Project BioShield: Appropriations, Acquisitions, and Policy Implementation Issues for Congress

Abstract

The Project BioShield Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-276) established a 10-year program to acquire civilian medical countermeasures to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents for the Strategic National Stockpile. Provisions of this act were designed to encourage private companies to develop these countermeasures by guaranteeing a government market for successfully developed countermeasures. Both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have responsibilities in this program. Funds for this program are appropriated to DHS, while contracts are executed through HHS. The interagency process responsible for deciding which countermeasures to procure has changed multiple times since this program's inception. The Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2004 (P.L. 108-90) provided an advance appropriation of $5.6 billion to acquire CBRN countermeasures over a 10-year period (FY2004 FY2013). This act also limited the amount that could be obligated during specified time periods. The Project BioShield Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-276) assigned the $5.6 billion advance appropriation to Project BioShield countermeasure acquisitions. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (P.L. 108-199) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (P.L. 108-447) reduced the total amount available for Project BioShield by a total of $25 million. Congress retains the power to make additional appropriations and rescissions to this account. HHS has awarded Project BioShield contracts for a countermeasure against botulinum toxin, two types of anthrax vaccine, two types of anthrax treatments, and three kinds of countermeasures against radiological or nuclear agents. HHS reports that it has obligated approximately $1.831 billion from the Project BioShield account. However, the largest contract, $878 million for an anthrax vaccine, was cancelled in December 2006, for failure to meet a contract milestone.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 08, 2007
Accession Number
ADA464812

Entities

People

  • Frank Gottron

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Health Services
  • Homeland Security
  • Medical Countermeasures
  • Medical Personnel
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Procurement
  • Public Health
  • Radiation Sickness
  • United States Government
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology