14.2_SBIR_Q A_Round_2.pdf

DHS SBIR-2014.2 Question and Answer Matrix As of 5/8/2014

ID# Date Answered Topic Area Question Answer 1 4/25/2014 SB014.2-006 Will a proposal be rejected as not compliant with the call if the proposed instrument/technology does not detect all of the gaseous compounds listed in the reference topic?

The goal of the solicitation topic is to develop an instrument that will detect all of the compounds that are listed. If the technology that is proposed can't detect all of these compounds, the proposal would not automatically be rejected as being not compliant. The reasons why it can't detect all of the compounds should be discussed in the proposal. However, DHS is seeking a solution that detects all of the compounds listed.

2 4/25/2014 General For a Phase I submission, do we still need to include a Commercialization Report if we have been awarded Phase II SBIR/STTR projects

A Commercialization Report is only required (if applicable) for Phase II submissions. Per the Solicitation, Section 3.6, all Phase II Offerors with previous Phase II awards must submit a Commercialization Report.

3 4/25/2014 General Must the required briefing chart be in portrait orientation, or can it be landscape? Must it completely form to the other proposal formatting instructions, i.e., 1 inch margins, 12 point font, etc.?

Please refer to section 3.3 of the solicitation for instructions on Technical Format and Content.

"Prepare the Technical Proposal in single column format, 12-point Times New Roman, with 1” margins on 8 ½” x 11” paper. Company name, topic number, and proposal number should be included in the header of each page. (The header may be included in the 1” margin.) The use of 10-point font is permissible for imbedded tables, figures and graphics."

The briefing chart can be in either portrait, or landscape view.

4 4/25/2014 SB014.2-005 Are the downed power lines in question (a) transmission lines, or (b) distribution lines, or (c) both?

The downed power lines are distribution lines.

5 5/8/2014 SB014.2-006 Is particle sizing required or simply a total count? The total particulate count is desired.

6 5/8/2014 SB014.2-006 Should the particle counter count only the respirable particulates or the total particulates?

The total particulate count is desired.

7 5/8/2014 SB014.2-006 Is there a guideline for water resistance that should be followed?

Since there is a high probability that the instrument that will be developed will be required to be certified according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, NFPA test methods should be utilized.

8 5/8/2014 SB014.2-002 SBIR Topic # H-SB014.2-002 has the same title as a previous DARPA SBIR topic (DRAPA: SB131-003). Is the DHS topic a follow up to the DARPA topic in this case? Does the DHS accept combined Phase I and phase II proposals?

DARPA topic:

SB131-003 Automatic Detection and Patching of Vulnerabilities in Embedded Systems http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/solicitations/sbir20131/ darpa131.pdf

NOTE: DHS SBIR Topic # H-SB014.2-002 has been revised. Please refer to Amendment 1 in FedBizOpps for the revised topic.

9 5/8/2014 General Is it is acceptable to submit proposals to multiple topics? The Solicitation does not prohibit Offerors from submitting proposals to multiple topics as long as the proposals are not duplicative of effort.

ID# Date Answered Topic Area Question Answer 10 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-001 Would a high energy radiation solution be acceptable as a decontamination agent?

If the proposed radiation is harmful to humans, or materials of construction, then it would not be acceptable. Without knowing more information, it is difficult to say with absolute certainty. Also, it needs to be commercially viable.

11 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 Should the system be capable of measuring the parameters of the laser beam such as CW vs. pulsed operation, pulse width, pulse repetition frequency, and wavelength? The alternative and simpler approach is to input these parameters into the system.

The goal of this solicitation topic is to develop a system capable of making measurements, which in turn permits the reliable extrapolation of NHZs for a given system. As such, these parameters need not be explicitly reported to the operator, but it likely would be necessary for NHZ characterization/extrapolation. For certain parameters, a Qualitative measurement would suffice to highly resolved Quantitative measurements.

The education level of the anticipated operators is a bachelor of science degree.

12 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 Are there any restrictions or obstacles to fielding the system with respect to the laser to be evaluated (e.g., minimum or maximum operating ranges)?

This solicitation topic is intended to support spectroscopic means of explosives detection (i.e. Raman scattering, Infrared Reflectance, etc.).

That stated, the proposed system should address relevant power levels as opposed to the higher energy industrial/military lasers. Secondly, these systems will be used at relatively short ranges (1-25 meters). Ideally, a measurement at a single, short range could be used to make NHZ inferences at longer ranges.

13 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 Will the system be used under adverse propagation conditions such as high winds or windborne sand?

No. It is anticipated that this system will be used in a laboratory or otherwise controlled, short range environment.

14 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 What is the minimum pulse width that a laser may have? All commercially available lasers, in the context of applied spectroscopic measurements should be considered. This solicitation topic is intended to support spectroscopic means of explosives detection (i.e. Raman scattering, Infrared Reflectance, etc.).

15 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-005 Under the Phase I description, the topic states “Evaluate the design of the status indicator and the system’s functionality and feasibility in an operational environment.” Could you please clarify the term “operational environment”? In the context of TRL ratings, operational environment would indicate TRL 7 which is defined as “System prototype demonstration in an operational environment”. Typically for Phase I feasibility studies it is sufficient for “Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment”.

For Phase I, laboratory environment is sufficient. For Phase II, it should be tested in an environment that addresses all of the operational requirements and specifications required for the final system or technology, including platform and packaging.

16 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-002 Is the government interested in receiving proposals for technical solutions that achieve the same end goal of ‘mitigating threats posed by software vulnerabilities in embedded system firmware’ but with an alternative technical solution that is not focused on automatic vulnerability detection?

Yes, the government is interested in receiving proposals for technical solutions that achieve the same end goal of ‘mitigating threats posed by software vulnerabilities in embedded system firmware’ but with an alternative technical solution that is not focused on automatic vulnerability detection. The detection is a means to an end, not the end goal itself.

ID# Date Answered Topic Area Question Answer 17 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 Will the wavelength and pulsing characteristics of the laser be known or is the desired instrument supposed to measure that too?

The desired instrument should be able to extrapolate NHZ without any inputs from the operator. However, if spectral information (wavelength, rep. rate, etc.) is readily available to the operator, inputs to the proposed system would be allowable. This may offer accuracy and confidence in the measurements as well as speed in NHZ realization.

18 5/8/2014 H-SB014.2-004 Can the wavelength interval be divided into several “bands” with one instrument developed for each band?

A single system, capable of NHZ extrapolation from this entire region, is highly desired and will be given priority. To achieve this, interchangeable “modules” and/or filters are permissible for this single system. In this case, considerations must be made for the assertion that the operator may not have knowledge of the spectral characteristics to be measured. Proposal for multiple systems (a ‘UV system’, a ‘near IR’ system, etc.) will be

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