Draft RFI - CBP NII Video Scope 02.16.2021.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

United States Department of Homeland Security United States Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations

1.0 DESCRIPTION

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking information on commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) video-scope systems. COTS products by definition are used by the general public or non-governmental purposes and has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public (Federal Acquisition Regulations Section 2.101).

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. It is for informational purposes only. A solicitation is NOT being issued. This Request for Information (RFI) will allow the Government to identify interested sources and their capabilities in meeting all requirements. The information sought will be used for planning purposes only.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. The Government will not award a contract on the basis of this RFI, nor will the Government pay for any information submitted by respondents. All proprietary or sensitive corporate information shall be clearly marked. This announcement in no way obligates or commits the Government to acquire any product or service. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of information submitted in response to this RFI.

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1 System Description

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seeking information about a portable, compact, lightweight handheld system used to efficiently and effectively provide CBP Officers and Agents the capability of visually inspecting dark voids such as fuel tanks and body panels. These areas are difficult to access while conducting inspections of vehicles referred for further inspection to detect concealed contraband at Ports of Entry (POEs), US Border Checkpoints, and other inspection locations, when arriving or departing the United States.

2.2 Operational Context

CBP is responsible for targeting, selecting, and examining conveyances for terrorist-related activity, smuggling of contraband, and trade law violations. These inspections take place at controlled Ports of Entry and Border Patrol Checkpoints, aimed to detect items prohibited from import into or export from the United States.

3.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION

CBP is seeking to understand the commercially available Non-Intrusive inspection contraband detection systems that utilize the images provided by video-scopes. The following sections outline the information being requested for each system. Vendors are encouraged to provide information about multiple systems or system components. Vendors should submit one response for each complete system.

Part I: Yes or No Questions Answer Yes or No to the following questions in the provided Excel template. If not applicable, answer N/A.

Fit and Form:

Handheld-

1. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 1.75 lb.?

2. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 2 lb.?

3. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 2.5 lb.?

4. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 3 lb.?

5. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 3.5 lb.?

6. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 4 lb.?

7. Does the system’s handheld weight exceed 4.5 lb.?

Cable Conduit-

8. Does the system provide interchangeable cable conduits with different lengths?

9. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 2’ long?

10. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 3’ long?

11. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 6’ long?

12. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 8’ long?

13. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 10’ long?

14. Does the system provide cable conduit of length no greater than 12’ long?

15. Is the system’s cable conduit minimum outside diameter requirement the same through the entire length from the handheld to the tip?

16. Does the system provide interchangeable cable conduits with different outside diameters?

17. Does the system provide cable conduit with an outside diameter equal or less than 6mm through its entire length of the cable conduit?

18. Does the system provide cable conduit with an outside diameter equal or less than 8mm through its entire length of the cable conduit?

19. Does the system provide cable conduit with an outside diameter equal or less than10mm through its entire length of the cable conduit?

20. Does the system provide cable conduit with an outside diameter equal or less than 11mm through its entire length of the cable conduit?

21. Does the system cable conduit have a light source at its tip to illuminate the inspection area?

22. Does the system cable conduit provide articulation properties?

23. If articulable, will the cable conduit allow for the minimum of two-ways, from straight to 60 degrees each direction for a minimum adjustable range of 120 degrees?

24. If articulable, will the cable conduit allow for the minimum of two-ways, from straight to 90 degrees each direction for a minimum adjustable range of 180 degrees?

Camera-

25. Does the system cable conduit have a camera near its tip to capture images of the inspection area?

26. Does the camera capture and display images and record videos at resolution equal to 640 x 480?

27. Does the camera capture and display images and record videos at resolution equal to 1024 x 768?

28. Does the camera capture and display images and record videos at resolution greater than 1024 x 768?

29. Does the camera have a Depth of Field (DOF) equal to10mm to 100mm?

30. Does the camera have a DOF wider than 10mm to 100mm?

31. Does the camera have a Field of View (FOV) equal to 60 degrees?

32. Does the camera have a FOV greater than 60 degrees?

33. Does the system provide a range of selectable zooming and magnification to allow the operator to optimize the display for readability as dictated by the operational environment?

