will support the enhancement of autonomous operations through the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Attachment E: Product Demonstration Agreement sample template.

Emailed responses are requested to be received by the RFI Contracting Officer (CO) Frank S.

Duarte at the following address by no later than November 30, 2023, at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time (ET): frank.s.duarte@cbp.dhs.gov.

Responses must clearly indicate the following in the email subject line: CBP RFI for UGS.

*** Question submission: Interested respondents must submit any questions concerning this RFI at the earliest time possible to enable the Agency to respond, but no questions shall be accepted after November 8, 2023, 3:30 P.M. ET. Questions must be submitted directly to the RFI CO at the email address indicated above. ***

No other information is requested at this time and any submitted information will be discarded without review.

Mission Capabilities -- CBP deploys air, land, and marine assets to patrol and safeguard U.S.

border areas and effectively detects and interdicts potential threats beyond the Nation’s borders.

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CBP also supports investigative efforts by collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and participating in interagency Border Enforcement Security task forces and Integrated Border Enforcement teams. Enforcing America’s immigration and trade laws at the border promotes national security and protects American business interests.

UGS support Mission Essential Tasks (METs) of detect, identify, classify, and track. When these METs are combined with additional METs, an operational response chain is created. Note: there are multiple types of UGS sensors currently used to meet the mission essential tasks, such as infrared, video, seismic, acoustic, etc. The following figure identifies the USBP’s seven tasks that constitute METs.

The definitions of the METs supportive of UGS operations follows:

MET Definition Detect To discover possible illegal traffic Identify To determine what the detected entity is (human, animal, conveyance, unknown) Classify To determine the level of threat or intent of the detected entity Track To follow the progress/movements of possible illegal traffic

Description of UGS Sensors -- UGS are ground-based surveillance sensors as opposed to aerial, cyber, or marine surveillance, but may include some capabilities to detect activity in close proximity to the ground or in areas immediately offshore. The majority of CBP’s UGS are deployed outdoors to surveille known smuggling routes and other areas of interest that are not practical to surveille using fixed or mobile towers, such as canyons and riverbeds. UGS may also be on or inside of buildings and structures; inside culverts, secured controlled entry ways, alleys, passages, and underpasses; inside caves, crevices, or other natural enclosed spaces; and inside tunnels or underground municipal infrastructure and similar environments. UGS are often deployed covertly in remote areas with limited access to power and communications.

UGS sensors and systems are deployed in a variety of configurations depending on the application in which they will be employed. The types of UGS sensors in the current inventory include seismic, magnetic, and infrared sensors; laser tripwires and grid fields; acoustic triggers;

microwave bubbles; and cameras and light detection and ranging imagers. Responses to this RFI are not limited to these types of UGS sensors.

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Baseline UGS requirements for five of the sensor types are:

Seismic sensors

Acoustic sensors

Magnetic sensors

Infrared sensors

Visual sensors

Battery type Commercial Commercial Commercial Commercial Commercial Communications See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E Configuration Time

<10 minutes <10 minutes <10 minutes <10 minutes <10 minutes

ESOH NEPA and EO 12114

NEPA and EO 12114

NEPA and EO 12114

NEPA and EO 12114

NEPA and EO 12114

GPS Reference < 50 feet < 50 feet < 50 feet < 50 feet < 50 feet

HSI

Conformance

Part 5 of ANSI/Human Factors and Engineering Society 200

Part 5 of ANSI/Human Factors and Engineering Society 200

Part 5 of ANSI/Human Factors and Engineering Society 200

Part 5 of ANSI/Human Factors and Engineering Society 200

Part 5 of ANSI/Human Factors and Engineering Society 200

Hydrogeology Capable of operating in many types of topographic formations and on surfaces that are clay, sandy, rocky, mixed clay/rocky, high water, and low clay soil types

Capable of operating in many types of topographic formations and on surfaces that are clay, sandy, rocky, mixed clay/rocky, high water, and low clay soil types

Capable of operating in many types of topographic formations and on surfaces that are clay, sandy, rocky, mixed clay/rocky, high water, and low clay soil types

