[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 234 (Thursday, December 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73202-73203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29039]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2013-0074]


Review and Revision of the National Critical Infrastructure 
Security and Resilience (NCISR) Research and Development (R&D) Plan 
Outline and Specific Questions Regarding the Content

AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments and answers to specific 
questions.

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SUMMARY: This Request for Information (RFI) notice informs the public 
that the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology 
Directorate (S&T) is currently developing a National Critical 
Infrastructure Security and Resilience Research and Development Plan 
(NCISR R&D Plan) to conform to the requirements of Presidential Policy 
Directive 21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience. As part 
of a comprehensive national review process, DHS solicits public comment 
on issues or language in the NCISR R&D Plan that need to be included. 
Critical infrastructure includes both cyber and physical components, 
systems, and networks for the sixteen established ``critical 
infrastructures''.

DATES: Written comments are encouraged and will be accepted until 
January 6, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and questions about the NCISR R&D Plan 
should be forwarded to Kristin Wyckoff, DHS/S&T/RSD, 445 Murray Lane 
SW., Mail Stop 0208, Washington, DC 20528-0208. Written comments should 
reach the contact person listed no later than January 6, 2014. Comments 
must be identified by ``DHS-2013-0074'' and may be submitted by one of 
the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number in the 
subject line of the message.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. All comments received (via any of the identified methods) will 
be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. You may submit your comments and 
material by one of the methods specified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section. Please submit your comments and material by only one 
means to avoid the adjudication of duplicate submissions. If you submit 
comments by mail, your submission should be an unbound document and no 
larger than 8.5 by 11 inches to enable copying and electronic document 
management. Please limit submissions to a maximum of 10 pages of text 
if possible. If you want DHS to acknowledge receipt of comments by 
mail, include with your comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard 
that includes the docket number for this action. We will date your 
postcard and return it to you via regular mail.
    Docket: Background documents and comments can be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristin Wyckoff, DHS/S&T/RSD, 445 
Murray Lane SW., Mail Stop 0208, Washington, DC 20528-0208.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) invites interested 
persons to contribute highly relevant content for consideration in the 
development the National Critical Infrastructure Security and 
Resilience Research and Development (NCISR R&D) Plan. Content can 
include, but is not limited to, published information and data, 
technical views, and/or ideas on research and development priorities, 
unsatisfied requirements or unmet capabilities, and/or current and 
long-term issues for critical infrastructure. Input is welcome from 
stakeholder groups, private and public entities, and individuals on 
content to be included to best fulfill the intended purpose of the 
plan. Comments that will provide the most assistance to DHS in writing 
the NCISR R&D Plan will include the reason for the recommended 
information or topic along with supplemental data, information, or 
authority that supports such recommendation.

II. Background

    On February 12, 2013, President Obama signed Presidential Policy 
Directive-21 \1\ (PPD-21), Critical

[[Page 73203]]

Infrastructure Security and Resilience, which builds on the extensive 
work done to date to protect and enhance the resilience of the Nation's 
critical infrastructure. This directive aims to clarify roles and 
responsibilities across the Federal Government and establish a more 
effective partnership with owners and operators and state, local, 
tribal, and territorial entities to enhance the security and resilience 
of critical infrastructure.
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    \1\ PPD-21 can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil.
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    President Obama also signed Executive Order (EO) 13636 \2\ on 
February 12, 2013, entitled Improving Critical Infrastructure 
Cybersecurity. By issuing the EO and PPD together, the Administration 
is taking an integrated approach to strengthening the security and 
resilience of critical infrastructure against all hazards, through an 
updated and overarching national framework that acknowledges the 
increased role of cybersecurity in securing physical assets.
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    \2\ EO 13636 can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-02-19/pdf/2013-03915.pdf.
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    PPD-21 sets forth several actions that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall take to implement the directive. One of these actions is 
to develop a National Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience 
R&D Plan. This is to be done within two years of the date of the 
directive, or by February 12, 2015, with the Secretary of Homeland 
Security working in coordination with the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy (OSTP), the Sector Specific Agencies (SSAs), 
Department of Commerce (DOC), and other Federal departments and 
agencies. The plan is to take into account the evolving threat 
landscape, annual metrics, and other relevant information to identify 
priorities and guide research and development requirements and 
investments. The plan shall be issued every four years after its 
initial delivery with interim updates as needed. The plan will provide 
input to align Federal and Federally-funded research and development 
activities seeking to strengthen the security and resilience of the 
Nation's critical infrastructure.

