The US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has awarded a contract worth around $170m to Leidos to support the cooperative biological engagement programme (CBEP) and cooperative threat reduction (CTR) programme.
The company will support CBEP and CTR through a worldwide Scientific & Technical Engagement Partnership (STEP) programme.
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Leidos Defense and Intelligence president Tim Reardon said: "The international assistance provided under this contract will strengthen US Government international outreach in countering threats posed by weapons of mass destruction, particularly biological weapons.
“This outreach, research, and training will help the US and our international partners prevent or mitigate CBRNE events throughout the world."
The contract tasks Leidos with providing specialised training in laboratory research and containment facilities engineering, public health preparedness and emergency response, and disease outbreak field surveillance and response.
Leidos will also partner with industry, research institutions, non-governmental organisations, and local scientists to develop collaborative overseas research programmes.
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By GlobalDataThe CTR programme aims to promote collaboration between international and non-governmental partners to advance regional engagement and multilateral cooperation in the biological warfare non-proliferation sectors.
The STEP programme seeks to establish partnerships between research centres and CBEP partner country institutions, in order to enhance biological safety, awareness of biological risks, and knowledge related to biological pathogen research in foreign countries.
The contract has a one-year base period of performance and four one-year options.
Work under the contract will be carried out in Northern Virginia and internationally in several combatant command areas of responsibility.
