ARC - Seibersdorf Laboratories

DGA /CEB - Centre d’Etudes du Bouchet (Ministere de la Defense)

DGA/ ETBS - Etablissement Technique de Bourges - Ministère de la défense

COT - Cotecna Inspection S.A.

BAM - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung, Department Non-Destructive Testing and Characterization, Radiology

FOI - Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (The Swedish Defence Research Agency)

TNO - Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research

ARC - Austrian Research Centers
With over 700 employees, the Austrian Research Centers GmbH (ARC) constitutes Austria’s largest contract research enterprise. Founded in 1956, the ARC understands its role as an innovation partner for industry and public organisations. It serves as a service provider in the fields of application-oriented research and technology development combining a broad interdisciplinary range of skills with specialised know-how. The technology areas in which ARC is currently active are: Biomedical Engineering, Biogenetics, Life Sciences, Health Physics, Information Technologies, Materials and Production Engineering. These research and technology development fields are combined with capacities in Systems Research, accredited measurement and test services and technology consulting for industrial innovation projects.
ARC has a long tradition of scientific work starting with nuclear energy and application and now offers services from radiation protection to food inspections, from doping tests to the measurement of electromagnetic radiation. There is also a long lasting tradition in cooperation with CBRN disaster preparedness, mitigation and relief in cooperation with authorities and the Austrian army.
Important expertise of ARC in relation to the proposed activities are sensor technology, toxicology and chemical analysis as well as identification of suspect substances, specifically radioactive and/or nuclear materials, development of sensors and early warning detectors for radiological releases including issues of equipment testing and first responder training.
ARC will participate with expertise from the Department Radiation Safety & Applications..

DGA/CEB - Centre d’Etudes du Bouchet, Part of Ministère de la Défense, France
As a part of DGA within the French MoD, the Centre d’études du Bouchet (CEB) is the national reference centre addressing the biological and chemical risks.
In 2006, the breakdown costs amounted to 14 M€ with 230 employees. The organization is certified according to ISO 9001:2000 (customer satisfaction), ISO 14001 (environment), ISO CEI 17025 (for proof constitution process).
The expertise of CEB relates mainly to the characterization of the danger due to the possible use of radiological, biological and chemical agents and weapons, to CBRN risk assessment and hazard management.
CEB intervenes in the evaluation of the detection, protection and decontamination means intended to equip the forces as well as the civilian entities responsible for the safety of the nation.
CEB has a complete technical set of large test facilities operated by very specialized and skilled personnel with a high level of competence. This technical set allows mastering the complete scope of experiments, from the characterization of agents in laboratory to the real size field tests representative of operational conditions. CEB main facilities are:

• A Biology Safety Level 3 laboratory,
• Laboratories accredited for the analysis of chemical and biological agents in order to be part of the process of constitution of the proof (law enforcement),
• Laboratories for physical measurements and evaluation of the physiological burden due to the wearing of protective equipment by combatants and teams intervening in C, B and R environment,
• A Low Speed Wind Tunnel for dynamic aerosol experiments of elements of systems,
• A large volume (1400m3) confined chamber allowing evaluating the characteristics of huge defence systems.
• Field trial facilities

As a national reference centre, CEB relies on a vast network of partners, sub contractors and institutional customers including:

• Home office, Health office, Foreign Office, Transport, Environment, Justice,
• Governmental and non governmental national agencies,
• Great groups and innovating PME working in the CBRN domain.

International relationships are mainly oriented towards Europe co-operations. CEB is also involved in several actions of the European Defence Agency (EDA) and in NATO CBRN works.

