The Research and Development Unit of Frontex is organizing the second edition of the Document Challenge with the cooperation of the Portuguese Immigration Services (SEF), the UK National Document Fraud Unit (NDFU), the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and the German Forensic Science Institute, part of Bundeskriminalamt.
The activity builds on the results and lessons learned of the Document Challenge exercise carried out in June 2012 at the Border Security Training Centre at Schiphol, with the purpose of identifying document fraud detection challenges and solutions for Border Guard officers working in the first line of Border Checks.
This year´s edition will take place in the second half of September 2013 (from 16 September until 2 October) at the Headquarters of SEF in Portugal and will include technical tests of Document Inspection Systems, a simulation exercise and an exhibition.
After the first phase of invitations restricted to Document Inspection System Hardware Manufactures, Frontex is extending the invitation to participate in the Document Challenge II to all Document Inspection System Providers, giving them the opportunity to:
- present their products to the end‑user community;
- have their equipment tested in a simulated operational setting;
- have their equipment tested by technical experts, and against a variety of “real” documents;
- obtain a better understanding of the functional/operational needs of the first line of border checks;
- interact/discuss with border control end users;
- have access to a benchmark study on Document Inspection Systems.
The participation of industry in the activity comprises of:
- Providing one document inspection system suitable for first-line checks for the full length of the event (the document inspection system provider would be responsible for delivery and collection of the equipment to/from the venue).
- Providing a technical demonstration on how to handle the equipment (up to 10 minutes) to about 50 participants from the end-user community on the afternoon of September 18.
- Providing training to Frontex Staff and to the technical experts from the Member States on how to operate the equipment (45 minutes).
- Providing technical support (remote or on-site) throughout the event.
- Providing the following support material related to the specific Document Inspection System that will be provided for the event: SDK, technical specifications, a one-page help sheet on how to use/handle the equipment and screenshots of the main panels of the GUI, one‑page proposal on how to proceed in case of malfunction of the equipment during the event and a (max 10-page) presentation of the equipment and a detailed description of its capabilities (including used databases, and method for authentication of electronic passports), configuration parameters, current use & applications and data on the success rate of the system.
For additional information about the activity, the application and selection procedures and the general participation rules please go to http://btn.frontex.europa.eu/resources/library/document-challenge-ii-invitation-industry-%E2%80%93-phase-ii
In order for an application to be considered eligible, applicants are requested to fill in an application form available at http://btn.frontex.europa.eu/resources/library/document-challenge-ii-industry-application-form and send it, together with all requested annexes, to idcheck2013@frontex.europa.eu, by August 30.
The first 5 eligible applications will be accepted on condition of their completeness and adequacy. An answer will be provided to all by September 2. The selected participants will receive further information about the protocol for the exercise and tests, and other details related to the event afterwards.
All requests for clarification related to the application to participate in the event should be sent to idcheck2013@frontex.europa.eu by August 29.