Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Opportunity With the Department of Homeland Security for the Testing of Reusable Electronic Conveyance Security Device (RECONS) Solutions, 71632-71633 [2013-28531]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Notices
• HSIN Optimization and Development
Vision
Æ Improving System Performance and
Service Operations—A summary of
the steps the program has and will
be taking to ensure the current
platform meets user service
requirements and agreements.
Æ Interoperability and Federation—A
discussion of the program’s plans to
link HSIN to a series of partner
networks that will provide all users
with greater access to new
collaborative partners and their
content.
Æ Large List—A summary of how the
program is implementing new ways
to ensure the validation of users is
fast and efficient.
Æ New Development Environments—
A discussion on how HSIN is
creating a set of new virtual
environments for its new
development team to use that are
stable and accurately replicate the
actual network, to ensure, final,
new developments work as planned
and meet requirements.
Æ DHS Suspicious Activity Reporting
(SAR)—An introduction to how
HSIN is developing a new
capability for the quick and
efficient delivery and sharing of
suspicious activity reports by users
of all kinds including those from
the private sector.
• Portal Consolidation Update—A
review of HSIN’s efforts to save
resources across the Federal
government by consolidating a
series of systems into the single,
HSIN platform.
• Public comment period
• Deliberation/Voting/Obtain guidance
from HSINAC on:
Æ Stakeholder Management
Strategy—A review of HSIN’s new
strategy for ensuring managed
growth, user self-sufficiency, and
prioritized engagements with
critical partners in the coming year.
Æ Messaging/Communications
Strategy—An update on HSIN’s
work to define its place in the
information sharing market, what
defines it, its value proposition, and
the best way to communicate these
terms.
Æ HSIN Mobile Use/Application
Policy—An opportunity for
HSINAC members to comment on
the development of a new policy
that will define the rights, duties
and privileges to use HSIN on
mobile devices ensuring security
and accessibility.
• Closing remarks
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:56 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
• Adjournment of the meeting
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
245 Murray Lane SW., Washington, DC
20528–0075). Submit electronic
comments and other data with the
subject line ‘‘RECONS Notice of Intent’’
to jonathan.mcentee@dhs.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Information on DHS CRADAs:
Marlene Owens, (202) 254–6671.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[Docket No. DHS–2013–0078]
Background
James Lanoue,
HSIN Acting Program Manager.
[FR Doc. 2013–28703 Filed 11–27–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9910–9B–P
Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA)
Opportunity With the Department of
Homeland Security for the Testing of
Reusable Electronic Conveyance
Security Device (RECONS) Solutions
Borders and Maritime Security
Division (BMD), Homeland Advanced
Research Projects Agency, Science and
Technology Directorate, Department of
Homeland Security.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
BMD is initiating a project to
demonstrate that commercially available
conveyance security solutions can be
utilized with a common data
management system in the following
Government operations (described in
detail later):
• Centralized Examination Station
(CES)
• In-bond
• National Capital Region Secure
Delivery
• Cross-border Commerce
BMD is looking to enter into a
Cooperative Research and Development
Agreement (CRADA) with interested
partner(s) to test the interoperability and
conveyance security capabilities of their
solutions in a lab environment and then
assess their ability to support CES, Inbond, National Capital Region Secure
Delivery, and Cross-border Commerce
operations in a technology
demonstration.
The results of the project are intended
to serve as a data point for the standard
under development for reusable
electronic conveyance security devices
(RECONS). The RECONS Standard will
support certification of partner solutions
to be used by industry for their crossborder commerce shipments (described
in detail later) in addition to the
Government in their aforementioned
operations.
The proposed term of the CRADA can
be up to twenty-four (24) months.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
December 30, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Mail comments and
requests to participate to Jonathan
McEntee, (ATTN: Jonathan McEntee,
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Ensuring cargo security as it flows
through supply chains is a challenge
faced by industry and governments,
both domestically and internationally.
There is a need to identify illegal
activity introduced into the supply
chain while facilitating the flow of legal
commerce.
A solution that provides greater
security and facilitation of legal
commerce is tracking the cargo
conveyance as it moves through the
supply chain and reporting any security
breaches. The additional data is critical
in assessing the risk level of cargo
shipments and determining which
shipments require more scrutiny rather
than expedited processing.
Operational Context
Each operation requiring conveyance
security is slightly different and it is
important to understand the
environment in which they will be
employed to ensure understanding of
the unique characteristics.
Centralized Examination Stations
(CES) Operations: Ports of entry (POEs)
often are constrained in the physical
space and resources available to
conduct physical inspections at the
facility. In order to prevent arriving
conveyances awaiting inspection from
negatively impacting the flow of
shipments through the POEs, shipments
selected for physical inspection are
often directed to a facility (i.e. CES)
located away from the POE. The
shipments are secured with high
security International Organization
Standard (ISO) bolts while they are en
route between the two facilities and
legally remain within custody of CBP
until they are cleared at the CES.
