CBP Seeks Sources for Portable Surveillance Systems
Customs and Border Protection has issued a Request for Information related to the availability of Agent Portable Surveillance Systems (APSS). The APSS systems would be used by Border Patrol agents to help guard against the illegal entry of people and goods between ports of entry. The Border Patrol wants to learn about the capabilities and availability of commercially available tripod-mounted APSS that include, that are not limited to, radar, infrared camera, electro-optic camera, and associated components. An agent operator shall have the ability to easily operate the radar and cameras in tandem or separately from a ruggedized laptop, which shall provide a dual view of radar and camera surveillance data. CBP currently has 15 Cerberus Lite Scout APSS system, including three spare units, which it purchased under an interagency agreement with the Army between 2010 and 2011. Sol. No. APSSRFIFY18. Respond by June 5. Contact: Nicole Hubby, [email protected].
DHS CWMD Office Says Algorithm Development Kit Ready
The Department of Homeland Security Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office says an Algorithm Development Kit (ADK) developed through the Algorithm Improvement Program (AIP) is available through Oak Ridge National Laboratory for use by industry, academia, research organizations, and the government. The purpose of the AIP is to foster potential improvements in isotope identification algorithms and to provide a simple yet powerful method for analyzing algorithm performance, enabling comparison of algorithms and the identification of areas of comparative strength and weakness in an algorithm’s performance. The ADK is a software tool that has these capabilities. The kit is available through the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center at the lab: https://rsicc.ornl.gov/customerservice.aspx. DHS says it may require future procurements to include an F-Score evaluation of their identification algorithm as well as a replay software tool. Sol. No. AI_2018. Contact: Heather Poindexter, contracting officer, [email protected].
DHS Announces $1.6 Billion In Preparedness Grant Opportunities
The Department of Homeland Security released its notice of funding opportunities under its various preparedness grant programs for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, with $1.6 billion available in fiscal year 2018 for strengthening non-federal capabilities in preparing for and responding to terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The FY ’18 grant funding available is about $200 million more than Congress appropriated for the preparedness efforts in FY ’17. As always, guidance for the grants is focused on the highest risk areas. The largest bucket for grant funding is $1.1 billion for the Homeland Security Grant Program, which includes $580 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), $402 million for the State Homeland Security Program, and $85 million for Operation Stonegarden. The UASI grants are focused on 32 high-threat, high-density areas where states and localities are required to commit 25 percent of the funds to law enforcement for terrorism prevention activities. The State Homeland Grants also include a 25 percent requirement for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities and are in support of risk and capabilities-based homeland security strategies at the state level. DHS has allotted $350 million in potential funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grant, which is aimed at helping with all-hazard emergency management capabilities. For the Port Security Grant Program, $100 million is available. These funds are used by ports to protect their critical infrastructure, provide port-wide security, and enhance maritime domain awareness. The Transit Security Grant Program, which is for owners and operators of transit systems to protect their infrastructure and the traveling public, has $88 million available. www.grants.gov.
DHS Plans Small Business Outreach Session for June 21
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will host a vendor outreach session in Washington, D.C. on June 21. The sessions are a series of pre-arranged 15-minute appointments from Small Business Specialists from various components of the DHS procurement offices. Prime contractor small business liaisons from several large businesses that have DHS contracts will also be in attendance. Respond beginning June 14. Contact: http://www.dhs.gov/vendor-outreach-session-schedule-scheduling-instructions.