34. Does the camera have minimum magnification capabilities equal to two (2) x?

35. Does the camera have minimum magnification capabilities equal to three (3) x?

36. Does the camera have minimum magnification capabilities greater than three (3) x?

37. Does the camera have digital (virtual) zooming?

38. Does the camera have optical (physical) zooming?

Data Exporting-

39. If the camera captures, displays images, and records videos at resolution equal to 640 x 480, will the system be capable of exporting the images and videos while maintaining the same high-resolution (640 x 480) provided for viewing?

40. If the camera captures, displays images, and records videos at resolution equal to 1024 x 768, will the system be capable of exporting the images and videos while maintaining the same resolution (1024 x 768) provided for viewing?

41. If the camera captures, displays images, and records videos at resolution greater than 1024 x 768, will the system be capable of exporting the images and videos while maintaining the same resolution (greater than 1024 x 768) provided for viewing?

Light-

42. Does the system’s cable conduit have a light source at its tip to illuminate the inspection area?

43. Does the system provide a secondary light source to illuminate the inspection area?

Monitor-

44. Does the system have a colored monitor display?

45. Is the system’s monitor display measurement equal to 3 inches diagonally?

46. Is the system’s monitor display measurement equal to 5 inches diagonally?

47. Is the system’s monitor display measurement greater than 5 inches diagonally?

48. Does the monitor display have a resolution equal to 640x480?

49. Does the monitor display have a resolution equal to 1024x768?

50. Does the monitor display have a resolution greater than 1024x768?

51. Does the monitor have a rate of unit luminance of at least 500 nits?

52. Does the system provide an alternative solution for the monitor display to be readable in direct sunlight?

Power-

53. Do commercially available non-rechargeable disposable batteries power the system?

54. If the system contains disposable batteries, does the system take no more than two (2) minutes to power up?

55. If the system contains disposable batteries, does the system take no more than three (3) minutes to power up?

56. If the system contains disposable batteries, does the system take no more than four (4) minutes to power up?

57. Is the system powered by removable, rechargeable, and commercially available batteries?

58. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, can it be fully charged within two (2) hours?

59. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, can it be fully charged within four (4) hours?

60. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, can it be fully charged within six (6) hours?

61. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, does the system take no more than two (2) minutes to power up?

62. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, does the system take no more than three (3) minutes to power up?

63. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, does the system take no more than four (4) minutes to power up?

64. If the system contains rechargeable batteries, does the system take no more than five (5) minutes to power up?

65. If the system is powered by rechargeable batteries, is the charger power adapter compatible with standard vehicle lighter outlets?

66. Does the system have sufficient power to complete a minimum of four (4) continuous hours of operation before the batteries are replaced or recharged?

67. Does the system have sufficient power to complete a minimum of six (6) continuous hours of operation before the batteries are replaced or recharged?

68. Does the system have sufficient power to complete a minimum of eight (8) continuous hours of operation before the batteries are replaced or recharged?

69. Does the system display the expected remaining operating battery life in terms of percentage based on the conditions under use?

70. Does the system have sufficient power to maintain four (4) months of capacity of standby time before the batteries are replaced or recharged assuming systems are shelved (not in use)?

71. Does the system have sufficient power to maintain four (7) months of capacity of standby time before batteries are replaced or recharged assuming systems are shelved (not in use)?

Environmental Suitability and Ruggedness-

72. Can the system operate in temperatures ranging from 0°F to 120° degrees (-17°C to 49°C) without system performance degradation?

73. Can the system operate in temperatures ranging from -15°F to 120° degrees (-26°C to 49°C) without system performance degradation?

74. Can the system store in temperatures ranging from -15°F to 130° degrees (-26°C to 54°C) and humidity levels from 15% to 90% without system performance degradation upon resuming operation?

75. Can the system store in temperatures ranging from -20°F to 130° degrees (-29°C to 54°C) and humidity levels from 15% to 90% without system performance degradation upon resuming operation?

76. Is the cable conduit intrinsically safe for use in water, ignitable fluids, fuel systems (e.g. gasoline, ethanol, diesel), and all explosive atmospheres?

77. Does the system design allow the batteries to be replaced in field conditions (i.e., day, night, wearing gloves in rain, sleet, or snow) without any specialized tools in less than 5 minutes?

