58 -- Personal Radiation Detectors

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO TO LAST PARAGRAPH OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT. THE CHANGES ARE IN SENTENCES 2, 4, 5, AND 6. THE DUE OF THE CAPABILITY STATEMENTS IS STILL 7/17/03. The purpose of this notice is to request capability statements (due on 7/17/03) from interested vendors. The capability statements should be a maximum of 10 pages and should be submitted via email using Microsoft Word software. Please send your capability statements to contact@example.gov or fax it to +1 (555) 000-0000. Small businesses are encouraged to submit capability statements. Please state clearly whether your business size is small or large. The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) is the guardian of our Nations borders. This makes BCBP Inspectors the first line of defense against organizations attempting to smuggle Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), specifically radioactive materials. Because of the catastrophic consequences that could result if this illicit material ever entered the country, it is of paramount urgency that BCBP acquire and equip its personnel with Personnel Radiation Detectors (PRD) that will be used for alerting, locating and interdicting radioactive materials, especially nuclear-related materials. The PRD is a small pager-like device worn on the belt of Inspectors and shall be manufactured, operated and logistically supported to the following specifications: Manufacturing Requirements: ? Manufactured to meet ANSI standard N42.32-2003 ? Contain a self check mode to verify operation ? Weigh 14 ounces or less and not exceed 64 cubic inches ? Housing constructed so as to allow the unit to function correctly after a 5-foot drop ? Visual enunciators to provide distinction alerts and a level of intensity readout ? Contain an automatic shelf-check with performs and intern diagnostic check ? Contain tactile, visual and audible alarms ? Internal mechanism that allows for periodic alarm threshold adjustment ? Contain an internal power protection circuit to protect the electronic components ? Produce units that detect gamma radiation only ? Produce units that detect both gamma and neutron radiation simultaneously ? Apply unique markings specific to each unit (i.e. serial number) Operating Requirements ? Integration time shall be no more than two (2) seconds ? Withstand temps between -22'F and 122'F and 95% humidity at 95'F ? Unaffected and operate correctly (shall not alarm) when subject to radio frequency electromagnetic fields up to 10 Volts/meter time-averaged field strength at frequencies from 20 MHz to 1 GHz. The PRD shall be unaffected when in static magnetic fields of 1 mTesla ( 10 gauss) ? The PRD electronics shall induce less noise than would result in one false alarm per day (8-hour period) in a background field of 10 microrem/hour with an Alarm Threshold of 30 microrem/hour. (Calibrated with 662 keV gamma photons.) ? Detect gamma ray photons with energies as low as 45 keV ? Detect neutrons with a range of energy between thermal energies (0.04 eV) and 1 MeV (when applicable) ? Sensitivity greater than 1.5 counts per second per microrem/hour calibrated for 662 keV gamma photons due to 137Cs ? Neutron detection sensitivity of 0.5 counts/second per neutron/sec/cm2 Logistics Support requirements ? Develop a support strategy ? Develop operator training ? Develop and document a certified Quality Assurance (QA) Program ? Develop an approved factory acceptance test plan ? Develop a program to track each unit through shipping and maintenance cycles ? Deliver units with minute failure rates that are ready to use upon delivery Because of the urgency and potential consequences, it is paramount that the technology be deployed as quickly as possible. With that said, BCBP will require an expeditious delivery schedule that can provide several hundred units delivered per month, meeting the aforementioned requirements, within the timeframe of several months. In addition, the quality of the PRD must leave them free from defect and allow for instant deployment upon reaching the delivery location. Delivery will commence 90 days following contract award and offerors shall have the capability to provide the specified monthly quantities within this timeframe. Due to the urgency of the deployment, all proposed PRD units must be ready for testing by BCBP by the proposal due date. It is BCBP's intent to consider only COTS items and not those units still in a developmental status. Lastly, because of current events, this deployment is and will be under the close scrutiny of Congress and the public.