100215 US DHS ST Directorate

by G · February 22, 2010

Science and Technology Directorate

The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate is the primary research and development arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

Mission

The S&T Directorate’s mission is to improve homeland security by providing to customers state-of-the-art technology that helps them achieve their missions. S&T customers include the operating components of the Department, state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders and officials.

Organization and Leadership

Under Secretary Dr. Tara O’Toole is currently leading the S&T Directorate.

The Directorate has three portfolios that address basic research through advanced technology development and transition – spanning six primary divisions that address critical homeland security needs. The Directorate captures requirements for Department technologies through the Capstone Integrated Product Team (IPT) process.

Portfolios

The Director of Research Portfolio addresses long-term research needs in support of the Department of Homeland Security mission areas that will provide the nation with an enduring capability in homeland security. Within the Research Portfolio are the Office of National Laboratories, the Office of University Programs, and the Program Executive Office – Counter Improvised Explosives Devices.
The Director of Innovation Portfolio supports a key goal of putting advanced capabilities into the hands of our customers as soon as possible. Innovation oversees the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), focusing on homeland security research and development that could lead to significant technology breakthroughs and greatly enhance departmental operations. Within the Innovation Portfolio is the Small Business Innovation Research Office.
The Director of Transition Portfolio focuses on delivering capabilities that Department components and first responders can rely on to meet their operational needs. Within the Transition Portfolio are the Commercialization Office, the Safety Act Office, the Tech Clearinghouse, the Long Range Broad Agency Announcement Program, and the Technology Transfer Program.
The Borders and Maritime Security Division develops and transitions tools and technologies that improve the security of our nation’s borders and waterways, without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers (see following paras).
The Chemical and Biological Division works to increase the nation’s preparedness against chemical and biological threats through improved threat awareness, advanced surveillance and detection, and protective countermeasures.
The Command, Control, and Interoperability Division develops interoperable communication standards and protocols for emergency responders, cyber security tools for protecting the integrity of the Internet, and automated capabilities to recognize and analyze potential threats (see following paras).
The Explosives Division develops the technical capabilities to detect, interdict, and lessen the impacts of non-nuclear explosives used in terrorist attacks against mass transit, civil aviation, and critical infrastructure.
The Human Factors Behavioral Sciences Division applies the social and behavioral sciences to improve detection, analysis, and understanding and response to homeland security threats.
The Infrastructure and Geophysical Division focuses on identifying and mitigating the vulnerabilities of the 18 critical infrastructure and key assets that keep our society and economy functioning (see following paras).
(for description see following paras)
Business Operations, Services & Human Capital
Corporate Communications Division
Interagency and First Responders Programs Division
International Cooperative Programs
Operations Analysis Division
Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute
Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute
Strategy, Policy and Budget
Special Programs
Test & Evaluation and Standards

Divisions

Offices and Institutes

Contact

Department of Homeland Security
Science and Technology Directorate
245 Murray Drive
Building 410
Science and Technology
Washington, DC 20528

Borders & Maritime Security Division

Mission

The Borders and Maritime Security Division’s mission is to develop and transition (to its customers) technologies that help enhance the security of our nation’s borders and waterways without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers. The Division works closely with its operational customers to understand their capability needs and identify the gaps in these capabilities that can be addressed by science and technology, then work on appropriate technical solutions to fill those gaps. ( Borders and Maritime Security Projects are described in Annex A).

Objectives

Stop dangerous things and dangerous people from entering the country
Protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests.

Borders are all land and maritime borders including U.S. ports of entry, vast stretches of remote terrain and inland waterways.

Leadership

Mrs. Anh N. Duong is the Director for the Borders and Maritime Security Division within the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Organization

The Borders and Maritime Security Division consists of technical professionals who are responsible for funding, direction and managing the research, development, prototyping, test and evaluation of technical solutions for border security, maritime security and cargo security. The Division’s primary customers, or end-users, are other operating components within the Department of Homeland Security such as Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, etc. The Division’s partners and performers include academia, national laboratories and industries.

Contact

E-mail: sandt.bordersmaritime@dhs.gov

Command, Control and Interoperability Division

Director: Dr. David Boyd

Through a practitioner-driven approach, the Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate creates and deploys information resources to enable seamless and secure interactions among homeland security stakeholders.

A practitioner-driven approach is defined as a process where the needs of end users drive the creation of information resources.
Information resources include standards, frameworks, tools, and technologies.
Enabling seamless and secure interactions means enhancing the ability to communicate, share, visualize, analyze, and protect information.
Stakeholders include all local, tribal, state, federal, international, and private entities engaged in homeland security.

With its federal partners, CID is working to strengthen communications interoperability, improve Internet security and integrity, and accelerate the development of automated capabilities to help identify potential national threats.

The scope of CID’s services is broad. Customers include local, tribal, state, and federal emergency response agencies; federal agencies that plan for, detect, and respond to all hazards; and private-sector partners that own, operate, and maintain the nation’s cyber infrastructure.

CID is organized into five program areas: Basic/Futures Research; Cyber Security; Knowledge Management Tools; Office for Interoperability and Compatibility; and Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Investigative Technologies. (Command, Control, and Interoperability Projects are described in annex B).

CID Basic/Futures Research Program Area

Lead: Dr. Joseph Kielman

The Basic/Futures Research program area, led by Dr. Joseph Kielman, conducts long-term, fundamental research in support of CID; develops and fosters a research community to identify and demonstrate novel information discovery, analysis, and management concepts and capabilities to identify, assess, prevent, and minimize the impact of terrorist attacks and natural or man-made disasters; and advances technologies that serve the Department as well as local, tribal, state, federal, and international partners.

CID Cyber Security Program Area

Lead: Dr. Douglas Maughan

The Cyber Security program area of CID leads cybersecurity research, development, testing, and evaluation to secure the nation’s current and future critical cyber infrastructure.

CID Knowledge Management Tools Program Area

Lead: Dr. John Hoyt

The Knowledge Management Tools program area provides information sharing and knowledge management capabilities to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks and to prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters; develops tools and methods to process and analyze massive amounts of information that are widely dispersed and in multiple forms; and works collaboratively to complement efforts in the intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security communities.

CID Office for Interoperability and Compatibility

Lead: Jeff King (Acting)

The Office for Interoperability and Compatibility strengthens interoperable wireless communications and improves effective information sharing by developing tools—such as standards, reports, and guidelines—and technologies to enhance overall planning and coordination at all levels of government.

CID Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Investigative Technologies Program Area

Lead: John Price

The Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Investigative Technologies program area researches and develops technologies that aid in the discovery, investigation, and prosecution of terrorists and criminals, with a major emphasis on Department of Homeland Security law enforcement components.

Contact

For general information about CID: sandt.cci@dhs.gov.

Industry seeking information about opportunities to partner with CID: cci.technologyliaison@dhs.gov.

Infrastructure and Geophysical Division

Mission

The Science and Technology Directorate Infrastructure and Geophysical Division’s (IGD) mission is to improve and increase the nation’s preparedness for and response to natural and man-made threats through superior situational awareness, emergency response capabilities, and critical infrastructure protection.

Objectives

IGD develops technical solutions, modeling and simulation tool and reach back capabilities to improve federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector preparedness for and response to all-hazards events impacting the U.S. population and critical infrastructure. The division also concentrates on developing improved preparedness and response capabilities to protect the nation’s emergency responders in the field.

In addition, IGD developed capabilities can determine how various scenarios will affect critical infrastructure sectors, they provide decision support tools to guide decision makers in identifying gaps and vulnerabilities, and they develop predictive tools and methods to aid in preparing for and responding to various catastrophes. (IGD Projects are described in Annex C)

Leadership

Christopher Doyle is the Director for the IGD within the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Organization

The IGD’s primary federal customers are the Department’s National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), specifically the Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These agencies represent end-users including first responders; federal, state, and local emergency managers; and critical infrastructure owners and operators.

There are three major thrust areas within IGD:

Critical Infrastructure Protection
Preparedness and Response
Geophysical

Critical Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area

This thrust area focuses on the 18 critical infrastructures key resources (CIKR) sectors identified in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). This thrust area addresses the requirements of the Office of Infrastructure Protection and supports Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7), Critical Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection. Critical Infrastructure Protection provides the overarching approach for integrating the nation’s many CIKR protection initiatives into a single, national effort. The CIKR sectors are:

Preparedness and Response (P&R) Thrust Area

This thrust area develops and deploys capabilities that improve the ability of the nation to prepare for, respond to, and recover from all-hazards emergencies. P&R applies the best available science and technology to the safety and security of our emergency responders and homeland security professionals so that they can effectively and efficiently perform their jobs – saving lives, minimizing damage and restoring critical services. All programs will be compliant with National Incident Management System (NIMS), National Response Framework (NRF), and in accordance with all Homeland Security Presidential Directives that enable all government, private-sectors, and nongovernmental organizations to work together during domestic incidents of all sizes.

Geophysical Thrust Area

This thrust area develops technologies and systems to address the geophysical concerns of the nation, for example, hurricanes, flooding and earthquakes. The thrust area includes the Southeast Regional Research Initiative (SERRI) program.

Contact

sandt.igd@dhs.gov

Offices and Institutes

Business Operations Division (12.08.09)

Mission

To provide the right people, technology, property, security, and processes to support the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate.

