Biological Sciences Experts Group CONCEPT PAPER
I.
(U) TITLE
(U) Biological Sciences Experts Group
II.
(U) PURPOSE
(U//FOUO) The National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC) within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has identified a series of significant scientific and technical issues that are of common concern to several Intelligence Community (IC) elements and relate to potential biological threats and biological weapons of mass destruction (B-WMD). To effectively and expeditiously address these issues, expertise that lies outside of the United States (U.S.) government (USG) must be enlisted and applied on an integrated and strategic basis. To do this, NCPC will retain a cadre of life-sciences experts to provide technical advice and counsel on specific scientific and technical issues relevant to the IC's mission to counter the threat posed by the potential proliferation of biological weapons and related technologies. This program will be known as the NCPC Biological Sciences Experts Group (BSEG).
III.
(U) AUTHORITY
(U//FOUO) BSEG experts will provide technical advice to the Director of the National Counterproliferation Center (D/NCPC) on life-science issues that are of importance and concern to elements of the IC.
(U//FOUO) The BSEG supports The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction's recommendation in Chapter Thirteen: The Changing Proliferation Threat and the Intelligence Response: "Working with the Biological Sciences Community." The BSEG will reach outside of the Federal government to our nation's leading life-science experts to develop a more robust and mutually beneficial relationship with the IC in order to counter better the threats posed by biological agents.
IV.
(U) FUNCTION
(U//FOUO) The purpose of the BSEG program is to leverage and apply specialized scientific and technical life-science expertise that is predominantly resident outside of the USG, to specific technical and scientific issues of significant common concern to the IC, relating to the threat posed by existing or potential biological threats agents.
(U//FOUO) Its purview extends to work done by the IC relevant to: known and emerging biological threat agents (BTA), or materiel; existing state BT programs and the potential threats from BT materiel or expertise available to/from state programs and/or terrorists, including B-WMD.
(U//FOUO) Any element of the Intelligence Community may suggest to the D/NCPC specific topics or issues for research or analysis by BSEG experts. The D/NCPC, through the NCPC Senior Bio Advisor, shall then designate specific topics or issues for tasking to specific BSEG contractors. The D/NCPC may task these projects to be undertaken by individual BSEG contractors, or by groups of individual BSEG contractors, as appropriate. The D/NCPC, or their designee, shall establish the terms and conditions for each contracted assignment.
V.
(U) DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
(U//FOUO) To strengthen the integration of the life-science and intelligence communities and facilitate access of the IC to life-science experts outside of the Federal government, the types of issues that the Director of NCPC may assign to the BSEG are:
(U//FOUO) Supporting the IC customers in the design of scientific/technical experimental protocols, intelligence analyses, or collection methodologies against BTA, biological warfare (BW) agents, and/or state and non-state actors which do, or may pose a threat to the U.S.;
(U//FOUO) Advising on strategies to improve the execution, or interpretation of results of experimental protocols, analysis, and collection against the aforementioned agents and or actors;
(U//FOUO) Undertaking technical assessments/performance review of the IC's scientific/technical programs, analytical products, and collection methodologies against the aforementioned agents and or actors;
(U//FOUO) Address any other issues as requested by the D/NCPC or IC's departments or agencies. (U//FOUO) The BSEG shall neither produce analytical intelligence products nor engage in collection.
VI.
(U) STRUCTURE
A.
BSEG Membership:
(U//FOUO) It is currently contemplated that initially approximately 12 non-USG individuals will be retained to serve as experts/independent contractors for the BSEG program. These experts will be selected by the D/NCPC. They shall be retained under the auspices of the National Intelligence Council Associates program (NIC Associates).
(U//FOUO) The work of the BSEG experts will be administered by the Senior Bio Advisor to the D/NCPC, on behalf of the D/NCPC, and the BSEG Executive Secretariat. (U//FOUO) It is currently contemplated that, to the extent possible, the initial BSEG individuals will include contractors with expertise in the following areas: Microbiology (bacteriology/virology/genetics, et al.) Molecular Biology Synthetic Biology (e.g. structural/functional genomics, proteomics) Forensic Sciences (e.g. microbial forensics) Biochemistry Medicine Pharmacology Pathology (human/animal/plant) Immunology Public Health/ Epidemiology Veterinary Medicine Food Safety/ Security/ Production Agricultural Sciences Pharmaceutical-, Biotechnology-manufacturing/production Pharmaceutical/ Biotechnology business practices Biosecurity (to include biosafety, biocontainment, bio-assurancy, et al.) Counterproliferation/counterterrorism issues Former or current state bioweapons programs Former or current BT terrorist programs
(U//FOUO) Each contractor will be retained under a one-year contract, with an option for additional renewals, at the discretion of the D/NCPC. It is anticipated, that contractors will be available to serve for at least 3-4 years. (U//FOUO) BSEG experts will be and retain the status of independent contractors for the U.S. Government and will be bound and obligated by all laws and regulations that pertain to that status. At the discretion of the D/NCPC they may be tasked to undertake assignments individually or, as appropriate, in groups. B. BSEG Network Membership: (U//FOUO) The BSEG shall be supported through a network of non-USG subject matter experts, hereafter referred to as the 'Network.' The Network shall serve as consultants to the BSEG members and IC representatives on an as-needed basis. (U//FOUO) The D/NCPC, BSEG members, or IC representatives may nominate individuals to be added to the Network in order to accomplish requests for actions.