III. Initial List of Issues To Be Updated in the NCISR R&D Plan

    PPD-21 specifies the following elements shall be included in the 
NCISR R&D Plan:
    1. Promote research and development to enable the secure and 
resilient design and construction of critical infrastructure and more 
secure accompanying cyber technology;
    2. Enhance modeling capabilities to determine potential impact on 
critical infrastructure of an incident or threat scenario as well as 
cascading effects on other sectors;
    3. Means to facilitate initiatives to incentivize cybersecurity 
investments and the adoption of critical infrastructure design features 
that strengthen all-hazards security and resilience; and
    4. Prioritize efforts to support the strategic guidance issued by 
the Secretary of Homeland.
    The NCISR R&D Plan will be written by coordinating with the full 
range of critical infrastructure partners and other stakeholders. This 
notice extends an invitation to the broader public to provide input on 
the technical content and foci for the NCISR R&D Plan needed to best 
achieve the goals established in the Presidential Executive Orders and 
Directives. To assist the reviewer, DHS has developed a proposed 
structure and outline for the NCISR R&D Plan which is included with 
this notice. The purpose of this notice is to request public comment on 
this draft outline indicating priority topics or ideas they believe 
should be included and why that are listed or not listed. These 
comments and inputs would help to ensure the NCISR R&D Plan mandated by 
PPD-21 is relevant and useful, guiding research and development that 
will strengthen the security and resilience of the Nation's critical 
physical and cyber infrastructure.

IV. NCISR R&D Plan Outline

    Below is the list of the topic areas proposed for the NCISR R&D. 
This request for information solicits feedback on the proposed content, 
foci, and relevant high-priority subtopics. Recommendations on changes, 
additions or deletions to the proposed list are also encouraged. 
Justification for inclusion is requested to strengthen the value of the 
input received.
    [ssquf] Background and Problem
    [ssquf] Challenges and Milestones
    [ssquf] Future State and Vision
    [ssquf] Objectives
    [ssquf] Cyber-Physical Systems
    [ssquf] Interdependencies
    [ssquf] Operations, Modeling & Simulation
    [ssquf] Human Systems Elements
    [ssquf] Education
    [ssquf] Public/Private/Local Partnerships
    [ssquf] R&D Transition to Use
    [ssquf] Multi-domain R&D
    [ssquf] National R&D and Incentives
    [ssquf] Science Challenges
    [ssquf] Key Elements for Sector R&D Planning
    [ssquf] Execution and Coordination Strategy
    [ssquf] Tools and Methodologies
    [ssquf] Standards and Regulations
    [ssquf] Means to achieve R&D Objectives
    [ssquf] Priorities and Metrics
    [ssquf] Emerging Threats
    Additional feedback on the document structure, priority topics, 
technical or discipline emphasis, and/or method of prioritization of 
research and development topics are welcomed.

V. Specific Questions

    Answers to the below specific questions are desired to ensure the 
NCISR R&D Plan best addresses and covers what is needed to fulfill its 
intention and purpose:
    1. What types of sector interdependencies of critical 
infrastructure entities and sectors are important to be included in the 
NCISR R&D Plan? How well do current analysis methods appropriately 
address the full operational impacts and complexities of sector 
interdependencies and the effects of cascading failures for individual 
assets and/or infrastructure sectors?
    2. This is a national research and development plan. What are the 
highest priority regional, state, local, tribal or territorial issues 
and concerns that should be included or addressed through a 
comprehensive research and development agenda? Who are the key players 
and beneficiaries for such a research and development agenda? How 
should this research agenda be implemented so to solicit innovative 
solutions that are broadly accepted by the stakeholder community?
    3. How should prioritization of research and development areas be 
best accomplished? What specific selection and performance criteria 
should be used to prioritize research and development topics within and 
between sectors?
    4. What is a topic area or issue that you feel is essential to be 
included in a national NCISR R&D Plan?

    Dated: November 27, 2013.
Robert Kolasky,
Director, Integrated Task Force, Cyber EO and PPD-21 Implementation, 
Office of Infrastructure Protection, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2013-29039 Filed 12-4-13; 8:45 am]
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