Deadline: 24/06/24
The US Department of Homeland Security has launched the Port Security Grant Program that focuses on transportation infrastructure security activities.
These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by the Administration to help strengthen the nation’s critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks.
The PSGP provides funds to state, local, territorial, and private sector maritime partners to support increased port-wide risk management and protect critical marine transportation system infrastructure from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies.
For FY 2024, DHS is focused on the criticality of information sharing and collaboration to building a national culture of preparedness and protecting against terrorism and other threats to the national security. Therefore, for FY 2024, DHS has identified two priority areas related to some of the most serious threats that recipients should address with their PSGP funds for enhancing maritime security. These two priority areas are enhancing cybersecurity and enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places. DHS also will continue to forge partnerships to strengthen information sharing and collaboration in each of these priority areas.
Goals
- The goal of PSGP is strengthened port-wide risk management and protection of critical surface transportation infrastructure from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies.
Objectives
- PSGP provides resources that support port authorities, facility operators, and state, local, and territorial agencies to meet the following objectives:
- Build and sustain core capabilities of maritime infrastructure systems in annual national priority areas, including for FY 2024 the priorities of enhancing cybersecurity and enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.
- Address and close gaps identified in Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and Facility Security Plans.
- Implement a comprehensive and coordinated (all-inclusive) approach to address enduring security needs of communities that includes planning, training and awareness campaigns, equipment and capital projects, and exercises.
Priorities
- Given the evolving threat landscape, it is incumbent upon DHS/FEMA to continuously evaluate the national risk profile and set priorities that help ensure appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile.
- for FY 2024, two areas warrant the most concern:
- Enhancing cybersecurity;
- Cybersecurity
- Intelligence and information sharing
- Planning
- Public information and warning
- Operational coordination
- Screening, search, and detection
- Access control and identity verification
- Supply chain integrity and security
- Risk management for protection programs and activities
- Long-term vulnerability reduction
- Assessment
- Infrastructure systems
- Operational communications
- Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.
- Operational coordination
- Public information and warning
- Intelligence and Information Sharing
- Interdiction and disruption
- Screening, search, and detection
- Access control and identity verification
- Physical protective measures
- Risk management for protection programs and activities
- Enhancing cybersecurity;
- Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise. The following are second-tier priorities that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing critical maritime transportation infrastructure:
- Effective planning;
- Planning
- Risk management for protection programs and activities
- Risk and disaster resilience assessment
- Threats and hazards identification
- Operational coordination
- Community resilience
- Training and awareness campaigns;
- Long-term vulnerability reduction
- Public information and warning
- Operational coordination
- Situational assessment
- Community resilience
- Equipment and capital projects;
- Long-term vulnerability reduction
- Infrastructure systems
- Operational communications
- Interdiction and disruption
- Screening, search, and detection
- Access control and identity verification
- Physical protective measures
- Supply chain integrity and security
- Threats and hazards identification
- Infrastructure systems
- Intelligence and information sharing
- Implementing risk management projects that support port resilience and recovery
- Implementing physical security enhancement projects
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential projects
- Sharing and leveraging intelligence and information
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive prevention, detection response and recovery equipment
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems and detection technologies
- Exercises.
- Long-term vulnerability reduction
- Operational coordination
- Operational communications
- Community resilience
- Effective planning;
Funding Information
- Available Funding for the NOFO: $90,000,000
- Period of Performance: 36 month
Eligibility Criteria
- All entities subject to an AMSP, as defined by 46 U.S.C. § 70103(b), may apply for PSGP funding. Eligible applicants include but are not limited to port authorities, facility operators, and state, local, and territorial government agencies. A facility operator owns, leases, or operates any structure or facility of any kind located in, on, under, or adjacent to any waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Examples of facility operators include, but are not limited to terminal operators, ferry systems, bar/harbor pilots, and merchant’s exchanges.
- Funding is directed towards the implementation of AMSPs, Facility Security Plans (FSP), and Vessel Security Plans (VSP) among port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies that are required to provide port security services. In administering the grant program, national, economic, energy, and strategic defense concerns based upon the most current risk assessments available will be considered.
Ineligibility Criteria
- An application submitted by an otherwise eligible non-federal entity (i.e., the applicant) may be deemed ineligible when the person that submitted the application is not:
- a current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the non-federal entity; and
- duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of application.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.