National Protective Security Authority challenge: High Throughput Bag Screening
The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) has partnered with the UK Home Office and the Department for Transport to launch a themed competition.
Many venues and events are taking a proactive approach to strengthening their protection against a terrorist attack by considering the benefits of implementing technological solutions. NPSA are seeking proposals to develop solutions that have the potential to screen bags more efficiently than current aviation bag screening technology. The solutions should be designed to require a zero or low training burden and be a cheaper alternative to the aviation solutions. The aim is to enable the detection of large threat objects carried in people’s bags (e.g. large firearms, bulk ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)) whilst allowing benign bags to be quickly cleared.
The project will close with a concept demonstration to stakeholders, ideally of an initial prototype.
Combined people-and-baggage screening solutions are out of scope. The baggage scanners should be developed to consider threats and scenarios outlined in the NPSA DTD methodology, not aviation security standards.
The total budget for the competition is £200,000. However, individual proposals must not exceed £50,000. The duration of the work is expected to be 4 – 6 months, with costs in the order of £50,000 anticipated. It is envisaged that 3 – 4 individual proposals may be funded.
