UNO Research And Technology Park Gains Foothold With FEMA's Aid
Release Date: August 13, 2007
Release Number: 1603-682
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the University of New Orleans (UNO) Research and Technology Park operations came to a halt. Strong winds and rainwater not only damaged the park's facilities but also created the right indoor conditions for the proliferation of mold.
For several months, these conditions disrupted the work of park organizations dedicated to research and the growth of the technology industry in Louisiana as well as the education of technological leaders. However, now, park tenants of the Lakefront Campus are operating in full swing in four facilities with the financial support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Three of the refurbished buildings harbor information technology quarters for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR), the park's anchor tenant. The first information technology organization of its kind in Louisiana, SPAWAR provides integrated business system solutions for the Department of Defense and other government customers.
Together, SPAWAR and UNO combine their expertise in research, technology, business, education and teaching to develop technology and create small businesses. The joint effort also focuses on generating a technologically proficient workforce. Fields of study include configuration and integration management, software quality assurance and technical writing.
Further, a section of one of the facilities occupied by SPAWAR will be used temporarily by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Crime Lab, whose original site was destroyed by Katrina. Laboratory work to process evidence at the park is expected to start next month.
The other restored building at the nine-year-old Research and Technology Park houses the Advanced Technology Center, which comprises technology, information systems and engineering corporations.
"The vision for the creation of the Research and Technology Park was to position Louisiana as a technology hub. However, Katrina temporarily truncated efforts toward that goal," said Jim Stark, FEMA's director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office in New Orleans. "Now, we are very pleased to see that the park has regained the foothold it needed to continue its mission."
FEMA has obligated almost $3.4 million to the UNO Research and Technology Foundation, which owns the park, to cover expenses for emergency protective measures such as interior cleaning, testing for contaminants and repair of the four facilities. The funds are part more than $7.7 million approved for the foundation for the renovation of the park's facilities.
When projects are obligated by FEMA through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are transferred to a Smartlink account. This allows the applicant, in this case the UNO Research and Technology Foundation, to work with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as quickly as possible to access the reimbursement monies. The state may require additional documentation from the applicant before disbursing the funds. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.
The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations' buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Monday, 13-Aug-2007 10:57:36