[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 115 (Friday, June 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33834-33835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13291]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Notice Designating the University of Rhode Island as a DHS Center 
of Excellence for Explosives Detection Mitigation and Response as 
Education Lead Institution

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security has designated the 
University of Rhode Island as a DHS Center of Excellence for Explosives 
Detection Mitigation and Response, Education Lead Institution.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Bauer, Program Manager, 
University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528; telephone 202-254-6040, 
facsimile 202-254-6179; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 308 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-
296, (the ``Homeland Security Act''), as amended by the Consolidated 
Appropriations Resolution 2003, Public Law 108-7, and as codified in 
Title 6 of the United States Code Chapter I Subchapter III Section 
188(b)(2) [6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)], directs the Department of Homeland 
Security (``Department'') to sponsor extramural research, development, 
demonstration, testing and evaluation programs relating to homeland 
security. As part of this program, the Department has established a 
coordinated system of university-based centers for homeland security 
(the ``Centers'').
    The Centers are envisioned to be an integral component of the 
Department's capability to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover 
from terrorist attacks. The Centers will leverage multidisciplinary 
capabilities and fill gaps in current knowledge.
    Title 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) lists fourteen areas of substantive 
expertise that, if demonstrated, might qualify universities for 
designation as

[[Page 33835]]

university-based centers. The listed areas of expertise include: (1) 
The training of first responders; (2) responding to incidents involving 
weapons of mass destruction and biological warfare; (3) emergency and 
diagnostic medical services; (4) chemical, biological, radiological and 
nuclear countermeasures or detection; (5) animal and plant health and 
diagnostics; (6) food safety; (7) water and wastewater operations; (8) 
port and waterway security; (9) multi-modal transportation; (10) 
information security and information engineering; (11) engineering; 
(12) educational outreach and technical assistance; (13) border and 
transportation security; and (14) the public policy implications and 
public dissemination of homeland security relevant research and 
development. However, the list is not exclusive. 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(C) 
gives the Secretary discretion to except certain criteria specified in 
6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) and consider additional criteria beyond those 
specified in 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) in selecting universities for this 
program, as long as the Department issues a Federal Register notice 
explaining the criteria used for the designation.

Criteria

    In response to Congressional direction contained in the Conference 
Report for the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Homeland Security 
Appropriations Act, the DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology 
developed a plan in November 2006 to establish new DHS Centers of 
Excellence in high priority science and technology areas which aligned 
to the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's research portfolios and 
for which DHS determined there were significant gaps in scientific 
understanding and technological development. These areas included: 1. 
Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management, 2. 
Explosives Detection, Mitigation and Response, 3. Maritime, Island and 
Remote Environment Security, and 4. Border Security and Immigration. 
Research in these areas will contribute significantly to the 
Department's ability to enhance homeland security and the safety of our 
citizens from both natural and man-made threats.
    The criteria for designation for this new Center of Excellence 
(COE) for Explosives Detection Mitigation and Response (EDMR) is 
demonstrated expertise in conducting fundamental explosives-related 
sciences and engineering research. S&T is establishing the EDMR COE to 
conduct research to enhance the Nation's technical capabilities to 
detect, prepare for, prevent damages from, respond to, and recover from 
terrorist attacks involving explosives. The EDMR COE will collaborate 
closely with the DHS/Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate's 
Explosives Division, which manages a full-spectrum research and 
development (R&D) program from fundamental research to advanced 
technologies. The EDMR COE will provide enabling basic research that 
will advance the technical tools and information that S&T's customers 
will need in the future. The EDMR COE will develop relevant educational 
curricula for both matriculated students and career professionals. The 
EDMR COE also will participate in S&T's University Network, a 
consortium of COEs that share resources and data and collaborate on 
research projects to provide cost-effective results to support DHS's 
mission.

Announcement of Funding Opportunities and Competition

    In February 2007, the Department established a competitive process 
and requested white papers and proposals from universities that wished 
to be designated as DHS Centers of Excellence in: 1. Natural Disasters, 
Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management, 2. Explosives 
Detection, Mitigation and Response, 3. Maritime, Island and Remote 
Environment Security, or 4. Border Security and Immigration. The 
funding opportunity announcements for these four Centers of Excellence 
were published at http://www.grants.gov on February 4, 2007, as 
required by the Office of Management and Budget. In the area of 
Explosives Detection Mitigation and Response, DHS received 19 white 
papers and evaluated them through a peer-review panel process that 
included scientific expertise from the federal government, peer-
institutional faculty, and the private sector. Following the white 
paper review, DHS received 5 full proposals by the closing date of July 
30, 2007. The 5 full proposals were reviewed by subject matter experts 
external to DHS S&T. All 5 full proposals were referred to an internal 
review panel of S&T subject matter experts for evaluation, who 
recommended site visits at 3 sites. Based on information collected on 
these site visits, DHS selected the University of Rhode Island to be 
the Education Lead Institution for the Explosives Detection Mitigation 
and Response Center of Excellence, in partnership with Northeastern 
University (the Research Lead), New Mexico Institute of Mining and 
Technology and other affiliated universities.
    The University of Rhode Island and its partners will develop 
educational programs and conduct basic and transformational research 
and on explosives-related issues including explosives properties, 
formulation, and characterization; detection of explosives and 
explosive devices; sensor materials; unconventional approaches to 
identify threats, and other countermeasures. These programs will 
include the development and use of explosives research and educational 
capabilities at minority-serving institutions.
    This team of institutions will become an intrinsic part of the DHS 
science and technology portfolio, working closely with DHS and other 
federal, state and local governments to reduce potential damages from 
floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

Jay M. Cohen,
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Homeland 
Security.
[FR Doc. E8-13291 Filed 6-12-08; 8:45 am]
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