Jane Alexander, deputy director of the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency, told executives at a "bidders' conference" in the Washington, DC, area recently she’s seeking private sector proposals for technologies that detect radiological and nuclear threats, the National Journal reported.

The technologies would detect threats related to cargo, parcels, warehouses, ships and trucks. Contracts are to be awarded in May and June and the solicitation for the bid closes in February 2005.

In general, the agency is looking for enhanced handheld identification systems, technology to identify and directly locate threats in ships and other locations, and area search devices with enhanced resolution and penetration for cargo and parcels. A multienergy imaging system also is being sought.

Area search devices should include a backpack system weighing less than 25 pounds, and a wireless communications system that is compatible with the Coast Guard's operations and is hardened against shock and salt water.

Active systems would need to detect a "limited quantity of compounds" with atomic numbers greater than iron, and have a scan time of 20 seconds for a cargo container that is 8-by-10-by-40 feet and 6 seconds for "luggage-size parcels," the agency said.