Objectives

Provide customer focused support in the areas of human capital services, information technology services, operations logistical support, physical security baseline and protection of critical information, and ensuring official S&T correspondence is both proper and correct.
Develop, implement, and improve effective processes and administrative services that deliver high value solutions to all S&T customers. This includes planning processes/collaboration with S&T Divisions, labs and field offices, training opportunities for S&T staff, and developing additional support services for S&T’s labs and field offices.
Maintain a lean and agile, world class Business Operations Division (BOD) team and provide S&T with coordinated support solutions from the BOD.
Maximize resources through good fiscal stewardship.

Leadership

Douglas Smith is the Director for the Business Operations Division within the Department’s S&T Directorate.

Organization

The Business Operations Division has six diverse branches that have a couple of distinct differences. First, each branch provides a unique support service. Second, each branch differs in how it coordinates with the Under Secretary for Management to provide support services to S&T. A description of each office, outlining its functional responsibilities, is listed below:

Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
The S&T Office of the Chief Administrative Officer provides long term mission operations logistical support for S&T.

Key Security Office
The Key Security Office administers, manages, monitors, and supervises the security programs of S&T, and provides management oversight and policy direction to the S&T field activities for the Under Secretary.

Office of the Chief Information Officer
The S&T Office of the Chief Information Officer provides the timely delivery of information technology infrastructure, systems, and services in direct support of the S&T’s research development test and evaluation (RDT&E) mission.

Human Capital Office
The Human Capital Office oversees the development, implementation, and operation of human capital management policies and programs to provide and maintain the highly qualified workforce necessary to meet S&T’s continually changing and expanding mission requirement.

Executive Secretariat Office
Executive Secretariat assists the S&T Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary to accomplish his/her roles and responsibilities. The Executive Secretariat serves as a critical communicative instrument between the S&T Directorate and Department components and other S&T customers.

Planning and Management
The Planning and Management Branch provides business, financial, and program management services and support to BOD and throughout the Directorate.

Directorate’s Corporate Communications Division (06.01.10)

The Corporate Communications Division (CCD) is a group of writers, graphic designers, videographers, photographers, Web communicators, and conferences/exhibits specialists who contribute their talents in support of the Science and Technology (S&T) organization, the S&T CCD mission, and its strategic communications plan.

Mission

The CCD’s mission is to develop and communicate S&T Directorate messages through a comprehensive outreach program. CCD is responsible for leading media relations, public information, community relations and internal relations for S&T.

Leadership and Organization

Daniel S. Dayton is the Director for the Corporate Communications Division within the Department of Homeland Security S&T Directorate.

Contact Information

Daniel.dayton@dhs.gov

Interagency and First Responders Programs Division (11.08.09)

Mission

The Interagency and First Responders Programs Division Director is responsible to the Under Secretary for establishing policies and programs to support the mission given to the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology in Section 302 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

Objectives

The Interagency and First Responders Programs Division assists our federal, state, local, territorial customers, including the first responder communities in numerous risk areas. The division establishes and maintains cooperative, visible, and value-added presence across the country with the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate customer agencies, federal officials, state, local, tribal, territorial, first responder, private, and other critical local/regional homeland security and homeland defense. This provides an essential communication vehicle and liaison between our customers and S&T and is also intended to leverage the S&T-related work going on in the Interagency and other federal, national guard, state, local, tribal, first responder and critical homeland security and homeland defense entities. This work directly supports and augments the work of the directorate in delivering technological capabilities and knowledge products to our customers, the Department operating components, state and local agencies, or Department of Homeland Security components supporting state and local agencies.

The division also coordinates the activities of the First Responder Integrated Product Team (IPT). This IPT was established to address the highest priority research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) needs of our nation’s first responders.

Leadership

Mr. Randel Zeller is the Director for the Interagency and First Responder Programs Division within the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Organization

The Interagency and First Responder Programs Division consists of a staff of geographically dispersed senior analysts who are responsible for coordinating joint science and technology programs of national scope and impact. The division’s primary customers, or end-users, are other operating components within the Department of Homeland Security and other federal, National Guard, state, local, tribal, first responder and critical homeland security and homeland defense entities.

Contact

SandT-Interagency@hq.dhs.gov

International Cooperative Programs Office (ICPO) (02.07.09)

Mission

The International Cooperative Programs Office provides the strategic framework to establish, facilitate, and sustain effective international partnerships that support homeland security research, development, test and evaluation. The Office catalyzes the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate’s connectivity among the international science and technology community, Department of Homeland Security operational components, and the homeland security research enterprise.

Objectives

The International Cooperative Programs Office works to match U.S. entities engaged in homeland security research with foreign counterparts so that they may partner in cooperative research activities. Specifically:

Coordinating with partner nations, the Department, and other agencies to identify viable areas for cooperation and partnering opportunities.
Engaging international partners to participate in the Department Centers of Excellence program and encouraging U.S. institutions to partner with academic institutions abroad.
Conducting an international research grant program that requires recipients to include at least one U.S. and foreign institution.
Developing strategic priorities with the Department Office of International Affairs and other federal agencies in support of the homeland security mission.

Leadership

The International Cooperative Programs Office is headed by the ICPO Director. The Director keeps the Under Secretary, Deputy Under Secretary, Chief of Staff, Directors of Research, Innovation, and Transition, and division heads informed of significant international developments and opportunities for leverage and coordination.

Organization

The International Cooperative Programs Office was established in accordance with the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. 317). The International Cooperative Programs Office facilitates the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address the strategic priorities the Under Secretary considers appropriate, including grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to or with foreign public or private entities, governmental organizations, businesses, federally funded research and development centers, and universities.

Grants

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate is soliciting applications for international research projects aligned with the mission and requirements of the directorate. These projects should be designed to augment and complement, through international research and collaboration, the depth and breadth of homeland security science and technology research.

Specifically, the S&T Directorate seeks proposals that will contribute to homeland security science and technology, including but not limited to:

Evaluation of novel tools or approaches to confronting homeland security challenges.
Basic research to provide data, understandings, or models that support S&T efforts or policy decisions.
S&T and operations research evaluations to support revolutionary improvements in the Department’s mission and its component agencies’ operations.

Information on these grants, including eligibility criteria and how to apply is available at www.grants.gov (funding opportunity DHS-09-ST-108-001). Proposals will be accepted until September and must include both U.S. and foreign institutions. The proposals must also be led by an academic institution.

Contact

S&T-InternationalPrograms@dhs.gov

Operations Analysis Division (27.08.09)

Mission

The Operations Analysis Division (OAD) is responsible for identifying the requirements for operations analysis, gaming and simulation, and experimentation in the Science and Technology Directorate—and, more broadly, throughout the Department of Homeland Security—and for meeting them, using organic resources, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and contracted assistance. The Director of OAD is responsible to the Under Secretary as the principal assistant for operations analysis and as senior advisor on requirements for operations analysis, gaming and simulation, and experimentation.

Objectives

Initiate and conduct operations analysis projects to meet needs identified within the Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate and elsewhere in the Department
Provide operations analysis, including risk-informed decisions analysis and gaming & simulation support to the Capstone Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) that establish Department-wide priorities for S&T programs to be pursued within budgetary constraints
Support the assessment of S&T proposals to help determine which are critically important to the S&T program and should be funded by the Department of Homeland Security S&T Directorate
Serve as executive agent of the Department of Homeland Security Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute (HSSAI) and the Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HSSEDI)
Oversee and manage the Department’s use of other non-Department of Homeland Security FFRDCs
Serve as executive director of the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee (HSSTAC)

Leadership

Ervin Kapos is the director of the Operations Analysis Division within the Department’s Science and Technology Directorate.

Organization

The Operations Analysis Division is staffed by technical professionals who are responsible for overseeing and managing Federally Funded Research & Development Centers; evaluating and validating competing concepts of operations, new systems concepts, and ongoing projects; and providing other analytic support, technical advisory services, and analysis to Department of Homeland Security components. The Division’s primary customers, or end-users, are the Under Secretary of the Science & Technology Directorate, divisions within S&T, other components within the Department of Homeland Security and their associated customers.

Contact

oadshared@dhs.gov

The Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute (HSSAI) (01.02.10)

The Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute (HSSAI), operated by Analytic Services, Inc., is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) providing independent analysis of homeland security issues.

Mission

The HSSAI’s mission is to provide the government with the necessary expertise to conduct:

Cross-cutting mission analysis
Strategic studies and assessments
Development of models that baseline current capabilities
Development of simulations and technical evaluations to evaluate mission-trade-offs
Creation and evolution of high-level operational and system concepts
Development and top-level system and operational requirements and performance metrics
Operational analysis across the homeland security enterprise,
Analytic support for operational testing evaluation in tandem with the government’s acquisition process

HSSAI works with other federal, state, local, tribal, public and private sector organizations that make up the homeland security enterprise. HSSAI supports the Secretary’s top priorities of counterterrorism, border security, enforcement of immigration laws, disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and departmental unification.

As a Department of Homeland Security FFRDC, HSSAI continues to:

Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of the Department’s missions and operations
Maintain continuity and currency in Department-specific areas of expertise
Maintain objectivity and independence
Respond quickly and effectively to the Department’s emerging needs
Serve as a trusted agent, safeguarding all sensitive homeland security-related information, and avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest Leadership and Organization

Leadership and Organization

HSSAI’s leadership team is headed by Director Dr. Phil Anderson, Deputy Director, Plans and Programs George Thompson, and Director, Operations and Architecture Robert Tuohy.

HSSAI has over 130 dedicated analysts that represent a unique collection of talent and homeland security-specific expertise. Fields of experience range from genetic engineering to systems engineering, crisis action planning to health service delivery systems for victims of natural disasters, defending against cyber warfare to responding to attacks with weapons of mass destruction.