78. Is the cable conduit and its components submersible without diminishing its full capabilities?

Ruggedness-

79. Is the system and its components (handheld, monitor, cable conduit, camera, and external storage port) ruggedized to maintain full capabilities in expected outdoor operational conditions during inclement weather such as dust storm, heavy rain, and snow?

80. Is there an optional solution provided to protect the monitor’s display while not degrading screen readability?

81. Is the system rugged enough to withstand an accidental fall onto concrete or similar hard surfaces from any orientation from a height of 4ft without system performance degradation?

82. Is the system rugged enough to withstand an accidental fall onto concrete or similar hard surfaces from any orientation from a height of 6ft without system performance degradation?

83. Is the system rugged enough to withstand an accidental fall onto concrete or similar hard surfaces from any orientation from a height of 8ft without system performance degradation?

Accessories-

84. Does the system include a grounding wire as a secondary safety measure against static electricity?

85. Does the system include a ruggedized coating or external sleeve to keep the cable rigid for maneuverability pending operational needs?

86. Does the system include a neck, shoulder, or cross-body strap to secure the system and prevent from accidental falls?

87. Is the neck, shoulder, or cross-body strap length adjustable to fit operators of different sizes?

88. Does the neck, shoulder, or cross-body strap allow quick release for donning and doffing with minimum effort on the part of the operator?

89. Does the neck, shoulder, or cross-body strap have a provision for securely retaining the system when the operator is moving through open and confined spaces?

90. If the system requires rechargeable batteries, does the system include a charger power adapter compatible with standard vehicle lighter outlets?

91. If the system requires rechargeable batteries, does the system include two batteries and two battery chargers?

92. Does the system include a rugged, hardened case for storing, transporting, and shipping the system?

93. Does the system include a flexible and sturdy window wedge guide to safely insert and extract the cable conduit from the tight areas between vehicle’s windows and door panels without causing damage to the inspected vehicle or the system?

94. Does the system include a vehicle fuel tank guide/sleeve device to safely insert and extract the cable conduits into the vehicle’s fuel tank by passing the back-flow prevention device without damaging the system or the vehicle?

95. If the system provides interchangeable cable conduits, does the system include additional sleeves to fit each cable conduit according to their outside diameters?

96. If the system provides secondary light sources, will the sleeve/guide provided for simultaneous insertion and extraction of the light source and cable conduit fit into the area of inspection?

Reliability, Availability and Maintainability-

97. Is the expected operating life of the system 5 years from date of system acceptance assuming 16 hours of operation per day, 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year?

98. Is the expected operating life of the system 5 years from date of system acceptance assuming 24 hours of operation per day, 7 days per week, 2 weeks per year?

99. Is the expected operating life of the system 10 years from date of system acceptance assuming 16 hours of operation per day, 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year?

100. Is the expected operating life of the system 10 years from date of system acceptance assuming 24 hours of operation per day, 7 days per week, 2 weeks per year?

101. Does the system display the software and firmware versions on the device?

Training and Training Materials-

102. Is the training based on required competencies in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities for operator tasks as identified in a job task analysis for selected scenarios or use cases?

103. Does the system training take no more than 8 hours (one (1) day)?

104. Does the system operation require any skillsets beyond the training operators receive to perform performing routine inspections?

105. Can the training be deployed by the Train-the-Trainer concept?

106. Can the training include handling, packaging, and shipment of HAZMAT materials (batteries) in compliance with USPS and other shipping carrier requirements?

Human System Interface –

107. Does the system require only one operator to conduct all functions during inspections?

108. Does the system require no more than two operators to conduct all functions during inspection?

109. Can the system be operated ambidextrously?

110. Can the system be operated without degradation when the operator is wearing various types of gloves (i.e., 5 mm nitrile, leather, latex)?

111. Does the articulation of the cable conduit enable the operator to control the direction to which the camera is pointed?