Using RECONS in CES Operations
will increase security by providing
tracking between the POE and CES and
ensuring they do not deviate from the
designated route and/or compromise the
integrity of the conveyance and the
shipment. In addition, using RECONS
for repeated trips rather than single-use
ISO bolts will automate processes
resulting in cost savings and efficiencies
in operations.
In-bond Operations: Duties are
nominally assessed when a shipment
E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM
29NON1
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Notices
arrives at a POE and is then cleared to
enter into U.S. commerce. Some
shipments pass through the U.S. while
in transit to another country and never
enter the U.S. commerce. Additional
shipments are allowed to travel within
the U.S. and defer their payment of
duties until they are entered into U.S.
commerce at their formal port of entry.
These shipments (in-bond shipments)
are required to post a bond which CBP
can collect against to insure the
shipments do not enter U.S. commerce
without paying the requisite duties. CBP
secures some of these shipments with
ISO bolts when they initially arrive at a
U.S. POE and verifies the integrity of the
ISO bolt when the shipment either exits
the U.S. via a POE or enters U.S.
commerce.
Using RECONS in In-bond Operations
will allow for the collection of data that
can be used to determine if any cargo
was illegally off-loaded into U.S.
commerce resulting in collecting against
the insurance bond as well as serving as
a deterrent to illegal activity. In
addition, RECONS will automate
processes leading to efficiencies while
also saving money over time than
employing single-use ISO bolts.
National Capital Region (NCR) Secure
Delivery: Trucks making deliveries to
buildings managed by GSA within the
National Capital Region are first
screened at a central facility and then
secured with mechanical seals before
delivering the cargo.
Using RECONS in NCR Secure
Delivery Operations will increase
security by providing tracking between
the FPS scanning facility and the
delivery and ensuring they do not
deviate from the designated route to
introduce illegal or dangerous cargo.
The tracking data also verifies delayed
deliveries and the reasons cited for
arriving outside of the designated
window thus avoiding the need for
them to return to the FPS scanning
facility to be re-inspected. In addition,
RECONS will automate processes
leading to efficiencies and cost savings.
Cross-border Commerce: Conveyance
security extends beyond just CES, Inbond, and National Capital Region
Secure Delivery within the Government,
with other agencies such as DOE and
DOD requiring conveyance security
solutions.
There is a much larger need for
conveyance security solutions for
commercial cross-border commerce
with over $1 trillion of goods being
imported every year. Currently the only
approved solutions are ISO bolts
although there are much better solutions
already in the commercial market. The
impediment to adopting these enhanced
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:56 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
solutions is they are not certified for use
and the root cause of that is there is no
standard to certify conveyance security
solutions against.
The development of a RECONS
Standard will be conducted by BMD in
parallel with this project along with
efforts to update CBP systems and
policies to accept and use the data
provided by RECONS for cross-border
shipment processing. A spiral approach
is being pursued with additional
capabilities added to the RECONS
Standard and CBP systems, supported
by updated CBP policies, as the use of
RECONS in cross-border operations
evolves.
Period of Performance
If CRADA collaborator(s) is (are)
selected, laboratory testing is expected
to take 2 months. Contingent on
laboratory testing, operational testing is
expected to take an additional 6 months
and data consolidation, analysis, and
results finalization is expected to take
another 3 months.
Selection Criteria
The Borders and Maritime Security
Division (BMD) reserves the right to
select CRADA collaborators for all,
some, or none of the proposals in
response to this notice. BMD will
provide no funding for reimbursement
of proposal development costs.
Proposals (or any other material)
submitted in response to this notice will
not be returned. Proposals submitted are
expected to be unclassified.
BMD will select proposals at its sole
discretion on the basis of:
1. How well the proposal
communicates the collaborators’
understanding of and ability to meet the
CRADAs goals and proposed timeline.
2. Ability of the collaborator to
provide equipment and materials for
proposed testing.
This includes the ability of the
collaborator to provide a sufficient
number of RECONS for laboratory and
operational testing within two months
of CRADA agreement.
3. Ability of the collaborator to invest
in system and RECONS development
costs to ensure interoperability with
government system.
4. How well the proposal addresses
the following criteria:
a. Ability of the collaborator to meet
the requirements for development ,1
validation testing and analysis, and
submission of supporting data and
1 Development work may be needed to ensure
solutions meet interoperability or other
requirements validated through testing
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
71633
documents fulfilling the RECONS
laboratory and operational testing.
b. Ability of the collaborator to
provide RECONS that are hardened to
prevent tampering and have had
environmental testing performed
consistent with the operational
conditions the RECONS will be
employed.
c. Ability of the collaborator to
provide documentation of the entire
system required to operate RECONS and
the all the associated costs throughout
the lifecycle for procuring, operating,
and maintaining RECONS.
d. Ability of the collaborator to
provide RECONS that provide intrusion
detection and tracking along with secure
data exchanges, while maintaining a
low false alarm and failure rate.
