Industry asked for technologies to detect and counter chemical and biological weapons

ARLINGTON, Va., 12 Nov. 2013. U.S. government researchers are asking industry to nominate technologies to demonstrate their potential to detect, predict, and counter threats of chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Officials of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Director of Defense Research and Engineering, in Arlington, Va., has issued a notice (RRTO-ECD-20131126-RFI-Thunderstorm-Spiral-14) for the Thunderstorm Technology Demonstration program - Package #1.

This program, which will involve technology demonstrations late next spring, is to solicit technology demonstration candidates from private industry, government research organizations, and academia for future capability demonstration events involving chemical and biological detection. The intent is to deliver innovative capabilities to the warfighter quickly.

Deterrence technologies should help military leaders understanding local environments and populations; prediction technologies should help anticipate threat actions using big data and fusing other non-traditional sources; and interdiction technologies help use command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, and intelligence (C5I) to cue appropriate responses.

Military researchers are interested most in prediction techniques, automated screening algorithms, persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), standoff detection, remote sensing, cyber, cargo screening, biometrics, and tagging, tracking, and locating (TTL).

Technologies selected could be demonstrated at Thunderstorm Spiral 14-3, countering WMD in maritime pathways, planned for 27 May to 6 June 2014 in the approaches of the Southeastern United States.

Thunderstorm provides an opportunity for technology developers to interact with operational personnel to determine how their technology development efforts and ideas may support or enhance counter chemical and biological WMD capability needs.

Respondents are invited to submit technology demonstration applications related to prediction techniques, automated screening, persistent ISR, standoff chemical & biological WMD detection and identification, remote sensing, cargo screening, biometrics, and standoff tagging, tracking, and locating (TTL).

Companies interested should nominate technologies no later than 26 Nov. 2013. No contracts will be awarded based on this announcement. To nominate relevant technologies, contact the Thunderstorm program by email to [email protected]. An application will be returned. Phone questions or concerns to 814-865-6058 or 814-865-1811.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/OSD/DDRE/RRTO-ECD-20131126-RFI-Thunderstorm-(Spiral-14)/listing.html.