FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S&T Public Affairs, 202-254-2385
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released a request for information (RFI) seeking capabilities for scientific support for the S&T Food, Agriculture and Veterinary Defense (FAV-D) Program, including laboratory and vivarium space, IT infrastructure, as well as subject matter expertise.
DHS recently established the Office of Health Security to refocus department efforts on human and agriculture security. “DHS is invested in the agro-defense mission’s success. S&T’s Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) will continue to support the science necessary to stay ahead of the curve and address transboundary animal diseases to protect U.S. agriculture,” said Dr. Tod Companion, executive advisor to the S&T FAV-D program. “We will continue to coordinate our efforts in human and agricultural security as the PIADC transitions to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).”
PIADC, located in Orient Point, NY, is currently the primary resource for DHS in executing research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) on transboundary animal diseases. That facility will cease operations once its function transitions to the NBAF in Manhattan, Kansas, which will be owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
S&T Office of National Laboratories is seeking organizations capable of providing expertise and laboratory RDT&E capabilities to leverage against current or emerging transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases, high consequence plant/crop diseases, agricultural pests, or technologies which may harm the US agriculture industry. This RFI is issued solely for market research, information, and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or any commitment or intent to issue a contract or further solicitations.
Interested parties should describe capabilities relevant to program areas involving current, new, emerging, or transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases, plant diseases, pathogens, or pests and highlight:
- Expertise, experience, and capabilities to perform studies
- Major programmatic and/or organizational accomplishments
- Relevant, peer-reviewed, published research
- Special relationships/partnerships with other performers
- Ability to support threat-driven analyses
- Ability to support and/or conduct biological countermeasure RDT&E
- Capabilities to support and/or conduct technology transfer
- Other capabilities or planned capabilities for RDT&E
- Available physical infrastructure to support DHS FAV-D programs
- Personnel and expertise that could assist with execution of DHS FAV-D studies
- Systems for Pathogen Handling
- Security/Information Handling
For more information on the RFI, which closes at 4:00 PM on September 9, 2022, visit SAM.gov.
For more information about S&T’s FAV-D program’s mission and capabilities, visit: Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Fact Sheet.
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