Contact

Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute
Director’s Staff, Outreach Program
2900 South Quincy Street
Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22206
hsiinfo@ his.dhs.gov www.homelandsecurity.org

Phone:703-416-2000 Fax: 703-416-3530

The Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HS SEDI) (09.11.09)

The Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HS SEDI^TM) is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) operated by The MITRE Corporation.

Mission

HS SEDI provides systems engineering, acquisition, and program management expertise in support of the overall homeland security mission. Our purpose is to provide expert technical advice to help the Department integrate plans and processes to enhance acquisitions and IT systems development across its entire organization. HS SEDI works on complex homeland security systems that will evolve sustainable capabilities to secure the nation. HS SEDI promotes fair and open competition and provides technical expertise to Department of Homeland Security program managers to realize acquisition objectives while enhancing Department acquisition ability at the enterprise level. HS SEDI partners with the Department of Homeland Security to innovate and improve enterprise processes and tools, apply best practices and standards, and develop plans for improving the overall integration of mission capabilities.

A key Department of Homeland Security priority is the development of an integrated mission approach that engages all stakeholders and emphasizes cooperation, collaboration, and information sharing. Immigration, border and transportation security, emergency response, cyber security, and acquisition reform are examples of these vital, complex, and cross-cutting Department missions. The staffs of HS SEDI and the Department collaborate to develop more effective systems engineering and acquisition systems across the Department to deliver capabilities that meet mission needs within cost and schedule. Ongoing program technical reviews reinforce the HS SEDI approach – with the goal of instituting a consistent, disciplined systems engineering and acquisition system across the Department.

HS SEDI also supports Department efforts to integrate and coordinate across federal, state, tribal, and local organizations to bolster the security of our nation. HS SEDI works to define and implement best practices for information sharing to support homeland security activities across federal, state, tribal and local agencies, along with private sector partners.

Experimentation is used to explore the viability and applicability of new technologies, procedures, and policies. This involves controlled laboratory experiments, analytical studies, constructive and virtual simulations, and live field exercises. The experimentation process enables integration across the mission space as well as the development of future capabilities.

Key tenets of HS SEDI’s approach include broad consultation and staffing from across MITRE and the Public Interest Network; sound financial control; and extensive knowledge of homeland security environments, challenges, and systems. HS SEDI is sponsored by the Department as a systems engineering resource for all of its components and operating elements. With Department permission, HS SEDI resources are also available to non-Department of Homeland Security government entities, state and municipal governments, and public charities.

Leadership and Organization

Dr. Jason Providakes is the HS SEDI Director and MITRE Officer-in-charge.

The MITRE Corporation

The MITRE Corporation is a not-for-profit national resource that provides systems engineering, research and development, and information technology support to the government. It operates federally funded research and development centers for the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Homeland Security, with principal locations in Bedford, Mass., and McLean, Va.

MITRE provides objective advice, promoting open competition for the development and delivery of Department capabilities. The company works in an affirmed partnership with Department programs and leadership, bringing a long-term, strategic perspective to efforts to integrate capabilities so the Department can achieve its highest priority outcomes.

HS SEDI executes its work program in collaboration with critical Department mission partners including the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, and others in academia and state, tribal, and local organizations. Homeland Security activities are strategically organized according to the following portfolios, to maximize integration across the Department and mission space:

Border and Transportation Security, which aims to improve the Department’s ability to develop, deliver, and sustain new capabilities to secure our borders and enforce immigration laws.
Immigration and Screening, through which HS SEDI provides systems engineering, program management, and acquisition technical support to Department directorates, components, and stakeholders to deploy technology-based identity and benefits management services.
Information Sharing and Enterprise Services, which aims to improve delivery of Department mission capabilities by applying systems engineering and acquisition best practices to enable effective and efficient management, information sharing, enterprise portfolio management, and security services.
Intelligence and Law Enforcement, through which HS SEDI applies a unique combination of systems engineering, integration, program management, and information technology expertise to address critical national intelligence and law enforcement challenges.
Preparedness, Protection and Response, which aims to counter physical, cyber, or human threats, increasing resiliency through swift and effective recovery of national assets, key resources, and people.

Contact

The MITRE Corporation
7515 Colshire Drive
McLean, VA 22102-7539
hssedi_info@mitre.org

Phone: 703-983-1254

Strategy, Policy and Budget Division (13.08.09)

Mission

The Strategy, Policy and Budget Division is responsible for the fiscal management of the S&T Directorate’s appropriations and the financial administration of all programs directly under the cognizance of the Undersecretary for Science and Technology.

Objectives

Provide technical guidance and direction in financial matters in support of the planning and programming responsibilities of the S&T Directorate and the Department.
Act as agent for S&T Directorate in controlling all funds allocated to the Under Secretary for all programs under his or her cognizance.
Develop and issue budget, accounting, financial internal controls, systems, fiscal and reporting policies and procedures for the S&T Directorate.
Develop, interpret and implement principles and policies, and prescribes procedures for fiscal management of the research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) program.
Analyze financial trends and prepare obligation and expenditure plans. Evaluate financial performance against approved plans and report variances, together with facts and figures necessary to assist in decision making, to the Under Secretary and other top Department management personnel.
As a budget-submitting office, review financial requirements and justifications for the RDT&E programs for the S&T Directorate and coordinate the preparation of the budget estimates for submission to DHS Management Directorate, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and to Congress. Acts as S&T Directorate’s interface to the Department’s Chief Financial Officer.
Support the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and his or her principal assistants in annually presenting and justifying the S&T Directorate’s budget to Congress.
Coordinate, control and manage S&T Directorate financial relationships with other agencies (such as U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and foreign governments).

Leadership

Richard Williams, Chief Financial Officer, is the director of the Strategy, Policy and Budget Division.

Organization

The Strategy, Policy and Budget Division has four branches:

Program Analysis and Evaluation
Financial Operations
Strategy, Planning, and Integration
Acquisitions

Contact

Special Programs Division (05.08.09)

Mission

To provide Department of Homeland Security components, the Intelligence Community (IC) and other government agencies with programmatic and technical expertise in Emerging Threats, Risk Sciences, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and other areas applicable to homeland security that may be especially sensitive, classified, or deserving of extraordinary security protection.

Requirements

The Special Programs Division (SPD) receives requirements through three different methods:

SPD could receive requirements via Integrated Product Team (IPT) sessions (mostly done with the Risk Sciences and Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Branches).
During the normal budget cycle, using current trends and previous assessments to plan for current and near-term fiscal projects (all branches).
A customer with intelligence indicates that there is an emerging threat not planned for during the normal budgetary cycle (Emerging Threats) or through daily interactions within Department components.

Director, Special Programs Division

The Director reports directly to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology (S&T) and executes the functions listed below through four distinct branches (Emerging Threats, Risk Sciences, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Special Access Programs Control Office). Each branch is headed by an individual branch chief.

Functions included but not limited to:

Providing programmatic leadership and direction for Department S&T research and development (R&D) programs that have been identified as being especially sensitive, classified, or deserving of extraordinary security protection.
In accordance with the Homeland Security Act of 2002, ensuring especially sensitive technologies involving homeland defense are transferred to, or coordinated with, the Under Secretary for S&T.
Using the intellectual capital and capabilities of the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories, the private sector and other federal agencies, especially the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community, to identify, characterize and assess new and emerging threats; focusing on identifying threats whose potential future appearance is suggested by economic and technology trends; trends in observed terrorist behavior, intelligence and other disparate information; and expanding aviation data outputs that provide the basis for strategic and tactical intelligence cueing.
Conducting high-risk, high-payoff basic technology research in areas relevant to emerging threats, risk sciences, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and special access program areas.
Coordinating liaison programs between the Science and Technology Intelligence Community and the divisional directors within Department of Homeland Security S&T.

Emerging Threats Branch

The mission of the Emerging Threats Branch is to identify over-the-horizon technologies by ascertaining potential future threats.

The Emerging Threats Branch Chief reports directly to the Director of Special Programs and executes the following functions:

Determining potential emerging threats through commissioned and interagency threat assessments, through the expertise brought by the customers through IPT process, and through an assessment of existing counter-measure availability and capabilities.
Providing direct liaison between Department S&T, SPD and the Departmental and Interagency S&T intelligence community members ensuring advantageous collaboration, minimal redundant resourcing and efforts, and facilitates interagency information and technology sharing.
Providing threat assessments to the Department components during the IPT process to ensure capability gaps and requirements are aligned with assessed threat domains.
Providing a mechanism for Department components to address “surprise” technologies and/or threats that emerge without notice.

Risk Sciences Branch

The mission of the Risk Science Branch is to foster systematic, transparent, and goal-focused application of risk concepts and tools to provide better support to strategic, operational, and tactical decision-makers across the national homeland security enterprise. Informed decision-making across government, and particularly in the Department, demands systematic and appropriate consideration of risk.

Further, the need to consider risk arguably extends to every decision-maker and at every level from local/tactical up to national/strategic. Risks to be considered, and the manner in which they will be considered, will vary from issue to issue and according to the responsibilities of a given decision-maker. This is both necessary and appropriate, but could also potentially result in various analytic methodologies, databases, and decision-making processes. To counteract the potential for confusion and seeming disjointedness, there must be a unifying threat that binds risk considerations across the Department and the larger national homeland security enterprise. That threat includes policy and standard processes for assessing and communicating risk. Closely related to the issue of appropriate risk analysis methodologies is the need to have a sound understanding of the essential characteristics of the problem space being addressed through these risk analyses. This is a particular problem as many of the risks faced in homeland security differ in very significant ways from those risks for which the existing analytical and problem solving methods were developed. The Risk Program Area will help create a unifying departmental perspective on important concepts and the ways in which risk can be used to inform homeland security decision-making. Additionally, the Risk Sciences Program Area will help to identify essential decision-relevant characteristics of problems falling within homeland security.

