Global Security Newswire

The Kansas-based firm Black & Veatch on Thursday said it had received a contract from a Defense Department agency to help Armenia organize a continuing initiative aimed at augmenting the nation's capacity to counter biological threats to humans and animals (see GSN, April 30, 2009).

The company would undertake the planning effort for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Cooperative Biological Engagement Program, a segment of the Cooperative Threat Reduction program focused on fighting biological terrorism and the spread of relevant disease agents, systems and knowledge.

The U.S. biological defense effort also seeks to bolster monitoring mechanisms in client countries for identifying and informing authorities of intentional disease releases and natural outbreaks (Black & Veatch release, June 2).