Dear All:
 In recent weeks we've received notifications of  "special" safety
assurances which are now going to be required in two areas:

1. DHHS/CDC - select agents, livestock pathogens and toxins

2. DoD - all funded research
An institution must develop a Facility Safety Plan for research operations,
radioactive materials, hazards, biological defense, etc.

This is likely a 9/11-related initiative.  While we have a certain level of
monitoring in place for much of what is being asked, this is the first time
we are being asked to sign off on these assurances at a federal level.
Additionally, our procedures need to be modified because they do not entirely
fit what the DoD is now requiring.

The problem is primarily the DoD plan, which we've been told includes a
$125,000 individual fine and a $500,000 institutional fine if there are
violations of what we will be signing off on.  Additionally, there is an
unusally long URL referenced in the printed document for the DoD and it does
not seem to work!

This is causing a rather major analysis of our procedures in the extremely
short time frame we have been given to provide the assurances.   I'd like to
hear from some of you, (a) whether you have everything in place on this, (b)
have never heard or seen what I am talking about  or (c) do you have any
insights as to how your institution is handling the signature assurances.

Any advice is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jane Prudhomme

***************************************
 Jane E. Prudhomme, M.A., M.S.
 Assistant Vice Chancellor,
 Research and Sponsored Programs
 University of New Orleans
 2000 Lakeshore Drive
 New Orleans, LA 70148
 Phone: 504 - 280-7154
 FAX:       504-280- 3896
 E-Mail: xxxxxx@uno.edu
 http://www.uno.edu/~orsp
*****************************************

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