Request for Information W911SR-25-RFI-PCAD.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) Proximate Chemical Agent Detector Non-Trace (PCAD-NT)

W911SR-25-RFI-PCAD

1.0 DISCLAIMER

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. No solicitations are currently available, and requests/questions for a solicitation will not be answered. The U.S. Government is not obligated to contract for any supply or service as a result of this RFI.

All information submitted in response to this RFI is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Non-response will not preclude future participation in any potential RFP. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Mark proprietary or confidential information;

accordingly, access will be limited to authorized Government personnel. Do not submit classified information.

The results of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this RFI/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. Multiple awards may be made. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. No feedback will be provided, and telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

2.0 INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE

The Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Sensors (JPM CBRN Sensors) is responsible for development, production and fielding of CBRN detection and identification systems. The JPM CBRN Sensors, is conducting a market survey to identify potential industry sources capable of manufacturing Handheld System that will provide the joint force with a standoff non- contact handheld instrument, that will be used to perform identification of both visible solid and liquid material (1-2m). The industry source(s) must have expertise in the production of handheld system, capable of supporting first article testing, integrated logistics support, software support and general support of various Government test activities. System will provide the Joint Force the capability to perform real-time presumptive identification of visually detected chemical materials, including solid and liquid Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA), Non- Traditional Agents (NTA), Pharmaceutical Based Agents (PBA), Fourth Generation Agents (FGA), Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC), Toxic Industrial Materials (TIM) and explosive hazards including Homemade Explosives (HME).

Potential NAICS Code: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing PSC Code: 6630 Chemical Analysis Instruments

3.0 DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The program office is seeking systems that:

• Detect CBRN agents over a range of operational conditions

• Identify the threat

• Simple to use

• High level of confidence that the sensor accurately identifies the stated threat agents

• Provide the capability to accommodate insertion of software upgrades to address changing threats and should have minimal logistics burden.

•Decontaminate-able and re-deployable by unprotected personnel after encountering contamination.

The PCAD-NT CDD capability requirements are outlined in Table 1 below. Please refer to Appendix A for list of acronyms.

Table 1 Required Capability to Performance Attribute Traceability

Capability Requirements

Significant Gap(s)/Overlap(s)

CDD Contribution

Operational Attribute/Metric

Initial Objective Value

Detection Requirement CBRN Sensors ICD Identify solid and liquid CWAs Sensitive enough to identify/classify at negligible exposure guidance concentrations

Identify CWAs over a range of operational conditions with a high level of confidence

Directly addressed by Force Protection KPP and will provide a limited capability to identify/classify all different types of CWAs Identify solid and liquid TICs/Explosives

Sensitive enough to identify/classify at negligible exposure guidance

Identify TICs/ Explosives over a range of operational conditions with a high level of confidence

Directly addressed by the Force Protection KPP and will provide a limited capability to identify/classify all different types of TICs/Explosives

Identify solid and liquid NTAs (to include PBAs)

Sensitive enough to Identify/classify at negligible exposure guidance concentrations

Identify NTAs over a range of operational conditions with a high level of confidence

Directly addressed by the Force Protection KPP and will provide a limited capability to identify/classify all different types of NTAs

The final design is envisioned to have capabilities, as listed in Table 2 below:

Table 2 Required Capability: [T=Threshold; O=Objective]

KPP # KPP Threshold Objective

1 Force Protection

Identify threat compounds at threat relevant levels

More sensitive than threat levels

2 Non-contact Detect from distance of 30 -100 cm

Detect from distance of 30 – 200 cm

3 SWaP 651 cubic inches/6.2 lbs. 2-hour battery operation Readily Available

Battery Types Battery display information.

<651 cubic inches/6.2 lbs.

22-hour battery operation at 20% duty cycle and 30°C

4 Cyber Survivability Attribute 1

(CSA 1) –

Controlled access

Ensure that processes, roles, and system accounts operate at privilege levels no higher than necessary to accomplish required missions and operational functions and are controlled to ensure their effectiveness during operations.

T=O

CSA 6 –

Minimize and harden attack surfaces

The identifier or should provide necessary capabilities for required functionality by restricting available ports, protocols and services.

Critical functions, information flows, components, and interface levels where boundary, sub-boundary, and component exposures and dependencies are identifiable should be tamper resistant and prevent reverse engineering.

CSA 7 –

Baseline and monitor systems and report anomalies within 2 minutes

System shall have, monitor and maintain a cybersecurity configuration baseline, based upon a risk managed approach to implementing DOD cybersecurity configuration guidance. Significant anomalies will be identified and reported to users Detect within two minutes (T).

