Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SHIELD4CROWD (Setting baseline for a PCP Heightening Innovation Procurements in the European security ecosystem and Leveraging synergies through Dissemination activities for CROWD management)
Reporting period: 2023-08-01 to 2024-07-31
The SHIELD4CROWD project focuses on enhancing the protection of public spaces in European Union cities against a variety of security threats associated with crowd management. Public spaces are particularly vulnerable to numerous risks, including UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) attacks, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats, attacks involving cold weapons or firearms, and urban riots. These gatherings are inherently potential targets for terrorist or criminal activities, which underscores the critical need for robust security measures.
From its beginning, the project has been driven by the involvement of key security practitioners, including three Ministries of Interior from different EU countries, one Public Transport Operator, and two security practitioners from Poland and Slovakia. This diverse collaboration is further strengthened by the User Observatory Group (UOG), which involves numerous end-users, many of whom have already expressed formal interest in the project’s objectives.
SHIELD4CROWD adopts a progressive and iterative approach to identify and address a common security challenge. This process includes the identification of potential technologies that could serve as the foundation for future Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). The continuous involvement of the UOG is central to this process, starting with the definition of 10 Common Security Use Cases that highlight the gaps between available solutions, existing processes, and identified needs. Following this, a comprehensive technological analysis is conducted by experts, who also explore legal, societal, ethical, and environmental considerations. This analysis helps end-users narrow down to three specific use cases, which are then subjected to a State of the Art (SOTA) analysis and an Open Market Consultation. The outcomes of these activities ultimately contribute to the definition of the final use case leading to 2 common challenges to be tackled and the development of the initial set of Tender Documentation.
The project also includes a Security Advisory Board (SAB) responsible for managing the sensitive knowledge generated by its activities.
From its beginning, the project has been driven by the involvement of key security practitioners, including three Ministries of Interior from different EU countries, one Public Transport Operator, and two security practitioners from Poland and Slovakia. This diverse collaboration is further strengthened by the User Observatory Group (UOG), which involves numerous end-users, many of whom have already expressed formal interest in the project’s objectives.
SHIELD4CROWD adopts a progressive and iterative approach to identify and address a common security challenge. This process includes the identification of potential technologies that could serve as the foundation for future Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). The continuous involvement of the UOG is central to this process, starting with the definition of 10 Common Security Use Cases that highlight the gaps between available solutions, existing processes, and identified needs. Following this, a comprehensive technological analysis is conducted by experts, who also explore legal, societal, ethical, and environmental considerations. This analysis helps end-users narrow down to three specific use cases, which are then subjected to a State of the Art (SOTA) analysis and an Open Market Consultation. The outcomes of these activities ultimately contribute to the definition of the final use case leading to 2 common challenges to be tackled and the development of the initial set of Tender Documentation.
The project also includes a Security Advisory Board (SAB) responsible for managing the sensitive knowledge generated by its activities.
Throughout its 12-month duration, SHIELD4CROWD successfully executed a range of activities focusing on the technical and scientific aspects of public space protection. The project was structured around six key Work Packages (WPs), each targeting specific objectives:
- WP1 (Coordination/Project Management): This WP ensured effective coordination and project management, including quality control, risk management, and the establishment of collaborative tools for seamless communication among partners.
- WP2 (End User Group Set Up and Outreach): Key achievements include the establishment of the User Observatory Group (UOG) and the consolidation of a buyer group, facilitating direct involvement of end-users in defining security needs.
- WP3 (Common Security Threat and Needs Mapping): This WP successfully mapped out the major security threats and needs, resulting through an iterative process to the convergence towards 1 common security use case, which was guided by the technological and needs analysis of the project partners.
- WP4 (Technology Analysis): A thorough market and technological analysis was conducted, considering technological needs, legal, societal, ethical, and environmental aspects, which led to the convergence towards 1 common security use case and the identification of the 2 main challenges targeted for the futur PCP projects.
- WP5 (Pre-Commercial Procurement Preparation): This WP laid the groundwork for future Pre-Commercial Procurement by preparing detailed tender documentation, guiding and training the project's stakeholders.
- WP6 (Dissemination, Communication, and Exploitation): Key activities included the dissemination of project results, intellectual property management to ensure the long-term impact and exploitation of project outcomes.
- WP1 (Coordination/Project Management): This WP ensured effective coordination and project management, including quality control, risk management, and the establishment of collaborative tools for seamless communication among partners.
- WP2 (End User Group Set Up and Outreach): Key achievements include the establishment of the User Observatory Group (UOG) and the consolidation of a buyer group, facilitating direct involvement of end-users in defining security needs.
- WP3 (Common Security Threat and Needs Mapping): This WP successfully mapped out the major security threats and needs, resulting through an iterative process to the convergence towards 1 common security use case, which was guided by the technological and needs analysis of the project partners.
- WP4 (Technology Analysis): A thorough market and technological analysis was conducted, considering technological needs, legal, societal, ethical, and environmental aspects, which led to the convergence towards 1 common security use case and the identification of the 2 main challenges targeted for the futur PCP projects.
- WP5 (Pre-Commercial Procurement Preparation): This WP laid the groundwork for future Pre-Commercial Procurement by preparing detailed tender documentation, guiding and training the project's stakeholders.
- WP6 (Dissemination, Communication, and Exploitation): Key activities included the dissemination of project results, intellectual property management to ensure the long-term impact and exploitation of project outcomes.
The SHIELD4CROWD project has achieved significant advancements beyond the current state of the art by identifying a final use case and two critical challenges. These advancements include the development of a comprehensive understanding of the gaps in existing security technologies and processes, leading to innovative needs and associated solutions tailored to public space protection. The project's outcomes highlight the needs for further research and development, especially in integrating emerging technologies into existing security frameworks. To ensure the successful uptake and commercialization of these solutions, future efforts will require infrastructure compatibility with the new technologies, strong collaboration between stakeholder that will be using them and supportive regulatory frameworks. Additionally, internationalization and standardization efforts will be crucial to expand the project's impact within the EU cities.