Frequently Asked Questions
What It Is
What is the Northwest Regional Technology Center (NWRTC)?
What is the Northwest region?
Why is the NWRTC needed?
What is the purpose of the NWRTC?
Who funds the NWRTC?
Who are the external advisors?
What is the Northwest Regional Technology Center (NWRTC)?
The NWRTC is a virtual resource provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that serves homeland security stakeholders and the communities involved in public safety, preparedness, and response. The NWRTC headquarters are on the Laboratory's campus in Richland, Washington.
What is the Northwest region?
The Northwest region includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and Hawaii. Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) areas within these states include the Seattle, Portland, and Honolulu areas.
Why is the NWRTC needed?
The relevance of technology crosses many jurisdictions and agency boundaries, yet there exist few efficient mechanisms to coordinate that development and optimize funding resources for it. The NWRTC can effectively and efficiently address homeland security issues for which technology is a major part of the solution and connect the technology developers with the end-users.
What is the purpose of the NWRTC?
The center focuses on accelerating the development and deployment of high-priority technology solutions for application in the nation’s Northwest region and the transfer of those solutions to the national level. Through its cross-regional coordination, the center also aims to foster a collaborative spirit among regional jurisdictions and multiple agencies.
Who funds the NWRTC?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides funding on a project basis, while the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provides base funding for operations. As the NWRTC continues to develop and demonstrate its value to the region and to DHS, the intent is to acquire sustained funding through DHS to fund operations at a level that will allow substantial growth and expansion of capabilities.
Who are the external advisors?
The NWRTC intends to establish funding through the DHS, at which time it will form an external advisory board that encompasses federal, state, and local levels. The advisory board would help direct the allocation and expenditures of resources to meet the Northwest's homeland security priorities. The board would likely comprise of UASI leadership, homeland security leaders for each of the states, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency regional advisory committee.