Oklahoma Makes Bid For Research Center

[sportyart]

quote:
Tulsa World
By: Randy Krehbiel

Backers of the Oklahoma bid for the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility acknowledge stiff competition for the laboratory but say a broad and sometimes surprising array of assets make the state a leading contender.

A final list of three to five applicants is expected in June.

"I can't overstress the number of assets the people of Oklahoma don't realize we have," said Rudy Alvarado, the president and chief executive officer of Advancia, the Oklahoma City consulting firm that wrote the proposal.

Those assets range from the facility's proposed site -- the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 6,700-acre Grazinglands Research Laboratory west of El Reno -- to the University of Tulsa's cybersecurity unit, Oklahoma City's medical research complex, the University of Oklahoma's weather center and genomics research, and Oklahoma State University's and the Sam Noble Foundation's agriculture research programs.

The Oklahoma consortium, led by OSU, was among 14 of the original 29 applicants to survive the first stage of the selection process earlier this year. A team from the departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture and Health and Human Services visited the state April 20.

"Having made the cut is a clear indication that Oklahoma has something to offer," said Renee Porter of Advancia. "This offers an opportunity to forever change what our universities do."

Besides OSU, OU and TU, Langston University, the University of Arkansas, the University of New Mexico, Iowa State University and Texas Tech have signed on to the Oklahoma consortium.

The Sam Noble Foundation and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, two of the state's largest private research organizations, are also on board, as well as the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute of Albuquerque, N.M., and major defense contractors Cubic and Lockheed Martin.

And there could be more to come if the Oklahoma consortium makes the final list. Arkansas and Iowa State joined the Oklahoma group after their proposals were rejected, and the feeling is that broadening the potential base of support can only help.

Iowa State has a major meat research facility. Arkansas has a top poultry research institution. Texas Tech and New Mexico have a long-standing bovine research agreement with OSU.

Langston's piece is small but significant -- one of the world's leading goat research operations.

"If you look around the world, goat is one of the biggest sources of food," Alvarado said.

Alvarado and Porter said their inventory of the state's scientific assets surprised them and some researchers, too. When Porter reported counting 19 high-level research labs in the state, a scientist with one of the consortium members told her that number couldn't be correct.

"Even large research institutions usually have only one or two," she said.

Although other groups, most notably Kansas, have campaigned openly for the new center, Alvarado and Porter recommended that Oklahoma keep a low profile for as long as possible.

"My experience is that the internal people in government resent political pressure," Alvarado said.

Alvarado and Porter approached OSU last year about taking the lead in the consortium and have handled most of the details. Alvarado, a former State Chamber chairman, has spent 25 years putting together what he calls "virtual teams" to bid on government contracts.

His ultimate goal, he said, has been a major research facility like the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility.

The lab would develop countermeasures against attacks on the nation's food supply, and initially employ 250 to 300 people with a $25 million annual payroll.

"We see this as having a 60- to 80-year life," Alvarado said. "This is something that could change the landscape of Oklahoma."

My only question is on location for this facility. Will this be yet another job creating project that will be located in OKC where its not as needed as it is in Tulsa.

[jdb]

My money's on the little town of Sperry, Ok.

New kid on the block, you know?
jdb

[sgrizzle]

Mmm.. meat research..

Sounds like a great facility to spend a lot of money researching stuff we may never use. Would love for that to be in NE oklahoma.

[cannon_fodder]

It will be in OKC where all the government jobs are.  Look up the largest employers in OKC:

Tinker AFB (22,000 jobs)
U of Oklahoma (7K)
State of Oklahoma (2.5k)
FAA (5K)
OU Medical Center (4K)
OU Childrens Hospital (3K)
IRS (1.2K)
City of OKC (4K)

Without government jobs OKC would lose nearly half its population, maybe more with the spin off.  50,000 well paying governmental jobs that Tulsan's get taxed for to send to OKC.  I understand that its necessary in many instances, but its another symptom of big government and it sucks.  Whichever city is 'blessed' with large governmental presence gets 50,000K free jobs with good pay and awesome benefits (and nearly no chance of moving out of town).

/rant

[SoonerRiceGrad]

Where are you getting those numbers?

Wholly incorrect. Tinker is more, but it is federal. OU Children's Hospital - 3K? OU Children's is part of the OU Medical Center.

[cannon_fodder]

Not sure where I pulled those from now, I was cruising the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.  It has great information but is nearly impossible to navigate.

Anyway a quick Google search brought up this:
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/oview6.asp?id=&soccode=&stfips=40&from=State&nodeid=12

Which substantiates most of my numbers including listing OU CHildrens at 2900 as separate from the OU Med Center.