Capable of operating in many types of topographic formations and on surfaces that are clay, sandy, rocky, mixed clay/rocky, high water, and low clay soil types

Capable of operating in many types of topographic formations and on surfaces that are clay, sandy, rocky, mixed clay/rocky, high water, and low clay soil types

Ice 0.25” (6mm) ice accumulation, of specific gravity ranging from 0.2 (soft rime) to 0.9 (glaze)

0.25” (6mm) ice accumulation, of specific gravity ranging from 0.2 (soft rime) to 0.9 (glaze)

0.25” (6mm) ice accumulation, of specific gravity ranging from 0.2 (soft rime) to 0.9 (glaze)

0.25” (6mm) ice accumulation, of specific gravity ranging from 0.2 (soft rime) to 0.9 (glaze)

0.25” (6mm) ice accumulation, of specific gravity ranging from 0.2 (soft rime) to 0.9 (glaze)

Interoperability See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E See Attach. E Lightning NFPA 10 NFPA 10 NFPA 10 NFPA 10 NFPA 10 Materiel Availability

>95% >95% >95% >95% >95%

Mean Time Between Maintenance

>4,320 hours >4,320 hours >4,320 hours >4,320 hours >1,440 hours

Power Uninterrupted power 24/7, no grid power available

Uninterrupted power 24/7, no grid power available

Uninterrupted power 24/7, no grid power available

Uninterrupted power 24/7, no grid power available

Uninterrupted power 24/7, no grid power available

Rain Up to 6 inches/hour and 60 inches/year

Up to 6 inches/hour and 60 inches/year

Up to 6 inches/hour and 60 inches/year

Up to 6 inches/hour and 60 inches/year

Up to 6 inches/hour and 60 inches/year

Range (Detection)

Between 5 and 10 meters (threshold), and

0.5 and 50 meters (objective)

Between 5 and 10 meters (threshold), and

0.5 and 50 meters (objective)

Between 5 and 10 meters (threshold), and

0.5 and 50 meters (objective)

Between 5 and 10 meters (threshold), and

0.5 and 50 meters (objective)

Between 5 and 10 meters (threshold), and

0.5 and 50 meters (objective)

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Relative Humidity

5% to 100% with condensation/ rain

5% to 100% with condensation/ rain

5% to 100% with condensation/ rain

5% to 100% with condensation/ rain

5% to 100% with condensation/ rain

RF Exposure Conform to

FCC KDB

Publication

447498 DO3

Conform to

FCC KDB

Publication

447498 DO3

Conform to

FCC KDB

Publication

447498 DO3

Conform to

FCC KDB

Publication

447498 DO3

Conform to

FCC KDB

Publication

447498 DO3

Sand and Dust 1.06 g/m3 @ 29 km/hr (18 mph)

1.06 g/m3 @ 29 km/hr (18 mph)

1.06 g/m3 @ 29 km/hr (18 mph)

1.06 g/m3 @ 29 km/hr (18 mph)

1.06 g/m3 @ 29 km/hr (18 mph)

Shock Terminal peak sawtooth shock pulse of 20G, 11 milliseconds duration without degradation

Terminal peak sawtooth shock pulse of 20G, 11 milliseconds duration without degradation

Terminal peak sawtooth shock pulse of 20G, 11 milliseconds duration without degradation

Terminal peak sawtooth shock pulse of 20G, 11 milliseconds duration without degradation

Terminal peak sawtooth shock pulse of 20G, 11 milliseconds duration without degradation

Snow 25 kg/m2 (5.12 lb./ft2) per 24-hour period (equivalent to a 10-inch snowfall) to a maximum of 50 kg/m2 (10.2 lb./ft2) in a 72-hour period

25 kg/m2 (5.12 lb./ft2) per 24-hour period (equivalent to a 10-inch snowfall) to a maximum of 50 kg/m2 (10.2 lb./ft2) in a 72-hour period

