Project Shield America is an integral part of the strategy utilized by HSI through the Counter-Proliferation Investigations (CPI) Program.
Project Shield America is an industry and academic outreach program, the intent of which is to obtain the assistance and cooperation of those companies involved in the manufacture and export of U.S. origin strategic goods, technologies, and munitions items as well as academic researchers who study and research these and other strategic fields. The focus of Project Shield America is to prevent the proliferation of export-controlled technology and components, the acquisition of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and the unlawful exportation of weapon systems and classified or controlled technical data.
In seeking to both gather and provide information, Project Shield America was established to increase public awareness of the importance of export controls and to seek the cooperation of the technology manufacturing and academic research communities. Project Shield America liaisons are established between HSI special agents and manufacturers, exporters, and freight handlers. In this cooperative effort, private industry and the academic community can improve their export control measures while avoiding issues that might affect legitimate business or scholarship.
Project Shield America assists industry and academic research institutions to better understand current U.S. export laws and aids in the recognition, detection and resolution of illegal acquisition attempts of controlled and sensitive commodities, technology, and data by foreign governments, companies, or individuals. Only with the cooperation and diligence of the exporting and academic community can law enforcement succeed in preventing the proliferation of advanced conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Through established contacts, private industry and the academic community are encouraged to report all suspicious export inquiries to HSI. Cooperation will protect U.S. national security, secure the reputation of private industry, and protect research and development costs lost to illegal procurement.