The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Health Affairs (OHA) has issued a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for Phase II of the BioWatch Gen-3 effort, which will include the acquisition and deployment of autonomous, networked biological-detection systems to continuously monitor the air for bio-threat agents in major urban areas of the country. An Industry Day is slated for Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C., and the final solicitation is expected to be released on Oct. 22. OHA this year began field testing of Gen-3 prototype units built by Northrop Grumman [NOC]. The Phase II effort allows OHA to essentially open the program to additional competition. The acquisition is expected to include low-rate and full-rate production, the related command, control and communications network, support for operational test and evaluation, deployment, installation, training and support. The five-year Phase II contract will consist of a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity ordering period. The system will be for indoor and outdoor use with indoor coverage of 160 high-risk facilities and outdoor coverage in 50 jurisdictions covering about 90 percent of the U.S. population. Solutions sought for Phase II must be at a Technology Readiness Level of 7 or higher and any contractor must demonstrate their readiness to conduct OT&E within a BioWatch jurisdiction within four months of receiving a task order. Ultimately, the total system solution calls for the production, maintenance and sustainment of 2,600 autonomous bio- detectors all-day, every day. Sol. No. HSHQDC-12-R-00001. Respond by Sept. 19. Contact: [email protected].
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