112. Does the operator know the direction to which the camera is pointed?

113. Does the display indicate the direction to which the camera is pointing?

114. Will the operator be able to verify that the detected object is an item of interest?

115. How will the solution control glare from the camera light source?

116. How will the operator review stored images before exporting them to a central location?

117. Will the operator be able to tag images of special interest?

118. Will training include visualizations of items of interest?

119. Is the monitor display readable when the operator is wearing polarized sunglasses?

120. Is the brightness of the monitor display adjustable by the operator?

121. Does the operator display have the ability to display readings clearly in high-sun exposure environments?

122. Does the system provide any indication confirmation when the operator turns the system on?

123. Does the system provide any indication confirmation when the operator turns the system off?

124. Can the operator readily read the display in all expected illumination conditions from darkness to full sunlight?

125. Can the system be gripped and operated without degradation when the operator’s hands are not fully dry?

126. Does the system configuration allow the buttons to be easily pushed with one-hand activation?

127. Does the system provide protection against inadvertently activating buttons?

128. Is the system capable of being operated ambidextrously?

129. Is the carrying case also equipped with rollers and handles?

130. Does the carrying case filled with the system and all accessories weigh less than 15 lbs.?

131. Does the carrying case filled with the system and all accessories weigh less than 20 lbs.?

Part II: Descriptor Summaries

Describe the features listed not covered by the questions in Part I. Limit response for each descriptor to 250 words or less and write N/A if not applicable to the system.

1. Describe the video-scope system

2. Describe the dimensions and volume of the video-scope handheld

3. Describe any testing required to support the system

4. Describe the system training requirements

5. Describe the human systems interface requirements (e.g. compliance with MIL-STD-1472G, reduced operator/maintainer workload, operator and maintainer operator interface usability, ease of training, ease of maintenance, complete and readable documentation, no special skills for operators or maintainers, no health and safety hazards for operators or maintainers, acceptable operator and maintainer survivability)

6. Describe the system safety/durability/environmental standards (e.g., MIL-STD, IP67, IP68, temperature ranges)

7. Describe previous testing and results

8. Describe the system maintenance requirements during a ten-year lifecycle

9. Describe the offered Original Equipment Manufacturer preventative maintenance and corrective maintenance warranties

10. Describe the components considered to be hazardous material based on 29 CFR 1910.1200 (e)(i), Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHA), the Contractor shall provide a list of all hazardous materials and the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each identified Hazardous Material

11. Describe the procedures that will include the material description, quantity of the material, storage and disposal instructions, exposure risks, symptoms, and treatments

12. Describe the proposed accessories kit per system (e.g., batteries, sleeves/guides, secondary light source etc.)

Part III: Vendor Information

1. Company information, including name, address, and website

2. Business type (manufacturer or distributor)

3. Point(s) of contact for follow-up information, and the point(s) of contact's name, title, phone number, and e-mail address

4. Product name(s), specifications, and images

5. DUNS number;

6. List of current operators in law enforcement communities (if any)

7. Describe other established purchasing agreements (e.g., GSA, DHS Eagle Buy, etc.)

Part IV: Cost

1. Identify and describe the cost of the system

2. Identify and describe the cost of the accessories

3. Identify and describe the cost of training

4. Identify and describe cost of maintenance options (e.g., warranty terms and options)

5. Identify and describe the minimum number of system components required

6. Identify and describe bulk discounts based on quantity purchased

7. Identify and describe the timeframe when the system could be delivered (back-ordered, in-stock, etc.)

Response Format and Limits

Responses received from interested parties must not exceed ten (10) pages in length for Part II through Part IV.

1) Answers all questions listed in Part I as either yes, no or N/A.

2) Provide brief descriptions of requested information as listed in Part II, if applicable

3) As listed in Part III provide the company information as stated

4) Estimated costs and availability as listed in Part IV

5) Any other pertinent information related to the requirements

All responses shall be submitted electronically (MS Word and Excel 2016 compatible or Adobe PDF format) including a written portion and the completed “vendor capabilities” column of the attached questionnaire. Responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite to submit a proposal on a subsequent RFP, if one is issued.

Responses are due no later than March 11, 2021 4:00pm EDT. Responses must be submitted via e-mail, if possible, to contract specialist David Banks david.m.banks@cbp.dhs.gov.

4.0 QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contract Specialist stated above by March 2, 2021 4:00pm EDT. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Answers to questions that are of interest to all vendors may be posted as an addendum to this RFI on https://beta.sam.gov. Therefore, questions should not include proprietary or classified information.

5.0 SUMMARY

THIS IS ONLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). The information derived from this RFI will assist CBP in ascertaining the current state-of-the-art borehole camera technology. The information and specifications provided in the RFI are subject to change and is not binding on the Government. CBP has not made a commitment to procure any of the items presented, and release of this RFI should not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.