Passenger Self Screening Draft SOW RFI.pdf

U. S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20528.

www.dhs.gov

Title: Request for Information – Passenger Self-Screening Systems for Aviation Checkpoints

Posted Date: January 6, 2020

Contracting Office Address:

Office of Procurement Operations Washington, District of Columbia 20528 United States

Due: 12 pm, February 21, 2020

Agency: Apex Screening at Speed Program, DHS Science & Technology Directorate, Washington, DC 20528.

Description: Apex Screening at Speed (SaS) pursues transformative research and development (R&D) activities that support a future vision for increasing aviation security effectiveness from curb to gate while dramatically reducing wait times and improving the passenger experience. To enable this vision, Apex SaS, in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) Innovation Task Force, is considering the development of a passenger self-screening solution to transform the TSA Pre® screening experience and concept of operations (CONOPS).

In a similar fashion to self-checkout at grocery stores, self-tagging checked baggage, or ATM machines, many patrons prefer an experience that they can complete without assistance and at their own pace. Development of personal self-service screening stations would allow for a reimagining of traditional checkpoint layouts and could result in increased overall passenger screening throughput capability. Apex SaS and TSA are exploring ideas to bring self-service concepts to the passenger screening process. Apex SaS would like to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a solution that would:

• Enable a self-sufficient checkpoint security screening process that improves the TSA Pre® passenger experience

• Allow for passenger on-person screening and divestment of personal property into a property screening system to occur in a single step, compared to the two distinct steps that exist at airports today

• Enable passengers to directly receive on-person alarm information while divesting, and allow for the passenger self-resolution of alarms through continued divestment to reduce instances where a pat-down/secondary screening procedure would be necessary

• Enable passengers to directly receive certain in-property alarm information after their items are submitted for screening, and allow for passenger self-resolution of alarms through the repositioning of items and/or abandonment of prohibited items (followed by subsequent

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• Allow passengers to complete the screening process more quickly

• Maintain or improve the current security posture at the airport checkpoint

This request solicits information about solutions that may be rapidly developed to detect weapons and organic threat items hidden on passengers without the same level of Transportation Security Officer (TSO) engagement normally present in the screening process. The solution would be configured with an integrated person and property screening systems, so that a passenger may be screened while they complete the divestiture process for inspection of their accessible property. The objective would be to create a passenger friendly, intuitive screening process while improving security, accelerating passenger throughput, and reducing pat-down rates.

The solution should be capable of utilizing the natural motion of the divesting passenger to achieve thorough inspection for concealed items and provide near real-time feedback to the passenger if additional divestiture is necessary. The passenger will only be allowed to leave the divestiture station if they have been cleared by this solution. In instances where an alarm cannot be resolved through passenger divestment, a TSO may be necessary to adjudicate any unresolved alarms.

While specific use cases and concepts of operations have not been defined, it is anticipated that, if successful, this self-screening concept may initially be deployed in a TSA Pre® environment. A firm requirement would be that the TSA security screening posture is in no way reduced compared to current TSA Pre® detection performance (Walk-Through Metal Detection screening under human observation/human analysis of AT X-ray images of carry-on items). Solutions should also consist of more advanced passenger screening modalities (such as millimeter wave) to meet current performance targets and position the system architecture for long term detection performance advancements;

eventuality meeting and exceed standard screening requirements. System components, configuration, and processes should adhere to the following design tenants:

Compactness: System components should be configured to be as small as possible, while still meeting quality standards needed for security screening and provide a suitable environment for comfortable passenger property screening divestment.

Independent Passenger Utilization: System components and alarm outputs should be designed to be intuitive for ease of passenger use, without the need for TSO guidance.

Security by Design: System components and security processes should be designed to achieve all necessary security objectives without the need for additional action (outside of carry-on item divestment into a property screening system) by the passenger.

Minimal Supervision: System screening technologies, access control components, and security processes should be designed to effectively ensure compliance with, and completion of, security requirements without the need for TSO supervision.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is requesting information from vendors regarding feasibility, technological capability, and general levels of effort required to develop such a concept. This information may be used by DHS S&T to refine requirements and inform strategy towards investing in the development of such a concept.

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Based on results from a previous Request for Information (RFI) in November 2019, the Government is considering releasing a broad agency announcement (BAA) call under HSHQDC-16-R-B0004 for this requirement. Accordingly, the Government is providing a draft Statement of Work (SOW) for industry comment. This draft SOW is meant to be indicative of what might be required for a SOW under a subsequent BAA call. In addition, the Government is considering breaking this development effort into multiple Technical Topic Areas. Potential Technical Topic Areas with high-level functional requirements are listed in Appendix A. The draft SOW is being provided for guidance purposes only and it is anticipated that any solicitation would include the option for the offeror to modify the SOW based on the specific solution proposed.

All information received will be treated as public knowledge and may be used in DHS S&T program documentation; therefore, companies should not submit proprietary information in response to this

RFI.

Companies are requested to provide the following information in their response, as applicable:

1. Company information, including name, address, phone number, e-mail, point of contact and

URL.

2. Feedback on the draft SOW – identifying areas of particular technical risk, unreasonable schedules, etc.

3. Whether the company develops technologies that may be adapted to this self-screening concept overall or for specific Technical Topic Areas?

