U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
Fiscal Year 2008 

HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 


SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCE: DOMESTIC NUCLEAR 
DETECTION OFFICE OVERVIEW 


February 2008 


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 
DOMESTIC NUCLEAR DETECTION OFFICE OVERVIEW 

A. Mission and Vision 
As part of the national effort to protect the Nation from radiological and nuclear threats, 
the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) was established by Presidential 
Directive on April 15, 2005. DNDO plays an essential role in creating and implementing 
a defensive strategy, with domestic and international programs, to protect the Nation 
from a terrorist nuclear or radiological attack. Because no single layer within the 
strategy will be capable of providing one hundred percent effectiveness in detecting and 
interdicting radiological and nuclear materials for illicit use, DNDO is using a multilayered 
strategy. 

The DNDO is the primary agency within the U.S. Government responsible for 
developing the global nuclear detection architecture, and acquiring and supporting the 
deployment of the domestic detection system to detect and report attempts to import or 
transport a nuclear device or fissile or radiological material, intended for illicit use. 

Among these program initiatives, DNDO is conducting both evolutionary (near-term, 
requirements-driven) and transformational (long-term, high pay-off) research, 
development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) programs to improve the Nations 
capabilities for detection, identification, and reporting of radiological and nuclear 
(rad/nuc) materials. By integrating RDT&E programs with operational support 
responsibilities, DNDO will ensure all technologies are appropriately deployed, with 
training materials and well-developed operational response protocols. Working with 
Federal, State, and local partners, DNDO has piloted initial training programs and 
developed detection alarm protocols that can be customized for specific operational 
missions. Additionally, complementary systems comprising the global architecture will 
be positioned utilizing resources and components with maximum effectiveness. 

B. Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Partnerships 
DHS values the importance that effective sharing and use of nuclear detection-related 
information, intelligence, and systems play in strengthening our Nations security. 
DNDO will integrate crucial overseas detection programs with domestic nuclear 
detection systems and other nuclear detection efforts undertaken by Federal, State, 
local, and tribal governments and the private sector. To facilitate an effective 
partnership with State and local entities that are involved in preventive rad/nuc detection 
activities, DNDO will continue to pursue through active engagements a coordinated 
delivery of DNDO products, programs, and services to expand State, local and tribal 
preventive rad/nuc detection capabilities. 

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 
C. Building Capabilities 
DNDO encourages States and regions to implement a comprehensive preventive 
rad/nuc detection program capable of detecting radiological and nuclear materials and 
weapons in support of, and in concert with, the domestic portion of the global nuclear 
detection architecture. DNDO believes that implementation of a comprehensive 
program will take several years, and require substantial interstate and Federal 
coordination. As such, DNDO strives to partner with State, local, and tribal agencies 
choosing to develop, enhance, and implement nuclear detection systems with regard to 
architecture design, subsystem configuration, upgrades and coordinated operations, 
communications, and interoperability. 

DNDO believes that domestic layers of detection assets may include fixed and mobile 
radiation portal monitors, Polyvinyl Toluene (PVT) and spectroscopic, handheld and 
other human-portable nuclear detection devices, and other mobile nuclear detection 
devices. 

But while technology is a critical tool to combat terrorism, the nuclear threat is not one 
that can be effectively countered by technology alone. Accordingly, DNDO supports the 
development of comprehensive preventive rad/nuc detection capabilities across the 
State, local and tribal communities by developing the necessary training, exercise 
support, equipment test reports, information sharing capabilities, and program tools to 
create a fully integrated operating environment. These resources includes: providing 
technical reachback support to Federal, State, local and tribal operators; development 
of standardized training curricula and response protocols; conducting comprehensive 
assessments of existing technology to inform application and acquisition; providing 
program development tools and guidance for immediate application by policy makers 
and operators; and the development of a robust national situational awareness and 
analysis capability through the Joint Analysis Center (JAC). Such resources can be 
used by State, local and tribal entities to build or enhance a comprehensive preventive 
rad/nuc detection program, or to develop specific preventive rad/nuc detection 
capabilities in areas such as commercial vehicle inspection, special events screening, 
small maritime craft monitoring, fixed infrastructure protection, and urban area security. 

Funding from the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Urban Areas Security 
Initiative (UASI), Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), Buffer Zone 
Protection Program (BZPP), Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP), Port Security 
Grant Program (PSGP), and Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) can be used 
to enhance existing or establish new preventive rad/nuc detection programs. However, 
grantees are encouraged to contact DNDO prior to initiating program activities and 
provide a point of contact for each detection program to whom DNDO can provide 
program guidance, tools, resources and updates. Please contact DNDO with this 
information at DNDO.SLA@dhs.gov. 

