DHS S&T Seeks Explosives Trace Detectors for Market Survey Analysis

WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released a request for information on handheld, portable, and desktop explosives trace detectors (ETDs) that can analyze wipe samples collected from surfaces of packages, baggage, automobiles, or other objects. The technologies will be included in a market survey conducted by S&T’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL). Interested industry partners have until 5:00 p.m. EDT on October 8, 2020, to submit their products for inclusion.

“Explosives trace detectors are one of the primary tools that front-line local, state, tribal and federal security personnel have at their disposal to detect explosives hidden in packages, vehicles, luggage and other items,” stated NUSTL Chemist John Kada, the technical project lead. “They are used at locations such as airports, container ship terminals and secure mail handling facilities to interdict illicit movements of explosives and to protect against acts of terrorism.”

The market survey will look at instruments that allow users to analyze collected wipe samples without any sample preparation and that produce analysis results in less than one minute.

The market survey report—produced by NUSTL’s System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program—will be posted to the SAVER Document Library on the S&T website, where the findings can be accessed by state, local, and federal response agencies making procurement decisions about this type of technology.

For more information on the RFI, prior to the October 8, 2020, submission deadline, visit the solicitation page.

For more information on the SAVER program, visit the SAVER website at https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/saver.