The IAEA has a need to establish a comprehensive list of relevant indicators related to the nuclear fuel cycle. In addition to the visible indicators that are detectable using high resolution Optical imagery, signatures should be explored in order to enhance the IAEA capabilities to investigate potential undeclared nuclear activities. The IAEA is looking for support in establishing catalogues of relevant indicators by using thermal, multi-spectral, hyperspectral and radar imagery, for key processes involved in the nuclear fuel cycle.
The Canadian Safeguards Support Program (CSSP) proposed to support the IAEA to investigate the signatures of processes involved in the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including mining, milling and other downstream processing operations. Initial emphasis would be on the mining and milling operation.
Provide overall coordination of the project including imagery acquisition, development of methodology, documentation of the work, and participation in expert groups, meeting and international conferences as required. The emphasis of the work will be on the methodology for multi spectral and hyperspectral imagery. Radar imagery may be used as a complementary tool, but in-depth analysis is not required.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission intends to award a sole-source contract to ASL Environmental Sciences Inc. (all operations and staff of G.A. Borstad Associates Ltd were merged with ASL as of March 31, 2009) to establish a comprehensive list of relevant indicators related to the nuclear fuel cycle. These signatures should be explored, using several case studies, in order to enhance the IAEA capabilities to investigate potential undeclared nuclear activities. The case studies will be based on relevant thermal, multispectral and hyperspectral satellite/airborne images and ground truth data.
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
ASL Environmental Sciences Inc. (with the availability of all staff of G.A. Borstad Associates Ltd. to participate in this contract as required) has critically important scientific and technical knowledge of the analysis of multi-spectral and hyperspectral satellite data - particularly of uranium mines and of the first part of the nuclear fuel cycle - as demonstrated by technical reports, training materials and publications directly relating to hyperspectral analysis of uranium mines. They also have important previous experience working with the staff of IAEA, CNSC and other organisations, and in providing remote sensing instruction for trainees from a wide variety of cultures and technical backgrounds. In addition, the company has many years experience in hyperspectral airborne data acquisition using their own hyperspectral sensor, and has performed safeguards-related analysis using data from multi-sensors.
Dr. Borstad and his colleagues have in-depth knowledge in commercial tool for processing and analysis of multi-spectral and hyperspectral satellite imagery. The have developed pre-processing wizard to reduce manual file preparation which would be applied in the case studies, the results of which would be useful in the up-coming hyperspectral workshop for IAEA satellite analysts.
Dr. Gary Borstad and his colleagues are highly regarded by the IAEA and the experts in this field due to their previous analysis work and training of IAEA staff in this area. The IAEA has requested that the analysis be continued and completed as soon as possible.
Name and Address of Proposed Contractor
ASL Environmental Sciences Inc.
1986 Mills Road
Sidney, British Columbia
Canada V8L 5Y3, Canada
Period of Proposed Contract
July 3, 2009 – March 31, 2010
Estimate Cost of Proposed Contract
$50,000.00 Canadian