Less than 2 minutes

CSA 9 –

Recover system capabilities

1) The system, and all of its sub-systems, components, and information support, shall be capable of being returned to a fully operational state, after the effects of a cyber-event and newly abilities discovered cyber threats have been mitigated commensurate with the system's Cyber Survivability Risk

Category (Restore between mission cycles to fight another day). (2)

After a cyber-event, PCAD shall be capable of being restored to a known-good configuration from a trusted source between mission cycles or within 24 hours, to fight another day. System recovery shall prioritize critical functions.

CSA 10 –

Manage systems configurations = 30 days

Cybersecurity continuous monitoring functions shall be implemented as appropriate for a non-networked system and reviewed at least annually per ATO criteria.

Throughout the PCAD NT lifecycle the system shall have a configuration management process supported by capabilities and technologies to maintain an operational relevant risk posture.

Should a drop in cyber risk posture below its commensurate CSRC level occur, the configuration management process shall mitigate/resolve within 30 days (T) of the noted drop.

< 30 days

5 Sustainment Am: 78% T=O

Ao: 94% T=O

KSA # KSA Threshold Objective

1 Throughput 30 sec <30 sec

2 Surface Area 2mm x 2mm >2mm x 2mm

3 Mean Challenges before Operational

950 1950

Mission Failures

(MCBOMF’s)

4 Mean Corrective

Maintenance

Time (MCMT)

30 min 15 min

4.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION OF INTEREST

The Government is interested in parties who have the capability and technology to meet the requirements set forth in Section 3 above.

If your organization has the potential capability to provide the required products/services, please provide the following information:

a. Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, Web site address, telephone number, type of ownership for the organization and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Unique Entity ID (Created in SAM.gov)

b. Description of any experience supplying military hardware to include modifying commercial technology for integration into a military application.

c. A brief capability statement with the ability to meet the requirements in Section 3 above.

Description of the candidate technology with supporting information addressing the capability to comply with requirements in Section 3 above.

d. Description of the areas where the candidate technology does NOT comply with requirements in Section 3 above, the potential in meeting the requirements and the amount of engineering required to do so.

e. Relevant Experience and Test Data. Disclose any previous experience developing similar systems like PCAD-NT. Test reports, Reliability, Product Support, Sensitivity, Detection Data (including independent third-party, government, and internal tests). Test facility qualifications (certifications, accreditations).

f. The Government prefers solutions that are Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8 or 9. For other solutions, provide a clear plan and timeline to achieve TRL 8 or 9. (Refer to DoD Technology Readiness Assessment Guidebook, ed. June 2023).

g. Description of any consumables needed their shelf life and storage requirements, to include the entire system.

h. Existing capability to manufacture PCAD-NT systems. If the technology has been funded in the past by the federal government, including Small Business Innovations Research (SBIR) or Small

Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, please indicate year awarded, Federal Agencies participating, phase, and project title.

i. Sales Information. Specifically, is this solution (or one very similar to this specification) routinely sold to commercial customers and/or other government entities. Name of contract vehicle participation as a prime or subcontractor if any. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. (Please note the 50% limitation on subcontracting under small business set aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting).

j. Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) per unit manufactured to include warranty. Provide a description on warranty specifics (term, options) if available. Provide information on price breaks for quantity, if applicable (for example, price of the first 500 units and for each 500 increments for up to 3000 units).

k. The average number of units per month currently produced (if any); the projected minimum and maximum number of units per month production capacity; If there is no current production capability, please provide the timeline to ramp up to production capacity (1000 units a year). The time required to obtain critical component(s).

l. Describe any Intellectual Property and type of Data Rights. Please address a range of data rights

5.0 SUBMISSION, PAGE LIMITATION AND DUE DATES

The Government is requesting that responses to this RFI do not exceed ten (10) total pages. Your response to this RFI, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to Contract Specialist, Minhchau Nguyen (minhchau.t.nguyen4.civ@army.mil) in Portable Document Format (PDF), via email no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 07, 2025 and reference “W911SR-25-RFI-PCAD” RFI in the subject line of the-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will become property of the Government and WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL No phone calls will be accepted.

All questions must be submitted no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on June 24 2025. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. An unattributed list of questions and answers will be posted at the same location of this RFI.

mailto:minhchau.t.nguyen4.civ@army.mil

Appendix A – Acronyms

Acronym Definition

CBRN Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear

CDD Capabilities Development Document

COTS Commercial Off-The-Shelf

CSA Cyber Security Attribute

CSRC Cyber Survivability Risk Category

CWA Chemical Warfare Agents

FGA Fourth Generation Agents

HME Homemade Explosives

ICD Initial Capabilities Document

KPP Key Performance Parameters

KSA Key System Attribute

MCBOMF Mean Challenges before Operational Mission Failures

MCMT Mean Corrective Maintenance

NTA Non- Traditional Agents

PBA Pharmaceutical Based Agents

TIC Toxic Industrial Chemicals

TIM Toxic Industrial Materials

TRL Technology Readiness Level