The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office on awarded $113m in contracts to five companies for human portable radiation detection systems for use at the nation's ports.
Human Portable Radiation Detection Systems (HPRDS) program contracts will be awarded to Ametec AMT of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Science Application International Corporation of San Diego Calif., Sanmina-SCI of Huntsville, Ala., Target Instruments, Inc. of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and
Smiths Detection Inc. of Pine Brook, N.J.
DNDO anticipates purchasing and deploying roughly 1,000 next generation handheld systems and 200 backpack systems through the HPRDS program. The portable technology will be used primarily by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers for secondary screening of cargo to identify and localize radiological material after a primary alarm has been triggered. It is also anticipated that the devices could be used by U.S. Coast Guard officers aboard vessels prior to an arrival at port. There are more than 14,000 handheld devices in use at our nation's ports.