Participation in this CRADA does not
imply the future purchase of any
materials, equipment, or services from
the collaborating entities, and nonFederal CRADA participants will not be
excluded from any future BMD
procurements based solely on their
participation in this CRADA.
Authority: CRADAs are authorized by the
Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, as
amended and codified by 15 U.S.C. 3710a.
DHS, as an executive agency under 5 U.S.C.
105, is a Federal agency for the purposes of
15 U.S.C. 3710a and may enter into a
CRADA. DHS delegated the authority to
conduct CRADAs to the Science and
Technology Directorate and its laboratories.
Dated: November 21, 2013.
Stephen Hancock,
Acting Director, Office of Public-Private
Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 2013–28531 Filed 11–27–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–9F–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG–2013–0522]
Tank Vessel Oil Transfers
Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice; reopening of comment
AGENCY:
ACTION:
period
The Coast Guard issued a
notice in the Federal Register of
October 23, 2013, concerning new
measures to reduce the risks of oil spills
in oil transfer operations from or to a
tank vessel. In response to public
comments requesting an extension of
the original comment period ending on
November 22, 2013, the Coast Guard is
reopening the comment period for an
additional 30 days.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM
29NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71632-71633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28531]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[Docket No. DHS-2013-0078]
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
Opportunity With the Department of Homeland Security for the Testing of
Reusable Electronic Conveyance Security Device (RECONS) Solutions
AGENCY: Borders and Maritime Security Division (BMD), Homeland Advanced
Research Projects Agency, Science and Technology Directorate,
Department of Homeland Security.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: BMD is initiating a project to demonstrate that commercially
available conveyance security solutions can be utilized with a common
data management system in the following Government operations
(described in detail later):
Centralized Examination Station (CES)
In-bond
National Capital Region Secure Delivery
Cross-border Commerce
BMD is looking to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development
Agreement (CRADA) with interested partner(s) to test the
interoperability and conveyance security capabilities of their
solutions in a lab environment and then assess their ability to support
CES, In-bond, National Capital Region Secure Delivery, and Cross-border
Commerce operations in a technology demonstration.
The results of the project are intended to serve as a data point
for the standard under development for reusable electronic conveyance
security devices (RECONS). The RECONS Standard will support
certification of partner solutions to be used by industry for their
cross-border commerce shipments (described in detail later) in addition
to the Government in their aforementioned operations.
The proposed term of the CRADA can be up to twenty-four (24)
months.
DATES: Submit comments on or before December 30, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Mail comments and requests to participate to Jonathan
McEntee, (ATTN: Jonathan McEntee, 245 Murray Lane SW., Washington, DC
20528-0075). Submit electronic comments and other data with the subject
line ``RECONS Notice of Intent'' to jonathan.mcentee@dhs.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Information on DHS CRADAs: Marlene Owens, (202) 254-6671.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Ensuring cargo security as it flows through supply chains is a
challenge faced by industry and governments, both domestically and
internationally. There is a need to identify illegal activity
introduced into the supply chain while facilitating the flow of legal
commerce.
A solution that provides greater security and facilitation of legal
commerce is tracking the cargo conveyance as it moves through the
supply chain and reporting any security breaches. The additional data
is critical in assessing the risk level of cargo shipments and
determining which shipments require more scrutiny rather than expedited
processing.
Operational Context
Each operation requiring conveyance security is slightly different
and it is important to understand the environment in which they will be
employed to ensure understanding of the unique characteristics.
Centralized Examination Stations (CES) Operations: Ports of entry
(POEs) often are constrained in the physical space and resources
available to conduct physical inspections at the facility. In order to
prevent arriving conveyances awaiting inspection from negatively
impacting the flow of shipments through the POEs, shipments selected
for physical inspection are often directed to a facility (i.e. CES)
located away from the POE. The shipments are secured with high security
International Organization Standard (ISO) bolts while they are en route
between the two facilities and legally remain within custody of CBP
until they are cleared at the CES.
Using RECONS in CES Operations will increase security by providing
tracking between the POE and CES and ensuring they do not deviate from
the designated route and/or compromise the integrity of the conveyance
and the shipment. In addition, using RECONS for repeated trips rather
than single-use ISO bolts will automate processes resulting in cost
savings and efficiencies in operations.
