section as the ``NBIC''), which shall be
headed by a Directing Officer, under an office or directorate
of the Department that is in existence as of the date of the
enactment of this section.
(b) Primary Mission.--The primary mission of the NBIC is
to--
(1) enhance the capability of the Federal
Government to--
(A) rapidly identify, characterize,
localize, and track a biological event of
national concern by integrating and analyzing
data relating to human health, animal, plant,
food, and environmental monitoring systems
(both national and international); and
(B) disseminate alerts and other
information to Member Agencies and, in
coordination with (and where possible through)
Member Agencies, to agencies of State, local,
and tribal governments, as appropriate, to
enhance the ability of such agencies to respond
to a biological event of national concern; and
(2) oversee development and operation of the
National Biosurveillance Integration System.
(c) Requirements.--The NBIC shall detect, as early as
possible, a biological event of national concern that presents
a risk to the United States or the infrastructure or key assets
of the United States, including by--
(1) consolidating data from all relevant
surveillance systems maintained by Member Agencies to
detect biological events of national concern across
human, animal, and plant species;
(2) seeking private sources of surveillance, both
foreign and domestic, when such sources would enhance
coverage of critical surveillance gaps;
(3) using an information technology system that
uses the best available statistical and other
analytical tools to identify and characterize
biological events of national concern in as close to
real-time as is practicable;
(4) providing the infrastructure for such
integration, including information technology systems
and space, and support for personnel from Member
Agencies with sufficient expertise to enable analysis
and interpretation of data;
(5) working with Member Agencies to create
information technology syste