Homeland Security to brief industry next month on standoff explosives-detection project

June 23, 2014
WASHINGTON, 23 June 2014. U.S. homeland security experts will brief industry late next month on an upcoming project to give early warning of explosives in vehicles approaching security checkpoints.
WASHINGTON, 23 June 2014. U.S. homeland security experts will brief industry late next month on an upcoming project to give early warning of explosives in vehicles approaching security checkpoints.

Officials of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Washington will brief industry on the upcoming Vehicle Eye-Safe Trace (VEST) project from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on 31 July 2014 at the Wilbur J. Cohen Building (AKA Voice of America Building) at 330 Independence Ave. SW in Washington DC.

Technologies developed in the VEST program are to be deployed in front of federal building vehicle security checkpoints to provide early warning for threats entering the area. VEST will address trace element explosives detection on vehicles that may be carrying explosives, DHS officials say.

An official broad agency announcement that describes VEST program opportunities for industry will be released prior to the industry day briefings, DHS officials say.

Related: DARPA awards three contracts to detect IEDs hidden in mud, meat, and dead animals

This conference is to provide information on the planned VEST solicitation, draft BAA 14-B0003, which solicit sources for technical solutions for the VEST project. All technologies considered for VEST must be eye-safe.

Phase 0 of the VEST project involves proof-of-concept is demonstrations, while phases I through IV will involve the design, development, building, testing, and piloting of the detection system.

For attendees to the industry briefings, DHS officials are looking for organizations with the expertise to design and build such a stand-off explosives detection system. The idea is to detect and interdict explosives at safe distances.

Related: ERCo Laser Induced Acoustics to help DTRA detect IED threats from standoff ranges

Register to attend the VEST program industry briefings no later than 24 July 2014 online at www.signup4.net/public/ap.aspx?EID=ADVA162E&OID=130. Foreign nationals must sign up by 30 June 2014. The briefings are unclassified.

For questions or concerns contact the DHS's Duane Schatz by phone at 202-254-2417, or by email at [email protected]. Also contact tony Whitehead by phone at 202-254-6365, or by email at [email protected].

More information is online at www.signup4.net/public/ap.aspx?EID=ADVA162E&TID=A1WzcLO5cwk0HdTxnyCsBQ%3d%3d.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Military Aerospace, create an account today!