The U.S. military’s Joint Product Director for Biological Detection Systems (JPD-BDS) is conducting a market survey to identify sources capable of manufacturing fully automated biological warfare agent identifiers using Raman Spectroscopy.
JPD-BDS is leading the effort as part of the Joint Project Manager for Nuclear Biological and Chemical Contamination Avoidance (JPM NBC CA), Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) within the Department of Defense.
Background
In October 2009, the Joint Biological Point Detection System (JBPDS) achieved a Full Rate Production (FRP) decision which supported continued fielding of the JBPDS to the U.S. Navy.
The Navy requested a product improvement effort be undertaken to upgrade the JBPDS to decrease false positive detections, update the computing architecture to comply with cyber security requirements, combat obsolescence and decrease the overall operations and sustainment (O&S) costs.
In August 2013, a memorandum was signed directing the JBPDS Program Office to support the Joint United States Forces Korea Portal and Integrated Threat Recognition (JUPITR) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) to identify a replacement or upgrade for the Navy.
Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection (EMBD)
In January 2017, the JPEO-CBD signed an Advanced Decision Memorandum (ADM) creating the Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection (EMBD) program. EMBD will be an automated sensor to rapidly detect, collect, identify and sample airborne Biological Warfare Agents (BWA) assessed to pose a threat to the USN.
EMBD will consist of four Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) that perform the following core biological defense functions:
- Detection – Rapid Agent Aerosol Detector (RAAD)
- Collection – Cyclone Collector
- Identification – Identifier
- Local user interface – Computing and Control Subsystem (CCS)
A Power Pack provides conditioned power to EMBD and each LRU is housed in the Biosuite Enclosure (BSE). EMBD will be a product improvement to the legacy JBPDS already installed on Navy ships. The upgrade kit to convert a JBPDS to an EMBD system will include the RAAD, CCS, and potentially a new fully automated raman spectroscopy Identifier.
Further details are available via Solicitation Number: W911SR-17-EMBD-Identifier-541711. Organizations are requested to submit capability statements no later than May 19, 2017 4:00 pm Eastern.