The Risk Science Branch Chief reports directly to the Director of Special Programs and executes the following functions:

Providing a unifying departmental perspective on the concept of “Risk” and how “Risk” can be used to inform homeland security decision-making.
Providing independent review and validation of risk assessment and other analytic processes developed elsewhere in the Department; providing support to risk assessors and analysts across the Department; and fostering the development of a Department community of interest, and ultimately a community of practice, for risk assessment and analysis.
Coordinating “Risk” research carried out by S&T’s University Programs Center of Excellence, by the Homeland Security Institute, and by various Department components/elements.
Serving as the chair of a cross-department body of risk assessors and analysts that will function as an Integrated Product Team for risk assessment tools that will cut across program and agency lines within the Department (primarily to support decisions in S&T, Policy Directorate and Department Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E)).
Establishing and overseeing a senior advisory board, or taking advantage of other existing bodies with expertise in risk in order to build credibility into the Department’s risk assessment and risk management activities.
Managing research and developmental efforts aimed at advancing the state of the art in the risk and decision-support sciences (risk analysis, risk communications, performance metrics, etc.).

Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Branch

The mission of the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Branch is to support basic research activities to improve collection and dissemination of intelligence information through the use of satellites, radars, sensors, and unmanned platforms in support of Department components and other relevant federal and Department of Defense agencies.

The Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Branch Chief reports directly to the Director of Special Programs and executes the following functions:

Establishing an open working relationship with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, ISR Branch. This relationship will develop and recommend implementation of technology solutions toward an integrated Department ISR Enterprise.
Assessing ISR integration efforts being discussed within other Department components.
Leveraging S&T ISR projects from other intelligence agencies to fulfill the technological gaps identified within the OI&A ISR Branch.
Providing S&T support in addressing identified technological capability gaps with respect to “disadvantaged” customers.

Special Access Program Branch

The Special Access Program Branch is matrixed from the Department Headquarters Office of Security (Department OS) to ensure appropriate execution of all security program requirements for S&T Special Access Program (SAP) initiatives. The mission of the Special Access Program Branch is to provide direction, management and security administration of the Special Access Program Control Office (SAPCO) for the S&T organization. The SAPCO, under Department OS authority, provides security policy, guidance, and oversight for those Special Access Programs under the auspices of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology. This office is the single point of contact for SAP requirements and the conduit for coordination between S&T and other Executive Branch Departments/Agencies requesting S&T support or participation in Special Access Programs.

Test & Evaluation and Standards Division (22.05.09)

The Director of Test & Evaluation and Standards is responsible for establishing policies and programs to support the development, coordination, and operational management of Test & Evaluation Standards for assigned infrastructure.

Technical standards are essential for effective, coordinated response to incidents that span numerous jurisdictions and diverse emergency-responder disciplines and needs. They are essential for crafting and then testing and evaluating homeland security technology solutions that are integral to systems comprising multiple components and must link together seamlessly in a “plug-and-play” environment.

The Science and Technology Test & Evaluation and Standards Division (TSD) works across all Department of Homeland Security elements and entities to support Test & Evaluation (T&E) programs and Standards Development efforts. TSD integrates T&E and Standards into the entire development and acquisition cycle via early and continuous evaluation of system test requirements, planning, and execution. TSD coordinate with other federal agencies as required to adopt appropriate standards and implement effective T&E programs.

Office of Test and Evaluation

To establish and manage Department of Homeland Security T&E policy and procedures and to efficiently, effectively & objectively coordinate T&E resources to verify attainment of technical performance specifications and operational effectiveness and suitability.

Strategy

Develop and institute T&E architecture/policy that is centrally managed and is uniformly implemented across the Department of Homeland Security.
Improve the technology development and acquisition process to accelerate the delivery of technologies, assure performance requirements are met, and reduce the development risk.
Integrate, coordinate, and optimize public and private sector T&E infrastructure to meet current and future technology development thrusts.
Develop and implement an overarching strategy for the qualification and certification of technologies and accreditation of facilities and programs.

Office of Standards

Mission

Develop and coordinate the adoption of national standards and appropriate evaluation methods to meet homeland security mission needs.

Objectives

Lead the development and adoption of national standards for countermeasures against threats that pose the greatest challenge for homeland security—specifically, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive countermeasures.
Encourage investments and competition in home-land security technologies by fostering standardization of performance metrics and quality measures for first responder technologies. (Enhance Department of Homeland Security Grants and Training and state and local official’s procurement decisions making process by adopting standards for first responder technologies).
Assist with the coordination, development and adoption of interoperability standards for integrated homeland security communications and sensor networks.

ANNEX A – Border and Maritime Security Projects (16.09.09)

These projects are developed to help enhance the security of our nation’s borders and waterways without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers.

Advanced Container Security Device Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Advanced Container Security Device (ACSD) Project is developing an advanced sensor system for monitoring the container’s integrity from the point of consolidation to the point of deconsolidation in the maritime supply chain. The ACSD is a small unit that attaches to the inside of a container to monitor all six sides of the container to report any intrusion or door opening. It will also detect the presence of human cargo in the container. If ACSD detects an intrusion, breach, door opening or human, it will transmit this alarm information through the Marine Asset Tag Tracking System (MATTS) to United States Customs and Border Protection. The ACSD will also build in a standard plug-and-play interface capability so that other security or commercial sensors (e.g., radiological/nuclear, chemical/biological) can be easily integrated through the standard interface. The ACSD must be able to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of global shipping and be economical for shippers to use. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Advanced Screening and Targeting Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Advanced Screening and Targeting (ASAT) Project provides next-generation risk assessment and targeting tools in two phases. Phase 1 (ASAT I) was delivered to the United States Customs and Border Protection organization in fiscal year 2008 and detects anomalous container shipments based on patterns of known threat activity through extraction of structured, linked data, supply chain anomaly detection, and pattern matching. ASAT II will significantly enhance risk assessment capabilities through development of computer algorithms and software that will analyze the supply chain characteristics of a given shipment, including open source data (e.g. business, financial, socioeconomic) as well as other available government held data to develop a probabilistic threat analysis of that shipment based on its respective supply chain context. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Air Cargo Composite Container Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Air Cargo Composite Container Project expands upon the composite material developed in the hybrid composite container project to determine whether it can be used to develop an air cargo composite container that will be able to detect tampering or intrusion from the point of consolidation to the point of deconsolidation in the air cargo supply chain. The project’s success depends on ensuring lightweight comparability to existing aluminum containers and interoperability with existing aircraft loading infrastructure. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Automatic Target Recognition Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) Project develops an automated imagery detection capability for anomalous content (e.g. persons, hidden compartments, contraband) to be integrated with existing and future (i.e., CanScan) non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems. This ATR capability is broadly applicable to the scanning and imaging systems used by the United States Customs and Border Protection organization and the Transportation Security Administration providing an operator-assisted decision aid for target discrimination within low-resolution images. Further, the ATR will be scalable to accommodate advanced NII systems with higher resolution imagery and material discrimination capability. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Border Officer Tools Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Border Office Tools Project plans to improve law enforcement agents’ effectiveness and enhance officer/agent safety while searching vessels/vehicles. Many of these tools will leverage technology currently under development by the Department of Homeland Security or Department of Defense for other purposes. These tools will provide:

Secure communications (i.e., voice and data) between field operators, and between field operators and their command centers; and
Intrusive (i.e., requires contact) as well as non-intrusive, non-destructive technologies to aid in the identification of contraband (i.e. chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial, explosive chemicals, drugs).

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Border Officer Tools and Safety Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Border Officer Safety Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Border Officer Safety Project plans to integrate technologies that will enable border security law enforcement agents to more safely perform their mission. These technologies include, but are not limited to:

Enhanced Ballistic Protection – will deliver lighter weight, more durable and higher strength materials and equipment to increase the level of a field agent’s ballistic protection while reducing his equipment load;
Automatic Facial Recognition – will capture images of individuals and compare them to law enforcement databases;
Hidden Compartment Inspection Device – will allow for agents to non-intrusively detect, from greater stand-off ranges, people and contraband hidden behind walls and other barriers;
Pursuit Termination-Vehicle/Vessel Stopping – will provide for a user-safe, non-lethal means of stopping uncooperative vehicles and vessels attempting to evade apprehension;
Project Hostile Intent Integration – uses physical reactions- behavior, speech, and physiological (e.g. thermal imaging, eye tracking, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, and voice variations) for detection of hostile intent;
Covert Officer Safety Transmission System – provides ability for undercover agents to transmit own location and capture audio/images of interest;
Under Vehicle Inspection – will conduct a non-intrusive inspection of vehicular undercarriages that has the capability for penetration of thicker material;
Gunfire Location – will quickly identify the location of gunfire, classify the type of weapon, alert targeted enforcement of incoming gunfire, and create forensic data; and
Less-Lethal Compliance Measure for Personnel – provides a lighter-weight, more energy efficient, more robust, hand-held less-lethal device that safely neutralizes and assures compliance of uncooperative individuals.