In-bond Operations: Duties are nominally assessed when a shipment
[[Page 71633]]
arrives at a POE and is then cleared to enter into U.S. commerce. Some
shipments pass through the U.S. while in transit to another country and
never enter the U.S. commerce. Additional shipments are allowed to
travel within the U.S. and defer their payment of duties until they are
entered into U.S. commerce at their formal port of entry. These
shipments (in-bond shipments) are required to post a bond which CBP can
collect against to insure the shipments do not enter U.S. commerce
without paying the requisite duties. CBP secures some of these
shipments with ISO bolts when they initially arrive at a U.S. POE and
verifies the integrity of the ISO bolt when the shipment either exits
the U.S. via a POE or enters U.S. commerce.
Using RECONS in In-bond Operations will allow for the collection of
data that can be used to determine if any cargo was illegally off-
loaded into U.S. commerce resulting in collecting against the insurance
bond as well as serving as a deterrent to illegal activity. In
addition, RECONS will automate processes leading to efficiencies while
also saving money over time than employing single-use ISO bolts.
National Capital Region (NCR) Secure Delivery: Trucks making
deliveries to buildings managed by GSA within the National Capital
Region are first screened at a central facility and then secured with
mechanical seals before delivering the cargo.
Using RECONS in NCR Secure Delivery Operations will increase
security by providing tracking between the FPS scanning facility and
the delivery and ensuring they do not deviate from the designated route
to introduce illegal or dangerous cargo. The tracking data also
verifies delayed deliveries and the reasons cited for arriving outside
of the designated window thus avoiding the need for them to return to
the FPS scanning facility to be re-inspected. In addition, RECONS will
automate processes leading to efficiencies and cost savings.
Cross-border Commerce: Conveyance security extends beyond just CES,
In-bond, and National Capital Region Secure Delivery within the
Government, with other agencies such as DOE and DOD requiring
conveyance security solutions.
There is a much larger need for conveyance security solutions for
commercial cross-border commerce with over $1 trillion of goods being
imported every year. Currently the only approved solutions are ISO
bolts although there are much better solutions already in the
commercial market. The impediment to adopting these enhanced solutions
is they are not certified for use and the root cause of that is there
is no standard to certify conveyance security solutions against.
The development of a RECONS Standard will be conducted by BMD in
parallel with this project along with efforts to update CBP systems and
policies to accept and use the data provided by RECONS for cross-border
shipment processing. A spiral approach is being pursued with additional
capabilities added to the RECONS Standard and CBP systems, supported by
updated CBP policies, as the use of RECONS in cross-border operations
evolves.
Period of Performance
If CRADA collaborator(s) is (are) selected, laboratory testing is
expected to take 2 months. Contingent on laboratory testing,
operational testing is expected to take an additional 6 months and data
consolidation, analysis, and results finalization is expected to take
another 3 months.
Selection Criteria
The Borders and Maritime Security Division (BMD) reserves the right
to select CRADA collaborators for all, some, or none of the proposals
in response to this notice. BMD will provide no funding for
reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals (or any other
material) submitted in response to this notice will not be returned.
Proposals submitted are expected to be unclassified.
BMD will select proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
1. How well the proposal communicates the collaborators'
understanding of and ability to meet the CRADAs goals and proposed
timeline.
2. Ability of the collaborator to provide equipment and materials
for proposed testing.
This includes the ability of the collaborator to provide a
sufficient number of RECONS for laboratory and operational testing
within two months of CRADA agreement.
3. Ability of the collaborator to invest in system and RECONS
development costs to ensure interoperability with government system.
4. How well the proposal addresses the following criteria:
a. Ability of the collaborator to meet the requirements for
development ,\1\ validation testing and analysis, and submission of
supporting data and documents fulfilling the RECONS laboratory and
operational testing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Development work may be needed to ensure solutions meet
interoperability or other requirements validated through testing
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
b. Ability of the collaborator to provide RECONS that are hardened
to prevent tampering and have had environmental testing performed
consistent with the operational conditions the RECONS will be employed.
c. Ability of the collaborator to provide documentation of the
entire system required to operate RECONS and the all the associated
costs throughout the lifecycle for procuring, operating, and
maintaining RECONS.
d. Ability of the collaborator to provide RECONS that provide
intrusion detection and tracking along with secure data exchanges,
while maintaining a low false alarm and failure rate.
Participation in this CRADA does not imply the future purchase of
any materials, equipment, or services from the collaborating entities,
and non-Federal CRADA participants will not be excluded from any future
BMD procurements based solely on their participation in this CRADA.
Authority: CRADAs are authorized by the Federal Technology
Transfer Act of 1986, as amended and codified by 15 U.S.C. 3710a.
DHS, as an executive agency under 5 U.S.C. 105, is a Federal agency
for the purposes of 15 U.S.C. 3710a and may enter into a CRADA. DHS
delegated the authority to conduct CRADAs to the Science and
Technology Directorate and its laboratories.
Dated: November 21, 2013.
Stephen Hancock,
Acting Director, Office of Public-Private Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 2013-28531 Filed 11-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-9F-P
