ASME letters support science and technology components of
homeland security legislation

ASME's Critical Assets Protection Initiative (CAPI) sent a letter to the Senate in support of the science and technology (S&T) components of the homeland security legislation.
In the letter, CAPI called for the Senate to "remove any research and development (R&D) limitations within the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), establish the Office of Risk Analysis and Assessment, and create a Science, Engineering and Technology Council within the Department." The full text of the letter can be found at www. asme.org/gric/ps/2002/02-34.html.

CAPI sent an additional letter to the Senate, discussing in greater detail the need for an Office of Risk Analysis and Assessment in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"An effective Office of Risk Analysis and Assessment is key to rationally quantifying and ranking the cost effectiveness of approaches and projects promoted and managed by a plethora of research organizations, agencies and private contractors," the letter stated. "Risk analysis is a technically sound and socially responsible way to help make resource allocation decisions."

The full text of the letter can be found at www.asme.org/gric/ps/2002/02-35.html. For more information, contact Reese Meisinger at meisingerr@asme.org.

Members contribute to FAST grants victory for states

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently named 27 states winners of the second Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) awards. At $100,000 each, the awards totaled $2.7 million.

FAST provides matching funds that enable states to augment or expand their technology business assistance and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) outreach efforts. ASME members have played a role in crafting three of the winning proposals.

Marshall Graves, the ASME California State Fellow serving the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency (TTCA), helped author the state's proposal. The California program will help technology company owners from historically underrepresented groups gain knowledge of the SBIR and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. TTCA will partner with state universities as well as with many of California's regional technology alliances.

ASME member W. Thomas Southard's knowledge of Ohio's programs led him to suggest that ASME participate in the state's proposal. ASME agreed, and will help conduct a one-day "Accessing Technology Forum" to showcase technologies for commercialization and capabilities that are available from federal labs and
universities.

ASME has conducted similar technology forums around the United States for the past 10 years. Additional information about accessing technology symposia can be found
at www.asme.org/gric/GR/Programs.html#access.

In Arkansas, John Ahlen, an ASME member who is president of the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority and a former ASME federal fellow, was involved with the state's FAST proposal. The Authority will partner with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Arkansas Small Business Development Center and the Industry Research Office of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to form the Arkansas FAST Consortium.

In an effort to increase outreach, training, mentoring and technical assistance for Arkansas research entities, the Authority will fund proposal development awards to help entrepreneurs prepare SBIR Phase I proposals.

For more information about the FAST grant, visit www.sba.gov/sbir/indexfast.html, or contact Reese Meisinger at meisingerr@asme.org.

— Melissa Murray
ASME Government Relations

back to columns