[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3107-3109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-512]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF); Notice of Request
for Expression of Interest for Potential Sites for the NBAF
AGENCY: Science and Technology Directorate (Office of Research &
Development), DHS.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is exploring
potential sites for a proposed new national research and development
(R&D) asset, the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which
is in the planning phase. The proposed facility size is approximately
500,000 ft\2\ and its site will require a minimum of 30 acres.
[[Page 3108]]
DHS is requesting Expressions of Interest from Federal agencies, State
and Local governments, industry, academia, interested parties and
organizations for potential locations that would accommodate the
construction and operation of the NBAF. A consortium could be an
appropriate respondent.
DHS will ultimately compile a short list of sites for analysis as
reasonable alternatives to be considered in a National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will
assess the environmental impacts of constructing and operating the NBAF
facility at the various alternative sites.
DHS currently expects to publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS in the fall of 2006, at which time the public will have
the opportunity to comment on the scope of the analysis.
DATES: Interested parties wishing to make an Expression of Interest
should do so in writing by March 31, 2006 to ensure their
consideration.
ADDRESSES: Please submit Expressions of Interest to: Department of
Homeland Security, 245 Murray Lane SW., Bldg. 410, Attn: Glynis Fisher,
Washington, DC 20528. For FEDEX, UPS, DHL, etc. deliveries use the
mailroom phone number 202-772-9747.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glynis Fisher by e-mail at glynis.
[email protected] or by fax to 202-205-3204.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Development of an integrated, national bio and agro-defense
strategy has revealed that the current national bio and agro-defense
capabilities are inadequate to meet future research requirements
supporting both agricultural and public health national security.
Foreign animal disease studies, public health threats from emerging,
high-consequence zoonotic pathogens, and the need for development and
licensure of medical countermeasures, are generating additional demands
for biocontainment laboratory space. Current laboratory space available
in the U.S. is not sufficient to support the increasing levels of
research, development, and testing needed to meet the growing concerns
about accidental or intentional introduction of foreign animal diseases
into this country. Additional capability and capacity are also needed
for high-consequence zoonotic disease countermeasures research and
development and medical countermeasure testing and evaluation.
Why a New Facility? The proposed NBAF is an integrated human,
foreign animal, and zoonotic disease research, development and testing
facility that will support the complementary missions of the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Human Health and Services
(HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). NBAF
would provide new research, development, testing and evaluation
infrastructure that will allow for research to enhance agricultural and
public health. This capability is needed to fill a critical gap in the
nation's agro and biodefense plan.
The proposed NBAF is envisioned to provide the nation with the
first integrated agricultural, zoonotic disease, and public health
research, development, testing, and evaluation facility with the
capability to address threats from human pathogens, high-consequence
zoonotic disease agents, and foreign animal diseases. The NBAF would
enhance the national bio-defense complex by modernizing and integrating
agriculture biocontainment laboratories for foreign animal disease,
human pathogens, and zoonotic diseases and could require Biosafety
Level (BSL) 3 Agricultural and BSL 4 laboratory spaces. It would also
provide the additional infrastructure required for threat and
vulnerability assessments and for testing and evaluating promising
foreign animal disease countermeasures.
Currently, the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) provides
the only U.S. research and confirmatory diagnostic capability for high-
consequence foreign animal diseases. It is also the only laboratory in
the U.S. equipped with research facilities that permit study of these
diseases in livestock, such as cattle, sheep and swine. Recognizing
that protecting the agricultural infrastructure is a critical element
of our Nation's homeland security, the Homeland Security Act of 2002
transferred the ownership of the PIADC from the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the DHS. While DHS now has
responsibility for operating PIADC, both DHS and USDA conduct programs
there as part of an integrated agro-defense strategy. The proposed NBAF
would replace the existing PIADC facility and enhance capabilities to
meet the mandated national bio and agro-defense mission requirements of
DHS, HHS and USDA. Request for Expression of Interest: DHS requests
Expressions of Interest from Federal agencies, State and Local
governments, industry, academia, interested parties and organizations
to identify potential sites with the capabilities needed to host the
NBAF facility. A consortium could be an appropriate respondent. NBAF is
the proposed new facility and is in the planning phase. All viable
options will be evaluated for the location of the facility (i.e.,
Federal government property, Federal research property, land deeded to
the government, long-term lease, commercial site, etc.).
This request for expression of interest, published in today's
Federal Register, is the first step in the process to consider site
options for the NBAF.
DHS will evaluate each EOI submission using 4 site criteria
categories (research capabilities, workforce, acquisition/construction/
operating and community acceptance) to determine if it should be
further evaluated as part of the site planning process.
