WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and U.S. Representative Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) today said the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility took another important stride forward, as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) selected McCarthy/Mortenson, Joint Venture to serve as construction manager for the state-of-the-art research lab designed to protect the food supply and agriculture economy.

"DHS is focused on keeping construction right on track because the need for new animal disease vaccines and countermeasures is too critical to delay," Senator Roberts said. "With the NBAF, the nation is bringing its capabilities in this area into the 21st century, and the result will be accelerated research to safeguard America’s dinner table."

Senator Brownback said, "This is great news, and it shows that Manhattan is well on its way to becoming the home another world-class research facility. The process of relocating the NBAF has been long and thorough, and I know the decision of McCarthy/Mortenson as construction manager was made after careful consideration."

Congresswoman Jenkins said, "I’m proud that both the Bush and now the Obama Administration have made moving NBAF to Manhattan a priority. Our nation needs NBAF now, and it is critical that we continue moving forward. I look forward to working with McCarthy/Mortenson to see that construction begins in a timely manner."

DHS said McCarthy/Mortenson will provide expertise during the design process and all labor, material, supervision, and equipment during construction, under a $3.2 million contract awarded pursuant to a federal solicitation issued in January.

McCarthy’s headquarters office is located in St. Louis, MO. Mortenson has local offices in Manhattan, KS and is the largest general contractor in that area. McCarthy/Mortenson, was awarded the contract through a competitive process based upon their expertise in constructing biocontainment labs.

The NBAF, which will be built at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., will serve as the nation’s premier research center for combating agriculture’s vulnerability to naturally occurring diseases or agro-terrorism.

Kansas State University was unanimously selected on the merits as the best location for the NBAF by a select panel of scientists and experts from DHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The decision came after three years of competitive federal review of 29 interested sites around the country; a phase-two evaluation of 18 sites in 11 states; and an environmental impact statement process involving six finalist sites in line with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Facility design is underway, DHS plans to break ground in 2010. The NBAF is expected to be operational by 2015.

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