BACKGROUND:

The current international environment presents significant challenges for the conduct of U.S. diplomacy abroad with terrorist attacks and civil unrest directed at U.S. diplomatic facilities even in friendly countries. Moreover, DOS increasingly finds itself conducting diplomatic missions not only in combat zones supported by the U.S. military, but also in failed states where terrorism is an ever-present fact of life.

To defend its compounds against intruders and other unauthorized activities, the DOS employs a tiered system of physical, technical, and personnel security measures. The tiers start outside the perimeter walls and end within the secured spaces of the compound, with each tier adding to the overall defense. Some of the security measures are intended to deter, detect, and delay perpetrators of hostile or clandestine acts, and to provide notification and response time for security personnel; others are intended to suppress or disable potential attacks.

In order to maintain a state of readiness in its facilities, and to keep pace with technological advances, the DOS systematically assesses current and emerging threats, its existing solutions and systems, and emerging developments in the marketplace. The DOS seeks to identify potential gaps in its security posture and plans for the introduction of new security solutions and systems to address those gaps. The DOS is currently assessing its LTL systems with the goal of modernizing and improving its LTL diplomatic compound defense capabilities.

As the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Department of State, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. DS is the most widely represented U.S. law enforcement and security organization in the world protecting people, property, and information at 275 DOS missions around the globe. Every U.S. diplomatic mission operates under a security program designed and maintained by DS. To achieve its mission, DS is a leader in detecting and mitigating terrorist threats to American lives and facilities, mounting international investigations, and developing innovations in security training, cyber security, and physical security engineering.

To promote the safe conduct of U.S. diplomacy, the Directorate of Security Technology (DS/ST) deploys agile TSSs to match emerging threats. ST employs courageous professionals and insightful leadership to accomplish this mission at operating locations worldwide. The Office of Facility Security Engineering (DS/ST/FSE) develops, supplies, installs, and maintains TSSs to help ensure a safe and secure environment.

The Technology Development Branch (DS/ST/FSE/TDB) identifies, evaluates, approves, documents, and provides technical support for all TSSs used by the DOS at overseas facilities through a structured, validated process. TDB also provides subject matter expertise to support TSSs that are deployed in the field.

OBJECTIVE:

Prerequisites: At this time, there is no requirement for a facility security clearance or for cleared staff under the National Industrial Security Program. However, if a respondent participates in the National Industrial Security Program and has facility and personnel clearances, that information should be provided in the response. The company must have a robust technical support group to provide user, installation, and repair documentation; technical and software updates/revisions; and training as may be needed by the U.S. Government.

Scope of Services: A future potential contract is expected to encompass companies with subject matter expertise in LTL compound defense systems, and in identifying commercially available systems and components; also, emerging technologies that meet crowd control and deterrence requirements.

LTL Compound Defense Systems: DS currently employs several legacy LTL compound defense systems. TDB requires identification of new and/or emerging LTL technologies that may, or may not, be presently commercially available. These technologies should offer improved performance and new/enhanced capabilities to meet DS’s LTL requirements.

Respondents are encouraged to respond to individual system categories. It is important to note that a respondent does not need to have a solution for every system category mentioned in order to submit a response.

If a requirement cannot be met in full, the respondent shall state as to what extent a particular requirement can be met.

TDB is not interested in fences, walls, barriers, or turnstiles as part of this RFI/SS.

Systems shall not use an explosive charge to deploy irritants.

Systems of interest include, but are not limited to acoustic, radio frequency (RF) energy, static energy, chemical, pressurized water, food-grade irritant, laser, fog, foam, and others not identified herein.

It is important to note that within this document, the term password is associated with the local administrator of the system, and the term passcode is associated with the functional daily user of the system. Requirements for the password and passcode are defined in requirements SIA8 and SIA9.

RFI Deliverables: All respondents are requested to provide detailed information on available systems, to include a detailed response to the TDB LTL requirements matrix. Respondents should state which requirements are met and which are not, technical specifications of the proposed system, physical specifications of the proposed system, images of the proposed system, maturity of the technology, impact to existing infrastructure, details of current installations, and a cost rough order of magnitude for a system covering double door entrance points at four different locations on a 200-meter by 400-meter compound.

Please reference the enclosed word document attachment for the DOS Less-than-Lethal Defensive System Requirements Matrix.

Attachments/Links