As we enter into a new year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture team at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, here in Manhattan is excited for what’s ahead.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, or DHS S&T, has reported that contractor construction and commissioning for NBAF is now complete. The USDA team at NBAF now has unfettered access to the facility and has started a phase called the operational endurance period.
DHS S&T has diligently managed the NBAF project since 2006. We will begin the process of transferring NBAF’s ownership to USDA this spring.
“The on-site DHS staff and our contractors have worked very hard to ensure the complex systems in NBAF were functioning correctly before handing it over to USDA,” said Tim Barr, DHS program manager for NBAF. “For a one-of-a-kind facility such as NBAF, that is no small achievement and both my DHS staff, and our contractors, are to be commended for this accomplishment.”
During the operational endurance period, USDA’s work processes must be tested and validated in accordance with the building systems. In the coming months, scientists will confirm laboratory set-up, evaluate standardized laboratory work processes for consistency and safety, and ensure equipment is functioning appropriately. These are critical initial steps to ensure all research and diagnostics can be accomplished safely and effectively.
As a reminder, before any work with biological select agents and pathogens can begin, the facility and personnel must undergo a series of inspections and reviews by the Federal Select Agent Program. This step is required by law to evaluate the safety and security of any laboratory that will work with high-consequence viruses, bacteria, microorganisms or toxins.
Even after USDA takes ownership of the facility from DHS, it will still take at least a couple of years to transfer the full science mission from the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York to NBAF in Kansas.
DHS and USDA collaborated to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic by implementing a phased approach to USDA operation of the facility. This allowed USDA staff access to the facility while the DHS contractor was performing commissioning functions, giving the USDA operations team time to understand, train and master these unique facility systems alongside the DHS contractors.
“Typically, with a facility like this, the construction contractor gets done and then the operation staff moves in,” said Barr. “We started moving USDA operations staff into NBAF before our contractor was done. That’s unheard of! You have to be careful to not impede the progress of your construction contractor. We were able to work out some procedures to make sure that didn’t happen.”
Barr attributes the success to “layers and layers” of partnerships. In addition to the DHS/USDA partnership, the design team was a partnership of five companies, and the construction management team was made up of two companies. Even the $1.25 billion funding for NBAF’s construction was provided by three entities: The federal government, the State of Kansas, and the City of Manhattan.
USDA will continue the partnership theme as it works to stand up its science programs. The availability of scientific partnership opportunities in the Midwest is one of the major benefits of this area. USDA NBAF is already partnering with Kansas State University — specifically the Biosecurity Research Institute and College of Veterinary Medicine. And NBAF’s director, Dr. Alfonso Clavijo, is working on several other research partnerships with K-State as I write this update.
“NBAF is privileged to be located next to Kansas State University with many research opportunities beyond biological sciences,” Clavijo said. “We are working to establish internships and post-graduate research opportunities in a broad spectrum of disciplines including communications, psychological safety, agricultural economics and engineering to improve NBAF operations.”
In addition, with the capabilities of NBAF’s Biologics Development Module, we will seek to partner with industry since this region has the highest concentration of animal health companies and assets in the world.
Many people have worked to make NBAF a reality. It is a pleasure to share this update and achievement with our friends in Manhattan. Thank you for helping us make this facility a reality and for your continued and unwavering support. Happy New Year!
Katie Pawlosky is the communications director for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.
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