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Border Officer Tools and Safety Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Bordertech Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Bordertech Project plans to develop, integrate and test sensor technologies in an operational environment to provide in-the-field capabilities, improving mission effectiveness and agent safety. This project will act as a risk reduction activity for major acquisition programs, such as SBI Network (SBInet). It will include:

North East Testbed (NET-B) – provides a test platform for evaluating technologies in an operational environment, enabling acquisition decisions, agent training and tactics development;
Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) Testbed – provides NET-B advanced technology to enable test and evaluation of new UGS units as well as new system capabilities;
Camera Evaluation – assess the performance characteristics of a variety of imaging systems in their ability to detect and classify contacts at ranges, analyze life cycle costs, and make recommendations;
Advanced Sensor Technologies – investigates technologies and methodologies for improving operational performance of unattended ground sensors, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) devices and associated sensor signal processing; and
Advanced Ground Surveillance Radar – assesses active and passive technologies and develops/ demonstrates a system for detecting and tracking humans.

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Border Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

CanScan Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division CanScan Project develops a next-generation non-intrusive inspection (NII) system which will be used to detect terrorist materials, contraband items (e.g., drugs, money, illegal firearms), and stowaways at border crossings, maritime ports, and airports. These new systems may provide increases in penetration, resolution, and throughput compared to existing NII systems and will support marine containerized cargo as well as airborne break-bulk, palletized, and containerized cargo. CanScan will provide improved cargo screening. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Container Security Device Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Container Security Device (CSD) Project develops a device whose sensor(s) can detect the opening of container doors from the point of consolidation to the point of deconsolidation in the maritime supply chain. Since the advanced container security device (ACSD) development will not be complete for some time to come and since the current generation of mechanical seals can be easily circumvented, the container security device (CSD) will provide an interim capability to monitor the status of container doors. The CSD is a small, low-cost device mounted on or within a container which can detect the opening or removal of container doors and reports its status to United States Customs and Border Protection organization. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Hybrid Composite Container Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Hybrid Composite Container Project develops a potential next-generation ISO shipping container with embedded security sensors to detect intrusions from the point of consolidation to the point of deconsolidation in the maritime supply chain. The container will be constructed from composite materials with embedded sensors. Composites are stronger than steel and are ten to fifteen percent lighter than current shipping containers. Weight savings can benefit shippers by allowing them to load more goods per container to meet the weight limit than they would ordinarily be able to. Also, composites are easier to repair therefore decreasing their overall life cycle costs over existing steel containers. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Marine Asset Tag Tracking System Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Marine Asset Tag Tracking System (MATTS) Project establishes a remote, global communications and tracking network to be used with the advanced container security device from the point of consolidation to the point of deconsolidation in the maritime supply chain. MATTS is able to communicate security alert information globally through the use of radio frequency, cell and satellite technology. In addition, the commercial shipping industry can track and monitor cargo as it moves through the supply chain. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Secure Border Initiative (SBI) Systems Engineering and Modeling and Simulation Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Secure Border Initiative (SBI) Systems Engineering and Modeling and Simulation Project helps border enforcement agencies make informed decisions in immigration/border security policy and operations using systems engineering tools and models. It provides systems engineering, analysis, and trade-off studies to secure border initiative. This project is part of the Borders Watch Thrust Area and Border Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Secure Border Initiative (SBI) Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE) Capability Development Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Secure Border Initiative (SBI) Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE) Capability Development Project provides a basic research feed to SBI for decision making. Decision making is often complex, and marked by uncertainty and turbulent environments. In a complex world we would ideally be able to make decisions in real time while taking into account areas including: multiple influences (technical, organizational, policy, political, managerial, human/social considerations); constant flux in data and resources; issues affected by politically driven realities. This research effort could enhance SBI decision making capabilities by assessing multiple, disparate factors affecting leadership decision making. This project is part of the Borders Watch Thrust Area and Border Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Secure Carton Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Secure Carton Project communicates via radio frequency identification reader any tamper event to the carton such as the insertion of a weapon of mass destruction after it leaves the point of manufacture to the point that it is delivered in the maritime and air cargo supply chains. This project provides improved supply chain visibility, chain of custody, and security beginning after it leaves the point of manufacture. It is scalable and applicable across the various shipping modalities including maritime and air cargo. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Secure Wrap Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Secure Wrap Project provides a transparent, flexible, and tamper-indicative wrapping material to secure and monitor palletized cargo after it leaves the point of manufacture to the point that it is delivered in the maritime and air cargo supply chains. This wrap is appropriate throughout the international supply chain for all shipping modalities (e.g., air, maritime, land). The wrap will provide a visible and/or fluorescent tamper indication which is deployable with little or no impact to current supply chain logistics and processes. Subsequent iterations of this wrap will be designed to support increasing levels of automated monitoring thereby reducing manpower loading. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Sensors and Surveillance Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Sensors and Surveillance Project addresses, documents, and demonstrates visual and non-visual technologies for monitoring the maritime border. Visual technologies provide an eyes-on capability that enables agents to verify if an activity is illegal. Non-visual technologies provide low-cost, long-endurance monitoring to detect and track objects that are not captured by cameras. The project includes the following visual and non-visual technologies:

Affordable Wide-Area Surveillance (WAS) Capability – demonstrates persistent and WAS commercial off-the-shelf/government off-the-shelf (COTS/GOTS) technologies to explore Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and data integration issues associated with the detection, tracking and classification of vessel traffic 12-120 nautical miles offshore;
Advanced Geospatial Intelligence (AGI) Technical Exploitation – demonstrates a processing and exploitation capability that provides wide-area surveillance of the offshore maritime environment;
Port and Coastal Radar Improvement – test and evaluate the performance of a COTS radar using advanced signal processing to detect, track and identify large and small vessels from zero to twelve nautical miles in the port and coastal regions under a variety of operational and environmental conditions;
Small Boat Harbor Surveillance Study/Pilot – develop and test near-term technologies for tracking small boats in a port environment and demonstrate the improved situational awareness through an operational test/pilot program; and
Inland Waterway Maritime Security System – delivers technologies that improve maritime security on inland waterways by providing advanced law enforcement capabilities, enhanced ability to protect critical infrastructure and key resources, improved incident management, and advanced mission support capabilities.

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Maritime Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Sensors/Data Fusion and Decisions Aids Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Sensors/Data Fusion and Decisions Aids Project develops systems to enable law enforcement officers and commanders to have full situational awareness, enabling effective decision making and execution in complex and dynamic operational environments. Current operations rely mostly on verbal coordination for real-time operational knowledge and situational awareness. This project will:

Provide the capability to fuse tactical information from multiple data sources such as sensors and databases (both law enforcement and commercial databases),
Provide real-time situational awareness,
Eliminate scene clutter,
Automatically identify and track high-risk targets (e.g., people, vehicles, and vessels),
Provide decision aids,
Facilitate multi-agency coordination for rapid response, and
Enable unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to sense other air traffic and maneuver as needed to avoid a mid air collision.

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Border Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Situational Awareness and Information Management Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Situational Awareness and Information Management Project plans to provide law enforcement agents the ability to know instantaneously when a threat presents itself at the maritime border and to provide required information quickly to decision makers and security forces. These functions are performed through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, and facilities as well as the procedures agents employ in operations. The project will include:

Advanced Automated Scene Understanding (ASU) – improves efficiency and effectiveness of the watchstanders/agents by autonomously detecting prohibited, suspicious, and anomalous behaviors based on self learning of normal behaviors or operator generated rules;
Covert Illegal Contraband Tracker – provides the ability to track illegal contraband to its final location after being detected by law enforcement, linking illegal shipments to the organizations that are smuggling them;
Boarding Team Communication – enhances the United States Coast Guards’ ability to more quickly, safely, and effectively board and inspect vessels by providing boarding teams continuous, reliable, inter-deck, team-to-ship, and team-to-command-center communications platform for voice and data; and
Port Security Test Bed – provides the basic infrastructure (e.g. command center displays, servers, and connectivity to sensors) for a maritime test bed. A functional maritime test bed provides Department of Homeland Security components a test environment to derive changes in concepts of pperations (CONOPS) based on the new technology. This is a significant risk reduction tool for transition technologies.

This project is part of the Border Watch Thrust Area and Maritime Technologies Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

Supply Chain Security Architecture Project

Project Overview: The Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate Borders & Maritime Security Division Supply Chain Security Architecture (SCSA) Project maps the international supply chain including: all the various nodes (e.g., point of stuffing, port of entry), participants (e.g., shippers, United States Customs and Border Protection, foreign customs departments), and information flow (e.g. container manifest is provided to United States Customs and Border Protection twenty four hours before the container is loaded on a ship). This security architecture will provide the Department the framework to incorporate near-term and future container security technologies into supply chain operations. The architecture defines the standards with which vendor technology must comply to ensure secure and reliable data communication. These standards lead to the development of information management systems that will support improved data collection and risk assessment. This project is part of the Cargo Security Thrust Area and Cargo and Conveyance Security Program of the Borders & Maritime Security Division.

ANNEX B – Command, Control and Interoperability Programs and Projects

These research projects create and deploy information resources to enable seamless and secure interactions among homeland security stakeholders.

