DHS S&T Issues Broad Agency Announcement for Biothreat Analysis

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate has issued an Open Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for methods and technologies to enhance the collection and analysis of biothreat agents in the environment. The representative technical topic areas of interest include chemical and biological surveillance and detection, and diagnostics and agent characterization. Sol. No. HSHQDC14RB0009OBAA14003CALL20. Respond by May 3. Contact: Mike Jones, contracting officer, [email protected], 202-254-5676.

DHS Seeks to Create Bacterial Select Agent Repository and Test-bed for Assays

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology branch, Chemical and Biological Defense Division, has issued a call under an Open Broad Agency Announcement for the creation of bacterial select agent repository and test-bed of DHS assays. The solicitation says the division is working toward developing detection assays for the identification of bacterial select agents. It says that in the past five years DHS has maintained a disseminated—at 12 geographic locations—repository which held hundreds of different bacterial and viral strains for use in assay development and validation of complete prototype assays. DHS says the model was flawed due to costs, paperwork and constant delays in obtaining, transferring, and analyzing bacterial strains and materials. Due to time constraints and mission requirements, DHS desires an economic, stable, single location operation to handle multiple requirements to house, archive, and utilize the agents and near-neighbors. Sol. No. HSHQDC14RB0009) BAA14003CALL21. Respond by May 8. Contact: Mike Jones, contracting officer, [email protected], 202-254-5676.

GSA Plans St. Elizabeths Technology Services Acquisition

The General Services Administration has announced the St. Elizabeths Technology Services acquisition supporting the Department of Homeland Security in providing the continuation of services for requirements analysis and design, implementation, testing, operations and maintenance, logistics and transitional services for the information technology systems and services on the St. Elizabeths campus. While the SETS acquisition is being issued under the Alliant Government-wide Acquisition Contract, GSA would like to encourage small businesses that possess relevant capabilities to attend this event and seek subcontracting opportunities. Sol. No. GSC-QF0B-17-33079. Contact: Aaron Sannutti, [email protected], 202-705-1719.

Fleet Cyber Command Seeks Support

The Navy’s Fleet Cyber Command has issued a solicitation for non-personal contractor services related to the Defense Department Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process (DIACAP) and Risk Management Framework (RMF) Assessment and Authorization functions. DoD has mandated a wholesale process change from DIACAP to using the National Institute of Standards and Technology RMF. The command seeks a technical competent contractor to support the DIACAP C&A and RMF A&A requirements of Navy Echelon I and II commands, program management offices and other Navy stakeholders. Sol. No. N0018917R0021. Contact: Thomas Armstrong, [email protected], 757-443-3115.

Army Solicits Small Business for Communications Platform for NGCD

The Army’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center has issued a solicitation in support of the Next Generation Chemical Detector (NGCD) program for a rugged, reliable communications platform. The center is researching options from both government and industry that will result in a solution to enable chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detectors to be networked wirelessly and to connect wireless alarms. The objective requirements is to network the CBRN detectors to the appropriate U.S. military command and control systems. Sol. No. W911SR-17-R-NGCD. Respond by April 21. Contact: Frank Cermak, [email protected], 410-436-3104.

Army Issues RFI for Handheld Radioisotope Identification Detectors

The Army Joint Program Executive Office Chemical Biological Defense has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for handheld radioisotope identification detectors (RIID) used in the Dismounted Reconnaissance Set, Kit and Outfit Increment 1. The DR SKO 1 includes and inexpensive commercial-off-the-shelf handheld RIID that allows tasked personnel to presumptively identify radiological and nuclear hazards. The JPEO CBD and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency will test handheld RIIDs from June to November 2017 at no cost to the responding offerors to challenge their ability to meet or exceed requirements. The RFI seeks mature COTS RIIDS. Sol. No. W911SR-17-RIID. Respond by May 17. Contact: Adam Sheir, [email protected], 410-436-3550.

Army Surveys Market for Standoff Eyesafe Ultra-Violet Raman Detection Systems

The Army Aberdeen Proving Ground-Belvoir is conducting market research in anticipation of a Request for Proposals for the test and evaluation, field service support, and additional prototype units for standoff eyesafe ultra-violet Raman detection systems (SUERD). The system is integral to identifying personnel or vehicle borne improvised explosive devices. The proposed contract action is to design, develop and support system modifications and operational testing of SUERD, as well as provide field service representatives, reach-back support, and technical troubleshooting support for systems current being evaluated in CONUS and OCONUS. The Army says that Alakai Defense Systems is the only vendor known to it to be capable of performing the pending contract. Sol. No. W909M-17-R-J014. Respond by April 25. Contact: Michael McFadden, [email protected], 703-704-0880.

TSA Issues RFI for X-Ray Images for Computer Based Training

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) on capabilities or knowledge to help create improvements in performance evaluation within computer based training. The agency says the current process of coding and classifying the difficulty of X-Ray images for computer based training is limited to primarily subjective appraisal. TSA is in need of a more robust and standardized approach to classify difficulty level to help improve evaluation of a more robust and standardized approach to classify difficulty level to help improve evaluation and better understands Transportation Security Officer X-Ray screening performance. Sol. No. HSTS04-17-I-CT7219. Respond by April 27. Contact: Siobhan Lawson, contract specialist, [email protected].

DHS Plans Reverse Industry Day

The Department of Homeland Security plans to host its fourth Reverse Industry Day sometime in June. The potential dates are June 6, 7, 8 or 28. The event is designed to facilitate information sharing between DHS and the private sector in an open forum. The department is seeing a secure facility within the Washington, D.C. area to hold the event. Sol. No. HSHQDC-17-R-00043. Respond by April 24. Contact: Terrence Jones, contract specialist, [email protected], 202-447-5730.

DHS S&T Issues RFI for Tech Transfer and Commercialization

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (S&T) branch has issued a Request for Information to gather information from interested U.S. state or local government offices, universities, businesses and nonprofit organizations describing their qualifications and ability to support S&T’s Office of Public Private Partnerships Technology Transfer and Commercialization in accelerating the technology transfer and commercialization of DHS-funded technologies within the Homeland Security Enterprise applications. Respond by May 2. Contact: Jenista Featherstone, contracting officer, [email protected], 202-254-6852.