Since its inception in 2003, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has received independent applied research and development, test and evaluation program and laboratory services from the Johns Hopkins University/Applied Research Laboratory (JHU/APL).
DHS’ Office of Procurement Operations (OPO) has now released a Request for Information (RFI) to determine if there are any current providers of independent applied research and development, test and evaluation program and laboratory services that can also meet DHS support requirements.
The effort may require synergistic responses to conventional and irregular threats as well as innovative, emerging and forward thinking solutions to unconventional problems across multiple disciplines within the department, e.g., Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE) detection and defeat, incident management (including cyber and physical) planning and communications; infrastructure protection; epidemiological surveillance and investigation; agro terrorism defense and threat detection, cyber security; transportation, pipeline and aviation security; command, control, and interoperability; border, maritime and container security.
DHS component organizations supported under this requirement include but are not limited to:
- Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)
- Office of Selective Acquisition (OSA)
- Science & Technology (S&T)
- Transportation Security Agency (TSA)
- United States Secret Service (USSS)
- United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
The contractor will be required to provide a full range of independent applied research and development and test and evaluation program and laboratory services to assist DHS in accomplishing its mission. This requires core competency area mastery, the use of scientific methods, and systematic approaches to problem solving that take advantage of deep domain expertise and innovation to provide rapid responses to the very threats, actual or perceived, natural or man-made, that disrupt or destroy key resources and critical infrastructure.
Further details are available via Solicitation Number: OI1RFI-17-I-00001. The response deadline is May 23, 2017 3:00 pm Eastern.