AZ Link Project

Program Manager: Bruce Baicar

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) AZLink Project enables law enforcement units in the field to access and exchange criminal data (for example, criminal histories, mug shots, or incident reports) using hand-held, wireless, smartphone personal digital assistant (PDA) devices. Prior to the deployment of AZLink, many southern Arizona law enforcement units could only access critical criminal data from police radios or from computer systems located at headquarters. Based on this technology’s performance on the frontlines, CID intends to provide more than 200 of the smartphone PDA devices to law enforcement units in at least 20 local, tribal, state, and federal agencies across Arizona. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Computer-Aided Dispatch Interoperability Project (CADIP)

Program Manager: Denis Gusty

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Computer-Aided Dispatch Interoperability Project (CADIP) coordinated with emergency response agencies in Silicon Valley, California; Portland, Oregon; Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona; and the National Capital Region to identify the benefits of seamlessly and securely sharing information between disparate computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems. To help local and state agencies across the nation determine their future path toward CAD interoperability, CADIP researched various approaches to link CAD systems. CADIP encourages other jurisdictions to link their CAD systems via standards-based solutions. The project resulted in the creation of the CADIP Business Case—a video that provides decision makers with a value proposition for the importance of CAD interoperability. CADIP also published the Computer-Aided Dispatch Interoperability Project Documentation of Regional Efforts—a case study of the three regions studied and how they implemented CAD interoperability projects. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS) Project

Program Manager: Denis Gusty

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is establishing a research, development, testing and evaluation program to enable local, tribal, and state practitioners to deliver relevant, timely, effective, targeted alert messages to their constituents on their mobile devices without compromising networks. Known as the Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS), this national capability will ensure more people are alerted of crises that threaten their well-being. The project includes, at a minimum, addressing capability gaps in dynamic geographic targeting and understanding the public’s response to alerts and warnings. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Framework

Program Manager: Karyn Smith-Higa

Project Overview: Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is now the single categorical designation for information in the information sharing environment of the executive branch of the federal government. It was previously referred to as sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information. Across the federal government, there are at least 107 unique markings and over 130 different labeling or handling processes and procedures for SBU information. Inconsistency in SBU policies not only impedes the timeliness, accuracy, and steady flow of terrorism information that should be shared, but often fails to protect information that should not be shared. The Science and Technology Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) CUI Framework project will aid efforts to effectively designate, mark, safeguard, and disseminate information labeled as CUI in order to standardize practices and improve information sharing. The CUI Framework will not classify or declassify new or additional information. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Critical Infrastructure Inspection Management System (CIIMS)

Program Manager: Herbert Engle

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Critical Infrastructure Inspection Management System (CIIMS) enables aerial law enforcement personnel to better protect critical infrastructures and key resources (e.g., dams, bridges, power facilities) through structured monitoring, data collection, and information sharing within the local, state, and federal intelligence communities. The computer-based tool consists of a small, easy-to-use, tablet-sized computer with touch-screen controls. CIIMS aids data collection efforts and speeds information sharing among local, state, and federal intelligence communities. The technology allows inspection teams to visualize their location and proximity to the property being inspected. It also guides them through the inspection process to download information into a common database in real time. Originally deployed with the Maryland State Police, the system is now being used by the Los Angeles Police Department to support aerial operations as well. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Data Messaging Standards

Program Manager: Denis Gusty

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is partnering with emergency responders, federal agencies, and standards development organizations to accelerate the development of data messaging standards. When established, these standards provide emergency responders with the capability to seamlessly exchange critical data-such as situational reports, personnel requests, maps, and hospital bed availability information-across disparate software systems and applications. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Defense Technology Experimental Research (DETER) Testbed

Program Manager: Dr. Douglas Maughan

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Defense Technology Experimental Research (DETER) Testbed provides users, researchers, developers, and network operators nationwide with a testbed to conduct repeatable cyber experiments. Using this first-ever, experimental infrastructure, users can safely test new defensive cyber security technologies in realistic scenarios. DETER’s experimental forum is invaluable to collaborative and vendor-neutral cyber security testing and research. Ultimately, users apply successfully tested cyber solutions in the field to secure the nation’s networks and Internet. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Department of Homeland Security Secure Wireless Access Prototype (DSWAP)

Program Manager: Dr. Douglas Maughan

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate’s Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) has partnered with the S&T Directorate’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) to pilot the Department of Homeland Security Secure Wireless Access Prototype (DSWAP). DSWAP is a secure wireless access solution that provides enhanced, layered defense starting with the mobile wireless user and extending back to protected networks. The S&T Directorate’s CIO will deploy DSWAP to minimize risk in using public networks to securely connect to Department networks. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Digital Ink Library Project

Program Area Lead: Shane Cullen

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) successfully transitioned the Digital Ink Library to the United States Secret Service (USSS) in January 2009. The Digital Ink Library currently includes approximately 9,000 inks, many of which are rare and irreplaceable. These inks are critical in the investigation of criminal and terrorist casework involving fraudulent financial documents (such as checks and money orders), property and asset documents, and threats to persons protected by the USSS. Through this project, CID worked with USSS forensic investigators to enhance mission effectiveness by digitizing the complete archive of ink samples. Digitization allows for a less time-consuming process to locate inks, when needed; it also protects inks from environmental degradation. As a result, ink sample matching takes seconds as opposed to hours or days, and irreplaceable inks remain secure. This project is part of the Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Investigative Technologies program area of CID.

Discrete-Element Computing, Privacy and Forensics Program

Program Manager: Dr. Joseph Kielman

Program Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Discrete-Element Computing, Privacy and Forensics Program investigates novel mathematical transformations and other specialized techniques for accessing, processing, and managing multiple types and modes of information. Such data-intensive techniques are essential to the production of timely, comprehensive information on potential threats or imminent disasters. These techniques enable models and simulations to better capture and present the scale of the associated environmental, human, and economic impacts. In addition to providing real-time data analysis and decision support, discrete element tools offer the best methods for developing privacy-preserving software algorithms and real-time forensics. This project is part of the Basic/Futures Research program area of CID.

Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) Project

Program Manager: Dr. Douglas Maughan

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) project ensures that users reach correct and valid Internet sites. Large-scale international deployment of DNSSEC is underway-this deployment will offer assured Internet communications and will thwart a large number of current Internet attacks. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Forensic Speaker Recognition Project

Program Manager: Shane Cullen

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) forensic speaker recognition technology is reducing voice analysis completion rates by half. CID is partnering with the United States Secret Service and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory to develop a cutting-edge suite of software tools that automate labor-intensive components of speech analysis and compare speaker language and dialect features. The technology identifies how common a speech feature is by comparing the feature between speech samples and the U.S. population at large. Previously, it could take up to ten hours to analyze five minutes of speech evidence. The software tools under development have reduced this analysis time to less than one hour. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Generalized Data Driven Analysis and Integration (GDDAI) Project

Program Manager: Bruce Baicar

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Generalized Data Driven Analysis and Integration (GDDAI) project is developing several pilots to demonstrate the applicability of different analysis techniques for federal law enforcement operations. For example, one pilot is using a proximity query that allows agents to view, in a geospatial context, other suspects that may be close to the primary target in a pursuit. GDDAI has been deployed and is used today to aid in the investigation of active cases. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Identity Management (IdM) Testbed

Program Manager: Karyn Smith-Higa

Project Overview: While there is substantial research and development underway in the area of identity management (IdM), fundamental questions remain regarding how the Department of Homeland Security should proceed in the coming years. IdM policies, standards, architectures, and technical approaches that support homeland security community-wide, and eventually, government-wide are major current and future initiatives for the Department. The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is addressing these questions through the creation of the IdM Testbed project. This initiative is working to find the best technical solutions, practices, and policies for IdM in the homeland security community through extensive research and experimentation. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) Project

Program Manager: Denis Gusty

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) supports the Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) in the advancement of interoperability and state-of-the-art technologies for alerts and warnings through standards development and adoption, conformity assessment, industry capability analysis, and technology evaluation. The result of these efforts will enable local, tribal, and state practitioners to provide reliable and accurate alerts and warnings to a wider public. As a result, there will be a significant reduction in the loss of life and property from all hazards. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Interoperability Continuum – Version 2.0 Project

Program Manager: Kathleen Higgins

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Interoperability Continuum is designed to help the emergency response community and local, tribal, state, and federal policy makers address critical elements for success as they plan and implement interoperability solutions. These elements include governance, standard operating procedures, technology, training and exercises, and usage of interoperable communications. Updated in 2008, the Continuum’s technology element was divided into both data and voice elements to reflect the modern path to improving interoperability via information sharing and voice communications. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

IronKey

Program Manager: Dr. Douglas Maughan

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) partially funds the IronKey-a secure universal serial bus device that can withstand both simple and sophisticated attacks and provide secure Web browsing, cryptographic authentication, end point security, self-service password recovery, and secure password management. The IronKey was distributed across the S&T Directorate for use in 2008. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Linking the Oil and Gas Industry to Improve Cyber Security (LOGIIC)

Program Manager: Dr. Douglas Maughan

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Linking the Oil and Gas Industry to Improve Cyber Security (LOGIIC) consortium is a public-private partnership between the S&T Directorate and several companies, researchers, and industry representatives from the oil and gas industry. The LOGIIC consortium recently kicked off its second round of projects, which are aimed at reducing vulnerabilities in process control environments of the oil and gas sector. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Mission-Based Analysis of Departmental Suspicious Activities Reporting (SAR) Pilot

Program Manager: Bruce Baicar

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) Mission-Based Analysis of Departmental Suspicious Activities Reporting (SAR) pilot is examining the data environment and capabilities of current and planned SAR analytics. The pilot will conduct this assessment using a common analytic framework that relates mission requirements to current and planned enterprise capacity, policies, and training. This project provides a user-driven approach for optimizing integration and collaboration of SAR data within and across selected intelligence and law enforcement entities. This initiative will evolve as the SAR concept of operations develops to ensure that recommendations align with current and planned operational procedures. Through a collaborative effort of seven Department of Homeland Security components and CID, a key set of user-specified capabilities will be developed into a working prototype. This prototype will then leverage SAR data from each of the participating components. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Multi-Band Radio (MBR) Project

