DHS office to focus on science and technology.

• Author: Fein, Geoff S.
• Position: Security Beat

Since its inception in March, the Department of Homeland Security has provided nearly $4 billion in funding and has run about 400 emergency action plan evaluation exercises for states and communities, according to Charles McQueary, the undersecretary for science and technology.

The science and technology department of DHS has received almost $500 million this year, while the president's budget for 2004 requested another $800 million, he said. This funding will accomplish several goals:

* Establish a clearinghouse with the Technical Support Working Group to rapidly prototype homeland security technologies.

* Accelerate the deployment of biological, chemical and radiological tools and technologies.

* Work with federal, state, and local goverments and organizations to develop standards for first responder technologies.

* Anticipate emerging threats and protect critical infrastructure through science and engineering.

DHS recently created the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), a cousin to the Defense Department's DARPA agency, he explained. David Bolka has been the agency's director since September.

"HSARPA will help jumpstart and steer homeland security R&D toward the Department's high priority needs, areas such as port security and critical infrastructure protection," said McQueary.

At press time, HSARPA had just issued its first research solicitations, for biological and chemical detection systems.

"Our goal for this first solicitation is to develop and transition to the field the next generation of biological and chemical detectors," said McQueary. "These detectors will...