Research capabilities includes proximity to: (a) Existing research
programs [medical/veterinary/ agriculture] that can be linked to NBAF
mission requirements, (b) strength and breadth of scientific community
and infrastructure, (c) ability of the proposed site and surrounding
community to absorb additional research programs and infrastructure,
(d) experience of existing research programs with BSL3 and/or 4 agents,
(e) proximity to other related scientific programs and research
infrastructure, and (f) proximity to vaccine industry capability.
Workforce includes proximity to the following: (a) Critical mass of
intellectual research capacity, (b) recruiting opportunities for
research staff, (c) local labor force availability for operations staff
with expertise in operating a biocontainment facility, and (d)
capability to meet mutual aid (police/fire/hospital) requirements to
operate facility and be able to meet physical security requirements for
a BSL3/4 facility.
Acquisition/construction/operations includes: (a) Land acquisition/
development potential to locate the facility, (b) access to the site by
highways and proximity to international airports, (c) environmental
compatibility with the intended use of the site, (d) adequate utility
infrastructure to support operations of facility, and (e) availability
of local labor force for construction.
Community acceptance includes letters of support for locating NBAF
at the site (i.e., local and state governments, national and local
agricultural producer and commodity stakeholders, industry, academia,
etc.).
DHS requires the following information for each proposed NBAF
location:
[[Page 3109]]
1. A description of your consortium/ organization, its capabilities
to support the location of the NBAF at its recommended site, and its
interest in the DHS's NBAF program.
2. Letters of support for locating the NBAF facility at the site
(i.e., local and state government, academia, industry, etc.).
3. A description of how the potential site addressed the four site
criteria categories (research capabilities, workforce, and acquisition/
construction/operating) described above.
4. A map showing the location of the potential site, nearby (within
10 miles) political boundaries, demographics and characteristics of
surrounding communities (within 10 miles), historical and cultural
resources on site and contiguous to property, roads, railroads,
airports, water bodies, parkland or other environmentally sensitive
areas, and ecological characteristics of site.
5. A site description including ownership, total site acreage and
acreage available for development (minimum 30 acres for NBAF facility);
existing physical infrastructure including number of structures, their
size, vintage and current use; current activities; on-site tenants (if
applicable); estimated cost as tenant, access control systems; bioagent
and hazardous materials handling at the site; waste management
activities and capabilities for solid and liquid waste; previous
regulatory compliance problems and past/current environmental concerns/
contamination and clean up.
6. Availability/access to utilities (electric, water, steam,
chilled water, distilled water) at the site for state-of-the-art
biocontainment laboratory.
7. Safety and occupational health, risk management and
environmental surveillance at the site.
Expression of Interest Format: The length of the Expression of
Interest should be no more than 20 pages (letters of support do not
count against page limit) using 12-point font. While the responder may
determine how best to use the 20 pages, we recommend the following
format: SECTION 1--Summary; SECTION 2--Description of location with
specific reference to the 7 items requested by DHS above; SECTION 3--
Discussion of the site criteria categories related to state-of-the-art
biocontainment laboratories or operations of similar complexity. When
describing similar work that has been performed, include the name of
the organization, contract number if applicable, and name and telephone
number of the organization's point of contact and contracting officer,
as applicable.
Proprietary Information: If the Expression of Interest contains
information that the submitter believes is privileged or confidential,
the appropriate portions of the submission should be marked
``Proprietary Information.'' This restriction does not limit the
Government's right to use or disclose data obtained without restriction
from any source, including the respondent.
Submission: Submissions received after the closing date will not be
considered. Each submittal (with full contact information: name,
address, phone, fax and e-mail) should consist of an original plus
three photocopies, and DHS also requests that the submittal include an
electronic version of all materials, preferably in PDF format.
DHS will not consider attachments or appendices. Faxed or e-mailed
submissions will not be accepted. Respondents may submit written
questions within 20 business days of this notice being published.
Questions may be submitted by e-mail to glynis.[email protected] or by fax
to 202-205-3204. The responses to frequently asked questions, any other
significant questions and any amendments or corrections to the EOI will
be posted on the NBAF Planning and Outreach Web site at www.dhs.gov/nbaf.
DHS is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the
preparation or submission of Expressions of Interest in response to
this notice. DHS reserves the right to respond or not respond to any
portion, all, or none of the Expressions of Interest submitted in
response to this Notice. Responders whose submissions are deemed worthy
of further consideration given the criteria expressed herein may be
asked to provide additional information. DHS's further consideration of
certain Responders' Expressions of Interest does not obligate DHS to
provide funds to such Responders or to enter into contractual
relationships with such Responders.
Dated: December 28, 2005.
Maureen I. McCarthy,
Director, Office of Research and Development, Department of Homeland
Security.
[FR Doc. E6-512 Filed 1-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-10-P