25 kg/m2 (5.12 lb./ft2) per 24-hour period (equivalent to a 10-inch snowfall) to a maximum of 50 kg/m2 (10.2 hour period (equivalent to a 10-inch snowfall) to a maximum of 50 kg/m2 (10.2 hour period (equivalent to a 10-inch snowfall) to a maximum of 50 kg/m2 (10.2 lb./ft2) in a 72-hour period

Temperature (ambient)

-40ºC to 55 ºC (-40ºF to 132ºF)

-40ºC to 55 ºC (-40ºF to 132ºF)

-40ºC to 55 ºC (-40ºF to 132ºF)

-40ºC to 55 ºC (-40ºF to 132ºF)

-40ºC to 55 ºC (-40ºF to 132ºF)

Topography Able to operate in terrains that are uneven and covered with rocks

Able to operate in terrains that are uneven and covered with rocks

Able to operate in terrains that are uneven and covered with rocks

Able to operate in terrains that are uneven and covered with rocks

Able to operate in terrains that are uneven and covered with rocks

Training desired Instructor & Key Personnel, built-in training, online refresher training

Instructor & Key Personnel, built-in training, online refresher training

Instructor & Key Personnel, built-in training, online refresher training

Instructor & Key Personnel, built-in training, online refresher training

Instructor & Key Personnel, built-in training, online refresher training

Weight <12 pounds <12 pounds <12 pounds <12 pounds <24 pounds Wind Winds up to 96 km/hr (60 mph) + gusts up to an additional 20%

Winds up to 96 km/hr (60 mph) + gusts up to an additional 20%

Winds up to 96 km/hr (60 mph) + gusts up to an additional 20%

Winds up to 96 km/hr (60 mph) + gusts up to an additional 20%

Winds up to 96 km/hr (60 mph) + gusts up to an additional 20%

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Interdependency/Interoperability -- UGS are employed in a number of scenarios and configurations today. Figure 1 shows a boundary diagram for the UGS to include enabling capabilities and technologies. It can be seen that UGS systems interact with a multitude of entities such as Global Positioning System/Global Navigation Satellite System (formerly NAVSTAR) satellites, attackers, items of interest, and environments and then uses tactical repeaters and technical access points to transmit Items of Interest alerts, tracking data, imagery, full motion video, and systems status over the Cloud to USBP’s ICAD, command and control center (C2CENT), and Common Operating Picture. Enabling capabilities and technologies include communicative, persistent, autonomous, covert, resilient, interoperable, and intuitive.

Figure 1. UGS Boundary Diagram to include enabling Capabilities/Technologies

The operational objective is to transmit UGS detection data through low power repeaters to a Technical Access Point (TAP) site which serves as a collaborative receiver, decoder, and injection site. Messages are decoded and inserted into the Internet Protocol computer network.

Messages are then routed across secured, dedicated microwave links, landline, commercial wireless (cellular) and satellite internet connections to the Intelligent Computer Assisted Detection (ICAD) for dissemination to Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) and other CBP systems for appropriate action. Note: the ICAD/Surveillance Asset Management is the system of record for sensor / other activity monitoring so proposed integrated capabilities and enabling technologies must be seamless and not be disruptive to current and future autonomous operations.

Vendors proposing candidate technologies are encouraged to consider the following factors:

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The Sensor system shall adopt common industry information technology, communications, and data standards identified in Attachment D to improve USBP’s effectiveness.

The sensor or sensor system shall have the ability to use or convert to the cursor-on-target standard protocol for machine-to-machine communications which is commonly applied in the military and law enforcement operational domains.

The sensor shall include hardware and software interfaces which allow for interoperability with other systems during post-processing of collected data and reusability.

The sensor system must be capable of withstanding anti-jam, anti-spoof exploitation and attack.

The sensor system functional software upgrades shall be structured as non-destructive updates to the previous software version.

Sensor and system software shall come with published Application Programming Interfaces, software development kits, and Interface Control Documents as applicable in conformance to Attachment D.

The sensor system design shall follow modular open systems architecture guidelines; and, The vendor shall have an established training methodology for user interaction.

UGS depend on a variety of technologies to enable the UGS mission tasks. Enabling technology areas included in this RFI are power, communications, autonomous operations, resilience, camouflage, interoperability, and manpower/training/skills.

