The fiscal year 1998 appropriations for ONDCP directed CTAC to establish
a $13,000,000 Counterdrug Technology Transfer Pilot Program (TTP).
The program was continued in fiscal year 1999 ($13,000,000) and fiscal
year 2000 ($13,250,000). A Web site located at www.epgctac.com has
been established to provide up-to-date information.
The TTP was established to provide technologies developed with federal
funding directly to State and local law enforcement agencies that
may otherwise be unable to benefit from the developments due to limited
budgets or lack of technological expertise. This program matches existing
technology systems with state or local law enforcement agencies in
need of those technologies and funds the technology transfer. Priority
is given to identifying candidates located in designated HIDTAs and
CTAC also weighs the ability and willingness of potential recipients
to share in the costs of new technology, either through in-kind or
direct contributions. The technology areas available for transfer
include information technology and analytical tools, communications,
tracking and surveillance, and drug detection devices.
The conference report that accompanied the enabling legislation directed
CTAC to submit a performance evaluation of the Technology Transfer
Program and a strategic plan for countrywide deployment of technology.
Blueprint Update Appendix A provides the language for Conference Report
105-284 and Appendix E provides excerpts from the evaluation report,
which was submitted, to Congress on September 20, 1999.
The $26,000,000 appropriated over the past two years has made possible
the delivery of 892 pieces of equipment to 631 State and local law
enforcement agencies. These transfers were sufficient to satisfy the
first, second, or third priority request of these agencies. Hands-on
training and limited maintenance support are provided to all recipients.
The comments from the recipient agencies indicate that the technologies
provided by the program have resulted in improved operational capabilities
that otherwise would not have been possible because of limited budgets
or lack of technical expertise.