Program Manager: Thomas Chirhart

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is demonstrating a prototype for the first-ever, portable multi-band radio (MBR), which will allow emergency responders-police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel-to communicate with partner agencies, regardless of the radio band in which they operate. Similar in size and weight to existing portable radios, the MBR will provide emergency responders with cutting-edge communications capabilities. CID plans to pilot this radio with emergency responder agencies in 2009. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) Tools Project

Program Manager: Herbert Engle

Project Overview: In support of the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Enterprise Data Management Office, the Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is funding the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) Tool Analysis Project. This project examines the range of tools used to develop NIEM-compliant Information Exchange Package Documentation (IEPD). IEPD is a specification for data exchange and is an important foundation for information sharing. This project’s assessment of NIEM tools determined how well existing tools support practitioners in the NIEM IEPD development process. It also evaluated practitioner tool usage and highlighted experiences during IEPD development. The final document provides a qualitative assessment of the tools used by practitioners, issues with the current tools, and recommended improvements. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

National Visualization and Analytics Center (NVAC)

Program Manager: Dr. Joseph Kielman

Project Overview:: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division’s (CID) National Visualization and Analytics Center (NVAC) was established in 2004 and led by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and is a national and international resource that provides strategic leadership and coordination for visual analytics technology and tools. NVAC protects the nation’s citizens and critical infrastructures by providing emergency responders and public safety, public health, and law enforcement officials with technologies and capabilities to:

Examine massive, multi-dimensional, multi-source, time-varying information streams.
Discover and disseminate the information streams.
Make decisions in a time-critical environment.
Apply human judgment to make the best possible use of the information and share it with others-as appropriate-to prevent, deter, and respond to threats.

A network of university-based Centers of Excellence support CID and NVAC, including:

Five Regional Visualization and Analytics Centers that develop visual analytics tools; these tools assist analysts, researchers, policy makers, and the emergency response community in securing the homeland.
Four University Affiliate Centers of the Institute for Discrete Sciences that conduct research on advanced methods for information processing, analysis, and management.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Initiative and Automated Regional Justice Information System

Program Manager: Dr. Joseph Kielman

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID), is partnering with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as San Diego’s Automated Regional Justice Information System to enhance each agency’s ability to manage, process, and analyze data related to counterterrorism, crisis response, incident management, and law enforcement. This project is part of the Basic/Futures Research program area of CID.

Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP)

Program Manager: Luke Berndt

Program Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is sponsoring an initiative to facilitate the accessibility of computer and network operational data for use in cyber defense research and development. The Protected Repository for the Defense of Infrastructure against Cyber Threats (PREDICT) initiative aims to make this information accessible through large-scale research datasets. PREDICT represents an important three-way partnership between government, critical information infrastructure providers, and the security development community (both academic and commercial). The research data sets allow these partners to pursue technical solutions that will protect the public and private information infrastructure. This project is part of the Cyber Security program area of CID.

Protected Repository for the Defense of Infrastructure against Cyber Threats (PREDICT)

Program Manager: Luke Berndt

Radio over Wireless Broadband (ROW-B) Project

Program Manager: Cuong Luu

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) leads the Radio over Wireless Broadband (ROW-B) project. Because wireless radio and broadband systems serve specific and different needs, they were not designed to communicate with each other. Through the ROW-B project, CID is working with emergency response agencies and an industry partner to research how to connect existing land mobile radio systems with advanced wireless broadband technologies. CID will test the ROW-B technology through a pilot with local government agencies. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

RealEyes Project

Program Manager: Dr. Kai-Dee Chu

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is currently testing the operational efficiency of a streaming video application that will enhance mission communications capabilities for emergency responders and law enforcement officials. RealEyes is a cutting-edge technology that enables personal digital assistant (PDA) devices or cell phones to send real-time video and geospatial coordinates, view live video from a fixed or mobile camera, control fixed cameras, and immediately stream video from a PDA. The capabilities of the RealEyes software system can be used to provide situational awareness during emergency and non-emergency scenarios. This project is part of the Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Investigative Technologies program area of CID.

Sea, Lake, Overland Surge due to Hurricane (SLOSH) System Project

Program Manager: Herbert Engle

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is assisting the emergency management community through the Sea, Lake, Overland Surge due to Hurricane (SLOSH) system. SLOSH is a computerized legacy software model operated by the National Hurricane Center that estimates storm surge heights and winds resulting from hurricanes by assessing pressure, size, forward speed, and track. This project will model and analyze the currently implemented software system in order to modernize and improve the efficiency and capability of the SLOSH system. Redesign of this software system will result in enhanced usability and adaptability for the emergency management community. The next generation of SLOSH also encompasses the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s efforts to incorporate new science and software technologies that are emerging from users, researchers, and industry partners. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Virtual City Project

Program Manager: Steven Knox

Project Overview: Based on the Geographic Information System (GIS), the Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is developing a pilot, Virtual City, to integrate multiple data sources into a GIS viewer to enhance local law enforcement operations and situational awareness. CID will publish a resource guide for local and state law enforcement agencies that will explain the step-by-step process involved in implementing Virtual City once the pilot is complete. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Virtual USA

Program Manager: Dr. David Boyd

Initiative Overview:Having access to the right information at the right time is vital to making tactical, strategic, and planning decisions in the homeland security arena. Virtual USA is an initiative designed to support decision making by providing local, state, tribal, and federal homeland security practitioners with the capability to access and share relevant voice, data, imagery, or other information, regardless of where it is stored and the device used to access it, and among jurisdictions, states, regions, and nationally.

CID, working with other partners, such as the R-Tech program, within the Science and Technology Directorate, will advance application and platform agnostic technologies, standards, governance models and other tools, to establish a standards-based open information infrastructure that facilitates information sharing and collaboration. The Virtual USA initiative is not a specific project or program, but is a way of thinking at the practitioner level and a way of organizing efforts at the national level, focusing on the following key points:

Building on existing investments: Significant resources have already been expended on many information sharing platforms, architectures, viewers, and other solutions including Virtual Alabama and DHSEarth. Virtual USA does not seek to replace these, but instead integrate them into a system of systems model and leverage their successes for the largest possible community.
Practitioner-driven: Virtual USA begins with state and local homeland security practitioner requirements and employs pilot projects to demonstrate the value of technologies and other solutions to jurisdictions across the nation.
Vertical and horizontal integration: Virtual USA is designed to facilitate the exchange of information among all relevant homeland security practitioners, regardless of the jurisdiction served or the communications technology in use in any jurisdiction.
Broadly, applicable, low-cost, self-reinforcing business model: Sharing information across practitioners, jurisdictions, and disciplines must not involve high financial or human capital costs or other barriers to entry as its success depends on its ability to be as inclusive as possible, with incentives for all practitioners to ensure the accuracy of the data and a relatively low cost.

This collaborative initiative includes projects throughout all of CID.

Visual Analytics and Precision Information Environments Program

Program Manager: Dr. Joseph Kielman

Program Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) program conducts research on novel advanced technologies and techniques for understanding and manipulating information in multiple forms and modes (for example, text, video, images, audio, databases, and sensor data). Visual analytics software tools and human-computer interaction techniques leverage a person’s inherent ability to process visual information to interpret and analyze large quantities of diverse data. Meanwhile, the associated computation-based analytical reasoning techniques enable users to obtain real-time insights into complex data. Research on making such tools available for a wide range of tailored uses-including mobile and portable systems, desktop analytical stations, and large-scale situational awareness or common operating picture installations-is also underway. This project is part of the Basic/Futures Research program area of CID.

Vocoder Testing

Program Manager: Luke Berndt

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is partnering with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, federal agencies, industry leaders, and firefighters nationwide to improve digital radio transmissions in high-noise fire response operations by testing the digital Vocoder. This working group identified the Vocoder-a hardware/software component in every digital radio-as the cause of voice distortion in radios. When affected, the Vocoder may endanger the lives of responders and those awaiting help. CID will help train responders on how to minimize the distortion and will partner with radio manufacturers in the development of smarter radios. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Program Manager: Cuong Luu

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) is leading the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Project. To connect radio systems, emergency responders rely on bridging systems-technology components that connect radio systems. Bridging systems are increasingly using Internet Protocol-based connections known as VoIP to transmit voice communications across radio systems. Although VoIP is based on standards, the technology lacks a single standard adopted by all manufacturers. CID is working with emergency responders and the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences to define a specification for bridging devices that use VoIP. This project is part of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within CID.

Wireless Federated Query

Program Manager: Bruce Baicar

Project Overview: The Science and Technology Directorate Command, Control and Interoperability Division (CID) funded the development of the Wireless Federated Query for handheld devices that can retrieve digital photographs from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This new application enables law enforcement personnel who are away from their office or vehicle to quickly query, retrieve, and view California driver license photographs via a range of handheld personal digital assistant devices. This new capability greatly enhances practitioners’ ability to positively identify individuals in the field in real time. The new handheld application was certified by the California Department of Justice. Nearly 300 local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel throughout Southern California are currently participating in its operational testing. This project is part of the Knowledge Management Tools program area of CID.

Contact

General Inquiries email: sandt.cci@dhs.gov
Technology and Industry Liaison email: cci.technologyliaison@dhs.gov

ANNEX C – Infrastructure and Geophysical Projects (05.08.09)

These research projects work to improve and increase the nation’s preparedness for and response to natural and man-made threats through superior situational awareness, emergency response capabilities and critical infrastructure protection.