DGA/ETBS - Etablissement Technique de Bourges - Ministère de la défense, France
Within the Ministry of Defence, the French Armament Procurement Agency (DGA) contributes to preparing the future defence capabilities and conducts the armament programmes for the French Armed Forces. It works closely with the Armed Forces’ staffs, from defining the future needs to the following up of the users’ satisfaction. Thanks to its expertise and test centres, independent from the industry, DGA guarantees that the manufactured equipment meets the operational needs and complies with the technical performances required by the users.
Established in 1872, located in the centre of France, the Technical Centre of Bourges (ETBS) occupies 209 hectares including a test range of 10,000 hectares. It also has a vast pyrotechnical workshop with mechanical and climatic capabilities for storing, preparing and packaging ammunition. ETBS is a national centre of excellence in expertise, simulation and pyrotechnical testing, operated by 800 people, in the following areas: nuclear defence engineering, missiles and weapons, land systems architecture and techniques, systems of systems, and more recently technologies for countering IED (Improvised Explosive Device). National and international partners:

• Scientific partnerships: Franco-German Saint Louis Institute (ISL), the National Office for Aerospace Research (ONERA), the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Universities;
• Technical and operational partnerships: Army Engineering Section (STAT), Armed Forces Medical Corps (SSA) and military schools; Home Office: Technical Service for National Security;

International partnerships: NATO and International Test Operating Procedures (ITOP) groups.

Cotecna Inspection S.A., Switzerland
COTECNA is a leading global innovator providing end-to-end supply chain and cargo trade security solutions. Cotecna works with governments and companies, acting as a key player in the public-private partnership addressing trade and freight transport security.
COTECNA has over 30 years of experience in inspection, testing, screening, physical control and verification of goods worldwide.  In addition, COTECNA has expertise in industrial capacity x-ray scanning with more than 6 years of practical experience in 5 African countries and 1 Caribbean Basin island nation.  COTECNA has also been the innovator in integrating container tracking solutions within its trade-related services offerings (COTRACK).
Cotecna has particular expertise and practical experience in the deployment, application and operation of technologies and processes that address security in international trade activities. The specific processes and technologies include:

• Physical Cargo and Container Inspection (process and technology)
• Nuclear, Radioactive, Chemical and Explosives Threat Detection Process and Technology Application (cargo and container)
• Non-Intrusive Cargo and Container Inspection (scanning and interpretation)
• Digital Comparative Imaging of Containers and Cargo
• Personnel Credentialing and Access Control
• Container, Cargo and Vehicle Tracking and Tracing Process and Technology Application - including specialized application for dangerous/hazardous goods
• Use and Application of Tamper-Evident Security Labels and Tape Seals (cargo and container control)
• Practical Implementation of Secure Data Transfer Solutions for Freight Transport Security Applications

Cotecna’s experience and expertise above-mentioned have been particularly used in the activities relating to the implementation and operation of 7 global secure trade lanes, addressing trade security across multiple modes of transport (including maritime, rail and road).
In addition to the secure trade lanes, Cotecna currently operates 12 global cargo inspection and control contracts and programs for governments worldwide. Five of these government contracts include Cotecna implementation and operation of non-intrusive cargo and container inspection technology (cargo scanning). All 12 contracts include physical goods and container inspection and verification as well as shipping container integrity and control elements.

BAM - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung, Department Non-Destructive Testing and Characterization, Radiology, Germany
The Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is a technical and science superior federal institute under the authority of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour (BMWA). BAM has the tasks to promote the development of the German economy. Expert advice on safety aspects of chemical and material technology is also given for national and international organisations. As a target group organisation, BAM can develop and if necessary establish contracts to the principal inducers, receivers and users of the results of research and testing of BAM. BAM is generally engaged in the interdependent and complementary activities as research and development, testing, analysis, approvals, consultation and information. Duties of BAM are the development and supply of reference materials and reference methods, especially for chemical analysis and materials testing. Its responsibilities also are statutory functions for technical safety in the public domain, especially relating to dangerous goods and substances. BAM is the highest authority in evaluation and certification of explosives in Germany with special tasks according to the Explosive Act, the Weapon Act and the Act for the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Security developments and tests with explosives require special permissions which are available at BAM, as well as permission for application of ionising radiation. Furthermore, BAM has established long standing expertise in image processing, e.g. by processing X-rays images in non-destructive testing. Another focus of work is on the determination, valuation and assessment of application limits of technical and safety relevant equipment, like e.g. the evaluation of the reliability of X-ray systems for inspections. BAM is equipped with laboratories and test fields which meet the requirements for security developments, tests with explosives and the application of ionising radiation. BAM collaborates closely with the Federal institute for radiation protection (BFS) the Federal forces for protection of boarders (BGS) and the ministry for inner affairs (BMI). The major task is the support and consultation on technology and detection systems for security applications. BAM is engaged in airport security, IED/EOD detection systems and humanitarian demining. A close contact to German and international security authorities exists for coordination of future developments and needs.