Power technology should enable covert, unattended UGS operation for extended periods of time without the need to replace batteries or perform maintenance. Low signature, renewable power sources that can be camouflaged are examples of solutions. Fuel cells may be a future option as well.

Communications technology should support UGS operations in spectrum limited/denied areas.

Options to operate across multiple frequencies would be advisable. Can communicate independently or relay to a hub to share Items of Interest (IoI) detections through additional relays, cellular, and land mobile radio options. Communications can be configured rapidly to enable UGS systems to report detections to either a command-and-control center and/or a tactical team.

Automation will perform functions at the sensor system that would otherwise require a human and will help minimize demands on limited communications resources. (Note that not all UGS missions require automation. In some cases, the Common Operating Picture may use automation to help process the volume of incoming sensor data.) Automation should analyze, identify, and automatically report only those detections that are IoIs. Automation could recommend classifications of IoIs and report to operators for verification. Classification may include type of gun carried, communications devices, backpacks, recognizing a license plate on a whitelist, recognizing specific targets, and other characteristics the system can be trained to recognize.

Ultimately, automation should reduce the demands on the operators to monitor sensors so that they may focus their attention on their safety and successful interdiction of criminal activity.

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Resilient technology will enable the UGS systems to withstand transport in rough terrain, cyber-attacks, and severe environmental conditions.

Camouflage technology will be needed to hide the sensors, power supplies, communications, hubs, and other UGS components that can be detected by IoIs and vandals.

Interoperability technology is needed so that UGS systems may integrate easily into communications networks and exchange data with operations centers. Specific data protocols may be required, such as Cursor on Target messaging. Published Application Programming Interface may also be required to exchange data.

Training technologies are needed to support the effective setup, use, and maintenance of UGS systems. If the systems are intuitive, then there will be less demand for training and greater utility for operators. Options for built-in and/or online training and quick reference materials should be considered.

Product Support/Suitability -- CBP has strong interest in learning from industry how your organization would provide a cost-effective and time-sensitive product support strategy for the sensors that you are providing information on with specific interest on the following elements:

maintenance planning and management; manpower and personnel; supply support; support equipment; technical data; training and training support; computer resources; facilities and infrastructure; packaging, handling, storage, and transportation; design interface; sustaining engineering; and information technology systems continuous support. Please document if your organization has achieved a Sustainment Maturity Level of seven to eight on analogous programs of scope and complexity.

Path Forward Through Product Demonstration -- As a part of this RFI, the Government intends to review RFI responses and may identify vendors with existing systems to participate in a future product demonstration or evaluation of their systems. Such demonstrations would provide the Government with an opportunity to gain additional information about available, relevant capabilities/products in an operational environment.

Vendor demonstrations of products or services shall be rendered at no cost to the Government, and the vendor(s) shall waive any claims against the Government for compensation for this demonstration. The vendor shall plan to provide all necessary equipment for the UGS product demonstration.

The Government is not bound or obligated in any way to extend any special consideration to the vendor(s) on future contracts as a result of participation in a demonstration. The vendor(s) shall not interpret the demonstration as implying government acceptance or approval for advertising purposes. The vendor(s) also acknowledges that the Government makes no commitment to buy the products or services involved or to give the vendor(s) special consideration in any future acquisition in which the vendor(s) may submit a proposal.

Not all vendors that respond to this RFI may have an opportunity to participate in a product demonstration. A government request to participate in a product demonstration will be based on

For Official Use Only 10 the Government’s need for additional information regarding a vendor’s system in an operational environment and the availability of government resources.

If identified to participate in a product demonstration, CBP will coordinate the demonstration event, including a Vendor Demonstration Agreement (Attachment E), via separate correspondence, following review of the RFI responses.

Attachments Citation

Attachment A: Vendor Company Data Attachment B: UGS Questionnaire Attachment C: Acronym Listing Attachment D: Technology Design Principles and Standards for Interoperability, June 2023 Attachment E: CBP Product Demonstration Agreement template