Advanced First Responder Locator Project

Project Overview: This project develops an advanced first responder locating system. It builds off efforts in previous years by including integrated sensor components and software for visualizing locations and tracks for incident commanders, using building diagrams, floor maps, and office/apartment location;, and securely connects to emergency operations centers (EOCs). This system will enable incident commanders and decision makers to visually track responders to enhance overall situational awareness. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the First Responder Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Advanced Surveillance Systems Project

Project Overview: This project develops the next-generation incident management enterprise system that will revolutionize the way our nation’s responders handle incidents. It builds upon the (Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) architecture and Training, Exercise & Lessons Learned (TELL) framework by providing an integrated, interoperable, and unified common operating picture with total visibility into: incident information, resources, environment, logistics supply chain, response and recovery plans, methods, tactics, and policies. AIMES is a technology leap to integrate all elements of the incident management enterprise in order to provide a secure, scalable, interoperable, and unified situational awareness to the responder community. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the Incident Management Enterprise Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Advanced Incident Management Enterprise System (AIMES) Project

Blast/Projectile – Advanced Materials Design Project

Project Overview: This project conducts basic research in conjunction with existing federal investments in nanotechnology and other material- science efforts to develop extremely strong, lightweight, resilient materials. These advanced materials, design procedures for their use, and innovative construction methods will enable more effective and affordable hardening and provide increased resiliency of assets deemed most vital to the safety, economy, and security of the nation, for both existing infrastructure and new construction. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Protective Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Blast/Projectile – Protective Measures and Design Tools Project

Project Overview: This project builds upon the basic research conducted through fiscal year 2008. The program will provide enhanced and additional protective measures along with design guidance for protecting the nation’s most critical infrastructure assets. Protective measures could include mechanisms to reduce blast effects, rapid mitigation and restoration technologies, and other defensive measures. In addition, the project plans to numerically analyze designs against blast and projectile threats and to conduct physical demonstrations to assess their effectiveness. This work will seek to mature and expand existing protective measures by making them less expensive, easier to apply, and more effective, and will develop entirely new materials and design concepts for additional classes of infrastructure. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Protective Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Blast/Projectile Protection Project

Project Overview: This project conducts basic research to understand the blast failure mechanisms of the most vital critical infrastructure, including dams, tunnels and bridges. The project also investigates advanced materials, design procedures, and innovative construction methods that may enable hardening or increase the resiliency of assets deemed most vital to the safety, economy, and security of the nation. It will leverage existing Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Energy (DOE) research and development, along with existing federal, state and private research and development efforts. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Protective Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Blast/Projectile – Unified Blast Analysis Tool Project

Project Overview: This project focuses on the research, development and transfer to practical utilization of technologies designed to protect the nation’s community-based critical infrastructures. KCI also addresses the development of technologies that support capacities to detect, avoid, deter, protect against, respond to and recover from infrastructure disruptions. KCI is funded by the Department and is managed by the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS). Research projects are accomplished through the Kentucky Homeland Security University Consortium which consists of all public university in Kentucky and private universities and colleges affiliated with the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. NIHS works in cooperation with the Department to support the KCI which generates solutions that have applications national in scope. KCI is a virtual research and development enterprise that involves academia, the private sector and the Department. KCI seeks to develop homeland security technologies that can be quickly commercialized. KCI has initiated several research and development projects since the program’s inception. For more information, please visit the NIHS Web site.

Chemical Sector Supply Chain and Economics Project

Project Overview: This project is a key component of a larger effort to deliver Enabling Homeland Security Capabilities (EHCs) for the Modeling, Mapping, and Simulation program. The first goal of this project is to populate a detailed dataset of the chemical and petrochemical manufacturing, supply and distribution components that comprise the chemical infrastructure supply chain. The second goal is to develop a means to mathematically analyze not only the consequence of significant threats, but also the resiliency of the supply chain to recover from these impacts. This project is part of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Modeling, Simulation & Analysis Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Complex Event Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Project

Project Overview: This project focuses on interdependencies, cascading effects, and the dynamics of multi-event and multi-vector attacks. This effort will provide significant improvements in timelines, quality and usability of information to provide decision makers up-to-date information to make informed decisions during an event. The program will leverage the capabilities developed for Critical Infrastructure Protection Decision Support System (CIPDSS) and sector-specific modeling, simulation and analysis (MSA). The project is within the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

First Responder Physiological Monitoring Project

Project Overview: This project develops an integrated sensor package that will monitor a responder’s vital signs such as cardiac rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and oxygen saturation, which could indicate Pre-Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) or cardiac arrhythmias. First responders need a highly reliable metric and notification system for on-scene identification of firefighters who are about to experience an immediate heart attack or other life-threatening condition. This project plans to fuse these measurements to establish the physical health of the responder based on a set of metrics, and warn both the wearer and command staff to potential life threatening physiological conditions. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the First Responder Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Incident Logistics and Resource Tracking System Project

Project Overview: This project provides a comprehensive and transparent disaster logistics enterprise across the entire area of responsibility of all disaster response, public and private, partners. Lessons learned from past incidents, such as Hurricane Katrina, have identified the need for an integrated logistics capability to provide relief supplies to victims in a timely manner – a capability that does not exist today. This capability will provide decision makers overall situational awareness relative to availability for timely procurement and disbursement of public and private material inventories, locations of resources, and supplies to response to an emergency. The tracking system will allow FEMA to manage more effectively critical resources and will enhance real-time coordination and situational awareness, setting the standard for all disaster response partners. This capability will be scalable and interoperable with federal, state and local systems (legacy and future) to enable efficient use of the supply chain. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the Incident Management Enterprise Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protection Institute Program (KCI)

Rapid Mitigation and Recovery Project

Project Overview: This project develops rapid mitigation and recovery technologies for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) assets to limit damage and consequences, and quickly resume normal operations. This project includes basic research and transition activities. The basic research portion will focus on longer-term needs and will investigate techniques for rapid repair of dams. The transition portion focuses on near-term needs of the Office of Infrastructure Protection; specifically it will develop protective technologies to mitigate damage to a stationary storage tank or a railcar from a puncture or small-caliber weapon impact. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Response and Recovery Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Recovery Transformer Project

Project Overview: This project partners with the Office of Infrastructure Protection and the Department of Energy (DOE) to specify, design, build, and demonstrate a new type of electrical power transformer to be used during recovery from emergency grid blackouts. The recovery transformer will be easy to transport and install, have low maintenance and long service life. This capability will eliminate the two-year lag in transformer replacement and will increase the resiliency of the power grid. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Response and Recover Technologies Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Simulation Based Incident Planning and Response Project

Project Overview: This project provides FEMA analysts, decision makers, policy makers as well as emergency managers, operators an integrated modeling and simulation capability to effectively, economically, and rapidly verify and validate response tactics, plans and procedures and to conduct “what-if” type analyses prior to an incident (preparedness, analysis, training) and during/after an incident (operational, lessons learned).

The project will develop accurate and reliable estimates of possible hazards from a wide range of natural and terrorist events, analyze and use route mapping to effectively manage transportation assets during mass evacuations or the post-event flow of emergency supplies, and conduct impact analysis to provide better understanding of possible impacts from natural disasters and terrorist events. This capability will leverage the results of the Training, Exercise & Lessons Learned (TELL) project and will follow three tracks: model development; integration framework; and support for conducting planning exercises. The project will use a spiral-development process to insert technology as it matures and to refine requirements and concepts before committing to significant development efforts. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the Integrated Modeling, Mapping and Simulation Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

South East Region Research Initiative (SERRI)

Project Overview: This project offers community-based, regionally-deployed solutions to homeland security challenges. It is a pilot research and development program that aims to assist state, local, and tribal leaders in the developing tools and methods required to anticipate and forestall terrorist events and to enhance disaster response. The initiative addresses the capability gaps and required needs through science and technology to develop and deliver enduring and focused technical and practical capabilities for state, local, and private sectors, who share common regional homeland security issues and needs. The initial pilot states include Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. This program is part of the Geophysical Thrust Area of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Training, Exercise & Lessons Learned (TELL) Project

Project Overview: This project provides advanced, automated, affordable underwater monitoring and surveillance technologies to detect underwater threats against dams and tunnels. Since these structures are particularly vulnerable to a water-borne attack, detection of suspicious activity is critical to asset protection. These technologies must be capable of operating in harsh environments for extended periods, and should seamlessly and transparently integrate into existing infrastructure security operations. This project is part of the Infrastructure Protection Thrust Area and the Advanced Surveillance and Detection Systems Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Underwater Surveillance Project

Project Overview: This project develops a federated simulation-based training and exercise capability that uses advanced computer models and will allow responders at all levels to affordably train and exercise for large and complex events in a virtual/constructive/live environment. TELL will link multiple agencies, functions, and jurisdictions to improve preparedness and decision-making for emergency responders and managers. TELL incorporates training objectives, scenarios, and metrics defined by other programs, and the capability to capture lessons learned to improve future emergency response capabilities.

TELL addresses the overarching need of successful implementation of the NIMS and the ability to conduct quick, repeatable, economical, and effective means of training incident commanders so they can be better prepared to handle complex incidents. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the Incident Management Enterprise Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.

Underwater Surveillance – Dams and Tunnels Project

Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) Project

Project Overview: This project develops a framework based on NIMS/ Incident Command System (ICS) and National Response Framework (NRF). It also develops compliant tools to manage and share information that will enhance incident command systems and multi-agency coordination common situational awareness and decision support during all types of incidents. The UICDS framework will be based on an open-architecture to allow multiple responding organizations (using their own equipment) to jointly manage personnel, direct equipment, and seamlessly communicate, gather, store, redistribute, and secure any mission-critical information needed by incident commanders and emergency responders during an emergency situation. This project is part of the Preparedness and Response Thrust Area and the Incident Management Enterprise Program of the Infrastructure and Geophysical Division.