Appointment: (U//FOUO) Each contractor will be retained under a one-year contract, with an option for additional renewals, at the discretion of the Director of NCPC. It is anticipated, that contractors will be available to serve for at least 3-4 years.
C. Intelligence Community Representatives:
(U//FOUO) A steering group of IC representatives will be established to advise the D/NCPC, through his Senior Advisor on Bio Issues, on the utilization of BSEG contractors. That steering group may include representatives from:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence National Counterterrorism Center Central Intelligence Agency Department of Defense Department of Energy Department of Homeland Security Department of State Department of the Treasury Department of Justice/ Federal Bureau of Investigation National Geospatial Intelligence Agency National Reconnaissance Office National Security Agency Others as appropriate
D. BSEG Executive Secretariat:
(U//FOUO) A BSEG Executive Secretariat will be established to support the mission of the BES. The responsibilities of the Secretariat shall include supporting and managing the BSEG's day-to-day operations and serve as the point-of-contact for the BSEG issues with the Core and Network contractors and the IC representatives. (U//FOUO) The BSEG Executive Secretariat will be responsible for obtaining contractor personnel and other administrative support necessary to support the mission of the BSEG. (U//FOUO) The BSEG Executive Secretariat will be responsible for managing the taskings to and reports from the BSEG members. VII. (U) TASKING PROCEDURES
(U//FOUO) Any agency of Intelligence Community may suggest to the Senior Bio Advisor to the Director/NCPC with specific topics or issues for tasking to BSEG contractor(s). As noted above, in selecting issues and topics for assignment to BSEG contractors, the D/NCPC shall consider the significance of the issue in relation to the IC's mission to identify and help counter existing or potential biological threats to the U.S.; whether the issue is significant primarily for one IC element, or whether it has broader implications across the IC; whether there are existing programs within the IC that are available for addressing the issue; the appropriateness of the issue for tasking to non- USG independent contractors; and, whether there are any contractors in the BSEG program that appear to have specialized expertise that is particularly relevant to the proposed problem or issue. Intelligence Community elements may be called upon to work with specific BSEG contractors, to help them fulfill specific tasks or assignments.
(U//FOUO) The IC members may submit request for action(s) to the BSEG chairs for prioritization of the project to the BSEG according to criteria in the aforementioned paragraph. Submission of requests will be through a standardized template to be generated by the BSEG Executive Secretariat.
(U//FOUO) The IC members shall be invited to all formal meetings of the BSEG.
(U//FOUO) The IC members shall receive quarterly updates on the BSEG's activities.
VIII. (U) MEETINGS
(U//FOUO) Plenary BSEG meetings shall be held at least quarterly and may be convened on as-needed basis as requested by the D/NCPC, IC members, or the co-chairs.
The purpose of the meetings is to provide updated intelligence briefings to the members of the BSEG and obtain the members' comments on the work being done.
(U//FOUO) Whenever possible, the Executive Secretariat will facilitate virtual meetings of the Core members, network members, or individuals, as needed, for a specific request for action through appropriately secure communications channels.
(U//FOUO) BSEG Members may request intelligence briefings on subjects relevant to their research subject to discretion of the D/NCPC.
IX.
(U) COMPENSATION
(U//FOUO) Members shall be paid at a rate of $_____, plus per diem and travel expenses as authorized by ____________. Representatives who are officers or employees of the United States government shall not receive compensation for service.
XI.
(U) REPORTS
(U//FOUO) The BSEG will author and provide to the D/NCPC an annual report of its actions and accomplishments.
(U//FOUO) The IC members will be requested for an annual performance evaluation of the BSEG's activities and value to their mission. (U//FOUO) BSEG contractors may be required to provide the results of their work to the D/ NCPC or to selected IC elements at any time. They may be asked to provide written reports and make themselves available for direct consultations, as determined by the D/NCPC.
XI.
(U) TERMINATION DATE
(U//FOUO) It is currently contemplated that this program will be maintained for three years, from the date of the hiring of the first BSEG contractor. Upon the completion of one year after the BSEG is stood up, the D/NCPC will consult with participating elements of the IC to solicit their views as to the utility of this initiative and whether it should be continued. The D/NCPC will then make a recommendation to the DNI regarding the continuation of this program and the renewal of any charter.
Definitions:
Offensive Biological warfare program: Offensive BW programs are those whose objective is to research, develop, produce, and weaponize biological agents for overt or covert delivery against civilian or military targets, including personnel and agricultural targets. Biological warfare agents: BW agents include such living pathogens as bacteria and viruses, as well as biological toxins, designed to incapacitate, injure, or kill humans, crops, or livestock. Biological weapons: A device fabricated for the purpose of delivering and disseminating a biological warfare agent.
Bio-defense: The development and use of countermeasures (medical and non-medical) to predict, prepare for, protect against, and respond to attacks using biological threat agents. Biological warfare applicable: Material and nonmaterial resources which are capable of being exploited in the development of an offensive biological warfare capability. Dual-use technology: Research, equipment, materials, technology and expertise with legitimate scientific purpose that might be misused to pose a threat to public health, homeland and/or national security.