HSDBC Executive Tour to Laredo, Texas

Homeland Security & Defense Business Council's

Executive Tour to Laredo, TX – Nov. 5th – 7th

Please review all of the details before registering. If you have any questions about any aspect of this tour, please contact Krista Sweet at 202-470-6442 or ksweet@homelandcouncil.org.

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COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLY

Participation is limited to no more than 26 industry attendees. Registration is initially limited to 1 representative per member company on a first come, first serve basis.

Payment of $1950 is due at the time of registration. Up to two additional company representatives can sign up under the wait list on the registration page. Members on the wait list do not have to pay until they have been ensured a spot on the tour. Before registering, please coordinate among your colleagues as to who will sign up for the guaranteed spot and who will sign up to be on the wait list.

If your company is interested in participating, but needs time to determine the appropriate executive or subject matter expert to attend, please notify us that you would like a spot for your company reserved. This spot can be reserved until October 10th, at which point we will open the wait list if space remains and notify companies in the order in which they signed up that they can register another person.

I. OVERVIEW AND SUBSTANCE OF THE TOUR:

The Council is sponsoring an Executive Tour to Laredo, TX from Sunday, November 5th – Tuesday, November 7th. The formal program will begin on Monday morning, so attendees will need to arrive by Sunday evening. We are planning a welcome dinner and networking reception on Sunday for those that arrive early enough to attend. The tour will conclude at approximately 1:30pm on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 7th.

While the focus of this trip is on border security and Customs and Border Protection operations both at the Port of Entry and along the and border, we are also looking to include a visit with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Planning is in progress and the program will include a combination of briefings and discussions, site visits, and operational tours with various federal officials.

During these visits, we expect our members to gain a better understanding of the technology, infrastructure, and manpower needs of the region and the unique challenges involved with facilitating commerce and travel while countering criminal and terror threats at the land border. This visit will allow us to hear what makes CBP operations in Laredo unique, what is working well, and where they still have challenges. We hope you will learn more about the capabilities that are critical to achieving their mission and their strategic vision for the future.

The following schedule is tentative and subject to change:

Sunday, November 5th:

7:00pm - Welcome reception and networking at the La Posada Hotel

7:30pm – Dinner at the La Posada Hotel

Monday, November 6th:

9:30am – Reserved for a visit with ICE and tour of detention facility

1:00pm – Briefings, discussions, and operational tour with Border Patrol

• Working lunch - Briefings (101, intelligence unit, and joint operations) and discussion

• LRT Marine Unit/Boat Tour on the Rio Grande

• Laredo North Checkpoint Overview

• Tour of Laredo South Border Patrol Area of Operations and evening ride along.

• PLEASE NOTE: While not guaranteed, Border Patrol is working out the logistics and approval to allow members to participate in an evening ride along at different parts of their area of operations. For those that may be tired and do not want to participate in the evening activities, you will have the option to come back to the hotel.)

Tuesday, November 7th:

8:30am - Briefings, discussion, and tour with CBP Office of Field Operations

• Port 101 video

• Tours of primary and secondary operations at multiple Ports of Entry Brief tour of new facility construction

• Pedestrian, non-commercial passengers, and bus operations at the Gateway to the Americas International bridge (“Bridge 1”) and (Juarez Lincoln International Bridge (“Bridge 2”)

• Cargo operations at World Trade International Bridge (to include physical inspection, x-ray and other technologies, and radiation detection monitoring)

• Working lunch and discussion with CBP officials

1:30pm – Tour concludes

II. COST / REGISTRATION FEE:

The cost of the trip is $1,950 per attendee. This fee will cover the following expenses:

- 2 Day Program and Administrative Costs

- Hotel Accommodations for Two (2) Nights:

• Two (2) nights lodging at the La Posada Hotel, 1000 Zaragoza Street, Laredo, TX (956.722.1701) in the Laredo Historic District from Sunday, November 5th – Tuesday, November 7th.
• NOTE: All hotel reservations will be made by the Council.

- All Local Transportation: We will have a coach bus reserved to take us as needed to and from the briefings/programs on each of two days of the tour.

- Meals

• Breakfast (Monday, Tuesday)

• Lunch (Monday & Tuesday)

• Dinner (Sunday, Monday)

• Snacks and beverages will be provided on the bus throughout both days (the bus will be equipped with Wi-Fi)

Expenses Not Included in the Registration Fee:

The $1950 fee does NOT include the following expenses:

• Roundtrip Airfare (to/from Laredo)

• Ground transportation from the Laredo airport to the La Posada Hotel on Sunday, November 5th. The hotel does provide a free shuttle for its guests. We will arrange to have the shuttle available around each of the arrival times of the attendees.

Cancellation Policy: The $1950 fee is fully refundable if you cancel the trip before October 15th (minus any nominal charges the Council may incur). After this date, we cannot guarantee full refunds. The amount refunded will depend on how much of your fee has already been obligated under a contract (e.g. hotel room, bus deposit, food orders, credit card charge) and what we can recoup. Please contact Krista for refunds.

III. TRAVEL INFORMATION — ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE DETAILS:

Attendees will need to arrange their own air travel so that they arrive in Laredo on Sunday, November 5th. We are planning a networking reception at 7pm and dinner at 7:30pm for those attendees that arrive in time on Sunday evening. The formal tour will begin on the morning of Monday, November 6th and will conclude at approximately 1:30pm on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 7th.

American Airlines and United Airlines travel from the DC area to Laredo, with one stop through either Dallas or Houston. There are no non-stop flights.

IV. REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR ALL ATTENDEES:

HSDBC is required to collect the following security information as required by CBP for pre-vetting at least two weeks before our visit. HSDBC staff will provide all security information to CBP officials in a password protected document. Our staff will reach out to attendees after registration to collect this information.

1. Security Information

• Full Name

• DOB

• SSN

• Drivers License Number and State of Issuance

• Country of Citizenship (DHS usually requires 60 days notice for vetting of non-citizens. In some circumstances, this process may be expedited. Please contact Krista immediately if you are interested in sending someone who is not a US Citizen. We cannot guarantee that there is enough time for non-citizens to receive vetting.)

2. Short Biography (no more than 200 words)

Bios will be included in the briefing materials we will send all attendees as well as provide to the government officials we will meet with in Laredo.

3. Flight Info

We need to have this information in advance of the trip to plan for the welcome dinner on Sunday night and to ensure we have accounted for all persons that may be arriving late or departing early.

V. BACKGROUND / VALUE OF THE EXECUTIVE TOURS:

For the past six years, the Council has sponsored a series of Executive Tours to key homeland security and law enforcement locations, including Charleston, SC; Glynco, GA; El Paso, TX, Seattle, WA, the Los Angeles Region, Southwest Border (Arizona and California), South Florida (Key West and Miami), the Northern Border (Detroit and Windsor, Canada), Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario; and New York City. These trips have typically lasted between 1-3 days and included a series of unclassified briefings, high-level roundtable discussions, technology demonstrations, and facility tours for a collective group of industry executives. These in-person visits allow industry to learn more about the successes, challenges, needs, and day to day experience of the ‘on-ground’ officials. They serve as an opportunity to see and understand the working environment and complexities associated with homeland security operations in different geographic regions. This experience gives our members a greater understanding of the mission and potential needs, which aids in business planning and investment decisions, and ultimately allows companies to prepare better proposals and to provide more effective and efficient product, service, and technology solutions to the homeland. Members who have attended past trips have told us that these tours also provide a unique opportunity to network with their peers and to learn more about their competitors and possible teaming partners.