Securing America's Ports Act

Large-scale non-intrusive inspection system

The term large-scale, non-intrusive inspection system means a technology, including x-ray, gamma-ray, and passive imaging systems, capable of producing an image of the contents of a commercial or passenger vehicle or freight rail car in 1 pass of such vehicle or car.

Scanning

The term scanning means utilizing nonintrusive imaging equipment, radiation detection equipment, or both, to capture data, including images of a commercial or passenger vehicle or freight rail car.

An inventory of large-scale non-intrusive inspection systems or similar technology in use at each land port of entry.

For each system or technology identified in the inventory under paragraph (1)—

Information regarding the continued use of other technology and tactics used for scanning, such as canines and human intelligence in conjunction with large scale, nonintrusive inspection systems.

Benchmarks for achieving incremental progress towards 100 percent high-throughput scanning within the next 6 years of commercial and passenger vehicles and freight rail traffic entering the United States at land ports of entry and rail-border crossings along the border with corresponding projected incremental improvements in scanning rates by fiscal year and rationales for the specified timeframes for each land port of entry.

Estimated costs, together with an acquisition plan, for achieving the 100 percent high-throughput scanning rate within the timeframes specified in paragraph (1), including acquisition, operations, and maintenance costs for large-scale, nonintrusive inspection systems or similar technology, and associated costs for any necessary infrastructure enhancements or configuration changes at each port of entry. Such acquisition plan shall promote, to the extent practicable, opportunities for entities that qualify as small business concerns (as defined under section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)).

Any projected impacts, as identified by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, on the total number of commercial and passenger vehicles and freight rail traffic entering at land ports of entry and rail-border crossings where such systems are in use, and average wait times at peak and non-peak travel times, by lane type if applicable, as scanning rates are increased.

Any projected impacts, as identified by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, on land ports of entry and rail-border crossings border security operations as a result of implementation actions, including any changes to the number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers or their duties and assignments.

an inventory of large-scale, nonintrusive inspection systems or similar technology operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at each land port of entry;

for each system or technology identified in the inventory required under paragraph (1)—

the total number of commercial and passenger vehicles and freight rail traffic entering at each land port of entry at which each system or technology is in use, and information on average wait times at peak and non-peak travel times, by lane type if applicable;

a description of the progress towards reaching the benchmarks referred to in subsection (d)(1), and an explanation if any of such benchmarks are not achieved as planned;

a comparison of actual costs (including information on any awards of associated contracts) to estimated costs set forth in subsection (d)(2);

any realized impacts, as identified by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, on land ports of entry and rail-border crossings operations as a result of implementation actions, including any changes to the number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers or their duties and assignments;

any proposed changes to the plan and an explanation for such changes, including changes made in response to any Department of Homeland Security research and development findings or changes in terrorist or transnational criminal organizations tactics, techniques, or procedures; and

any challenges to implementing the plan or meeting the benchmarks, and plans to mitigate any such challenges.