ALCOAST 271/17 - SEP 2017 REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BENNIS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARITIME SECURITY

R 181337 SEP 17
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-5P//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N16000//
ALCOAST 271/17
COMDTNOTE 16000
SUBJ: REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BENNIS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARITIME SECURITY
1. The Coast Guard is proud to announce the solicitation period for the Rear Admiral
Richard E. Bennis Award for Excellence in Maritime Security. This biennial award
serves to highlight and recognize outstanding achievements and contributions of the
maritime community with regards to implementation of Maritime Transportation Security
Act (MTSA) requirements and other maritime security best practices in safeguarding our
nation’s marine transportation system. In addition, the award serves as a tool to
encourage all regulated organizations to assess their overall security program to
identify strengths and weaknesses, seek creative solutions for addressing known risks,
build a system of continuous improvement, and share best practices that would benefit
similar organizations.
2. The Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis award is named for an outstanding Coast Guard
leader who embodied our Core Values and demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the
security of the United States and the marine transportation system. The late Rear
Admiral Bennis began his career in 1972 as a graduate of the University of Rhode
Island. He went on to serve as Captain of the Port Charleston, South Carolina; Hampton
Roads, Virginia; and New York. On September 11, 2001, while serving as Captain of the
Port New York, Rear Admiral Bennis organized the extraordinary waterborne evacuation
of nearly 500,000 people from lower Manhattan after the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center. Rear Admiral Bennis served honorably in the Coast Guard for
30 years until his retirement in 2002.
3. Award eligibility: All marine transportation-related organizations owning,
operating, or otherwise managing vessels, waterfront facilities, fleeting areas, or
other entities engaged in maritime operations subject to Coast Guard maritime security
regulations from January 2016 through December 2017 may apply for this award.
4. Award categories: Port Authority of the Year, Company of the Year (Large Business:
50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees), and Facility of the
Year (Large Business: 50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees).
5. Award criteria: Applications will be evaluated on the following categories, in no
particular order: Partnerships, People, Process, Physical Security, and Other Security
Activities.
6. Application procedures: Applications can be submitted via email to the point of
contact noted in paragraph 8. Mailed applications can be sent to: Commandant (CG-FAC)
Office of Port and Facility Compliance, ATTN: Rear Admiral Bennis Award, US Coast Guard
Stop 7501, 2703 Martin Luther King JR Ave SE, Washington, DC 20593-7501.
7. Areas, Districts, Sectors, and Marine Safety Units are encouraged to solicit
applications for the award from maritime industry in their area of responsibility by
the most effective means. Applications will be accepted thru January 31, 2018 and
awards will be announced in March. Potential applicants should visit the Office of
Port and Facility Compliance website http://www.dco.uscg.mil/Bennis.
8. If you have any questions, or comments please contact the program coordinator,
Mr. Ryan Owens at (202) 372-1108 or at Ryan.F.Owens@uscg.mil.
9. RDML J P. Nadeau, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, sends
10. Internet release authorized.