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 
D. Allowable Costs and Available Resources 
DNDO is working in close coordination with Federal, State, and local entities to develop 
technical assistance (TA) programs for the enhancement and development of 
preventive rad/nuc detection programs that support the planning, organization, 
equipment, training, exercises activities, and operational support systems (POETE/Ops 
framework) as explained in Table 1. This POETE/Ops framework matches to the 
National Preparedness Goal, State Homeland Security Strategies, and all reporting 
requirements for DHS grant programs. 

Table 1  TA for Preventive Rad/Nuc Detection Programs 

Planning DNDO will provide assistance with planning and development of protocols and programs. 
Organizatio 
n 
DNDO will provide guidance for organizational structures to support successful 
preventive rad/nuc detection programs. 
Equipment DNDO will evaluate equipment and provide recommendations on integrated sets of 
equipment to meet detection and alarm resolution mission priorities. 
Training DNDO will help States develop and implement training guidelines and programs. 
Exercises DNDO will provide assistance with enhancing and developing exercise guidelines and 
support. 
Operational 
Support 
DNDO is establishing technical reachback support systems and other 24/7 information 
sharing systems. 

State and local grantees are encouraged to work closely with DNDO as they develop 
preventive rad/nuc detection programs in order to ensure consistency with DNDO 
program guidance and to ensure that national operational support systems are 
effectively coordinated with their programs. 

During FY07, DNDO strengthened the breadth and effectiveness of its programs and 
TA offerings in cooperation with the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, 
Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State, 
territorial, tribal, and local governments, related national associations, and the private 
sector. The resulting products and TA are currently available to State and local 
grantees that wish to develop or enhance preventive rad/nuc detection programs 

. 
ProtocolsDNDO partnered with a national stakeholders group of States, 
locals, and national association representatives as well as the Federal 
Interagency to establish alarm resolution and response protocols. State and 
local public safety agencies and State level radiation safety and health authorities 
are an integral part of the radiation detection alarm adjudication and resolution. 
DNDO is establishing a technical reachback training course to educate State and 
local authorities on alarm adjudication protocols and the technical tools and 
techniques available to supplement existing knowledge and capabilities at State 
and local levels. For additional information please email DNDO.SLA@dhs.gov. 

. 
Regional Reachback Centers DNDO has partnered with national laboratories 
to provide specialized technical analysis necessary to resolve radiation detector 
alarms by identifying and distinguishing special nuclear material and suspicious 
or unidentified radioactive materials from radioactive materials that are naturally 
occurring, used in industry, in medical treatments, or found in commercial 

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 
products. Regional Reachback is available 24/7 to support State and local 
authorities through the DNDO Joint Analysis Center (JAC) via 1-877-DNDO-JAC 
and DNDO.JAC@dhs.gov. 

. 
TrainingDNDO has piloted several initial training program offerings that can be 
tailored from awareness to operations level needs for a variety of public safety 
disciplines. Training offerings will be available in FY08, in limited numbers, to the 
State and local community, and additional training programs will be developed 
and piloted. 

. 
Preventive Rad/Nuc Detection Program Management Handbook with 
Commercial Vehicle Inspection Rad/Nuc Module DNDO has developed a 
Preventive Rad/Nuc Detection Program Management Handbook with a 
Commercial Vehicle Inspection (CVI) Rad/Nuc Module in concert with State and 
local stakeholders. The Handbook is designed to assist State and local officials 
seeking to develop or enhance CVI rad/nuc detection programs. This Handbook 
provides comprehensive guidance (POETE/Ops framework) for administration of 
a domestic preventive rad/nuc detection program and is intended to assist 
program development and implementation at both senior policy making and 
operational levels. DNDO is in the process of developing a second module, with 
a focus on developing a small maritime craft rad/nuc detection program, which 
will be available in FY08. 

. 
Equipment Test ResultsDNDO has made available an initial round of 
equipment test results to evaluate the effectiveness of detection systems in 
multiple performance areas and inform State and local agencies making 
procurement decisions. The Anole Test Campaign Report (which includes test 
results for handheld, backpack, and mobile systems) is available on the 
Responder Knowledge Base (RKB). The second round of test results (Bobcat 
Test Campaign Report) includes Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) Personal 
Radiation Detectors (PRDs), and is expected to be available on the RKB in 
February 2008. States and Urban Areas interested in receiving the report 
immediately may contact DNDO at DNDO.SLA@dhs.gov for a copy of the report. 

During FY08, DNDO will continue to refine and expand program offerings and TA, as 
well as expand its State and local stakeholder partnerships to coordinate the delivery of 
DNDO products, programs and services to enhance the global nuclear detection 
architecture and enhance nationwide preventive rad/nuc detection capabilities. 

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