DHS awards contract for new X-ray machines in federal buildings

Agencies plan to install more advanced X-ray machines to scan personal belongings and deliveries at federal buildings and loading docks starting in the next couple of months and better identify weapons or explosives.

Federal Protective Services, the division of the Homeland Security Department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency that provides security for the nearly 9,000 government buildings managed by the General Services Administration, awarded security solutions provider Smiths Detection a $25 million, five-year blanket purchase agreement to lease the systems. The initial phase of the BPA will begin in fiscal 2010 and will replace or install 377 machines nationwide.

In the past, FPS utilized several contracts and vendors to supply X-ray screening equipment for federal facilities, a process that was a challenge to manage, said FPS spokesman Brandon Alvarez-Montgomery.

With the new contract, FPS will set a standard for the X-ray equipment. "This will allow FPS to more effectively manage screening operations for federal facilities by utilizing one central point of service to acquire, train, maintain and replace X-ray equipment on established schedules," he said.

By leasing equipment, the systems can be regularly upgraded, and standardization allows FPS to identify and fix problems more quickly.

The agency will prioritize replacement of X-ray systems according to need, eventually replacing the entire inventory with new equipment, Alvarez-Montgomery said. Smiths Detection will remove old systems, install and test new ones, and train employees if needed.

The systems will screen employees' and visitors' personal belongings as they enter federal buildings, as well as packages delivered to loading docks. Most government employees and visitors will not experience changes at security checkpoints.

"The government has focused on making the experience as pleasing to the general public as possible," said Jim Viscardi, director of critical infrastructure solutions at Smiths Detection. "What they don't want is to implement equipment that makes the lines longer or effective screening harder. They want a better, easier system that is more intuitive, offers more tools for security officers to make the right decisions, and provides for a more pleasing experience."

The new systems provide more sophisticated X-ray sensor technology and software features that display a sharper image and allow security officers to highlight certain types of materials such as chemical substances.

Smiths Detection will provide X-ray equipment for checkpoints and loading docks, but could eventually provide a more integrated system that would incorporate a central command-and-control station to monitor and regulate the systems remotely. Cameras also could be used to provide surveillance of what's happening at checkpoints.

"One thing is clear, the technology that FPS needs must be state of the art, standardized and provide flexibility [and ] the ability to grow as needs grow," Viscardi said.