Security Products Get A Showing
The Department of Homeland Security’s 2004 budget includes $920 million for science and technology products. The private sector will be able to bid on projects totaling 55 percent of this funding, says Marc Hollander, the Homeland Security Department’s deputy assistant secretary for plans, programs, and budgets.
Of immediate importance to the department are technologies that can be developed quickly, as well as countermeasures for biological and chemical toxins, says Hollander.
The funding available to the private sector will be allocated thusly: 10 percent to long-term technological innovations, 10 percent to countermeasures to chemicals, 25 percent to countermeasures to biological agents, and more than 50 percent to bring existing technologies to market as quickly as possible.
Last month, Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) organized a homeland security technology exhibit in Long Island. The purpose of the exhibit was to showcase the area’s potential to government procurement agents. Some 55 companies participated in the exhibit, including BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, and EDO.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Newsday (11/24/03); Herzlich, Jamie.