Appendix B
Detailed Statement of Task
The study required by this statement of work will be performed following contract award. The study will address four basic areas and they will be worked at simultaneously. The study will consider the viability of adding tracer elements to explosives for the purpose of detection, the viability of adding tracer elements to explosives for the purpose of identification, the feasibility and practicability of rendering inert common chemicals used to manufacture explosives materials, and the feasibility and practicability of imposing controls on certain precursor chemicals used to manufacture explosive materials.
The study will focus on issues in science and technology, with the goal of framing the issues for furnishing a report that provides a clear description of the technical options that exist. The report will provide advice that will facilitate decisions by officials of the Bureau of ATF on which to base recommendations to Congress. It will also clearly set forth any opinions and findings obtained as a result of consultation with other Federal, State and local officials and regulated industry members of fertilizer research centers. Once the study is initiated, discussions will be held with Bureau officials at three (3) month intervals to report progress.
Task 1. Viability of Adding Tracer Elements to Explosives for Detection. The purpose of this task is to explore and define methods, materials and technologies that are available today, as well as in research and development, that might be used to enhance the detectability of concealed explosives.
Subtask 1.1. |
Materials recommended as candidates for inclusion as detection elements shall not pose a risk to human life or safety. |
Subtask 1.2. |
Materials recommended for inclusion as detection elements shall not substantially impair the quality and reliability of explosives for their intended lawful use. At least three organizations that are capable of conducting testing to validate the study fundings shall be identified. |
Subtask 1.3. |
The study will evaluate the utility to law enforcement, to include susceptibility to countermeasures, problems of cross-contamination, and ease of detection, analysis and survivability, of all materials which will provide substantial assistance that are recommended as candidates for inclusions in explosives as detection elements. |
Subtask 1.4. |
Materials recommended for inclusion as detection elements shall not have a substantial adverse effect on the environment. |
Subtask 1.5. |
The study shall include an assessment of costs associated with the addition of tracer elements which will not outweigh the expected benefits of all materials that are recommended as candidates for inclusion in explosives. |
Task 2. Viability of Adding Tracer Elements to Explosives for Identification. The purpose of this task is to explore and define methods, materials and technologies that are available today, as well as in research and development, that might be utilized to enhance the traceability of illegal explosives after detonation.
Subtask 2.1. |
Materials recommended as candidates for inclusion as identification elements shall not pose a risk to human life or safety. |
Subtask 2.2. |
Materials recommended for inclusion as identification elements shall not substantially impair the quality and reliability of explosives for their intended lawful use. At least three organizations that are capable of conducting testing to validate the study findings shall be identified. |
Subtask 2.3. |
The study will evaluate the utility to law enforcement, to include susceptibility to countermeasures, problems of cross-contamination, and ease of identification, analysis and survivability, of all materials which will provide substantial |
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assistance that are recommended as candidates for inclusion in explosives as identification elements. |
Subtask 2.4. |
Materials recommended for inclusion as identification elements will not have a substantial adverse effect on the environment. |
Subtask 2.5. |
The study shall include an assessment of costs associated with the addition of tracer elements. |
Task 3. Feasibility and Practicability of Rendering Common Explosive Chemicals Inert. The purpose of this task is to explore and define methods, materials and technologies that have been used in the United States and internationally to render common explosives chemicals inert or less explosive, explore and define methods, materials and technologies available today to render common explosives chemicals inert or less explosive, as well as explore and define materials and technologies that are in a research and development phase that might be utilized to render common explosives chemicals inert or less explosive.
Subtask 3.1 |
The study shall identify, prioritize and establish a list of chemicals to be known as common explosive chemicals, in order of the most widely used in illegal explosives to the least widely used. |
Subtask 3.2. |
Materials, methods and technologies recommended as candidates for rendering common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive shall not pose a risk to human life or safety. |
Subtask 3.3. |
Materials, methods and technologies recommended as candidates for rendering common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive shall not substantially impair the quality and reliability of explosives for their intended lawful use. At least three organizations that are capable of conducting testing to validate the study findings shall be identified. |
Subtask 3.4. |
Materials, methods and technologies recommended as candidates for rendering common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive shall be evaluated to determine their utility to law enforcement, susceptibility to countermeasures, potential problems of cross-contamination, and ease of identification, analysis and survivability. |
Subtask 3.5. |
Materials, methods and technologies recommended as candidates for rendering common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive shall not have a substantial adverse effect on the environment. |
Subtask 3.6. |
The study shall include an assessment of costs, to include agronomic, economic, and social, and compare those costs to the expected benefits of all materials, methods and technologies that are recommended as candidates for rendering common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive. |
Subtask 3.7. |
The study shall include an assessment of the effect on similar products of the industry if materials, methods or technologies used to render common explosive chemicals inert or less explosive are utilized with respect to some common explosive chemicals but not others. |
Task 4. Feasibility and Practicability of Imposing Controls on Certain Precursor Chemicals. The purpose of this task is to explore the feasibility and practicability of imposing controls on certain precursor chemicals used to manufacture explosive materials.
Subtask 4.1. |
The study shall identify, prioritize and establish a list of chemicals to be know as precursor chemicals, in order of the most widely used in illegal explosives to the least widely used. |
Subtask 4.2. |
The study shall identify and rank, in order of ease of implementation, the options available for imposing increased controls on precursor chemicals. |
Subtask 4.3. |
The study shall evaluate the potential reduction of explosives incidents from imposing increased controls on precursor chemicals. |
Subtask 4.4. |
The study shall evaluate the utility to law enforcement that would accrue by imposing increased controls on precursor chemicals. |
Subtask 4.5. |
The study shall analyze benefits and compare the benefits expected from implementing enhanced controls to the costs, both increased manufacturing costs as well as increased costs at the retail level, associated with imposing increased controls on precursor chemicals. |
Subtask 4.6. |
The study shall assess the effect on similar products of the industry if increased controls were placed on some products but not others. |
Subtask 4.7. |
The study shall consider volunteer programs such as Be Aware for America endorsed by the ammonium nitrate industry and the potential that other similar voluntary approaches could be developed. |