MRIGlobal receives contract from Pentagon Force Protection Agency

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency has awarded a contract to MRIGlobal to provide support services for the collection and analysis of environmental samples for biological threat agent detection.

Under the $17.9m five-year contract, which follows a previous award, the company will provide sampling, logistical, and analytical support to the agency’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Directorate Laboratory Analysis and Collections Program.

MRIGlobal president and chief executive officer Michael Helmstetter said, "This work is part of the critical frontline in protecting the nation from biological threat."

"This award recognizes our expertise and 10 years of uninterrupted 7-by-24 service in the analysis of environmental samples from the nation’s Capital region."

The company operates a 24/7 analysis of environmental samples collected from the facilities and locations around and within the National Capital Region with technical staff, sampling, logistical tools, equipment, materials, scientific expertise, and management.

Using immunological and molecular methods and other confirmatory technologies, the environmental samples will be analysed in high-throughput labs located on the Pentagon Reservation and at MRIGlobal’s National Capital Region facility.

The contract enables monitoring for biological agents for the agency, responsible for the protection of the Pentagon and related US Department of Defense personnel and facilities, in accordance with the PFPA Detect-to-Treat mission.

MRIGlobal will also support analytical methods’ evaluation and validation to enhance the PFPA biological threat agent detection mission.