Frequently Asked Questions on the Indian Ocean Tsunami
Warning System
09/23/2005
1. What is the program about?
In response to the December 2004 Tsunami disaster, the United States is implementing
a two-year $16.6 million program to support development of an Indian Ocean Tsunami
Warning System (IOTWS) for tsunamis and related coastal hazards. This program will
provide technical assistance to the region through an integrated, “end-to-end”
approach—addressing all stages of early warning from initial hazard detection and
warning to community-level response to warning messages.
2. Who is involved?
The U.S. program directly supports ongoing international efforts to develop a regional
system under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
of the United Nations. The program will involve a number of key U.S. agencies, each
bringing specialized expertise and access to resources for the program. These include:
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Trade and
Development Agency (USTDA), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the State Department.
USAID will work directly with a “Lead Program Integrator” (LPI) contractor to provide
technical and coordination support for the entire USG program.
3. Who is the Lead Program Integrator (LPI)?
USAID recently contracted through a competitive procurement process with a joint
venture between the International Resources Group (IRG) and Tetra Tech, Inc. to
provide overall support to the U.S. program as its LPI contractor. IRG-Tetra Tech’s
principal sub-contractor, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), will contribute
additional on-the-ground technical resources.
4. The Government of Thailand had identified the ADPC as the best candidate for
housing the regional tsunami warning system, but that idea had been sternly
rejected by other Indian Ocean nations. Does the USG advocate the ADPC
serving as this regional center, despite these protests?
ADPC became a sub-contractor to the LPI through a competitive procurement process,
and their selection had nothing to do with the Royal Thai Government’s proposal for
hosting the regional warning center. Generally speaking, the USG has consistently
argued in favor of having a single regional warning system for the region, rather than the
seven that were most recently proposed following the IOC/ICG meeting in Perth August
3-5.
5. What is USAID’s timeframe for the implementation of the IOTWS program?
The program follows funding limitations outlined in the Emergency Supplemental budget,
and thus will end on September 30, 2007.
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