FOI - Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (The Swedish Defence Research Agency), Sweden
FOI is an assignment-funded authority under the Ministry of Defence. The core activities are research, method and technology development and studies relating to defence, security and safety applications. The organisation employs around 1150 people of whom around 900 are scientists and research workers. This makes FOI the largest research institute in Sweden.
Through its in-house competence and wide-ranging networks, FOI provides its customers with leading expertise in numerous fields of application. Areas of application, both military and civil, include security-policy studies and analyses in defence and security; threat assessment; defence economy; energetics, weapons, and physical protection; sensor technology; management of hazardous substances and CBRNE protection; human-system interfaces; systems technology, modelling and simulation; command and control systems; information technology and security; communications; physiology, defence medicine and traumatology; aeronautics; and under-water technology. FOI also operates an air combat simulation and training centre for the Swedish Air Force. Scientific areas range over a broad spectrum from technology and natural sciences to medicine, social sciences, and economics.
FOI has a set of unique facilities and a long and broad experience in testing and evaluating security related products for both military and civilian customers.

TNO - Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Netherlands
TNO is an independent not-for-profit research organization whose expertise and research make a substantial contribution to the competitiveness of businesses and organizations, to the economy and to the quality of society as a whole. As a large contract research organization, TNO provides a link within the innovation chain between fundamental research as a source of knowledge and practical application as the use of knowledge that can be commercially exploited. TNO has a staff of about 5,000 highly educated and driven professionals. TNO operates in five core areas:

• TNO Quality of Life
• TNO Defence, Security and Safety
• TNO Science and Industry
• TNO Built Environment and Geosciences
• TNO Information and Communication Technology.

Each core area offers its own package of products and services. There are 15 different TNO locations spread over The Netherlands.
TNO Defence, Security and Safety focuses on defence issues covering a broad range of operational activities: military operations, military equipment, command & control and operational decision making, threat and protection, instruction and training. On the one hand, TNO is directly involved in international projects as member of (multi-) national consortia, with a strong focus on Research and Development (R&D). On the other hand, TNO is frequently asked as an independent advisor and mediator for governments and industry. TNO’s central position between the private and public sectors gives the organization a crucial role in transferring and using knowledge and experiences from multiple perspectives.
Customers on the government side include the Dutch Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, Justice, Foreign Affairs as well as the national and multi-national governmental organizations, such as NATO and the European Commission.
TNO Defence, Security and Safety works in many projects closely with the defence and security industries and with small and medium-sized enterprises to develop innovative solutions.
Within TNO Defence, Security and Safety the Business Unit Biological and Chemical Protection is an internationally recognized group of specialists on protection against, amongst others, chemical and biological threats. The knowledge base covers many elements of the whole chain of the so-called passive defence against these threats ranging from threat analysis through detection and protection to contamination control and medical countermeasures. Increasingly the elements mentioned are being studied from a systems-of-systems point of view. In many of the studies experiments are performed that take use of the capability to perform tests with very toxic chemical agents and pathogenic biological agents in our dedicated experimental facilities.

Primarily the work is done in the context of national and international defence applications. Increasingly also a role is fulfilled in CBRNE counterterrorism. In this context TNO was, amongst others, responsible for project coordination in the FP6 ASSRBCVUL project and the PASR project IMPACT and has extensive experience in many more international projects including FP7- and EDA-projects.

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