4. Whether the company would prefer to develop the full solution or develop a component that would be suitable for integration (by DHS or a specifically contracted systems integrator)?

5. Feedback on the Technical Topic Areas? Are there additional Technical Topic Areas that should be considered or should certain Areas be merged?

5. Would the company be supportive of the use of open standards to accelerate algorithm deployment and interoperability between DHS systems?

6. If they were available, would the company be able to provide a solution more cheaply/quickly by integrating Government furnished detection algorithms into their system, or would the company recommend developing their own algorithms?

7. A rough estimate of costs for each period of performance of the draft SOW.

Companies may be contacted following submission for more detailed information. Company provided information may be reformatted for publication in DHS program documents.

Sources will not be reimbursed for providing responses. Responses to this RFI should be no more than ten (10) typewritten pages. Responses should include name, telephone number, and an e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Please respond via e-mail to

Carolyn.Lethert@hq.dhs.gov Jennifer.Koons@hq.dhs.gov mailto:Carolyn.Lethert@hq.dhs.gov mailto:Jennifer.Koons@hq.dhs.gov

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THIS RFI IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED

AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A SOLICITATION OR

ULTIMATELY AWARD A CONTRACT. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AS

PROPOSALS, NOR WILL ANY AWARD BE MADE AS A RESULT OF THIS RFI. All information contained in the RFI is preliminary, as well as subject to modification, and is in no way binding on the Government. Proprietary data submitted in response to the RFI will be protected when so designated.

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Appendix A:

Technical Topic Area

High-Level Functional Requirements

Property Imaging System

A property imaging system that can produce detailed imaging and compositional data of a passenger’s carry-on luggage and divested items for security screening.

Required:

• Output high resolution Computed Tomography (CT) property imaging and material composition data in the Digital Imaging and Communication for Security (DICOS) format that can be analyzed by independently developed algorithms

• Configured to accept and return property from/to a passenger from a single opening

• Restrict passenger access to property that triggers an alarm

Desired:

• Integrated enhanced material discrimination technologies allowing for low single digit explosives detection false alarm rates and high fidelity material identification

Property Screening Algorithm

Property screening detection algorithm(s) that can independently determine if a passenger’s property contains a suspect or prohibited item(s) requiring further action or examination with data provided by the property screening system.

• Analyze DICOS property imaging and material composition data

• Automatically detect and identify TSA prohibited items with low single digit detection false alarm rates and high fidelity object identification

• Automatically flag potential explosives material for further inspection

• Determine if the property screening image is suitable for analysis (or requires rescanning/repositioning/clutter removal)

Desired:

• Perform enhanced material analysis to determine if a substance is explosive with low single digit explosives detection false alarm rates and high fidelity material identification

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Metal Detection System

A metal detection system that is capable of determining the presence and quantity metal on a passenger’s person during and throughout the divestment process.

• Output precise alarm zone and detection data in an open format that can be analyzed by independently developed algorithms

• “Stand-in” metal detection that does not require the passenger to transit though the system

• Wide enough to comfortably accommodate a passenger as they divest their property

• Detect metal to TSA’s current Walk-Through Metal Detection standard

• Provide accurate/precise alarm location/size/shape/characterization information

Passenger Imaging System

A passenger imaging system that is capable of determining the presence of metallic and non-metallic objects on a passenger’s person during and throughout the divestment process.

• Output high resolution passenger imaging in an open format that can be analyzed by independently developed algorithms.

• Initiate passenger screening without the need for TSO involvement or input (such as the selection of passenger gender)

• Collect passenger imaging throughout the divestment process, providing whole body imaging without the need for the passenger to assume a specific stance(s).

• Be capable of performing under TSA’s Pre ™ CONOPS (jackets/belts/shoes remain on)

• Generate data on material composition of detected objects

• Detection of internally concealed objects

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On-Person Screening Algorithm

Passenger screening detection algorithm(s) that can independently determine if a passenger has a suspect or prohibited item(s) on their person requiring further action or examination with data provided by the passenger imaging and metal detection screening system.

• Automatically detect TSA prohibited items

• Automatically flag potential explosives material for further inspection

• Automatically determine if a passenger screening image is suitable for analysis (or requires rescanning/passenger repositioning)

• Correlate input from separate metal detection and passenger imaging systems

• Meet or exceed the current TSA Advanced Imaging

Technology (AIT) detection standard

• Perform material analysis to determine if a detected substance is a potential explosive

• Differentiate between images of detected permitted and prohibited items

Video Analytics

Video analytics system (hardware and software) capable of observing a passenger thought the screening process to determining when they are suitably positioned for screening and that security screening requirements are being adhered to.

• Identify when a passenger is standing in “detection zone(s)” and is suitably positioned for scanning

• Ensure nothing is concealed in a passenger’s hands

• Ensure a passenger dose not move divested/alarming item to other body zones after detection

• Determine characteristics of a passenger’s shoes/belt/jacket to inform divestment requirements as necessary

• Ensure that no items are left on the floor/outside of system detection zones

Desired:

• Track/identify/categorize individual items placed into the property screening system during divestment

• Preformed movement analytics to detect potential concealment attempts