The Department of State (DOS) is soliciting proposals to provide full-time onsite personnel support to Department of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism (WMDT), Office of the Biological Policy Staff (BPS), Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (NESS), and Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives (CPI).
The contract will assist these ISN Offices with a range of programmatic tasks necessary to administer and implement foreign assistance programs and policy objectives.
This contract will begin in March 2024 and consist of a base period of one year, with four additional option year periods. The principal place of performance is on-site at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Va.
WMDT Roles and Responsibilities
WMDT manages a full range of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) security and seeks program management and execution support for its counter CBRN terrorism efforts and Foreign Consequence Management. WMDT receives Foreign Assistance Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, De-mining, and Related Program (NADR) funds to reduce the threat of CBRN use against U.S. interests by working with international partners to achieve a common understanding and strengthen cooperation to prevent, detect, and respond to incidents of CBRN terrorism.
WMDT works to meet this goal via diplomatic engagements, bilateral, regional, or multilateral programmatic engagements, and through interagency and international coordination.
WMDT oversees two key missions for the Department with regard to international response to CBRN events: 1) coordinate U.S. Government interagency engagements with priority foreign nations to build and enhance their capabilities to respond in the event of CBRN incidents; and 2) coordinate U.S. Government response resources to prepare for and respond to a catastrophic international CBRN event.
Under the engagement mission, WMDT works with a wide range of U.S. interagency experts and programs to deliver training and equipment at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of response, with the end goal of fostering a sustainable capability in each partner nation.
On the response side, WMDT supports U.S. Government preparations to provide assistance during foreign CBRN incidents, specifically by representing DOS equities in interagency policy and operational planning development and implementation; participating as subject matter experts in CBRN consequence management exercises; and assisting DOS stakeholders and U.S. Embassies in enhancing their consequence management preparedness.
In addition to the work described above, WMDT supports U.S. policy objectives to counter CBRN terrorism through coordination and partnership with the U.S. inter-Agency and with foreign partners:
- Global Initiative to Counter Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), WMDT is responsible for the management and coordination of U.S. contributions to the GICNT and for managing the U.S. role as GICNT Co-Chair
- International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB), WMDT serves as the U.S. Government’s Point of Contact to the coordinating all official U.S. reporting to the IAEA’s ITDB.
- International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons (PAI), WMDT develops multilateral exercises to enhance coordination among PAI participants and to raise awareness with potential participants.
- ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), WMDT develops multilateral exercises to enhance coordination among ARF participants on a range of CBRN terrorism topics.
- U.S. Interagency Nuclear Trafficking Response Group (NTRG), WMDT serves as Chair of the body responsible for coordinating the U.S. government’s response to all foreign requests for assistance in the event of an CBRN material smuggling incident.
- WMDT leads the day-to-day management of the U.S. participation in the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (more simply, the Global Partnership or GP). The GP is a 31-member international initiative aimed at preventing the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons and related material.
Office of the Biological Policy Staff (ISN/BPS)
The ISN/BPS works to impede and roll back the threat of acquisition or use of biological weapons by state and non-state actors, oversees U.S. implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and manages a wide range of biological policy issues at the intersection of national security, public health, and science.
A key area of focus is developing and promoting measures to prevent misuse of advances in the life sciences, to include participation in U.S. Government and international groups on biosecurity and dual-use research, outreach to the scientific community and private industry, and promoting international standards and norms. Accordingly, BPS participates in a range of biological policy issues, including chairing relevant interagency meetings, coordinating the preparation and submission of annual BWC Confidence-Building Measures, contributing the State Department views to national policy development and implementation, including but not limited to the National Biodefense Strategy, advancing capabilities to investigate the alleged use of biological weapons, and promoting efforts to enhance the universal adherence to, and effective implementation of, the BWC by other States Parties.
Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (ISN/NESS)
The ISN/NESS is responsible for policy development, negotiation, and implementation on a multilateral and bilateral basis of issues related to peaceful nuclear cooperation, nuclear-related export controls, nuclear reactor safety, and the physical protection and security of nuclear materials, facilities, and radiological sources, in furtherance of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals, concentrating on technical aspects of nuclear technology and the dangers of nuclear proliferation.
ISN/NESS coordinates its activities with relevant bureaus in the State Department and the interagency, including the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the National Security Council (NSC), and the Intelligence Community.
Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives
The Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives leads State Department efforts in developing, implementing, and improving counterproliferation policy programs and operations, including efforts to disrupt and prevent proliferation activities and networks worldwide. It employs a rigorous diplomatic outreach program to implement the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and various bilateral counterproliferation dialogues; executes State Department counterproliferation sanctions authorities, including under Executive Order 13382 to block the assets of WMD proliferators and their supporters; works to develop ways to address proliferation finance issues broadly and undertakes a wide range of other efforts to prevent, disrupt, or interdict shipments of WMD-related items and technologies and their means of delivery, as well as conventional arms transfers of concern.
In addition, it is responsible for implementing UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) relating to nonproliferation of WMD, their delivery systems, and conventional arms transfers of concern, and in particular, for promoting the observance of UNSCR 1540 and assisting other countries in meeting their obligations under the resolution. It works directly with the National Counterproliferation Center, the Strategic Interdiction Group, and the Intelligence Community, as well as with the National Security Council and other departments and agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Justice, to develop and implement appropriate diplomatic, defense, law enforcement, and rapid response options, and other international measures designed to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery, and conventional arms transfers of concern.
Office of Weapon of Mass Destruction. Department of State. Notice ID: 19AQMM24R0027. Offers due date: 22 Feb 2024.