The mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) is to lead DHS efforts and coordinate with domestic and international partners to safeguard the United States against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. To achieve these ends, CWMD’s Test & Evaluation Division conducts assessments through the Directed Testing (DT) Program to respond to inquiries from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial (FSLTT) stakeholders and international partners on the performance and utilization of available CBRN detection systems. Directed tests can either provide exhaustive performance data on CBRN detection systems or focus on specific scenarios to assist in the fielding of disruptive capabilities to address an immediate need identified by operators. Such evaluations work to strengthen detection in various domestic pathways through which global commerce travels.
The DHS CWMD DT Program will hold its inaugural Annual Outreach Symposium at the Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) from June 13-15, 2023, to present the tests planned for fiscal year 2023 and collect information from the CBRN detection community to determine out-years’ test topics. This symposium will facilitate networking and foster relationships across FSLTT and international communities dealing with CBRN detection and response. It will focus on identifying critical and current CBRN testing needs to address information and/or performance gaps that are of immediate utility to the community. It is not necessary to propose a fully designed test plan. General ideas or requirements are a sufficient starting point; however, the question, expected deliverable(s), and anticipated benefit(s) must be clearly captured.
The symposium will be a hybrid event, accessible virtually and in person at JHU/APL’s Kossiakoff Conference and Education Center (K Center) located at 11101 Johns Hopkins Rd., Laurel, Maryland 20723. The symposium will combine 2.5 days of presentations and working groups for FSLTT officials and representatives of international organizations with a half-day exhibition for vendor engagement on the afternoon of the final day. Registration and information (symposium agenda, speaker biographies, vendor exhibition, location details, etc.) are available at the following website: https://secwww.jhuapl.edu/EventLink/Event/273
All interested U.S. FSLTT officials and representatives of international organizations must register for the symposium (whether attending virtually or in person). Virtual attendees will be provided with a link via email prior to the event.
All interested CBRN vendors must register for the exhibition that will occur on the afternoon of June 15, 2023 (in person only). Due to space limitations at the K Center, booth space will be allocated among CBRN vendors and in the order registrations are received.
