[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71632-71633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28531]


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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.

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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 [email protected].

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.
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    \1\ Development work may be needed to ensure solutions meet 
interoperability or other requirements validated through testing
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    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