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Broad Agency Announcement Issued to Establish
Two Additional Centers of Excellence
December 12, 2003 WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department
of Homeland Security announced today the release of a Broad Agency
Announcement (BAA) calling for proposals that will focus on research
efforts to combat agro-terrorism. The notice, which is available
on the DHS web site at: www.dhs.gov
under the "Research & Technology" tab and at www.grants.gov,
invites colleges and universities to submit letters of intent by
January 5, 2004, followed by full proposals, due on February 9,
2004.
"Secretary Ridge and I are delighted that we are taking
this important step to expand Homeland Security's partnership with
academia," said Dr. Charles McQueary, Under Secretary, Science and
Technology. "By empowering the best scientific minds at our nation's
universities to tackle the challenges of agro-terrorism, I feel
confident that we can help ensure the bio-security and safety of
the nation's food supply."
The proposal submission is the first step in the review
process for academic institutions wishing to be selected as a Homeland
Security Center of Excellence (HS-Center). Homeland Security will
convene a team of expert external evaluators who will review the
submissions based on merit and make recommendations to a selection
committee within the Department. Following selected site visits,
the Department anticipates establishing two HS-Centers by April
2004; one will focus on combating animal related agro-terrorism
and the other will focus on post-harvest food security.
"We look forward to receiving responses to this solicitation
from colleges and universities and selected partners across the
nation," said Dr. Melvin Bernstein, Director of University Programs.
"We are particularly interested in receiving proposals in the area
of foreign animal diseases and on issues related to food contamination,
primarily deliberate acts."
In November 2003, the University of Southern California,
partnering with the University of Wisconsin at Madison, New York
University and the University of California at Berkeley, was chosen
to house the first HS-Center, known as the Homeland Security Center
for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events. In 2004 the
Department plans to establish a number of additional HS-Centers
across a number of short- and long-range research and development
areas.
The HS-Centers program, which is operated by the Department's
Science and Technology division, establishes university-based centers
of multi-disciplinary research where areas critical to homeland
security can be analyzed, debated and shared. Through this program,
Homeland Security and partner universities will bring together the
nation's best experts and focus its most talented researchers on
a variety of threats that include chemical, biological, nuclear
and radiological, explosive and cyber terrorism.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science
and Technology division serves as the primary research and development
arm of the Department, utilizing our nation's scientific and technological
resources to provide federal, state and local officials with the
technology and capabilities to protect the homeland. For more information,
contact: 202-282-8010
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