East-West Center Annual Report 2001

[ 9 ]East-West CenterAwarded $6.7-MillionManagement Contract“The East-WestCenter not onlyprovides a solidadministrativefoundation…butalso brings anincredible networkof relationsthroughout theAsia Pacific region,and strongprograms inresearch, educationand outreach thatPDC can leverageimmediately.”Earnest D. Paylor,Pacific Disaster CenterProgram (PDC) Managerin Washington, D.C.The East-West Center was awarded a $6.7-million contract to be the managingpartner of a federal research and development activity that promotes disastermanagement and preparedness throughout the region. The new partnershipenhances the Center’s goal of helping build an Asia Pacific community.The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) on Maui furnishes disaster informationto local, state, regional and federal emergency officials. Its activities supportmitigation, preparation, response and recovery in a wide region includingHawai‘i, Alaska, and the countries of the Pacific and Indian oceans.The East-West Center’s responsibilities include developing a managementsystem as well as facilitating PDC’s further development and enhancing theapplication and utilization of its information and communications infrastructure.It will also help the PDC extend its international outreach andenterprise/economic development activities.“The East-West Center not only provides a solid administrative foundationto achieve these goals, but also brings an incredible network of relations throughoutthe Asia Pacific region, and strong programs in research, education and outreachthat PDC can leverage immediately,” said Earnest D. Paylor, PDC ProgramManager in Washington, D.C. “The two organizations functionally complementone another and together will enable robust end-to-end information solutionsaddressing all aspects of disaster management needs from analysis and technologydevelopment to operational validation, implementation, and training.”The funding, from the Washington, D.C.-based Pacific Disaster CenterProgram, is $6.7 million the first year with options to continue the cooperativeagreement for an additional four years at an annual budget of $5-7 million.The East-West Center has filled the positions of PDC director and chiefsof four divisions: Information Systems, Data and Information Resources,Development, and Customer Applications Support and Training. Morepositions will be filled later.Resources for the PDC come from the PDC Program Office through theDepartment of Defense, and the program involves participation from a consortiumof public and private organizations dedicated to the development of communicationsand information infrastructure for the evolving emergency management sector.